A former NZ Māori rugby player is getting in behind a group of middle-aged men from Wellington on a mission to get their health back on track.
Norm Broughton is part of a male health initiative 'Tama Wairua, he Tama Tinana' where blokes have been hitting their straps in a bid to stick around longer for their families.
While most Wellingtonians are still fast asleep, a group of blokes are putting in the hard yards. For most of them, it's an uphill battle.
Norm believes people are more conscious these days to be around for their children and grandchildren.
That's the goal for one of the men, Fred Lefausio who suffered a heart attack in January this year. He says it was huge eye-opener for him and knows it's not something he wants to revisit.
A lot of his mates were surprised to hear what had happened to him as he was an avid gym member, so they've joined the group in support. All of them agree that it's a step in the right direction.
Lefausio says it's not about being at the sessions, it's about putting it into action changing your lifestyle. He also says as soon as you make changes your mind and body become more enriched.
The programme will continue for eight more weeks.