These Superstar Instructors Are Launching Their Own Fitness Platform

LONDON, United Kingdom — A group of superstar instructors from London are launching their own digital fitness platform aimed at providing structured resistance-based workouts, taught by industry-leading trainers.

GRNDHOUSE, an online fitness studio slated to launch in January 2021, is the brainchild of Louis Rennocks, Jay Copley, Connor Minney, Nik Naidoo and Izy George, all of whom rose to fame at cult fitness studio Barry’s Bootcamp. The team line-up is completed with trainer Esmee Gummer.

By bringing together a wealth of experience from their respective careers in the industry and leveraging a collective following of more than 100,000 people, the founders hope they can find their niche in an increasingly competitive market. And they’re focusing on online strength-training to differentiate themselves from the pack.

“We are going to be the first online platform that specialises in strength-based training,” claims co-founder Louis Rennocks.

Adding: “Whilst interest in online fitness classes grew exponentially during lockdown, we observed that sessions were more often cardio and HIIT focused. Generally cardio and HIIT are viewed as more easily practicable, but we believe that strength-based training should be equally accessible, rather than being reserved for avid gym-goers.”

By offering online strength-training via a weekly programme of eight unique classes (each targeting key muscle groups, backed by guidance on form and technique), culminating in a weekly live class led by all of the instructors, the platform aims to translate the type of workouts typically found on the gym floor into the home environment.

However, according to the brand, in addition to providing intelligent programming and scientifically proven workouts intended to build endurance, stability, power and confidence — with each class designed to have a specific goal-based focus to help users progress, while avoiding plateaus — its secret sauce will lie in its strong focus on community and camaraderie.

“With people training at home, often solo, they want to be part of something,” explains Rennocks. 

“We want to be a global brand with a local presence in everyone’s household – they are an extension of our friendship group; our house is your house,” he adds.

Like so many fitness instructors, Rennocks and his co-founders have already formed communities that are built on “something raw, authentic and playful”. And it’s that personal value that’s helping them to stand out in a booming market.

Read More: How Fitness Trainers Are Paving Their Own Way In The Post-Covid Digital World

Having been thrust out on their own in the aftermath of COVID, with little financial security or safety, fitness instructors across the globe have been “forced to innovate, and quicky,” Rennocks tells Welltodo. 

“It forced us to really dig deep, and come up with solutions to not only keep our head above water but continue doing what we love and build a brand,” he adds.

In Rennocks case, that’s teaching fitness classes and empowering people — something he says he and his co-founders now have the opportunity to do on a much bigger scale.

But they’re not the only ones to have spotted the opportunity. In the new digital fitness landscape, a flurry of fitness trainers are becoming content creators, in a bid to carve out direct revenue streams.

However, Rennocks doesn’t seem too worried.

“There is of course always going to be choice, but what I will say is we believe in our product to a point that people will keep coming back because they are getting results, are healthy and most of all they enjoy the workout and vibe. No one is reinventing the wheel here, but what differentiates products nowadays is the trainers – clients buy into the trainers, and that is where we truly believe we will stand out.”