Member Article

Tees-based fitness entrepreneur opens North East's first vertical training wall

Neil Kirtley, a Tees-based personal trainer, has opened the North East’s first vertical training wall at his SciFit Personal Training and Sports Massage business.

The fitness centre, which has also made the move to the UK Steel Enterprise-managed Innovation Centre at Kirkleatham Business Park in Redcar, has fitted the new £4,000 training wall to provide relief for those suffering from long-term back, hip, knee and shoulder pain.

The ‘state-of-the-art’ training facility features 15 different tools that allow users to train without any compression of the spine, making it ideal for people with pre-existing physical ailments.

As part of the move, Neil has also invested £2,000 in additional equipment and relaunched his website, as he looks to capitalise on the growing demand among for fitness options for the 50-plus age bracket.

Commenting on the move, Neil said: “Having started out in a converted garage at home, I needed professional premises and an answer to parking problems. The Innovation Centre facilities and surroundings are great with free parking right outside and the UKSE team has bent over backwards to help.

“As we live longer, people are becoming more aware of the importance of maintaining their general health, weight, fitness and mobility. Some people can feel intimidated about training in public gyms so we aim to provide a relaxed environment with up-to-date and affordable training.”

The newly-fitted training wall has been provided by UK distributor, Training Wall UK, and Craig Young, Managing Director at the firm, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with SciFit to bring our innovative and versatile system to the North for the first time. Neil has made a major investment to create a state-of-the-art facility that will contribute to the health and well-being of his local community.”