Culture and Environment and its impacts on Exercise in Australia
The fitness culture in Australia is partly shaped by the climate, geography and what Australians like to call – the ‘Australian way of life.’ It follows therefore that the country’s pleasant climate, and long summer days, coupled with stunning scenery make exercise in the outdoors a perfect proposition. Surfing, hiking, swimming and other such activities can be easily followed at the coastline, beaches, national parks and other natural reserves; thus, most people do not tend to be lethargic and most follow their exercises in these natural settings.
Coastal life is a great factor affecting fitness regimes especially in such parts of Australia as Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast where people are frequent beachgoers regardless of the season. As activities, surfing and swimming are not only looked at as games but as actions inherent in Australian lifestyles. Likewise, beach runs, the practice of yoga on the sand, and group exercising have become part of fitness in this country.
Health Initiatives and Campaigns
The government and health-related organizations of Australia have adopted the following measures to support physical activity in the country: Active Australia and Move It Aus campaign being one of how Australians are urged to take part and incorporate physical activity. These campaigns focus on the need to engage in physical activity with the intent of reducing cases of chronic diseases, controlling body weight among persons of all ages, and enhancing mental health.
Schools also play an important part in increasing the level of exercise among young Australians. Sports and physical fitness are important aspects of learning, and most schools include it in their curriculum other activities include sports as extracurricular activities. It is due to these early experiences that peoples’ habits concerning the exercise will be formed and they will carry forward the same to adulthood.
Barriers to Keeping up with Exercise Regimen
Nevertheless, Australians must face certain problems concerning regular physical activity even though the country is rather active. Some of the most common barriers include Some of the most common barriers include:
Work-Life Balance: As many people in Australia are working and managing their families it becomes hard to set some time to exercise. Many people spend much time at work and or with their families and or other social activities leaving little to no time for exercise.
Weather: Although Australia is regarded as having good weather, there are instances when it is very hot in summer, outdoor exercise can be avoided and at times there are regions that experience very intense rainfall thus making it also difficult to undergo exercise outside. This can confine the youngsters inside they may have limited space or equipment to use, or they may lack enough time to train effectively.
Accessibility: Little may be known about rural and regional Australians’ access to facilities such as gyms and fitness centres when city dwellers seem to have these available at their disposal. This can be rather problematic in such places because individuals cannot be consistent with their schedules.
Mental Health: While exercise is thought to be beneficial for one’s mental health different individuals may find it difficult to motivate themselves to get a workout in due to stress, anxiety or depression. The social shame as well as the issue of self-image may also be other negative factors in exercising and engaging in other physical activities.
Physical Exercise in the Day
As we have seen, the major barriers to certain kinds of exercise being undertaken by Australians means that people must be inventive in how they use their time to exercise. For instance, taking a bike or walking space instead of a car is a common given in areas with bike-accredited roads and walking territory. Using the chair for sitting and then changing the posture with a standing desk or taking a few minutes for stretching during informal work breaks is another way through which Australians incorporate physical activities at workplaces.
A few Australians are also fixated on what is alluded to as ‘mindful movement’, wherein they ensure they move routinely in a meaningful manner during the day; for instance, one would take the stairs instead of the lift or exercise in between two shifts. It makes exercise less intimidating while at the same time more achievable.
