Major £235k refurbishment completed at Garstang Health and Fitness Centre. Wyre Council is delighted to announce the completion of a major refurbishment at Garstang Health and Fitness Centre, following an investment of more than £235,000 to transform the gym and indoor group cycling studio facilities. The newly upgraded gym and studio was officially opened by Councillor Lynne Bowen, Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder at Wyre Council, alongside Wyre's Mayor Councillor Steve Nicholls and Lancaster and Wyre MP Cat Smith, who marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Delivered by Parkwood Leisure and Creating Active Futures in partnership with leading fitness equipment suppliers Life Fitness and The Physical Company, the refurbishment has transformed the centre's fitness offering. Almost all existing equipment has been replaced, creating a modern, high-quality environment designed to support a wide range of fitness goals. The improvements include: * A suite of Life Fitness cardio equipment, featuring treadmills, cross trainers and bikes with advanced SE4 touchscreen consoles, internet connectivity and on-demand workouts. * A complete range of Life Fitness Insignia resistance machines. * A dedicated Hammer Strength lifting zone with plate-loaded machines, including a leg press, hack squat, V-squat and glute drive. * A new multi-jungle cable system and expanded resistance training area. * Enhanced free weight provision, including dumbbells up to 40kg, alongside a newly created lighter weights area and functional training equipment such as kettlebells, sled equipment and battle ropes. * A new dedicated cycling studio featuring 25 new bikes, increasing class capacity and providing opportunities to expand the centre's indoor group cycling programme. As part of the refurbishment, the strength and resistance training areas have also been upgraded with 40mm rubber flooring, improving both safety and performance for users. Councillor Lynne Bowen, Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder at Wyre Council, said, "This significant investment has created a fantastic facility for residents of Garstang and the surrounding area. The upgraded gym and indoor group cycling studio offer something for everyone, whether they are just starting their fitness journey or are experienced gym users. Wyre Council is proud to support facilities that help improve the health and wellbeing of its communities." The investment reinforces Wyre Council's commitment to providing high-quality leisure facilities that encourage residents to lead active, healthy lifestyles in inclusive and welcoming environments. Francois Smit, Regional Director at Parkwood Leisure, said: "The transformation of the gym and indoor group cycling studio at Garstang Health and Fitness Centre represents a major enhancement to the customer experience. Wyre Council is proud to deliver first-class facilities that support healthier lifestyles and encourage more people to get active." All members can book a gym induction session with trained fitness staff to help them get familiar with the new equipment, build confidence and make the most of their workouts. Published: 19th August 2026

Life Fitness brings equipment into Les Mills classes in new partnership. March 18, 2026 1/3 free articles used this month. The deal will see Life Fitness / Hammer Strength bikes enter Les Mills' online cycling classes, as the equipment supplier looks to expand its influence amid several new partnerships unveiled at this year's HFA Show in San Diego. Les Mills and Life Fitness / Hammer Strength are the latest major brands to leverage a strategic partnership this year. The deal situates Les Mills as the official cycle content partner of Life Fitness, while Life Fitness takes on the role as the official bike partner of Les Mills for its cycle programs. That means consumers of Les Mills online classes will see Life Fitness' bikes on screens. The two brands have hinted at future integrations to come. "Les Mills and Life Fitness are living proof that innovation and passion stand the test of time," said Les Mills managing director Phillip Mills. "Together, we're building a foundation for the future, rooted in shared values, proven expertise, and a long-term vision to elevate the role fitness plays in people's lives." The collaboration, unveiled at this year's HFA Show in San Diego, provides clubs and partners the opportunity to take advantage of upgraded training experiences and equipment, as the two brands roll out new products, live events and connected fitness opportunities. "Life Fitness / Hammer Strength has always been focused on building equipment that helps people move with confidence and achieve results," added Life Fitness / Hammer Strength CEO Jim Pisani. "Our alignment with Les Mills is rooted in shared values and a deep belief in performance, science, and quality." Les Mills isn't the only brand Life Fitness is aligning with, as the equipment supplier also announced a partnership with global health technology company Evolt Health. The collaboration will see Life Fitness / Hammer Strength integrate Evolt's AI-powered body composition scans into the Life Fitness Connect app, where users can utilize personalized guidance that adapts to their goals and fitness level, with ongoing recommendations that evolve with them. Life Fitness app users will be able to access the Evolt 360 Body Composition Analyzer, a 60-second scan that provides over 40 health metrics, including skeletal muscle mass, body fat, visceral fat, metabolic rate, total body water and segmental muscle and fat analysis. These insights can then inform training recommendations within the Life Fitness / Hammer Strength platform. The partnership also made its debut at the 2026 HFA Show, where numerous industry giants are making waves with bold new collaborations, including Peloton and Precor's new Commercial Series line for gyms.

