New 'youth' gym opens in Rochdale

The SHOKK Youth Gym opening

Young people across the borough are being encouraged to become more active with the opening of an interactive youth gym in Rochdale. The fitness facility has been installed at Link4Life’s Central Leisure Centre on Entwisle Road, Rochdale and is now open to the public.

The SHOKK Youth Gym was opened this week, and young people had the chance to put the new equipment through its paces.

Designed for young people aged between 8 and 16, the SHOKK Youth Gym features cardio vascular, resistance and interactive equipment designed specifically for young people. Occupying a recently renovated area within the leisure centre, the SHOKK gym provides a dedicated place for young people to get fit in a safe, secure environment under the supervision of qualified staff. The fitness experience is supported by an interactive target wall, designed to improve speed and hand-eye co-ordination and multi-player dance mats, giving children the chance to get fit while sharpening up their dance moves.

Craig McAteer, Link4Life Managing Director talking about the new facility said: “Our objective is to significantly increase the activity levels of young people throughout the borough of Rochdale. The new gym supports our other sports and activity programmes but recognises that we need to cater for new and changing tastes if we are going to successfully attract young users. The SHOKK gym gives young people something they can really call their own.”

Kieran Murphy, Marketing Director from SHOKK, the specialised company that is supplying the equipment, said: "It has always been SHOKK's objective to bring modern physical activity solutions to young people, making them accessible to all. The SHOKK concept provides a fun and interactive fitness solution for all young people no matter what age, size or background.”

The gym has been funded by Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale Primary Care Trust as part of the ‘Do you feel good?’ healthy lifestyles strategy that aims to get young people active and tackle childhood obesity. It is the third SHOKK gym to be opened by Link4Life in the borough in the last 12 months, adding to those at Littleborough Sports Centre and Middleton Leisure Centre.