A WOKING gym that specialises in personal training and medical rehabilitation has been so successful in its first two years that it has opened a second branch.

Profound Fitness was set up two years ago by Mike Wilson to provide bespoke training in a studio in The Mayford Centre.

Mike, a former competitive mountain biker, has been a personal trainer for nearly 20 years and has worked at most of the gyms in and around Woking. 

Two years ago, he and Gerry Regnerus, a former Canadian naval officer, left the gym where they were both working and set up Profound Fitness.

Unlike most gyms, there is no membership fee. Clients sign up with personal trainers who run one-to-one sessions in the studio at agreed times.

After its first two years, Profound Fitness has 11 trainers working more than 400 hours every month with about 40 clients.

The Mayford Centre studio is running at capacity and so Mike, Gerry and new business partner Dave Meller have opened new premises on the Lansbury Estate in Knaphill.

The new fitness studio is nearly twice the size of the Mayford one and will allow the business to expand.

Mike said: “Our studios require easy accessibility and ample parking as the clients come for their sessions then head back home or to their next appointment. We were fortunate that there was a room of the right size that came available on the Lansbury Estate at the right time for us.

“The team at Lansbury have been great, removing the false ceiling so that we have sufficient height, installing new lighting and allowing us to put in the right flooring and equipment that we need. We wanted to stay relatively local so that our existing clients and new clients could benefit from both studios.”

Much of the redecorating of the new studio was done by Dave, who has lived in Woking for more than 20 years, and his daughter Beth.

Dave, his wife Eira, Beth and her sister Rhiannon, have been long-term clients of Mike.

Earlier this year Dave gave up his job at the UK branch of a global vehicle glass repair company and later became a partner in Profound Fitness.

Over the years, Mike has become a family friend of the Mellers and Dave used his many years of experience in various aspects of running a business to give informal advice.

Three years ago Eira had a diagnosis of breast cancer and Mike tailored her training during the subsequent chemotherapy.

Some of the Profound Fitness trainers, including Gerry, specialise in working with people who have conditions such as Parkinsons or are being treated for strokes and other health problems.

Mike said: “He keeps up to date with the latest thinking for people living with various conditions including multiple sclerosis. Having a smaller studio with specialist equipment enables him to really look after his clients.”

The clients have a wide range of short and longer-term goals, including a 20-year-old student who wants to increase her strength and is working on doing a 100kg squat, a basketball player who wants to improve his agility to give him a chance to be picked for the England team and an elderly man who is training to keep himself active.

The Lansbury Estate studio opened on 2 November but had to shut two days later when the second national lockdown started.

Both Profound Fitness studios opened this week under the latest coronavirus restrictions. Stringent safety measures are in place, with clients’ temperatures taken before they can proceed with training sessions and comprehensive cleaning of equipment.

Mike said: “I am especially excited about the new year when many people really want to make an improvement to their health and fitness.”

For more information, call 07568 178960 or visit www.profoundfitness.co.uk.