VK Gym was established in 2010 by Charlie Martin and his Grandad, Pete.

Originally set up as a boxing gym, VK became the home of Bognor Amateur Boxing Club, and it still is today. However, it soon became more than just a sparring space.

Already home to a great set of free weights, Charlie added resistance machines, and over time, the gym saw many new members, who were not interested in boxing, join to take advantage of the new equipment for a more regular workout.

Charlie was joined by his cousin Jack, a qualified fitness trainer, and the friendly, family-run approach VK is known and loved for was established.

Both the boxing and gym have been very successful, and during 2017, Charlie and Pete have some fantastic plans in place.

More of that later – but why establish a boxing gym in Bognor?

Putting in the Foundations

Charlie and Pete are long-time Bognor Regis residents. So it sounds a bit odd that when Charlie wanted to take up boxing, Pete would drive him all the way to London to attend the Peacocks Gym. But Pete knew the gym’s reputation and was impressed enough to want to invest in the travel. Charlie and Pete both loved the buzz at Peacocks – it was exciting, there was a huge amount of energy and commitment – it was infectious. They were put in touch with Mark Tibbs who coached there, and he helped Charlie build his career.

Charlie boxed from the age of nine, until he hurt his shoulder at 16. It was one of those injuries that ends a career, but he still loved the sport, so he switched to coaching.

VK Gym – Making the Dream Real

When a building opposite Pete’s engineering company came up for sale, he had a great idea. Why not try to recreate that energy – that buzz – closer to home? There was a lack of really good boxing facilities in and around Bognor, so Pete and Charlie set to work to set up one of the best gyms on the South Coast.

And they did it. VK Gym is highly regarded by its members and by boxers from far outside the area.

Beyond Boxing

When Charlie put in some resistance machines, more people joined to use the gym for a standard workout, so Charlie expanded the facilities available to non-boxers.

The result is a well-equipped and popular gym for people at all levels of fitness. Some are into boxing, others are just working on their health and fitness, losing some weight and getting strong.

Into the Future

With the expansion into the next unit now confirmed for 2017, {link to Our Plans for 2017 page} VK Gym is only going to get better.

What’s with the logo?

Over to Charlie:

“We get asked about this a fair bit – it’s unusual to have a boxing gym logo with pink butterflies on it after all! It’s a bit of a sad story, but uplifting too.

“We’re a close family, so when my cousin, Vanessa, died some ten years ago, it hit us hard. She was a great girl and is still missed by us all. We always wanted to do something in her name, leave a mark, commemorate her life.

“So when we came up with the idea for the gym, and were looking for a company name, it was suddenly obvious – VK – Vanessa’s initials. And she loved butterflies – which is why they’re on the logo.”

VK Gym is a lasting memorial to Vanessa – a place that helps people to achieve their goals, get fit and healthy, and have a great time doing it.

That’s a good legacy.