Gym chain Les Mills has signed a twenty year lease for its new branch at downtown Auckland’s Britomart precinct, due to be open by April next year.

Located at the old Oriental Markets site, the 2000sq m gym will be the chain’s second central city outlet in addition to its flagship Victoria St facilities.

Fitness centre chain Les Mills is soon set to open a second central Auckland gym to relieve pressure on its booming CBD facilities, at the Grafton property it has just purchased for $7.75 million from ING Property Trust.

Anybody who has tried to exercise at the Victoria St gym before work on a weekday will know it is a battle of the fittest to secure a spot in any of the group fitness or spinning classes that finish by 8.10am - then there's the fight to get your hands on a hairdryer in the changing rooms.

A new global trend in fitness targets motivation as the main problem area to getting fit, and corporates are signing on for the morale and health building benefits of team training.

SPARC and the NZ Cancer Society’s Obstacles to Action study found a key barrier to regular exercise is lack of support and encouragement from others.