Interview with Kieran Watts at Witney Lakes
With indoor group exercise classes returning from 17th May, we caught up with Witney Lakes’ Group Exercise Coordinator Kieran to find out a bit more about the studio classes on offer.
Can you tell me a little about your role at Witney Lakes?
“I took over the role in March last year, just after the first lockdown, and I look after the gym side of the club as well as the group exercise timetable. So I’ve been in the role just over a year now - it’s been quite an interesting time to take over, what with going in and out of lockdowns.”
What do you love about group exercise?
“For me it’s about the community you can build. People tend to come to the same classes each week so it’s a good opportunity to have a nice catch up and really build that rapport with members. As I cover both the gym and group exercise, I like interacting with both gym members and the members who prefer group classes."
What sort of classes do you run at Witney Lakes?
“We do a wide range of Les Mills classes here such as Body Pump, Body Combat and Body Attack, and we have Body Step coming on to the programme soon with a new instructor. Then we run holistic offerings such as Pilates and Yoga, and we’re looking to bring back Body Balance. We’ll also be bringing in Power Yoga, which is a new style of yoga we haven’t seen before. Then you’ve got your freestyle classes such as Legs, Bums and Tums, Total Body Workout and Aqua. We now have 3 brand-new studios, so there’s a big variety on offer as well as a lot of flexibility around class timings. There’s a large main studio, one dedicated to holistic classes and a separate Group Cycle studio. I can’t wait for members to come back and see the improvements we’ve made.”
Indoor group exercise returns on 17th May. What are you most excited for?
“Being able to welcome more members back to the classes is an exciting prospect. We don’t have a large outdoor space at Witney, and not everybody wants to do their classes outdoors when it’s cold. A lot of people have been waiting for the return of indoor classes before coming back, so it’ll be great to see all their faces again. I’ve taught a few online classes, and while I do enjoy those you really can’t beat being in a studio face to face with members and having that relationship with them.”
What do you think is special about the classes on offer at Witney Lakes?
“I think it’s our instructors really. I think they really understand the service that we’re trying to provide to our members. We’re not your budget gym that just wants to get people through the doors. Many of our instructors will teach their class and then head into the Bistro for a coffee afterwards with members from the class, so we have that more personal touch – we’re not just here to teach classes, we want to really build a community with our members – that’s what sets us apart.”
“Being able to welcome more members back to the classes is an exciting prospect"
Discover a class for you
Visit our timetable to discover a class that complements your health goals.
