We’ve been a firm fixture in this fabulous magazine since April 2021, bringing you articles about all things’ fitness. We are now delighted to be a firm fixture on Thames Ditton High Street too, as the new tenants at 29A High Street. It’s time to introduce ourselves to those of you who don’t know us, and to those who do, share the history of how we came to be!
We are Cara, Jane, Jeanette, Maddie and Sally and we’re the 5 co-owners of Connect Fitness. We’re friends turned business partners and we all live (or have lived) in Thames Ditton. We met through our love of fitness and between us we’ve clocked up a whopping 34 years’ experience as fitness instructors.
Five people running a small business may seem a bit much, but it works! We have diverse career backgrounds giving us individual strengths and qualities that all play harmoniously together. We’re a mixed bag of useful (and not so useful!) information, 5 is most definitely a strength.
We all met through Iso Barre, which in 2010, brought Barre classes to the studio at 29A High Street. Sally, one of the original Barre team, was joined 3 years later by Maddie, who added Cardio and Strength classes to the mix. At that time, Cara, Jane & Jeanette were Iso Barre customers who later trained up to join the teaching team.
Iso Barre felt like home to us, and we loved being part of the Thames Ditton community, but sadly its studio doors closed in 2020. We decided to pool resources and created Connect Fitness in 2021. We started with online fitness classes amidst COVID restrictions. Rebecca’s launch of R Space in that same year gave us the chance to use this gorgeous studio once again as restrictions eased.
November 2022 brought more sad news, as Rebecca made the difficult decision to close R Space studio. After much discussion, we recognised this as a great opportunity, showing up at a great time. Our business was established and growing, and we love a challenge, so we grabbed the opportunity and signed a new lease at this wonderful studio that has always felt like home.
Rebecca has worked hard to create a community, and we aspire to continue this spirit. Connect Fitness studio is home to our studio fitness classes. Our ethos is group fitness with a personal touch. One class but with many options for individuals to modify or progress depending on where they are in life. We connect with each client to make exercise specific and not one size fits all. Taking on the studio lease means we can also connect with other local health and wellbeing businesses who hire the studio from us. Even more variety under one roof. You can find Hypnobirthing workshops, Barre & Dance classes, Reformer Pilates, Baby yoga, Strength training and much more.
Our minds are whirring with ideas of other health related workshops and events as we eagerly begin plans to make this space a well-being pod of goodness for all to enjoy. Connection and belonging are what we love the most, so pop in and see us sometime and be part of this growing community in the heart of our wonderful village.