If you missed Part 1 of our 2017 Year in Review, click here to check it out.
July
Strength101 with added extras
Following on from the success of our Winter Warrior Challenge, which ended mid July, we had many of our New Members asking what’s next?
Knowing we would be transitioning back to a more traditional Strength Training routine, we ran another Strength101 3 Week Workshop Series to get back in the habit of lifting heavy, perfecting technique and preparing ourselves for the mid year Testing Week that was coming up. A few of the newbies weren’t 100% sure about it but signed on anyway and everybody had the added extra challenges of not just a 500m Row Test but a 1km Row, 2km Row and for those willing to test themselves, a 5km Row.
We were lucky enough to gain three really important Members of our community from this follow up Program, Jake Wadsworth and Rachel Sheppard (a Husband & Wife duo) as well as Carolyn Mackenzie. Rachel & Carolynn came via Jade’s Soccer Team and Jake joined us via Rach raving about her experience during the Winter Warrior Challenge. Rach & Carolynn proved to be real success stories improving their strength & conditioning out of site, increasing their performance on the Soccer pitch and re-shaping their bodies in the process. Carolynn has also helped out by way of her Graphic Design Business Switch Up Design. She’s created some great graphics for us including the Transition Slides for our Oxygen TV Episodes.
Jake was an instant hit in our community, his infectious energy made him a great training partner and he was genuinely thankful after every session that he’d been introduced to our community. He impressed us so much that he took out our Rookie of the Year Award at the Oxygen Member of the Year Awards. In some great news, Rach & Jake are expecting their first child but unfortunately for us, they have now moved back up north around Port Macquarie to be closer to family. We wish them all the best and it was pleasure meeting you both.
New Memberships
We re-worked our Membership Packages in July. We needed to do this anyway but with several of our Winter Warriors flowing into Strength101 they were again looking for answers as to what to do next. This led us to fine tuning 3 Main Memberships and we re-engineered them all slightly with different features and benefits. We’ve since added an extra option into that mix with Open Gym.
1) The Transformation Project is a minimum 12 Month Commitment to rise up the Rankings of Performance in FitChicksClub for Women or Spartan Training Club for Men. This has commonly been referred to in the past as our “12 Month Membership” which, it still is. But it’s actually more than that. It is a Project to transform your current abilities and physique. It takes hard work, effort and desire. It puts the focus on improving your Performance first, and your physique will follow.
You have Full Access to ALL Sessions, Events, Workshops, OPEN GYM Timeslots + Free Entry into any Challenges we run.
Conditions are that you must provide a Testimonial, Before & After Pictures.
Results are 100% Guaranteed or your money back.
2) An Athlete Challenge is a 3 Month Commitment to meet the slightly higher “Athlete Rankings” in Fit Chicks Club or Spartan Training Club.
Previously, this was a 12 Month Membership however we have reduced it to 3 Months for several reasons. First, many people might only want to train with us for an Off Season or Pre Season leading up to their Sport so a Short Term Membership will suit some. Secondly, previous holders of this Membership have not lived up to their commitments or changed their minds about how hard they want to work.
It’s not an Athlete Membership, it’s an Athlete Challenge. Work hard, get the Rewards.
You’ll have Full Access to ALL Sessions, Events, Workshops & OPEN GYM Timeslots.
3) Express Memberships come in 12 Month, 6 Month & 3 Month Membership Terms and include access to all our Express Sessions (45 Minutes or less). These include our popular Warrior Sessions, OPEN GYM Timeslots & 30 Min Workshop Sessions like Mobility, Core, Power, Strength 101, Conditioning, Workout of the Week and more.
August
2nd Anniversary of Oxygen HQ
17th August 2015 I got to celebrate Opening Night for Oxygen HQ after the business was on it’s knees just a Year earlier. I’d been left in a crippling financial position by some ex Staff Members with no idea how to get out of the hole I found myself in. Opening my own Strength & Conditioning Facility in Kiama was a dream I’d had for years but it would never have come to fruition without Jade Lambert . We met together many times throughout the year to go over many aspects of the business to figure out our next Plan of attack and I couldn’t be where Oxygen is today without her.
For that official opening back in 2015 we had Member for Kiama Gareth Ward cut the ribbon to declare us officially open. It was great to have Gareth there as he was so helpful in speeding up the process between Kiama Council and Department of Planning. Yes, as much as it took 11 months for us to finally get in, it could have been longer had he not been cracking the whip. Gareth even hung around to push me on the Sled in a pair of jeans and blundstone boots, not an easy task. 17th August is definitely a date each year we celebrate each year.
Rach reveals secret
We were thrilled in August to find out that Rachel Henry was pregnant and due to give birth to a little (or big) boy in early January 2018. Loving her fitness work and wanting to be as healthy as poissble for her first child Rach was interested to learn how she could incorporate fitness into her pregnancy and what things she would have to modify.
