Chris's - Story
Before starting the Get on Track programme, I wasn’t really doing much. I went to college after finishing school and since then I’ve done a bit of voluntary work including work in charity shops and working with animals on a local farm, but lockdown put a stop to that. I wasn’t doing much exercise at all.
At school I enjoyed playing sport, particularly football, but I never really joined in any clubs or anything once I left. I was bullied at school so didn’t want to do stuff where those people would be. The only real exercise I got before starting Get on Track was walking into town or something like that.
We started the course in August last year and we’ve done loads of different activities. We’ve done loads of combat type stuff like boxercise, taekwondo and learning how to stretch, although I think my favourite activity has been the fencing sessions Claire my athlete mentor did, she has been great to have on the programme. I don’t feel like I learned much at school but here, having someone who’s excelled and done it all was great. She’s just really easy to understand and she’s got me back into doing sport which is great.
Because of the programme, every day when I get up I do at least a ten-minute exercise routine, but normally it’s around 40/45 minutes. I do all kinds of stuff like yoga, strength workouts and cardio stuff. I downloaded an app called FIIT and that’s where I get my workouts from.
Recently the Trust gave me an Amazon voucher for taking part in a survey and I spent that on some weights to help with strength training.
“When I first met Chris on our virtual sessions, he was very shy, and he told me did no physical activity. He has always been exceptionally committed to the programme and has pushed himself outside of his comfort zone to get the very best out of himself. I couldn’t be more proud of him. Every single session he grows in confidence and is an amazing role model. I am looking forward to continue working with him on his wellbeing and physical activity goals throughout the programme and I am excited to follow his exciting next chapter beyond the programme! ”
Claire Bennett, Athlete Mentor
Now that I’m doing more exercise, I just feel more energised each day and it’s really helped with my confidence. Lockdown is tricky but I’m doing my exercise and coping with it all. The programme has really helped to keep me on track… if I hadn’t done this, I probably wouldn’t be doing exercise and just be playing on Xbox all day. Once lockdown is over, I want to join a fencing club if I can and continue what I started to learn on the programme.
I would recommend Get on Track, it’s been nothing but good for me. It’s helped my fitness, my confidence and working in a team. It’s also been good to have a network of people in my area that I know are going through a similar thing.
Chris attended the Get on Track for Wellbeing programme in Folkestone in partnership with Swale Leisure. Thanks to funding from Sport England, we are working with 700 young people in coastal communities all across England to help them become more active.