By our Gym+Fitness team
Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or trying to stay on track, building a consistent training routine can be challenging. The key to success lies in creating habits that are sustainable, realistic, and enjoyable! It is very easy to fall into an all or nothing mindset, but consistency over time is king – think progress not perfection.
Here’s some quick tips to help you build workout habits that stick:
Start by setting yourself clear, achievable goals that are going to complement your current lifestyle without too much disruption. When goals are too ambitious, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged, which can lead to burnout and procrastination. Realistic goals, on the other hand, provide a sense of accomplishment as you tick them off, which will fuel your motivation and keep you focused. When choosing a goal or goals, remember to be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and have a Timeframe.
You’re more likely to stick with a workout if it’s something you enjoy. Experiment with different types of exercise— strength training, group training, cycling, yoga or swimming—until you find a routine that excites you. The more fun your workouts are, the less they’ll feel like work.
Once you have established your fitness goals and found an activity that you enjoy, build your routine by breaking down your goals into smaller daily habits. Consider these examples:
Failing to plan, is planning to fail. Establishing a routine reduces the mental effort of deciding when to exercise, and over time, it becomes part of your day-to-day life.
Keeping track of your workouts, whether through an app, journal, or fitness tracker, helps you stay motivated and visualize your progress. Celebrate small victories—like improving your endurance or hitting a personal best—and use them as fuel to keep going.
Whether it’s a friend, family member, trainer, or fitness group, having someone to share your journey with keeps you committed, and can help you push through days when you don’t feel like working out. They can also support you by celebrating your wins!
Remember, consistency is more important than perfection. Don’t get discouraged if you miss a workout or don’t see instant results. Be patient with yourself and celebrate every step forward. Creating new habits takes time, but with the right mindset and approach, you can create a lasting routine that will become a natural part of your lifestyle and see lasting improvements in your overall well-being.
By our Gym+Fitness team
Resuming exercise after an injury requires a careful and gradual approach to prevent re-injury and ensure a successful recovery. Here’s how to return to your fitness routine safely and efficiently.
Before starting any exercise program, consult with your healthcare provider or a physiotherapist to assess your condition and receive personalised advice.
Begin with lighter weights and lower intensity exercises, aiming for about 50% of your pre-injury activity level. Gradually increase back to your baseline levels.
Pay close attention to your execution when performing exercises. Proper form is crucial for preventing further injury and maximising the benefits of your workouts.
Be attentive to how you feel during and after exercise. Some muscle fatigue is normal, but sharp pain lasting more than an hour post-workout is a sign to scale back.
Establish achievable milestones to track your progress and maintain motivation throughout your recovery.
If your injury prevents you from your usual routine, explore other options. For example, if barbell lifts are making you feel worse for wear, try incorporating machines.
Allow adequate time for rest between workouts and incorporate recovery techniques such as light stretching or foam rolling.
This is included with your PCYC Queensland Gym+Fitness membership. This exclusive two-stage program offers Gym+Fitness members 4 to 12 weeks of support from qualified Trainers. Learn more about Activ8 Fundamentals here!
Consistency is key when returning to exercise after an injury. Be patient with your body, celebrate small victories, and don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance if you’re unsure about your progress.
When he’s not running Activ8 Fundamentals or Activ8 Group Training classes, he’s bringing the energy to PCYC Zillmere!
I joined PCYC at the end of 2024 and coming up on 10 months of my role as Gym Officer & Personal Trainer.
My journey in the fitness industry began as one of self-discovery, as I navigated my own weight loss journey and gained the knowledge to transform other people’s lives in the process. This is easily my favourite part of doing what I do, assisting others in achieving goals they didn’t believe were possible.
I am excited to get into MMA training as it’s always been a passion of mine.
My favourite personal achievement was working with a client & friend to achieve her goal of fitting into her mother’s wedding dress for her own wedding. We worked tirelessly across 6 months to achieve this goal and was extremely grateful to help in the process.
Discover PCYC Zillmere or view the club timetable.
By our Gym+Fitness team at PCYC Ashmore
We know nutrition is key when working towards health and fitness goals, and one of the most effective ways to boost your results using nutrition is through effectively fueling your body before and after your workouts.
Good nutrition, and the timing of meals, before and after your work out can benefit your performance, replenishment, and recovery.
A good, regular pre and post workout eating routine can help to ensure you have the right energy stores to get your through your workout and will help your body to translate that workout into results. Carbohydrate-rich foods and fluids can help “top off’ glycogen stores giving you sustainable energy for exercise, while protein can help to preserve muscle mass built during a workout for example.
Fueling your body for a workout can begin up to eight hours before a session. Consuming carbohydrates in the lead up to your gym visit can give your body stores to draw from when working hard. Ideally you should then eat an easy to digest snack one to four hours pre-workout – you can test how this works for you and find your best pre-workout nutrition schedule to suit your body, workout and health and fitness goals.
