GETTING STAFFS ACTIVE

OPERATOR: Staffordshire University, UK
Supplier: Matrix Fitness

Students at Staffordshire University can benefit from a cutting-edge physical workout alongside their intellectual development, following the refurbishment of campus sports facility – the Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre.

As part of the £1.25m project, the venue has been completely revamped – from the interior décor, which uses Matrix lifestyle imagery to create an energetic vibe, to new layouts creating dedicated areas for cardio and strength workouts, plus group exercise in the form of a new indoor cycling zone. This is complemented by top-of-the-range Matrix fitness equipment, including cardio products from the 7xi Series, IC7 Indoor Cycles – powered by the Indoor Cycling Group (ICG) and endorsed by Olympic champion Dani King MBE – and a variety of strength training equipment from Matrix’s Ultra, Aura and Magnum Series.

The site was also the first in the UK to be installed with Connexus, the functional training system from Matrix that’s been designed to offer maximum flexibility and expandability in workout environments, without impinging on other gym-based activities or equipment.

The centre – named after former Stoke City player and football legend Sir Stanley Matthews CBE – was officially opened by Sir Matthews’ daughter, Jean Matthews Gough MBE, in a ceremony on 14 November 2015. The facility is open to students, staff and the local community, and will also provide a base for the Staffordshire University Elite Athlete Programme, linked with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the Newcastle-under-Lyme Sports Academy.

Commenting on Staffordshire University’s partnership with Matrix Fitness, Jonathan Pace, the university’s head of sports development, said: “Both organisations strongly believe in the importance and benefits of physical activity. The centre now gives us the ability to promote this to our students and the community with access to top-level fitness equipment in a modern, motivating and supportive environment.”

Doug Bell, public sector manager at Matrix Fitness, added: “Matrix is committed to working with its partners to drive a healthier Britain. We’ve worked closely with Staffordshire University to ensure its students and the wider community have access to an inspirational facility as part of its fantastic expansion plans. Stoke-on-Trent is also the 2016 European City of Sport, and we’re delighted to be helping local people engage in physical activity and wellbeing during this auspicious time.

“The project has been particularly rewarding for us, as the majority of the Matrix workforce lives in the city, but there have been various commercial benefits too. For example, we’ve been able to access the university’s excellent research and testing facilities, with Elite Sports Performance students currently trialling our new sprint treadmill, so the project really has been a win-win for all involved.”

www.matrixfitness.co.uk

The new facility offers a ‘modern, motivating and supportive’ environment

ADDED VALUE CONSULTANCY

OPERATOR: Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, UK
Supplier: Craftsman Lockers

Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group recently completed an extensive upgrade of the Bowfield Hotel & Country Club in Renfrewshire to create a state-of-the-art fitness club and spa. Manorview’s directors – themselves fitness enthusiasts who regularly use the facilities – were instrumental in the transformation, which included transforming the under-used squash courts into new cycling and dance studios.

The directors also had a clear vision for the changing areas, which were included in the redevelopment project. Member and hotel guest changing areas were created, along with a separate comprehensive family changing area with self-contained facilities for disabled users. All lockers were manufactured by Craftsman Lockers.

Manorview’s interior designers, Space ID, worked closely with Craftsman Lockers to provide a combination of walnut Maximizer-style lockers for spa and hotel guests and health club members. Lockers are keyless and use battery operated digital locks to ensure safe, secure locker management.

Bowfield is one of six hotels in the group – which encompasses everything from nightclubs to leisure sites – with another purchase imminent at the time of writing and an opening scheduled for April. Bought three years ago in a poor state of repair, the venue is undergoing a £3–4m redevelopment that will also include a 40-bed extension, an upgrade of the existing 23-bed hotel and a new function room.

The health club was inherited with a 1,400-strong membership, which has since swollen to 1,750 – nudging on the 1,800 goal set for the facility.

Key to the success of the most recent upgrade was, says property development director Anthony Cowley, the additional consultancy advice provided by Craftsman: “MD John Gibbs spent extended periods advising on the development plans.

“Our experience of using health club changing rooms is that lockers aren’t usually large enough to take gym bags without having to force them in, so Craftsman took these comments on board and developed longer lockers with compartments for shoes and for separate hanging of clothes.”

“It was Craftsman’s flexibility to adapt to our requirements that made all the difference. We also found John’s advice on our planned spa and hydrotherapy installations very helpful.”
He adds: “The finished project looks absolutely superb, in keeping with the designers’ vision. Manorview wanted to create something really special at the Bowfield, and the attention to detail has been second to none.”

www.cqlockers.co.uk

The lockers are spacious, with plenty of room to hang clothes

The hotel’s changing areas now have a very upmarket look

PERSONAL TOUCH

OPERATOR: Heartcore Fitness
Supplier: MYZONE

A class developed around MYZONE has become the most popular session on the timetable for the boutique fitness group Heartcore Fitness.

Jess Schuring launched Heartcore in 2007 with a pilates studio in London’s Kensington. Since then, the group has expanded to seven sites in Notting Hill, Hampstead, Chelsea, Fulham, City and Park Lane. The studios offer small group training classes such as dynamic pilates, high intensity TRX and barre.

“We’re not a conventional gym. You could describe what we do as personal training in a small group setting,” says Gok Yesodharan, head of TRX/HIIT at Heartcore Fitness. “We restrict the size of our high intensity classes to a maximum of eight to 10 people, which allows our instructors to maintain a one-to-one connection with people. That’s very important to our concept.”

The group was keen to take advantage of the growing wearable technology trend and with it meet the demands of its clients. Yesodharan continues: “Our members wanted to be able to view their performance; they wanted more transparency from their workouts, to see how their programmes were working.

“So we started scouring the market for the best providers of heart rate monitors and came across MYZONE. We took it on board and spent a few weeks experiencing the system to help refine our model before launching it to our members.”

Heartcore launched MYZONE at its Fulham studio last June, developing a small group training class around the technology. The 55-minute class has been designed to maximise fat burn while preserving lean muscle and building strength through a series of bodyweight exercises.

Named FitRX, the high-intensity class uses a unique combination of TRX-based strength training and HIIT intervals to encourage members to work to their maximum heart rate.

The class incorporates MYZONE: participants can view their heart rate and calorie burn data, which is projected onto the wall, so they can track their performance and make sure they’re working in the optimal performance zones. “The feedback from members about the class has been great,” says Yesodharan. “They love it. They say that working with Myzone encourages them to push themselves harder than if they were working without it.

“It also allows our instructors to personalise their motivation and identify who they need focus on during the class.”

The technology has worked especially well for newcomers. “It takes time to master the technique of the exercises, which can sometimes be frustrating for beginners who feel they’re not getting the most out of the class. But when they’re using MYZONE, they can clearly see they’re still getting a great workout and that encourages them to keep going.
“MYZONE is about challenging yourself and battling your own system, which is perfectly suited to the Heartcore model of delivering a personal service in a small group setting,” concludes Yesodharan.
Heartcore currently runs 10 FitRX classes a week and, following its success, will offer the class at its new studio in St John’s Wood – which opened in January – before rolling it out to other sites in the group.

www.myzone.org

The Myzone studio class maximises fat burn while preserving muscle