The Extravagant World of Exclusive Gym Design

Get an exclusive glimpse into the world of full-custom fitness design with ex-yacht deckhand Edward Thomas, as he reveals what it is like to design gyms for the most lavish of clients.

Palaces, Hollywood mansions, and multi-million-pound superyachts are all common design environments for former yacht deckhand Edward Thomas, who established an award-winning business that designs breathtaking gym spaces for some of the world’s most exclusive locations and lucrative clientele.

Edward started his career working onboard superyachts as a deckhand. Edward explains, “My duties were mainly cleaning and part of my remit was to look after the gym equipment. There was a particular set of dumbbells that used to rust like crazy, and I would sit up all night polishing them – only to find them orange again in the morning! This prompted me to look into products that were more suitable for the maritime environment and resulted in me starting the business in 2014.”

Designing gyms allows Edward and his team to travel to some of the most incredible properties and superyachts all over the world. Located in Bath, UK and operating internationally with distribution hubs in Europe and the USA, Gym Marine Yacht & Design further expanded its services with the launch of Coral Spa Consultants earlier this year. “Coral Spa Consultants is a natural extension of the business, and means we implement luxury spa and wellness spaces alongside the gyms already created,” says Edward.

The company has noticed a rise in popularity for having both guest gyms and crew gyms aboard yachts, and with crew wellbeing in mind Gym Marine collaborates with Saltlick Fitness, their crew wellbeing partner, to provide crew with carefully curated programmes that will work alongside the equipment crew have available. “Saltlick Fitness was founded by a duo of personal trainers that have worked on yachts, and who understand the demands of that working environment,” explains Ed. “They know how to motivate people and how the limited space available aboard a yacht can be optimised.”

Gym Marine has an impressive client base that trusts the team to manage their health and fitness needs in estates all around the world. As Edward explains, “One billionaire client approached Gym Marine to consult on 12 of his properties globally, plus a very large yacht currently in build in Europe. The brief was to make the experience the same in every property, so wherever he is in the world he can keep to his specific workout plan.” Being an independent consultant allows Gym Marine to not be tied to a single provider, and the team specific only the very best equipment for their clients.

Gym Marine often receive requests for custom pieces of gym equipment, and the team frequently collaborate with Paragon Studio to create luxurious, sustainable products made from premium natural materials. “Working with UHNWIs means expecting the unexpected,” says Ed. “Requests can include everything from leopard print kettlebells to $50K teak-and-bronze dumbbells, or wrapping equipment in leather for an ‘Hermes’ style.”

For those with expensive tastes, Gym Marine Yachts & Interiors are clearly the name top of the shopping list.

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