Énergie Fitness gym in Aberdeenshire transforms training for women going through menopause

An Aberdeenshire gym is among the first in Scotland with staff specifically trained to support clients with menopause.

Fiona Chapman, who works as a personal trainer at Énergie Fitness in Inverurie, has been raising awareness about menopause by sharing her personal journey.

After founding a local support group to help others, she wanted to do even more.

Now, everyone at her gym has received training from Menopause Experts Group, for which Fiona is a ‘Menopause Champion’.

Fitness instructors can now identify the needs of clients with menopause and tailor training to help them achieve the best results.

Fiona told STV News: ‘‘I think it is extremely important that we appreciate how women’s bodies change when we approach menopause.

‘‘Exercise is one of the best things we can do going forward for the prevention of strokes, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetics and I think the most important thing is for longevity and mental health.’’

Fiona Chapman supports clients going through menopause with tailored fitness programmes

With a number of clients at the gym going through menopause, they say knowing staff have the knowledge and understanding to help has made a huge difference.

”Whether it’s personal training or even in a class, they get it,’’ said Joyce Massiem.

‘‘They get that you’re just not feeling it that day or you’re struggling, and they just encourage you to do what you can.”

Alanna Ross said the training will help raise awareness about living with menopause.

‘‘Just to know that people understand. I think with menopause, there is so much that isn’t spoken about that is kind of brushed under the carpet.

“So, to be around people who have empathy with what you are going through has a huge impact.”

Nick Ruta, owner of Énergie Fitness, hopes the training will help clients feel more confident to share how they are feeling and be supported by staff.

‘‘Having that kind of information available to look at then when we have a member who is struggling with an exercise or joint pain, we can then say that might be why,’’ Nick said.

‘‘Then we can dial it back or look at alternatives to do – and it gives us the education and knowledge to help them to achieve what they want to achieve.”