Group fitness instructor Trish Ellen is encouraging the community to warm up this winter with a Strength and Stretch session as part of Bundaberg Regional Council’s free Be Active Be Alive program.

The sessions are held in the Elliott Heads Progress Hall and cater to all skill levels.

“Strength and Stretch is a fantastic opportunity for people to have an introduction to understanding what strength is as well as yoga-based stretch,” Trish said.

“We use our own body weight, as well other weights and resistance bands to increase strength within the body.

“It's for any age range, any ability as well. I can make the session suit them.”

Trish said the sessions were modified to each person with the target being to keep mobility in the body.

“It comes down to the basics of being able to lift supermarket bags, being able to sit down and get up out of chairs,” she said.

“It's about making sure that we keep our range of motion as we get older.

“It's also about the fun and the connection within the community.”

Keeping physically active isn’t the only priority as Trish said it was a great way for the participants to come together and socialise.

“These ladies, a number of them, they come here together and then they'll go and have a cup of coffee together,” she said.

“They're starting to interact with each other too, which is good.”

About the program

Launched by Bundaberg Regional Council in 2012, the award-winning Be Active, Be Alive program began with the support of State Government funding.

Council continues to deliver the program of free exercise activities, refined under Council's ‘Healthy and Active' charter to provide an inclusive mix of activities across the region's parks, pools and open spaces.

Fitness class types are dependent on fitness provider registrations.

View the program here.