BLVE Fitness voted FNQ’s best gym by Cairns Post readers

From hosting workout sessions in the park to being voted FNQ’s best gym by Cairns Post readers, BLVE Fitness has come a long way since its founding in 2019.

BLVE Fitness has been voted FNQ's best gym by Cairns Post readers. Owners Shane Pue, Kai Pue and Jayden Pue said family and community was at the heart of the gym's values. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

From hosting workout sessions in the park to being voted Far North Queensland’s best gym, BLVE Fitness has come a long way since its founding in 2019.

A passion to help people achieve their fitness goals has been the driving force behind BLVE Fitness, according to co-owner Kai Pue.

Mr Pue, who co-owns the Bungalow-based gym with his father Shane and brother Jayden, said the business had come a long way since its backyard beginnings.

“We started about six years ago now, but the first three years were just from our backyard,” Kai said.

“We had some rusty dumbbells, an Esky that our clients would do our bench press off, and had a simple kettle bell, so not much at all when we first began.”

Mr Pue said they would charge patrons $5 per personal training session, using the money to buy more equipment.

“We did our first PT camp in the grass on the Esplanade for a gold coin donation, but we’d always forget to charge, so we’d come home and mum, who’s in charge of the books, would ask for the bag of coins and we’d always forget,” he said.

The family earned their fitness certificates during the Covid-19 pandemic, while maintaining full-time work, training at home before moving into their warehouse location in 2022.

“We were all doing full time jobs at the time so (BLVE) was just a part time thing, then we eventually turned our backyard into a gym and then we were just looking for a place … were very patient and the place in Bungalow came up,” he said.

Now the gym boasts 260 members who attend morning and evening fitness classes.

The gym also raises funds for various charities, with Jayden Pue taking part in the 24-hour cardiac challenge last year.

“We’re a very giving family,” Kai said.

“We do a lot of fundraising, a lot of 24-hour fundraisers for cardiac challenge and breast cancer and we’ve done Movember 24-hour running for men’s mental health.”

Originally published as BLVE Fitness voted FNQ’s best gym by Cairns Post readers