We all know that exercise is good for our physical health, but did you know that it can benefit our sexual health too?
This month, we’re sharing cardio, endurance training, muscle isolation and flexibility exercises to boost reproductive wellbeing and sexual satisfaction.1
Week 1: Take a brisk walk (cardio)
Ten to 30 minutes of brisk walking 3-5 days a week supports healthy cardiovascular functioning. Improved blood flow and circulation support erectile function while the release of endorphins enhances relaxation and overall sexual satisfaction.1, 2, 3
Week 2: Dive in (endurance)
An overall increase in physical stamina can also improve sexual stamina, and swimming is a wonderful, low-impact way to build endurance. Looking for a place to start? Check out the new spring schedule at the UBC Aquatic Centre.2
Week 3: Exercise incognito (muscle isolation)
Kegels improve the body’s pelvic floor muscles, which help to support bladder, bowel and sexual function. Read this helpful Kegel How-To-Guide from the Harvard Medical School. This simple and quick exercise is free, doesn’t require any equipment, and can be done without anyone knowing.4, 5
Week 4: Strike a pose (flexibility)
Practicing certain yoga poses and exercises can also support the development and maintenance of the pelvic floor muscles.4, 5 Check out the workouts below to get started:
References:
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3717046/
2 https://www.everydayhealth.com/mens-health/exercises-to-improve-your-sex-life.aspx
3 https://www.webmd.com/men/features/exercise-better-sexual-health#2
4 https://www.smr.jsexmed.org/article/S2050-0521(15)00002-5/fulltext
5 https://www.pericoach.com/2016/02/17/straight-talk-slie-rickey-md-2/
Photo credit: VPFRO Communications
Join a guided tour of the Nitobe Memorial Garden, a traditional Japanese tea-and-stroll garden located at UBC Vancouver. Enjoy nature while socializing and learning about the many unique features of the garden. Limited spots available. Find out more and register now.
If your department is looking for more efficient response and support with regards to ergonomic issues for staff, consider taking the three-hour Ergo Rep Training. Learn about basic ergonomic risk factors and assessments, proper computer workstation set-up, and resources to take back to your unit. Find out more and register now.
Optimize your computer work environment to improve comfort and reduce the risk of injury. This one-hour tutorial combines a presentation with a practical session, giving you hands-on experience adjusting typical office equipment. By the end of the tutorial, you will know how to set up your chair, keyboard/mouse, and monitor to promote neutral working postures. Find out more and register now.
This workshop will provide important information about different types of sit-stand desks and platforms available for the workplace. Understanding the pros and cons of each will assist departments, staff and faculty in deciding which option may be most suitable. Product samples will be available for participants to try in order to understand how the different models impact physical positioning and workflow. Find out more and register now.
The Working Mind is a Mental Health Commission of Canada, evidence-based workplace training program aimed at increasing mental health literacy for managers, supervisors, deans, and department heads.
This education-based and solution-focused program is designed to address and promote mental health and reduce stigma in a workplace setting. Participants will enhance their awareness to reduce stigma and negative attitudes around mental health challenges, have a better understanding of mental health and wellbeing, be able to promote mental health in the workplace, and gain confidence, tools and resources to support employees. Find out more and register now.
August 8: Yoga on the Mall
August 15: Positive Space Foundational Workshop
August 17: New Staff & Faculty Fitness Membership Bundles (UBC Recreation)
August 23: Community Kitchen at UBC Farm
Photo Credit: UBC Human Resources
The Learn to Meditate series is back by popular demand this summer. Wendy Quan will introduce you to the basic concepts of meditation and mindfulness techniques. This three-session course, tuned for the working environment, is designed for those who are new and experienced in the world of mindfulness meditation.
For only $35, you can learn to cultivate personal resilience, discover techniques to reduce and manage stress, and gain confidence to practice meditation and mindfulness. Sessions will take place in the TEF 3 building. Find out more and register now.
