Members of the Month

This month we would like to acknowledge two of our Super Star Members – Doug & Sue Stirling!

What motivated you to join the gym?
We had both used various gyms around Palmy for around 30 years, ending at the Massey gym — Sue regularly and Doug more intermittently. We partly moved to the Lido gym because it was much closer to where we live. The regular assessments and programmes were another attraction, and the aqua aerobics classes appealed to Sue too.

How long have you been a member for?
Sue joined in July 2013 and Doug a year later. Since retiring, we have been attending more organised classes than individual gym sessions. The weekly classes and enthusiastic instructors have kept us going.

Do you have a favourite group fitness class and why?
Although it is difficult, Sue enjoys the swim class the most. The coaches make it interesting and have really helped to improve her style. It is one of the best classes to get to know others. Doug finds Rev-pump and Abs classes particularly great. Every session is different — he’s impressed by how varied these classes are.

What is your favourite thing to do outside of the gym?
Our outside interests are overseas travel (rather curtailed this year), food (both cooking and eating exotic dishes), children and grandchildren, and house renovations.

Do you have any fitness advice for others?
We both feel that a regular routine is the best way to keep going — it is otherwise too easy for missed sessions to become missed weeks. Classes are great for motivation too.

After Sue retired, she found that she wasn’t going to the gym as much because she hadn’t locked in specific times. Something like ‘going at the weekend for a swim’ never worked, whereas ‘do a practise swim at 9am on a Wednesday” achieved results

Doug & Sue Stirling