Next Generation Clubs has launched its own range of gym equipment for children.

The company, which launched its first kid’s gym concept in June 2001 and now runs 10 throughout the UK, has installed prototypes of its new resistance equipment at its York and Dartford clubs.

Group health and fitness manager at Next generation, Malcolm McPhail, said that while the company had been happy with the SHOKK equipment which had supplied its gyms for the past two years, it was time to launch its own range.

“We felt we had built up enough experience and expertise to design our own gym equipment for UK kids and the UK market.”

Next Generation wanted to create less mechanical pieces of equipment that were as aesthetically pleasing as those used by adults. Working with Escape Fitness and Life Fitness, the company has developed eight pieces of resistance equipment which include a leg press, leg extension, chest press, shoulder press, arm curl and tricep press.

The equipment uses a counter balance system instead of a weight stack resulting in a smoother action It also means that parents don’t have to worry about children getting their fingers trapped in weights.

The children’s gym concept has been a runaway success for Next Generation, says McPhail: “We knew it would be popular, but we could not have forseen the huge level of interest that followed.”

The concept, which encourages families to work out together, is also good for business says McPhail: “You need make sure kids pay an active part in the gym. We’ve found that families have better retention prospects that our single members. Of our 50,000 members, around14,000 are kids and we’ve seen the returns in retention rates.”