Move Like A Pro kicks off at Sale Sharks on Monday with club ambassador and former player Mark Cueto eager to throw his support behind the project.
The scheme is a partnership between Premiership Rugby and the Movember Foundation to inspire a legacy of long-term lifestyle change across the rugby fan community.
Cueto is the second highest try-scorer in Aviva Premiership Rugby history and lifted the league title at Twickenham with the Sharks in 2006.
After his retirement in 2015, the former winger has stayed involved at the Sharks and is now a club ambassador which he admits helped him maintain his own fitness.
“I tend to gym in the morning with the rugby staff, they are quite strict with what they do and I tag along with them,” he explained.
“I am lucky my office is at the training ground I used the same gym it’s convenient and familiar.
“I have had to adapt what I do because of previous injuries and niggles when you not training as much you can’t go out there and expect your body to do what it used to.
“I tend to do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday as main training days, Thursday is off then Friday in and off Saturday and Sunday. It’s all about balance you have to enjoy yourself here and there.”
Move Like A Pro is a 12-week programme designed by Premiership Rugby’s professional rugby coaches for people who aren’t currently particularly active.
Designed for men aged between 30 and 55, and funded by Movember Foundation, MLAP offers both classroom and activity based health interventions, including physical activity, diet changes, social connectedness and mental wellbeing.
And Cueto revealed his current activity regime has plenty more benefits, such as increasing his energy levels and sharpening his focus, than just staying in shape.
“I have never been a morning person but when you are up and in the gym, I do half hour cardiovascular, half hour circuit, I’m showered, changed and at my desk for 8am,” he added.
“Certainty the days in the gym are days I feel better mentally and more switched on. You hear people say exercise makes you feel you have more energy.
“You think one hour in the morning would tire you but it has the opposite effect. I certainly feel the benefits of being active and trying to stay fit.”
The Move Like A Pro programme doesn’t just target physical fitness either with Cueto recognising the social impacts regular participation in sport can have.
“It’s really important for me, I have always been self-motivated with the job I have done but it’s so much easier to push yourself if you are doing it with mates and friends,” he added
“It just makes it so much easier if you agree to meet someone at 8am and there’s four or five guys because you don’t want to let people down.
“Training and being active in groups has benefits for a number of different reasons it’s more enjoyable, there’s that little element of competition and the social side.”
To sign up for a more active lifestyle visit https://www.premiershiprugby.com/movelikeapro/
