VU in Motion

The projects

• Movement on the VU Campus

  VU in Motion's offerings on campus.

  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we offer 15 minutes of Qi Gong at 12:30 p.m. until October again outside on the campus plaza, near the new Calisthenics park.
  
  Following that, on those days there is free walk-in Calisthenics until 1:15 p.m., which means an instructor will be there to offer you some free help and inspiration!

  Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. it's time for Standing Yoga, whose starting point remains in the hall of the ROW.

  Be welcome for a short, nice exercise break in your work or study day! Just in your normal clothes!

• Hiking trails

  Theme Routes

  The buildings route

  Find out the story behind the VU buildings by walking. Click here for the route.

  The vibrant campus route

  Learn what's going on on campus. Click here for the route.

  Lunch, bila and meeting routes.

  Movement is an essential part of a healthy and effective work and study day. VU in Motion therefore encourages the VU community to take plenty of steps per 24-hour period. The routes below depart from Campus Square and return here as well. Ideal for during a study break or walking consultation!

  The office break (20 min)

  A perfect route to walk when you need a break from desk. Click here for the route.

  The meeting walk (45 min)

  Why sit down for every meeting? Rather walk this route!

  Your thoughts in green (+60 min)

  Thinking time also counts as working time. And as the German philosopher Nietzsche said, "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking," so visit the Amsterdam Forest.

  Also fun

  Besides the VU, there are other initiators in the field of walking on the Zuidas. Check out the following routes, for example:

  Ommetjes Zuidas

  Three themed routes varying in duration from one to two hours.

  Walking route Zuidas

  A three-hour walking route that leads from the Amstelpark to the Amsterdamse Bos.

• Take the stairs

  Take the stairs

  Taking the stairs regularly can very effectively interrupt sitting still and bring appropriate moderate-intensity movement into your work and study day. Moreover, research shows that by regularly taking the stairs - both up and down! - strengthens leg muscles, lowers resting heart rate and lowers systolic blood pressure and LDL (bad cholesterol). All very positive effects on health.

  VU in Beweging, together with the VU Dreamteam VU-Vital (led by Prof. Dr. Hein Daanen) and FCO, is committed to encouraging the VU population to use the stairs more instead of the elevator.

• Beware of the chair

  The risk of disease and death from prolonged sitting is independent of leisure-time exercise. Only daily intensive exercise works preventively, but is not feasible for most. Therefore, it is important to reduce sitting itself.

  Therefore, "Beware of the chair" and make exercise part of your workday. Do not sit for too long at a time, but alternate regularly with standing or walking, so that at least the upper legs are active, as this reduces the risk of health problems. Get up briefly every half hour (or at least 5 min. every hour), then walk through your home, workspace or outside, preferably moving your arms briefly as well.

  Include movement moments in presentations, lectures or meetings to give colleagues or listeners a chance to move for a while.

• Walk to talk

  "I don't see it. I see it walking."
  
  Like students, VU employees deserve a separate project to get them to move more in a day. Therefore, the plan is to bring about a culture change in the workplace through small interventions: instead of standing as the exception, to sitting as the exception. This can be done by doing consultations and meetings (partly) while standing or also interrupting with a 'Scherdertje'. And by conducting bilas or annual meetings together while walking. Desks behind which you can also stand can also contribute. VU in Beweging also advocates that exercise during working hours simply counts as work.

  Interested? Also take a look at: Sustainable employability - Make work of yourself.

• Deepening

  VU in Beweging under the attention of Kenniscentrum Sport & Bewegen
  Kenniscentrum Sport & Bewegen has looked into the initiatives of VU in Beweging to get employees to sit less and move while working.

  The knowledge center uses VU in Motion as a practical example for other organizations. Find out how this project was set up and get tips for organizing exercise activities for employees.

  Read the entire publication here.

  *

  The science behind regular exercise
  Lack of physical activity is partly at the root of today's diseases of affluence. In our modern living environment, exercise is not really a given anymore and we need to consciously schedule regular exercise to experience adequate energy, good mood, focus & concentration and physical fitness.

  Read more about why regular exercise is so incredibly important!

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  Interview with Mariëlle Spekreijse, project leader VU in Beweging
  University magazine Ad Valvas talked to Mariëlle about interrupting sitting still and the importance of movement (page 6/7).

  Magazine - Advalvas (vu.nl)