Fitness classes where even your children and the dog are welcome!

New year, new you? Exercise more and eat less?

Jemma Burns started FitNest almost two years ago having grown up in Warrington – Burtonwood and Great Sankey – before moving back to the town at the age of 18 after spending five years in Australia.

She provides fun fitness classes and packages for people of all ages, sizes and abilities – fitness for the whole family.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, she tells us why she decided to welcome children to her workout sessions and what a difference it makes for her clients.

If you would like to appear in our Trader of the Week or Business of the Week feature, email heidi.summerfield@newsquest.co.uk

FitNest owner Jemma Burns

What’s the name of the business?

FitNest LTD

What’s the address?

I’m Warrington-based.

When did you open the business?

I started the business on February 22, 2021 – my birthday!

Are you local to the area? Did you grow up here?

Yes I’m local. I have lived in Burtonwood and Great Sankey and moved to Australia when I was 13 before moving back to Warrington when I was 18.

Tell me a bit about your business. What do you do? What services do you provide?

My business is all about fitness for the whole family, where childcare should never be an issue. I have buggy bootcamps, baby massage and yoga for the whole family as well as young at heart – for the over 60s, online and one to one personal training and outdoor bootcamps and HIIT – high intensity interval training.

Jemma on an evening workout

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Why did you decide to open your own business?

I have always worked in the fitness industry and been interested in health and fitness. I firmly believe, and research shows, that the sooner you get your children into exercise the less likely they are to have weight issues as they get older. There are so many weight-related health problems for people and I want to do my part to help with this. I have also seen how parents struggle to get into a good fitness routine, due to difficulties with childcare, so I wanted to offer a safe space where children are always welcome. I focus on the mental just as much as the physical aspects of fitness and keeping fit. I believe that if we feel better in ourselves then we are more likely to make better decisions. At FitNest, we speak kindly to ourselves and life is about balance – a life without cake is not a life I want to be part of!

What’s your business background?

I worked in youth gyms in Warrington and other well-known gyms, and have progressed through management, personal training and class instructing. I have been in the fitness industry for 10 years.

Why this type of business?

Because I love fitness myself! It makes me feel physically and mentally stronger, confident and capable. I suffer with anxiety and love how fitness can help in the most unexpected ways.

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Jemma can offer one to one personal training sessions

How did the Covid-19 pandemic affect your business?

I opened during the pandemic, offering online personal training and zoom classes. When we could meet in groups outside, I led bootcamps and everyone seemed to have a new found appreciation for health and fitness and being able to get outside. Often, it’s about meeting up with others and having that social connection during a workout.

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

It sounds cliché, but we are a family. We have Christmas parties, lunches out and always support each other - we celebrate successes. Childcare is never an issue. Bring the kids - they are always welcome – and so are dogs. We have fun. We run lots of team challenges and in the summer we did a burpee challenge. Some of my clients challenged themselves to one burpee while others wanted to do 1,000.

Jemma and her clients enjoying a Christmas party together

I am also a pre and postnatal specialist, with a degree in anatomical sciences, so everything I do and promote is fully backed with research. I want to help people live happier, healthier, fitter and more balanced lives. We don’t do diets and focus on six-week transformations. We want results that will stand the test of time and that can be maintained. Find something you enjoy and make it work for you.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

I am hoping to start offering more indoor classes and some Ride (cycle) classes. More members means more people to help, which I would love. I would also like to go into schools and work with children and their parents and teachers. I’m hoping to look more closely at how we can get fit for fertility.