A Liverpool-based personal training gym which started in a garden shed has announced its new location next to Buckingham Palace.
Absolute Body Solutions (ABS) has announced that it is adding to its portfolio of premium personal training facilities with a new location in the heart of one of London’s most desirable postcodes, Belgravia.
The gym chain was founded by Liverpool born Connor O’Brien, who started training his first clients at the age of 17 in his parent’s back garden shed in Hale Village.
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Since then, he has grown the company into a premium gym brand. Despite several months of closure due to the pandemic, there have been new gyms on Castle Street in Liverpool, Leeds city centre and now ABS’ new Belgravia location.
Speaking to the ECHO about the gym's origins, Connor said: "I qualified as a personal trainer when I was 17, but I was told I couldn't be a staff member at a gym until I was 18.
"That put me in a position where I couldn't work in a normal gym. So I started doing sessions out of clients' houses. That grew a bit, so from there I built the shed in my parent's garden, which was when it really took off."
Connor argued that the personal trainer industry was quite new back then. Him spotting a gap in the market soon led to his services being in-demand.
He explained: "Even though it was from a garden, I ended up doing 60 sessions a week." The growth was organic. His then girlfriend, now wife, became a personal trainer, who became a staff member, alongside other friends.
Soon after, ABS opened up premises in Speke, then expanded to venues in Castle Street, Manchester, Leeds and now London.
When Connor saw a property available a stone's throw from the King's residence, it was too good an opportunity not to take. He said: "The possibility of having a gym on Buckingham Palace Road, having come from the garden, it was too good not go forward with it."
ABS have said that the current space in Victoria is undergoing a "major overhaul as it becomes one of the capitals must visit fitness destinations", with new equipment to be installed.
For Connor, the "drastic, life-changing results" achieved by his clients is one of the best aspects of the job. He explained: "We had a client who was receiving a really high dose of medication for type 2 diabetes.
"With the right training, nutrition and working with her doctor, we brought her need for medication right down, which is much better for her health."
He added: "Her daughter then got involved too, and she dropped 100 pounds through working with us."
Sessions are by appointment only, and since its inception in 2012 the firm offers what it claims are "unrivalled results" from clients. They are put through the gym’s "famous body transformations programmes, including their renowned 6 Week Plan."
The new Buckingham Palace Rd gym will offer a range of transformation programmes, as well as bespoke nutrition and exercise plans tailored to each new client. Personal trainers will work with clients and provide support and guidance, inside and outside of gym sessions.
Connor was still keen to emphasise the importance of Liverpool in his gym's growth. He explained: "Despite our growth in other places, we see Liverpool as our key fundamental place to allow us to grow the business and also our best facility.
"Getting that first place in south Liverpool gave us a good, stable basis to build from."
ABS London will be based at 60 Buckingham Palace Road, and will open in March 2023. It still has two gyms in Liverpool on Castle Street and in Speke.
You can find out more information about ABS by visiting the website here.
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