Gympie PT remains online as business expands

‘It is as simple as a Zoom call and I can help them directly where they are in their homes’

PERSONAL TRAINING: A Gympie personal trainer has not let a setback stop his growing online community and the popularity with his at-home workouts means he will remain online.

Cooloola Fitness Centre owner operator Matt Stallmann was slowed by the rules of Facebook but in the last month has grown the group to 430 from the 330 in March.

“The response from the people has been awesome. We are getting more and more reach we are getting people interstate and all throughout Queensland,” he said.

“Facebook has not been without its challenges that has created a few hurdles with me being able to add people to the group, but we are overcoming that and pushing that. There are restrictions in place with the number of people you can add, it has made it a challenge to grow the group as quickly as I would have liked.

Cooloola Fitness Centre owner operator Matt Stallmann said he always wanted to have an online presance but the pandemic forced his hand. He will remain online even when the gym is open again.

“Early on we grew very quickly and then Facebook put a hamstring on us and held us up for three weeks but that being said we have used other avenues and people have still be able to jump into the 21-day challenge”.

With gyms being able to open from June 12, while maintaining social distancing, as stage two of easing COVID-19 restrictions, Stallmann said there would be things to consider before opening but he would be remaining online.

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“What I am loving about the online is that it is an environment I have wanted to be involved in for a long time but it has been a struggle but now that my hand has been forced I have so much more reach and more of an opportunity to help people in one space,” he said. “They do not have to come from Mount Isa, Rockhampton or Townsville to try and get to Gympie to train with me. It is as simple as a Zoom call and I can help them directly where they are in their homes.

EXPANDING ONLINE: Cooloola Fitness Centre owner operator Matt Stallmann will continue to grow his business online with the 21-day challenge.

“We are waiting for the Queensland Department of Health to give us very clear guidelines on what the expectations are that we need to uphold and the standards that we need to be working to. Once that is clear it will give us a better idea of how we are going to open”.

Facebook was contacted for comment.

For more information visit the Facebook page MS Family Home Wellbeing Program.

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