All In Fitness gym invests heavily to ensure all members are safe
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By Maurice Garvey
COVID restrictions have increased the workload at gyms and fitness centres across the country.
Businesses have gone above and beyond to ensure guidelines are adhered to, including the All In Fitness centre in Blessington.
A pre-Covid photo of Members and friends of All In Fitness with the FAI Cup
Established last year by Eamonn Blake and Jordan Lynch, the pair got off to a great start, and expanded their premises to 3,750 square feet, making it the largest gym in west Wicklow, according to Lynch.
“The increased workload was due to having to run more classes, as class numbers have been reduced due to Covid guidelines.
Budgeting has been a challenge as we just don’t know when guidelines may force us to close again,” said Lynch.
“Ensuring all members are safe in the gym, we have had to invest heavily in cleaning products to provide members with. It has been a challenge to provide members with the service they experienced pre Covid-19 as a lot of time is dedicated to cleaning and safety procedures.”
Current requirements also mean no training in groups but Blake and Lynch found a way to keep the community connection going during the height of the pandemic.
“During lockdown we gave members equipment to train from home, we did Zoom and Instagram Live classes, launched a running club and online coaching programs. When measures were relaxed we did outdoor classes from our carpark,” he said.
All In Fitness Directors Blake and Lynch recognised a gap in the market when the local gym they formally worked in suddenly closed.
Lynch continued: “We lost our jobs overnight and decided to look at the possibility of opening our own gym. We spent months researching equipment, premises, insurance and many other things associated with opening a gym.
We signed the lease for our first unit in July 2019 and spent the summer completing work on the unit before opening in September.
“We opened in September in a 2,250 square foot unit in Blessington and by Christmas we needed to expand the gym so decided to knock our walls down and expand into our neighbouring unit. We could not do this alone.
Kevin Cooney Invested in All In Fitness to help it become a gym we are very proud of.
With Kevin’s help the extension brought our gym size to 3,750 square feet thus making it the largest gym in west Wicklow.”
The business employs four people including Blake, Lynch, Cooney, a coach and Director, and Amy Burke, another coach.
Lynch attributes their success to a “determination and ability to adapt our services to ensure our members are able to still enjoy training in a safe spacious and clean environment.
“Pre Covid-19, our success came from the hard work and long hours we put in. We are a member focused gym that strive to provide a quality experience to all members and their fitness and body composition goals.
“Our business is unique because we get to know our members and the way they move. Our space makes us unique as we can facilitate local sports teams.
We have built links with Blessington GAA and soccer teams as well as other sports teams locally.”
Looking ahead, All In Fitness’s main objective is to continue to grow and build links with the local community.
“It has been an incredibly difficult and stressful time for all businesses and their stakeholders. Do all you can to keep your business moving forward. If you can make it through 2020 you have achieved something,” said Lynch.
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