Start Strong: Where to Workout When on Business in Melbourne
Business travel doesn't need to throw you off your exercise routine. With the help of a few insider tips – and of course, some lycra – you can get those endorphins flowing from wherever you are. So pack your kit for your next flight to Melbourne. When you get there, our pick of the city’s best options for visiting fitness enthusiasts will help you get your out-of-state work week off to a solid start.
Work on your Tan
The Tan is one of Melbourne's most popular workout spots and a great place for a run or walk before, after, or in the middle of a busy day. The 4-kilometre track loops around Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens and is a smooth gravel surface on mostly flat terrain, surrounded on all sides by lush greenery. When it comes to city runs, the backdrop doesn't get much better than this.
Dive in at Albert Park
If swimming is more your style, the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Albert Park is one of the best pools in the city and conveniently within reach of the CBD. There's a huge 50-metre outdoor pool where you can exercise or just float around after a long day. If that doesn't suit your tastes, there's also a 50-metre indoor pool, along with an indoor wave pool, hydrotherapy pool, spa, sauna and steam room. Need we say more?
The outdoor pool is open Monday to Friday 5:30am-10pm and 7am-8pm on weekends
Take the Kokoda Track
If you're really looking to break a sweat and get your heart rate up, the Kokoda Track Memorial Walk is not for the faint-hearted. The 3-kilometre trail includes a 1000-step climb towards the summit. You'll be rewarded for the effort, though - from the top, there's stunning views over the city that make every step count.
Follow the Yarra River
Melbourne's Yarra River runs right through the CBDand is the perfect backdrop to break a sweat when you're in the city on business. There's trails and walkways perfect forcycling and running in the evening or even on your lunch hour if you have some time to spare.
Dance and stretch
Drop in and stretch out with a series of intense and satisfying workouts in Melbourne's CBD at S3. The sleek and modern studio is home to traditional interval HIIT training classes and reformer Pilates to help you build strength in between meetings. Their popular barre classes fuse elements of dance, Pilates and endurance training for a full body workout that's guaranteed to torch calories. You can sign up through Classpass – a membership program that offers access to dozens of drop-in classes around Melbourne and beyond. The best part? You can take it with you wherever you go –Classpass works in Sydney, Brisbane and 39 cities around the world.
Serve up an ace
Melbourne is home to the Australian Open, one of the most exciting events on the world sporting calendar. Channel the spirit of Serena Williams or Roger Federer at Melbourne Park – it's the host of the Australian Open but also a vibrant tennis club in its own right where you can book courts and play as a casual or even join a social league. If you want to improve your game – and your fitness – there are excellent programs like Cardio Tennis and Play, which offer a series of high intensity tennis drills and match play scenarios for both singles and doubles.
Wherever business takes you, stay ahead of the curve and find convenient flights to Melbourne with Virgin Australia.
