HMS Collingwood Sport and Recreation Centre (SARC) facilitates weekly Yoga and Pilates classes for all serving personnel, Civilian Contractors and forces family pass holders. Although this activity has been extremely popular, the SARC did not have a designated Yoga/Pilates studio. This meant that the sessions had to take place in the Boxing Suite or Squash Courts, which prevented them from being used for their designed purpose at lunchtimes.
On the 30th of April, HMS Collingwood SARC officially launched their new yoga studio. Within this space, there is a yoga matt wall and recovery cage which contains a large variety of recovery and mobility equipment such as: resistance bands, yoga blocks, recovery spike balls, foam rollers, quad resistance bands.
The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) contributed £1,500 to the space, ensuring that serving personnel and families visiting the establishment had access to all the resources and equipment they need to participate in yoga, Pilates, and recovery practices.
Mark Alderman, Amenities and Swimming Pool manager at the SARC, and regular attendee of the Pilates lessons, said:
“Due to having to either use Squash court or Boxing Gym to do all the Pilates Classes in, the New Studio has been a massive improvement and a much better facility to train and carry out classes in. Since gaining this new space, class numbers have nearly doubled. A big thank you to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines charity, without whom this could not have been possible.”
As an activity, yoga is accessible to all, irrespective of age, size, gender, or ability. For those more advanced, there is the option of Pilates lessons, which involve more core strength and flexibility. The team at HMS Collingwood make sure that adaptations are available to facilitate inclusion and prevent exercise discrimination.
The mental and physical wellbeing of our serving personnel and their families is a priority of the RNRMC, and so we hope this studio will provide the perfect place for those at HMS Collingwood to come and decompress.
The current timetable for Pilates is Monday at 1200-1300. However, the SARC team are booking a new Yoga Instructor with plans to increase the number of lessons available.
To find out more about the lessons taking place at HMS COLLINGWOOD SARC, please contact LPT Holly Cole holly.cole494@mod.gov.uk for further information.