We signed up to the Moms Gone Strong Program delivered by THE AUTHORITY in female fitness, Girls Gone Strong and Rach became our first client for Pre & Post Natal Fitness Programs in Kiama. We have since had another Rach jump on board, Rachel Sheppard before she recently moved back to Port Macquarie. It’s getting close now girls…
Oxygen TV Re-launched
Big thanks to some our Clients Brian & Nardia Guillaumier & Carolynn Mackenzie for their help with the re-launch of Oxygen TV in August.
It’s something we had on Youtube many years ago but whatever reason slipped off the radar. with the importance of Video in today’s online world, we thought it was a great time to resurrect it and showcase what we do here at Oxygen.
Each week the aim has been to keep the Episodes to around 5 Minutes and we highlight the Latest News, a Member of the Week, Upcoming Events and lots of other hints & tips.
Touch Grand Final Day
Another Season of Jamberoo Touch came to a close with the August Grand Final Day. Thanks to the photographic Team at NEG Photgraphy and Elev8 Aerial Images we got some fantastic photos and footage of the day. Having played in about 15 back to back Summer & Winter Comps in a row there isn’t a whole lot of evidence so it was nice to get a few photos that we can look back on in years to come.
September
Member’s Grand Final Success
There were a heap of great September Success Stories from some of our Oxygen Athletes. Starting off at WIN Stadium for the Illawarra Rugby League Grand Finals, Jason Lynch who is Sports Trainer for Collegians Under 18’s, wrapped up a successful campaign with a Win so well done to JL for keeping all those young Stars healthy all year.
Following that game in Reserve Grade, Coach Nathan Hore playing Fullback for Thirroul, scored the First try of the Match and went through to claim a thrilling 1 point Win over Collegians. Well done Nath, that’s a great achievement anytime but especially after the injury setbacks you have faced in the last few years.One of our young Stars Zane Mitchell, who gets his Cricket training here every week, managed to take out his local Grand Final playing a different Sport, Soccer, for Albion Park.
A week later we had Nardia Guillaumier winning her 4th consecutive Grand Final in the Sydney Women’s volleyball Competition. I mean plenty of people play Sport their entire lives and don’t even get to contest a Grand Final. Many more play on the big day and never win one. Then there’s a select few who will always savour the satisfaction of winning one. Maybe you get lucky, like I have, and win multiple Grand Finals. But to win 4 in a row is some feat.
The Boys Ryan Smith & Mark Ulcigrai from South Coast United Football Club won back to back Premierships in the Soccer. The Game was tied 1-1 at the end of regular time and in a Penalty Shootout Goalkeeper Mark came up with a crucial save to guide his Team to the Win.
Lazy Chicken Salad
We love quick, easy, healthy Meals here at Oxygen. In September, we came up with the Lazy Chicken Salad promote our Kiama Nutrition Coaching.
3 Ingredients. Easy, Quick, Delicious. Check out the 1 Min Video by clicking the image below. Seriously.
Oxober
Yellow take out Challenge Week Series 15
Team Yellow became the most successful Team in the history of the Kiama’s Best Fitness Challenge – Oxygen Challenge Week.
Blue did their usual race out of the blocks early in the week. Although the make up of the Teams changes each Series, Blue always seem to turn up in numbers and fight hard. Blue stalwarts Jade & Rach only played minor roles this time around so it was up to a few others to step up. That they did and because of that attitude were always gave themselves a chance at the business end of the week.
Yellow, on the other hand, have a Team full of long term established Members who know what Challenge Week is all about. They know that it’s about turning up, Sessions after Session, day after day with sore, tired bodies and continually giving their best. That they did, taking the lead late in the week, and holding on for their fifth win in 15 Series.
Green had a few missing persons from their successful Series 14 win so they had to battle a bit harder this Series. Still, they banded together, worked as hard as they could and managed a few Session wins.
Red suffered with the least numbers for most of the week, especially in the mornings when many Reds were unable to get there even if they wanted to. A couple of troopers in the mornings kept them in the hunt until the night sessions when the Red re-enforcements would arrive.
Congratulations to our MVPs from each Team. They battled hard and attended almost every Session for their Teams:
2017 Member of the Year Awards
Our Member of the Year Awards coincide with the end of Challenge Week & Oxygen Fitness Kiama’s Birthday each year. For our 8th Birthday, we went to the Kabari Bar down at Surf Beach.
Rookie of the Year went to Jake Wadsworth.
The Kings & Queens were:
- Squat: Joy Briggs & Dave Lambert
- Deadlift: Kelly & Jason Lynch
- Bench Press: Jade Lambert & Kraig Crowther
- Power Clean: Caitlyn Jamieson & Nathan Hore
- Push Ups: Rachel Henry & Ryan Smith
- Pull Ups: Leanne Williams & Jamie Williams
- Plank: Kylie Strong & Tyler Smith
- Rower: Nardia Guillaumier & Aaron Henry
Member of the Year: Kevin Mikilewicz
November
5-3-1
In Week 1, the Main Lift each Day saw us do 4 Sets of 5 Reps with just one Accessory Exercise afterwards. All done within 30 minutes. A Half Hour bout of Conditioning/Warrior type stuff followed on from that.
In Week 2 we took those 5 Rep Sets a bit heavier. After all, the previous Week was really a Recovery/De-Load following on from the high volume of Challenge Week.
