Gym flexing its muscles and out to expand

A Stockport gym is looking to expand after just six months in its new home.

The Lean Body Project moved into Princes Street in the town centre in May but is already looking to expand.

Owners Damien Coates, 35, and Lianne Sykes, 31, who are natives of the town, started the business as a series of bootcamps in 2010.

The gym, which offers group training, now employs seven people, including personal trainers, and admin and sales staff, having been made homeless a year ago.

Membership has also trebled in that time.

Sykes said: “We were made homeless in December 2016 and moved into a temporary space, which wasn’t ideal, but we stuck it out while we secured the ideal premises with room to grow.

“Fortunately we had several years’ experience and hard work behind us where we’ve developed and created what we have – a solid community of amazing people.”

The Lean Body Project, which started out in Reddish and Handforth, also offers a number of services to its members, including sports massage, mindset coaching and meal planning alongside body transformation programs.

Sykes added: “We wanted to create a place that was different from any other gym, and where people wouldn’t feel intimidated or ignored.

“Our members often start out with fear, anxiety and a lack of confidence but our goal is to make sure after their first session with us they walk out feeling better and knowing they have made new friends.”

As well as expansion, there are also plans for a new website, online coaching and more cookbooks for 2018.

Coates said: “We’ve got room to double or even treble the size of the gym, which will allow us to bring an extra dimension to The Lean Body Project so we can help even more people on a bigger scale.

“Firstly, however, we will be opening up more daytime group training to give our members even more access and flexibility.

“Everyone in the gym plays a huge part of LBP and all our members get involved with supporting each other.

“We aim to create a ’sports club’ atmosphere rather than your usual ‘soulless’ gym.
“Friendships are made, barriers and challenges are overcome and goals are being smashed.

“We have the ability to keep improving and growing the business on our terms and it’s great to be in the centre of Stockport and contribute towards its regeneration.”