WV RebelFit was formed in 2016

Problem: According to the 2016 County Health Rankings, only 58% of West Virginia’s population has adequate access to physical activity opportunities, compared to 91% for the U.S. top performing county.  Also in West Virginia, 32% of adults aged 20 and over report no leisure-time physical activity, compared to the top-performing county in the U.S. which reports only 20% for physical inactivity.  WV RebelFit will help broaden opportunities for physical activity for the portion of West Virginian women who otherwise would never join a gym, participate in organized sports, or take advantage of traditional group activities such as yoga, Zumba or karate.  Not everyone WANTS to exercise, but public health experts tell us we NEED to!  But girls just want to have  fun……

Solution:

All of us NEED to exercise, but not all of us WANT to. Some of us would rather go have fun with the girls. So why not start with the fun… and sneak in the fitness!

Some groups are already doing this. For the dance troupe Samadhi, they don’t think of Wednesday nights as exercise class, they think of it as girls night out… Girls night out where they learn Bellydance, work up sweat and get to hang out with 10 of their new best friends. This is happening all over the state, but most people are completely unaware of alternative forms of fitness where fun is the focus.

What’s out there in terms in alternative fitness? In WV, we have Bellydance, Bollywood, Hula Hoop, Poi Spinning, Roller Derby, Slacklining, AcroYoga, Aerial Silks, etc.

“Extraordinary Movement Zones” at Festivals

We will provide an “Extraordinary Movement Zone” where adults can try out Hula Hooping, Poi Spinning, AcroYoga, Slacklining, Bellydance and more at festivals and events around the state! Hula hoops will be available in the space at all times and the other activities will be available with an instructor at scheduled times. These activities raise heart rates, tone muscles, improve balance, and best of all, they are fun and give people a sense of community and a place to belong. These will continue beyond the grant period.

Form a network

We will form a network of instructors, performers and people interested in alternative fitness to stay healthy. Most people are intrigued by alternative forms of fitness but have no idea that many of them exist in WV. We will change that! The instructor network will give individuals a place to go to find out what’s “out there”.

We have already located many instructors by putting the word out about this program on Facebook. And as more people pass the word, we’re getting more and more contact info for instructors.

The instructor network will be available on the website and will include:

• Instructor Real Name
• Instructor’s Performance Name
• Troupe name, if any
• City where the instructor regularly teaches classes
• Website
• Email
• Phone number
• Type(s) of alternative fitness taught

Once this network is created, it will only require additions, revisions and updates as information changes.

Website

Talia Rhyne and Jennifer McQuerrey will develop a website which will include:

• Network listing of alternative fitness instructors around the state and their contact info
• How-to instructions for making hula hoops
• How-to instructions for making practice poi
• Ideas for girls night out parties which incorporate alternative fitness
• Fun pictures of students engaging in RebelFit activities

The website will be marketed

• On Facebook
• On all of WV RebelFit’s promotional materials
• By instructors at their classes