Santas get ‘chimney-fit’ for Christmas at new David Lloyd Harrogate
On a mission to get ‘chimney-ready’ for 24 December, the UK’s top Father Christmases have been put through their paces in a specially devised ‘Santa Boot Camp’ work out at David Lloyd Club’s newest Health, Racquet and Fitness Club in Harrogate which has just undergone a £3.2m refurbishment programme.
Fitness experts at David Lloyd Harrogate have been getting requests to put together a rigorous training schedule tailored to the very specific needs of this uniquely rotund and jolly group as the pressure to squeeze down the chimney mounts.
The super intensive pre-Christmas training programme includes personal training sessions in the state-of-the-art gym to build strength for all that heavy present lifting, whilst the new Synrgy 360 fitness equipment provided the Santas with a ‘ho-ho-ho’ inducing workout as they moved around the fitness playground boxing, pushing tyres and working on coordination. Santas were spotted in the gym yesterday still smiling whilst pounding the Woodway Curve treadmills ahead of a present delivery marathon.
Santa group cycling sessions using exclusive Stages Flight bikes are said to be a key part of the cardio workout to build endurance for hours in the sky. The jolly fellows have taken on Les Mills Body Pump and Combat classes to ensure they are fighting fit for the busy season. To round their workout off, the men on a mission have spent time in the mind and body studio with a taste of a Barre class to build strength and work on balance which is very crucial for tip-toeing around at midnight.
With such a mammoth task ahead and so many present requests to remember, it wasn’t only their bodies that are needing attention, these guys need mentally preparing which is where Jo Blenkinsopp, Group Exercise Coordinator has come to the rescue with Broga, a new dynamic yoga class geared for men. She says; “Anyone with a challenge ahead needs to be top of their game, with not only stamina and strength, but also flexibility and focus – great for navigating around chimneys. Broga is tough and challenging but also strengthens the core and helps prevent injury, as well as stress busting, so is a great complement to any workout programme.”
Ashley Williams, Health and Fitness Manager at David Lloyd Harrogate commented, “We are used to creating personalised fitness programmes for our members, and pre-Christmas is a time when many people are thinking about getting in shape, but this really has got to be the most unusual request for a bespoke work out we’ve ever had!” Ashley continued, “I was very impressed by their stamina and strength. These guys may have big bellies but they are extremely nimble and after their session, they are definitely ready to swing plenty of heavy toy sacks over their shoulders and squeeze down all those chimneys!”
The Santas will be continuing their training throughout December and anyone else wanting to get festive fit can sign up for their own bespoke programme at David Lloyd Harrogate now, complete with the refurbished gym and studio space. The complete club transformation will be complete on 23rd December ahead of Santa’s big moment on Christmas Eve. All 111 clubs across Europe have fitness experts on hand to prep everyone for the season of indulging. Find out more at www.davidlloyd.co.uk/harrogate.
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About David Lloyd Leisure Group David Lloyd Leisure Group has 111 clubs - 98 clubs in the UK and a further 13 clubs across Europe, comprising its two brands David Lloyd Clubs and Harbour Clubs (Chelsea, Notting Hill, Kensington). On 1 June 2017 it acquired 14 UK health and racquets clubs from Virgin Active as well as opened its third Harbour Club at Kensington following a £5.5m investment and redevelopment programme. On the same day it also announced it had exchanged contracts to buy The Park Club in Chiswick, London and later that month exchanged contract to acquire its first club in Italy, the Malaspina in Milan. It has approximately 570,000 members and employs around 8600 people. This includes an expert health and fitness team of over 2000 while it contracts the services of more than 680 tennis professionals. In 2016 David Lloyd Leisure was named as one of the UK’s Best 30 Large Companies to work for by the Sunday Times. Across all clubs, David Lloyd Leisure has over 180 swimming pools (of which half are indoor) and offers over 13,000