As 2013 draws to a close I can’t help but reflect over the last twelve months. As I look back it amazes me how much we have crammed in and how many new experiences and acquaintances have been made this year. It seems like a blink of an eye but it holds so many great memories, here is a quick fire overview of the last year.
1. Expansion – we started the year with the one unit, with a gamble, a few buckets of paint and a load of top equipment from Absolute Performance, we doubled in size to a 7,200 sq/ft facility we once dreamed of.
2. BST – with the new ‘Red Room’ we took the original BST to a whole new level. The environment and work ethic seems to get better week on week with the members pushing themselves past their boundaries.
3. Education – Having both practically ignored education in school in favour of eating and daydreaming respectively, we are now surprisingly turning our hands at presenting and lecturing with Nutrition and Posture talk for NHS PA’s conference in The Swalec stadium, and a two day visit from Hartpury College where we covered the Business of Fitness and Fitness Instructing. We have also hosted some of the industries biggest names in Alex Ferentinos, Rachel Guy and Phil Learney holding great seminars at Force.
4. FemaleForce – a weightlifting course, a concept and a idea that has become a way of life for so many of our strong female members.
5. Played Hosts – we not only hosted teams and seminars but also hosted a great week long Bootcamp from Reach Fitness and Richard Tidmarsh from London. A relationship we hope will continue for many years and one which will resurface when the two gyms collide in an Anglo/Welsh competition in the spring.
6. Big Names – although we pride ourselves on working with anybody that has a goal and desire to achieve, it is also nice when the sporting elite turn up on the doorstep. Force has witnessed the likes of British Lions Alyn Wynn Jones and Jon Davies and string of Welsh players such as Rhys Priestland, Bradley Davies, Ken Owens, Rhys Webb, Ryan Bevington, Josh Navidi and a whole host of regional players. These elite stars can often be found in our open gym working hard or in a BST session training next to a housewife or pensioner! In how many other gyms would you see this scenario.
7.Charity – “We do a lot for charity but don’t like to talk about it!!!” In our second Warfare event we had a fantastic day with more people watching, competing and more money raised for CF Trust and Llantwit Surf Lifesaving Club than our event in 2012. Hopefully it will continue to grow next year.
8.Coaching Network – we have been lucky to rub shoulders and meet some great coaches in many different venues and context. The likes of Adam Beard, Chris Tombs, Phil Learney, Rachel Guy, Ian Gibbons, Brad Harrighton, Phil Richards, Jeremy Moodey, Thomas Plummer and more have all been met in the flesh while we have built up many more great relationships on social media. These insights have been priceless.
9. Staff Development – it’s been great to see our staff mature and develop. While Rhi brings a female touch to Force which basically means telling us the office smells of man and that it’s too cold!! The great white Marc has brought a whiter than white approach to the gym as well as been dispensable when it comes to going up a ladder! Tom has been as slick and cool as ever while Keiron’s intelligent ways are still bedding in. It’s also great to see Olie doing so well in training many different squads and sports.
10. Strongman – we have trained many different people for many sports since we opened and it was great to see our first strongman competitor when James Coupland (Fuller) entered his first comp in October. He is currently working towards his next comp with Huw Alford also jumping on the strongman wagon at the same event.
11.Results – we have seen some great results from people bigger, faster, stronger, fitter, leaner and generally feeling better about themselves. The main highlight for me has been how many people are performing and moving better whilst being pain free.
12.Future plans– we have developed Transform, Lockdown and Under The Bar for the new year with more in the pipeline for later in the year.
With this whirlwind of a year we are still blown away with the constant support from you all. Myself and Andrew have always been of the thought that Force is your gym and it is you, our great members, that make it special.
Happy new year
From all at Force]]>