In Week 3, the Weight went up with the Reps dropping down to 3.
This Week we pumped through a Set of 5, a Set of 3 & a 1 Rep attempt at a Sub-Maximal weight. The Reason? Sub Maximal means not your heaviest, so technically you should complete the Lift. This grooves the right lifting patterns, builds confidence and leaves you less fatigued than maxing out.
The hard work was done and Clients went into the Final Testing Week of 2017 pretty confident to give it their best shot.
Led to some awesome PHYSIQUE efforts…
Health
In November, our Family went through some tough times as we watched Jade’s Step-Dad go through the final stages of pancreatic cancer. With one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer we always knew the outlook was grim for Gary.
When I proposed to Jade in October 2015, we thought we’d have about 12 months to plan and prepare our Wedding. But with Gary being diagnosed we decided to fast track our plans by 6 months just in case. He made it.
Then when Az & Rach got engaged, a similar process occured for them. He made it then too.
It’s coming up to their 1st Wedding Anniversary and our 2nd. So Gary was most definitely a fighter.
But his health rapidly declined in the past few months, especially this last one.
Jade & Rach were troopers in supporting their mum in this most difficult time. Az and myself drove down to South Nowra countless times to spend as much time as we could as a family. Gary opted to stay at home in his final weeks so despite nurses visiting morning and night, the three girls took incredible care tending to him and administering his medication.
Their Mum Cheryl is one tough woman and kept it together incredibly well throughout the past few weeks. The girls too put their own emotions aside to keep everyone’s spirits up. I guess what made this all the more heartbreaking was thatGary was able to support Cheryl through her own Cancer battle many years ago and she is one of the survivors.
Gary finally let go and is now at peace but seeing the way this once strong, solid man deteriorated, especially in that last month, last day & last breath was awful.
It is a reminder to me and anyone that health is something you can NOT take for granted. It’s earnt by anyone but promised to noone.
Lakers Win 2017 1 Day Premiership
I’ve been privileged to find a great group of mates that over the last decade (or more) have formed the most successful 1st Grade Team in South Coast Cricket. Several of those have been Members of Oxygen Health & Fitness Kiama in that time. Aaron Henry, Ryan Smith, Nathan Hore, Josh Hore, Brendan White, Mark Ulcigrai to name a few.
We’ve one numerous 2 Day Cricket Comps, STACKS of 1 Day Premierships, a few Twenty20 Premierships, we’ve won all Three in the one Season and successfully pushed further than any other South Coast or Illawarra Clubs in the Statewide NSW SCG Cup. We were 1 Run away from playing a Final on the SCG and although that is one regret we will all take to our grave, winning Premierships with your mates is what local Sport is all about.
Add another 1 Day Trophy (even if it was half falling apart when they handed it over).
We’ve set out to Win every Trophy and not drop a Game on our way to doing it.
Of all the successful Lake Sides we’ve had over the past Decade this Team is one of the best. And yes they are the ugliest Uniforms you have ever seen.
Finale Week
For the last week of the Year, we have always put on some different themed Workouts to keep everyone interested in the busiest time of the Year.
A variety of Novelty Workouts like “Roll The Dice” and “Deck of Cards” have often appeared on the Timetable.
This year, we put a Christmas Theme to it and EVERYONE really enjoyed it! I gotta say myself and many others are usually running on fumes by this stage of the Year but there was a great vibe down at the Gym this week as we all participated in the following tough but enjoyable workouts:
- The MERRY CHRISTMAS Acrostic Poem Workout
- 25/12
- Secret Santa
We’ll wrap up Finale Week with the Finale Workout tomorrow (Saturday 23rd December at 7am). The Xmas Party will be held at Sebel Blue Diamond Bar from 6pm.
Finales are always BIG.
Re-establishing Goals & Planning ahead
Usually this time of year I am doing a written Yearly Review and assessing what worked, what didn’t, where I am in relation to Goals I have set etc. With the events of the past few weeks it’s even more relevant to ask what can I improve? What did I do well? What do I really want? What is most important?
Without asking these questions, it makes most work I need to do irrelevant.
I encourage you to do the same with your health, fitness, any area of your life that you’d like to improve really. Don’t just wish for it, make a plan so you can make it happen.
So I have been working on what do I really want from my life. What do I want Oxygen to look like? Who is our ideal client. What do they want? How can we serve that market to solve their problems.
What services do we offer? How can we improve them? Do we need to drop that type of Membership? Do we need to start adding this Service in?
It’s exciting once you gain a bit of clarity on these issues because then you know exactly what needs to be done.
So there’s some great plans ahead in 2018 where we’ll have options for everyone to base their Membership off what things they do want & discard what they don’t. There’s new Timeslots, New Challenges, New Rules & New Programs to try.
That will bring New People, New Motivation & New Success Stories.
This Kiama Gym will be staying Open over the Xmas break with reduced Open Gym Hours each day to be advised. Normal Sessions resume Monday 8th January. Timetable coming soon…
Looking forward to rounding out 2017 and bringing the New Year in with a bang.
Merry Xmas to everyone and a Happy New Year in 2018!
