I’m lucky enough to own The Meadow gym with my brother Joe.

We’ve been running for just over a year after opening our doors in April 2021. We’re based down in Hills Meadow industrial estate on Peel Road, and we’re one of four gyms under the umbrella of Dan and Erin Bonett who own CrossFit IOM.

Dan and Erin have a great reputation on the island and it’s a pleasure to work with them in helping people get fit.

What do we do at our gym?

We specialise in functional fitness.

Functional fitness can be described as training that supports your everyday life.

It includes movements such as pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, lunging, climbing etc.

These exercises will literally improve daily life by strengthening muscles to prepare them for everyday tasks and activities. Everyone performs some sort of squat and deadlift every day, so training those in the gym will make day to day life easier.

Getting up and down off a chair is a squat, and every time you pick something up, you’re performing a deadlift. It’s always functional stuff.

How do our sessions work?

We run multiple classes, five days a week with up to 12 people in a class. Think ‘group personal training’ session, rather than fitness ‘class’.

All of our sessions are structured, with every session having a different focus.

We’re not a ‘bootcamp’ – so every session isn’t random. We have specific focuses each session, and everyone gets time with a coach. Our aim is to coach you and help you become the fittest, strongest version of yourself.

After warming you up and briefing the session, we then normally move into one of two main strength based exercises.

(Squatting, deadlifts, pressing, pulling etc. Mostly using barbells, dumbbells and bodyweight)

We’ll more often than not include some sort of METCON – metabolic conditioning.

This is just a posh phrase for cardio. This is the part of the session that focuses on your cardiovascular fitness – increasing lung capacity and heart health.

This ranges from using the rower, bikes, ski machines and also bodyweight stuff like burpees and running. We make sure that we vary our cardio work between high and low intensity.

Core work is a huge focus of ours too, a strong core means a strong body.

The core is literally the centre of every physical task you do, and having a good strong core will help you live a healthier life. When people think ‘core’ they often think ripped abdominal muscles, only acquired through hundreds of reps of sit-ups.

Training your core can be done countless ways, and will help you squat, deadlift and press heavier, but also keep your injury risk down.

Having a stronger trunk will make moving heavy objects easier, improve your posture, and keep your spine safer

We use an app to track all of your lifts, so if that’s what you want to do – you can track your progress, see your lifts increase and watch your fitness get better in your workouts.

Also, if you don’t want to track, and you just want to come in, workout and go home – that’s cool too! Absolutely none of what we do is off the cuff - so if you’re serious about getting better, come give us a try.

Client feedback

Here’s some feedback we’ve had from our clients in the past month:

What is your favourite thing about The Meadow?

‘The fact that so many different people from so many different backgrounds and walks of life just all muck in together.’

‘Welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Quirky and a bit bonkers.’

‘The support. Without doubt. I’m nearly 8 months pregnant and have trained throughout my pregnancy. All the coaches are conscientious and encouraging and support the necessary adaptations I need to make to help me maintain fitness without injury. Ace team.’

What is The Meadow to you?

‘It’s just a great place. I’ve been coming for over a year, I’ve brought my kids whenever I have had to, learned SO much, improved both mentally and physically and absolutely wouldn’t be without the place.’

‘My happy place.’

‘A place I can go that’s just for me. Never been to a gym like it, everyone is so friendly and helpful. Can walk in on a bad mood and walk out on cloud 9! Met some great people there! Everyone wants the best for everyone else, it’s ace!’

‘The Meadow is home. I miss it when I’m not there and feel welcome and part of a family when I am there no matter who is training. It’s a place where everyone is humbled each session and no egos are allowed – it’s basically the soundest place to socialize, exercise, to be inspired and to have a bloody good laugh.’

Reading these last week really reminded me what a great community we have down at The Meadow, and how it is a lot of our members ‘happy place’ and so much more than just a gym.

If it’s something you’d like to come and try, we’re offering FREE taster sessions, because we know how infectious the atmosphere and energy is

Thinking about coming and joining the madness? Get in touch with me on

As always, thanks for taking the time to read! It really does mean a lot.