Gym Group battles against inactivity

'‹The low cost gym chain said that inactivity is one of the biggest problems facing the UK today'‹ and it'‹ accounts for '‹one'‹ in '‹six'‹ unexpected'‹ '‹deaths and costs the NHS an unnecessary £450m every year.T'‹he group said '‹that its Yorkshire gyms are key to tackling inactivity in the county.'‹The firm has two gyms in Leeds, where '‹29 per cent of adults are '‹'‹physically active for less than 30'‹ '‹minutes per week.'‹ It also has a gym in Sheffield where 28 per cent of adults are '‹'‹physically '‹in'‹active'‹ and a gym in Doncaster, where '‹29 per cent are '‹'‹physically '‹in'‹active'‹'‹.'‹'‹The Gym Group said its membership has skyrocketed, even in the most exercise-shy areas of the UK'‹ and '‹a third of its new members have never used a gym previously.'‹The firm, which operates a '‹ low cost, contract free, 24/7 model, '‹said it is bringing affordable gym membership to a'‹reas where it is needed the most. '‹It claims that b'‹y foregoing the unnecessary aspects of the traditional health club such as pools and saunas, it has been able to focus entirely on the provision of top quality fitness equipment for prices that start at £10.99 per month, making membership accessible to all. In the UK only 14 per cent of the UK population (one in seven people) currently holds gym membership, compared with 19 per cent of the population of Norway.John Treharne, CEO of The Gym Group'‹, said'‹: “It is great that The Gym Group is attracting'‹ '‹members from some of the least active parts of the UK. '‹"'‹Our model, focused on breaking down the'‹ '‹barriers to fitness through affordable, contract free membership plans, and 24/7 opening hours,'‹ '‹means that we attract people from all walks of life, irrespective of working hours or salary. '‹"'‹The'‹ '‹flexibility offered by The Gym Group has meant that more than a third of joiners have never been'‹ '‹gym members before.”