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Coventry Sports Foundation invests

A Coventry sports and leisure provider has ploughed more than £30,000 into new gym equipment as part of long-term plans to enhance its facilities and user experience.

Coventry Sports Foundation, which manages three major sports and leisure centres – Xcel Leisure Centre, in Mitchell Avenue, the Alan Higgs Centre, in Allard Way, and Centre AT7, in Bell Green Road - has invested in four new ‘Skillmills’.

The equipment came onto the market less than three months ago and the Foundation is the first organisation in the Midlands to host it.

The Skillmill, which allows users to experience athletic performance training by offering workout routines that train all the body’s muscles as well as monitor progress through its data-tracking function, was installed across the city venues a week ago and is already proving popular with members.

Colin Uranjek, who lives in Coventry and has been training at Coventry Sports Foundation sites for over 12 years, was invited to be among the first members to try out the new equipment when it was unveiled.

He said: “Training five days a week means I take my fitness quite seriously, and the Skillmill will help me take working out to the next level – it’s particularly good for high intensity work outs.

“It was fantastic to be one of the first in Coventry to try out the kit– six years ago the Foundation helped to fundraise for my granddaughter who has a rare illness, and their friendly service and great facilities are what keeps me as a member.”

Chris Panter, health and fitness manager at the Foundation, said the purchase of the Skillmills was another step in the Foundation’s aims of remaining up-to-date with products and enhancing engagement with members.

“Our aim is to ensure Coventry Sports Foundation remains at the forefront of health and fitness innovation, so to be the only sports and leisure provider in the Midlands to house this equipment is a real achievement,” he said.

“It’s great therefore that we were able to invite one of our longest-serving members along to be among the first to try it out – we value the feedback of our members as it helps us to continue enhancing the experience the gyms offer. Colin is also among our fittest members, so he was really able to put the Skillmill to the test!”

Technogym, which supplied the Skillmills, has been the Foundation’s supplier since 2012 and is recognised for providing market-leading gym equipment – the company is also the official fitness equipment supplier to the Olympics.

Rowena Cole, marketing assistant at the Foundation who is also an 800 metre runner and competing in the British Athletics Championships in June, said the Skillmill is a device which benefits all fitness levels.

She added: “The Skillmill has a large range of workout routines which allow all users - whether a new or regular gym user - to build their stamina and agility.

“As an athlete it is a great piece of kit as it provides a number of settings to suit my training programme, whilst also monitoring my progress by storing data onto the mywellness system – the Foundation’s health and fitness tracking system.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .