Bay gets fast fitness with global gym chain

An international health and fitness franchise, featuring smaller and more affordable gyms, is preparing to open in Tauranga.
Korey Gibson, who holds the exclusive New Zealand rights for Snap Fitness, is negotiating premises close to downtown Tauranga and expects to open the first of four clubs here by February.
"We are close to securing our first site," he said. "It's all about finding the right locations, and we are looking to establish other clubs in Papamoa, Mount Maunganui and Bethlehem."
Clients, who will have a personalised swipe card, will be able to use the neighbourhood gyms any time of the day for fast and convenient workouts.
They don't have to lock themselves into long-term contracts, instead paying on a month-to-month basis with a starting membership of up to $12.50 a week.
The gyms, up to 350sq m in size, have 24-hour video surveillance and members can use the latest cardio and strength-training equipment imported from Italy.
"We are an alternative to the big-box gyms," Mr Gibson said. "Our members don't want to use the group fitness classes.
"They want to do their stuff with a 45-60min workout and then go home. They don't even bother using the showers."
Snap Fitness, established in 2003 by Americans Chad Kirchoff and Peter Taunton, has become the world's fastest-growing franchisor of compact, state-of-the-art fitness centres.
The company motto is "fast, convenient, affordable" and Snap Fitness won the category for fitness franchises in the United States Entrepreneur magazine.
In six years, nearly 2000 clubs have opened in US, Canada, India, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.
Mr Gibson, who operates the Quest Health Club in Christchurch with 2600 members and 40 staff, is working with fitness entrepreneur Leon McNiece to open 30 Snap Fitness gyms in New Zealand within five years, including 10 in Auckland.
Some will be franchises and others will be owned by Mr Gibson and Mr McNiece's company.
Mr McNiece founded Goodlife Health Club in Australia and developed 40 fitness centres before selling to Macquarie Leisure Trust, now called Ardent Leisure.
The first Snap Fitness Gym is already operating in Papanui, Christchurch, and another opens in the city within a month, and the first franchised gym will be established in Christchurch in February.
"I've got plenty of managers down here [in Christchurch] who are happy to move to Tauranga," said Mr Gibson.
"The area is the Gold Coast of the North Island, it has a warm climate and people there like to look good. We had to hurry up and get there before someone else did."