Declan McKeown is certified in five Les Mills programs and has appeared on the BODYBALANCE stage as a shadow Presenter at two LES MILLS LIVE events (in Melbourne and Singapore). Outside of the GX studio, Declan is at university studying to be a secondary school teacher and is a floor manager at Mecca.
LMAP: Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to become a Les Mills Instructor
Declan: I was only 17 years old when I got my first Les Mills certification.
At the time, I was a secondary school student here in Western Australia, and was working casually at McDonalds, saving my earnings which I’d later invest in Initial Training.
Six years ago, I was playing hockey, and my coach was a PT who ran group training sessions at the local gym. When I went along to the gym, I saw the Les Mills classes going on in the GX room and was curious as to what they were all about. My PT told me they were classes called ‘BODYPUMP®’ and ‘BODTATTACK®’, and he encouraged me to have a go. Being aged 15 at the time, I was too young to participate, so I started doing Kid’s Bootcamp workouts instead. The Instructor there was a Les Mills Instructor as well, and she too encouraged him to try BODYATTACK. Coincidentally, the Instructor was also the Group Fitness Manager and so permitted me to do so under her supervision.
No surprise – I really enjoyed the classes and, as such, BODYPUMP ended up being my first certification (because BODYATTACK was full). LES MILLS BARRE® quickly became my second program.
At this time, I found myself struggling with who I was. I hadn’t come out as gay back then, but I found that going to BODYATTACK was a place where I felt like I could be my true self and just have fun.
Les Mills programs really helped me overcome the challenges around coming out. Teaching gave me so much confidence; to stand up in front of people and just be me and express who I am. It gave me control and power in the best way possible.
LMAP: What are your favourite programs and why?
Declan: BODYBALANCE® is one of my favourites to teach! I love that this program grounds me and brings a sense of calm into my mind and body. Although calming, BODYBALANCE is also a tough workout! It teaches you more about your body and challenges you in ways you wouldn’t expect. I love that I get to combine my favourite workouts of yoga and Pilates to create tone, shape and strength. BODYBALANCE music is incredible, it’s a real blend of upbeat songs with cool soothing lo-fi beats and soft melodic pieces as well – when you put the music together with the flows, it’s a true journey from start to finish.
I love BODYPUMP because it adds a different style of strength/resistance training that I don’t do on the gym floor. The workout focuses on muscular endurance, completing more reps with a lighter weight selection to challenge your muscles in a different way. I love walking away from a BODYPUMP class after progressing my weight selection compared to the week before. It’s a great indicator for me to test my own muscular endurance to ensure I’m the strongest I can be.
The BODYATTACK program is INSANE! It’s just the perfect blend of fun, vibrant energy mixed with really hard sports-inspired challenges. I love the music because no matter what day I’m having, when I walk out of a BODYATTACK class I feel like I have this infectious energy and it perks me right back up. This class is like a community – everyone lets loose and just expresses themselves as they are, which really resonates with me. I love the freedom this program brings, and I love how hard it can be in the peak tracks, where you really have to dig deep to make it to the end. That feeling of nailing a track 9 is just unreal!
LES MILLS CORE is probably one of the most challenging programs for me as it’s a real test of my core strength. I really work hard on my technique and form in the way I train or move day-to-day, and this program allows me to tap into that mastery side of training, which I love. It’s not just a regular core class; I value the research that goes into three-dimensional core training and what it does for the body. I love this program because, it’s one of those programs where you’ll feel a difference in your body if you do it regularly, and when you do other classes or your own training, it really elevates your performance.
LMAP: What do you think of the new Limited Edition Collection workouts, which are designed to attract more Gen Z movers?
Declan: I’ve definitely got my sights set on becoming a LES MILLS SHAPES™ Instructor in the near future. I’ve been doing reformer Pilates classes on the side of my regular Les Mills classes and training I do in the gym, as enjoy a Pilates-inspired workout. When I first saw LES MILLS SHAPES on some of the New Zealand Presenters’ Instagram pages, I immediately felt like this would be a program I’d enjoy.
When I tried it at the In-Person Workshops, I was BLOWN away at how my body felt (AFTER the workout, definitely not during!). I really enjoyed how it was based on time rather than being on a particular beat, which meant I had the freedom to level up or pull back/rest when I needed to or wanted to. Pilates-inspired workouts are what I see on my Instagram or TikTok feed and it makes me want to do things like that, and LES MILLS SHAPES really brings that to life for me. I think it’s great for people my age [Gen Z], as we are all about wellness and thinking about looking after our body, holistically. We all wanna be that fitspo Pilates person, and the fact that it’s a program that delivers results, delivers the feel of Pilates / power yoga / barre, and can be super accessible by being offered in gyms (so we don’t have to pay for two separate memberships), is all great!
I was also lucky enough to attend the first preview workout of LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT™ in Singapore last year. Like LES MILLS SHAPES, I like that LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT is also based on your own timing rather than being on the beat or hitting a certain number of reps. It was about finding your threshold and seeing where you could take that. I enjoyed the technicality of it, how the moves complemented each other, how they were put together and sequenced into supersets, so that I can get the most out of my training. I also liked how it focuses on principles and moves that I can do during my own training on the gym floor.
LMAP: What do you love about being an Instructor?
Declan: Becoming an Instructor has been one the best things I’ve done for myself. Starting this journey so young (at age 17) has taught me so much about myself and how to carry myself. I feel like I have this confidence that empowers people around me, and I am able to communicate well and comfortably speak in front of hundreds of people. It has taught me to be independent and go after things I want; and it’s also taught me to be comfortable with who I am. It allowed me to truly accept myself and be proud of who I am.
Also, the skills learned from Initial Module Training and from each class taught thereafter, have really set me up well in all areas of my life. The courage and confidence I’ve gained from becoming an Instructor has directly led me to being a recognised leader in my daytime job, with responsibilities that have led to me travelling the world!
In terms of my long-term career aspirations, I want to work towards becoming a member of the Les Mills Asia-Pacific Trainer and Presenter (TAP) team. I want to inspire and ignite the passion in like-minded people, so they too can showcase themselves in their classes and inspire other members to take the leap to become part of this fitness movement – just like I did.
LMAP: What would you say to another young person who is thinking about becoming a Les Mills Instructor?
Declan: Younger people make great Instructors because we are energetic and vibrant (not that older Instructors aren’t!). I feel like we have a way to connect with more mature or older members, but we can also keep it real and fresh for younger participants as well. I know that as a younger participant, I connected and resonated more with a younger Instructor when they taught a class I attended.
When I became certified, I was initially worried about being so young and how older participants would respond to me and my classes. But I quickly realised I had nothing to worry about. Teaching that first track was the best feeling ever. But initially it did make me wonder if I should do it [become certified]. I’m really glad I did.
Like Declan, you too can join the next generation of Les Mills Instructors. Find out more at here or email ask@lesmills.com.au. To learn more about Declan, watch him talk about his Instructor journey here and follow him on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.