A trio of men have been going to a central Auckland gym together for more than 50 years.
The Atrium Club is rarefied, not rowdy, despite the ensuing decades.
Thomas Fletcher has been there the longest, having first attended in 1967, at the age of 27. During his 56 years pumping iron, he’s "brought in quite a few members".
Among them is Sir Ken Stevens, who’s now in his 51st year at the Atrium.
Graeme Lockery, 84, meanwhile, has been going since 1971.
"Trying to make every day a winner," he told Seven Sharp.
"I wouldn't be sitting here now if I hadn't belonged to this gym. No, guarantee it – gone. Finished."
Fletcher said there's "not another [gym] quite like this one".
"You don't have to dress up in all the fancy gear, you just have your old mocka on.
"It's a relaxing atmosphere."
The gym comes with cooked breakfasts, a whiskey bottle on the dining table courtesy of those celebrating a birthday, and a laundry service.
"It comes back fully laundered, but not ironed. It's not ironed, unfortunately," Fletcher said.
But the health benefits are first and foremost.
"We come here, sometimes a bit wound up, go on the bike, get on the weights, get on the ropes – transforms you from something negative into something positive," he said.
"Have a shower, we leave here – we're new men. New men."
But there might be some vanity involved.
"I was at an 80th birthday yesterday and I'm looking 'round the room and thinking, 'Hey I'm not doing too bad'," Sir Ken joked.
SHARE ME