Let’s face it – spending time in a gym is not for everyone. No matter how good the equipment or how helpful the staff, some people will still find working out with weights and machines a drag.
So when World Gym decided to start work on a new facility, one of the first questions was how to make the gym more accessible to everyone, gym bunnies as well as those who won’t set foot in a gym under normal circumstances.
The new facility will boast a custom designed outdoor workout area, dubbed Muscle Beach, which harkens back to the beach workout areas in Santa Monica where the likes of World Gym founder Joe Gold worked out.
According to Tertius Broderick, manager of World Gym in Cayman, the new facility will also be offering CrossFit workouts, quite a departure for a ‘traditional’ gym.
“We will offer all the options, so you can find something that works for you. We’re not trying to be everything for everybody. I just think it’s a good fit, it’s what’s going to drive the whole atmosphere,” says Tertius.
He says that CrossFit appeals to many people who would otherwise not work out at a gym, and the new outdoor training area will be a perfect fit for the discipline.
Of course, the sun can make an outdoor workout challenging during the heat of the day, which is why the outdoor workout area will also feature large shaded areas to make it more user friendly.
With World Gym Cayman celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Tertius says he is very excited about taking the gym to a new level with the facility, which will be located on Snooze Lane, behind Queens Court Plaza off West Bay Road. The estimated completion date for the facility is 1 December 2011, “barring any hurricanes or close calls from storms” says Tertius.
One of the big aims with the new facility is to make it a more involving experience.
“The way the industry is going, the gym is becoming more of a social place. People want to interact, they want to compete, they want their names up on chalk boards. So we aim to bring the fun back into fitness,” says Tertius.
With this in mind, the facility will feature the more traditional circuit training and body building style training options, but will also include an expanded selection of cardio options as well as CrossFit.
Tertius points out that although the facility will of course have all the state of the art exercise equipment, what will set it apart is the atmosphere.
“We’re trying to create a lifestyle change and giving people options so they can exercise on their terms. It’s designed to have people to come and hang out and chat, and of course to train hard. We’ll even be putting in a nice health food restaurant,” he says.
Despite all the change, what will remain central to the experience is good customer service.
“You will always find those who will go after the latest and greatest thing. However, our retention is very high, we have members who started with us 25 years ago who are still with us now, and we will keep the same core values even as we change,” says Tertius.
For more information on World Gym Cayman, call 949-5132 or visit worldgym.com/grandcayman