Get motivated at F45 The Mount with new owners Brett and Nicole Taylor
F is for functional, friendship and fun - and forty-five minute group workouts that really deliver results, as Nicky Adams finds out.
F is for functional, friendship and fun - and forty-five minute group workouts that really deliver results, as Nicky Adams finds out.
WORDS Nicky Adams PHOTOS Jahl Marshall
F45 first came onto my radar about three years ago, when I noticed that one of my friends had – within what seemed like a startlingly short time frame – honed her body into one that was svelte, toned and stop-in-your-tracks what-the-heck-have-you-been-doing-to-get-that-figure? The secret, she informed me, was F45.
Now, as pretty much everyone knows, when it comes to fitness, there’s no quick fix or easy way, but F45 has developed a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) formula that keeps its clients keen through short bursts of energy that maximise results. The gyms themselves are part of a franchise and follow the same model, although each site brings something different to the mix.
The Mount Maunganui branch of F45 has recently been taken over by Nicole and Brett Taylor, who both have extensive experience with F45, and a real passion for fitness. Nicole is a clinical exercise physiologist who has also worked as an F45 manager, and Brett has been in the industry for more than 12 years. Owning their own F45 gym revolves around their genuine desire to be instrumental in transforming people’s lives, as well as their perceptions of health and wellbeing. They love that F45 is an incredibly effective form of exercise, not only for athletes who already have a high level of fitness, but also for those at the start of their fitness journey.
The couple were drawn to F45 The Mount by the phenomenal community that already existed here. According to Brett, “The vibe grabs your attention straight away. When people come in the door, they realise, ‘Hey, this is cool’ – and that’s what appealed to Nicole and me. We felt the connection with our members from the first day.”
Family environment
“Once you come into the gym, you’re part of our family,” says Nicole. “It’s a really inclusive environment – the members, trainers, everyone is welcoming.”
The pair have a definite vision of where they want to take the gym. Nicole’s clear that “although we want to grow our membership base, we also want to make sure our current members are valued”.
Brett believes what sets them apart is that “we understand what our members want: unique driving through our trainers – strength, encouragement, understanding.” In addition to the focus on individual goals, other benefits of F45 The Mount (aside from the all-important sparklingly clean bathrooms) are the class format and instructor ratio.
For the uninitiated, the set-up at F45 is slightly different to the average gym. Specific equipment is assigned to each 45-minute workout and exercise sequences are projected via screens on the wall. This frees up the trainers to move around the room to help and motivate class participants.
As Brett says, “You’d seldom find a class elsewhere where you’d see two personal trainers engaging at the same time. Here, you get that one-on-one connection, which ensures correct technique.” Furthermore, they pick only trainers who have preventative injury-management experience. “This enables them to motivate our members to push past comfort but stay within their physical limits.”
Accountability for the win
F45 is fast-paced. Your interest is held by a range of exercises within a number of different sessions, and by different concepts introduced into the mix. A good starting point for any of the opportunities and challenges is a 10-minute benchmark fitness test known as the Playoffs.
F45 The Mount’s members genuinely support each other, which Brett says is part of what makes the studio’s regular six-week challenges so successful. A combination of exercise and diet, these challenges are where people can really see not just results but transformations – and says they work because “when you’re in a group environment, you don’t want to let anyone down – everyone keeps each other accountable.”
It’s hard not to be impressed by Nicole and Brett’s expertise and enthusiasm. After I gave F45 The Mount a whirl, I’d barely left the building before I was messaging friends to see who wanted to sign up with me.
The mind-body connection at Natural Fit
An exercise revolution is afoot at this Mount gym. We spoke to co-owner Beth Ratcliffe about their purpose.
An exercise revolution is afoot at this Mount gym. We spoke to co-owner Beth Ratcliffe about their purpose.
UNO: What’s Natural Fit great at?
BETH RATCLIFFE: Our ‘what’ is grounded in purpose. We’re good at understanding what our members need because we aim to listen more than we speak to gain a deep appreciation for where they’re at. This begins by getting to know them and allows us to offer well-coached classes and personalised programmes, and to create a relaxed community that cares about connection, support and expertise in sport and health performance, exercise rehabilitation, dynamic functional movement techniques and the very best yoga offerings.
Why do people come to you? We feel the entire fitness industry needs a shake-up. People are walking through the doors of Natural Fit because we’re a signal in an industry full of noise. We teach people to move and function with self-awareness and control, and to build on their strengths. We’re proud of the beautiful environment we’ve created in the heart of the Mount, but we’re so much more than a room full of exercise equipment. We know that change comes from within, and that it’s not so much what you do but how you do it that counts. At Natural Fit, success isn’t measured in body scans or on the scales. Igniting healthy habits; moving with true purpose; feeling in control; celebrating strength, endurance and flexibility outside of the gym; and gaining confidence is how we notice and name success.
Who are you best suited to? We have a diverse range of members, from people who’ve learned to stand again following disease or injury, right through to competitive athletes. People in our community have begun to notice that we’re different. An entire community is choosing to learn and relearn how to move with purpose and trust their intuition. Fitness doesn’t always need to occur at a million miles an hour. In order to meet goals and make an impact, it needs to be purposeful and be a constant practice of self-reflection. By facilitating people to make a brain and body connection every time they choose a class, or to put in the hard work of following their goal-oriented programme, they’re forming healthy habits that can be applied outside of our supportive gym environment. Currently, the intended vibe within Natural Fit is a mirror for the diversities that exist in our community. We proudly have all members “come as they are” and help them articulate the goals that will affect their wellbeing.
