Manchester’s groundbreaking new gym concept GSquared Health Clubsis planning to “change the face of fitness” with a holistic approach for its members.
And along with the next-level gym facility, GSquared Manchester – which is set to open in January 2021 in the vaults of Royal Exchange Arcade, boasting 12,000sq ft of training space – will also come with its own dedicated tranquil space especially for power naps.
It will be known as the Sleep Pod.
GSquared clubs have always been a place to restore, re-energise and revive, but the Sleep Pod goes one step further by allowing members to escape the city for a moment of calm, and a study by NASA has even claimed that a simple 26-minute power nap can lead to an increase of productivity by 34%.
This undoubtedly makes the Sleep Pod the perfect solution for fatigued, Mancunian city workers.
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The brainchild of GSquared’s CEO Andy McGlynn, this private sanctuary for rest is about fuelling the body with holistic therapies, especially for those that need a ‘work in’ rather than ‘work out’.
“For too long, gyms have been known for a 1D approach to health and fitness through the means of exercise.” Andy explained.
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“But what if your body isn’t ready for an intense workout but more of a ‘work in’?
“We want to be different and support our members in their overall health, wellbeing and performance in and out of the gym. It’s the missing link to really helping people invest back in themselves without the warped idea they have to throw themselves and their already stressed body into a workout before it’s ready to do so.”
This Sleep Pod is just one of the innovative spaces to launch at the new health club, but what else can Mancunians expect come January?
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Well, within the 12,000sq ft of innovative training space, there’s also a studio offering holistic studio sessions, in addition to the usual high intensity classes, and there will also be dedicated treatment rooms for sports massage and sports rehabilitation therapies.
As you’d expect from a gym, there’s a sauna within each of the changing rooms, but in true GSquared style, this is an enhanced offering.
There will also be an Infra-Red Sauna, which is known for expelling more transdermal toxicity than standard saunas, resulting in clear and tighter skin, as well as assisting with deep relaxation, enhanced detoxification and a boost in immunity, and delayed onset muscle soreness.
GSquared’s front of house mirrors that of a five-star hotel too, with a serene foyer, an aquarium, waterfall and gentle classical music playing.
This is the holistic hub of GSquared, where the Sleep Pod and treatment rooms are located.
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With a “multi-faceted approach to fitness and wellbeing”, it’s pretty fair to say that GSquared is a revolution in the gym scene here in Manchester.
GSquared prides itself on focusing on the conditioning and balancing of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual components of its members, and the journey starts with “the most advanced gym induction in the world”, which includes body composition analysis, spinal alignment, full health and wellbeing analysis and more.
Membership tiers available at GSquared Health Clubs include:
Executive – £95 per month
Platinum – £150 per month
Platinum Plus – £225 per month
GSquared Health Clubs’ membership application will be pre-arranged appointments with state-of-the-art VR technology tours included.
More information ahead of the opening of Manchester’s newest gym concept can be found via the GSquared Health Clubs website here.
Sport
The 2025/26 Premiership Women’s Rugby season has been delayed
Danny Jones
The next Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) season has been officially delayed by nearly three weeks.
Announced on Tuesday, 21 January, the decision has been taken in an effort to help promote the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC), the proximity of which is rather close to the national union championship competition.
With sporting bodies also trying to nurture a growing interest in female rugby, the start of the next PWR season will be pushed back not only to give players more time to rest but in an effort to drive a larger audience to the WRWC as well, the final of which is being played here in England.
The hope is that it will also better the Red Roses’ chances of winning the international tournament in turn – fingers firmly crossed.
Get excited 🤩
The PWR 2025-26 Season will officially kick off on Saturday 25th October PLUS the PWR Cup will return 🙌
The conclusion of the international tournament is taking place at Twickenham Stadium in London on 27 September, just days before the 2025/26 Premiership season was due to start.
Local side Sale Sharks are sadly at the bottom of the table this current campaign, which kicked off on 5 October 2024 and ends this March, but with eyes already on the WRWC the focus for lots of players in the division will no doubt already be shifting.
Not only is the domestic women’s rugby season being delayed by nearly three whole weeks – meaning the first games won’t happen until 25 October – but this comes after the current schedule of fixtures was also reduced with player recovery in mind ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the PWR’s operations manager, Amy Walmsley, said: “The Rugby World Cup is a generational moment for women’s rugby and will create a huge opportunity for both PWR and our clubs to grow and celebrate with their fans.
“The optimum time between the Rugby World Cup Final and our first league match will ensure we capitalise on what we already know will be the biggest and best World Cup ever, while also ensuring player welfare with adequate rest across the season.”
