Championship winning Kingussie clubs' players are app-y to keep fit during lockdown
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Kingussie’s two shinty clubs are using a popular fitness app to ensure their players keep in tip-top condition during the lockdown.
The Red and Blues and Badenoch Ladies have adopted the Strava app as their keep-fit programme since the season was brought to a premature halt.
Kingussie Camanachd president Russell Jones said: “We asked all our players from under-17 level to first team to download the app to their phone or watch.
“We have initiated the KCC Strava Club which has enabled us to encourage and monitor players exercise periods and fitness levels.”
The programme has been widened out to the wider community. There are now over 100 athletes signed up with a target of at least three hours’ exercise a week. The club collects all the data from the players’ logs which the coaches then analyse and provide feedback on.
"The fitness regime comprises running, cycling, workout and stretching sessions.
Strava weeks run from Monday to midnight Sunday before resetting to zero. Over the latest week members exercised for a combined total of 382 hours and cycled, ran and walked 5524 kilometres.
Mr Jones stressed adhering to lockdown exercise rules was paramount.
He added: “There is a comments section below each athlete’s activity on Strava and there is a fair amount of chat on there which is always encouraging and keeps the team spirit alive and kicking.”
Aviemore-based Mikes Bikes is providing support for the initiative along with several other local sponsors.
The bike company is donating a £30 gift voucher for the overall athlete each week.
Mr Jones said the club was very grateful for the generous prize.
And he added that they would be delighted to see their Strava community expand: "We would say to those in the Kingussie area feel free to join our club and be inspired by others to stay active and fit.
"All we ask is that all club members aim for a minimum three hours activity a week while respecting the current rules around social distancing and daily exercise period times."
The latest winners are as follows:
Thain Electrical over 20 athlete of the week: Craig Dawson
Caledonia Estate Agency athlete of the week: Pavel Nagel
Reid Plant Hire athlete of the week: Roma Fraser
Mikes Bikes overall athlete of the week: Roma Fraser
Week four is now under way.