Optimize your computer work environment to improve comfort and reduce the risk of injury. This one-hour tutorial combines a presentation with a practical session, giving you hands-on experience adjusting typical office equipment. By the end of the tutorial, you will know how to set up your chair, keyboard/mouse, and monitor to promote neutral working postures. Find out more and register now.
This workshop will provide important information about different types of sit-stand desks and platforms available for the workplace. Understanding the pros and cons of each will assist departments, staff and faculty in deciding which option may be most suitable. Product samples will be available for participants to try in order to understand how the different models impact physical positioning and workflow. Find out more and register now.
50/50 Yoga Pilates presents a cutting-edge Pilates workout that is designed to sculpt the body and strengthen the core. A 50/50 Yoga Pilates class consists of 50% standing Pilates work, which integrates Pilates principles into lower-body work, and 50% yoga mat work to strengthen the core with complementary exercises. Discover the unique combination of Pilates and yoga sequences to help sculpt, strengthen and stretch the body. Find out more and register now.
Photo: UBC Thrive
July 3-August 30: Summer discounts (50%) on two new UBC BodyWorks fitness classes: Brain Bodyworks and Yoga & Mindful Movement. See brochure for full details.
Until October 31: UBC Farm Pop-Up Markets (Wednesdays, UBC Bookstore)
Until August 15: Yoga on the Mall
July 18-20: UBC Blueberry Fest
July 19: Fifth Annual UBC Chef Challenge (Discounted tickets for staff and faculty)
July 19: UBC Botanical Gardens Amphitheatre Summer Series
August 1: UBC Pride
Photo: Community Development (UBC Campus and Community Planning)
June 21: UBC Staff Pension Fair
Now-June 13: Call for QPR Instructors – Applications Open
Now-July 4: Yoga on the Mall
June 6: Doughgirls Summer Harvest Baking
June 7: Happy How-To: From Happiness Research to Happier Cities
June 12: Leading with Emotional Intelligence (for Postdocs and Grad students)
June 16: Garden Days Grow Green Guide Tour (UBC Botanical Garden)
June 21: Special Solstice Opening – Beginning with the Seventies Radial Change (Belkin Art Gallery)
June 22: In a Different Light Opening – Gallery of Northwest Coast Masterworks (MOA)
Photo Credit: Community Development (UBC Campus and Community Planning)
Learn the core skills of mindfulness through evidence-based online training. The 30-Day Challenge teaches mindfulness-in-action for everyday life, takes less than 10 minutes a day, and is now free for UBC staff and faculty at both Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. Learn more and register now.
If your department is looking for more efficient response and support with regards to ergonomic issues for staff, consider taking the three-hour Office Ergo Rep Training. Learn basic ergonomic risk factors and assessments, as well as proper computer workstation set-up, and get resources to take back to your unit. Find out more and register now.
Optimize your computer work environment to improve comfort and reduce the risk of injury. This one-hour tutorial combines a presentation and a practical session, giving you hands-on experience adjusting typical office equipment. By the end of the tutorial, you will know how to set up your chair, keyboard/mouse and monitor to promote neutral working postures. Find out more and register now.
This workshop will provide important information about different types of sit-stand desks and platforms available on the market. Understanding the pros and cons of each will assist departments, staff and faculty in deciding which option is most suitable. Product samples will be available for participants to try out in order to get an idea of how the different models impact positioning and workflow. Find out more and register now.
All UBC staff and faculty are invited to register for this free Hatha yoga class. Great for all abilities and for those who wish to move their bodies and relax, this class will focus on strength, endurance, balance and flexibility and will incorporate sun salutations and feel-good stretches. Calm the body and mind. Find out more and register now.
Photo Credit: UBC Thrive via UBC Communications and Marketing
This annual event is an opportunity for UBC staff to enjoy a complimentary lunch, live entertainment, information booths, and the camaraderie of colleagues. Registration has closed, but if you would like to attend, bring your UBC Card to the registration table on the day of the event. A limited number of wristbands are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Discover the Vancouver campus, complete the fun challenges and enter for a chance to win great prizes! Open to staff, faculty, students and alumni.
