Queens Don't Quit: I joined Maeve Madden's worldwide fitness club, here's how I got on

I mean virtually, of course. I’ve interviewed Maeve for work numerous times, but we’ve yet to be in the same room together. She’s been on my screen, however, motivating me through various workouts via her Queens Don’t Quit app.

The platform was founded during the early days of the pandemic when we were in lockdown and forced to stay home from the gym. What began with Maeve simply sharing her workouts on Instagram has become a one-stop-shop for fitness and nutrition with thousands of members, or ‘queens’, worldwide.

I had heard a lot about Queens Don’t Quit before joining the platform in November. Many of my friends have been members at some point, and a few were diehard fans from the start. However, I had never really considered joining myself. 

I already had a fitness routine. And I didn’t think a women’s platform with pink branding and tiaras would be challenging enough.

Then I moved from Cork to San Francisco, where a one-hour gym class costs nearly $40. In contrast, a month-long Queens Don’t Quit subscription costs half that. The app offers a vast library of 15 to 45-minute workouts, as well as a schedule planner and a nutrition tracker.

Maeve and her trainers run live classes almost daily, and the videos are quickly posted in the library, divided into categories like lower body, upper body, HIIT, and dance.

There are even yoga and mobility classes and pre and post-natal options. Those who wish to follow a gym-style plan can do so with a choice of four to six-week guides, and a number of challenges are held throughout the year.

Worldwide access

The real beauty is that the videos can be accessed worldwide, including from my sitting room in San Francisco. I’m midway through the warm-up week for the six-week New Year’s Challenge, and I cannot walk to the kitchen without my calves burning.

When I first started Queens Don’t Quit, the workouts didn’t fully challenge me. At the time, all the classes run for 30 minutes, meaning I had to watch two videos to get an hour-long session.

My fitness level was already pretty good, so I opted for other workouts. However, over Christmas, I couldn’t access my usual gym for three weeks and I went full-Queen mode.

I started doing at least two QDQ videos per day while running once or twice per week and walking daily. I really noticed the difference after the holidays. The weather was gloomy, my hangovers and big meals lowered my energy, and I didn’t feel as motivated. Maeve and her team changed that.

What’s so great about working out with the QDQ trainers is you feel like you’re working out with a friend. They’re so energetic and motivating, especially Maeve, and relatable. They don’t come online to yell at you - they are struggling along with you.

I laughed out loud when one of the trainers, Beth, said she felt ‘part-Baileys’ after Christmas. When Maeve came online at the start of January, she explained that her face had swelled because of an allergy and laughed as she got on with the video, make-up free.

There is no pretending on this platform. There are discussions about hormones and bad habits and losing track. When I ask Maeve about her Christmas during a recent call, she tells me about all the rich food she’s been eating. “‘Tis the season,” she says.

Creative workouts

Maeve, 38, started as a professional dancer before turning to personal training. She gained a large following online, published a book about digestive health, and was eventually asked to create bespoke workouts for various brands.

“We went into lockdown and I thought, ‘I have these fun workouts. I should do them live because I need to exercise and maybe some people would like to join’. It was so fun and everybody was having a bit of craic,” she says. “Then I felt like we needed to add in weights and mobility and that’s when I started piecing together a proper plan of action.”

Now, there’s much more to it than just pressing record, but she says teaching is still her favourite part. “It’s pretty much 24/7. The workouts would be about 5% of what I do at Queens Don’t Quit,” says Maeve. “We have a social team and a marketing team, and then there’s all the technology to deal with. But it’s great fun. I love creating all these workouts and keeping in touch with everybody.”

The community aspect of Queens Don’t Quit is especially important to Maeve. Those taking part in the classes live can message through the app and share how they’re feeling, and the trainers often read out the comments and respond. They also take suggestions and ask people to tell them what areas they need to stretch or target.

There’s even a dedicated community section on the app, which has forums on various topics.

When I ask Maeve why she thinks the platform has been so successful, she points to the community aspect. “People feel like they’re part of something,” she says. “There’s also no pressure. It’s about doing your best and going after your own goals. 

We’re not doing a six-week crash diet. The feedback I get is that people feel very safe doing Queens Don’t Quit.”

Maeve also runs live events where people can meet up and work out together. There are five planned so far for Ireland next year, and the team also hopes to bring them to London.

She enjoys being part of a community of like-minded women. “It’s so lovely to be able to follow along with the others. I even feel more motivated with the Queens,” says Maeve. “I think that’s what a lot of people miss out on when they go to the gym.”

Back from the gym

Maeve says that membership dropped off slightly as gyms reopened after the pandemic, but many came back to her platform. They enjoy the structure and variety, plus it’s a cost-effective way of working out, especially in a city. It also saves time on commuting and makes life easy for those who live in remote areas.

She is working on a new feature where users can download the workouts to watch without WiFi. “When we just did live videos, I found that people who lived in other countries or were travelling weren’t able to do them,” she says. “On-demand makes it really ideal, even for me. It gives me a chance to rest too.”

Maeve lives in Dubai with her husband and manager Andrew Selby, and enjoys seeing where her Queens are tuning in from. “One time I saw Hong Kong light up. “It turned out to be five girls with names like Orla and Nuala. We have Queens all across Europe, North America, South America, Asia and a big audience in Australia — 90% of the time, it’s Irish people.”

Members are of various ages and levels, from beginner to advanced. “We have one family, four daughters and a mum, who have been members since the start,” Maeve says. “There’s a daughter in New York, two in London, and the others in Ireland. They all do the workouts at the same time and support each other.”

Queens Don’t Quit is a great way to exercise on the go. The app would particularly benefit beginners who can message the trainers to ask questions or use the modifications provided for every movement. Intermediate athletes who can get their hands on heavy weights can also really push themselves or get a different cardio routine in. As Maeve says, “It’s not always easy - but for €22 a month, it’s definitely worth it.”

I probably will go back to in-person classes after the New Year Challenge ends, mainly because I work remotely, and it’s a way to get out of the house.

But as someone who travels frequently and has realised that pink doesn’t mean weak, it’s unlikely I’ll be hanging up my crown for good.