Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Week beginning 19 January and wrists

Hello,
We have had a few new people join us last week, and they have all commented on how friendly and welcoming you have been. Thank you to everyone for that. It can be such a big step for people to join a new group, and feeling welcomed really helps.

Wrists and how to improve their strength and bone density
It is often the case that we focus on bone density in the lower body by adding resistance (weights) and impact. Wrists can be overlooked in training, and yet, how many times do people break their wrists in minor falls? Below is a really good video on how to improve bone density in your wrists. Bone density in the wrists can be improved by carrying the shopping bags to the car rather than pushing them in a trolley. This will also improve grip strength, so that shopping can become a mini workout.
How to build up bone density in your wrists

and more from the Physio Will Harlow:
Build Strong Wrists with These 3 Exercises (50+)

Monday morning 8am Pilates
If you know anyone who has limited free time during the day due to work schedules, this class might be a perfect way to start the week.

Monday 2pm Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre
A new class for improving fitness if a standing class isn’t suitable.

Creativity and Drama Workshops for Women
A class member has set up a free drama workshop in Chorley. For more information and to join the fun, contact evolve@chorleytheatre.com or 07877111248

Timetable and booking for 2026
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 19 January- Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

2pm Chairfit – St Mary’s Community Centre

Tuesday 20 January
10am Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre (class full- waiting list)
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 21 January- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30amChairfit

Thursday 22 January
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive (class full – waiting list)

6.30pm Zumba Prospect House
7.30pm Pilates

Friday 23 January-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates (booking essential)
11.30am Forever Fit

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston

x
Diane

PS- Personal note – my daughter has loved her first Physio placement at Bury Fairfield Hospital

Week beginning 12 January, my oldest class member and stiffness

Hello,
It was a tricky start to classes this year with the low temperatures and ice. Please, please don’t come to class if it is too icy underfoot and you are worried about falling. However, it was great to see everyone back in class and raring to go, though!
We can become more inactive over the Christmas period, and that can lead to a feeling of stiffness. This can be much worse if you have arthritis in any of your joints. So moving and exercising regularly becomes essential.

How to Relieve Body Stiffness & Probable Causes

Here is a good video from my favourite Physio Will Harlow for morning stretches The 7-Minute Morning Routine That ELIMINATES Stiffness (65+)

Happy 94th birthday to George
Happy birthday to George, who was 94 last week. I think George is my oldest class member. (Please correct me if you are older.) He attends with his lovely daughter Janine.

Timetable and booking for 2026
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 12 January- Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

2pm Chairfit – St Mary’s Community Centre

Tuesday 13 January
10am Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre (class full- waiting list)
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 14 January- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30amChairfit

Thursday 15 January
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive (class full – waiting list)

6.30pm Zumba Prospect House
7.30pm Pilates

Friday 16 January-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates (booking essential)
11.30am Forever Fit

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston

x
Diane

PS- Personal note – my daughter Eleni is loving her Physiotherapy degree at Salford University.

Happy New Year! Classes start again on Monday 5 January 2026

Hello,
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and New Year. My goal was to have a restful time with family and friends, as the rest of the year can be very full on. I have enjoyed going for walks with my husband and bumping into many of you!
Sometimes it is tempting to make dramatic New Year’s resolutions, which can so easily be broken with the accompanying sense of failure. Where fitness is concerned, consistency is the key. As I see most of you regularly, you have already cracked that!

All classes start again on Monday, 5 January 2026

Christmas fundraising raffle for the Chorley and Leyland MS Society – we raised £341.
The local MS Society does amazing work to support people with MS, Chorley and Leyland Group . Thanks to you for buying raffle tickets and making donations, we raised £341! See below for a couple of our prize winners. A few more winners who were not at the lunch are: Jayne Bradbury, Liz Bretherton, Sharon Brown, Barbara Famer, Jen Handcock and Cathy Finch. Prizes will be available to collect in class.

Timetable and booking for 2026
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 5 January- Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

2pm Chairfit – St Mary’s Community Centre

Tuesday 6 January
10am Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre (class full- waiting list)
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 7 January- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30amChairfit

Thursday 8 January
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive (class full – waiting list)

6.30pm Zumba Prospect House
7.30pm Pilates

Friday 9 January-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates (booking essential)
11.30am Forever Fit

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston

x
Diane

PS- Personal note – my daughter Eleni is loving her Physiotherapy degree at Salford University.

Happy Christmas!

Week beginning 8 December – can you get up off the floor?

Hello,

We have come to the last week of Do Fitness classes of 2025. I just want to thank you for attending throughout the year. If you are not coming to class next week, I look forward to seeing you at the Christmas lunches and/or next year.

Can you get up off the floor?
Our priorities change as we go through life, and so do the reasons we exercise. As we get older, we want to maintain our independence and quality of life, and regular exercise is a big part of that. Many things we do in class, whether it is Pilates, Forever Fit, ChairFit or Zumba, are to ensure we can get up and down off the floor easily. One of my class members follows the Physio below with ideas of what you can do. These short videos are really excellent and worth watching.

