I've been coming to the yoga classes here for over 10 years. There used to be Thursday and Tuesday…read morenight sessions but now there's a class on Monday morning at 10.45 and Tuesday evening at 7.35. Both are taught by Diana Radcliffe and have been for as long as I can remember. The style of yoga is simple Hatha yoga in the Satyananda style and what this means to you is that it's suitable for all levels. Diana provides alternatives for beginners and takes an individual approach when needed, keeping an eye on the newbies. Each class starts with a gentle warm-up followed by floor postures before moving into standing poses, usually incorporating a series of movements into a flow. There are variations each week so you don't get bored and every session finishes with 10 minutes of breathing and relaxation. Yoga doesn't have to be a weird thing you have to go to a hippy place to do; it's for everyone and I would highly recommend starting here with Diana.

I went to the gym at the YMCA in Mt Albert while I was in high-school and it was perfect. As a…read morestudent at Mt Albert Grammar the YMCA actually offered me a discount, so not only did I have access to all the equipment and classes, but at a cheap price! It is things like this - providing local students with cheaper rates - that always impresses me about the YMCA. It is a business that really looks after locals - it's very community oriented. An example of this community spirit is the YMCA used to rent out one of their rooms to my dance school at a cheap rate so we had enough room to have proper rehearsals and practices. Without their help we would have been at a loss! Offering great school holiday programmes, hosting kids birthday parties, before and after school care, special youth programmes that promote leadership and creativity - the Mt Albert YMCA is fantastic.

To be fair, North Shore Events Centre is a little bit of a diamond in the rough. Conveniently…read morelocated in Wairau Valley, Glenfield, it is home to events of all kinds and of varying degrees of prominence. Community-based sports programmes are held here throughout the year mainly focusing on basketball and netball but ranging as wide as martial arts and badminton. It has the capacity for corporate events and conferences and has even been known to throw down the odd concert or two. I saw Faith No More and The Beastie Boys here a really really long time ago! It had been years since I had been there until the middle of last Australian Basketball season when I really started following the Breakers - NSEC is their home ground. I have to say the relatively small confines of the arena and the 3000 odd maximum capacity means that when the team is playing well the place is electric! Yeah it needs a bit of a spruce up and could do with some better promotion to attract more events, but when you break it all down the place has character and an energy that comes alive when being used to its full advantage. Hopefully there is an action plan to take the arena into the future as it certainly holds a place in the hearts of many North Shore locals.

The city of Auckland is filled with good event destinations, from Vector Arena to the Bruce Mason,…read moreASB Show grounds to the Logan Campbell Centre. All these places provide event organisers a plethora of choice from which to stage their events. And it is this wealth of choice that is prohibiting the North Shore Events Center from reaching its true potential. Every time I've attended a sporting event or trade show, I've wondered why it is not utilized more, and why promoters seem to ignore it as a viable host. Sure it is small, but it is this usable size that gives it its charm, and the location is convenient for residents of the Shore, and those coming over the bridge. Maybe the council needs to spend some money on an upgrade, and get a professional marketing team to promote it to local businesses. If any councilors are reading this, I am qualified and available for the job, hope to hear from you soon.

If you're a student at Auckland Uni and you enjoy hitting the gym, then I would recommend checking…read moreout and signing up to the Auckland Uni gym! It's cheap as chips! Only $295 for a 12 month membership (upfront payment for enrolled UoA students), that works out to be roughly $5.70 a week!! Bargain! This gym is fully equipped with machines and free weights, a climbing wall, cardio machines, a stretching room, classes and a female only section. Just recently they have also renovated the bathrooms and showers, so youre able to get fresh and clean before hitting class. They have great locker facilities, however make sure you bring your own lock. However the downside is, after leg day you have four flights of stairs to walk up to get out of the building...... Feel the BURN!! If you're a Uni student wanting to go casually it costs $15. If you're a non-Uni student it costs $20 to go casually. Being a Uni student who likes to stay fit this is a great investment. Although forking out $295 is a lot of money for most Uni students, it will be a cheap investment long term.

The gym which is responsible for the Greek God like body you see before you, well I guess I have…read morekind of let myself go, but let me tell you, back in the day I was looking ripped. Also the cheapest gym around, ends up costing you about $60 per month, and half that if you are a student. Patrons range from casual gym goers to super serious gym buffs, and they have an impressive range of machinery and free weights to comfortably cater to the diverse crowd. It can be a little crowded at times, especially the month leading up to summer, everyone trying to drop those winter pounds. It is a student gym, no plush extras like a sauna, but for $60 a month it's a great deal.

