New training facility opens in Ballina

By Thomas Conway

Already equipped with an artisan coffee shop and a bustling hardware store, the centre of Ballina has always had an energetic vibe, but the tempo was taken up a notch last Saturday morning with the official opening of The Workshop fitness facility along the main street.

With health and wellness very much in vogue, gyms are becoming ubiquitous across the country, but this is no conventional bodybuilding salon. The space will be dedicated to a form of fitness known as “small group training” or SGT - a new, novel concept being pioneered by Newport duo Conor Floyd and Kealan Floyd, two cousins with a passion for fitness, a commitment to community and an entrepreneurial streak.

In 2021 the two men established The Workshop health & fitness facility in their native Newport, a purpose-built, state-of-the-art gym dedicated to supporting members “to achieve their goals and build sustainable, long-term health.”

The venture was a response to growing demand in Newport for a dedicated fitness facility. Conor explains that the idea first emerged during Covid, when people were confined to their localities.

The two cousins realised that the people of Newport were crying out for an exercise facility, and so they opened one. The SGT idea soon grew off the back of that. They opened their first group training outlet in Newport and it was a roaring success. The decision to expand to Ballina was a logical next step.

“Ballina was always in the back of our heads as a potential second location,” Conor says.

“Both Newport and Ballina-Killaloe are growing places in terms of population. Myself and Kealan are probably quite locally-spirited - we play local sport and our families are very involved in local communities. So, we always had the idea of trying to build something locally, something that would make the community a better place.”

A large crowd of inquisitive locals packed into the Ballina venue on Saturday, where they watched Tipperary hurler and Ballina native Mikey Breen cut the ribbon to formally open the facility.

With the Liam MacCarthy Cup floating around, the crowd was then treated to a range of short presentations delivered by Conor, Kealan and head coach Stephen Mulvihill. Their collective mission - to make fitness more accessible and to incorporate “a community element” into people’s training - is refreshing, but it is also highly beneficial when it comes to improving outcomes. Training with others, under specialised coaches, enables people to develop relationships and exceed their limits, as Kealan outlines.

“You pick up new friendships along the way. Having someone to train with you and push you along, helps to keep people going at it week-in week-out,” he said.

What can clients expect? Intensive, dynamic sessions which combine a range of training types, from strength and muscle-building to endurance and flexibility. Conor says that the idea of small group training arose directly from seeing people who were “apprehensive” about joining the gym. Both Kealan and him wanted to create a more welcoming environment, but they didn’t want to compromise on standards or intensity. They decided that training in small, condensed groups was the way to go. They had landed on a winner.

With a blue and white facade and a deceptively spacious interior, the facility is certainly an addition to Ballina’s main street. Locals who attended the launch on Saturday were both impressed and enthusiastic.

The outlet will also be used by rehab specialist Ben Pratt, who has over two decades of experience in his specific strand of health and fitness.