Bootcamp42 which started in Penarth opens first gym

Maybe you’ve come across one of Ben Noel’s invigorating fitness classes in Plymouth Park next to Penarth Marina.

Mr Noel, 27, knows his stuff when it comes to keeping in shape– we could tell instantly by the chiselled jawline, expansive chest and not an ounce of fat on his body – basically the exact opposite to how we look…

Mr Noel was a budding sprinter at university going all the way to national level, then, after uni, he wanted to get into fitness and so did his personal training qualifications.

He started at Pure Gym on the Bay then, when, while out for run, came to Plymouth Park and thought it would be an amazing space to set up a pop-up class.

Ben Noel's fitness classes began in Plymouth Park (Image: Google Maps)

Not enough just to be super fit and help others at a commercial gym, Mr Noel had the determination to go it on his own and train people his way.

He set up Bootcamp 42 online and started offering classes in the open air and beautiful surrounds of Plymouth Park.

With B42’s growing success he now has his own gym in the Global Link building on Dunleavy Drive, just across from the international sports village, and it’s an impressive space.

There's a vast floor cleared of the office desks and replaced by gym equipment – bench, squat, frame, dumbells and cardio.

Now, Ben Noel has his own gym (Image: Newsquest)

B42 is a little different – it’s not an open gym with the company being class-based. That means you can sign up for a set amount of classes delivered over a six-week period.

Mr Noel describes this as a “commitment model”, where, instead of a pay-as-you-go service, which gives people plenty of wiggle room to skip that training class, you pay for the six weeks upfront, giving you added impetus to complete your training regime and be transformed into a Greek god or goddess!

Why B42? Well, each session is 42 minutes long, with the catch line: “Make a change in 42 minutes, become a new you in 42 days.”

Based in Cardiff Bay, gone are the desks and the 9 to 5 drawl. Now it's about getting fit! (Image: Newsquest)

Read more here: Petition for Anytime Fitness Penarth after uncertain future

Just 27, Ben Noel has his own gym (Image: Newsquest)

On how this amazing story began, Mr Noel said: “I used to be a sprinter, then came to Wales in 2016 for uni.

“After that I got my personal training qualifications and worked at Pure Gym, but I remember going for a run, found Plymouth Park and thought what a great place this would be for a boot camp, and I started my first class in September 2019.”

B42’s indoor gym space opens on Monday, March 11, with a final taster session on Saturday, March 9.

If you want to find out more about B42 and what it can offer you, go to www.bootcamp42.co.uk.