Village Health and Wellness Clubs has launched a brand new gym-floor HIIT concept, centred around the Speedflex Blade. The hotly anticipated class – titled Blade Blast – rolled out to 21 sites last month and is already proving popular with members, with 90 per cent of classes fully booked.

Blade Blast centres around quick bursts of work on the Speedflex Blade, combined with functional and floor-based moves. In only 20 minutes, members are offered an effective, total-body workout, designed to sculpt the body and boost the metabolism to burn optimum calories.

The Blade is the ideal equipment to provide a cardio burst in a class setting, thanks to its isokinetic functionality which means there’s no need to adjust the settings from person to person. A super-fit individual can jump straight on after a deconditioned individual and the Blade will respond to the fitness of the user.

The other huge benefit of training on the Blade is that it provides high-intensity workouts but with low impact, meaning no stress or pressure on the joints, and because there is no DOMS, there are no aches and pains the following day – ensuring people come back for more.

Twice a day
Village is currently running Blade Blast classes twice a day, at peak times, but thanks to on-screen content, Blades are also getting plenty of use outside timetabled sessions. They come with over 100 on-demand workouts at the touch of a button, from quick 10 minute sessions and warm ups, to full-body 45 minute workouts, all led by expert Speedflex trainers through the built-in screen.

“Speedflex Blade was the perfect choice for our gym-floor HIIT circuit, helping us further elevate the member experience with this unique equipment,” says Andy Logan, head of national leisure operations for Village.

“Members of all fitness levels can use the Blade and immediately exercise at the right level, without needing to adjust settings, since the machine responds to the force of the user,” he explains. ”The addition of on-demand workout content via a built-in touchscreen, means the equipment is popular outside timetabled sessions too.”

Village Health and Wellness has 33 clubs across the UK kitted out with premium equipment, heated pools and also delivers Les Mills classes.