Movement, Music, Coffee & Connection — Why All Four Matter

You don’t have to get fit before you come.

In fact, you don’t have to be particularly good at exercise.

You don’t need Lycra.

You don’t need to be able to get down onto the floor.

And nobody is going to shout:

“COME ON — TEN MORE!”

Meet ’n’ Move started from a much simpler idea.

What if there was somewhere you could come exactly as you are, put on a headset, move to some great music at a level that works for you, meet some people, have a coffee and gradually become a little stronger and more confident?

Particularly if cancer, treatment, surgery, a long-term health condition — or simply a period of not feeling quite yourself — has made exercise seem rather more complicated than it used to be.

Because rehabilitation doesn’t have to feel like rehabilitation.

Sometimes it involves a chair and carefully adapted exercise.

Sometimes it involves strength and balance work.

Sometimes we get the walking poles out.

And sometimes it involves a room full of people wearing silent-disco headsets, singing along to a song that nobody outside the room can hear. 😆

That is Meet ’n’ Move.

And although we certainly exercise, I’ve come to realise that the Meet might be every bit as important as the Move.

I might have one person working from a chair while somebody else does exactly the same movement standing.

Someone may use the chair for balance.

Someone else might add resistance or make the movement bigger.

One person might need several rests.

Another might surprise themselves by discovering they’re ready for a little more.

There isn’t a “proper version” that everybody has to achieve.

There is simply the version that is appropriate for you today.

That’s important because cancer and chronic health conditions don’t follow a neat timetable.

Energy changes.

Treatment changes.

Bodies change.

Confidence changes.

And sometimes Monday-you can do something that Thursday-you absolutely couldn’t.

That’s not failure. That’s being human.

Meet N Move! Well what a lovely group this is. We have a circuit for our exercise, even better we have headphones and music. It’s been great for me to get more motivated a meet people. Pauline

And then there’s the music… 🎧

Music is quite a big part of Meet ’n’ Move.

And so are my silent-disco headsets.

They mean everyone can hear the music clearly without me having to fill the hall with very loud music.

But they do something else too.

They make it fun.

Put a headset on and somehow what could feel like a rather serious rehabilitation session feels altogether less clinical.

We walk. We step. We strengthen. We work on balance.

We might use chairs, resistance bands, poles or whatever else I’ve brought along that week.

But we’re doing it with music in our ears.

And quite often somebody starts singing.

Sometimes several somebodies start singing.

Whether they should is an entirely separate matter. 😆

And I think that fun matters.

But is there actually any science behind exercising to music?

There is.

Although I’m not about to claim my silent-disco headsets are a medical intervention.

A large meta-analysis looked at 139 studies involving 3,599 participants and found that music during exercise was associated with more positive feelings, modest improvements in physical performance and lower perceived exertion.

That doesn’t mean putting on ABBA suddenly turns a squat into medicine.

Although I remain open to further research on this.

What interests me is something much more practical.

If music can make moving feel more enjoyable, perhaps it can help change the experience from:

“I have to exercise.”

to:

“Actually, this is quite good fun.”

And that’s rather useful.

Because the best exercise programme in the world isn’t terribly effective if you hate doing it.

🟢 WHAT WE KNOW

Physical activity matters.

🟠 WHAT’S INTERESTING

Music can influence how exercise feels and, across research, has shown effects on enjoyment/positive feelings, perceived effort and some aspects of performance.

❤️ WHAT I NOTICE AT MEET ’N’ MOVE

People smile.

And I don’t think we should underestimate that.

Why do we move?

Here comes the science bit.

And actually, the science is increasingly reassuring.

For people living with and beyond cancer, physical activity is no longer regarded simply as something to return to once all the treatment is over.

Exercise research and international consensus guidance now support appropriate exercise during and after cancer treatment.

A major international multidisciplinary consensus concluded that exercise training and testing are generally safe for cancer survivors and that appropriately prescribed aerobic and/or resistance exercise can improve outcomes including physical function, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life.

That’s quite a list.

But there’s an important bit missing if we simply tell everyone:

“You should exercise.”

Because knowing exercise is good for you and actually feeling capable of doing it are two very different things.

Cancer changed. Treatment changed. Exercise advice changed too.

There was a time when somebody going through cancer treatment was commonly advised to rest and avoid activity.

Rest absolutely still has its place.

But we’ve learned a lot.

Modern cancer exercise guidance has shifted towards avoiding unnecessary inactivity, with exercise adapted according to the person’s cancer, treatment, symptoms and other health considerations.