A satisfying pre-workout snack doesn’t have to be complicated. The following are some easy ways to fill up before you hit the gym:
Generally, you should have a hit of protein within 30 minutes post-session and protein with every meal if possible. Your post-workout protein hit is also just as easy.
Post-workout snacks could include:
Above all you should be consuming water frequently before, during and after your routine. What and when you eat can make a big difference to your performance and recovery. Well-balanced meals are important for energy production, recovery, prevention of injuries and proper growth. Both meal composition and meal timing must be individualised for each person based on gender, age, body type and the type, intensity, duration and frequency of activity. Remember that each body is different, as is each training regime, so make sure you listen to your body so you can determine what’s right for you when striving for your fitness goals.
Cooling down is a vital part of a gymnast’s routine in the gymnastics hall, but sometimes we forget that cooling down is just as important as warming up!
After spending time on the floor, it’s important to let the body cool down from its high body temperature and heart rate. Cooling down immediately after a gymnastics class can also reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness in the following days. The best way to cool down after your gymnastics class is to stretch.
Suggested Cool Down Routine
Standing Quad Stretch
Stand nice and tall. Lift your heel up behind you and grab it with your hand. Pull heel to bottom until you feel a stretch. Keep your knee pointed down to the ground and positioned below your hip. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
Butterfly Stretch
Sit down on the floor with the soles of your feet together. Grab ankles and rest elbows on knees. Push your head and your stomach down as far as you can. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds.
Closed Pike Stretch
Keep a nice straight back and straight legs. Reach forward pushing stomach to knees hold for 20 – 30 seconds
Shoulder Stretch
In a seated or standing position, reach your arm across your chest. Use the other arm to push up close to the body. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Repeat on the other arm.
Seal Stretch
Lay on your stomach with your hands on the ground just below your rib cage. Gently raise your upper body up until your arms are straight. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds.
All PCYC Queensland classes follow the Gymnastics Queensland syllabus which includes warm ups and cool downs.
If you miss the start of gymnastics class, your coach might ask you to warm up before jumping into activities. This is simply to keep you safe and make sure gymnasts don’t injure yourself themselves during class.
Discover more about our gymnastics program and register now!
I am one of the foundation members of PCYC Maranoa. I was one of the first people to walk through the doors when the centre first opened in 2012!
I absolutely love the space, the facilities, and it feels like home. I enjoy coming to the group fitness classes and appreciate all the programs PCYC Queensland provides for the community, especially its engagement with youth and police to form better connections within the community. I really feel comfortable and safe when working out there.
I am training to walk the Camino de Santiago trail from Portugal to Spain!
I would say the rowing machine. It is perfect for everything. It targets the full body, a great way to get some cardio in, takes pressure off my joints.
Discover PCYC Maranoa or view the club timetable.
Meet Michael! He’s one of our bubbly and cheeky Gym+Fitness members at PCYC Ipswich.
I have been a member of the PCYC Ipswich for over 3 years.
I love the gym atmosphere and mate ship that I have found at the PCYC Ipswich. The space is well kept and has great new equipment. The atmosphere is also made by the people who are easy to talk to.
During my fitness journey I never thought that I would get so big and strong. I fell in love with the process of beating my own numbers and seeing the results on my body. With consistency I felt that the journey was fun and easy. I hope with consistency; I will find my way to the body building stage and win.
My favourite movements are anything chest related, however if I have to choose one, I will choose the incline bench press.
Discover PCYC Ipswich or view the club timetable.
If you’ve ever stepped into the PCYC South Burnett gym and been greeted with a big smile and an infectious energy, chances are, Lori was in the building! She welcomes everyone with enthusiasm and is always ready to push them to their limits.
💪 Favourite Exercise: Burpees (of course!)
🔥 Favourite Sayings: “The taste of vomit after a workout is the taste of success.”
My fitness journey began 16 years ago as a volunteer. From there, I became a group fitness trainer and progressed to a personal trainer.
Everything! I love inspiring and encouraging people to achieve things they never thought possible. I love the lifestyle, feeling fit and strong, staying busy, and being a role model for my family and community.
I am always training to reach new personal bests, believing that progressive overload is the key to getting stronger.
My favourite moment in my journey would have to be completing Level 2 CrossFit training!
Discover PCYC South Burnett or view the club timetable.
By our Gym+Fitness team at PCYC Beenleigh
Staying fit to keep up with our children is something we all must do. But what if you can keep fit with your kids? You’re getting in exercise; they’re burning all that energy and potentially need an early night. A win-win!
Physical activity improves overall physical fitness. By being active, your little ones develop cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance, all while promoting agility and developing balance. Using the large muscles of the arms, legs, and body by crawling, running, and jumping, children hone ‘whole body movement’ skills which develop gross motor skills in a way like no other. The best thing we can do as parents is to be the best and healthiest version of ourselves.
