If you enjoy keeping fit, this is the place to be. Our facilities include state-of-the-art workout equipment in our air-conditioned gym, pleasant temperatures in the indoor and outdoor pools, plus a wide range of group classes.
But Fairways also has a secret ingredient – an inspirational instructor who loves his job and goes out of his way to motivate people to achieve their fitness goals and, more importantly, enjoy the experience. That person is Tiago Sousa.
Former school PE teacher Tiago joined the team three years ago. His background in teaching means he’s qualified to offer coaching in many sports. These include tennis, football, rugby and swimming. Apart from the yoga classes, all personal training and fitness activities at Fairways are given by Tiago himself.
‘What I enjoy most about my job is helping people fall in love with improving their fitness,’ Tiago says. ‘I also like the variety. One minute I can be giving a swimming lesson to a group of young children, the next I can be helping an appreciative adult member rehabilitate after illness or an operation.
I find the personal relationships I make with club members very rewarding.’
Member Jan Maack can vouch for this and says he always looks forward to his daily personal workouts with Tiago when he visits each November and January. ‘I like to call it my “daily highlight” because the training is a very good start to the day.’ Jan plays social football in a team back home in Hamburg, so Tiago tailors his training to footballing skills. Another focus is on increasing speed and agility. ‘All the exercises we do involve a football,’ Jan says, ‘and I find this very motivating. In Tiago, I haven’t just found a very involved trainer, but also a friend who likes to combine hard training with fun and jokes.
Every workout ends with a penalty shoot-out competition between us, or a game of foot volley.’
Besides personal training and coaching, Tiago also offers daily classes like Aquafit, Pilates and Stretching. Jan Maack’s 79-year-old mother, Regina, is a great fan of the Aquafit classes. She says ‘The sessions are not just about exercising in the water. They are also about improving the health of your muscles, having fun with fellow members, and feeling incredibly relaxed afterwards. Tiago makes the whole experience so rewarding!’.
The number of people using the fitness facilities has increased in recent years as more people understand the importance of fitness for mental wellbeing and a long and healthy life. ‘Our members rightly expect a good range of quality exercise machines and we constantly update these,’ Tiago says. ‘We have equipment for each muscle group, including weights, bikes, crosstrainers, running and rowing machines. But some of our most effective training aides, believe it or not, are elastic bands, which are great for mobilising joints without the stress of impact.’
If you’re new to fitness activities, it can be daunting to know where to start, but Tiago will soon put you at ease. ‘Please come and see me,’ he says, ‘even if it’s just for a general chat. I love meeting new people and I’ll happily give you some free advice – or more personalised training if you would like it.’
