A strength coach who uses his own personal transformation to help others is now ready to expand, with the opening of a one-of-a-kind gym at STACK Lincoln.

The Cave is the latest venture from Ryan “Caveman” Croft, who will be bringing his unique approach to strength, performance and wellbeing to the street food and entertainment hub.

And that’s good news for people across the city, who can now sign up to be part of this boutique fitness community.

For Ryan opening The Cave is the next chapter in his personal journey which has seen both struggles and triumphs, having gained valuable experience helping people of all levels improve their health.

The Cave – which is due to open in early March – will only offer 80 exclusive memberships, with members able to choose between small group personal training for up to eight people or semi-private sessions, with a maximum of four participants.

The gym will also feature custom-built rigs and equipment, designed to meet a wide range of fitness goals.

To kick things off, new members will get the opportunity to join The Cave’s six week total transformation challenge.

“This will be nothing like a typical gym experience,” said Ryan.

“There’s no large mirrors, prying eyes or crowds of people fighting for equipment.

“We’re here to create a space where everyone – from seasoned gym-goers to people who’ve never set food in a gym – feel comfortable and supported.”

The Cave takes a holistic approach to fitness, supporting individuals deal with mental and physical health issues or anxiety, creating a personally tailored programme for every member.

“Bringing The Cvae into STACK is a very exciting move for me,” he said.

“From my very first conversation with the team, I knew this was the perfect place, I love what STACK stands for and it aligns with my vision of creating a welcoming environment for everyone – from grandkids to grandparents.”

Ryan’s passion for helping others was based on his personal experience, weighing 24 stones at his heaviest because of poor habits, lack of knowledge about health and undiagnosed ADHD which resulted in struggles with impulse control.

Everything changed when he met a personal trainer who not only helped him get fit but taught him about nutrition and exercise, leading to him losing more than eight stones.

After university he decided that his heart was really in helping others so studied to become a personal trainer, gaining years of experience before opening his own gym.

“My mission is to help people make genuine, lasting changed to their lives,” he said.

“I’m so excited to create a family-friendly space at The Cave where we’ll welcome everyone.”

The opening of The Cave brings another exciting dimension to STACK Lincoln, based at St Marks Shopping Centre, which also recently opened Sideshow, which offers a range of interactive games such as darts and shuffleboard, along with karaoke booths and pool tables.

Neill Winch, CEO of STACK said The Cave would be a welcome addition.

“At STACK we also want to surprise and delight our customers by bringing them new experiences,” said Neill.

“The opening of The Cave will be a fantastic way for people of all ages to get support in getting fit in a really supportive and welcoming environment.

“We can't wait for The Cave to open and we are very excited about what Ryan and his team will bring.”