Introducing… Tactical Transformations
We take a look at new gym Tactical Transformations and find out why they're offering something very different.
Newcastle is full of gyms these days, and the gyms are full - especially in January as the resolutions and the guilt kick in – so you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing where to work out.
But at recent arrival Tactical Transformations, things are on another level. We spoke to founder and owner Ryan Hall to find out more about what they offer.
Tactical Transformations grew out of an outdoor bootcamp Ryan used to run back in 2021, which became a gym in Birtley and then in late 2023, moved to its current Quayside location. And it really is no ordinary gym. As owner Ryan Hall puts it, Tactical Transformations is “the only fully veteran owned and operated gym facility in the whole of the UK.”
Ryan is a former PT (physical training instructor), working in pre-deployment training for personnel going overseas, and everyone else employed at Tactical Transformations is ex-military too. As Ryan explains, this background has two aspects:
“Firstly it’s supporting veterans in terms of employment, so we only recruit ex-military, that’s a big thing. All the brands and charities we work with are military related. For example we’ve been talking to Help For Heroes, who we’re partnering with for an event. And a brand called Combat Fuel, a military supplement company. And in terms of the public, it’s a very different style of training.”
When it comes to the training offered, the Tactical Transformation approach covers everything, “from weight training to cardio-aerobics to military fundamentals that we incorporate into our programme - running around in body armour, functional crawls, that sort of thing.”
As Ryan puts it, the TT brand philosophy is all about “turning a complete civilian into a fully-blown tactical athlete. So even if they’ve never been to a gym in their life, we set up long term goals so they can compete in a fitness event or get absolutely shredded, depending on what their goal is.”
Much of this is measured using their levelling system, a series of grades that govern the training needed.
“Normally when you go into a gym you get a one-size-fits-all workout, which is great but if you’ve got an absolute athlete in the gym but then you’ve also got a ‘sally’ who’s never been in a gym in their life, then it’s not an efficient way of training.” Ryan explains. “So when you join our gym you do an hour long fitness test, we test your aerobic, anaerobic, upper and lower body strength and endurance, Then it’s almost like a judo belt system, so we’ll grade you – white through to black – at every single session in the gym, specific to each individual, so when you come in you look on the board and it’ll tell you that you’re doing this many reps, this much weight… So it keeps the PT element in a group environment, essentially.”
Another way that Tactical Transformation isn’t like a normal gym is that you don’t just come in, train and go home. Everything is monitored. And whereas many classes would have 20 or 30 people, at TT there’s never more than 16, with at least two coaches, so it’s much more personal. And the military ethos affects everything.
“There’s full accountability outside the gym. So you don’t just go to the gym then go home, you get assigned a personal coach who’ll look at nutrition and goal setting, they’ll ring you once a week and see how you’re progressing.”
There’s an emphasis on group spirit and community too, with socials and trips.
“We stage monthly events or all go away together – for example, there’s 24 of us going to Rotterdam to compete in a fitness competition called Hyrox.”
Tactical Transformations is a HYROX official partner gym, and uses state of the art tech like the MyZone heart rate monitoring system. There’s even a coffee shop on site.
The pricing system is monthly and run on tiers, starting at £99 per month, although Ryan recommends taking part in a 7-day unlimited trial for £30 to get a feel for what they offer. There are also plans to open further branches in Tynemouth and Durham.
Everything about Tactical Transformations makes it seem like a cut above most high street gyms, from its range of training programmes to its inclusive attitudes and sense of being part of a community. So if this is the year you’ve decided to get buff, maybe you should visit the Quayside and see what Ryan and his team are offering.
Tactical Transformations is located on Close, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 3RJ.
