Stobo Castle Hotel leads the way as one of Scotland’s newest clubs to install the Queenax™

Nestled among the beautiful Scottish Borders countryside, Stobo Castle offers a newly refurbished fitness suite, where the Queenax™ takes center stage.

The 800 sq ft gym was, in the words of Anne Symonds, Fitness Manager of the Fitness and Wellness Team: “A typical hotel gym with a carpeted floor and not a lot of choice of equipment. As time moved on, the equipment and software became dated and the gym space wasn’t being utilized to its maximum potential.

“I knew the whole ethos towards exercise has changed, leaning more towards functional fitness, cross fit, HIIT and body weight exercises. We need to cater for a large cross section of Fitness enthusiast’s that visit Stobo Castle, from the hard-core trainer to the recreational exerciser.”

While researching new equipment options, Symonds visited gyms throughout the Glasgow and Edinburgh area, and was introduced to the Queenax™ at Edinburgh University. “I was extremely keen on the idea of a rig with multiple stations on which we could offer a form of Cross Fit classes. A colleague put me in touch with Murray Rudkin at Rent a Gym and that’s when I was first introduced to Precor,” she says. “I then met Precor’s sales representative, Colin Wilkie, and saw the Queenax™ first-hand; that’s how our journey with Precor began."

“There were several pieces of equipment that drew my attention and the choice of colors was amazing; we opted for the bold Precor Black Pearl colorway with black upholstery and contrasted it with a white Queenax™ Wall Solution.”

Symonds and the Precor team were working with limited space, and the primary objective was that the gym didn’t seem overcrowded or have no space for floor work.

The team opted for three treadmills from the Cardio 800 line with P82 consoles, one AMT, one elliptical, one Assault AirBike Elite offering a HIIT solution for members, one leg press, one pulley system, one diverging lat pulldown and one converging chest press from the Discovery strength line, and finally the 2D Queenax™ Wall Solution with squat/bench arms.

Stobo Castle purchased its Precor equipment via distributor Rent a Gym, but Symonds says Wilkie was heavily involved in the project from the beginning. Rent a Gym and Precor helped effect a complete refurbishment, from the flooring and the selection of Precor equipment to the floor plan and complete installation. 

Symonds continues: “Colin was close at hand for support and we were pleased with Precor’s prompt after-sales service.”

All the gym staff have undertaken training provided by Precor covering Queenax™ health and safety, set up and circuit plans. “The training we were put through from Athleticum^® on the Queenax™ Coach Foundations Workshop Half Day was comprehensive and very useful, especially from a confidence point of view,” says Symonds. “It’s also a major bonus to be able to access Precor’s website for new Queenax™ workout programs.”

The Queenax™ is now an integral part of its member experience, providing Stobo Castle with the ability to offer a varied class schedule and diverse, interesting sessions. As a functional training tool, it’s fundamental to the overall gym offering. “We hold functional rig training regularly for up to eight people. It isn’t bookable and we have to have contingency plans utilizing other equipment as more than eight often turn up,” says Symonds. “Queenax is a statement piece of equipment and very versatile.  People are attracted to it, taking photos, and a bigger, more diverse clientele are working out in the gym now. It accommodates everyone’s fitness needs.”

Although Precor’s P82 consoles are self-explanatory and easy to use, to ensure a seamless transition, Symonds and her team have taken members through gym inductions again, helping them to set up their own accounts and login. “They are all impressed with the goal setting and love that each of their workouts is tracked and saved for them to continue with the next time they are in,” she says. “RunTV has been very popular and the range of workout formats on each of the machines has been well received – we can see these being used on a daily basis. The different apps available are very useful as we do have a few members who like to catch up on their Netflix programs and find that a great distraction when working out.”

Coaches and athletes from a Local Club have visited Stobo to see how the rig works and are now considering plans to install a Queenax™ at their own clubrooms.

Members have said:

“I think it’s great. You walk in and it’s a better place to train; more vibrant. We didn’t have a bench press, but now it’s been integrated into the rig well.” 

“The last gym was like a hotel gym, but this is a modern gym, I love working out in it.”

“Queenax is a statement piece of equipment and very versatile, and more diverse clientele are working out in the gym now.” 

“There is more interaction between staff, guests and gym members and it accommodates everyone’s fitness needs now, and there is more free space for floor work.”

“It puts the fun in functional but it’s damned hard work!”