Founder Ami Collins oversees the work in progress

Jesmond’s first ladies-only fitness studio is set to open in the second week of December.

Work is coming along at ‘Ami’s’ to create a space for women’s classes and individual personal training sessions.

The new studio is located above Willi’s coffee shop on Clayton Road. Building work is set to be finished within a fortnight and the team will be offering unlimited free taster classes until 15 December, although booking will be essential to guarantee availability.

Local personal trainer and founder Ami Collins spoke of her concerns over ladies’ exercise in gyms: “A lack of support in some gyms means I often see people working out ineffectively”.

Collins suspects that some women could feel intimidated by the idea of “great big muscle men” dominating the weights and equipment.

We asked some gym-goers in Jesmond what they thought about training in a mixed environment:

Collins is passionate about the style and ethos she hopes to create at her studio, and insists she is keen to do away with militant drills and shouting.

“We have a lot of fun. This is informal; it’s my priority to make sure that we’re safe and working effectively but are we too serious? No!”

The timetable at ‘Ami’s’ looks to offer Pilates, yoga, circuit training, boot camp, Zumba, boxercise, body-balancing classes and kettle bell training, as well as other personal programmes.

For full details of Ami’s timetable and project mission visit her Facebook page. For more information and enquiries contact 07968 073337.