Still Here is a collection of photographs and art from queer people affected by suicide. Through their experience and willingness to tell their stories, Still Here participants are helping to raise awareness about depression and suicide in the queer community. Still Here is a project from the Men’s Health Research program at UBC’s School of Nursing with support from community organizations and donors.
Staff, faculty and community members new to Bodyworks are invited to try any class at UBC Bodyworks Fitness Centre for free during the start of this month.
New and returning staff and faculty: this is your chance to try any instructor-led classes with UBC Recreation for free. Drop-in to fitness, yoga, Pilates, dance, martial arts, boot camps and aquatics classes . Try as many classes as you like, and register for your favourites!
Trees and green spaces promote health, but why is this so and how do we use this knowledge? Hosted by and featuring the research of UBC assistant professor Matilda van den Bosch, this presentation will outline pathways and mechanisms behind the health effects from urban natural environments.
This year’s Homecoming starts with fun activities around campus and concludes with the big game at Thunderbird Stadium. Break out the blue, get out your gold, celebrate the Thunderbirds and show your UBC pride with 10,000 of your closest friends.
Take part in a weekly, all levels Hatha/Flow yoga class in the beautiful grand hall of the Museum of Anthropology. Pay for the program, a 10-class pass or drop in. Please direct questions to jill.lindsay@ubc.ca at the hosting department (MOA) or payments to samanthaburkeyoga@gmail.com.
Get your friends and colleagues together for a night of food, art and culture. Enjoy a feast featuring fall favourites from the UBC Farm, followed by after-dinner entertainment at one of the many special shows and exhibits planned just for you at UBC’s world-class Arts and Culture District.
The Great Pancake Race is a community-building, awareness-raising, kick-off event for UBC’s United Way campaign that promises flip-tastic fun for all. Gather your team of four together and vie for the coveted Pan Trophy.
Come out and support UBC’s annual United Way campaign. Enjoy a 2km run or walk + BBQ, bake sale and live music. Door prizes to be awarded as well as prizes for top finishers.. Who will take home the Turkey Trophy this year? If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please email Indiana Letkemann.
This Month’s FeatureChef Challenge is back! See what the chefs from your favourite campus food outlets are cooking up this year. There are five competing chefs, including a special faculty/student team, who will prepare the tastiest bites perfectly paired with local craft beer. Enjoy three live bands, lawn games and plenty of fun in the summer sun. Staff and faculty tickets are only $25 each, so grab yours now before they sell out!
Performed by UBC employees, this presentation draws on real-life experiences to inspire insight, explore conflict and create change. Watch how forum theatre is used to explore conflict at work and gain new insights into yourself and others that can shift how you engage in conflict. RSVP here.
The fifth annual Aboriginal (Un)History Month exhibit is now on display at UBC Library’s Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. This exhibit asks the question, “Whose 150?” and explores the rich Indigenous history and culture in Canada.
Grab your mat and take a break! Every Wednesday, attend a free flow yoga class that will reset your day. Find your breath, open your hips and improve your core strength. Each practice will be tailored for all levels and ages, and beginners are most welcome.
Individuals with autism often struggle with managing anxiety, anger or depression, and increasingly, interventions are being used to help address these difficulties. Treatments are best provided within a context of supporting families and healthy environments. This public lecture will review the evidence for individual, family and community supports and is suitable for parents, professionals and students. Part of the UBC Faculty of Education’s Summer Noted Scholar Series, this event takes place in Richmond, BC at the Pacific Autism Family Centre.
Join this informative workshop session designed for both potential and current members of the UBC Staff Pension Plan. If you are already a Plan member, regardless of age, this workshop will help you learn more about the Plan, pensions in general, and related retirement considerations. If you are not yet a member, receive enrolment information and an opportunity to have all of your pension-related questions answered.
An internationally recognized expert in the area of sport for development, John Lambert from the University of Brighton, UK will deliver two presentations as part of UBC’s School of Kinesiology Distinguished Speaker Series: “Football for Peace: a values-based approach to coaching sport in a divided society” and “Identifying and developing elite athletes”.
