Fitness First will is launching a capital investment of £20m in 2013 in an attempt to return the brand to UK market leader.

The spend will cover essential maintenance, major refurbishment and an investment of £4.5m in fitness technology, marking the largest phase of innovation in the company's history.

Products and features at clubs will include hot yoga studios, cool down air showers, interactive screens with virtual personal trainers, freestyle areas and high definition screen treadmills where members can run virtual routes in California, Europe and Africa.

The gyms will host Diversity and Victoria Pendleton fitness classes and British Cycling Team-inspired 'Wattbikes', which offer technique feedback as well as air and magnetic resistance.

The average spend on fully refurbished clubs will be £750,000, with locations in South Kensington, Poole and London among the first to trial the new designs and training concepts.

A further £1m has been invested in appointing more than 70 new club managers.

Managing director for the UK Martin Seibold said: "High calibre fitness staff, unique equipment and a more interactive member experience will put us at the forefront of the UK fitness industry."

Fitness First is one of the largest health club groups in the world with over 380 clubs in 15 countries. In the UK it has more than 85 clubs with 50 in London, and reaches over 232,000 members.