Tips for weak noodles

★ Tips for weak noodles ★

Every now and then, I stumble into a whole new Castlemaine world that I didn’t know existed.

This week, I entered Castlemaine’s fitness world.

I’m a sedentary noodle and have been starting to feel the effects of ageing. Grumpy lower back, weird hip flexor strain. Both the result of being a desk worker and general weakling.

These boring-as-hell aches are getting in the way of living my hype girl life.

I needed a physio and a powerlifting class, stat.

Health things can be a whole thing in this town. When I called around in August, the first available local physio appointment was 30 October.

All the before- or after-work classes at Real Strength were full.

I persisted and, thanks to a cancellation, found myself in a clinical Pilates class at Freedom Physio.

Guys, this place is glorious. It’s like a multi-generational social club where everyone happens to be working out.

Grannies come in with photos of newborn grandkids. Mums and pregnant women work out and talk books. Older men and women are rehabbing and strength training.

Everyone has a personalised set of exercises, while the physiotherapist keeps an eye on your form and progress and expertly addresses your problem areas.

I’ve scored a five-week stint in this happy place while another client is out recovering from surgery.

What luck!

I’m backing this up with a heavy lifting class with Castlemaine personal trainer Get Fit with Nic, 10 months after making a New Year's resolution to start weight lifting.

Research suggests that lifting heavy is particularly useful during perimenopause, when women shed muscle and gain fat. Fun times.

Nic has created She Builds, a brand new class focused on exactly this. And somehow I magically got a spot.

Now I have to actually do it, which I’m not thrilled about. Bettering oneself is annoying.

However. It's lovely-as to discover you can join a whole world of interesting people in this town who are also lifting their way to functionality.

• Freedom Physio offers everything from physiotherapy to pilates and exercise rehab, sports and remedial massage, women's health services, men's continence health, breast cancer rehab, running assessments, dry needling and more

• Get Fit with Nic is a strength studio offering personal training and small group classes

❀ The Dance ❀

It's about to get real hot in the Baringhup Hall. Julia and Isis are bringing back The Dance. 

As pictured below, the shiny pair will lead you in simple ballroom dance lessons. Jazz cats the Scufflers will be playing live, a delectable supper will be served along with classy drinks at sparkling prices.

Dress up in whatever makes you feel like dancing.

DJ Butter Knife will cap the night off right, and there’s even a shuttle bus back to Maldon and Castlemaine. Boom. They’ve thought of EVERYTHING.

♡˖ Events ˖♡

• 🎵 Cam Robbins Trio, Albion Hotel, Fri, 2 Oct, 6:30 PM *Coolest jazz trio on the block

• 🎭 Waiting for Godot, Phee Broadway Theatre, Fri, 2 Oct, 7:00 PM *Closing weekend!

• 🎵 Sunny Luwe, Shedshaker, Fri, 2 Oct, 8:00 PM *Soul/country

• ❤️💛🖤 Uncle Rick’s On Country Tour, Castlemaine Market Building, Sat, 3 Oct, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• 🎵 Society XVII presents Grandezza Romana, Castlemaine Town Hall, Sat, 3 Oct, 3:00 PM *Works by Handel, Corelli and Scarlatti

• 🎵 Dan Cully + Kavisha, Wesley Hill Community Hub, Sat, 3 Oct, 5:30 PM *Indie folk songs and stories, tea + chai

• 🎵 The Meir Cats feat. Goldie, Maurocco Bar, Sat, 3 Oct, 7:30 PM *Jazz, Latin, bossa, swing

• 😂 Laugh Shack Comedy Night, Love Shack, Sat, 3 Oct, 7:30 PM *First in best seated!

• 🎵 Pubsing: Whitney Houston, Shedshaker, Sat, 3 Oct, 7:30 PM *I Wanna Dance with Somebody, tix via Trybooking

• 🎵 Alison Ferrier and the Upshots, Northern Arts Hotel, Sat, 3 Oct, 7:30 PM *Alt-country gorgeousness

• 🎵 Oktoberfest w/ Thompson Foundry Band, Shedshaker, Sun, 4 Oct, 3:00 PM *Oompa Oktoberfest extravaganza

• 🎵 Grim Fawkner and Alister Turrill, Shedshaker, Sun, 4 Oct, 5:00 PM *Murder ballads, love songs and country-folk bangers

• 🎵 Casa-lemaine de la Trova, Goods Shed, Sun, 4 Oct, 5:00 PM *Latin big band w/ Son Quba, tix via Humanitix

• 📽️ Muriel’s Wedding and an Abba-fab Karaoke Party, Theatre Royal, Thurs, 8 Oct, 7:00 PM *A fundraiser for Castlemaine Fringe

• 🎵 Katy Steele, Shedshaker, Thurs, 8 Oct, 8:00 PM

• 🖼️ Devotions Exhibition Opening, Caspa Gallery, Fri, 9 Oct, 5:00 PM *Feat. Rickie-Lee Robbie, Heidi Barret, Sophie Allen, Alex Scott-Douglas

• 🪦 Coffin Weaving Workshop, Castlemaine, Sat, 10 Oct, 9:30 AM *A weekend workshop dedicated to weaving, death, dying and grief

• 🧑‍🎨 Spring Sculpture Prize, Lot 19, Sat, 10 Oct, 2:00 PM *Opening celebrations

• 🎵 You Am I, Theatre Royal, Sat, 10 Oct, 4:30 PM

• 🎵 Lucy Wise + Valley Road, Shedshaker, Sat, 10 Oct, 8:00 PM *Double album launch

• ✏️ Newstead Young Writers Festival, Newstead Arts Hub, Sun, 11 Oct, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

• 💃 The Dance, Baringhup Hall, Sat, 17 Oct, 7:00 PM - 12:00 AM *Learn ballroom dances on the night, live music by The Scufflers, DJ Butter Knife

• 🧵 Coat of Many Colours, Castlemaine Community House, Mon, 19 Oct, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM *Community-led discussion about keeping textiles in use and out of waste streams

• 🧶 Yarny Day Out, Castlemaine Town Hall, Sat, 25 Oct, 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM *Fibre arts festival feat. market stalls, workshops, cocktails ‘n cast ons

• 🎪 👻 Spooked and Spectacular Haunted House Cabaret, Castlemaine Circus, Sat, 24 Oct, 6:00 PM *Discover surprises around every corner!

• 📽️ An Inconvenient Sequel, Theatre Royal, Sun, 25 Oct, 3:00 PM *Mount Alexander Sustainability Group fundraiser, film followed by Q & A panel

• 🧘 Golden Wellness Festival, Sunken Oval, Sat, 31 Oct, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

• 🍰 Floursmith High Tea Luncheon, Sutton Grange Winery, Sat, 31 Oct, 12:30 PM *High tea overlooking the lake and vines

• 🎵 Iration Steppas, Theatre Royal, Sat, 31 Oct, 7:00 PM *Reggae and dub, feat. MZ Crew dancers

𖥔 TALK TO MOI PLOISE 𖥔

Hi, hi! Who should I interview next? If you have an idea, reach out. I’d love to hear from you at [email protected]. xx