Don’t miss the annual UBC Blueberry Fest at the UBC Bookstore Plaza featuring BC blueberries, pancake breakfasts, Ethical Bean Coffee and chef demos (each day at 12pm). Visit food.ubc.ca for more info.
To celebrate the grand opening of the UBC Aquatic Centre, UBC Athletics and Recreation is making a big splash with special events from March 1-5, 2017. Join in for fun, food, giveaways and aquatics programming in this bright, inclusive facility.
Free UBC Staff & Faculty swim, March 2 (12 – 2pm) with Aquafit class (12:05 – 12:50pm).
Get stronger this spring by attending free yoga and Pilates classes with your colleagues.
Join us on Wednesday mornings (from 7:30-8:20 am) for some Pilates stretching and strengthening.
Visit on Fridays (from 12:05-12:50 pm) for yoga classes.
These classes will increase your strength and flexibility, and they are free for all UBC faculty and staff. Please bring your own yoga mat. Both classes are held on the 2nd floor in the Bill & Risa Levine Classroom. See you there!
Were you unable to attend the Travelling Health Fair? The UBC Pharmacists Clinic will be offering a limited number of additional Diabetes Assessments. Contact the Pharmacists Clinic at 604-827-2584 to reserve your spot today!
Enjoy free admission & join the opening celebration of The Museum of Anthropology’s thought provoking, socially and environmentally conscious new exhibition Amazonia: The Rights of Nature. On display March 10, 2017 – January 28, 2018.
Explore Exercise, Omics (fields of study such as genomics, proteomics or metabolomics) and Health with leading experts, featuring presentations and an all-presenter panel. Topics include: Exercise and health promotion, personalized medicine, nutrigenomics and health, exercise omics models for health promotion, nutrigenomics and health and big data.
Get your 2017 race season up and running with one of BC’s largest and longest-running triathlons. With a wide variety of distances – Olympic, Sprint and Short – as well as a Duathlon, Relay, Kids/Youth Aquathlon and Kids “Splash, Peddle and Dash,” there really is something for everyone! Learn more and register here.
Save the Date and Ready Your Team for Staff & Faculty Sports Day on May 5, 2017. This is a free event for all staff and faculty members, as well as graduate students. Come and enjoy a Free Lunch, some fun teamwork games and celebrate the end of the school year!
Check out the Sports Day webpage for all information and updates.
PhDs Go Public events spotlight PhD students from UBC’s Public Scholars Initiative, who use the PechaKucha format to share how their research is contributing to the public good and making a change in the world. This year’s themes include education, environment, culture, social justice and health. Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for updates!
Michel Tremblay’s two-act play, first produced in 1968, against the backdrop of Quebec’s quiet revolution, changed Quebec theatre, with its kitchen-sink representation of ordinary women speaking in their own dialect.
Come celebrate the 39-year-old UBC tradition that is Storm the Wall at the third annual Community Festival. This year’s theme: Superheroes! The popular event includes UBC Summer Camps prizes and giveaways with a chance at a free week at camp, live in-person superheroes, a European Bungee, face painting, games and activities, balloon art and so much more! Check out the Facebook Event for more information.
With the demands we all have on our time from teaching, work, research and family needs, UBC knows it’s not easy to hit the gym every day. There are lots of different ways you can exercise instead! Whatever you can fit into your day is a great start to get moving: long walks, short sprints, commuting by bike – but most importantly, getting up from your desk and sitting less is a great start.
Research shows that moving more and sitting less can improve your mental and physical health, which helps you feel good and reduces the risk factors for preventable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and mental illness.
Find out why it’s important to start tackling the ‘sitting disease’ and explore how you can stay committed to moving more with #MoveUBC this month and don’t forget to Wear Your Active Wear on February 28!
Click here for a full list of #MoveUBC events, current research and inspiration!
Join the annual Lunar New Year Celebration at Wesbrook Village. Experience a traditional lion dance and cultural performances, tea tasting, calligraphy, crafts, and leave with a red envelope!
Start the New Year off with free yoga and Pilates with your colleagues.
