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.

"Wake up in the morning feeling like Tense-Diddy..."…read more If you've ever woken up stiff as a board, do any regular cardio exercises, or spend your days chained to the cubicle farm's best friend the computer, then Stretch Yoga could be your get out of jail free card from the aches and pains your muscles give you. I've been going to their Deep Stretch lunch-time classes which at 45mins long are just enough time to untwist all those muscles of mine that are wound tight from an array of stress, attachment issues with my macbook and high intensity spin classes. The deep stretch class isn't your standard yoga class. It's more focused on holding positions longer to release the muscles and as such there's not as many poses per class. The relaxation and centering feeling from yoga remains. PJ, the owner, has taken pride in ensuring there are a variety of classes (including traditional yoga) suitable for the CBD office workers that make up the majority of their client base. The choice makes grabbing a class at multiple times across the week a breeze. And just don't go undoing all your hard work with a stop at the kebab shop underneath Stretch on your way out...

Don't worry - you might need to walk behind the kebab place, up the stairs, past the hairdresser…read moreand down the corridor but you will find the place and you won't be killed while doing so! Location aside (Centrally located in Brisbane CBD but hard to find if you don't know its there, despite the sign out the front), this place is great. I signed up for a beginners course on a Monday night and its been perfect. Our teacher is really great about talking us through the beginners steps and how we can adapt the standard poses to make it easier for us. I highly recommend the beginners course for anyone looking to start and since the teachers are so lovely, I think I would also recommend it for any other classes, too! It is also actually really lovely when you get inside the classroom as well, despite the misgivings I originally had with the kebab shop. Cheers,

Cultivate offer 5 classes for $30 for first-timers, which is such a great deal. A friend and I have…read moresigned up and are attending the beginners class on the weekend regularly. The teacher has been great and it is definitely a beginners class - she lets us know how to make it harder or easier, which I definitely appreciate and makes me feel comfortable. There is lots of street parking around (Or at least there is on a Sunday morning, don't quote me on other days) and its a 5 minute walk down to some cafes after if you're looking to undo all your hard work. Also, mat hire is free. Awesome!

I have actually been going to Cultivate Calm for 12 months now. I'm amazed at this because I rarely…read morestick to any form of exercise for that long!! I will continue to come because: I did the beginners course and learnt a lot, I am so happy that I am now more flexible and strong, I always feel welcomed but never feel invaded when I go to class, I'm definitely calmer!, I want to continue practicing yoga without wankiness, I like the variation, the timetable suits. Give this space a go, you'll feel at home before you know it

Wonderful yoga studio…read more The instructors here really make this place special, along with the very wide variety of classes offered. My most favourite class is the Practice Lab- I realised this was for me when 5 minutes into 10 minutes of handstand/headstand practice I it occurred to me that a room full of grow ups were kicking it together, listening to good tunes, helping each other, playing and smiling. Can you find better vibes and a better group of fellow yogis? I think not! The class schedule allows for a variety of levels, and the instructors are excellent about helping to make modifications to get you into the right pose for your body, flexible and inflexible bits all taken into consideration! Large practice space with nice clean floors and lots of extra mats, blocks, blankets and straps. Lovely and quiet, such an escape from the nearby bustle. Sure to bring you so much calm. (And, it's a quick dash to Brew- bonus if you want to caffeinate your zen state!) Namaste.

I was put onto Shri by my wife, who has been practising here for a few years, and finally made it…read morein for my first class. LOVED IT! The staff are super nice and accommodating, the studio is lit to perfection and has plenty of space. I have been a few times now and every instructor has brought something unique to the practise. I will be back for more as the Lunchtime Express class suits my work schedule perfectly :)

Writing a review of a fitness centre you signed up for in the last month of 2014 is like gushing to…read moreyour gal pals all too early about that guy you've been seeing and getting the warm fuzzies from. There's still that early days chance that it's all going to fall into a heap and you're left rejected or perhaps the one doing the rejecting. But, let's run with the current feeling of warm fuzzies and stay positive that this new relationship I'm having with a particular fitness centre is on the up and up. I'm a sick creature that loves spin classes. Unfortunately, unless you're willing to sign up to a gym Brisbane is lacking a dedicated spin studio. Maybe there's a business opportunity here?!? A Brisbane Soul Cycle. I digress. I didn't want to sign up for any ol' gym and after following Function Well for a while on Instagram I made a time to speak to their membership consultant being equally excited and afraid of what I was getting myself in for. The membership fee is slightly high but realistically no more than 1 or 2 coffees a day over the course of a week, and for the ability to attend three spin classes a week (more if my schedule allows), plus an infrared sauna on site, general gym equipment and a stack of other high intensity classes - it works for me. Yes, like any gym, there's the incredibly buff guys, there's the women who work out in full faces of makeup and there's the fitness folk that are rocking the Paleo thing like no body's business - but I'm yet to feel or be made feel out of place. In fact, although I'm a solo rider and keep to myself, I genuinely sense there's a great community vibe at the club and people are there to support one another through each class. If group training is your thing they regularly run 8-week challenges and have a cross fit-style studio around the corner that is open 24 hours a day. It's a little something for everyone. The space itself has been a few different gym chains in the time I've lived in Brisbane and as such it's not as sparkling new as other venues. The equipment is however and isn't any different from other gyms if you're familiar. The female change room is modern with lockers available, showers, hair dyers and even magazines. There's also a physio, nutritionist and creche on-site. If you're looking for a place to kickstart your new year resolutions or just need a mix up of your usual routine, based on the early day warm fuzzies, I'd say Function Well could well be the place to check out. In the mean time, I'm going to keep enjoying the feeling I get after I walk out of a class here. Clear mind and strong!

From the owner: Function Well provides everything you need for physical improvement: we come equipped with the…read morelatest training equipment, as well as experienced and friendly personal trainers, performance coaches and health specialists. For those who are looking to take their CrossFit, gymnastics and weightlifting to the next level, we have our Athletic Zone. If you'd like to restore and rejuvenate your body and mind through yoga, massage, meditation and more, we have Restoration Zone. We offer stimulating training environments that enable you to achieve the body that you want.