Health Screen and liability Waiver 

Congratulations on deciding to start an exercise program with us! Exercise is safe for most people but there are circumstances where it is important to check with your doctor or health carer before you start.  If you are pregnant or recently had a baby you also need to have clearance from your GP or Midwife. Please, therefore, read through the following questions carefully. If you answer yes to any of the questions asked it’s imperative that you consult with a GP or, in the case of pregnancy or postnatal participants,  a GP or Midwife before continuing with this program.  Please read ALL statements, that relate to you right to the end of this document. You must tick to say that you have read and fully understood all of the statements in this document before commencing with your exercise program.  

SECTION A…

The following questions are for EVERYONE…

• Are you male over 35 or female over 45 and unused to regular vigorous exercise?

• Has anyone in your family who is male under 55 or female under 65, suffered from a heart attack, stroke, or sudden death?

• Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor? Do you suffer from hypertension (BP > 140/90)?

• Do you suffer from Diabetes Mellitus?

• Do you suffer from high levels of cholesterol (serum cholesterol > 200mg/dl or 5.2mmol/L)?

• Do you feel any pain in the chest when doing physical activity?

• In the past month have you had chest pains when you were not doing any physical activity?

• In the past month have you had chest pains when you were not doing any physical activity?

• Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?

• Do you have a bone or joint problem that could be made worse by a change in your activity level?

• Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs e.g. for a heart condition or blood pressure?

• Do you know of any other reason (include infectious diseases, prescribed drugs, or any other medical/physical condition) which could be affected by the commencement of a regular physical activity program?

If you answer YES to any of these questions, talk with your health carer or GP before you start about these questions. It may be that you can do any activity that you want to, so long as you begin very slowly and gradually. 

If you….

• Smoke 

• Have Asthma

• Arthritis

• Cramps

• Are dieting or fasting 

• Suffer from back pain

• Suffer from another chronic condition/injury….

 
It may affect your ability to be able to exercise. Make sure you have had professional advice before continuing with this program. Stick to the easier levels and STOP immediately and gain further advice if you feel pain or feel unwell. 

 

If you are new to exercise or do very little daily activity – perhaps you are in a sedentary day job or not use to doing any physical tasks, then it is advisable to stick with the easiest levels of each class and AVOID our higher intensity classes until your fitness levels have improved.       

 

• DO NOT PUSH into pain. STOP and assess what you are doing and seek further advice if you are at all unsure. 
   

• Always complete a class making sure you do a full warm-up and cool down. If you don’t have time to complete a class you MUST still cool down. If the class is live, cool down by walking around slowly and completing stretches for all parts of the body. 
   

• If participating in the masterclasses make sure you view them first and then warm up appropriately before attempting any of the movements.  Whilst some masterclasses can be done as stand-alone exercises, some are meant purely as an instructional aid rather than a workout video. Always follow the advice given on the video and work to appropriate levels for you. 
   

• Use your self-view camera to be able to watch your form. Follow the advice of the instructor and make sure your positions are aligned with those of the instructor, not the other participants. 
   

• Pace yourself throughout each workout – when doing cardiovascular exercise such as in our barefoot class, aim to work at a level where you can still talk and are able to string a couple of sentences together. For pregnant or recently postnatal viewers PLEASE SEE INTENSITY GUIDE BELOW. 
   

• Always drink plenty of water, before, during, and after a class
   

• Try to eat a meal around 2 hours before you do a class. If your mealtime was considerably longer than 2 hours ago eat an energy snack or drink within 30 minutes of commencing the class. 

If you are pregnant please go to section B  

If you are postnatal please go to section C*

If you are neither pregnant nor postnatal please go to section E. *

 

B. For Pregnant Participants only…..
For most women, exercising whilst pregnant is extremely positive and can give you many benefits such as easier pregnancies, less back/hip pain, easier births, and quicker post-birth recovery.  There are however certain conditions in pregnancy that can mean exercise is either highly unsuitable or relatively unsuitable.   This is why it’s VERY IMPORTANT that you get consent from your GP or Midwife before commencing ANY exercise in this program. 

When exercising whilst pregnant stop immediately if you have any of the following symptoms and seek medical attention. 

• Dizziness or fainting 

• Vaginal bleeding 

• Sudden Water discharge

• Signs of Labour 

• Headaches

• Decreased fetal movement

• Chest Pain 

• Calf pain or swelling

Whilst some of our non-pregnancy-related classes may be fine for you to do, there are incidences where these programs will include movements that are not suitable for you.  For this reason, we do not recommend you do any of our Barefoot, Pilates Flow or Postnatal classes. 

C. For postnatal and pregnant participants…. 
Exercise during pregnancy or when you are postnatal (within 6 – 12 months of giving birth) should be kept at comfortable levels. 

• Always work out at a level where you can comfortably talk. 

• If you have a high level of fitness this will mean you can exercise at higher levels than others but the intensity MUST remain, to you, at a moderate level where you can comfortably talk. 

• If pregnant or postnatal you must adhere to our guidelines on the pelvic floor and abdominal strength – PLEASE VIEW ALL OF OUR MASTERCLASSES (see our YouTube channel)  first before doing any of our live-streamed classes. 

 

ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. IF YOU FEEL ANY DISCOMFORT OR PAIN STOP AND RE-ASSESS WHAT YOU ARE DOING. IF THE PAIN CONTINUES, SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP.

 

D. For postnatal participants only…. 
Whilst there are some exercises that can be done in early postpartum, generally, women are advised to wait until their 6-week check with a medical practitioner before commencing any exercise. 

IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD YOUR 6 WEEK CHECK -  DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY EXERCISE IN THIS PROGRAMME UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONSENT TO DO THE EXERCISES OUTLINED FOR  EARLY POSTPARTUM. 

You will find these early postpartum exercises in the masterclass tabs. Continue with these ONLY until you have had your 6-week check and your GP or midwife has said it's OK for you to start a full exercise program. 

•  It’s important that any exercise you do enhances your feelings of well-being. Never sacrifice other important care aspects for you and your baby and ensure that any exercise you do feels positive – take small and gentle steps.

• Ensure you are getting adequate rest.

• There should be no associated pain or heavy bleeding (heavy bleeding is defined as a pad every half hour or bright red bleeding that persists for several hours). Stop exercising if this occurs and do not resume for 48 hours.

• Assess any urine leakage or pelvic pressure and speak to your doctor if you have any concerns here. 

• Drink more fluid than usual. 

• Make sure you have adequate breast support. 

SECTION E – must be read by everyone.

Jane Wake, Baby A-Wake Ltd  Body A-Wake Ltd regret that they cannot accept any liability howsoever for any (1) loss or damage (2) death or personal injury arising out of or in connection with the training provided by them. Viewers and participants are reminded that it is always wise to consult a doctor prior to undertaking any form of strenuous activity.