The stats back it up too as 2024 saw numerous milestones for the women’s game; in addition to record crowds at the Olympics, last year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations was the most viewed on record with 8.1 million fans tuning in, not to mention an increased interest among 18-24-year-olds.
You can find the run-down of the Sale Sharks Women fixtures below:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗜𝗻
All of our fixtures for the 24/25 season are locked in. Let's bring that Northern roar to every game #SharksFamily 🦈
As for the final of the Premiership Women’s Rugby, the date has been reverted to its usual window in June, which should also fit within what congestion remains.
Nevertheless, with the Women’s Six Nations in late April and England – who have won all but one of their last 51 games – set to begin their World Cup on 22 August, the margins are still going to be somewhat fine if they are to head into the tournament in the best shape possible.
With the tickets selling extremely well, the expectation is that the Rugby World Cup final break is set to break the world record for the best-attended women’s rugby fixture in history.
In the meantime, Greater Manchester is gearing up for the men’s action as the Six Nations gets underway at the end of this month and the city is boasting the perfect place to watch it.
Ian Evatt sacked by Bolton Wanderers after emergency board meeting
Danny Jones
Bolton Wanderers have reportedly sacked manager Ian Evatt following yet another defeat in League One on Tuesday night, losing 2-1 to Charlton Athletic.
Marking their 10th defeat of the campaign so far, having only won just more than that tally and drawn five with a negative goal difference, it’s said an emergency board meeting was called after the result, with Evatt being ultimately let go.
The 43-year-old has been with the Greater Manchester side since 2020 after being snapped up following his impressive performance at Barrow AFC, where he got the non-league outfit promoted into the EFL after nearly half a century.
An official announcement by the club explains the decision was come to by “mutual consent” but regardless, the result is still the same and Evatt’s four-and-a-half-year tenure at Bolton has now come to an end.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club today announces that First Team Manager Ian Evatt has left the Club by mutual consent.
We would like to express our gratitude to Ian for his professionalism, commitment and creating a legacy during his time at the Club.#bwfc
Thanking for his “professionalism, commitment and creating a legacy during his time at the Club”, Bolton Wanderers Chairman, Sharon Brittan, goes on to add in the full statement: “Ian arrived at a challenging time for Bolton Wanderers Football Club and his dedication to rebuilding both on and off the pitch has been commendable.
“He instilled a renewed sense of professionalism and purpose, and we are grateful for his significant contributions during his four and a half years at the helm.
“He has been a pleasure to work with and I personally thank him for his hard work and passion for this Club. He has created a tremendous legacy and will always be remembered for the successes he has brought. We wish him nothing but success in the future.”
The decision for him to be sacked doesn’t exactly come as a surprise as the downturn in results over the last couple of seasons has been notable, and although Evatt made a bright start at Bolton, it’s been rather topsy-turvy for a while.
The former defender famously won them promotion to the third division when they were at risk of dropping into the National League amid their financial struggles and went on to win the EFL Trophy in 2023 – their first piece of silverware for more than 30 years.
It’s achievements like this that have given him a lot of goodwill around the Toughsheet Stadium but, in the end, the results just haven’t quite been enough. Despite many supporters having called for a change in leadership for some time, there was still plenty of gratitude for his efforts overall.
Thank you for everything, Ian Evatt.
Before this season, you built something special. The connection to the club had been the strongest it's been for a long, long time, so a big thank you.
No doubting, he tried. He did everything possible –but it just wasn't enough to take… pic.twitter.com/pb5dc5je9d
Evatt has also had more than his share of controversial moments in the dugout, as well as on the pitch.
It was only back in October 2024 that he was officially charged by the FA for misconduct after he squared up to a Shrewsbury player, leaning his forehead against captain Morgan Feeney in an aggressive manner, receiving a £3,400 fine and a three-game touchline ban.
As for the man himself, Evatt signed off by saying: “I’ve absolutely loved my time here at Bolton Wanderers Football Club. Working with Sharon and Nick [Luckock] has been a pleasure, and I’ve been superbly backed along the way by my team of staff and the players.
“There comes a point in football when a change needs to happen and the last thing I want is to damage what we have all built together. I believe the Club is still well-placed to achieve its goals this season, and I want to give the Board and players the best chance of doing that.
“I’m very grateful for everybody’s support and to be the manager of this wonderful football club has been the greatest honour of my career. To our fans, thank you for the support you have shown me and my staff. Together we have created some very special memories and I will always be a fan of this amazing football club.”
Bolton will be announcing an interim replacement in due course.
Joined us at one of our lowest moments.
A huge part of the journey in making us dream again.