Meet the health club proprietor who has BANNED new members from becoming a member of this January – and why his current gym-goers love him for it

January is normally a peak time for gym sign-ups as merrymakers try to shed some pounds after a week of festive overindulgence. 

But gym owner Clayton Leah is taking an ‘unconventional approach’ and turning down new starters at the busiest time of the year. 

The 31-year-old, who co-owns Ascendancy Fitness, in Warrington, Cheshire, is suspending memberships throughout January to try and provide a better experience for existing gym-goers.

He says he’s made the decision to ensure current members can continue their fitness journeys without disruption.

Clayton hopes it pushes other gyms in the same direction – and wants to encourage people to start living a healthy lifestyle at a different time of year.

Clayton said: ‘We thought this year that there was a real chance we could get a lot of sign-ups in the New Year – because even through November and December we just continuously had grown in memberships.

‘That was a warning sign that in January we could have a significantly busy month and that would then just annoy all of our existing members who have been with us for so long.

‘We wanted to try and break the mould. Try and take an unconventional approach and protect our existing members – that is the most important thing for us.’

Business partners (left-to-right) Jack Bramhall and Clayton Leigh, who run Ascendancy Fitness in Warrington, Cheshire 

Sarah Holland, one of the personal trainers at Ascendency Fitness, which is banning new members from joining in January – a common time for signing up for the gym after festive overindulgence 

The gym hopes that by suspending memberships in January they will provide a better experience for their existing customers

Clayton hopes his move encourages people not to just join the gym in the first month of the year. 

He says people are drawn to the gym during January due to ‘New Year’s resolutions’ – often a motivation for losing weight or getting fit.

‘People want to lose a bit of weight in the New Year and make a pact to join the gym and then obviously you get an influx of members,’ Clayton said.

‘When you make those resolutions in December – because you are making them at that point in time it is only natural that the motivation is not going to be there forever.

‘That is why you have this big influx in January and it comes February and people tend to drop off a little bit.’

Clayton claims it’s not the first time the gym has paused new members joining. He said: ‘The only negative response people have is a case of “I was going to join but now I can’t.”

‘For those people I say “well, you should have joined sooner.” Now you’ve plucked something away from someone and they want it – it is just always the case.’

Ascension Gym opened in February 2018 and Clayton says it has more than 650 members.

Gym owner Clayton Leah says ‘When you make those resolutions in December – because you are making them at that point in time it is only natural that the motivation is not going to be there forever. That is why you have this big influx in January and it comes February and people tend to drop off a little bit.’

There is now evidence that just 20 minutes of physical activity per day slashes the risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease

Exercising can reduce your risk of major illness, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

According to the NHS being active can also lower your risk of early death by up to 30 per cent.

The NHS recommends adults aged 19 to 64 do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week.

This could be 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Alternatively, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week.

It suggests doing a mix of strengthening activities, such as yoga, weigh lifting or carrying heavy shopping bags, moderate activity that raises your heart rate such as a brisk walk or a bike ride and vigorous activity such as a run or a swim.