The Brooke Street Medical Centre Fit in Life gym is led by our qualified Exercise Physiologists to provide clinically targeted interventions that address each individual’s health needs. We can assist with:
- Injuries
- Rehabilitation
- Chronic disease
- Risk for chronic disease
The Fit in Life gym is not expected to replace the regular gyms found in our community.
Ours is a specialist gym, aimed at meeting the unique health needs of each individual participant where medical conditions (or medical risk factors) can be addressed through targeted exercise. Based on the specialist assessment of our Exercise Physiologist, a program will be developed to address your individual medical condition and/or health needs. Your program will then be reviewed and adjusted over time to meet your ongoing needs and changing capabilities.
Membership of the gym is conditional on the following:
1. Professional consultations with the Exercise Physiologist
(A) Before joining the gym patients must first have two separate appointments:
i. a full assessment – 40 minutes (billed as per our Allied Health Professional consultation rates)
ii. personal program development and supervised gym induction to ensure safe and effective use of gym equipment – 40 minutes (bulk billed for Brooke St. patients and a private fee is charged for patients of other General Practices as per our Allied Health consultation rates).
(B) Once a gym member, you will be required to have:
i. two weeks into your gym program: a 20 minute review to ensure correct exercise technique and safe/effective use of gym equipment
ii. thereafter at monthly intervals (unless otherwise clinically required): 20 minute reviews to adjust your program to meet your ongoing health needs and changing capabilities
Review appointments are bulk billed for Brooke St. patients; a private fee is charged for patients of other General Practices as per our usual Allied Health consultation rates.
Booking gym time
- You must book a time to use the Fit in Life gym. For Occupational Health and Safety factors we will restrict the number of people using the gym at any one time, therefore booking is essential.
- Ring our receptionists on 5427 1002 to book your preferred available time.
- The GYM will be open Monday to Friday days between the hours of 9.00am – 4.30pm. It is our aim to extend these hours over the coming months.
- Bookings can be made in 30min blocks, should you wish to spend 1hr you will need to make 2 x 30mins appointments.
Hygiene
- A towel must be used at all times. For hygiene purposes – no towel: no gym use. A spray disinfectant is available for you to spray and wipe down equipment after usage.
- Disposable towels are available for purchase at $1 per towel.
Use of Equipment
- Time – most people will have programs designed to exercise a range of muscle and cardiovascular systems. In order to allow everyone to work through their program, please use individual pieces of equipment for no more than 10 minutes at a time.
- When resting in between sets, if other people are waiting, please allow them to use the equipment.
- If applicable, please put equipment away after use.
Clothing
- Please dress for safety and comfort while exercising.
- Exercise foot ware with rubber soles and laces should be worn at all times – eg. running shoes or cross-trainers.
- Please also consider modesty as a courtesy to other gym members.
Other Gym Etiquette
- The gym is not a place for competition – everyone varies in their capabilities. We urge you to respect others and make it a safe, comfortable and encouraging environment in which each member can reach their potential and at the pace professionally advised by the Exercise Physiologist.
- The gym is no place for children; please ensure arrangements have been made for children as they will not be allowed in the gym.
- Visitors may not come into the gym unless they are an Exercise Physiologist approved carer.
- Please mind your language.
- Please refrain from mobile phone use when in the gym.
- TV Channels will be selected by the supervising EP.
- Please use other areas for catch-ups and conversations – we need to ensure people are safe to move freely from one work station to another.
- Please don’t tell other members what equipment to use or how to exercise – each participant has an individual plan aimed at their own health needs. Concerns about technique should be discussed with the Exercise Physiologist.
- Please place your bags in lockers provided – they become a safety hazard when brought into the gym.
Fee payment
- Payment is required before the Fit in Life gym can be used.
- A single session payment option is available for those unable to pay longer membership options.
- “Fit in Life” Gym members are entitled to suspend their membership for such things as holiday or illness when:
- They have a membership of one month or more, and
- They give notice before the date the suspension is to start, and
- They advise the end date of the suspension at the time of giving notice*, and
- Suspension must be of at least one week duration. If the remainder of the membership has not recommenced within a year of the suspension start date, the membership will be said to have expired.
* Patients who suspend because of hospital admission or procedures may not know when they are able to restart their membership. In these cases, you can advise when you feel well enough to resume your membership. Please let us know of this option at the time of notifying about the suspension.
Suspension of Gym membership
Fit in Life Gym members are entitled to suspend their membership for such things as holiday or illness when:
- They have a membership of one month or more, and
- They give notice before the date the suspension is to start, and
- They advise the end date of the suspension at the time of giving notice*, and
- Suspension must be of at least one week duration. If the remainder of the membership has not recommenced within a year of the suspension start date, the membership will be said to have expired.
* Patients who suspend because of hospital admission or procedures may not know when they are able to restart their membership. In these cases, you can advise when you feel well enough to resume your membership. Please let us know of this option at the time of notifying about the suspension.
Risk in exercise
Exercise carries some risk to the musculoskeletal system (eg. sprains, strains) and the cardio-respiratory system (eg. dizziness, discomfort in breathing, heart attack, abnormal blood pressure, fainting, disorders of heart rhythm, stroke and in very rare instances, even death).
Our Exercise Physiology and gym programs can involve many different types of physical evaluation and treatment. We use a variety of exercises and modalities to help us to try and improve your function.
As with all forms of medical treatment, there are benefits and risks involved with exercise rehabilitation and forms of physical exercise. Since the physical response to a specific exercise can vary widely from person to person, it is not always possible to accurately predict your response to a certain exercise modality.
