As part of the health, wellbeing and lifestyle initiative at Bentley Motors, Legends – one of the most technologically advanced gyms in the Crewe area – provides a range of fitness and sport activities for Bentley colleagues and contractors to enjoy.

Following a facility-wide refurbishment of Legends in 2016, Matrix were chosen to install the latest 7Xi generation of cardio machines and Matrix Ultra Resistance machines of the highest specification with rep counters and incremental weight settings.

Matrix also support the Legends team to boast a dedicated weights area furnished with all of the latest equipment needed to optimise any workout and a state-of-the art functional training zone providing a flexible, friendly fitness environment to suit all workout styles, abilities and goals.

Amy Collins, Service Manager at Legends, explains: “The Matrix team have been great to work with and we have built a strong and reliable partnership with them. They have been very helpful and if we have any questions, they are there on hand to support.

Our customers have been extremely impressed with the new, and improved fitness suite at Legends, Bentley Motors. Some even think we have extended the gym, but in fact it was the carefully thought out floor plan that has created a spacious feel. The modern and multi-functional machines, has definitely received a big thumbs up from our members.”

In 2019, having been so impressed with the Matrix equipment, the team at Bentley Motors transformed their indoor cycling offering by replacing dated bikes with the installation of 12 new Matrix CXC bikes into a spinning zone with a virtual spin area to shortly follow in the fitness suite.

Amy Collins, Service Manager at Legends, explains: “The Matrix team have been great to work with and we have built a strong and reliable partnership with them. They have been very helpful and if we have any questions, they are there on hand to support.

Our customers have been extremely impressed with the new, and improved fitness suite at Legends, Bentley Motors. Some even think we have extended the gym, but in fact it was the carefully thought out floor plan that has created a spacious feel. The modern and multi-functional machines, has definitely received a big thumbs up from our members.”

The CXC bikes are ideal for group cycling classes or for use in our cardio section on the gym floor. They optimise ergonomics for a real outdoor ride feel and are designed with durability in mind; low maintenance, a well-protected rear flywheel design that includes magnetic resistance for smooth, consistent adjustments and low power consumption for long life.

The wireless LCD Console on the CXC bikes display RPM, calories, distance, time and heart rate when used with a heart rate strap, for efficient live feedback. Wiggins adds: “The health, fitness and wellbeing of our workforce is of the highest importance. That’s why we pride ourselves on working with the best to provide world class fitness facilities for our colleagues and contractors.

Our Bentley Health and Wellbeing programme, ‘BeFit’ offers information, support and advise on leading a more active and healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally, and Matrix have helped us create not just an exercise environment, but an exercise experience that helps us promote and provide this.”

Tim Grainger-Smith, Head of Sales – Public Sector at Matrix Fitness explains: “We are pleased to continue our partnership with Bentley Motors, helping them to deliver a complete health and fitness solution to their team and clients. We have no doubt that the introduction of our CXC bikes will make their indoor cycling, and overall fitness offering, more measurable, engaging and immersive and we look forward to supporting the team to stay at the forefront of fitness moving forwards.”

Gym facilitates are increasingly becoming an important aspect of any college or University looking to provide students and staff with an engaging experience that promotes a healthy lifestyle.

In May 2018, Matrix Fitness were chosen by Imperial to transform a cafe area in the Ethos building into SW7; a brand new, boutique and functional training space to ensure the best quality of fitness offering for students, staff and members.

Will Hollyer, Head of Sport at Imperial College London, comments: “The rise of the boutique gyms and functional training has transformed the offering we needed to be providing. We have a membership of over 10k students and 800 staff, all who want a modern, engaging and interactive workout experience and we needed to create a leading, boutique training space to cater for this.”

Ethos is a state-of-the-art training facility, which as well as the new SW7 gym also houses their existing gym, which has had its own refurbishment September 2018, in partnership with Matrix, to modernise and improve its appeal.

Hollyer continues: “We chose to work with Matrix, with whom we have a long, successful partnership already, and their ideas for SW7 and the refurb of main gym, the equipment selection and visuals helped us to incorporate a new way of training with an inspiring design to match.

An element of their design that we’ve had great positive feedback on one wall which is completely mirrored with the London skyline, this incorporates our SW7 logo which we worked with Matrix and QPS to create makes the training space appear bigger.”

Equipment installations in the new SW7 include a bespoke Exigo rig, Matrix S-Force, Matrix S-Drive, functional training accessories, assault bikes, Ski Ergs and astro turf flooring. SW7 hosts four group exercise classes throughout the day, Monday to Friday, focusing on Conditioning, Force, Move and HIIT, all led by newly trained instructors and offering heart rate training using MyZone technology.

Listening to the fitness trends and current equipment usage and demand, upstairs in the main gym, floor space has been removed to make room for more cardio equipment, doubling treadmills as well as the free-weight area and equipment.

