Virgin Active, the UK’s number one health and fitness club, is investing £100 million over the next three years to help people across the UK turn good intentions into active habits throughout 2014 and beyond. 

The £100 million investment will be used to refurbish and enhance its clubs across the UK, and invest in new equipment and technology that will enable members to track their progress both in and out of club.

Research shows that for members to stay engaged with their fitness routines over the long-term, it is vital that personal activity goals are set.  To help members on their way, the company will continue to invest in providing outstanding levels of training for fitness coaches and personal trainers to ensure they can help members achieve their personal goals. Virgin Active will also create over 100 new coaching and training jobs in January to ensure more members than ever benefit from personal advice from fitness experts.

The investment will also provide members with exclusive benefits which help them stay active beyond the health club floor, such as places in some of the UK’s top mass participation events: the Virgin Money London Marathon; the London and Blenheim Triathlons; and RideLondon.

Matt Merrick, Managing Director of Virgin Active in the UK, said: “January is a time when lots of people think about joining a health club, but our mission is to inspire people to be active far beyond the first month of the year – we believe in life resolutions, not New Year’s resolutions, when it comes to getting more active. By providing members with cutting-edge technology, the widest range of facilities, latest equipment and best work-out environment, as well as advice from our team of trained professionals, we believe our investment will help motivate people to become active-ists in 2014 and beyond.”

The £100 million investment programme builds on a £15 million investment programme in 2013 to create the Virgin Active Classic Collection. The Classic Collection is a portfolio of clubs designed for fitness enthusiasts who want year-round access to the latest fitness trends and innovations in a more luxury health club environment. As well as the latest innovations, members can enjoy reciprocal access to other Classic clubs around the world, making membership a true passport to luxury.

The Classic clubs have been designed to a high specification, with luxury interiors, attention to detail and the latest in exercise innovations, including Technogym Artis fitness equipment.

Members can also enjoy exclusive priority access to new innovations as the clubs are used by Virgin Active as a test bed for new equipment and fitness trends from around the world. Examples include the Watt Bike, which uses technology to analyse every pedal turn, enabling users to perfect their technique and balance, and the Woodway Curve, the world’s first green treadmill, powered by users and providing the closest experience to outdoor running.

Matt Merrick, Managing Director of Virgin Active in the UK, added: “The Classic Collection is designed to inspire people that can already claim to be true active-ists - two-thirds of existing Classic club members say they never go more than a few days without doing some form of exercise. We have set out to create a health club that rewards people’s impressive on-going commitment and motivation with a luxury experience and the opportunity to benefit from the latest fitness trends before anyone else.”