Spice Girls bring the heat to Narrabri

You can’t mention women tackling remarkable and impossible things in Narrabri without mentioning the Spice Girls.

We aren’t talking about a girl band; the group is named after the “spice intensity level” of their high-intensity/CrossFit workout session.

You don’t know what you’re truly capable of until you become a Spice Girl, and a lot of that comes from the camaraderie of these women, conquering the toughest workouts in Narrabri, together.

The diverse group proves that strength and resilience come in all shapes, occupations, and fitness levels, with ages ranging from 20-50, and beginner to professional athletes.

You’ll find some of Narrabri’s leading physios, naturopaths/paramedics, a café owner, a journalist, an environmental officer/marathon runner, rugby girls/council workers/teachers/accountants/ag workers, a horse breeder, a nurse, a beautician, a seasonal Canadian currently home-schooling her boys, and hardcore mum and daughter gym bosses, and these are just off the top of my head.

The gang sounds impressive, but for this class, the only prerequisite is that you’re a girl… come as you are – “we’ve got safety blankets.”

Spew bags, affectionately referred to as safety blankets come free with the torture, and the banter and heart-warming spirit are unparalleled.

There is no polite way to explain the workouts, it’s 30 minutes in hell, journeying through combined rounds of cardio, sprinting, endurance, and weights, luckily the girls are reassuring that they’ll be suffering right beside you, and there’s fun music.

In The Spice Girls, there is no such thing as “I can’t”.

Sometimes there’s “I think I might throw up, but I can.”

It might even encourage you to know that the toughest of gym bosses – Megan Cameron is appropriately floored by the end of the class.

“We’re put in teams and the goal is to win,” said Megan.

“While you are competing against each other, the real competition is against yourself, and your 100 percent.

“I love how all these different women turn up and smash it out together, compete, and have a good time. Every week is different.”

Your initial reaction to the class might be sheer terror and concern for letting your team down.

But you’ll be assured quickly that the only way to let your team down is if you lie down. Righto, just stay standing then.

It all started when the boys got their own class, so naturally, the girls needed one too.

Word got out pretty quickly, and 20 weeks later, the group has grown to a collective of 30 women who come to find out what they’re made of.

Lachie Cameron, the man leading the charge, knows how tough these girls are, knows just when to push, and doesn’t let up easy, hence the renewed shock as the intensity level of every session plan seems to skyrocket.

“Everything about this group of girls has exceeded expectations,” said Lachie.

“The girls picked up the camaraderie naturally, the encouragement that’s coming into the sessions, the excitement, cheering, and good intensity is contagious.”

Café owner Alisa Manton was one of the first attendees and hadn’t even stepped into the gym until three years ago, something that’s not uncommon for first-time attendees of the group.

“You really find out what you’re capable of as a woman.”

“You share the weight equally – it’s amazing what a couple of girls can accomplish together.”

“Someone will say ‘Five more seconds! You’ve got this!’ It’s amazing what you think you can’t do until someone else says you can do it.”

If you witness what these women can accomplish together in one sweaty room in Narrabri, imagine what they could accomplish together, out in the world.

Total domination.