It’s 5:30 a.m., and the alarm goes off. Rolling out of bed for a workout isn’t exactly thrilling – at least not at first. But for those who commit, the payoff is immediate: a rush of accomplishment, a lift in mood, and a surge of energy that carries through the day.
Much of these benefits come from chemicals our brains produce when we move – oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine – a trio of feel-good hormones.
Physical movement isn’t just a choice — it’s a necessity.
Across Canada, that necessity is often unmet.
Only 41.5 per cent of adults aged 18-64 meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, meaning more than half of Canadian adults aren’t moving enough.
The consequences can be wide-ranging: higher risks of mortality, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, several cancers, anxiety, and depression. Meanwhile, people who do meet the 150 minute requirement see benefits for bone health and cognition.
“Every opportunity to try and learn other ways we can move our bodies is super important,” says Jean Buckler, associate professor of exercise science at UVic.
Buckler also stresses movement as preventive care.
“We need to reposition recreation and movement as preventative health," Buckler said. "We have to look at things we do in our leisure time as health and health promotion. Prevention is the best way we can spend our money."
In downtown Victoria, spaces like Studio 4 aim to make that prevention easier and more inviting.
Co-owners Kevin Brett and Darcy Dommett envisioned a place where people want to be when they opened in 2004– not just somewhere they feel obligated to go.
“You can have a set of weights anywhere, but if someone’s trying to integrate that into their lifestyle, it’s really helpful if they actually want to be there,” Brett said.
Their two-storey heritage building, dating back to 1886, holds separate spaces for free-weights, boxing, dancing, yoga, cardio, and group classes – all designed to be approachable for both beginners and seasoned gym-goers.
The 12,000-square-foot facility now welcomes roughly 2,500 members, many of whom attend four or five times a week, well above the national guidelines.
Natural light, exposed heritage wood, and rows of real plants – which Dommett personally tends to each week – are part of their effort to make the gym feel less like a gym and more like a space people enjoy being in.
“We basically did a reverse renovation – peeling back to what the building was in 1886,” Brett said. “Every single plant in here is real. It changes the energy of the room,” Dommett added.
The gym avoids classic weightlifting stereotypes, which can be a barrier for newcomers. Dumbbells top out at 80 lbs, and the atmosphere is intentionally non-intimidating. Their mission is to reach more of the 59 per cent of adults who aren’t meeting activity guidelines.
“Our job—our mission—is to try and pull in some more of those and get them involved,” Dommett said.
Buckler notes that early and repeated exposure is key to making spaces like gyms less intimidating. And in a place like Victoria—with its abundance of trails, waterfronts, and outdoor spaces – movement doesn’t have to be limited to gyms at all.
"Our biggest competition isn’t any of the other gyms, it’s Dallas Road," Brett said. "We know how lucky we are to live here, we feel so fortunate that people are choosing to spend time inside our gym."
For Brett, Dommett, and Buckler, the message is clear: physical activity is essential, and the right environment, indoors or out, can make all the difference.
