MARCH is traditionally a month when gyms see new members fade away after the New Year get-fit boom – but not so at Alton Sports Centre it seems.

Almost 1,000 people have taken out new memberships since the £20 million centre’s star-studded opening, and visitor numbers are soaring.

Nowhere more is this in evidence than in the centre’s jewel in the crown gym, where – according to fitness manager Joe Noble – usage has trebled compared to the old centre.

Boasting 130 individual ‘stations’, the new gym is “four to five times larger” than its predecessor – and it’s clearly a lure, with every area of the gym bustling with members on the Herald’s visit last Friday afternoon.

“The old gym, for what it was, was really good,” said Joe. “There was a really nice atmosphere over there, and going into a bigger gym, there is a danger that you could lose that – but it’s been really good here in terms of keeping that. All the old faces are still here, mixing with the new.

“Having more space, just means we can have more kit and cater for a greater variety of people. It’s a lot more inclusive.”

So has the type of people using the gym changed?

“Demographically, it’s always been rather broad,” Joe continued. “But we have noticed a younger crowd using the gym in the early evening, mainly because we’ve got a lot more specialised weightlifting kit.

“It is really good to see the younger generation coming in using it regularly, because at the end of the day they are people that are going to be still here hopefully in years to come if we look after them now.”

Another draw for younger members is the centre’s Junior Active sessions, in which 12 to 16 year olds can use the facilities unaccompanied by an adult (but supported by instructors).

But one clear feature of the new gym is its generational mix, and the new centre has inherited, and built-on, it predecessor’s popular ‘Health and Fun’ sessions; offering an array of activities and classes for the over-50s too.

Every piece of equipment is new; with an especially popular addition being the individual TV screens on the treadmills, cross trainers and static bikes, offering Freeview TV, YouTube or even a grand tour of scenic routes from Lake Garda to Patagonia.

There are also two free weight areas boasting a bumper selection of dumbbells, several stretching areas, and a vast range of resistance and cardiovascular equipment. To get their head around all this kit, every new member is booked in for a free induction – but the support doesn’t end there.

“If you’re unsure about anything, the best thing to do is ask the guys on the gym floor or book in for one of our free one-to-ones,” said Joe.

“We want to get everyone confident with all areas of the gym, and we’re always on hand to be there to answer questions. You don’t need to necessarily book a personal trainer for help, but they are there too if people want to take things a little bit further.”

The centre’s expanded programme of group exercise classes have also proved “even more popular than we anticipated”, added Joe, with around 100 ‘Group X’ sessions now offered every week to meet demand.

New studios benefit from top of the range sound systems and visual effects, with the addition of virtual, video-led classes playing a vital role in meeting demand; currently forming around 50 per cent of classes. Spinning classes also boast 31 bikes, up from the old centre’s 12.

“The feedback has been amazing,” Joe continued. “Just looking at the gym alone, I’ve been to lots of private clubs and to me that’s better than most, if not all.

“It sounds a bit cheesy, but when I turn up to work, I’m still just blown away by the new facilities. It’s just a really nice place to be.”

Joe’s top tips to make the most of the gym:

1) Don’t be a hero

There’s a lot of new kit compared to the old gym, but don’t try to use it all in one workout. It’s there so you’ve got scope to change-up your workout and prolong the time that you’re in here; not in one session but over the period of your membership.

2) Less is more

Spend shorter amounts of time in the gym, but visit more frequently. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise at moderate intensity, five times a week (not necessarily all on site). It’s easier to find a spare 30 or 40 minutes, than a two-hour session.

3) Start easy

You want to increase your heart rate higher than what you would be normally, but not to a level that leaves you crawling. ‘Zero’ is your fresh, just got out of bed feeling, ‘ten’ is your maximum. You want to be sat at about a ‘five’ or ‘six’.

4) Mix cardio and resistance

Two or three cardio machines (running, cycling, rowing etc) in a session is great – but you also want to make sure you’re adding an element of resistance (aka weight) training. Where do we get our problems as we go through life? It tends to be our knees and our back. So to tick a good box, focus on your legs and back.