THE FREE ONE YOU COUCH TO 5K APP
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Every step is a success
Join the thousands of people who have got active again with this easy and stress-free app -
Start with a walk and build up your confidence from there week by week – until you’re going further than you have in ages!
- Great for beginners or anyone who wants to get back into exercise
- Guided walking/running sessions with famous coaches
- No equipment or experience needed
BUT I’M RUBBISH AT RUNNING!
Don’t worry – there’s no way to get it wrong! The most important thing is that you’re up and moving.
The app starts you off walking with just a minute of jogging, and builds up your energy and strength from there. Small amounts of activity soon add up.
You can go at your own pace. You can go as far as you want. Each week, listen to your body and do what feels comfortable to you.
That means each time you get your trainers on it’s a little win.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The 9-week plan takes you on guided sessions, three times a week.
There’s no wrong way to do it, and you can go at your own pace.
The app, developed by Public Health England and BBC Get Inspired, has 5 great trainers to support and motivate you:
- Comedians Sarah Millican and Sanjeev Kohli
- BBC presenter Jo Whiley
- Olympic gold medal athlete Michael Johnson
- And the original Couch to 5k trainer Laura
Every 30 minutes of exercise you do makes a big difference to your physical and mental health
- Builds confidence
- Great for your heart
- Helps with weight loss
- Feel energised
App features
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- Build up to running for half an hour at your own pace
- Countdown timer tells you how long is left on your run
- Lets you play your own music while you listen to your trainer
- Half-time bell so you know when to head home
- See your progress and achievements as you move through the runs
- Rate how you feel before and after each session – you’ll see the difference!
- Connects to the HealthUnlocked community forums, offering loads of advice, tips and motivations to keep you going
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STAY ACTIVE DURING LOCKDOWN
Now that we’re spending so much more time at home, it’s hard to stay active.
Most of us have lost the walk we did on our commute, or moving around the workplace.
It’s therefore never been more important to get moving.
Couch to 5k gives you a planned-out, easy-to-follow way to get active – and you can do it all whilst social distancing.
That means:
- You can exercise alone, with members of your household, or, from 29th March, with up to five people from outside your household. Please ensure that you stay 2 metres apart if you are running with someone from another household.
- If you do have to stay home for a period of time, you can always come back to the app & pick up exactly where you left off, or we have another great option below.
- If you have diabetes, wear a form of ID indicating that you have diabetes and showing whether or not you take insulin. Also, keep fast-acting glucose tablets with you while exercising in case your blood sugar drops.
- Read our staying safe when exercising page and let your healthcare team know about any concerns that you might have about exercising before starting a programme.
IF COUCH TO 5K JUST ISN'T YOUR THING...
More people than ever are working out at home
EXi, the new name for iPrescribe Exercise, is an evidence-based award-winning app which analyses your health, current fitness level, and resting heart rate.
It can produce a personalised physical activity plan that you can do from home that gradually and safely helps you to increase your activity levels and improve your health.
Developed by physiotherapists, with years of experience in getting people active, regardless of age, fitness level or health status.
Download the app to get going.
