Hmm... Fitness. Bending. Core. Touching my toes. All things that I'm not overly in tune with/good…read moreat. But I am trying, I'm trying hard to make fitness a thing that is an active (get it) part of my life, rather than something I scoff and try to avoid. I went to Barre Body with a colleague of mine when they were in town. She's pretty into her fitness and I agreed to go with her. Colleague solidarity and all.... OK, so I sound super pessimistic, when in fact, it was great. I really enjoyed it. It's a beautiful, calm space. We were two of four taking part in the class so I didn't feel silly for totally not being able to do certain things. The class was hard and involved a variety of resistance, stretching and strength based movements. There were also heaps of options for you to up it or pull it down dependant on your ability, which I think for this kind of fitness. From simple stretches to balancing, to weights to pull ups from the floor (haha - no), I loved the mix of the ballet/pilates/yoga style movements. There were points where I was laughing, mainly because I don't have the ability to do something yet, but I didn't feel like I was putting people off, I felt really supported, especially by the instructor. I will be trying it again (shock horror, I know) and hopefully, I will be in less pain for less time here therein. Seeing I felt damn good afterwards and that out wayed the muscle pain I felt over the following days, I feel I owe it to myself (and the studio) to give it another go.

Barre Body is a welcome addition to Brisbane, bringing their fun and dynamic classes to the…read moresunshine state. I've been to dozens of their classes in Melbourne and a few in Sydney so it was great to see them also offering classes in Brisbane during a recent work trip. As is the case in all of their other studios, the design is lovely with lots of light and nice touches like freshly brewed tea and scented candles. The teachers are friendly and make newbies feel welcome while also challenging those who come regularly. Book classes on line and on their app - it's super easy.

I visited Mad Dance House and took a few classes in yet another aborted attempt at embracing…read moreexercise around half-way through 2011. An old friend and I somehow came to the conclusion it would be good for us. It was, but we didn't count on our lack of resolution. The classes we went to were called "Girly Street Jazz", and typing that makes me feel like a girlier girl than an American cheerleader and I want to wince, but they were good classes. Set up in a building near The Victory Hotel and Queensland Writer's Centre at the time, I believe classes have now moved to a new location on Elizabeth street, near Govinda's Vegetarian Restaurant (excellent and a Brisbane local favourite). Apparently the new premises have air conditioning unlike the old place, because even on a winter night it got extremely hot in this tall brick building. (Then again, Brisbane's Julys are barely winter.) And you will work up a sweat and feel insanely hot in any case, because you're somewhat deftly thrown into the deep end from your first class. (You realize you're undergoing a baptism of fire but also appreciate it's for your own good.) Definitely bring a LARGE bottle of water with you. The classes are obviously highly cardio, but even then it's surprising at how hard you are pushed. It didn't meet boot camp level, but it came near. Also, the second half of the lesson comprised the learning of a fairly complicated dance routine, so you had to really engage your memory as well as keep your body moving. The scheduled 45 minute lesson went for an hour and felt like it went for three hours, but it was exhilarating. And, it was good for me. Thinking about how I no longer go here makes me feel justly chided. For $14 a lesson, these classes were well worth it. There was also a strange sense of bonding between you and the class members by the end of a lesson, like strangers in an emergency (oh no - the elevator doors won't open) or people climbing a mountain together. It feels a bit like both, with everyone looking scattered and afraid at the start and shy of making eye contact, then clapping each other on the arm at the end of the session.

I used to swing by Mad Dance House for beginner hip hop lessons with friends on Tuesday nights…read more (5:45pm) with Tammi T. Tammi's insanely talented and always knows how to break the ice with first timers who are reticent about dancing in front of others. But it's a group process, with each class beginning and ending with a warm up and warm down. There are huge windows for ventilation and two large fans that whirl madly throughout the classes, but this won't stop you from sweating like a beast. Make sure you bring a big water bottle, otherwise bottles can be purchased from the front counter. There are also change rooms and toilets for those coming straight from work. My friends and I were real beginners. The routines were tricky but relatively easy to pick up. Also the crowd was very supportive and friendly, and always focused on having a good time and nailing the moves and helping others achieve the same. One of my friends has since performed in one of Mad Dance House's hip hop shows and she's almost dancing like a pro. The only problem, which shouldn't really be a problem (!), is how popular these classes are. Spaces fill up quickly, so it's important to arrive early to get a good position in front of the mirrors. That said, Tammi's always considerate and rotates the front and back rows. That said, bring a friend along and you'll both get in for cheaper.

After one two-hour workshop with Amanda at Soho Yoga in Newmarket, I'm keen as a bean to come back…read morefor their timetabled Yin classes. The studio is a convenient walk from Windsor train station and there's ample street parking surrounding the studio if you drive. The space is clean, calm and a truly supportive place to dedicate to your practice - whether you're just beginning or are a seasoned yogi. I felt the most supported in my new practice than I have at other studios. Amanda was generous with her knowledge and patient in helping all of us get the best from the workshop. As is common now days you can book your classes in advance online but I do believe they also have walk-in availability.

