Season Recap Q&A with Presenter Stacey Holland
You’ve just wrapped season three of the show, what was different to the previous seasons?
The past two seasons saw us shooting in a different location which I think was more conducive to the theme of the show and the nature of our workouts. At the heart of the show is the desire to encourage children to keep playing and to motivate their parents to discover their sense of play of in movement. We incorporated a lot more equipment elements and in terms of the fitness programming we structured workouts to challenge all levels of abilities.
The show was started to encourage kids and families to get fit during lockdown, is there still a need for it now that life has gone back to somewhat normal?
Definitely! The pandemic changed so much of lives I didn’t ever think we’d return to normal. We may have returned to many elements we were used to before the lockdowns but in this post-lockdown era people have made major shifts to the structure of their lives. In addition, many are still concerned about Covid and its effects irrespective of the variant; that means that many people have opted to not return to their gyms and fitness facilities, but they still acknowledge the vital role that exercise plays in immunity. Some parents have limited their children’s access to team sports but still want their children to keep fit and healthy. In addition, the pandemic has negatively impacted the financial wellbeing of so many families. That’s why the show is still so important; families can work out live with us every Saturday morning AND follow all our previous episodes during the week for no additional cost. As a bonus working out together is an excellent way to foster family bonds, a key ingredient in wellness and longevity.
What have you learnt from this season?
Many people have a desire to be fitter and healthier, they just don’t know how and where to start. We need structure as humans. As a fitness professional I’ve always known this but again, in our post-lockdown world many have become emotionally and mentally jaded; this calls for even more assistance; ‘’just show me what to do and I’ll follow along”, this has been a resounding theme I’ve noticed from chatting to parents on set and they’re happy to know that’s exactly what the show provides. I’ve also seen a change in movement skills among the children. Given the age groups we work with there is a certain level of ability in various fine and gross motor skills that we can expect from children, and this seems to be changing. It might be anecdotal, but I think hours spent sitting and watching screens has not benefitted our children at all and I see it with many of our guests. The great thing is that children are resilient, and their bodies are still young, malleable, and growing so this can be changed with regular movement again.
As we head into the festive season what advice do you have for families regarding their health and fitness?
This is a beautiful time of rest, meant to be enjoyed with loved ones so please don’t be stressing about health and fitness, instead just keep doing what you’ve been doing throughout the year! Keep moving, keep playing and keep making healthier decisions. If you haven’t been working out start slowly, start with one of our videos every two to three days and build up from there. Go for walks in the morning and/or afternoon and keep active!