Published on Thursday, 31 August 2023 at 8:55:49 AM
When Matt’s not in a studio presenting breakfast television, he’s more than likely in one of our studios getting his sweat on.
Channel 7 Sunrise presenter and self-proclaimed BODYATTACK addict Matt Tinney has been a loyal member since July 2019. We spoke to him about how Beatty Park fits into his schedule and what keeps him coming back.
Thanks for being our Member of the Month, Matt! What brings you to Beatty Park?
This place is addictive! I come here, I feel good. My friends all go here and I always leave with a smile on my dial. I’m pretty much here every day – it’s such a big part of my life.
What’s your workout routine like?
On Mondays, I come to the gym and do weights after work. While the kids are doing their swimming lessons here in the afternoon, I do a bike ride, which I call my “mental health bike ride” – I just listen to music and zone out.
On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, I do weights after work. On Wednesday and Saturday I do BODYATTACK. And on Sunday I usually do my second mental health bike ride for the week.
I find with my job and the hours that I do, I don’t get a lot of sleep – so the exercise powers me through the day. I just get those good endorphins and it keeps me going.
What’s your favourite workout?
BODYATTACK is my favourite. I do weights and I feel a sense of accomplishment, and I can see the results from it, but BODYATTACK is like the cleanest high you could ever get – just sweating it out and being there with your friends.
When I’m doing ATTACK I sweat like there’s no tomorrow. If you’re not walking out of ATTACK like you look like you’ve been for a swim, you haven’t done ATTACK right!
How did you discover BODYATTACK?
I started going to ATTACK a fair while after I joined. I remember going to BODYPUMP, which was just after ATTACK, and I would see these people coming out of ATTACK with the happiest face and I would think “Oh my goodness, I want to try this”. Then I realised they were so happy because it was over and they didn’t have to kill themselves anymore! That’s why I started going to ATTACK and fell in love with it.
Friends find it astounding that on a Friday night when I’m out, I have to stop everything to book into a class – because the booking system opens 12 hours before. I set three alarms to book into ATTACK on a Saturday. We all have our system of how we get into the website and wait for 8 o’clock to tick over. ATTACK has become such a massive part of my life that all my friends know when my alarms go off at that time of night – if I don’t do it, I’ll miss out.
What do you enjoy more – working out solo or in a group?
I enjoy both. The solo workout during the week after work is great because it’s like my third space before I go home. I come to the gym, it’s very chilled and I’m just working through it. The great thing about Beatty Park is there’s so many people I know here. We all know if you’re in the middle of a workout you’re not going to stop and have an intense chat but you’ll wave and smile and sometimes have a chat after.
The group stuff I love too – it’s catching up with friends and you’re doing the same activity together. It motivates you. When I’m in ATTACK and I see my friends kicking higher I think “I need to lift my leg more.”
VIDEO: We spoke with Matt about Beatty Park for our 60th anniversary in 2022.
Have you made a lot of friends here?
Yes – I’ve totally found my tribe here. That was something I wasn’t expecting.
We get together and do lots of activities that aren’t as healthy – it balances out.
Now whenever I tell people at work “I’m going to the gym” they all say, “Oh, you go to that gym where everyone’s friends.” It’s such a point of difference to a lot of other gyms where people just keep to themselves. I’m sure there’s people who enjoy just having that time to themselves but I definitely love the mix.
I love all the staff too, like Ricci, Andy, Denise and Anne-Rose who always says hello to me. Elizabeth is an icon. I love Teena – if you’re a new member do yourself a favour and go to one of her BODYPUMP classes. It’s a really good introduction to PUMP and a great crowd.
Sandy is probably my favourite member. She may as well be on the payroll here! She’s such a big part of Beatty Park and just has such a great vibe.
Is Beatty Park a big part of your kids’ lives too?
It is – my kids love Swim School. Their teacher is Ryan and they’re in the same class together – if you’re a parent with kids in Swim School, that’s nirvana.
I’ll do my bike ride then I catch up with Ryan after their lesson to see how they’ve gone – they tend to be more engaged in the lesson without me there. They absolutely love it and have been here since they started swimming.
The kids love the crèche too – I wouldn’t be able to come on a Saturday if there wasn’t a crèche. I have so many colouring-in pictures from the Beatty Park crèche! They’ve got their friends here, who are all the kids of the people I’m doing BODYATTACK with.
The kids will all be exercising here in 15 years – and Sandy will still be here!
What advice do you have for new members?
Keep your eyes open and don’t say “I’m not going to like that, that’s not for me.” Give it a shot.
After five minutes of my first BODYATTACK class, I thought “What am I doing here? What have I done?” but I persisted. Now I absolutely love it and can’t imagine not doing BODYATTACK.
So just keep your eyes open to all the classes that are available.
Don’t just settle on something. Switch it up – your body responds better when you change it up, I think.
I started out doing BODYPUMP and BODYBALANCE. I’m not sure if I was scared of doing the weights upstairs, but it felt so foreign to me. Then I got into it and got programs going and now I really love it and it’s a sense of achievement.
So that would be my advice – sign up and have a go at the lot.
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