Buddy Study: Why now more than ever is an ideal time to get social (even if it's only online) and exercise!
YourLifeChoices and University of Sydney have buddied up on The Buddy Study to see if there's a better way for you to get more from exercise.
The Buddy Study also aims to see if exercise is better with a buddy. However, we've had several people express interest in participating but who do not have buddies. So, we're wondering if you would be interested in being potential remote/Facetime/phone exercise buddies in the future.
The YLC/Sydney University study could end up being very important research – and you could be a part of it.
As part of our collaboration, we are interested to know what sort of things would make people willing to put their name on a register to be an exercise support person and what sort of things would make people hesitate?
Specifically we would potentially be looking for people who would be interested in having a phone call/Facetime call with a study participant once a week to either ‘walk and talk’ with them or to just schedule some exercise with them (i.e.: I am going to work in the garden for half an hour this morning, how about you go for your swim today and we can chat about how it went later this afternoon?)
One of the Sydney University physiotherapists, Kate Roberts will be on this forum to answer any of your questions and get the discussion rolling about the advantages and disadvantages of being a remote exercise support person/buddy.
We'd love your input. And we really do think now more than ever is an ideal time to get social (even if it's only online) and exercise!
So why not join in on The Buddy Study? Feel free to let us know your thoughts and Kate will drop in regularly to answer your questions about the study and about exercise.
If you made a list of the benefits of regular exercise it would be a very long list - from improving your balance and your bones, to decreasing cardiovascular disease and metabolic conditions, to aiding recovery from cancer and helping to manage chronic pain as well as improving your mental health...... the list goes on.
But what are the benefits of volunteering? According to Healthdirect.gov.au the list of benefits from volunteering is almost as long as the list of benefits from exercising. They report that volunteering can give you a sense of achievement and purpose, it can help you to feel part of your community, it can combat stress, loneliness and isolation and can improve your self esteem and confidence.
If you could help someone by chatting with them once a week for half an hour while they exercise, or by scheduling a call to help keep them on track with their exercise goals, what would be the main reasons for putting your hand up? And what would be the main things that stopped you from volunteering?
I am really interested to know your thoughts.