A clever\u00a0new\u00a0concept is proving the perfect fit for a personal trainer as he builds his business.<\/p>\n
Paul Edwards has designed an innovative\u00a0gym pod which offers unprecedented privacy and expert\u00a0support\u00a0to those who\u00a0are targeting better health and fitness for 2025.<\/p>\n
Paul, 41, runs Paul Edwards Fitness, and has had Gym Pod Ruthin installed next to The Centre community hub in the\u00a0Llanfwrog\u00a0area of the town.<\/p>\n
He and his wife Katie took over the\u00a0tenancy of The Centre last May and have been breathing new life into\u00a0the\u00a0site.<\/p>\n
A personal trainer for 20 years, Paul says Gym Pod Ruthin is a first for the region.<\/p>\n
He said he had taken inspiration from similar pod\u00a0concepts\u00a0in Singapore and London,\u00a0and\u00a0had designed the layout himself.<\/p>\n
The pod is 20 feet long and eight feet wide,\u00a0and is eight feet high,\u00a0and is stacked with the best gym equipment available.<\/p>\n
The innovative idea has received a ringing endorsement from the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which was established to support arts and community activities by Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, the owners of the Pendine Park care organisation.<\/p>\n
Paul said: \u201cMario and Gill have been very supportive in helping to promote the gym pod.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have been very kind in their support of the concept.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul said one of the advantages of Gym Pod Ruthin is that users, who might have a bit of anxiety\u00a0when entering a traditional gym\u00a0or who might feel awkward because they don\u2019t know how to use the equipment, have total privacy while using the\u00a0facility.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cNobody can see in when you\u2019re in the pod, it\u2019s totally private.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea behind it, is that it will serve people who really don\u2019t want to go to a busy gym and to be able to feel more confident in using the equipment.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I can give them a workout plan free of charge when they come and join.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pod is also great for someone who has recently had a new-born or has pre-school children.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can bring their child with them while they work out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using top of the range technology, Gym Pod Ruthin allows users to book a session online where they are given\u00a0a\u00a0unique\u00a0code to the door of the pod.<\/p>\n
And for that session, they, and up to two friends,\u00a0have personal, private\u00a0and exclusive use of the facility and its wide range of gym equipment.<\/p>\n
Paul, from Denbigh, said: \u201cI wanted to put a gym pod somewhere locally and I came up with the concept and the design, and from there we put it all together.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe used a company called I\u00a0T Williams which are local to Ruthin.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey manufactured it and helped with the design and then we put it all together, making sure that everything fitted in properly, safely and securely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve created a booking system where you book online, you can book an hourly slot or longer if you wish.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou then get pinged your four-digit access code and then you access the door and have personal use of the pod.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe maximum number of people in the pod at any one time is three and you select that when you book.\u201d<\/p>\n
Father-of-two Paul said help was at hand if users needed support and advice on how to use the pod\u2019s equipment.<\/p>\n
A television has been fitted in the pod which has access to the internet and to a specialist fitness app.<\/p>\n
He explained: \u201cWe have teamed up with a company called\u00a0Fiit\u00a0App so if you\u2019re\u00a0unsure about what you\u2019re doing in the gym, you just put the TV on,\u00a0choose your fitness training session,\u00a0choose an instructor\u00a0and you just follow what they tell you to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s perfect if you want to do a cardio workout, or a dumbbell workout, or a rebalance workout\u00a0or any other fitness goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can link it to your\u00a0Fiit\u00a0Watch which will track how many calories you have burned\u00a0and track your heart rate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a Facebook and Instagram pages where I will be uploading videos to give people ideas on exercises they can do in the pod.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0booking\u00a0system is simple \u2013 you can book an hourly slot on a pay-as-you-go system or you can pick a monthly subscription and that is worked on a credit system where you can purchase four credits, eight credits\u00a0or 12 credits\u00a0a month\u00a0and you then book the pod when you want.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sessions can be booked from the early morning to late into the evening and\u00a0Paul said he came up with the idea after researching the gym pod concept.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThere has been interest\u00a0and a lot of curiosity\u00a0and everything is working well, so now we\u2019re into the new year we are looking to promote it further.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople who have used it have been very positive especially regarding the type of equipment and the privacy of the pod.<\/p>\n
The gym pod project received part funding from the UK government through\u00a0the UK\u00a0Shared\u00a0Prosperity\u00a0Fund via the Cadwyn Clwyd social enterprise organisation.<\/p>\n
Paul said the UK Shared Prosperity Fund contributed \u00a317,248 towards the pod cost of \u00a328,000.<\/p>\n
Paul leads\u00a0various\u00a0public\u00a0classes and\u00a0several private training\u00a0sessions for people in the local area.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI take PT classes, one on one, or one on two people, and then we have got classes that we do here at The Centre.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul said he and his fitness training colleague Matthew Kerry provide fitness classes to around 300 people a week.<\/p>\n
The site, including the building, is owned by a community interest company, the\u00a0Llanfwrog\u00a0Community Association, and leased to Denbighshire County Council, with\u00a0the various sporting activities being operated by different tenants.<\/p>\n
Anybody wanting to book a session in the Gym Pod should go\u00a0 to <\/strong>https:\/\/thegympodruthin.simplybook.it\/v2\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n