South Asian women in Leicester are getting a kick out participating in a new sport in a bid to improve their health.
Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani ladies have been attending a new kick boxing programme and many of them have seen significant changes to their health.
The weekly hour-long sessions are held in Rendall Munroe’s Gym on Elizabeth Street and have attracted a wide range of females. The nine-week programme started in October and is due to finish on Thursday, December 19.
It has been funded by Leicester-shire & Rutland Sport, Physical Activity & Wellbeing and supported by the Centre.
Nasima Miah, Project Assistant at the Centre, said: “We’ve known for years that the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) is up to 50 per cent higher in first generation South Asians when compared to the white European population in the UK. They are also at a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol.”
“With poor health rates on the rise, we wanted to find a fun and interesting way to encourage women to exercise. We’ve had a real variety of women turn up aged between 30 and 70, but all with one common goal in mind, to get fitter.”
Attendees have learnt different techniques and self-defence strategies, which have been combined with various cardiovascular exercises.
Nasima Miah from the Centre recently chatted with BBC Radio Leicester about the sessions and what they involve.