Soon after Tina came on the scene as an instructor. This enabled Paul to take up concrete drive contracting during the day with his friend – former Mr New Zealand, Barry Davies. These earnings helped subsidise the gym’s wages for a period. But Paul was later forced to make his entire staff redundant during lean times and to become the sole staff member doing reception, instructing and cleaning by himself. As income improved Tina was re-hired, the two grew close and were later married.
Club Physical has grown to become one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned health club groups employing three hundred people.
Paul became President and CEO of the industry organization - Fitness NZ for several years and the couple were the first New Zealanders to join IHRSA (the worldwide organization for quality health clubs based in USA) and of NETWORK the leading Australasian industry group. As members the two have attended numerous learning events in the US and Australia, returning with hundreds of ideas for the NZ industry. Inspired by former IHRSA President and Californian - Julie Maine, Club Physical has for the last five years offered a ten week exercise programme for cancer patients. The programme is given FREE of charge without any government or Cancer Society funding. It is fully supervised by personal trainers at several locations and has now seen scores of people complete it.
The company also sponsors a large number of community groups each year. Club Physical recently created an Olympic Wrestling Club for boys which, thanks to the blind coach – Clinton Hall has already accumulated a number of gold medals in New Zealand championships. The group last month hosted the Auckland Olympic Wrestling Championship.
Each branch of Club Physical sponsors a child living in Myanmar and the company is actively involved in fundraising and supporting projects with World Vision.
Paul has now authored eleven books featuring the numerous benefits of exercise with subjects dedicated to weight loss, exercise for older adults, mental health, diabetes, cancer and teenage fitness.
Most of these are freely downloadable from Club Physical’s website. Tina now leads a team of eighty ‘Presenters’ who teach group exercise classes at their fourteen New Zealand locations – eight of which are now franchised. The branded GROUPX programme incorporates a variety of formats for fat-loss, toning, strengthening, increasing core strength and reducing stress. Tina is also responsible for releasing new music and choreography for the group on a quarterly basis.
Both Tina and Paul and their children Chloe, Renee and Brahm are members of LIFE church and Tina and Paul are members of Toastmasters. Several family members now also hold martial art black belts. “We’re a team. Tina has been a huge positive strength for me throughout the trials of business. But I need to offer a major credit to our influencers; church pastors Tak Bhana and Paul De Jong, and to my friends and colleagues Derek van Beynen (CP General Manager)and Shelley Miles, along with the thirty or more people who have been part of our team for over twenty years” says Paul. September 16th 2008 | 