A new Executive Dean walks into a Health Club

Two weeks of hotel quarantine is tough on anyone, but if endurance training is an important part of your life, the confinement would be even more frustrating.

So, it’s no wonder that one of the first campus stops for new Executive Dean of Science and Engineering – and exercise fanatic – Professor Magnus Nydén was our Sport and Aquatic Centre. Here he shares how the Centre’s Health Club has become one of his favourite places on campus.

As an endurance based athlete, I’ve always focused on long distance events, but I had started to realise that I also needed to work on my strength as I was getting older. Having not lifted weights since I was 18-19 years old, I was curious about ways I could build some muscles and the strength needed to prepare for old age. For some reason my wife seemed to think it was a good idea as well…

So, for the first time in my life, I tried a personal trainer.

I trained two mornings a week with one of Macquarie Sport’s personal trainers Veronica Lee and this helped me develop my understanding of periodising my strength training. Most importantly however, it got me into the habit of getting up early in the mornings to do my workout.

Now, I am in the gym most days of the week and it feels great.

I cannot speak highly enough of the Health Club itself, and the team of instructors. The staff are so great that my wife and 14-year-old daughter Anna have also started exercising there every week (my daughter particularly loves instructors Hannah and Fiona for their fun, kind personalities).

Being a new member of the MQ Sport community, I feel very welcomed by the trainers and fellow patrons.  The space is big enough so as not to feel overly crowded, and both the cardio and strength sections are kept clean and neat.  I am told they are expecting new dumbbells before the end of the year, which will also be a great new addition.

The Club’s attention to detail to second-to-none when it comes to patron care and COVID-safe procedures.  You can’t miss their allocated COVID Safe marshal in the bright yellow vests, and I am always impressed with the level of cleanliness and pride they take in their work, of keeping the Health Club as safe as possible.

(Oh, and PS – whatever you do, don’t forget to bring your towel to wipe down your equipment after use. This is a formal requirement for being able to train there. I can tell you that it doesn’t matter being an Executive Dean – they were onto me straight away when I forgot the towel one morning. Good on them!)

Keen to bench press with Magnus (or fellow Executive member and regular Health Club patron Professor David Wilkinson)? Visit the Health Club to learn more about their membership deals for Macquarie staff.