Brimhams Active partners with Total Gym to deliver active wellbeing programmes

BRIMHAMS Active has invested in versatile functional fitness equipment from health, wellness and innovation specialist Ethics Leisure to deliver frontline health and wellness sessions to people living with medical conditions as well as mainstream clients, while one of its key leisure centres is closed for redevelopment.

Brimhams Active is in the process of transitioning from a conventional leisure provider into a community focussed health and wellbeing service.

As part of its successful Active Health programme, the trust collaborates with GPs, NHS services, public health and social care partners across Harrogate to run targeted wellbeing programmes that meet local priorities and deliver improved health outcomes.

These range from falls prevention and weight management programmes to stroke and cancer rehabilitation schemes.

Maintaining its active wellbeing services while its venue, Harrogate Hydro, undergoes an ambitious £28m renovation project, was critical. To minimise disruption of delivery, Brimhams Active invested in Total Gym equipment from Ethics Leisure, one of the leading health and wellness brands in the UK and

Ireland.

“Our demographic is not the typical gym user, and when Harrogate Hydro closed we wanted something that would help us to keep our group exercise offer going so we could retain members, while serving clients with medical conditions and additional needs,” said Joanne Bogan, Brimhams Active’s health and wellbeing manager.

The community health and wellbeing company invested in six of Ethics Leisure’s Total Gym Encompass machines, becoming the first and only organisation in the Harrogate district to offer the functional training solution. Located at Fairfax Wellbeing Hub, the bodyweight training equipment is compact and portable so staff can quickly and easily wheel it into place before each session to create the ideal active environment for participants.

“The Total Gym equipment is so effective and efficient,” Joanne added. “It has allowed us to retain existing members while the Hydro is being redeveloped, but because it’s something completely different for Harrogate we have also attracted new users. We get so much out of the equipment, it’s brilliant. I can’t praise it enough.”

The low impact system works on an incline and relies on body weight resistance to strengthen muscles making it suitable for all abilities, including those living with long term conditions or needing rehabilitation.

Highly flexible, the equipment allows for more than 250 exercises at multiple resistance levels enabling the operator to run targeted sessions that meet the needs of its clients.

The solution can be used for Pilates, yoga, strength and sculpt classes to prehab, rehab and physio sessions and more.

Brimhams Active runs Total Gym branded classes, dedicated sessions for teenagers and also integrates the equipment with existing referral and rehab programmes, such as stroke rehabilitation and neuroactive sessions.