Beachside Events

After a very early morning wake up call and a delayed flight, I stepped foot into a land of fake tans, shocks of bleached blonde hair and plenty of silicon implants wrapped up in very small pieces of spandex and Lycra. Welcome to the Australian fitness industry convention and expo.

To keep my knowledge and skills cutting edge and fresh, I like to attend FILEX as often as I can and come home armed with some new and amazing ideas. Not just exercises and new training sessions to put into practice at Beachside, but also the latest research on nutrition and mindset strategies that actually work and get results.

Being set in Melbourne in April, it really is a lucky dip of weather conditions and luck came my way for my outdoor sessions with Melbourne delivering beautiful crisp blue skies, warm sun and a beautiful setting alongside the Yarra River. I would have loved to spend more of my time outside but with so much to learn at the convention and so much to see at the expo my days were pretty full.

Over the three days of the event I participated in workshops with TRXs, speed ladders, Muay Thai boxing, battling ropes, body weight training and also lectures on nutrition, mindset and changing behavioural patterns – all of the things that are most important to get my Beachsiders the results they deserve and to make our sessions even more fun and varied than they already are.

As well learning as much as possible at the convention, the fitness expo was right next door with quite a few rooms packed to bursting with equipment, gadgets, gizmos, bars, shakes clothes and anything else you could possibly think of when you think of the fitness industry.

And if that was not enough, there were multiple stages with body building comps, team strength and fitness competitions and product and group class demonstrations and shows. Fitness professionals and fitness enthusiasts alike were all rubbing shoulders (it was literally that squishy in there) in a sea of fluro and multi-coloured runners.

Each day after a few big workouts, usually consisting of the presenters smashing us with about 10 workouts rolled into one, and my brain swimming with new information, I took the easy route of wandering the city of Melbourne taking in the sights and the culture, grabbing a bite to eat on bustling Lygon St or somewhere with a similar buzz before wandering back to the hotel to unload my brain and prepare for the next big day.

By Sunday afternoon, the energy was still there, everyone was still buzzing with excitement and newly acquired skills and knowledge to bring back home but there was a slight air of sadness as none of us really wanted to leave. The spring in most people’s step had been replaced by stiff muscles and hobbled walks but the glint in their eye was unmistakable.

The concept of FILEX 2015 is ‘Inspiring Greatness’ and I like to think the presenters have inspired greatness in us, and it is now our job to inspire greatness in you. My Beachsiders always blow me away with what they achieve and the attitude they bring to each session and to life. Now I’d like to see how great we can be. It’s time to rise, it’s time to lift, it’s time to exceed your expectations and mine. I’ll give you everything I’ve got Beachsiders and all I ask is you do the same for me.

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