Life Fitness Brings Beauty to Benches and Racks
The new Athlete Performance Centre in Deeside takes functional fitness training to a different level. This unique and innovative site, equipped with a range of Life Fitness equipment, offers elite and aspiring athletes an environment dedicated to strength, conditioning, speed and power.
The high specification facility, which officially opened on February 7, is situated in Sandycroft, Flintshire, and is operated by Power for Sports Ltd.
David Connolly, Channel Sales Manager for Life Fitness, says: “The Athlete Performance Centre fills the gap between the mass market and professional sportsmen and women. With the prospect of the London Olympics in 2012 on the horizon, there is little doubt that a facility such as this is desperately needed.”
Company Director, Mark Lewin, has over 17 years experience in the leisure industry and has specialised in elite level training since founding the company in 2003. Having worked with a number of rugby and netball squads using his Attack Training programme, Mark’s reputation as a strength and conditioning expert has grown significantly. In turn his client base has increased and diversified to include the Welsh Sports Council, as well as top level ice skaters, golfers, track and field athletes and paralympians. While the mobile element of the business continues to be very successful, Mark identified the need for a more permanent training venue.
Mark explains: “Geographically we are a long way from the national sports centre in Cardiff, and with no direct transport links, it takes about 3-4 hours to get there. The Performance Centre will give athletes from the surrounding area the opportunity to train in a first class facility without the inconvenience and expense of a long journey.”
The Athlete Performance Centre is located in a former co-operative bakery. The 6,500sq ft unit has been gutted and completely refurbished to house the facility, which is packed full of the highest quality equipment available. Mark has worked closely with Life Fitness, Escape Fitness and the Sport Supplement Company, EAS, to develop the extensively equipped site. The Strength and Power Zone includes 13 pieces of Hammer Strength equipment, a complete set of dumbbells from 2kg through to 50kg, together with Olympic discs from Escape. The speed and plyometric zone features a 20m sprint lane with deceleration squares at either end, multi-platforms, plyometric boxes, sprint harnesses, viper cords and agility hurdles and ladders. The Functional training zone consists of 55m sq of Flexi-tuf flooring, a Life Fitness Dual Adjustable Pulley, Bosus, RBK core boards, rebounders and foam rollers, Max-ball stability balls, balance pads, Indo Boards and Bodyblades. There is also a combat conditioning zone featuring a full range of boxing bags and pads from Lonsdale.
Mark adds: “Having looked at all the options, Hammer Strength was undoubtedly the best in its field. We have deliberately chosen a select group of high quality manufacturers and suppliers to work with and have developed excellent partnerships with each one. We’ve also just been accredited as an official Hammer Strength site, which is fantastic and really adds to our credentials.”
Yet, Mark’s focus is not purely elite level performers; he is also involved in a number of initiatives to support junior athletes and helping to cultivate talent for the future in a number of different sports. He explains: “I am currently working with a group of under 16 golfers, who are accessing support and information normally only given to the top players. At the same time, I am speaking to local sport development officers and schools in the area.”
Jeremy Navrady, Sales and Marketing Manager for Escape Fitness, adds: “This is the best performance zone I have ever seen. Mark is an expert in his field and has created a superb facility which will significantly benefit elite athletes from a wide range of sports.”
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