Five Years On
The HIIT Squad was born from humble beginnings on a small island in the pacific called Nauru, and since then has taken shape into the epic community we have today.
As a builder by trade, Matt was away from home working on a tiny island called Nauru back in 2014. The remote island was home to workers doing fly in fly out work, where the men would be away from home for weeks at a time. With not a whole lot to do on the island outside of work, as well as being away from loved ones and out of normal routines, there were definitely some negative impacts this lifestyle would have on many of the guys mental and physical health, with some turning to drinking as a way to cope and fill in the time.
Coming from a sporting background, Matt would use the space available to run small circuits in the evenings - small meaning they started with just himself, eventually one or two other guys joining in and then over time managing to get big crews of workers out there to workout together. It was quickly quite clear to see the positive impact the group fitness was having on the day to day lives of these workers and after seeing that first hand, it gave Matt the idea that this could be something to pursue back in Christchurch. The HIIT Squad, or G Block 212 as it was called back then, started as a way to bring a positive and healthy focus into peoples lives, and this has remained core to the ethos of the business today.
Back to Christchurch
A few years later when Matt returned home to Christchurch for good, encouraged by what he had started over in Nauru, he got his PT certificate, took a huge leap of faith, and began the hard-work it would take to get The HIIT Squad off the ground.
Within six months, Matt was working full time running classes, utilising gym floors, parks, beaches and wherever people would come for a sweat. The community started to grow to include corporate classes, sports teams, mum groups as well as professional teams like the Crusaders.
Welcome home
In 2018, The HIIT Squad proudly moved into its own home on Stanmore road, and the rest is history.
Always growing
In the past five years, we have collaborated and worked with some epic brands including Red Bull, lululemon and Stirling Sports. We have travelled around the South Island running workouts, and continue to grow our offering with initiatives and collaborations like The Joggers Club. It’s pretty cool to say that for something that was never really meant to happen, The HIIT Squad has grown organically into the unique and welcoming community and we are able to work alongside such epic and like minded people and businesses.
Work hard, play hard
And while we work hard, we also know how to let loose and have a good time. With the relationships we see built inside the gym walls, we always make a point to get everyone together for celebrations and occasions, no active wear aloud. Our Christmas parties and annual doozies are always a good time for members to hang out and get to know each other better, and build on the friendships that are created during tough workouts in the gym walls.
What it comes down to
To us, it’s all about the members. Painted loud and proud on the wall at our gym are the words, Building Better Humans, and this ethos we have kept at the heart of what we do right from the start. The HIIT Squad is a community, we have members still with us from the very first classes, and with all the people that have joined along the way, there is a place for everyone who walks through our door. Our studio is a safe place for people to come and sweat, push themselves, have a laugh, meet new people and become a better version of themselves. That’s why it all started after all. Here’s to the next five!