Students and staff at the University of Worcester, along with members of the public, will be pushing their bodies to the limit to raise money for a good cause.
The ‘Dirty30’ sponsored challenge will see members of a University-led health and wellbeing programme take on a series of gruelling exercises to raise money for the University’s new Charity of the Year, Cure Leukaemia.
Conor Easter, a fitness instructor at the University’s McClelland Centre, said: “We wanted to do this as I felt that the group needed something to work towards and many of us in the group have had an experience of losing a family member or know of somebody who has battled specifically with blood cancer, so it touches home. It made sense to put it all together.”
The challenge, on February 19, from 12.15pm to 1pm, was devised by Conor, a University of Worcester Sports Studies graduate, and Richard Dilworth, Manager of the McClelland Centre, for members of the Centre’s high intensity classes.
Participants aim to complete ten exercises for 30 repetitions consecutively, adding up to a total of 300 reps. Exercises include shuttle runs, push ups, dips, burpees, squat thrusts and a shoulder press. They hope to raise £250 for Cure Leukaemia, which over the past decade has funded a network of 15 specialist nurses who work across the West Midlands region to administer pioneering drug treatments to leukaemia patients.
The 10 people involved have spent the last three months doing intensive training to build up their fitness to the challenge, which Conor said was particularly difficult.
"It shocks the body and its energy systems,” he said. “Without the correct training you're likely to hit a wall after the first couple of exercises, that's what makes this challenge so difficult.
"Participants have seen a distinct fitness improvement as a result of their hard work and commitment."
Members of the public are welcome to come along to cheer the competitors on or to join in the regular HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session the Centre runs at the same time for the usual £3 entry fee.