Staying on track with ise

February and March can be tricky months for anyone who embarked on campaign of improved fitness as part of a New Year's resolution. Too long removed from the excesses of the festive season and perhaps not soon enough to see any significant difference, it can be hard to stay motivated. Add in the miserable weather and the long dark nights and it can be on uphill struggle to stay on track.

Osla Allen, exercise coordinator at ise (formerly the Institute of Sport and Exercise) says it is a familiar pattern every year.

"We see lots of new faces in January but quite a few have disappeared by the end of March," she said. "We want to change that and help make it easier for people to keep going. January and February are our busiest months and this year has been no different but we want our new members and of course our existing members to make the most of the facilities and keep on coming throughout the year."

Osla added that interest in the new look ise facility has been strong since it opened in November.

"We introduced out Four For A Tenner offer so that people could try out the facility before deciding on a membership. We had 500 application forms printed and we had to have a reprint within a week and a half so there was a real interest right from the start.

"So far this year we have had 1500 student memberships in the first three weeks which is great."

The new look ise has also revamped its exercise programme. The increased range of classes includes the martial arts based fight club, 1980's inspired retrorobics, capoeira, bellydancing and equilibrium - a melting pot of yoga, tai chi and pilates. Osla hopes that by offering lots of different exercise opportunities, ise will appeal to people who wouldn't normally come along to classes or the gym.

"We've been trialling an early morning Pilates class on a Wednesday at 7.30am, and of course the gym is open from 7am Monday to Friday and from 8.30am at the weekend," explained Osla.

"I must admit I have been quite surprised at the number of people exercising first thing in the morning. It does suit some people who want to workout before they go to lectures or to work, and that is what it is about. It's about finding out what suits you personally."

Another senior circuits class has been added to the programme specifically aimed at ise's senior members. It takes place on Wednesday's from 2pm to 3pm, increasing the activity opportunities to those right across the university community.

If, despite the new classes and funky surroundings, motivation is starting to wane here are Osla's top tips for keeping fitness fun.

Osla's top tips
Pick something you enjoy. This might seem obvious but it is so important. If exercise is a chore you are far more likely to give up. If it makes you feel good while you're taking part you'll want to go back for more.

Work out with your friends. Way more fun than working out alone! Time will just fly by if you' re putting the world to rights on the cross trainer, but it's also harder to opt out if you have an arrangement with a friend. At times your friend will have trouble getting motivated, so make sure you give them lots of encouragement and support so that they can return the favour.

Don't make your New Years Resolutions vague like getting fitter or losing weight. All it takes is a missed session or two for whatever reason and you can start thinking that you've broken your resolution. That can make you think you've failed and before you know it you've given up. It is really important to keep things in perspective. A missed session is just that, nothing else. You just go back to your routine as soon as you can and carry on.

Make it meaningful and set yourself a challenge. Specific goal setting will really help you reach a sport or exercise target (see above for vague resolutions!). Why not enter a charity event like Race for Life or the Moonwalk? That way can get fitter and support your favourite good causes. Any goal needs to be achievable, but with well thought out action plan you'd be surprised at what you can achieve. It might be worth while booking in for a fitness or lifestyle assessment if you need a bit of help.

Know what you are doing and why. Knowledge is power. If you understand what you are doing and what the health benefits are then it may keep you motivated and likely to keep going for longer. Our job at ise is to educate people and help them understand why they do something so if anyone needs any help or advice, just ask.

Balance your lifestyle. I'm a great believer in the old adage "everything in moderation." If you deny yourself treats you'll just want them all the more and if you work out too much you raise the risk of injury and taking the fun out of it.

And if you are only just thinking about getting started Osla has some sound advice there too.

"Come along and have a look at ise before you sign up for anything," she advises. "One of the things that can make getting started so daunting is that you don't know where anything is or how anything works. So come along and have a good look around, talk to the staff, find out where the changing rooms are and where the different facilities are then when you do come along to your first class or gym session you'll feel much more comfortable."

For more information about ise visit their website at www.dundee.ac.uk/ise or contact Osla at o.j.allen@dundee.ac.uk.