A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Client: University of Nottingham, UK
Supplier: Life Fitness

In summer 2016, the University of Nottingham will see the completion of a new £40m sports complex following a comprehensive redevelopment of the existing centre. The new building will be three times the size of the previous facility. As part of this development and a continued investment in sport, the university partnered with Life Fitness to create a challenging fitness trail featuring nine Synrgy BlueSky training stations. 

The 1.7-mile active trail, which represents one of the largest installations of Synrgy BlueSky globally, extends across five sites on the University Park campus. Areas have been transformed to create new outdoor training spaces for students, staff and the local community. 

The trail was unveiled during the 2015 Welcome Week. In preparation, Life Fitness worked with the university’s sport and fitness team to create 30-minute training tutorials to introduce users to energetic workout sessions featuring circuits, interval training and fun challenges. After gaining popularity with the university’s sports teams, a growing number of students are now enjoying free outdoor functional training.  

Samantha Bell-Minogue, assistant director of sport/participation at the University of Nottingham, explains: “The university’s ambition is to increase participation in sport at all levels, from encouraging young people to experience a range of new sporting pastimes, through to the enhancement of elite performance at a national and international level.

“Since launching the active trail during Welcome Week, there has been notable activity across campus. The students have embraced the trail and have taken to using it as individuals and for club training sessions.

“The staff have also been using the equipment, for morning workouts and during lunch times, and we’ve launched our active trail bootcamp sessions, where our team deliver structured sessions outdoors across our lovely green campus.

“It has provided an alternative, free method of training for our whole community, and we hope to engage many more people over the coming months as more people become aware of the new trail and become confident in using it.”

The modular outdoor training system features several scalable body weight training stations and can be customised to meet a range of fitness levels, making it ideal for beginners to advanced users. In the absence of PTs, users can reference either placards on the Synrgy BlueSky stations that outline proper form, or else use QR codes to access exercise tutorial videos through the Life Fitness LFconnect mobile app.

Craig Cocking, UK vertical sector manager for Life Fitness, says: “Creating this inviting and inspirational exercise space with Synrgy BlueSky will help students and local people enjoy fitter and healthier lifestyles.”

www.lifefitness.co.uk

The trail has proved popular with students and the wider community

The trail has proved popular with students and the wider community

The wider community, who can scan QR codes to access exercise tutorial videos on the LFConnect app

The trail has proved popular with students and the wider community

FIVE FOR ONE

Client: Northampton Leisure Trust, UK
Supplier: Cybex International UK

Northampton Leisure Trust recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary working in partnership with Cybex, with the launch of the newly refurbished Cripps Recreation Centre.

Opened this summer, Cripps Recreation Centre is owned and operated under the trust’s Trilogy Leisure brand and is the fifth site in Northampton to be equipped by Cybex; the trust also operates Danes Camp, Lings Forum, Mounts Baths and Duston Leisure Centre, which have all been refurbished.
The trust’s membership programme provides users with access to all five gyms. Student, corporate and senior citizen rates are available, as well as a Junior Active membership, which targets users up to 15 years old and includes weekly courses, activities for the under-fives, after school and holiday clubs, and free activities in the community.

Originally built in 1974 for the staff of Northampton General Hospital, Cripps Recreation Centre continues to form part of the hospital’s facilities and offers preferential membership rates for staff.

The refurbished fitness suite – which includes a dedicated strength training area, functional training studio and stretching zone – offers a range of cardio equipment including Cybex Arc Trainers, selectorised strength equipment from Cybex’s VR1 range and the Bravo functional trainer. Meanwhile the strength training area includes a Cybex power rack and plate-loaded smith press.

The facility is also home to a MyRide virtual indoor cycling studio, sports hall, squash courts, swimming pool and synthetic turf pitches.

Commenting on the refurbishment of Cripps Recreation Centre, Ian Redfern, managing director of Northampton Leisure Trust, says: “Inspiring active lifestyles is what we do.

“Our partnership with Northampton General Hospital at the Cripps Recreation Centre enables us to expand our offering to customers. Cripps now features state of the art Cybex equipment and a comprehensive studio/indoor cycling programme, making it an extremely motivating place to exercise.

“The facility also enables us to deliver our Junior Active membership package, with swimming lessons and holiday activities already on offer.”

Rob Thurston, Cybex UK’s commercial director, adds: “Cripps is a fantastic gym and a great addition to the trust’s range of facilities. Throughout our longstanding partnership with Northampton Leisure Trust, we’ve worked closely together to ensure that we not only maximise the available space, but also deliver gyms that complement the trust’s other sites, providing Trilogy Leisure’s members with facilities that encourage and support an active lifestyle, regardless of the users’ training abilities, interests or goals.”

www.cybexintl.com

The fit-out includes Cybex Arc Trainers and VR1 strength range

The fit-out includes Cybex Arc Trainers and VR1 strength range

ONE STEP AT A TIME

Client: Leisure at Cheltenham / Re-Active exercise referral scheme, UK
Supplier: Precor

Just over two years ago, Leisure at Cheltenham underwent a major refurbishment to its 403sq m gym, with a new layout across its two floors and the addition of Precor equipment. The 80-station gym now prides itself on offering state of the art equipment accessible to all, including people new to training and medical referrals.

The club’s exercise referral scheme ‘Re-Active’ has been running for about eight years and helps 600–700 people a year – the majority being people with diabetes, weight issues or high blood pressure.

One notable referral is 32-year-old sports journalist Will Wood. Two-and-a-half years ago, Wood was found by his car having a fit and was diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage – commonly known as a bleed on the brain. The prognosis was that he would never use the left side of his body again and – along with severe memory loss, impairment of planning abilities and the impact on his confidence – meant he had to learn to walk again from scratch.

He was referred to Leisure at Cheltenham for rehabilitation and exercise has played a crucial part in his recovery. Starting off slowly using the Precor recumbent bike and an upper body ergometer, along with a circuit of air-pressure resistance stations to gently strengthen and condition the muscles, Wood began to improve, and progressed to the treadmill. Just walking on the treadmill was a feat, but as soon as he managed to walk a mile he set the goal of being able to run on the machine.

Chris Davis, fitness suite supervisor for Leisure at Cheltenham, says: “What I noticed about Will was his tenacity and drive to progress with every session – sometimes well before he was ready.

“I advised a gradual build-up and to use the treadmill under supervision, but came in one day to find Will jogging by himself! Weeks of undergoing what Will had found to be a frustratingly simple – yet valuable – strength regime had given him the stability and confidence to fulfil one of his most important gym-related goals.”

Given Wood’s inability to plan journeys or retain directions, the use of networked fitness solution Preva became a key component of his workout. He found it easy to use and the simplicity of being able to save his workout and get going on the Precor treadmill at the touch of a button gave him motivation to succeed.

Having reduced his limp to the point that it’s almost imperceptible – as well as now being able to run on the treadmill and walk to work – Wood is on the way to a full recovery. He explains: “I took exercise for granted before, but it has played such a major part in my recovery.

“Not only has exercising given me back the use of my body, but it has restored my confidence and I’m looking forward to healthy times ahead.”

For more on Wood’s journey, visit: www.health-club.co.uk/precor-will

www.precor.com

Journalist Will Wood suffered a bleed on the brain, yet defied medical expectations by using Precor’s treadmill to regain his physical abilities

Journalist Will Wood suffered a bleed on the brain, yet defied medical expectations by using Precor’s treadmill to regain his physical abilities

Using networked solution Preva, Wood can work out without having to memorise his programme