On the occasion of the International Day of University Sports, the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) has presented this morning the Healthy and Sustainable Oasis that it has installed on its university campuses in Altea (next to the steps of the Zen area); from Elche (next to the roller hockey rink); Sant Joan d’Alacant (sports area); and the Orihuela-Desamparados campus (next to changing rooms in the sports area). These areas for carrying out physical exercise with one’s own body weight are illustrated graphically and have been arranged on an information panel together with the recommendations for the practice of this type of physical exercise in an appropriate and safe manner.

Source: UMH.

Specifically, the UMH has enabled areas for physical exercise with one’s own body weight (calisthenics), with a structure of four elements that allow different types of exercises to be carried out: high bar (pulled-ups with prone and supine grip, eccentric pull-ups or elevation of legs and feet); monkey bar (wall climb, push-ups, squats, etc.); parallel bars (high or supine rowing, triceps extension and dips, etc.); and low bar (decline and incline chest dips, triceps dips, glute bridges, etc.). In addition, thanks to the collaboration of staff from the Healthy and Sports Campus Office and the Technology Innovation and Planning Service of the UMH, the information panel has some QR Codes that lead to the demonstration of these exercises and emphasize the elements most important technical exercises, as well as a series of additional exercises for training, warm-up and other complementary exercises.

These Oasis also receive the denomination of Sustainable for the urban furniture that they include. On the one hand, the complementary litter bins and benches are the result of the Stoppers Challenge that the UMH carried out in the last quarter of 2021. After collecting the contributions made in the 10 containers installed on the 4 University campuses, it has been achieved that 70 % of the 12 benches and 8 litter bins installed have been made with the exclusive contribution of the university community. About 8,000 corks (approximately 35 kg) and 3,000 for the litter bins (approximately 15 kg) have been required for each of the banks. In addition, the information posters have been made with 100% recycled plastic material, using up to 50 kg. of film-type plastic waste, which has few opportunities for reuse.

With this initiative, the UMH aligns itself with different Sustainable Development Goals, both with regard to the promotion of healthy physical activity and its #UMHsaludABLE program (#3 health and well-being), the promotion of respectful environmental policies, through its #UMHsostenible brand (#11 sustainable cities and communities and #12 responsible production and consumption) and actions to empower people with functional diversity (#8 decent work and economic growth and #10 reduction of inequalities), since the cartels informative have been carried out by the entity Integrated, which carries out its activity with personnel with physical disabilities and mental health problems. Finally, it should be noted that it contributes to SDG #17 (iAlliances to Achieve the Objectives) by collaborating with entities such as RedEco, a group of entrepreneurs from the UMH, who participated in the process of preparing the Caps Challenge and the start-up of the cycle. recycling to the final result.

It should also be noted that the OCSD has launched a directed activity of Calisthenics, so that those interested in starting in this discipline can learn from the hand of our instructor, to carry out this complete sports practice in a safe and adequate way.