EX-BEDALE High School student Alex Thompson has just celebrated three years as owner of KI Fitness on the Leeming Bar Industrial Estate.

On leaving school, Mr Thompson became interested in martial arts and studied aikido, as well as playing rugby. For many years, his ambition was to open his own gymnasium that catered for the general public through to professional athletes.

He said: “I was 24 when I made the decision to follow my dream, having never run my own business before and being young, the banks were hesitant to give me a chance.”

However, with help and professional guidance from his business mentors, his business plan was worked on and adapted, and his persistence paid off when he successfully secured his loan to equip his premises on the industrial estate, opening in 2011.

Mr Thompson named his gym KI Fitness, taking the word ki, from aikido, which means energy in Japanese.

Since those humble beginnings, he has seen his membership dramatically increase with ages ranging from 17- to 65-year-olds, his clients come from Richmond, Leyburn, Northallerton, Catterick and Darlington.

He said; “We are the only strength and conditioning gym in the area helping numerous members and athletes achieve their goals, by using scientifically proven training methods.”

He has recently built an upstairs extension to the gym to hold all the cardio exercise machines to expand the resistance area downstairs which is the largest in the area.

Mr Thompson said his boot camps are also proving to be incredibly successful.

He said: “Our boot camps are like no other. We don’t ‘beast’ anyone in an attempt to ‘prove’ what we do works, but we have created a system that keeps metabolism burning unwanted body fat for up to two days after the session.

“We operate female only and mixed boot camps every day from 6.30am to 7.30am and 7.30am to 8.30am with evening sessions at 6pm and 7pm, as well as at weekends.

My personal guarantee is that you will see results or your money back. After two months in operation, none of the members has received a penny back, such has been the success of the boot camp.”

Mr Thompson can be contacted on 01677 988142 between 6am and 9pm or go to kifitness.co.uk.