THERE’S a corner of York’s Stonebow where people have been getting hot and sticky for years.
First came the music fans, flocking to Fibbers to bop the night away to the latest up-coming bands.
Today, it’s the turn of the fitness set, doing workouts at a brand new gym in the former music venue.
Supersonic Fitness has been launched by North Yorkshire music lover and fitness professional Nick Sadler, his partner Sarah Cleland-Smith and also Jenny Beasley.
Nick also runs Motive8, a business that specialises in designing gyms for hotels, schools and sports clubs – but decided to launch his own gym on home turf.
“Nick is from Alne, near Easingwold,” explained Sarah when we met in Supersonic's ultra-modern cafe which has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Stonebow. 
As I enjoyed a healthy drink – a fresh juice combo of beetroot, apple and ginger – she filled me in on the back story. 
She said Nick always wanted to open a gym in York – but to create one that was unique.
“We didn’t want a traditional gym. We wanted to create more of a feeling – not just put equipment in a room.
“It’s really important to us that people find a balance. 
"We want people to walk in and feel welcome and that no question is stupid. 
"We want to attract people who might not feel so confident in an exercise environment and support and help them on their way.”
Promoting wellbeing is a key aim too. Not only is there a healthy food and drinks menu in the light and airy ground-floor cafe (which is open to everyone, not just members), there are no TV screens in the gym and also a Recovery Zone that features an ice station and infra-red sauna.
“We can’t say to people: ‘don’t have your phone’ but we want people to come here and focus on themselves and have some time out,” says Sarah.
Given the location of the gym in the former Fibbers building at Stonebow House, musical connections appear throughout. 
The gym’s name, Supersonic, references an Oasis track, while the two fitness studios are named ‘X’ and ‘Y’ after the Coldplay album. 
On the menu, music puns and references abound. Fresh juices include the Veggie Supernova, the Al Green, Waterloo Sunset and the Purple Haze (the tasty beetroot, apple and ginger concoction I enjoyed on arrival). 
You can also enjoy Club Tropicana and Yellow Submarine smoothies, or even the Paolo Nut-ini, with banana, cocoa, flax seeds and peanut butter.

York Press:

WORKOUT: Spin station at Supersonic Fitness

THE gym – directly above the cafe – has the same floor-to-ceiling windows and has the latest equipment spread over a spacious floorspace.
One fitness room is reserved for high intensity workouts while a second is more of a studio space for the likes of yoga and Pilates. 
There is a treatment room too, offering sports massage and therapy.
During my visit, I took part in a ballet-inspired barre class with instructor Charlotte Hudson, a former professional dancer.
We began by doing some simple stretches, then moved to the mirrored wall to use the fixed handrail to help us with the next exercises.
For the next 15 minutes, Charlotte had us doing squats, leg raises, making pliés and rising high on to our toes – giving our glutes, hamstrings and quads a thorough workout.
To finish, we lay on mats on the floor and did some ab work to strengthen our core. 
Anyone familiar with Pilates would have recognised the moves: planks, press-ups and the ‘100’ -  a killer where you raise your head off the floor, and your legs, and pulse your arms up and down 100 times. Ouch.
It was only a 30-minute class, but I definitely felt like I’d toned all the key muscle groups in my body. I suspected I would feel it tomorrow.
I had to return to the office, but if time had allowed, I would have finished off my visit in the Recovery Zone, where the combination of ice and heat awaits to help fatigued muscles repair quickly and also to boost your mood.
Unusually, Supersonic has installed an infra-red sauna, said to burn calories, improve mood, relieve pain, lower blood pressure, improve sleep and reduce stress (the fitness club also says Gareth Southgate had this type of heat experience flown out to Russia during last year’s football World Cup for his team to use).
A range of price packages apply, from £18 for a trial package of three classes, £78 a month for a gym-only deal, to the ‘rockstar’ £128 a month offer that includes access to the gym, classes and a personal training session. A joining fee of £72 applies to full membership too.
It’s not the cheapest place in town, but it is rather special, insists Sarah.
“We wanted to create a space people will love as much as we do.”