The Bannatyne Group has invested £500,000 on equipment and facilities at its Lowestoft health club.

The refurbishment is part of the group’s £16m investment programme to update all its UK health clubs. The group has 66 sites across the UK, with some 200,000 members.

At the Lowestoft site a new training area has been created, featuring an Omnia 8 Rig, which aims to increase member interaction by allowing up to eight gym-goers to simultaneously swing, balance and hang from the equipment to strengthen core muscles. Water rowers and SkillMill machines have also been installed.

The club, which has 2,800 members, has installed MYZONE heart rate monitors and the Bannatyne app, which allows members to keep track of their fitness progress, complete challenges on their smart phone and book classes.

In addition to the new equipment, the free weights area has been extended and the café bar has a revamped menu as part of the group’s investment in its food and beverage offering.

Ben Newbould, general manager at Bannatyne Lowestoft, said: “Our members will certainly feel and see the benefits from the state of the art equipment, which will help them to reach their fitness goals more effectively.

“The Omnia 8 Rig is already a big hit with members. Functional training is the way the industry is progressing, with a focus on training movement patterns rather than isolated individual muscle groups, when it is used alongside the new results monitoring equipment, I’m sure members will see results faster than they thought possible.

“The new gym floor and extended free weights area are the perfect complement to our existing facilities including, swimming pool, sauna, and group exercise rooms for a whole variety of classes, including the fantastic new Block Fit.”