Meet the teacher turned business owner with a passion for using fitness to create a sense of community
Meet the former primary school teacher turned business owner with a passion for using fitness to create a sense of community across Northampton and beyond.
It was in December 2021 when Sue Finney took the leap to give fitness a go full-time, as it had been an important part of her life for more than two decades after she trained as a group fitness instructor in the early 2000s.
Sue began her community fitness classes alongside teaching at a primary school for a while, but knew the end of 2021 was the right time for this new venture.
“I’d been thinking about it for a long while,” Sue told the Chronicle & Echo. “And I probably would’ve done it sooner if it wasn’t for the pandemic.
“I’d become disillusioned with teaching, and the trials and tribulations with the job, and I thought now was the time to give this a go.”
The first of two main areas of Sue Finney Fitness is personal training, which can be done one-to-one or in a couple. Sue trains her clients from her private studio in St Crispin, as well as through a personal training app to make her offering accessible to all.
The second aspect of the business is three clubbercise classes in Northampton, Daventry and Towcester – in which Sue has built a community she is proud of.
She runs these classes in the evenings, typically from schools, and the personal training service takes place during the day.
When asked what her clients praise most, Sue said: “My strength training, and helping people realise the benefits, is a big passion – particularly for women. It is transformative.”
The business owner is passionate about using strength training for its benefits to mood, energy levels and mental clarity, and it is of particular help to those experiencing menopausal symptoms.
“My proudest achievement is the positive feedback I get from my clients about the difference it has made to their lives,” said Sue, who has even helped clients rehabilitate from hip and knee replacements.
“From a clubbercise point of view, it’s the community you build, the sense of togetherness and the friendships formed. The class is open to everybody, your starting point doesn’t matter.”
Looking to 2025 and beyond, Sue looks forward to enhancing her personal training app and the community spirit in her group clubbercise sessions.
Her main aim is to keep fitness accessible, fun and welcoming to help people feel more confident in themselves and to reap the benefits.