In South Warwickshire and the West Midlands
Exercise Classes
Our classes are designed for those with mild to moderate symptoms. We promote exercise as medicine, and encourage people to take their ‘daily dose’, alongside their Parkinson’s meds. Parkinson’s UK and other worldwide Parkinson’s organisations are recommending 150 minutes of exercise a week, and we aim to help you achieve this.
We encourage high intensity and high frequency, to drive changes in the brain that can modify the course of your Parkinson’s, and helping you to better manage your symptoms and maximise your functional abilities.
We target the 'small' and 'slow' movement experienced by people living with Parkinson’s, and aim to improve strength, balance, flexibility and mobility. We teach people to think differently about how they move and how to maintain ‘bigger and better’ movement.
When you join Bigger & Better, you are not just getting a workout. You will have access to Parkinson's specialist therapists and coaches, who are there to offer advice and support you on your Parkinson's journey.
We cater for all fitness levels but participants must be safely and independently mobile.
A pre-class screening must be completed before your first Bigger & Better class. A comprehensive face-to-face assessment and introduction session with one of our therapists is recommended but not essential.
Our Classes
Classes are run by experienced exercise coaches and are supported by a Parkinson’s specialist therapist. Your coaches and therapists are there to help you to maximise the benefits of your exercise, and help you to use exercise to improve your day to day functioning and well-being.
Our classes all offer something slightly different so we advise that you give them all a try if you can.
Our classes are fun, motivating and supportive. There are no judgements. We understand that people can feel different day by day and even hour by hour. We understand that some weeks you will want to work harder than other weeks – the important thing is that you are there!
Functional Fitness
Combines functional-based exercises with resistance and cardio training for a well-rounded workout, with aim of making you fitter and stronger in your everyday life.
Boxing Circuits
Fun-filled and stress-relieving, these non-contact boxing and kick-boxing classes incorporate mobility, co-ordination strength and balance work.
PHIIT (Parkinson’s High Intensity Interval Training)
These classes incorporate Parkinson's specific exercises as well as more traditional strength and cardio exercises. Co-ordination, strength, endurance and dual tasking will all be worked on - improving your overall fitness, well-being and functional abilities.
Pilates and Yoga
A great complement to our high energy classes, these classes work on improving posture, balance, core strength and flexibility, with a focus on breathing and mindful movement.
Class Timetable
(subject to change)
Functional Fitness
Mondays 10.30am, Combat Sports Centre, Solihull, B91 2JY
PHIIT
Mondays 10 am (currently full) and 11 am, Burton Green Village Hall, CV8 1PF
Tuesdays 11am, Ilmington Village Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV36 4LD
Wednesdays 12.30 and 1.30, Chase Meadows Community Centre, Warwick, CV34 6BT
Thursdays 11am (currently full) Meon Vale Leisure Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 8QR
Boxing Circuits
Tuesdays 1.30pm, Dev Barrett's KickBoxing Club, Brays Lane, Coventry, CV2 4DS (boxing. kickboxing and martial arts)
Fridays 10.30am, Combat Sports Centre, Solihull, B91 2JY
Yoga
Thursdays 9.30am, The Village Hall, Solihull Retirement Village, Shirley B90 2FH
Pilates ‘with a splash of Yoga’
Tuesdays 6.30pm, Hatton Village Hall, Birmingham Road, Hatton, CV35 7LR
COSTS
Annual membership fee
£60 (payable 1st March or pro-rata if joining throughout the year)
Group exercise classes
£3-£8 per session depending on class and location (most of our classes are supported and subsidised by the local Parkinson’s UK branches or other grants)
Basic balance and mobility assessment
£20 (for members only, conducted at a class venue)
(For info on one-to-one sessions and more in-depth assessment Click Here)
