New life for period property

Client: The Reynolds Group
Supplier: Matrix Fitness

The Reynolds Group – specialising in gyms, spas and training, including performing arts, beauty therapy, personal training, horticulture and now apprenticeships in catering and hospitality – has awarded Matrix Fitness the contract to supply fitness equipment to its new fitness spa site: Reynolds Retreat in Sevenoaks. It will be the fourth gym in the group’s portfolio to be equipped by the supplier.

With a tendency for unique venue choices, Reynolds Fitness Spas blend period properties with top-of-the-range fitness equipment to offer members a luxurious and comfortable experience in a non-intimidating environment.

Since opening its first Performing Arts School in 1987, the family-run Kent-based business has demonstrated steady growth: it had opened three luxury gyms in venues across the county by 2013. The Gym in Bexley is located in a magnificent 19th century Victorian chapel, while The Gym in Rainham is a beautiful, 350-year-old Grade II-listed Queen Anne period property. The Gym in Sittingbourne is the only site to buck the period trend: a modern facility with all the benefits of the latest building and environmental technologies. Sevenoaks will open this summer.

Each gym has been thoughtfully designed to complement its unique environment, and so it was crucial that the selection of fitness equipment reflected the quality and design evident in the various locations. Matrix Fitness was seen to fit the bill, with its complete cardio and strength product ranges – so much so that, when the decision was recently made to refurbish The Old Parsonage in Rainham, Matrix Fitness was supplier of choice.

The cardio equipment has been re-energised with the introduction of Matrix Fitness 7xe series products, including treadmills, Ascent Trainers and cycles – all of which feature Virtual Active technology, the forward-motion video experience designed to enhance cardio workouts.

Meanwhile, the strength equipment has been upgraded to Matrix’s premier Ultra Series, featuring redefined ergonomics, improved comfort and performance, and an integrated tracking system. The latest black finish was also chosen to create a sleeker look – one of the first sites in the UK to showcase this new option.

MD Jason Hall comments: “We’ve worked with Matrix for over eight years. They’ve always offered great equipment at a competitive price for all of our gyms.
“We’re so pleased with our relationship that we’ve also asked them to supply the gym within our new retreat – a beautifully refurbished and extended Victorian property, surrounded by 16 acres of park and woodland in Borough Green, Sevenoaks, when it opens this summer.

“Fitting a 4,000sq ft gym is no mean feat, and we needed people who could supply the best technology and who we knew could be trusted with the project.”
Reynolds’ gym memberships include complimentary one-to-one personal training sessions and can be extended to incorporate spa access. Members visiting the Sevenoaks site will also be able to relax in the Waterleaf, the retreat’s fine dining restaurant, where the chef director is Michelin starred Mark Sargeant, who has worked alongside the likes of Gordon Ramsay and runs several Kent restaurants.

For more information: www.matrixfitness.co.uk

Each Reynolds gym has been designed to complement its unique environment

Matrix Fitness has been supplying the Reynolds Group with equipment for over eight years

Driving group functional fitness

Client: Chelsea Health Club & Spa
Supplier: Technogym

Owned by Chelsea Football Club, Chelsea Health Club & Spa is an iconic site widely regarded as one of the top premium health clubs in London. It prides itself on providing the best service and facilities to members, some of which include athletes, celebrities and other public figures.

As part of its commitment to offer members the very best in the market, Chelsea Club underwent an extensive refurbishment in December 2013 to equip itself with Technogym’s new ARTIS range of cardio, strength and functional machines. This included OMNIA, the new all-in-one functional apparatus that provides functional training options for all disciplines, including strength, resistance, stability, flexibility, co-ordination and speed.

Stuart Parker, general manager at Chelsea Health Club, says: “With the refurbishment, we wanted to re-energise the fitness suites and create a real sense of vibrancy within the club. Given the premium nature of our facility and the rising trend of functional fitness, the OMNIA solution was ideal, particularly with our strong focus on personal training and members’ results. It has become the focal point on the gym floor and is a perfect area for trainers to lead personal training sessions and interact with members.”

To date, Chelsea Health Club has had overwhelmingly positive feedback about the new equipment. It organises over 13 OMNIA ‘fast classes’ every week, with more than 80 participants. These classes are very particularly scheduled to drive participation – for example, around popular group exercise classes – signposting OMNIA as the ideal way for members to complete a total body workout. Trainer advocates are also always on-hand to guide members who want to experiment on OMNIA by themselves.

Parker adds: “Our members and staff love how versatile and fun it is to work out with OMNIA, and the fact that it allows for endless progressions makes it appealing to everyone. OMNIA is a key component of our programming to give members more variety and choices for total body training.”

To help the club achieve its goals, Technogym provided six workshop sessions to support and educate Chelsea Health Club’s trainer team on the possibilities offered by the apparatus, as well as on how to design and implement effective functional classes and group sessions.

Craig Swyer, product manager at Technogym, says: “OMNIA allows for infinite possibilities in training, and with this product we’ve focused heavily on offering a full solution. Not only is OMNIA a hugely versatile apparatus, but through the Wellness Institute we also equip clients with the necessary knowledge and programming to implement the solution to its full potential. This is vital for OMNIA as it caters to so many user groups, needs, goals and aspirations. The key is to tailor programmes to users’ motivations rather than to try a ‘one size fits all’ approach.”

For more information: www.technogym.com/omnia

Members like how versatile and fun the OMNIA workout is, says manager Stuart Parker

Members like how versatile and fun the OMNIA workout is, says manager Stuart Parker

Functional focus

Client: DW Huddersfield
Supplier: Escape Fitness

In a bid to develop its group training offering, DW Huddersfield has dedicated almost 1,000sq ft to a functional area – including the installation of an Escape Octagon.

DW Sports Fitness GM Lee Trainer says: “Group training is becoming more popular within the industry and we’re looking to develop this further within our clubs in 2014. The Escape Octagon is a fantastic selling point for DW Huddersfield, setting us apart from the competition. Personal trainers are able to use the frame to educate and demonstrate the endless possibilities of functional training, and to enhance the training of both the experienced and the inexperienced member.”

The Octagon, installed with its own storage system, allows trainers to free up the floor space so more members can make use of the frame and work out safely without any danger of trip hazards. A full range of functional equipment has also been provided to offer a huge variety of workout possibilities.

Trainer adds: “The Escape functional frame is an innovative piece of kit that gets members thinking outside the box and keeps motivation levels high. Whether they’re aiming for fat loss, muscle gain or rehabilitation, there’s an exercise for everyone – whatever their goal or ability. The frame is versatile and can be set up in many different ways to fit different spaces, and the number of stations that can be used on the frame is fantastic.”

PT Graham Hogg says: “The frame is an interesting piece of equipment, is extremely versatile and can be used to achieve many different training systems and techniques. I’ve used the rig with all of my clients and use it for my own training with great success.”

PT Ben Green adds: “Most of my time around the frame is used for metabolic circuit training, because of the number of exercises available in close proximity to each other. The response from all of my clients has been very good.”

Matt Morton, Escape’s head of UK business and global strategic accounts, says: “The Escape Octagon has gone down fantastically well with the members and staff at the club. The feedback so far is that the functional area as a whole has really helped to attract members to the club and helped convert those visits into sales.

“It’s great to see the staff ensuring that members are engaged in functional training workouts. It will no doubt lead to stronger retention if that strategy is continued long-term.”

For more information: www.escapefitness.com

The club says Escape’s Octagon helps give it a competitive edge

The frame is versatile and can be set up in many different training configurations