The bench weights area is located in a series of vaults 6m
underground; and (right) the My Gym area offers 25 Precor AMTs
ENHANCED OFFERING
New facilities at the University of Edinburgh include: • 100-station Precor CV gym with personal viewing screens • Body circuit gym • 40-station Precor resistance gym • Performance gym with Power-Lift platforms and Eleiko discs and bars • Historic vaults with 42-station Power-Lift bench weight area, Ivanko dumbbells and bars, and two cable machines • 50-station My Gym space, featuring 25 Precor AMTs • Two sports halls • Five dance studios, including the new Pleasance Studio • Four glass-backed squash courts • Healthy snack bar • Saunas/changing rooms with access to social spaces and communal Wifi • Dedicated facilities for boxing, archery, rifl e, grappling and studio cycling • Katherine Grainger Rowing Gym, with 15 Concept2 rowing machines • 26-route climbing wall and separate 60sq m bouldering room • Six lane, 26m swimming pool
new extension as well as in the main building to create a contemporary and motivational environment. There are also motivational slogans, such as ‘Train- Compete-Achieve’ and ‘No Limits’, in strategic positions on the walls.
vaulting its way to success The new extension makes creative use of two 35m-long vaulted spaces as dedicated archery and rifle ranges. Directly underneath, 6m below ground, are two further sub-terrain arched vaults, which were originally the brewery’s keg cellars and were last used during World War II as air raid shelters. Now these 507sq m rooms provide a five-fold increase in the centre’s capacity for bench weights, forming an integral part of the new facilities. The transformation of the vaults
and the route for the fi re escape were probably the most challenging aspects of the build according to Keith McCahon, project manager at Graham
november/december 2010 © cybertrek 2010
Construction. “All the walls we were attaching the new build to, as well as those in the vaults, were listed. But we obtained a relaxation of Building Regulations requirements in order to do the work. One of the most diffi cult tasks was cutting through the 600mm- to 800mm-wide listed walls – propping was put up and beams had to be installed to support them. “Access to the vaults before the build
took place was through an external lock-up area, which was used for storage. A trip down a winding staircase led to dark, damp and dingy areas, which seems a far cry from the now stunning arched, whitewashed walls of the transformed space.” The vaulted ceilings are not the only
unique feature of the sub basement gym. The fl oor is covered with the latest high impact Infi nity-Max tile, designed to maximise foot grip and shock absorbency – the university is the fi rst gym in the UK to use it.
multi-level offering Meanwhile, the basement level houses the new 287sq m Performance Gym, an area specifically designed as a high performance training area and only accessible for accredited members, such as the university’s elite sportspeople who are at international standard in sports like swimming, archery, rowing and hockey. The room features free weights, a plyometric exercise lane and a rebound wall. The ground level encompasses a
new 330sq m body conditioning gym showcasing the largest collection of Precor’s Adaptive Motion Trainers® (AMT) in Europe. The perimeter of the room is circled by 25 Precor AMTs and 10 upright bikes, all with views of Scotland’s Royal Holyrood Park. In the centre are 15 matted ‘CSE my-pod’ stations – each area is equipped with light studio weights, fi t balls and medicine balls, allowing members to remain within their own area while exercising.
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 33
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84