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[title]Once upon a time, not very long ago, the ‘fitness industry’ was purely focused on aesthetics: “In the past, you only attended the gym to look better, but that is starting to change”, says Justin Ashley, the 2021 Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Ashley is the CEO and co-founder of One Playground, which – just a second ago – was called Fitness Playground. As well as opening an epic new gym in Newtown, they have just rebranded to One Playground – removing the word ‘Fitness’ from their name.
Why? Over the last three years, more of their members joined the gym to feel better than to lose weight or build muscle. In fact, the number one goal for members is to increase energy, while number two is to decrease stress.
It’s a healthy shift for society, as far as Justin is concerned, and one that was fast-tracked by the pandemic. “People’s overall wellness became a big priority during lockdowns, and the positive benefits of exercise on mental health are well researched,” he says.
Straight out of Sydney’s second lockdown, they launched their first ‘Wellness Playground’, a new breed of gym, in Marrickville. The facility has been designed across two distinct levels, and has five incredible studios alongside a gym, so you can design your gym experience around how you feel.
There’s the high-intensity gym space upstairs, with strength and cardio equipment, as well as high-energy studios and classes offering Spin and HIIT. While the downstairs space – which resembles a Mykonos day spa – is all about calming, balancing and rejuvenating experiences. There’s an intimate Reformer Pilates studio, a tranquil yoga shala, a neon-lit barre and dance studio, plus infrared saunas, luxe lounge spaces and a creche wonderland.
And that’s where the word ‘One’ in the new brand name comes from – Sydneysiders can have just one affordable One Playground membership and access a huge variety of experiences for the body and mind, all under one roof.
“In order to meet their fitness and wellness needs, many Australians carry a gym membership for weights and cardio, and then attend specialist studios for HIIT, spin, yoga or Pilates. With classes often priced at around $35 each, members are investing well over $100 each week to address their fitness needs,” Justin says. “One Playground’s unique offering will allow members to move away from holding various gym and studio memberships, combining them under one roof, with one affordable membership, without compromising on quality.”
In line with the rebrand, the newest One Playground has just opened in Newtown, Sydney. It’s a complete overhaul of their existing Newtown gym. Like all of their gyms, it’s exquisitely designed so that it’s an inspiring space to be in – the type of place you actually want to jump out of bed to be in, as opposed to a drab room filled with black equipment. Yet it’s completely different to all their other gyms. There’s no cookie-cutter approach to One Playground club designs – each one is entirely unique.
The ethereal teal and white palette of the new Newtown gives you the sense that you’re training in the clouds. Even the world-class custom-designed equipment is white. There’s a DJ booth perched over the space, which syncs up with a huge grid of lighting that can change colours and pulse to the beat of each song. It looks more nightclub than gym.
If you’re looking for the motivation to boost your wellness in every sense of the word, or want to shift over to a gym you won’t feel like bypassing, check it out.
Members of One Playground can access all One Playground facilities. To see locations, get a free pass or find out more, jump over to oneplayground.com.au.