press release: BLK BOX
Inside the Player Gym at The Open, equipped by BLK BOX
The performance facility at Royal Birkdale gives the world’s leading golfers access to strength, conditioning, mobility and recovery equipment throughout Championship week.
BLK BOX has designed and delivered the player performance facility at The Open, creating a dedicated strength, conditioning, mobility and recovery environment for the world’s leading golfers at Royal Birkdale.
Used throughout Championship week, the gym allows players to complete warm-ups, strength sessions, movement preparation and recovery work without compromising the consistency of their established training programmes.
The installation reflects the increasingly important role physical preparation plays in modern golf. Alongside technical ability, today’s professionals require the strength, power, mobility and physical resilience needed to perform across a demanding tournament schedule.
The Royal Birkdale gym includes:
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Custom BLK BOX 3 Series Compact Racks with NEXUS and Smith Machine attachments
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Olympic barbells and Coloured HD GripX Bumper Plates
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Hex Dumbbells and Cast Iron Kettlebells
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Wall Balls, Medicine Balls and Slam Balls
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BLK BOX modular storage
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Exercise mats and dedicated mobility areas
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BLK BOX 3 Series Treadmills for warm-ups and active recovery
The layout was developed to allow multiple players, coaches and physiotherapists to use the facility efficiently throughout the week. Strength stations, free weights, conditioning equipment and mobility areas have been organised to support different training requirements while maintaining a clear and functional flow through the space.
“Golf has changed physically, and the environments supporting the players have had to change with it,” said Greg Bradley, founder of BLK BOX. “At this level, players need more than a basic warm-up area. They need a proper performance space where they can prepare, train and recover around the demands of competition. Our role was to provide an environment that supports that process without adding unnecessary complexity.”
The project builds on BLK BOX’s experience delivering strength and conditioning environments across professional golf and elite sport.
From temporary tournament facilities to permanent training centres, each space begins with understanding how athletes train, how coaches work and how equipment needs to perform when time and space are limited.
Gregory Bradley, founder/sales director
Miles Canning, marketing director
• Loughborough University,
• Irish Rugby,
• REPRESENT,
• Corinthia Hotels,
• PureGym, and
• Gymbox.
Our commitment to operational excellence ensures we meet the highest standards for our clients. We consistently deliver industry-leading production times, support, and service.
As we grow our business, we will sustainably expand our manufacturing footprint and resources. Our priority is to ensure responsible practices in our manufacturing processes, aligning with our commitment to a more sustainable future.
"This new location is an amazing environment, with plans to positively impact the community way beyond its perimeter walls. This new strength and conditioning studio will play a pivotal role in supporting this dream.
Working with Miles Canning, Gregory Bradley, and the rest of the BLK BOX team was an absolute joy, and I'm super proud of the legacy that we have left for Nike athletes and, of course, our local London communities, who deserve a premium space to get inspired and work out in."
– Bex Moorhouse, workplace design & connectivity director, Nike
"We believe our ongoing partnership with BLK BOX helps us further distinguish our offering in the global market. We have a very clear plan to deliver growth, and we believe our partnership with BLK BOX will help us achieve our aims.
We were very impressed with the functional training zone concept that BLK BOX collaborated with us on, and we are keen on building upon the partnership so we can continue to evolve our product offering for our members."
– Richard Annetts, head of gym format & equipment, PureGym
"For Powerbase, we aimed to collaborate with specialists in various areas, and BLK BOX emerged as the clear choice in the tender process for several reasons. Their extensive expertise in the performance market, coupled with their ability to glean insights from their work in other sectors, greatly benefits us.
While we were confident in our needs for the facility, partnering with a team that offered solutions and an agile engineering approach proved pivotal. We have tangible examples of innovation and collaboration in this facility, such as tailored accessible storage solutions designed to accommodate the mezzanine's pillars.”
– Rich Ellis, head of gyms and technical relationships, Loughborough University