Great local yoga place in the suburbs. I love that it offers pregnancy yoga, as well as a new mums…read more& bubs class, and kids yoga classes. The instructors are knowledgeable, relaxed and friendly. Definitely pop by to give them a try.

Sometimes life throws you lemons and you make the best lemonade in the land.. This happened to me…read more I became extremely ill whilst attending Snap fitness in 2013 and was forced to quit- this meant giving up a lot of time spent at my favourite gym. Just yesterday I called the manager asking if I could become a member once again. I expected to repay all membership fees/ Card holding fees and pay upfront a little extra $$. Not one cent was charged. I had become a member years ago and once your a member you're always a member! I still had my card so they simply reactivated! I also snapped up a promotion so I get a month for free... Not bad at alllllll. As for the gym, it's small but it's open 24 hours. There are comps/ group sessions/ pt sessions/ boxing/ skipping equipment/ every kind of gym junkie equipment you'll need. Oh and stacks of weights if you want to 'get big'. I'll be going back again tomorrow. Let's get fit Brisbaneites.

Best all round fitness and authentic Chinese wing chun training from Grandmaster Lo and select…read morequalified black belt instructors. Advanced students learn jow gar form and weapons. Lion Dancing is part of the training and essential for further fitness. It's also a lot of fun. Tai chi is available and great for calming the body and spirit as well as soothing aching joints. Training is held 6:30- 7:30 pm 3 nights per week in 3 locations: Sunnybank, Macgregor and Jamboree Heights with a possibility of more opening soon. Fun for the whole family. Welcome to join anytime.

With the weather the way it is right now, Albany Creek Leisure Centre is a godsend! They have all…read morefacilities and services from gym, kickboxing, Zumba, and yoga to swimming lessons and slides. Even if you're not a member you can stroll on in and have a leisurely dip or a more vigorous swim. Admission is only like $4, and you have access to all the aquatic fun from lane swimming for fitness to the whirlpool and slide in summer. There is also a café there to quench your thirst and line your stomach after your swim or workout. They offer squad training and swimming lessons here but if you just want to go at your own pace, there are lanes open to the public ranging from slow to fast pace. There's also group fitness such as seniors water aerobics, radical fitness programs, or deepwater running classes. You can even hone your swimming technique in a swimfit class. There is a service or a program here to cater for everyone, but I just like to swim at my own pace for some exercise and to cool down. Albany Creek Leisure Centre is perfect for that and you can join up and save money or, if you're an infrequent visitor like me, just pop on by and pay the small admission fee to use the pool. Their website even has weather updates so you can plan your swim or workout by the day.

Albany Creek Leisure Centre is great for families on a budget. On hot hot days you can laze about…read morein bubble spa while the kids have fun running under mushroom fountains or swimming in the rapid river! For an extra $4 (on top of your entry fee) you get unlimited slide access - the slide is wicked... You pick out a mat, climb the stairs then shoot off down the tunnel of fun! My kids love it and you can usually hear their hysteric laughter they whole way down! They also have picnic tables and plenty of grass if you want to take along a picnic lunch. In Summer this place is a hive of activity. The centre also runs learn to swim classes which are really reasonable and run in line with the school terms.

My friends and I recently took advantage of an awesome deal online and snagged ourselves 7 weeks…read moreworth of Latin dance classes with Groove Brazil. Here I get to learn a bit of Bolero, Salsa, Cha Cha, Merengue and a lot more. I've always wanted to learn Latin dancing! The dance instructor Angelo and his dance partner Rebekah are very good teachers. It made the whole learning experience fun and easy. We would learn steps as a group and then go and partner up and practice those steps with music. Or as Angelo says, "musica, musica!!". When we are doing the steps, Angelo hums a Latino sounding beat to make it easier for us to follow and get the rhythm. For our first class, I have to say my friends and I had so much fun and we are really looking forward to the next couple of weeks of Latin Dancing. We're even planning on hitting up Casablanca's once we got some moves down packed. Haha! If you feel like learning something, I would suggest taking up Latin Dancing. Plenty of fun and it's great fitness. It is normally $70 for a 7 week term or $15 for casual visits. Otherwise, if you're lucky enough you can find a good deal online for Groove Brazil for only $49 for the 7 week term. Their timetable is on the website and I would recommend calling ahead or enquiring to get into a class as some classes could be full. If you haven't tried Latin Dancing yet, do it now!!

I find it quite amazing how quiet this pool is considering its location smack bang in the middle of…read moresuch a populated area and so close to a freeway exit, but that's one of my favourite things about it. Of course the quiet factor depends on the time of day - I haven't managed to perfect my knowledge of exactly when lap pools are at their busiest, but I've never had to share a lane with more than one person here. There's not much in the way of kid's entertainment except for a small paddle pool, but if you're kid free and enjoy a comparably peaceful lap swim this is a great place to go.