ION Strength and Conditioning

Weekly Coaches CPD 💡

Our weekly CPD sessions bring the team together to learn from one another, discussing and presenting on all aspects of coaching, performance, and the health and fitness industry. It’s an opportunity to continually challenge our thinking, share best practice, and keep raising the standard of coaching we deliver.

Today’s session was the second stage of BJ Stagner valuable session focused on professional development, exploring the importance of operating standards, coaching interactions and the small details that make a big difference to the client experience.

These sessions aren’t just about developing individual coaches, they’re about growing as a team, aligning our standards, and ensuring every client receives the same high quality experience across ION.

Big thanks BJ for a cracking session.

This is what ION is all about 🙌

Reviews like this never get old. Knowing that people feel supported, enjoy their training and feel part of the community is exactly what we’re aiming to create.

Thank you to everyone who takes the time to leave us a review. Your feedback means a lot to the whole team and helps others find the confidence to get started too.

Come join our community 💪 [email protected]

As we come to the end of the 2025/26 academic year, we’re really pleased with the impact our ION Horizon Physical Literacy & Wellbeing Programme has had at Cantonian High School and Willows High School.

Working alongside , we’ve delivered a gender specific programme designed to maximise engagement, build confidence, and support personal development.

Horizon is about more than physical activity. Through movement and coaching, we’ve helped develop self regulation, emotional resilience, confidence, and intrinsic motivation.

The impact report has been really encouraging, with negative behaviour incidents reducing by 19%, alongside improvements in engagement, emotional regulation, and overall wellbeing. It reinforces the value of physical literacy when it’s delivered in the right environment with the right support.

A huge thank you to everyone at Passport to the City, Cantonian High School, and Willows High School for their collaboration throughout the year. We’re looking forward to continuing to develop the programme and supporting even more young people.

Friday Outdoor Squad 🔥☀️

ION Run Club

5km Test Day ✅

Cracking start to the day at Roath Lake

Meet Corey 💪

Corey first joined ION through our Additional Learning Needs (ALN) programme, delivered in partnership with Cardiff Youth Services.

The aim wasn’t simply to provide a place to exercise. It was to help build confidence, create routine and support people to develop lifelong healthy habits.

Today, Corey still walks through our doors every Tuesday to complete his own workout.

Training has become part of his weekly routine. It helps him feel healthier, happier and gives him something to look forward to each week. One thing Corey always talks about is the support he’s received from our coaching team, and seeing his confidence grow has been incredibly rewarding.

He’s become such a familiar face that everyone knows when Corey is in, and that’s exactly the kind of community we’ve always wanted to create.

Success isn’t always measured by PBs or body transformations. Sometimes it’s measured by someone finding the confidence to keep showing up, week after week.

We’re incredibly proud of you, Corey. Thank you for being such a valued part of the ION community. 💙

Weekly Coaches Professional Development

This week’s CPD was led by Elliot and Rach, focusing on our new member onboarding process and how we can improve each stage of the member experience.

Next week, we’ve got two great sessions lined up for the team:

• BJ Stagner – Part 2 of Personal Development & Professional Standards, a really useful series we’re running. Great to also see BJ recently delivering this with the Welsh Rugby Union.

• Jordan Helyer, Zero Weakness – Principles and Application of Strength Training. We’ve worked with Zero Weakness for a number of years to improve our coaching standards and, without doubt, it’s one of the best practical coach development courses available on the application of strength training.

At ION, we believe great coaching never stands still. Investing in our coaches means delivering a better standard on the gym floor that should always be the objective in our industry.

City Hospice Iron Fan Challenge ✅

Over 40 of the team from both gyms coming together to raise money for the amazing work done by City Hospice

4 times up and down Pen y Fan certainly put the physical and mental fitness to the test but doing it with such a great group of ppl made it a day to remember.

A huge thank you to everyone that came and took part along with all those that donated and supported us. Legends 💪🏼

https://www.justgiving.com/page/ironfanchallenge?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL