Jims consolidates expansion in Oost-Vlaanderen and opens new club in Ghent De Sterre

Monday, September 11, 2023

Last year, gym chain Jims took over the majority of Oxygen Fitness clubs. In the meantime, Jims has (re)opened a part of the clubs in Oost-Vlaanderen, including the latest addition Ghent De Sterre this week. The focus lies on personal coaching there, complemented by the globally recognised Les Mills 'Strength Development' programme. For this branch, Jims is joining forces with Bike Republic. Together they want to motivate Colruyt Group employees to exercise more, by offering free shared bicycles from the regional Colruyt Group office in Zwijnaarde to De Sterre.

Four brand-new gyms for the people of Ghent

Turns out to be a strong year for Jims in Oost-Vlaanderen, with the acquisition of six Oxygen clubs and the renovation of two existing Jims gyms. Jims is definitely aiming at the ring road around Ghent, where it is strategically positioned with four clubs. Pieterjan Nuitten, general manager of Jims, outlines the history: "In 2010, we started with the very first Jims club in Ghent Rooigem. Now, 13 years later and part of Colruyt Group family, we cover the entire ring road of Ghent with four gyms: our two existing Jims clubs in Overpoort and Rooigem, and the two ex-Oxygen clubs in Dok Noord and De Sterre which were added later. The last two were completely revamped in the latest Jims look during the summer holidays. This brings the counter to 30 clubs in Belgium, including seven in Oost-Vlaanderen. We are proud of this acceleration and our ambition to eventually operate 50 to 60 clubs is getting closer and closer."

Ultramodern look and personal coaching in a new workout concept

The new Jims club De Sterre offers members individual training options, as always, but mainly focuses on 'small group training'. A unique feature of Jims De Sterre is the introduction of Les Mills' new 'Strength Development Classes', a progressive strength training in a 12-week training programme. The founder of Les Mills is a four-time Olympian in athletics and started his first gym in New Zealand in 1968. The resulting Les Mills workouts have since become popular with millions of athletes in clubs and gyms around the world. "When we met Phillip Mills a few months back, it quickly became clear that we share a similar outlook on health. For Mills, too, fitness training is more than just a workout. It is about well-being in general, including mental and emotional well-being. We believe that regular exercise can promote mental health and provide an outlet to relieve stress, build resilience and boost self-confidence," says Pieterjan Nuitten.

As always, the common thread in what Jims offers is personal coaching. "Where 10 years ago everyone was running on the treadmill in the gym, we now see a shift towards strength and functional training, where body movements and patterns from everyday life are imitated. However, this type of training requires adequate guidance from professionals. That is also why our small group training sessions are ideal for those who like to stick to a training plan. The coaches make an individual plan and help evaluate the results," says an enthusiastic Glenn Derweduwen, club manager of De Sterre. Within the offer of small group training, several tracks are available, including a 'Strength for Women Training' and a 'Start to Work-out' for beginners.

The club was completely furbished according to Jims' new look-and-feel, which blends in seamlessly with the high ceilings and open spaces of the industrial building. Furthermore, the club also has a cosy lounge and, as always, members can use Jims' healthy vending machines at the club. Jims also expects De Sterre to be enthusiastically welcomed by students in Ghent, given that the club is close to a number of major campuses and easily accessible by public transport.

Making employees move thanks to the synergy between Jims and Bike Republic

Colruyt Group has been investing in health for years, both for consumers, with group companies such as Jims, Newpharma and the recent stake in yoboo, and for its own employees. For Colruyt Group employees, the arrival of Jims De Sterre is a great opportunity to get more exercise. The club is at a short cycling distance from the regional office in Zwijnaarde. Bike Republic will therefore provide shared bicycles on the Zwijnaarde site, based on their mission to get everyone riding a bike. In this way, employees can easily work out before, during or after work. A concept that Colruyt Group, together with Bike Republic and Jims, hopes to roll out to other companies in due course. The aim of the cooperation is to encourage employees to exercise more, by providing easy access to facilities, to make people feel better about themselves, both mentally and physically.

The brand-new gym Ghent De Sterre is located at Kortrijksesteenweg 908, 9000 Ghent. The festive opening takes place on Monday 25 September from 18:30. People who are interested can get a taste of the strength training and follow a gym session with Younes Idrissi and Aagje Van Walleghem. There will also be healthy pizzas, drinks and a DJ. Want to know more about Jims Ghent De Sterre? https://www.jimsfitness.be/nl/gent-de-sterre