GYMS across Swindon are gearing themselves up for a golden period of trade, as those making New Year’s resolutions to get fit begin to sign up to memberships.

From January through to March, the gyms across the town are likely to be faced with decisions on finding new equipment and even denying staff holiday.

Kiss Gyms, in Princes Street, is approaching the 4,000-member mark and is likely to go beyond it during this busy period.

Plans are already in place for more equipment to be installed at the 24-hour site, should the 4,000-member mark be passed, according to general manager Adam York.

He said: “It’s really interesting that such a small thing like a New Year’s resolution, just a simple tradition, makes such a huge difference.

“January, February and March is by far the busiest period of the year. “In some gyms I have worked at in the past, staff weren’t allowed to take holidays during this time because it’s so busy.

“Other gyms may do the same, but I took on new personal trainers in December here, because you want them to get used to the gym and be ready for January.

“I have met one personal trainer who, between December and the end of January, had earned £2,000.”

The amount of money a personal trainer can make during this period is dependent on the individual, according to Adam.

He is focusing his training slots on those tackling obesity and he studying for a degree in clinical exercise science at the University of Portsmouth one day a week, as a part of his focus on obese clients.

“It’s just people’s habits and behaviour based around a small tradition,” he said. “But people can get fit anytime of the year,.

“We will expect to see an increase of 200 people over the course of January. Last year was our first and we saw an increase of 200 just in the last half of the month; so we expect to see that again, if not more.

“It’s pretty impressive for the whole industry. There will be a guaranteed, marked increase in every gym before it drops off again later in the year.

“How busy your busiest periods are, will dictate how many members gyms can take on, or if extra equipment is necessary, because you are never going to get all your members in at one time.

“We are now near 4,000 members and when we pass that we will have more equipment installed – it’s been planned for when we hit that magic number.”