A Workington gym which has thrived and diversified during the pandemic is celebrating this month as it marks 10 years of business.
Xtreme Fitness, created by Lee Butterworth, was established on October 1 2011.
Within the decade, Xtreme Fitness has raised over £200,000 for local causes and charities, moved into a 20,000sq ft square foot complex during the pandemic, built a team of 16 dedicated members of staff, have over 1,200 active gym members, survived a pandemic and boast over four million downloads on GIPHY.
“My uncle had a gym when I was growing up,” said Lee.
“I started going there when I was about 14 and I’d join in the ladies-only sessions with my mum! Ever since then I’ve always trained and I’ve done bodybuilding shows, charity boxing fights and I’ve played rugby for local teams. It was always a massive part of my life.”
At 16, Lee joined the British Army’s Parachute Regiment but then left to work in a long series of jobs until his mid-20s.
He said: “I went back to college when I was 25 and did a HND in software engineering and then I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship as a systems engineer and worked my way up over six years to be a project manager with a control systems expert working in the nuclear sector,” he says.
However, despite having forged a successful career, Lee decided to take the plunge and started Xtreme Fitness.
Lee added: “The idea of starting my own gym had always been on my mind and one day I decided to just go for it, I guess I wanted my career to be something that I really loved and cared about; I didn’t want it to just be a job. Fitness has been such a positive thing for me and I wanted to help other people feel that as well.
“When I decided to open Xtreme Fitness I was told by many that it wouldn’t work, that no one would want to travel to Lillyhall for a gym. I believed in what I was doing and I knew it would work.
“What I didn’t know was who would be my customer? I had never run a business before, never mind a run a gym, I just didn’t know who would walk through that door and sign up.
“To say I was chuffed with the type of members that signed up would be an understatement. Some of the most amazing people I have met, lots of kind, caring and crazy people with hearts of gold.
“Twenty per cent of businesses fail in their first year, and 60 per cent within three years so I’m so grateful to have made it through 10!
“I’d like to thank all our amazing members for all their support over the years especially the last two years.
“Without the support over the pandemic, we wouldn’t be here now. A massive thank you to my amazing team, who are one of the reasons as to why the gym does so well and the volume of people we can help.”
