Live Streaming Classes

Due to the Coronavirus, the NSW State Government imposed strict social distancing laws which commenced from late March and are due to be lifted by the end of June. With a ban on gatherings of more than two people and preventing people from leaving their homes without a “reasonable excuse”, this has had a significant impact on almost all businesses and not least the fitness industry.

As a result, we have now moved all group classes and training sessions online and live streaming via Zoom with great success. Whilst we are unable to train in beautiful locations like Coogee Beach and Wylie’s Baths, providing these sessions online does have some positives including participating in the convenience of your own home and training is not weather dependant!

Our online sessions include full body HIIT circuits focusing on cardio endurance, muscle strength & power along with core strengthening and conditioning. And best of all, we cater for all levels of fitness and abilities.

We offer a free HIIT session or Pilates class so you can try first and then decide if this is right for you.

Call us now or message us if you’d like to learn more.

Wearable technology

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) earlier this year surveyed thousands of fitness professionals to determine the Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2019 and the number 1 trend on that list was Wearable Technology. 

This is not exactly any great surprise as so many people nowadays are wearing these sports and fitness watches for a number of reasons and I can’t remember when I last wore a traditional watch that just gave me the time. 

They have features that monitor key aspects of your fitness and wellness such as daily steps, heart rate and even VO2 Max for example.  You can play music while your working out and most can connect via Bluetooth to your phone for further connectivity and notifications.  You can even pay for items with some watches.  

But knowing exactly what you want from a sports watch is very important before making a purchase.  I’ve seen this a number of times where for example, people want to use a watch to record their swims, which many watches do when you are swimming in a pool but many won’t work in open water.   To record open water swims, you’ll need a watch that has GPS for starters and then a watch that has a swimming activity profile that includes ‘Open Water Swimming’ otherwise you’ll be recording your ocean swims using the running profile.

As an example, one manufacturer states that their watch can record swimming and goes on to say; “Built-in GPS gives you the freedom to take your activities outside. During a run, walk or ride, this watch is able to track distance, time and speed or pace and even map it out for you.”   But this won’t record ocean swims. 

So if you are in the market for a new smart watch, be sure to check exactly what features it offers and any limitations otherwise you may find yourself upgrading before long.

Priava: Farewell Michael Scroop

Priava: 26th February 2019, Sydney – Today we celebrate our exiting founder, Michael Scroop, who for twenty-one years has shepherded the growth and expansion of Priava.

Michael is a graduate of a Swiss hotel management school and has amassed over 30 years of experience at the top end of the hospitality industry in Europe and Australia. He moved into the rapidly developing area of information technology for the hospitality and tourism industry and saw a need in the marketplace for a dedicated provider and developer of specialist venue and event management software – this is when Priava (previously known as Parrimark Technology) was born.

In Priava, Michael has developed a world-class suite of solutions for the event and venue management sector, which creates real opportunities for venue owners and operators, delivering management systems that optimise their return on investment in facilities and human resources.

From its start in Sydney to its office expansions into London, New York, and Christchurch, Priava has become a global leader with over 500 clients in 13 countries under Michael’s tenure. Priava serves caterers, dedicated conference and exhibition centres, art galleries, museums, government departments, clubs, stadiums, universities, town halls, theatres, places of worship, meeting rooms and numerous outdoor venues.

In early 2013, Priava launched its SaaS (Software as a Service) enterprise product, the most ambitious growth project since the company’s inception. Our cloud-based solution incorporates a range of impressive features including an interactive calendar, online enquiries and bookings, catering and inventory management, together with a fully integrated CRM platform, all designed to add real value to venue owners and operators making it easier, and more fun to use.

Priava would not be where it is today without Michael, his vision, and his backing of the strategy to move to a cloud-based solution.

Michael has previously held positions such as Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) in the UK. Since stepping down from Chair in 2008, Michael has continued to play an active role in education and raising awareness of the meetings and events industry.

We wish to thank Michael’s wife, Deanne, and their children, Alex and Hugh, for their part in building Priava. Families are often the unsung heroes in company growth, and the unwavering support of Michael’s family has not gone unnoticed.

We also want to acknowledge the positive impact Michael has had on our staff and customers who understand what he did to grow the business and are grateful that he created the global impetus to shift the competitive landscape to benefit all venues.

As Michael passes the baton to our Chief Executive Officer, James Pegum, we thank him for his leadership legacy, offer our gratitude for his service, and wish him all the best in his next chapter.