Belfast-based equipment specialist BLK BOX has been leading the way in the elite sport sector for many years, backed by a team with an in-depth knowledge and experience of the very specific training requirements of this sector.
BLK BOX business development manager, Ross Manester says: “Our approach to facility design within this sector has been refined over the seasons and we feel we now have a very solid understanding of what a high-performance facility looks like within elite sport, which allows us to tailor our equipment and product offering to meet these demands.”
The ‘made-in-Northern Ireland’ brand has worked with some of the biggest names across Europe and the world, including Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and FC Barcelona, making the company a premium choice for any sports team with specific, complex and high-end requirements.
The blueprint when designing a facility within this sector, says Manester, involves ensuring the facility can be versatile enough to meet whatever demands are thrown at it during various phases of the season.
He says: “Whether this be for pre-season training, in-season training or rehabilitation sessions for the physios, the facility needs to be multi-purpose and provide a platform for performance staff to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.
“Pre-season is arguably the most important time for teams when it comes to the gym,” says Manester. “It’s often the only time during the season where players can be encouraged to make gains that ensure they’re more physically capable, more robust and less likely to be injured.
“It’s vital any facility is planned to ensure sessions can take place in the most efficient manner and house all the tools for coaches to achieve this.”
Wolverhampton revamp
BLK BOX recently delivered a full facility refurbishment for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, bringing more brand uniformity and a better layout and flow to the club’s training facility.
The BLK BOX team worked closely with coaches to understand player numbers, session details and training requirements, ensuring players have easy access to vital pieces of equipment, whatever the training session or time of season.
Manester says: “The existing gym was consistent with what we see in a lot of clubs where numerous managers and performance staff order new items from different places which all come together to provide a facility which doesn’t have a natural flow or look.”
The first step for BLK BOX was to consider the design and layout. The club opted for a zoned approach with specific areas for each piece of equipment including a free-weights area, a rack area, testing area and movement prep area.
The next step was a new floor and turf track – to not only give the facility a much better look, but also to help manage the flow. A seamless performance floor was also installed in the free-weights and rack areas, with a two-lane 20m sprint track to allow for sled, sprint and plyo work, finished in black to match the new equipment and facility branding.
Other equipment installed included half racks, a testing rack, bespoke storage solutions and bespoke double-sided throw wall designed specifically for Wolves, turning what would be considered dead-space into a place where players can work on power development with simultaneous throws/slams.
All equipment was powder-coated finished in black and had the ‘WOLVES’ logo laser cut into it, putting the client’s brand at the centre of the facility and reinforcing the team’s identity. Some of the existing equipment was re-upholstered to ensure all the equipment looked new and matched the club’s branding, keeping uniformity throughout.
Manester concludes: “The end result really has the wow factor – a facility which not only looks brand new and uniform, but also has great flow and enables coaches to run sessions more efficiently and with better execution, due to the equipment provided.”
• More: www.blkboxfitness.com
