Outdoor play company Proludic and two of the country's most famous Olympians have joined forces to launch a 'social fitness' drive that aims to harness modern technology and community play areas to create a lasting national legacy for next year's events in London.
Olympic medallists Steve Backley and Roger Black are backing the yearlong campaign and have been recruited as Proludic 'Virtual Coaches'.
Backley and Black have devised an online training programme in conjunction with Proludic. The programme will provide users with exercise routines, challenges and group games to be carried out on a range of play equipment. The sessions will be available for all ages and abilities, from entry-level participants, right through to providing expert tips and training programmes for sports coaches and teachers.
The Virtual Coaches are also designed to work with Proludic's latest concept, the Sport Legacy Zone.
Each session can be accessed at a Sports Legacy Zone by scanning QR codes, which smartphones can use to trigger virtual coaching advice and additional information that is 'pushed' directly to the handset.
Users of the Sports Legacy Zone can get access to tips on individual pieces of apparatus or take part in challenges, games and even online competitions. They are also exposed to a wide range of skills and fitness techniques, such as climbing, traversing, balance and strength building.
The campaign will run during 2011-2012 and will also include seminars, research papers and advice for communities on how to fund new play areas.
