SWAG (Start With A Goal) is named Trader of the Week

SWAG (Start With A Goal) is a boutique studio in New Milton offering a diverse range of classes all wrapped up in a visual wonderland.

Inside SWAG studio

Alison Francis, who is behind the gym, told the Daily Echo: "SWAG has naturally grown to be a warm, inviting, and fun place to be, you feel at home as soon as you walk in.

"It’s an escape from life, a chance to be as young in action as you are at heart! Want to swing on a rope shouting ‘weeeeeeeee?’ Be our guest! Want to leap over a gym horse onto a crash mat like you did at school? Go for it!

"We work hard in our classes whilst making it fun and inclusive. We have the complete spectrum of age, fitness level, confidence level and everyone is supported.

"We’re naturally and wonderfully odd and non-conformist which hopefully means everyone feels welcome at SWAG."

SWAG studio equipment

SWAG promises a complete approach to health and wellbeing, mind and body with quirky workshops and events including silent yoga, clubbericse, burlesque and pole fit.

The magnificent 16ft high vaulted roof is hung with all sorts of rings, ropes, ariel hoops and Pole Fit poles and there's a particular focus on calisthenics, pole fit and yoga.

Previously a successful recruitment consultant, Alison has been a personal trainer ever since returning to work after raising her family ten years ago.

The 2,000 sq ft open plan space on the first floor of the former Drews Yard building took nine months to renovate and only opened for three days before Covid lockdown number two was announced.

"Covid was entirely devastating," says Alison. "It was just heartbreaking.

Seating inside SWAG

"But as things open back up, the space and high ceilings enable clients to space out and the swathes of natural light streaming in makes it feel like you’re outside, without getting wet! The sealed floor is cleaned with a Karcher hard floor device and strict Covid safe protocols adopted."

SWAG and its sister company Highcliffe Outdoor Bootcamp grew out of the closure of previous business Society 23 in Highcliffe, which ran for nearly six years before Covid hit and the building lease was up.

"We want it to be a place we’d want to train, no egos, no cliques, everyone having fun and jointly celebrating one another’s accomplishments," added Alison.