Jims celebrates two years with Colruyt Group by opening a brand-new gym in Wilrijk
Monday, April 17, 2023
Two years after fitness chain Jims became part of Colruyt Group, it is opening a brand-new gym in Wilrijk: a spacious, light-filled building furnished in keeping with the latest Jims concept. The premises in Wilrijk have a modern infrastructure, including a high-end boxing concept, healthy refrigerators and the latest equipment. The fitness chain aims to provide the ultimate fitness experience by offering personal coaching in small groups, among other things. Together with Colruyt Group, Jims wants to make health - in the broad sense of the word - accessible to all ages.
Fresh look-and-feel and extensive offer
Jims has opened a new club in Antwerp. Sports enthusiasts are not only welcome in the city centre (at the Koning Albertpark), but also in Wilrijk now. It's the chain's 35th club in Belgium and Luxemburg. The chain is experiencing strong growth in terms of openings, considering that Jims only had 26 clubs a year ago. The new site in Wilrijk is furnished in accordance with the new Jims look-and-feel. The large windows make it the chain's most light-filled club. The latest Life Fitness equipment and an inviting lounge can be found on the ground floor and there are two big rooms on the first floor for group classes. The underground car park is free for customers.
Apart from the well-known individual fitness equipment, Jims Wilrijk also offers a broad range of group classes such as yogilates, body pump, BBB, Zumba and cross-training. And in the 'Boxing Cube' studio, specialised trainers give premium boxing classes, from English boxing, self-defence and kickboxing to HIIT boxing and cardio boxing.
Specialisation in smaller groups with personal coaching
Jims Wilrijk focuses on small-scale group classes with personal coaching, both for starters and more experienced people, such as strength training specifically for men or women with personal advice. “We believe it's important to give everyone the right support,” club manager Jennifer Cassiman underlines. “Because everyone's level and needs are different. For example, we teach starters to do the exercises correctly, and build strength and knowledge step by step. They learn about how to use the equipment, but also about the anatomy of their bodies. And that's how we avoid injuries in the end.”
Based on this reasoning, Cassiman also collaborated on the Jims concept of 'Strength for Women Training'. “In a traditional gym, women often feel a barrier to stand among men to train,” Cassiman explains. “Our ‘Strength for Women Training’ lowers this barrier. Women are coached in small groups, with a customised training plan. Pre- and post-natal coaching allows women to work on a fit and healthy body during this period. We also focus on functional exercises, for instance simulating movements from daily life. Again, this is to prevent injuries.”
Jims' goal is to make exercise accessible to all ages. Apart from coaching women and starters, Jims also organises sports camps for children and provides elderly support in cooperation with the senior citizens’ movement OKRA. Inclusion is key here. For instance, the fitness chain concluded a partnership with Special Olympics Belgium to help people with mental disabilities exercise.
And it also goes beyond sports. As part of Colruyt Group, Jims is focused on health in the broad sense of the word. Events on healthy food, breathing and ice bath workshops, etc. are organised at Jims clubs.
Bringing together two years of expertise within Colruyt Group
The new Jims club in Wilrijk is located next to Dreambaby, Dreamland, Collect&Go and Bio-Planet, four other Colruyt Group brands. Having been part of the group for two years, this was a logical place to open a new gym. Jims has already collaborated with other group brands and departments for several projects. For example, it equipped all the clubs with the healthiest vending machines available. The technology was developed by Colruyt Group's Smart Technic innovation hub and Solucious, the group's food service specialist, is taking care of the logistics.
The recently launched free app 'Relaxation by Newpharma' is another great example of synergies between different Colruyt Group banners. Online pharmacy Newpharma asked the yoga specialists at Jims to integrate the right exercises in the app based on their expertise. The app with breathing and yoga exercises fits perfectly in Colruyt Group's ambition to focus more on services that guide customers to better mental and physical health. Thanks to Jims' expertise, Colruyt Group will be able to support its customers even better and get them to exercise more in the coming years.