Victorians called on to get active this April

Deakin University sport scientist, Paul Gastin, is calling on all Victorian's to get active this April.

Dr Gastin has been named as one of six ambassadors for 'Premier's Active April', a State Government initiative to encourage all Victorians to commit to 30 minutes of physical activity a day during April.

Premier's Active April is free to join and a great way to remind people of the benefits of being physically active, Dr Gastin said.

"Most of us know that being active is good for our physical and mental health however busy lives often get in the way of us putting this knowledge into practice," he said.

"Campaigns such as Premier's Active April create the opportunity to reassess how we spend our time and the stimulus to find ways to be more active, to try something new or to re-engage in past pursuits that may have gone by the wayside."

As an associate professor with Deakin's Centre for Exercise and Sport Science, understanding and promoting physical activity is a high priority.

"My role at Deakin focuses on teaching and learning related to exercise and sport science, so Active April is a great fit. We are teaching our students to become leaders within the fitness, health, rehabilitation and sports industries, so they will be a conduit to healthy lives and healthy communities," Dr Gastin said.

"From a research perspective my focus is on healthy sport participation and performance management and enhancement. This includes the use of wearable technologies such as GPS and accelerometers and self-report measures such as training diaries and wellness logs to help us understand how individuals respond and adapt to different types and amounts of activity. These technologies and approaches are increasingly becoming available and affordable for the general public which is great as they are a good way to monitor and motivate people to be active."

Dr Gastin said building 30 minutes of activity into our day is easier than we think.

"For those who are not into playing sport, hitting the gym or taking a yoga class, incidental activities are great options. Look out for ways to be more active such as walking or cycling, taking the stairs, standing up in meetings or playing with the kids at the park," Dr Gastin explained.

"The downtime during sports events is also an opportune time to be active. Rather than checking your phone for messages or emails, why not walk the boundary at half time at the local football or soccer match, get in the pool while the kids have their swimming lesson or shoot some baskets while they're at basketball or netball training.

"Any increase in physical activity will improve your health and make you feel great. So get out, have fun and share the experience with family and friends. The benefits will be immediate and far reaching."

Premier's Active April is free to join and every participant will receive:

• 10 free passes to a participating YMCA or local government facility
• 15% discount at Sportsmart (in-store and online)
• One free hour tennis court hire at Melbourne Park or Albert Reserve
• 2 for 1 ticket offer to SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
• Entry into the draw to win four tickets to the 2015 Toyota AFL Grand Final

For more information or to register for Premier's Active April visit www.activeapril.vic.gov.au