Join us on Wednesday mornings in the foyer of the UBC Welcome Centre for some Pilates stretching and strengthening 7:30-8:20am.
Visit on Fridays (starting Feb. 3) for yoga classes from 12:05-12:50pm in the Bill & Risa Levine Classroom on the 2nd floor.
Free – open to UBC faculty and staff. Please bring your own yoga mat.
Join Dr. Eli Puterman, Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology, to explore the damaging impact chronic stress can have on the aging of our minds and bodies, deep into our cells, and learn how movement can mitigate these effects.
Take a stand against bullying and wear a pink in support of kindness and acceptance in schools, at work and in your communities.
UBC staff, faculty and community members are invited to attend an open house! This interactive afternoon will include a tour of the new aquatic centre, games, free fitness classes, food, prizes, and an exclusive opportunity to register children for UBC Summer Camps. Click here for full details or email marc.addison@ubc.ca.
Wear Your Active Wear Day (#MoveUBC): Feb 28
On the last day of MoveUBC, you are invited to wear clothes that encourage you to move throughout your entire day. We want to see your lulu’s or your bright running shoes– anything that encourages you to move! Leave behind those high heels, restrictive ties, skirts and tight pants that can keep you from maintaining your wellbeing!
Pick up a sticker at any of the MoveUBC events and sport it on February 28th to help explain why you’re in your active wear.
For those staff with required uniforms, safety clothing or shoes/boots, we encourage you to have a discussion with your supervisors and colleagues to see how you might be able to adapt these requirements, so that you can move easily throughout your day, while still maintaining safety protocol and professionalism.
Immerse yourself in a classic Northwest Legend featuring incredible and original illustrations by world-renowned printmaker, painter, carver, author, Roy Henry Vickers.
In Peace Dancer, Vickers shares the Legend from his village of Kitkatla, BC; it is the story of The Flood. Sharing this story is more relevant to the world right now than ever before. Click here to register.
UBC REC, in partnership with UBC IT, is extending an invitation to all staff and faculty! You can take part in yoga and cardio fit classes in Ponderosa Commons Studio in the new year.
Yoga Wednesdays
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Cardio Fit Thursdays
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Ready to sign up? Register for the classes here!
UBC Bodyworks Fitness Centre will be offering a new $2 drop-in rate to all staff and faculty! This offer is available starting Jan. 4, Monday to Friday 1pm – 4pm. Drop by and check out their facilities, or take part in their Free Weeks: Jan. 9- 21, 2017.
On January 11th Whole Foods Markets across Vancouver will be donating 5% of their daily net sales to the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm!
Purchases will go towards supporting the amazing innovative food systems research and community programming taking place at the UBC Farm. Be sure to save your grocery shopping for this special community giving day, and enjoy the added benefits of supporting the UBC Farm while stocking up on beautiful groceries.
A Weight Watchers group will be meeting at the UBC bookstore every Tuesday 12-1pm starting Jan. 24 for a 20-week series. Learn more and register at an information session on January 17 12-1pm. To register, contact Sara at sara.mcgillivray@ubc.ca.
Presented by the UBC Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, this food and sustainability symposium brings together students, faculty, and staff for a dialogue about what it takes to create and manage a just and sustainable food system.
Sexual assault affects people of all ages, gender identities and expressions, racial identities, abilities and sexual orientations. It doesn’t just have an impact on the individual, but on a whole community. Join the conversation – because sexual assault is everyone’s issue.
Click here for ways to get involved.
You can take yoga classes this winter in the Museum of Anthropology’s Great Hall. Cost is $150 for 20 classes, $90 for 10 classes, $55 for 5 classes, or $14 for a drop-in session.
Join us each week:
Ready to sign up? Please contact Jill (jill.lindsay@ubc.ca) or Melanie (melanie.lawrence@ubc.ca).
UBC Continuing Studies’ One Day @ UBC presents an interactive session that explores the role of stress in our everyday lives, including its impact on our bodies, minds, and spirits. Learn simple but scientifically supported strategies for coping with stress on a daily basis while also improving your sense of meaning and purpose in life.