Les Mills and Life Fitness announce strategic partnership to elevate fitness experiences. PR Newswire Today at 5:44am PDT Partnership sees two iconic brands with shared heritage and purpose bring together world-class training and engineering to create better fitness experiences for every body. SAN DIEGO, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Les Mills and Life Fitness / Hammer Strength today announced a new strategic partnership that combines their complementary strengths and values to shape the next era of fitness. The partnership, unveiled at the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) trade show in San Diego, unites world-class training experiences and equipment to create more engaging ways for clubs and partners to move people. The collaboration will result in exciting new products, live events and connected fitness experiences across the two brands' ecosystems, with further announcements to be revealed in the coming months. Les Mills will serve as the Official Cycle Content Partner of Life Fitness, while Life Fitness will serve as the Official Bike Partner of Les Mills for its cycle programs. Shared Heritage and Values The seeds of the partnership can be traced back to 1968, when two fitness revolutions began, half a world apart. In the US, the first piece of electronic fitness equipment, the Lifecycle exercise bike, emerged and later became the first product Augie Nieto brought to market as he built what would become Life Fitness. Meanwhile in New Zealand, Les and Colleen Mills parlayed Olympic training expertise into a fitness movement for the people. Nearly six decades later, those legacies are converging to shape the next era of fitness. Les Mills and Life Fitness share a belief in performance, science-driven innovation, and the role fitness plays in improving global health and well-being. Both brands have consistently set industry standards through engineering excellence, world-class programming, and a commitment to creating experiences that inspire people to fall in love with fitness. Uniting Strengths to Raise Standards The partnership brings together Les Mills' world-leading group training content with Life Fitness' market-leading equipment engineering and global footprint. The collaboration will enable clubs, partners, and operators to deliver more connected, motivating, and high-quality fitness experiences at scale, across a range of environments. Phillip Mills, Les Mills Managing Director, said: "Les Mills and Life Fitness are living proof that innovation and passion stand the test of time. Together, The Daily Astorian is building a foundation for the future, rooted in shared values, proven expertise, and a long-term vision to elevate the role fitness plays in people's lives. "Our mission is to make people fall in love with fitness - to help clubs deliver more inspiring, more effective workouts that support long-term engagement and growth." Jim Pisani, Life Fitness / Hammer Strength CEO, added: "Life Fitness / Hammer Strength has always been focused on building equipment that helps people move with confidence and achieve results. Its alignment with Les Mills is rooted in shared values and a deep belief in performance, science, and quality. "As global fitness leaders, we have a unique opportunity to elevate the experience for training environments, instructors, and members worldwide - empowering more people to work out and creating healthier lives together. This partnership reflects what's possible when complementary strengths come together to shape the future of fitness." ABOUT LES MILLS Les Mills is the global leader in group training and creator of over 30 programs available in leading fitness facilities around the world. Les Mills programs include the world's favourite group strength workout BODYPUMP(TM), BODYCOMBAT(TM)(martial arts), THE TRIP(TM), LES MILLS SPRINT(TM) and RPM(TM)(indoor cycling), LES MILLS CEREMONY(TM)(functional circuit training), and its latest fitness innovation - BODYPUMP HEAVY(TM). The company was founded by Les Mills - a four-time Olympian and national head coach of New Zealand track and field - who opened his first gym in 1968 with the aim of taking elite sports training to the masses. Today, Les Mills workouts are delivered by 100,000 certified Instructors in 22,600 clubs across 110 countries, as well as via the LES MILLS+ streaming platform and Extended Reality (XR). ABOUT LIFE FITNESS / HAMMER STRENGTH Life Fitness / Hammer Strength has been inspiring the world to work out for more than 55 years. Every day, people in more than 150 countries log in 1+ million workouts on the company's connected fitness equipment - proving daily that Life Fitness /Hammer Strength is the world's workout partner of choice. By seamlessly bringing innovative, high-performance and reliable equipment and digital solutions to members, wherever and whenever they work out, Life Fitness/Hammer Strength aims to inspire healthier lives. Headquartered outside of Chicago, in Rosemont, Illinois, the company manufactures and sells strength and cardiovascular equipment through its iconic Life Fitness and Hammer Strength brands. By integrating the best of both brands, the company provides comprehensive workout solutions for commercial and consumer customers. For more information, visit www.lifefitness.com. SOURCE Life Fitness / Hammer Strength This is a paid placement. For further inquiries, please contact PR Newswire directly.