Gym Heaven - About Us

About me, about us, about you.....

A couple of years ago I joined a ladies only gym – I had known about it for a few months, but was persuaded to go in and find out more by my husband. He says he thought I needed to get out and have some time to myself, but I think he really wanted a new woman! (Me, of course, but a few pounds lighter with lots more energy!).
I went 2 or 3 times a week, and found I was losing weight, changing shape and meeting people. In fact, I liked it so much, I decided to start my own gym – and as owner manager I would make sure people would have the care and attention they need in the right kind of environment.

Like me, I think many women feel excluded. They do not enjoy exercising in front of men, they don’t like seeing themselves in mirrors and don’t want to feel exhausted when they leave. And they didn’t want to spend too much time waiting to use the equipment – where ½ an hours exercise could take an hour and a half!

Ladies only gyms are not a new idea, but I wanted a beautiful place in a good location where women of all ages and sizes could come, meet other people and receive the kind of attention from friendly qualified staff that is often lacking in many other gyms. I decided to train to be an instructor with the best training people – the YMCA.

My training with the YMCA ended with me becoming a Level 2 Instructor, and an entry on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPS) – here is the link to my entry: Click here (search for Carolyn Edwards).
Being listed on the REPS does mean that I have to develop my knowledge and skills even more!

So with this in mind, I have tried to create an environment that will suit most women, but particularly those who have not used a gym before. Everyone likes the yellow and blue colour scheme and the way you can have a chat to people as you go round the circuit. Why a circuit? Well, most of us need to be organised and don’t have too much time to spare so a structured programme, starting at one end of a circuit and finishing at the other in 30 minutes time seemed the best approach – particularly when used with an appointment system.

Too many gyms do not have properly qualified staff – you should ask to see their certificates or REPS certificate. But for a lot of women, having a chat and getting attention from someone is just as important. So don’t worry if you come for the second time and can’t remember what to do (I know the feeling!) – there will always be someone to look after you. Heather, apart from keeping me organised and really being in charge, is also a qualified instructor (we helped) and has been able to stop taking pain killers for her back since she came to work at Gym Heaven.

If you are not sure whether my gym will suit you, please come along and pop in – have a coffee and chat about what you need and how we can help find it.