Entrepreneur launches new fitness app

A Shropshire entrepreneur is looking to help people recovering from drug addiction by giving them access to a new fitness app.

David Corfield, who runs a hybrid, boutique gym on the outskirts of Albrighton, will team up with official rehabilitation programmes to provide individuals with one-year free membership to his ‘Total Fitness’ app.

This means they will be able to take part in up to 14, one-hour virtual classes per week that cover strength, power, cardio, mobility and core strength, all put together against themed music and utilising basic fitness equipment that can be substituted for everyday objects that remove the need for heavy expenditure. 

The qualified personal trainer overcame his own ten-year battle with heroin and wants to make this commitment as part of a long-term desire to give something back.

“Getting involved in exercise and fitness can really aid recovery and helps give you focus when your mind can be straying - I know this from personal experience,” said David, who has been clean for 18 years.

“Unfortunately, gyms can be out of financial reach, so I’ve decided to make my new ‘Total Fitness’ app free for the first twelve months, with a view to then offering a weekly workshop/class at my fitness centre in Albrighton.

“This means all people will need is a phone, download the app and then they can start taking the classes. We have 80 different ‘Total Fitness’ classes delivering endless variety, including streaming three yoga classes, two ‘Live Strong’ classes (aimed at complete beginners and seniors) and a 30-minute ‘Total Mobility’ class at 6pm on Sundays. 

“We’ve replaced the usual equipment with household items that you can use and still gain the same effect. Keeping fit is great for the body, but importantly also for the mind and will hopefully help aid rehabilitation and recovery.”

David Corfield Gymnasium, which is just a few minutes from Junction 3 of the M54, was launched in 2015 and provides an exclusive boutique health and fitness club offering all forms of exercise, from yoga and Pilates to body building, boxing and cross training.

More than 400 members enjoy a ‘community’ environment that combines state-of-the-art gym facilities with the knowledge and expertise of eight top coaches, delivering high intensity, holistic fitness, using full body, three dimensional movements and corrective exercise.

When the Covid-19 pandemic threw daily routines into disarray, David and the team decided to take classes online, utilising Facebook Live to make sure members and other local people could keep fit and boost their mental health during lockdown.

David said: “This new project has been a real local effort with developer and gym member Ben Owen helping take our vision and turning it into an easy-to-use app. We genuinely believe that we could have thousands of new members - from all over the world - by the end of 2022.”