A few GoodGym members came together online to do yoga.

yoga talk One of the reasons yoga feels so different from other forms of exercise is the way it blends static postures with deep relaxation — often in a rhythmic flow between effort and ease.

Holding a posture engages the muscles, fascia, and nervous system, stimulating mild stress that builds strength and stability. But unlike many workouts, yoga follows this with a deliberate release — a moment to soften, breathe, and recalibrate.

This alternation between gentle stress and conscious relaxation helps train the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of us that governs rest, recovery, and digestion. Research shows that practices like yoga can reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), slow the heart rate, and activate brain regions linked to calm and emotional regulation (Harvard Health, 2021; National Institutes of Health).

Over time, this practice creates a kind of inner intelligence: the body learns how to let go, not just in stillness, but in life. The breath leads the way, the body follows, and the mind is invited to settle.

That’s what makes yoga unique — it’s not just a workout, it’s a training in how to return to balance.

Leaflets, Lunges & Local Advice: GoodGym Supports Citizens Advice Barnet

Nine of us gathered outside the iconic Phoenix Cinema for a GoodGym Barnet group run with a real purpose—supporting Citizens Advice Barnet. Louise from the charity kicked things off with a short talk about their work, reminding us just how much this vital service relies on local fundraising and volunteers to survive.

Before setting off, we went round the group sharing our current favourite topics of conversation—from Spanish pilots to obscure poetic periods, running tales to curious dietary trends. Let’s just say it was an eclectic warm-up for the brain as well as the body.

The physical warm-up followed suit: hill drills, knees-up, kicks, skipping and high-intensity bursts by the cinema steps. Then we split into two teams, with George back-marking and keeping us together as we pounded the pavements of East Finchley.

Both teams made light work of their routes, running efficiently through local streets, posting through doors with precision. If there was ever a pause, we threw in a few extra exercises to keep the energy up. Between us, we delivered over 500 leaflets—not bad for a Tuesday night!

The leaflets promoted a fundraising gig in support of Citizens Advice Barnet, featuring Pop & Rock covers by The Jiminy Rockit Band:

Thursday 3rd July 2025 | 8.00–10.30pm (doors open 7pm) The Claddagh Ring, 10 Church Road, NW4 4EA £13 General Admission / £5 Staff & Volunteers

Let’s hope the effort raises both funds and awareness for a service that helps so many across our borough.

Great work team—same time next week?

some people came online to do yoga

Two Goodgymmers spared their afternoons on a blisteringly hot day to help steward the Barnet MultiFaith Forum's annual Faith and Peace Walk.

Around 50 people from all faiths and none came together for a tour of East Barnet's religious and green spaces. Starting from Christ Church by Cockfosters tube, we toured several locations at a gentle pace along a roughly 5km route, with regular stopping points to hydrate and learn about the history of the area and about nature and biodiversity.

We finished up at Holy Trinity Church, Lyonsdown for refreshments, stalls from various community groups, growers and faith leaders, with speeches and thanks.

GoodGym Barnet: Digging In for a Charity with 500 Years of Local Care

Last night’s GoodGym Barnet run was all about celebrating the variety of good deeds we’ve done over the years — from scrubbing graffiti off cinema walls, helping local businesses learn about waste disposal, delivering community leaflets, to good old-fashioned graft that leaves you tired but satisfied, and with a deeper bond to the local community.

This week we turned our legs and hands to one of Barnet’s oldest community pillars: The Finchley Charities, which has been supporting local people in need for over 500 years. They run almshouses, allotments and vital welfare projects — and last night’s mission was at their community allotment, used for educational projects and to supply fresh produce to the Essential Food Bank.

As usual, we gathered at the Phoenix Cinema — our regular HQ — where we swapped favourite mission stories and congratulated Beattie on completing her 101st GoodGym good deed! With the sun blazing down on a warm summer evening, we set off for a gentle jog along the High Street to Fuel Lands, about 1.5 km away. Subham Basu back-marked the group safely as we paused by the locked gates, stretching and doing a few bus-stop squats, which must have amused the passing traffic.

Once Peps from The Finchley Charities arrived to let us in, we joined other local volunteers and got stuck in — clearing brambles, tidying up plots, and helping make the site productive and welcoming for the charity’s projects and future visitors.

It was hard work under the warm evening sky, but everyone agreed it felt great to contribute a small piece to a legacy that has helped underprivileged local residents for half a millennium.

Tools down, brambles conquered, we regrouped and jogged back to the Phoenix — another GoodGym Barnet evening done, and another bit of Barnet made better, together.

Huge thanks to everyone who came — and to The Finchley Charities for their tireless local support and for welcoming us onto their allotment. Here’s to the next 500 years!

Four Goodgymmers helped steward a lovely community parade in North Finchley. The CommUnity Quilt project displayed patches expressing solidarity, peace and community on large sheets. The patches were sewn over hundreds of hours by members of loads of community groups across the borough, celebrating and supporting new arrivals and established friends. The quilts put out a strong message of unity: Everyone is welcome in Barnet!

We started at Swan Lane Open Space, with Goodgymmers helping to carry the quilts on poles. A friendly family crowd followed the three quilts along the High Road and down to Victoria Park on Ballards Lane. Two amazing drummers kept up the pace and energy, while the team of around 20 stewards helped keep people safe, pausing for traffic, handing out flyers along the way and waving to people out for a Sunday shop or walk.

Well done to everyone for such an amazing display, welcoming everyone to Barnet and standing together in solidarity with fellow residents!

And well done to our three first time Goodgymmers, Kate, Steve, Mark!

We've another event to steward this Thursday - can you help?