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The Benefits of ‘Social Exercising’

The Benefits of Social Exercising

We all have different preferences when it comes to exercise, some prefer to workout solo in a gym or lap swimming, whereas others enjoy the social interaction of group exercise or small group training.  

Whether you joined a gym with a friend or have made friends along the way, the benefits of working out with other people can be really important. It’s proven to be great for your mental health as well as your physical health, here are just some of the benefits that working out with others can bring:  

1. Accountability 

Exercising with your friend helps to keep you on track if you’re working towards a goal as you support each other to push further and make sure you keep to training schedules. We don’t like letting others down and therefore we’re more likely to do exercise even when we’re feeling like we can’t be bothered. We find that members who train with friends reach goals quicker and maintain momentum with their exercise. On those cold mornings it can be hard to get out of bed, but when you’ve committed to meeting a friend or workout buddy – then you make the effort to be there!  

2. Community  

As humans we love to feel like we belong and meeting like-minded people provides us with a sense of connection. At PARC many of our members love to meet new people and find casual friendships from the familiar faces they see each time they visit. Many friendships have formed from conversation during a group exercise class! When you join PARC you join our community and the PARC Fam!     

3. Motivation 

Training with a friend is a great motivator to keep going and to push yourself just that little bit harder, particularly with their encouragement. A positive training partner can completely shift your mindset by supporting you through the exercise and get your endorphins flowing quicker! You can also get even more out of your exercise with a bit of friendly competition between you.  

4. Enjoyment 

We thrive on social connection and exercising with a friend can make the whole experience just more enjoyable. Spending time together at the gym or in a group exercise class can be the perfect opportunity to catch up, particularly if you extend your session with a coffee at our Café, sometimes it’s just as much about the reward afterwards. Connecting with friends is great for our mood and energy levels ensuring we get the most out of every training session.  

At PARC, we’re about to launch our next 8 Week Challenge, which is part of our small group training membership. This membership was created due to the feedback we had about the social enjoyment of the challenges. Working out in a small group together our members formed friendships and attributed most of their successes to the community support they received throughout the challenge and wanted to continue this all year around.  

It’s not too late to reinvigorate your commitment to a Year of Health with our next 8 Week Challenge, which starts on Monday 2 May and is included for FREE as part of our Small Group Training Membership, available to PARC Full Access members at $28 per week.  

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Complete the form on our website and one of our team will be in touch, or send us an email at sgpt@peninsulaleisure.com.au.

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PINES IS A FINALIST!
Pines Forest Aquatic Centre has been named a Finalist in the 2026 Frankston & Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Awards in the Community Impact & Engagement category!

We’re so proud to be recognised because we know Pines is more than a place to swim. It’s a place where our Frankston community comes together, to be active, happy and connected.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
As a Finalist, we also have the chance to win the People’s Choice Award – and we need YOUR help!

💙 Love your local pool?
💦 Enjoy our free community events?
☀️ Have special memories of summer at Pines?
We’d love you to show your support and help our much-loved Pines Pool. 

HOW TO VOTE
1️⃣ Head to the link in our bio
2️⃣ Fill in your details.
3️⃣ Select Pines Forest Aquatic Centre (Peninsula Leisure) from the drop-down menu and hit submit!
A huge thank you to our amazing team and our Pines community.
PINES is open for the 2026/2027 season! 🥳

Come on down for a swim, and to celebrate the season open! Can't wait to see you there 🤩
10 and Done: A moderate workout for beginners! 💪

Introducing our 10 and Done workouts; guided activities that are designed to help you meet your 30-20-2 goals. Whether you’re after something light, something that gets your heart pumping, or strength exercises to build a stronger body, we have workouts to suit your needs. 

These workouts suit every fitness level, and all activities can be done at home, in the park, or wherever suits you. Head to the link in our bio to visit the 30-20-2 website, and try all of our 10 and Done workouts!
Celebrate the season open with us! 🎉 

To welcome back our incredible community, our sister Centre PINES is kicking the season off with a splash with two fun events. 

☀️ Join us for our first Free Family Friday of the season on Friday 6 November. Enjoy free entry between 4pm-7pm and a yummy free sausage sizzle. 

🏊  We’re welcoming back our lap swimmers with a free breakfast on Thursday 12 November. Head down between 7.00am-9.00am and enjoy an egg and bacon roll and hot drink (first 50 drinks) on us after your morning swim. 

We look forward to celebrating kicking off the season with you!
Just a reminder that we are open on Cup Day!
Come down with the family for a swim or get your workout in 💪🏊

Tuesday 3 November Hours: 
🕐 Centre: 7am – 7pm 
🛝 Waterslides: 10am – 6pm 
☕️ Café: 8am – 5pm 
🏊 PARC Swim: No lessons 
🏋️‍♀️ Group Exercise: Reduced timetable — book your spot via the Customer Portal or the Peninsula Leisure Xplor app. 

Come down for some public holiday fun! We can’t wait to see you in the Centre!

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