Movement at the bus stop: Aalen starts Waiting time workout

Movement at the bus stop: Aalen starts Waiting time workout

In Aalen there is now a new way to use the often annoying waiting time at bus stops sensibly and healthy. The “Waiting time workout” project was officially presented at the ZOB, and it shows how you can move while waiting. The initiators of the project, the passenger advisory board in the Ostalb district in cooperation with the city of Aalen and the AOK Ostwürttemberg, pursue an important goal: to motivate people to integrate movement into their everyday life.

First Mayor Wolfgang Steidle and traffic director Thomas Wagenblast underlined the role of this project for health promotion at the presentation. Steidle emphasized the accessibility of the exercises for all passengers, and Wagenblast pointed out that around 15,000 passengers at the 1,500 bus stops in the Ostalb district have the opportunity to become active every day.

How the workout works

At about 162 stops in Aalen, posters are now hanging that present simple gymnastics exercises. The exercises can be carried out both while standing and while sitting, so that nobody needs special previous knowledge. The AOK Ostwürttemberg has developed the exercises and also provides photo material for the posters for illustration. A QR code on each poster enables users to access instruction videos and show how the exercises are carried out correctly.

The Aalen University of Applied Sciences accompanies the project scientifically. Under the direction of lecturer Parisa Javadi-Marand, students create an anonymous questionnaire for the user survey, which can also be reached via the QR code. The passenger advisory board hopes for numerous feedback on acceptance and exercises.

Health background

The project comes at a time when lack of exercise is a serious topic. According to a WHO study, 28 % of the population is not moving too little worldwide. In Germany it is even 42 % of adults. This often leads to health problems such as cardiovascular diseases and muscular complaints. It is therefore of great importance to create stimulating, movement -promoting city rooms in which public space serves as the most important place for movement and sport.

In this context, the "waiting time workout" is not only suitable at bus stops, but also in other waiting situations, such as in supermarket snakes or waiting rooms. The goal is clear: to promote more movement in everyday life and increase health literacy.

partnership success

The project was supported by various partners. In addition to the city of Aalen, the Ostalbkreis district office and the AOK, the Kreissparkasse Aalen, the Rau Foundation for Mobility and Environment and Ostalbmobil also contributed to the implementation. The Round Table 1995 Aalen association does the administrative tasks and helps hang up the posters. The initiators have a good knack for a long -term project, since an expansion of the project to the entire Ostalb district is sought in the medium term.

The "Waiting time workout" shows that waiting times do not have to be lost and that every moment can be used to stay active and do something for your own health.

For more information about this innovative project and the exercises, interested parties can be the articles from Schwäbische Post and City of Aalen and Visit green