That last bit matters enormously to me.

Because cancer rehabilitation isn’t simply putting somebody with cancer into an ordinary exercise class.

We might need to think about fatigue. Surgery. Reduced muscle strength. Bone health. Balance. Peripheral neuropathy. Pelvic health. Scars. Lymphoedema or lymphoedema risk. Treatment cycles. Medication. Pain.

And sometimes fear.

In fact, some areas remain much less certain than others. For example, the international consensus found the evidence insufficient at that point to make specific exercise prescriptions for outcomes including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

So my first question isn’t:

“What can’t you do?”

I’m much more interested in:

“What can we safely build from here?”

I started Meet N Move and like the variety of exercises, which can be adapted to our ability. I enjoy the sessions and feel better mentally and physically. I have lost a few pounds in weight! I like using the poles during our walk as they gave me support and the music and BPM is helpful. Susan

But Meet ’n’ Move isn’t only for people affected by cancer

This is important.

People living with long-term health conditions can face many of the same barriers to movement.

Perhaps strength has disappeared gradually.

Perhaps balance isn’t what it was.

Perhaps pain makes conventional classes difficult.

Perhaps someone has become frightened of making their condition worse.

Or perhaps they’ve spent so long being told everything that’s wrong with their body that they’ve lost confidence in what it can do.

I love the class as it supports people with health needs which I do. Exercises are tailored to meet my needs, they are also fun! I love the silent disco headsets and how the group motovate each other and we laugh! The exerccises and walks helps with my mobility and have helped my journey back to a better level of mobility. I love coming along and the cuppa and chat at the end. Jackie

The playlist stops. The kettle goes on. ☕🎧

And I’m only half joking when I say both parts matter.

For the first part of Meet ’n’ Move, there’s movement, music, headsets, concentration and usually quite a lot of laughter.

Then the headsets come off.

We stop.

We have coffee.

We chat.

And the energy changes.

Sometimes people talk about cancer or health.

Sometimes somebody shares something they’ve struggled with and another person immediately knows exactly what they mean.

Sometimes useful information gets passed around.

Sometimes somebody new gradually starts recognising names and faces.

And sometimes we discuss something completely ridiculous and laugh.

That counts too.

Because health isn’t only what happens to muscles, lungs and hearts.

People need people.

What does the evidence say about peer support?

This is another area where I don’t want to turn something wonderfully human into a miracle treatment.

A 2023 systematic review examined 18 randomised controlled trials of peer-to-peer support for adults affected by cancer.

Overall effects on outcomes such as anxiety, depression and coping were relatively small, but beneficial effects were seen in some groups and settings, including some face-to-face support and cancer-specific quality-of-life outcomes. The researchers concluded that better-quality research is still needed.

So this gets a very definite:

🟠 INTERESTING — BUT DON’T OVERCLAIM IT.

Peer support isn’t psychotherapy.

Coffee isn’t medicine.

And sitting beside somebody who has also experienced cancer isn’t guaranteed to change a quality-of-life score.

But there’s another question I find interesting:

What does it feel like to walk into a room and realise you don’t have to explain everything?

That’s rather harder to put into a spreadsheet.

And I think it matters.

I am in a wheelchair, but the exercises are adjusted for my capabilities. Silent disco is used to accompany which is fun. People are friendly and very encouraging and this is very beneficial for my wellbeing. Richard

Where does the Cancer Wellbeing Centre fit into all of this?

Meet ’n’ Move is supported through my work with the Cancer Wellbeing Centre.

Cancer patients, those in early recovery and those being monitored can get 10 funded sessions. 

And that relationship matters.

Cancer treatment understandably concentrates on treating cancer.

But the effects of cancer don’t necessarily disappear on the day somebody has their final chemotherapy, completes radiotherapy, recovers from surgery or moves into follow-up.

There can still be fatigue. Loss of strength. Changes in body confidence. Fear about returning to exercise. Ongoing treatment. Late effects. Money worries. Not feeling yourself. 

And sometimes that peculiar feeling of:

“Everyone thinks it’s over. Why don’t I feel as though it’s over?”

Exercise and rehabilitation can be part of recovery, but telling somebody to “be more active” isn’t the same as providing somewhere they feel able to start.

That’s where I think community-based rehabilitation can be incredibly valuable.

Meet ’n’ Move doesn’t replace someone’s oncology team.

It isn’t physiotherapy.

It isn’t medical treatment.

It’s part of the bridge between healthcare and getting back to living.

