Oarsome job by gym’s Brotherhood of men

Anytime Fitness Busselton has set the hearts of its “brotherhood” racing with its Rowvember challenge, an initiative to help open conversations between men at the gym.

Since the challenge began at the start of November, the team have rowed 655.3km on the gym’s rowing machine and aims to reach the goal of 840km by this afternoon.

Club manager Jemma Bouchier said the challenge emerged after the gym created an Anytime Fitness Brotherhood Facebook page to support its male membership.

“We found through having conversations with members at our gym a lot comes up around mental health, and men don’t really know how to express how they are feeling,” Ms Bouchier said.

“Through the Facebook group we came up with a rowing challenge to help build the momentum and to come together to work on something as a team.”

Ms Bouchier said Anytime Fitness Busselton aimed to run an event like Rowvember every month.

“It’s about getting men together — this is just another way to support our male members,” she said.

The brotherhood will band together in the gym today at 3pm to smash out the rest of their 840km goal as well as to raise money and awareness for Movember — a global annual event to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

To donate, visit au.movember. com/team/2394025?.