Under Construction CityGym

VikingR caught wind that there was a brand new strength facility opening up in the Midlands and rumors had it that they was to have strongman facility's at this new establishment ..

We sent our VKR investigator "Little Sen" over to the half built facility to scope out the vibe !! He was welcomed with open arms and we will definitely be back over to bring you more information when the project is complete ...

Over to Little Sen -

Mark Clegg

Under Construction

Little Sen visits a new facility being set-up in central Worcester – the Midlands and gets an advanced viewing of what is to come at a gym hoping to stamp its mark on the strength sports and athletics scene. 

It doesn’t look like much right now, but through the eyes of anyone who was ever wanted their own little temple of iron, you can see this place oozes potential… 

With 5 years in the health and fitness scene, catering to bodybuilders and the fitness crowd Chris Robinson, owner of CityGym Worcester, has decided to expand and welcome a more sport specific crowd through his doors with the addition of a new facility in a separate warehouse next to his current set up. Chris is hoping to welcome strongmen, rugby players, Olympic lifters, cross-fitters and more to his family of iron addicts. 

The area itself, is rather modest for most gyms… but let’s not forget this is a dedicated area, he already has a huge amount of floor space with racks, benches, cable machines and all sorts upstairs… this is a dedicated area for the freaks amongst us that find climbing ropes or loading stones a fun way to while away their weekends. 

Currently there is a large van parked in the corner where I can see myself hitting a few farmers PBs in the near future; Chris assures me there will be at-least a 25 meter run kept clear for the farmers and yokes, sleds or other movement training, weather permitting and with the large warehouse shutters up… well you can go until you puke if you like. Across from the van, under the stairs up to the changing rooms and showers, a dark-warm matted corner promises heavy-bags, conditioning kit and MMA specific training, whilst next to it is an 18 square foot matted area for Olympic lifting and barbell work, whilst along from there across a huge back-wall is an area that promises cross fit style frames, climbing ropes and piles of medicine balls. A few other bits of kit I can see scattered around are some half-built competition bench’s and large power-racks. 

Now, we know I’m a pessimist, sure there is the floor space – yeah anyone can get some farmers handles and some stretches of concrete, but what has say, a rugby player got to look forward to here? 

Will I really get a better session down here, than If I trained with my barbell and rack in the back-garden? 

Chris happily reels of a list of the kit he has coming in and being fabricated: A Scrum-Machine (which I have already seen and played with) pulley systems for harness usage, tires, axles, Steel logs, Yokes, sleds, lighter atlas stones and platforms, sandbags, competition benches, 2 new power-racks, beer kegs, a car deadlift frame and a car, climbing ropes and Crossfit licensed frames and ladders…

“Oh, and have you ever seen one of these?” 

…A large piece of kit I hadn’t really noticed before… I was too busy visualising how the stone and sandbag platform might look or wondering whether I’ll get to play with a shiny steel super yoke or if it will be a standard, lighter weight, more common yoke…  

I say kit… Let me explain, I understand that this unit used to be used for metalwork and scaffolding – one piece of “kit” leftover is a rather large, industrial winch mechanism that is being scrubbed up and fitted with a new pulley (Held by owner Chris in the picture) – capable of safely handling loads of up to 250kg (or 1000kg breaking point according to the nice little certificate that came with it). This large piece of kit is being refurbished to create some sort of sadistic pulley system in which users can be harnessed into or grapple onto and used to hoist huge weights up into the air in the corner of the gym.  


Pretty cool huh! – Although I daren’t think of the Health and Safety implications of a piece of kit like that… 


think the “Severn Valley” arm-over-arm weight hoist seen in their 2007 strongman competition 
(Youtube video - http://goo.gl/OMv1U), only much, much more hardcore.

Now, all I can really think about of is how damn cool it would be to hook it up to the back of my irritating neighbour’s tiny little chavmobile that blares out music at 3am on a weekday. How satisfying that would be…. Oh, don’t worry…I’d let him get out of it first. 

Probably. 

The details: Organised groups for crossfit and MMA; the centre is accessible for anyone already a member or for single usage fees, open 9-5 on weekends and 7-10 on weekdays. The Strongman specific kit will have controlled use however on a weekend and perhaps one weekday evening.

We can expect to see CityGyms new and as of yet, unnamed little brother gym join the ranks of other top gyms in the midlands such as Leicester’s “The Warehouse Gym” who CityGym have been working with closely to help develop this new venture, as a veteran of the strength scene already, he has chosen a good partner! If we see any influence from them here, it can only be a good thing! We can also expect to see this facility as a new events venue, Chris is very keen to hold open days and get his foot in with some friendly competitions; done right this little gym looks like it has the potential to really deliver.  I can’t wait to see how it turns out over the next few weeks. 

So don your “imagination hats” and have a browse of these “under construction” photographs included throughout and cross your fingers that we might have another quality place popping up nearby. 

Contact: “Citygym Worcester” on Facebook for more information.

"DESIGNED BY STRENGTH ATHLETES 


FOR STRENGTH ATHLETES" 

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