ZADI, the next female-only gym expanding across Australia

Forget green smoothies or being food obsessed. This female-only gym is offering tailored workouts for young women like ‘Toned AF’, ‘Work B*tch’ and ‘Badass Boss’.

This is not a female-only gym with choreographed gym routines or treadmills.

Instead, it’s a boutique studio where workouts like ‘Toned AF’, ‘Fit AF’, Work B*tch’, ‘Insta Firm’ and ‘Badass Boss’ take place.

Known as ZADI, it’s where the architect of Australia’s female-only gym, Fernwood Fitness, sees the future of women’s workouts.

Co-founded by personal trainer and Fernwood Fitness franchisee Adala Bolto and Fernwood Fitness CEO Diana Williams, ZADI already has two Sydney studios in Sydney’s Surry Hills and Neutral Bay.

As ZADI’s director Ms Bolto told News Corp Australia they have a list of 50 locations where they intend on expanding across Australia.

Aside from expanding in Sydney, they have also earmarked Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Canberra for future locations.

“We aren’t ruling out anything, if we had interest in other cities we’d be happy to look at those opportunities,” she said.

Launch of Zadi Training: Caia Khomoutov and Shaleigh Bronsveld. Picture: Supplied

ZADI fitness founder Adala Bolto. Picture: Supplied

“But for now, we have interest in these cities from trainers and potential franchise owners and we are not jumping straight into franchising everywhere as we want to ensure it’s successful.”

Ms Bolto said they are targeting Millennials age between 18 and 35, but they don’t discriminate. Their oldest member is currently 65.

“ZADI is the sister brand of Fernwood, but it is nothing like it — ZADI is a bit edgier, sexier and it offers workouts which scientifically cater to women and how their bodies respond to exercises,” she said.

“Contrary to other larger gyms and other unisex boutique studios, ZADI offers a more personalised service with smaller classes that feel like a personal training experience.

“Throw in the nightclub atmosphere, we are filling in a gap in the market where we’ve seen women train generically in unisex classes and not get results. We make the workouts more efficient for women to achieve their goals.”

Each class has a maximum of 16 women per session with two trainers on. There are 16 different styles of workout that are strength and HIIT-based that rotate fortnightly and go for anywhere between 30 and 55 minutes. Clients get to wear heart rate monitors and track their progress, and see the results of how much fat they’ve burned.

Each class has been developed by exercise scientist Damien Kelly.

Ms Bolto said unlike other gyms, they don’t focus on calorie counting or nutrition plans. Instead, they offer “the most metabolic way for females to train”.

“We train everybody like an athlete, but we don’t have a vision of clients quitting their day jobs and becoming obsessed with weighing food,” she said.

“If you are going to a unisex gym or using a fitness app or getting advice from a fitness blogger and you’re not getting anywhere, we help you get back to basics and the exercises you should be doing as a woman to get the best results.”

A recent report from IBISWorld titled Gyms and Fitness Centres in Australia, predicts that fitness industry revenue is expected to grow at an annualised 4.8 per cent over the five years through 2018-19, to $2.5 billion.

It also acknowledged the rise of 24/7 gym chains, stating that “gym memberships are expected to grow at a slower rate as niche gyms catering to all segments of the population have already accessed most consumer markets”.

“These gyms include full-service gyms, women-only gyms and budget 24-hour gyms.”

But Ms Bolto said no one needs to be in the gym 24/7 constantly to stay fit.

“You don’t have to be in the gym everyday. I used to do 20 classes a week as an instructor and was overusing my body. I’m still fit at age 40, but I only work out three times a week and find these workouts much more effective.”

The Work B*tch Workout

*4 x 1 min on each exercise

*Repeat workout x 2 rounds (twice)

*4 min break between the two rounds

*Complete all exercises before the minute is up, as soon as a new exercise starts you start.

Powerbag back squat

Do either 20, 16 or 12 repetitions.

Bench press

Lift 200kg, 160kg, 120kg.

Half kettlebell swings

Do either 20, 16 or 12 repetitions

Hang knee to elbow

Do either 18, 14 or 10 repetitions

Squat jumps

Do either 20, 16 or 12 repetitions.

Dual dumbbell push press

Do either 15, 12 or 9 repetitions.

Total resistance pull ups

Do either 15, 12 or 9 repetitions.

Rollouts

Do 18, 14 or 10 repetitions.