SOBO Fitness, Southbourne’s first female-only fitness studio, celebrates its first week in business
As more women search for "female-only gyms", SOBO Fitness' launch week has been a "huge success"
Southbourne’s first female-only fitness studio has opened its doors on Seabourne Road.
The fitness-studio launched following reports that almost two-thirds of women would prefer to work out in a female-only space, according to Gymtimidation.
Researchers also found that there has been a 69% spike in Google searches for women’s only gyms over the last year.
Owner of SOBO Fitness, Lizzie Astin-Gregory was keen to create a space tailored to the female physique and is ‘comforting for women’.
She said: “As a woman, I've never particularly enjoyed commercial gyms the atmosphere and the environment may not necessarily be inviting accommodating or comfortable for women.
“I think some women can still feel a little self-conscious about their bodies, about working out, about trying new exercises, so might just need to do that in a safe space.”
SOBO Fitness, located on Seabourne Road, had hundreds attend the women-only fitness classes, sign up to the tailored personal trainer programmes and relax at the juice and coffee bar.
Before opening, Lizzie was determined to create a space that had everything you would expect in a traditional gym but designed with women in mind.
She told us: “Women's fitness needs are different to men’s. What we need are spaces to be created specifically with the female body in mind.”
With this in mind, Lizzie expanded her original concept and incorporated a bar/café space for women to sit and chat after sessions as well as host monthly community events held by experts on women’s health.
Reports suggest the sense of community is a big draw for female-only gyms as “there is a good chance of meeting other woman at the gym with shared interests and goals”.
Lizzie added: “Women now aspire to be strong and have functional fitness so they can go about their everyday life.
“The main goal is to live in healthy, vibrant body so we can live a healthy and vibrant life and obviously fitness plays a huge role in that.”