Award-winning fitness format comes to Papatoetoe

"Krank” was launched last 13 February 2012, at Allan Brewster Recreation Centre, giving people from all walks of life with all degrees of fitness and physical ability a new way to get fit.

The Krank fusion studio is outfitted with eight Krankcycles and equal number of traditional freestanding bikes to deliver group fitness classes with total body benefit.

Krank is a cardio and toning workout that, uniquely, focuses on the upper body. The movement is similar to grinding (like you would do on a yacht) and can be performed from seated, standing, lunge and squat positions.

Manukau Leisure’s fitness group manager, Lucy Lloyd-Barker, says it’s the machines’ accessibility that inspired Manukau Leisure to add Krank to its Community Gyms.

“Krankcycles present an amazing opportunity to help those in our community who are physically challenged,” says Lloyd-Barker. “Unlike a treadmill or cross-trainer, which require balance and total body mobility, the Krankcycle is designed to deliver a cardio, strength and toning workout from seated position.

“Sitting down opens the door to people with disabilities, obesity, or lower body injuries. And the seat slips straight out to allow people in wheelchairs to take part too.”

The Krank initiative, which was first launched early last year at Pakuranga’s Lloyd Elsmore Park Leisure Centre, won Manukau Leisure the innovation category award at the New Zealand Fitness Industry Awards announced in November.

Manukau Leisure general manager, Caroline Newton, agrees that Krank’s adaptability makes it a winner. “Because it’s the first exercise programme to focus on the upper body as a way to build cardio fitness it has wide-ranging appeal,” she says.

“The beauty of it is that you can join a class but go at your own pace. We had some serious athletes and a couple of boxers in here trialling it and, fit as they were, they were getting a hard workout while the ladies next to them did the same thing without feeling they had to keep up.”

The two Krank class formats currently on offer include Krank Cycle; an electrifying overall cardio and toning workout that uses the Krank machine to focus on upper body and spin cycle to work the lower body, and Krank Core; an upper body workout fused with dynamic core strengthening.

Manukau Leisure is challenging anyone to give Kranking a go, whether they’re a Community Gym member or not. Classes are $8 ($5 for Community Gyms members) and are currently scheduled on Monday and Wednesday evenings as well as Saturday mornings. For more information, and a schedule of classes, go to www.manukauleisure.co.nz.