Woodlands Fitness Centre

Hi, I'm still buzzing! We've had an awesome weekend. It was fantastic to see so many of our members after 4 months of lockdown. It was also great to welcome a surprising number of new members to Woodlands. Over the 4 months of lockdown, we've been busily running online classes, group PT and 1-to-1 PT as well as sharing daily content, exercise demos, etc - which people have been following and it's encouraged them to come and join. We've been inundated with lovely comments and support from members on how clean and organised we are and how everyone felt safe. In some of our recent newsletters... Monday 17th June 2020: http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=22787 Monday 10th June: 2020http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=22786 Monday 3rd June 2020: http://www.woodlandsfitnessrowsley.co.uk/blog?aid=22784 ....and countless newsletters in the past, I talked about…

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Hi, So here we are: the last week of the gym's lockdown and the final week of Zoom classes. After months of uncertainty it feels great to be able to tell you that we will be back open on Saturday 25th July 2020. Staff have been here busily cleaning and tidying and spacing machines apart, sticking down yellow tape etc and we are very ready for you to come back. It does seem weird to say we'll be back open as - in many respects - we never actually closed. We just adapted. We quickly moved our classes, groups and PT online. We were in constant contact with many of our members, providing home workout and diet plans and daily workouts on our…

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Hi, So it's now official: gyms will be back open on Saturday 25th July 2020, 124 days after lockdown was announced. Looking back over this time, it has been a bizarre, anxious, frustrating, depressing and confusing time for so many people. When we first contacted our members after lockdown was announced, I wrote that a gym was so much more than just a room full of stuff; it's a source of guidance and support - and the closure of the physical aspect of the gym didn't stop us from still delivering an effective service to our members. During lockdown we provided daily content, online classes and PT through Zoom or similar, home workout plans, nutrition plans, support and guidance to our members and…

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Hi, Across the country, hospitality venues have opened back up on what became known as 'Super Saturday' as the latest round of lifting lockdown restrictions came into effect. So, you can go out for a meal with your household, or have a socially distanced catch up with friends and family over a drink as bars and pubs reopen. You can even go and finally get your hair cut. Some of you are in desperate need of this one. But not me. No. Bald. While not every establishment was rushing to open on the 4th July, those that did decide to open had to have a range of safety measures in place to ensure they are "COVID secure". Indoor gyms have to remain closed…

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Hi, The Government has indicated that gyms and leisure facilities will reopen from mid-July, subject to final agreement between health officials and our sector. All businesses should now be open and customers can vote with their feet. The fact that now, all of the nation's favourite places to damage their health and immune system are back open while gyms are to remain closed suggests that maybe the Government has lost its way? The majority of smaller gyms, independently owned, operate on a business model that is perfect to create a secure environment. We operate what is, in effect, a private members club for fitness. Our gym is - by design - never rammed and classes / group personal training sessions are limited…

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Hi, Most of us know the many physical benefits of exercise: weight control, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, and increased energy, just to name a few. But what about the psychological benefits of exercise? Because I'm not afraid to admit that this lockdown has had an impact on my mental health and I know I'm not alone. In the last couple of weeks, come of my clients are opting to talk instead of train. Sometimes that's just how it is when you're a PT; people will confide in you about things they wouldn't necessarily tell their friends, family, co-workers or partners Exercise is proven to ease symptoms of depression and anxiety to keeping your memory sharp. There are…

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Hi, Infectious disease outbreaks, like the current coronavirus (COVID-19), can be scary and can affect our mental health. However, there are many things we can do to support each other and manage our wellbeing during such uncertain times. Across the nations of the UK, lockdown is easing in different ways and at different times. As we begin to come out of lockdown many of us are faced with both challenges and opportunities. Within social distancing guidelines, we may be able to see friends and family in person, play sport or return to work. However, many of us may find even these longed-for changes difficult for our mental health. The idea of coming out of lockdown when the scientific debate is…

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Hi, On the 16th April, we posted on Facebook and Instagram to offer all of our members a complimentary 30 minute online PT session, which many members took us up on. It's absolutely imperative we all keep active. These are really unusual times, a completely unprecedented situation, and I just hope that regular exercise can keep us all sane. For 10+ years I've been teaching classes, group personal training and 1-to-1 personal training sessions and I also need you guys to keep me busy too. Being part of a gym should be about being part of something more than just leg extensions and kettlebell swings and we need to stick together to get through the lockdown. Exercise is not just about…

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Hi, What can you now do that you couldn't do before? Well, you can: Spend time outdoors - for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing Meet one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines Exercise outdoors as often as you wish - following social distancing guidelines Use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course - with members of your household, or one other person while staying 2 metres apart. We can now continue to train our personal training clients. This must be outdoors, providing we are alone and only meeting with 1 person from outside of our household, outdoors, and we stay a minimum of 2 metres apart. We can meet…

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