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Golden’s Shape Up Fitness providing fun fitness during pandemic

The Facebook classes have reached people across the country and has spread internationally as well
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Nicki Mac has moved her business Shape Up Fitness to Facebook to keep her customers fit and active during COVID-19. (Contributed)

For many, COVID-19 has meant moving their works outs from the gym to their living room as restrictions disrupt usual exercise schedules and habits.

For Nicki Mac, it provided her with an opportunity to take her business, Shape Up Fitness, online, something she had been planning on doing for months.

Known for her fitness classes that run out of the Rec Plex each week, Mac took it upon herself to keep her loyal customers engaged with a free online trial through Facebook live for April.

Through Shape Up’s Facebook page, Mac was able to offer videos leading her participants through the same kind of workouts they would have usually had access to in-person.

“I decided to dive right in. I wanted to do this for a long time, it just makes my classes more accessible and user friendly,” said Mac.

Read more: Fitness centres mull smaller classes, online lessons once studios are able to open

“All my regular participants completely jumped on board.”

After the success of April, Mac decided to try and monetize her online business for May, starting what she dubbed the “COVID Cut,” which challenged her participants to get active every day for 30 days.

The challenge cost $50, which granted access to a private Facebook group where Mac posted her workouts and others were encourage to post ‘sweaty selfies’ and to help hold each other accountable.

The COVID Cut took off, with people from coast to coast participating.

Mac said she had viewers tuning in from Victoria to New Brunswick.

Now, she’s planning a second challenge for the month of June, called the ‘Solstice Shred,” which she says has an international audience with a participant hailing from Australia.

The shred encourages people to participate in 20 workouts throughout the course of 30 days.

“I am super stoked and humbled that this has been so successful,” said Mac.

“I’ve had these people stick with me and to be able to build on top of my established business,

“I’m super happy with the results and motivated to keep going with it.”

Read more: Interior Health begins planning for reopening of gyms and fitness centres

For Mac, her favourite part of doing the online classes is seeing people benefit from the flexible schedule.

“The accessibility and convenience for everyone, I love seeing people who weren’t able to attend before because of the set schedule joining us at their convenience,” said Mac.

“At the Rec Plex we average about 25-30 people per class, on my lives I’m getting about 50 people and 300-400 views on my videos. I have a way bigger reach this way.”

Once restrictions start lifting, Mac says she plans to return to the Rec Plex for her in-person classes, but will continue to provide online content. She’s planning on live streaming a few of her in-person classes once they start again.

Mac encourages people to contact her through Facebook or email at shape.up.fitness@hotmail.com to sign up for her online programming.



Claire Palmer

About the Author: Claire Palmer

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