Male staff members at Te Whānau o Waipereira have kicked-off Men's health month with a 100-day challenge to improve their overall fitness. The men say the challenge will encourage team building, with a few laughs and will make them feel a little more masculine in what they describe as a mostly female-dominated office space.
These men are taking steps to improve their well-being through this year's Men's Health Month.
Brad Norman says "we're taking the kaupapa [cause] seriously in terms of our physical activity, changing our diet, improving our weight loss. If you think of the stats there's about 75 percent of Māori men either overweight or obese and I think there's similar statistics for our Pasifika cousins as well."
About 40 men from Waipereira Trust are taking part in this year's challenge, which includes aspects of mau rakau, haka, and a new Hundy Club Challenge where participants build their exercise endurance over a 100-day period.
Alfonso Fuiava, Hamoa says “lunch has changed, breakfast has changed, dinner has changed but with The Hundy Club Challenge I've also got my kids to do it with me, so my one's five squats every day and I add five every day so we're up to day six today so I've got thirty squats to do."
To keep things fun and interesting there are some quirky rules in place.
Alfonso Fuiava says "so you can't say the B-R-O word, you can't say the full B-R-O word.
"If you use those words you've got to do five push ups straight away, you can't use the elevator as well so you've got to use the stairs."
Donovan Busby says "like tāne and Māori we love to bend the rules sometimes when it fits and when you get caught you know take it in jest, all good, do your punishment and then we carry on."
The 100-day challenge ends in September and the men here will celebrate with a game of league at an office fun-day.