Professor Brian Rice takes YouTube viewers through locales of historical significance while working up a sweat.
Online workout series promotes physical activity & history for Indigenous seniors
Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management professor Brian Rice has created a series of YouTube videos aimed at promoting physical activity—mixed in with history lessons— amongst Indigenous seniors.
Brian Rice
The concept was borne out of 2020’s push-up challenge on social media when fitness facilities were shuttered owning to COVID-19. After viewing a handful of those posts, Rice decided to produce digital content to encourage older Indigenous people to be physically active.
The videos feature Rice engaged in outdoor workouts (running, body weight movements) in places with historical significance. Locales include Cuthbert Grant’s Mill and the former Métis community of Rooster Town, amongst others.
“Although the videos centre on seniors because I am one, my hope is that anyone that is interested in both Indigenous history and health might enjoy watching them and be inspired to get healthier, especially during these times,” said Rice.
There are five videos uploaded thus far, and are in part inspired by REC 2130: Introduction to Outdoor and Land-Based Recreation, a course Rice teaches.