How To Get Off The Floor After 60 Without Kneeling (Step‑By‑Step)

Can’t Get Up from the Floor? THIS Will Help! (for 50+)

3 Exercises to Help You Get Up Off the Floor (Ages 50+)

Christmas Holiday Dates
Last daytime classes – Friday 12 December

Thursday evening and Euxton Community Centre classes have finished until the new year.

All classes start again on Monday 5 January 2026

Christmas fundraising raffle for the Chorley and Leyland MS Society
One of our clever class members has made these wonderful prizes for this year’s raffle. Thank you so much, Aileen. They are beautiful. Thank you to Lynne too, who has made some beautiful scarves to add to the prizes. Tickets are available in class. The local MS Society does amazing work to support people with MS, Chorley and Leyland Group | Multiple Sclerosis Society UK The raffle will be drawn at the Christmas lunch on Wednesday 17 December.
Christmas lunch dates
Our Christmas lunch dates.Tuesday 16 December 12.30pm for a sit-down lunch at Bees Country Kitchen in Chorley Wednesday 17 December 12.30pm for a buffet lunch at Fox Lane Cricket Club in Leyland, Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane OakdenMonday 8 December- Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

2pm Chairfit – St Mary’s Community Centre

Tuesday 9 December
10am Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre (class full- waiting list) no class
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre no class
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 10 December- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30amChairfit

Thursday 11 December
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive (class full – waiting list)

Friday 12 December-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates (booking essential)
11.30am Forever FitClasses start again Monday 5 January 2026

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston

x
Diane

PS- Personal note – my daughter Eleni is loving her Physiotherapy degree at Salford University.

Week beginning 1 December, Christmas Holiday dates and heel raises

Hello,
Christmas is coming! Just two weeks left of daytime classes and then your Christmas break. I am looking forward to our Christmas lunches and a chance to socialise with you.

Why am I so obsessed with heel raises?
I slip heel raises into every class, whether it is a standing or seated class. By doing heel raises, you improve the strength in your calves, ankles and feet, which is essential for good balance and preventing falls. Heel raises improve venous return, that is, better circulation in your legs, helping the blood return to the heart. Heel raises can be done anywhere eg when you are waiting for the kettle to boil or when you are watching TV. More explanation below:

(137) Heel Raise Exercises for Longevity | 5 Reasons You Need to Incorporate Them into Your Routine – YouTube

1 Move To Activate Your Secondary Heart | Hitanshi

Last Euxton class on Tuesday 2 December
This will be our last class until we start again on Tuesday, 6 January 2026.

Christmas Holiday Dates
Last daytime classes – Friday 12 December
(Euxton Community Centre classes finish Tuesday 2 December.)
All classes start again on Monday 5 January 2026

Thursday evening classes have finished until the new year.

Christmas fundraising raffle for the Chorley and Leyland MS Society
One of our clever class members has made these wonderful prizes for this year’s raffle. Thank you so much, Aileen. They are beautiful. Thank you to Lynne too, who has made some beautiful scarves to add to the prizes. Tickets are available in class. The local MS Society does amazing work to support people with MS, Chorley and Leyland Group | Multiple Sclerosis Society UK The raffle will be drawn at the Christmas lunch on Wednesday 17 December.

Christmas lunch dates
Our Christmas lunch dates.

Tuesday 16 December 12.30pm for a sit-down lunch at Bees Country Kitchen in Chorley Fully booked

Wednesday 17 December 12.30pm for a buffet lunch at Fox Lane Cricket Club in Leyland, £15 Still places available

Sorry, but we only have places at Fox Lane Cricket Club now. Bees is fully booked. Please put the money in an envelope with your name on it and give it to me in class to book a place.

Timetable and booking
All classes can be booked through Gymcatch on Book a class – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden

Monday 1 December- Prospect House
8am Early Bird Pilates
9.30am Move It Mondays
10.30am Pilates
11.30am Zumba Gold
12.30pm Seated Pilates

2pm Chairfit – St Mary’s Community Centre New

Tuesday 2 December
10am Forever Fit Euxton Community Centre (class full- waiting list)
11.15am Chairfit Euxton Community Centre
1.30pm Zumba Gold Primrose Gardens

Wednesday 3 December- Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30 am Pilates
11.30amChairfit

Thursday 4 December
11.15am Chairfit St Mary’s Community Centre Broadfield Drive (class full – waiting list)

Friday 5 December-Prospect House
9.30am Zumba
10.30am Pilates (booking essential)
11.30am Forever Fit New

Private Facebook group for Do Fitness class members
If you are a Facebook user please join our private group so we can keep in touch with each other www.facebook.com/groups/1113432258991949
Do Fitness videos
This is the link to all the videos you can use any time Do Fitness Videos – Do Fitness with Diane Oakden and you can make your own playlist of your favourites.
Stamps – I am continuing to collect used stamps- they will be given to Galloways – the local sight loss charity Galloways Sight Loss Charity Preston

x
Diane

PS- Personal note – my daughter Eleni is loving her Physiotherapy degree at Salford University.