Julian Taylor, Marketing Director at Matrix Fitness UK adds: “Physical activity has the ability to positively influence personal wellbeing, for students and staff. But times have changed, and fitness has become more modernised, interactive and engaging.”

“It’s been an exciting project, working with the Imperial team on the launch of their boutique SW7 offering and group exercise programme as it provides a training space and fitness equipment that will engage and motivate its users whilst increasing connectivity in a time of technological advancement. Providing them with equipment that helps them set goals, track progress and celebrate achievement.”

Bicester Hotel & Spa is working with Matrix Fitness to enable wellness guests to train like athletes with a unique offering.

In 2020, the luxurious Bicester Hotel and Spa launched a purpose-built fitness and performance facility to create a standalone, unique offering to attract a new more active demographic to the site. This included a performance gym equipped by Matrix Fitness, a custom-made 200m swimming lake, an assault course and an outdoor 500m grass running track.

Now, to complement this existing premium offering, the team has unveiled a refurbished health club with a modernised aesthetic and the latest resistance and cardiovascular equipment from Matrix Fitness to provide an integrated gym floor, three large studios and over 70-instructor led sessions per week.

A total health and fitness service
Health club manager, Andrew Foreman says: “Our goal is to deliver something for everyone. We have so much on offer for our members – from state-of-the-art equipment to fantastic trainers in our group classes and our unique range of facilities – that we can now cater for anyone’s training needs.”

Matrix Fitness has a long-standing rapport with the company, having already been chosen as the supplier for its performance gym which was a self-contained project with the highest quality required when it came to service, support and products.

The health club includes a full Matrix Fitness connected solution with all-new Performance Cardio with touch-screen technology, as well as a Connexus functional training station, Ultra V2 Strength range with Intelligent Training Consoles and two dedicated instructor-led and virtual training studios, as well as an indoor cycling room with Matrix Fitness CXP bikes.

Versatile and modern
Nigel Tapping, head of spa and hospitality at Matrix Fitness UK adds: “Versatile gym designs and a modernised, member-centric fitness offering is playing an increasingly important role within the hospitality sector and the team at Bicester Hotel and Spa has taken a unique approach with this development.

“The modernisation of the club perfectly complements the performance-led centre, providing a full, wraparound fitness journey for every member, no matter their goal or the stage of their fitness journey they’re at. The team has been forward-thinking and innovative and the result is an impressive, cutting-edge facility.”

The Performance Gym includes the Magnum half and full racks, Magnum plate-loaded equipment and bespoke track flooring for strength training activities and functional-focused training. On the second floor, a space has been designed for movement screening, small accessory functional training and one-to-one personal training.

More: www.matrixfitness.co.uk. and www.bicesterhotelgolfandspa.com.

Matrix Fitness, the world’s fastest growing commercial fitness brand, announced the expansion of their partnership with the John W. Brick (JWB) Mental Health Foundation. The Champion-level partnership will help fund the foundation’s Mental Well-being Certification for Fitness Professionals, a first of its kind for the fitness industry.

The JWB Foundation has been developing the certification coursework since early 2023, after the demand for specialized mental health courses in the fitness profession was identified via a 2021 survey distributed by the IHRSA Foundation reporting 90% of respondents would take a course in mental health. The IDEA Health & Fitness Association surveyed their readers to understand what level of impact certifying 10,000 fitness professionals could have, reporting that their network of group training instructors and personal trainers yield 20.8 million client interactions annually.

The certification is centered around mental health with an evidence-based holistic approach that focuses on a whole-person, systematic perspective of fitness, nutrition and mindfulness. The first phase of the certification is set to deploy in Q1 of 2024.

“We are honored and excited to have Matrix as a partner for the first Mental Well-being Certification for Fitness Professionals," said Lynne Brick, Co-Founder of the JWB Mental Health Foundation. “This certification will provide tools fitness professionals can implement immediately to help their members, clients and staff to flourish and move toward resiliency and happiness. Together, we can put a dent in the way the world treats mental health.”

This marks the second consecutive year Matrix has partnered with the JWB Foundation, further reinforcing their commitment to their mental health awareness initiatives kicked off in May 2022. Over the last year, Matrix has continued to create research-based content and hosted and participated in numerous speaking engagements and panel discussions around mental health topics. In March 2023, Matrix hosted an education session for IHRSA 2023 where Global Research Scientist Dr. Karlie Intlekofer presented on the topic of building mental health resilience in the health club environment. Additionally, Dr. Intlekofer spoke on a mental health panel alongside Lynne Brick.

“The JWB Mental Health Foundation is responding to feedback and providing essential education at the perfect time for our industry and fitness professionals,” says Mark Zabel, President of the US Commercial Division at Johnson Health Tech North America. “With this partnership, Matrix will be able to go beyond mental health content and can be a part of the trailblazing efforts to create practical mental health education that supports our customers and their fitness professionals.”

For more resources on mental health and the benefits of exercise, visit MentalHealth.Matrixfitness.com.