FUSE

Interview with Ashley Reece - Owner of Fuse

What’s the history behind FUSE?

We started out as a personal training studio back in 2018-2019, using Wolverson as our equipment provider. Back then, it was just a squat rack, a rower, and the barbells and plates. From there, we moved into live group training, then became more of a group training facility - and now we’re a multi-site operation.

What type of gym is FUSE?

In terms of group training, we do live sessions, small group sessions, and personal training that’s tailored to individuals. But I’d say we’re primarily a functional strength training facility.

When it came to planning and laying out the gym, did you already have a concept in mind?

For the new facility, I was looking for something with the right square footage, something that flowed similarly to what we already had. I bounced between a few ideas, but after speaking with you guys, we settled on a layout - especially for this new site. This facility has actually gone through six different transformations with your help, especially as we expanded.

How do you find the TITAN rigs help with programming and your small group classes?

The Titan rigs have made us far more flexible when it comes to programming. At our current location, we’ve installed a more functional rig and are using cables over the top for a lot of band work. The rigs and cables let us do more, add more resistance, and generally give us a lot more versatility - we can now incorporate things like lat pulldowns with bands. It’s been a huge help. Plus, in terms of aesthetics, the rigs look slick, professional, and bring a real sense of quality to the gym.

What have you learned along the way - either with your first gym or this one?

So many lessons. From an equipment perspective, the biggest one is: do it right the first time. Buy cheap, buy twice - that sort of thing. But also, let the business grow. If I were giving advice to someone opening a gym, I’d say: don’t feel like everything has to be perfect on day one. Members actually enjoy seeing the gym evolve. Adding new kit here and there, upgrading bits as you go - they appreciate that journey. People often assume it has to be flawless straight away, but that’s not always the case.

Would you recommend Wolverson to others in the fitness space?

Absolutely. I’ve already spoken to others about them. From a design point of view, they’ve been incredibly helpful. Sales-wise - very supportive. And they’ve been very reasonable and competitive on cost. They worked within our budget and collaborated with us on the design. Going back to lessons learned - I’ve tried to do it all myself before, but what I’ve realised is that spending that bit extra to get things sorted properly through you guys has been a lifesaver. It’s meant I could stay focused on running the business instead of getting my hands dirty.