Justin Gush, a well-known and respected bloke in the world of basketball, gathered a group of mates to come down for a health check last year.
"There might be a feeling when we talk about health that keeps us away from getting checkups, it can be scary. It was a great opportunity to do the health check together, to have that support from other brothers feeling the same way," says Justin.
"Once we got into it, checking that our blood pressure is right, all the different things that were checked, that set the scene for what we needed to do to be better in the future.
"I put the challenge out to the brothers, the tāne, all our men out there to have a health check or get to the doctors if something's not right."
If you feel you would benefit from a supportive hand on your long-term health journey, the Active Wellbeing team can help with that too. They provide Green Prescription, a free 12-month healthy lifestyle programme for adults through GP referral. Just ask for details when you get your health check.
Sport Whanganui's chief executive, Danny Jonas, has had a lifelong love of swimming. Danny's worked as a swimming coach over the years and is getting back in the Splash Centre pool to take a men's Learn to Swim class.
"Water is such a relaxing element. It helps reduce stress and as we get older is a great low-impact way to get active," he says.
"The pool is also great for injury recovery. Maybe you've missed out on learning to swim or just want a refresher. Learning basic swimming skills is important in a country where recreation on the water is so readily available."
One of the wonderful things about Whanganui is the men who want to step up for their community and have influence.
One such man is Eddie Tofa, coach at the Rivercity Boxing Gym. Eddie has fire in his belly when it comes to men's health, and he has kindly offered the use of his gym for a boxing and circuit class led by Sport Whanganui's Darren Wallace.
Darren recently joined the Sport Whanganui team as Green Prescription Support, helping people find their mojo to get active.
"This class is for all levels of fitness; I encourage men to just make a start if they're finding it hard to get active," he says. "I'll be going over the fundamentals and covering self-defence awareness, nothing too challenging.
"I really enjoy supporting people to find their way to move."
Whanganui Rugby is hosting a Lad and Dads event at Cooks Gardens on the last day of Men's Health Week. The event is all about fun, food and good company and, of course, the opportunity to learn a few rugby skills.
Fathers, uncles, and grandparents, bring the youngsters, girls, and boys, down to Cooks Gardens to kick a ball around and connect with others.
"We are proud to support Men's Health Week by hosting a 'Lads & Dads' event, a time for like-minded people to enjoy some fun activities. Eighty per cent of our rugby participants are male, so we want to encourage them all to look after themselves and their health and being involved in rugby is a great start."
Should the focus on men's health be reduced to one week? No. But Men's Health Week is a fantastic way to ignite conversation with whānau and in the workplace, because men taking steps to better health is good for everyone.
The activities Sport Whanganui, Whanganui Rugby, the Splash Centre, Rivercity Boxing have on offer can kickstart the journey to better statistics for our men.
The Details
What: Learn to Swim Session
When: Wednesday, June 15, 7-7.45pm
Where: Splash Centre
Details: 25 Years +
The Details
What: Boxing and Circuit Session
When: Thursday, June 16, 12.30pm-1pm
Where: Rivercity Boxing Gym, Devon Rd
Details: 25 years +
The Details
What: Lads and Dads — Rugby Skills
When: Sunday, June 19, 10.30am-midday
Where: Cooks Gardens
Tickets:
Contact Sport Whanganui to register for the Boxing and Circuit Session, Learn to Swim Session, and Health Checks!
Ph: 06 349 2300/Text: 027 557 9911
Lads and Dads Rugby Skills, no registration needed.