By making time for our own exercise, making healthy food choices and demonstrating a positive attitude to our own body shape, we have a huge impact on our children. Although this is not always easy, it is truly the most effective and powerful road to take.
Doing a form of exercise as a family will build healthy habits in your child by getting active with them at a young age. You can all enjoy the health benefits mentioned above by working out together.
Bush/Beach walks
We are very lucky in Australia to be blessed with amazing treks inland, and kilometers of coastline to get those steps in. Maybe set a little challenge to see if you can do 1-3km as a family with a very light jog and go from there (A 7-year-old can average 15,000 steps a day so go that bit further).
Create your own mobile gym
A couple of towels, some basic weights, a resistance band or two and you’re set. The hardest part is deciding where to set the gym up. Is it going to be the park, near the beach, the garage at home or at a friend’s house where there is more equipment?
Swimming
Swimming is a life skill we all should have, but also is an awesome way to keep fit. See who can get the most lengths completed in a certain time or over the course of a month, to create a habit and some consistency in training.
Bike
A great family activity is going on a big bike ride and seeing where you end up. There are so many designated cycle tracks with picnic stops along the way, make a day of it and burn a good few hundred calories in the process.
Your children will make you accountable for staying active and moving, as you would for them. Keep all parties happy by doing a few things together and reap the rewards.
By Rhys, Club Manager at PCYC Logan
Strength training is one of the most effective ways to improve your overall health and fitness, yet many people still shy away from it due to common myths or misunderstandings. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the basics of strength training, explore its many benefits, and clear up some of the most common myths. Whether you’re new to exercise or looking to take your fitness to the next level, strength training has something to offer everyone.
This is also referred to as resistance training. This is where you use any form of object (e.g., bar, dumbbell, resistance band or even body weight) to create a resistance against the muscle to stimulate the muscle. One type of strength training is Hypertrophy training which uses less weight to stimulate the muscle (e.g., 3 sets, 12 reps of a workout). This stimulates the muscle in a range of motion for a high number of reps that we can use a lighter weight that will be healthier for the joints. If you are training to be as strong as you possibly could, you would use heavy weights to build your muscle, in a smaller number of reps (e.g., 6 sets of 3 reps).
Men in their first year of training are likely to see anywhere between 5-10kg of muscle mass built in their first year. For women, it is half of this with 2.5-5kg of muscle. In the second year, those numbers are halved – men will gain between 2.5-5kg and women 1.25-2.5kg. The third year, you half that again, and keep halving as the years go on. This means that getting bulky is out of the equation.
One of the major benefits is reducing the chances of muscle atrophy – where your muscle drops off the body over a period of time. Most inactive adults will experience 8% of muscle mass loss per decade, leading to an increase in body fat and reduction in daily calorie expenditure.
Sarcopenia is becoming more common in adults and sedentary workers. This is where your body reduces the muscle mass loss per decade at a higher rate. This is a lot more common now that we are living in the sedentary age. This puts older adults at risk of having falls, breaking hips, having their bone mineral density drop, lower muscle mass and a higher risk of injury. The only cure to this is resistance training. It will happen to those who do not train. We want to train for the life we want to live for the rest of our lives.
Another major benefit is injury prevention. Your body will push through a large range of motions that will reduce the number of injuries. For example, single leg exercises will reduce the amount of muscle tears in older adults as there is strength in those areas, and shoulder excercises with weights will reduce joint injuries.
Below are a plethera of other benefits you recieve when you do strength training:
The work we do in the gym allows us to live a better quality of life outside of the gym.
Training in a progressive overload is a sustainable way for training long-term. This is the ability to continuously make your workouts harder so the muscle does not adjust to the stimulant.
A great example of this is the tale of Milo and the bull. Milo was a farm boy that carried a calf on his shoulder every day. As the calf grew in size and became a bull, Milo grew stronger and was able to carry the bull on his shoulders. Milo used weight as a metric of measure, but you can use other tools to make your training harder (e.g., increasing reps or sets, slowing your movement, changing the tempo, changing equipment types). If we don’t do this, we will stay the same. After 4 weeks, what you started doing will become too easy, so you will need to measure. What gets measured gets improved.
Our goal is to quite literally microscopically tear a muscle. When we finish working out, our body will work to repair or replace the damaged muscle fibers through a cellular process where it fuses the muscle fibers together, to form new muscle protein strands. These repaired muscle strands will increase in thickness and number to create muscle growth. If you don’t eat enough protein, the muscle will not be able to heal correctly, and you will feel sorer for longer. This all happens while we rest, that is why rest is so important in the first 24-48 hours after your workout.
Want to start incorporating strength training into your routine, but not sure where to start? As a PCYC Gym+Fitness member, you can participate in our Activ8 Group Training classes, specifically our Activ8 Strength classes every Tuesday & Thursday!
Don’t have Activ8 Group Training at your club? You can participate in our Activ8 Fundamentals program that includes a range of strength training to incorporate into your routine!
