As Paramount Recreation Club’s signature, the 60-minute Paramount workout combines all three of Fitness and Health Director Jordan Ponder’s fitness pillars – strength, movement and conditioning. Combining what you need with what you love, the session starts with a movement component to open up joints, warm muscles and activate stabilizers, followed by a high intensity workout and a 10 minute, core-focused cool down integrating pilates and yoga movements.

We spoke to Ponder about how and why the signature was developed, and how to maximise recovery.

How was the Paramount Workout developed?
Over the past decade I’ve been lucky enough to train hundreds of private clients. When you train an individual you focus on what they need, making sure they get the personalised attention and technical support in the areas they require it the most. You also look to ensure they receive a balanced program that incorporates a mix of strength, conditioning and movement. I wanted to recreate this style of programming in a small group training environment, where clients receive the same level of service, attention and variety in a more accessible, social way.

Why was the Paramount Workout developed? What missing aspect of fitness was it created to fill?
Most group workouts are designed to make everyone do as much as they can as fast and as hard as possible. This is great if you’re strong, and fit with no asymmetries and a knowledge of all of the key movements, but all too often people are not.

The Paramount Workout focuses on providing people with a balanced workout and the expert supervision they need to come out of training with a better understanding of how their bodies work, and without the injuries that commonly occur in other types of group training.

Who is the workout best suited to?
People who like to think, learn, workout often and be challenged. Its suitable for all fitness levels.

What can be expected from the class?
Time to focus on stability and muscle activation, time to build strength and be challenged, time to push your cardio and muscular endurance and time to slow down, focus on breathing and stretch.

What should one do to maximise recovery post Paramount Workout?
Hit our rooftop Kiosk for a banana smoothie and a Hollywood Bowl. Make sure you keep hydrated throughout the day and find time to rest and meditate when you can.

Jordan Ponder is a Fitness and Health Director at Paramount Recreation Club, Sydney.