At World Gym one of the things that we often hear from members is how our clubs are more than just a gym, they are a support network, a gathering place, a community that our members truly love.
We recently chatted to our World Gym Australia Ambassadors, Heather Siteine and Mathia Matakovic about what being part of their own club community means to them and how they find and nurture connections in and out of the gym. We also found out some pretty cool facts about how their World Gym journey inspired other aspects of their life. #winning!
For Mathia, he’s focussed, determined and is goal orientated. For him, going to the gym isn’t just a hobby, it’s a way of life. World Gym is a place he considers as his second home and he has built strong friendships through his local club World Gym Mt Gravatt} where he trains on the daily. We asked him if he could share with us, his most favourite World Gym memory.. now this is cool!
Mathia started off by saying “Meeting a friendly “guy” at the gym is not something I set out to do, but it is one of my favourite memories from training at World Gym. I was knew to the club and I first met my new friend in Queensland at World Gym in North Lakes, then as it turns out, years later we crossed paths again in Sydney at World Gym in Penrith and we even ended up as flatmates! We got along really well, as we shared a friendship that has continued to his day. This for me just confirmed how tight the WG fam is and that you can really feel part of the family if you choose to!”
“The support I personally get from the community is something that you just can’t measure. When I am having down days, there’s always someone at gym or from the World Gym Community that gives me the push and the motivation I need to help me keep on track for my goals. It’s so important to have people like this in your circle.”
Heather shares with us a similar experience about how World Gym has changed her life.
“I had no idea what I did with all my time after I dropped my kids off to school before I joined World Gym. It has become such a normal part of my day to do the school drop off and go to the gym. It has become such a big part of my life and my family’s life.”
Heather’s family has embraced and encouraged her transition from being a mum to being a “gym mum” and she is proud to share their excitement with us.
“The kids know when I have my “gym clothes” on where I’m going and they love it when they get to come along and hang out in the crèche for an hour or so. The kids love it when we do outdoor training at the park or if I have to train at home they get changed into their “gym clothes” and ask me to write them up a workout!”
She also shares how being a part of World Gym and prioritising her fitness goals has a positive influence on her health, her lifestyle and her relationship with her kids.
“Before joining World Gym I used to need to nap during the day a lot. Or if I didn’t intend to nap I ended up falling asleep anyway! Now when my son wants me to shoot hoops with him or play cricket outside I can last longer than 5 minutes before I get too tired. When he wants to ride his bike I jump on his scooter and ride alongside him. When the kids want to fly their kites at the park for some reason it’s never windy enough so we are running and running with that thing just to get it up in the air!”
“All these things I used to make my husband do with them while I sat and watched because I would be too tired and huffing and puffing, but now we can all be outdoors and active together as a family.”
Mathia shared the same sentiment, that family time is best spent being active with those you love. Although he admits that his wife isn’t much of a gym-goer, they do occasionally workout at World Gym together and they also choose outdoor exercises whenever the opportunity arises. These include hiking and bike riding.
Heather also sums up her own thoughts on why she feels that World Gym clubs are making such a positive impact on the lives of our members.
“There’s such a sense of belonging when you’re in an environment where everybody is in one place with the same purpose; to improve their quality of life through health and fitness.”
“We all have different goals, different backgrounds, different strengths and weaknesses but I feel what gives my club that family vibe is the positivity and support everyone has for one another which extends so much further than the gym floor too. We embrace all the differences between us, we want to know more about each other, we celebrate each other’s successes.”
She also shares with us that,
“My World Gym Athletics tribe is half the reason I show up every day. We get slaughtered in class and a lot of the time we are hanging around after class stretching and talking for longer than the class went on for! We have developed long lasting relationships with each other that I cherish.”
So what are you waiting for? We’re here to help support you and your health and fitness goals. Why not visit your local World Gym to help build your own network and find your fit fam!
#strongerthanever #worldgymfamily #teamworldgym #worldgymaustralia