Having grown up in central Auckland, I never spent much time out West so didn't have the privilege…read moreof being able to swim and play with friends at West Wave. Housing both lap pools available for training and lessons and a great wave pool perfect for entertaining your kids for hours, West Wave have their bases well covered. Not only does the complex offer good clean pools, but a brilliant gym is also part of West Wave. Many of my friends who live out West belong to the West Wave gym, and I've heard many times how great their classes are. The Body Balance class sounds particularly good to me - it's a class that mixes Yoga and Pilates to focus on breathing, core strength and de-stressing - it makes me think about changing gyms! Classes like pump, cycling, combat and aqua aerobics are also offered daily. Over my high school years one of my closest friends was a competitive swimmer, and many of her meets were held at West Wave. Some of the country's finest and fastest swimmers met there. Needless to say us girls used to get a kick out of watching the boys race! Bonus: As well as offering swim lessons, a wave pool and a good cheap gym, West Wave also have a dive pool. If you're an aspiring diver, this could be where you learn!

West Wave is the perfect gym for those who just want to get fit and stay in shape. It's not the…read moremost hard out gym and I'm sure crazy fitness experts wouldn't rate the gym or staff that highly, but for me it's a nice, friendly gym that has heaps of equipment, it's affordable and and local. Your membership gets you access to personal trainers, the fitness centre, a whole bunch of Les Mills classes as well as the pools, which is great. I love Body Combat and Body Pump, and they have heaps of other classes like RPM and Yoga. They have aqua classes too that my mum goes to, and they have a spa, sauna and steam room.

For more than thirty years I've been playing table tennis as a recreational sport, and I'm quite…read moregood at it, even if I have to say so myself. The problem with being a) Good and b) Competitive; is that you want to test yourself against people who know what they're doing, as opposed to playing with you six year old niece. Okay, she beats me, but I swear it's because I let her. Now I've found a solution to my problem, and the solution is playing against my peers at North Harbour Table Tennis. You can hire a table, or you can join in social nights. I like it, because you make friends, and you get to improve your game.

Great pool and gym with childcare on site. Reasonable sized parking lot although it is usually 90%…read morefull. Large clean change rooms with a seperate caregiver changeroom that has private shower rooms equipped with change tables! Staff are always friendly and helpful. Call beforehand to check if the pools are prebooked for swimming lessons.

I have only visited Takapuna North Shore Leisure once with the little one, and his play friend for…read morea swim. I liked that there was lots of space in the car park for us to find a spot, and that this came free with the use of the centre. Also opposite the entrance is a child care should you need some help whilst using the pools. On this day however I was there for the boy, so I was happy not to use this pay service. The fee to use the pools for a mother and child is only a few dollars, and the staff were happy to give me the rundown of the pools (a pool for the little kids, and one for swimming laps) and also the location of the changing rooms, etc. I do prefer the little kid's pool at Birkenhead a little bit more as it seems a lot bigger with more space for all the little swimmers to enjoy. There is even a hot pool spa outside in the sun which I thought would be perfect next visit.

I'm a well educated young man, cultured and mature. I can handle myself with royalty and know which…read moreknife goes with which meal, and what glass to use for the red... But put me on the sports field, and a monster awakes. I get excited and play to win, and beware the umpire or referee that sees an incident differently. My nickname is "Cyclone", and this explosive power is known to all at the Planet Sport indoor cricket arena. A place where I like to take on the enemy. I love my cricket, and the competition at Planet Sports is tough and well managed. The leagues are close and the teams all well spirited. Plus at about $20 a game, it is fun and good exercise.

I decided to take my one year old to my local swimming pools called Osborne Pools within the North…read moreShore Leisure centre in Birkenhead. I paid my fee to the ticket office at the adjoining indoor rock climbing centre, turned out to be about four dollars and twenty cents admission, I could enter free as my toddlers caregiver. You can also pay direct at the pools ticket office, as a first timer I found this out after. The pools have an outdoor pool which is around thirty metres long, perfect for doing laps, or having a casual swim with family or friends. It was the school holidays so the pool was packed, felt assured of everyone's safety by the four onsite lifeguards working. The indoor pool is also heated to about thirty degrees and is perfect for teaching the young to swim, there is paddling boards, and lots of water play toys for the kids to enjoy. After two hours in the pool you can reward yourself with a refreshing warm or cold rinse off in the bathroom facilities, which also has a baby change table. A cool way to spend a summers day with the kid.

The big pool is outdoor wich is cold in winters. indoor pool is ok but a bit small…read more but whole facility is in good condition and very handy for birkenhead residences.