What are you proud of at your gym? It’s the meaningful connections we have with our members and that they have among themselves that we’re most proud of at Natural Fit. Our membership is diverse and although each individual has unique goals, the culture that exists within Natural Fit means that we all work together and inspire each other.
What kind of classes do you run? Cardio, strength, mobility, agility… What makes our classes unique is less about what we do and more about how we do it. We teach people to move well, listen to their brain and body, and challenge their individual limits.
Who is this type of fitness best suited to? We welcome people that are willing to challenge the status quo and noise that exists within the industry. Our membership is full of people who understand that in order to take control over their health, they must be accountable to themselves and make inherent changes, rather than rely on the variety of bells and whistles that promise a shortcut to success.
What are your top tips for getting beach-ready? If you’re confident in your own skin, then you’re beach-ready. This is a function of being ‘strong’ mentally, emotionally and physically. Learning to move with self-awareness and control helps instill this sense of confidence, which sets you up to enjoy feeling good in any situation.
18 TAWA STREET, MOUNT MAUNGANUI
07 542 3163
Looking for a bit of variety in your exercise regime? Clubfit could be it!
Its availability at not one but two sites – one in Tauranga and one at the Mount – isn’t the only thing that makes this gym ultra-accessible.
Its availability at not one but two sites – one in Tauranga and one at the Mount – isn’t the only thing that makes this gym ultra-accessible.
UNO: What’s Clubfit good at?
Personal trainer Mark Berry: We build great relationships and support our customers through their exercise journey while making it fun. For us, it’s about the long game. Beyond just getting a new member started, we’re here to keep them motivated so they make steady progress towards their goals and enjoy the journey.
What do you specialise in? Functional training, strength and conditioning, rehab, CrossFit and Olympic lifting.
Who are you best suited to? Anyone looking for a modern gym that provides value for money, great service and support will find it at Clubfit. We also offer great variety, with more than 60 group fitness classes per week. Our gym is also unique in that it offers gym and swim memberships; you can choose a membership that also provides access to five pool facilities, including spa, sauna and aqua-aerobics classes – and even the iconic Mount Hot Pools. Clubfit caters for all levels and the variety of workout options means there’s truly something for everyone. Join the club for a fun, supportive exercise programme that gets results!
What kinds of classes do you offer? Les Mills Classes are some of the world’s most popular – we’ve got Body Combat, RPM and Body Step to get the blood pumping, CX Worx and Body Pump for strength, Grit and Sprint for high-intensity training, and BodyBalance and Tone for muscle tone and flexibility.
Our Clubfit Home Grown Programmes (HGP) are our own range of classes designed to complement the Les Mills offering. HGP Hiit ’n’ Run and HGP Blitz are intense circuit-style classes that are suitable for intermediate to advanced fitness levels, while HGP Mobilise and HGP Full Function are perfect for members who are returning to exercise and need to take it slow. There’s also Yoga, Pilates and Zumba classes available, and with our gym and swim memberships, you can also attend AquaFit classes at Baywave.
What are you proud of at your gym? Without a doubt, it’s our team, from our group fitness instructors through to our amazing reception staff. The level of support and commitment they provide to our customers is outstanding and keeps people coming back for more. Around 30 percent of our new customers each month come to us through a referral from a current member.
We’re in the business of helping people live better lives and seeing people transform in terms of confidence, mental wellbeing and overall health is what we’re here for. Although we hear lots of success stories about physical transformations and fitness gains, now more than ever we’re hearing about the mental benefits that exercising at Clubfit is providing. People often comment about the fear and anxiety they’ve had to overcome just to get started on their fitness journey, and these same people also often tell us just how significant being involved in a good exercise community and developing healthy habits have been in transforming many other areas of their lives. That’s the stuff that makes us feel good.
What are your top tips for getting beach-ready? Consistency is king or queen, so show up often, do the work and enjoy the process. Also, remember that your body isn’t your enemy, so be good to it, build up slowly and watch the results start to appear.
Meet the trainers:
Mark Berry
Mark’s a Clubfit personal trainer and group fitness instructor who has worked in the industry for a decade – a job he loves. He brings an all-round training philosophy to the gym floor and his down-to-earth approach is based around the following points: aim to move your body the way it was designed to move; consistency is key – and not just in the fitness world; enjoy what you do – it’ll be a boring life if you don’t; success comes in many forms – the number on the scales is just that and nothing else; and strive for balance in all areas of training and life.
Monique VanDijk
Monique works at Clubfit as a fitness instructor – a role that’s all about coaching and support. She started her journey as a group fitness instructor through her interest in sports performance and holds a degree in Sport Science. Today, her key passions include strength training, CrossFit, Olympic lifting and gymnastics. She says she really enjoys her role and connecting with a wide variety of people through exercise, and believes quality movement in exercise is paramount to quality movement in everyday life. Her goal is to help people find a method of training that’s effective and enjoyable for them, so they can move for as long as they’re able.
1 KITEROA STREET, GREERTON, TAURANGA, & CORNER GIRVEN AND GLOUCESTER ROADS, MT MAUNGANUI
07 577 8555