Leisure trust Active Nation has invested £450,000 in refurbishing three of its gyms and installing new Precor cv equipment.

The investment is part of the charity's strategy to launch a new Exercise Experience offer.

The three gyms in Swadlincote, Chorley and Lincoln have been redesigned in a way that helps gym members fit their exercise routine in to just 30 minutes per session, using a menu of more than 300 pre-designed exercise programmes with cards for every experience level and specific goals.

The strength area, known as Power, has cards containing 50 different workouts. Each one offering three levels of difficulty; Discover, for first time or new users; Explore, offering progression and specific focuses for the more experienced exerciser; and Excel, a 'truly creative' strength workout.

As part of the new Exercise Experience, each gym will have three themed Exercise Zones, Power, Move and Core.

According to Stuart Martin, Active Nation's group commercial manager, the areas are designed much like a theme park.

"A map shows the colour-coded themed identity of each area," he said.

"It also shows you the route to take. Each area of the gym has a theme to give it identity and the kit is positioned to create zones within zones, as well as areas that cater for small group training."

Among the new equipment available at the centres is Precor's recently launched AMT with Open Stride, upright and recumbent bikes and elliptical crosstrainers.

The largest of the three facilities in Yarborough, Lincoln, with a 3,000sq ft gym, also sees the introduction of a range of Precor's Experience S-Line strength pieces.

Active Nation currently operates a total of 17 sites across the UK, ten with gyms, and ranging from outdoor sports facilities including sailing, climbing and kayaking, tennis centres, swimming pools and two alpine snowsports centres, all with the aim 'to persuade the nation to be active'.