The new Strength + Conditioning facility has proved a major draw for members seeking both coached sessions and individual workouts.
And anyone who has ever tried to paint a neat number on the side of their wheelie bin with a spray can really ought to take a moment to admire the artwork on the end wall.
Muralist Russell Meehan’s huge design mixes creativity with unbelievable precision. Apparently he achieves the fine detail by removing the nozzle and controlling the spray with his finger. (Please do not try this at home.)
Russ, street tag ‘Qubek”, has had almost no formal art training and started off spray-painting his name on railway sidings like a lot of other kids. “It’s been a basic human urge to leave your mark on your surroundings since prehistoric times,” he said.
Now he is one of Manchester’s most popular street artists, probably best known for his tribute to the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing – 22 Manchester worker bees swarming around a honey heart – painted on the side of The Koffee Pot in the Northern Quarter.
When co-Gym Manager Lisa Pilkington commissioned him to add colour – and inspiration – to the S+C room, he trawled the Club’s brochures and website to get a feel for The Northern.
“I started with the Club colours and then added different shades of blue,” he said. “My first colour mixes looked nice but too ‘happy’ – I had to rethink to convey effort and commitment and I hope I’ve achieved that.”
If you’ve not tried out the area yet then Reception can provide details, or any of the PTs will be happy to give guidance on using the equipment. (For info: the leg press is 45kg unweighted!)