We are visited by the wellbeing centre on the first Monday of the month. Jo is available for  questions about what the centre offers and can also help with any worries you may have or signpost you in the right direction.

Actually, I might only be borrowing you

This is something I say quite a lot.

“I’m borrowing you.”

Because my dream isn’t that somebody joins a specialist rehabilitation group and feels they have to stay there forever.

For some people, Meet ’n’ Move may continue to be exactly where they want to exercise.

Brilliant.

But for somebody else, success might eventually look completely different.

Perhaps they regain enough confidence to join a local walking group.

Return to Pilates. Go swimming. Use the gym. Start gardening again. Walk the dog further. Join an ordinary community exercise class.

What if I’m worried I won’t manage?

Tell me. That’s genuinely the best place to start.

Fi gives a variety of exercises via a circuit which we do at our own pace! Really like the silent disco headsets– you can exercise to the beat of the music and enjoy a silent sing-a-long! When we have finished we have a welcome cup of coffee and a chat. The group are a great bunch. All in all a great session. Linda

There may be times when I need more information before somebody joins us, when something needs adapting, or when their healthcare team is the appropriate place to advise first.

Cancer, cancer treatments and chronic conditions can sometimes create circumstances where exercise needs additional precautions.

That’s not a reason to be frightened of movement.

It’s a reason to individualise it.

I’d much rather someone tell me:

“I’m worried about my balance.”

“I’ve got neuropathy in my feet.”

“I’ve just finished treatment and I’m exhausted.”

“I’ve had surgery.”

“I haven’t exercised for years.”

than stay at home because they think everyone else will be fitter than them.

Because we can work with information.

One final thing…

I could describe Meet ’n’ Move as a cancer rehabilitation and chronic-conditions exercise group.

Technically, that’s true. But it doesn’t really describe it. It’s people.

It’s chairs and resistance bands and walking poles.

It’s silent-disco headsets and a playlist that may or may not encourage spontaneous singing.

It’s finding a song that makes somebody who arrived feeling tired suddenly start moving their shoulders.

It’s adapting an exercise because somebody isn’t having a great day.

It’s watching someone discover they can do a little more than they thought.

It’s somebody new walking through the door looking nervous and, a few weeks later, welcoming the next nervous person.

Then the headsets come off. The kettle goes on. People talk. People laugh.

And occasionally nobody talks about cancer or health at all.

Just pop in and say “Hi”.

You don’t have to get fit first.

You don’t have to know anybody.

You don’t have to stand for the whole session.

You don’t have to keep up.

We’ll find your starting point.

We’ll put some music on. 🎧

We’ll move a little.

We’ll hopefully laugh quite a lot.

And afterwards?

We’ll put the kettle on. ☕

Because Meet ’n’ Move was never really just about exercise.

It’s about movement, music, confidence, connection — and finding your way back into life.

I have only just joined. I wentt for the walk and used the poles. It was really good, you could push yourself as hard as you wanted. Lovely group of people, very welcoming and yes I am going back again today! Very glad I found this group. Caroline

🐇 Fi’s Rabbit-Hole Reading

Campbell KL et al. (2019) — Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable. The consensus concluded that exercise training and testing were generally safe for cancer survivors and found sufficient evidence for specific exercise prescriptions to improve several outcomes including fatigue, physical functioning, anxiety, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life.

Fi thought: We’ve come a very long way from “you’ve had cancer, you’d better rest.” The clever bit isn’t simply telling people to exercise. It’s helping them find the right exercise for the body they’re bringing with them.

Terry PC et al. (2020) — Effects of Music in Exercise and Sport: A Meta-Analytic Review. This was a substantial meta-analysis: 139 studies and 3,599 participants. Music was associated with more positive feelings, improved performance and reduced perceived exertion, although effects varied and it certainly doesn’t mean music magically makes every form of exercise easier.

Fi thought: I didn’t buy the silent-disco headsets because I thought they were evidence-based rehabilitation equipment. I bought them because they’re fun. I rather like discovering that science has something to say about that too.

Kiemen A, Czornik M & Weis J (2023) — How effective is peer-to-peer support in cancer patients and survivors? A systematic review. Eighteen randomised controlled trials were included. Overall effects on several psychosocial outcomes were small, although benefits appeared in some groups and settings, including face-to-face support and some cancer-specific quality-of-life outcomes. The researchers emphasised the need for better-quality research.

Fi thought: Coffee isn’t medicine and belonging is difficult to measure. But I still think there’s something important about walking into a room where you don’t have to explain quite so much.