Four health and fitness instructors have gone into business together and taken over the running of their own studio after their former employer moved location to town.

Shirley Hardy, Margaret Weale, Severin Gibbons and Marisol Raynor-Saldana, who previously worked at the Health Co-op, have joined forces to launch South Shore Studio in the same building at 82 Nautilus House in South Shore, Warwick.

They will be holding an open house on Saturday October 9, between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., to show people around the facilities and answer any questions.

The Studio offers everything from pilates and yoga lessons and classes, and personal training to spa and beauty treatments including facial, waxing, manicures and pedicures and massages.

Ms Hardy, who started out as a PE teacher, before going into business and working in the hospitality industry, said the premises became empty when her former employer, now Lotus, decided to relocate to Victoria Street in Hamilton in April and her and her colleagues took over its running.

"It got to a point where we all thought 'I would like to do that on my own'," she said.

"Then this place became vacant and we said, 'Why don't we do it ourselves?'"

The quartet share the rent and utility bills, with each having bought their own equipment, and Ms Hardy said the beauty of being based outside of town was having a more relaxed atmosphere and better access with a big parking lot out the front of the building. The studio also has the benefit of having a qualified physiotherapist right next door where clients can be referred to and vice versa.

Ms Hardy said that the interest was there and they had managed to keep their client base from before but now they needed to encourage people to sign up through events such as the open house next month.

"We just want to open our doors and invite people in and explain to them about what we do and talk them through the machines we have," she said.

"Now everybody's back from their summer holidays we are keen to get going again."

Ms Hardy, Ms Weale and Ms Raynor-Saldana are all PhysicalMind certified, while Ms Weale is also ACE certified, Ms Raynor-Saldana is CIDESCO, ITEC and CIBTAC certified, and Ms Gibbons is Stott certified.

Ms Weale worked in the insurance sector, but has taught fitness in her spare time, as a certified personal trainer with 15 years experience and 20 years in fitness, while Ms Gibbons has been certified and teaching pilates since 2005.

Ms Weale said that the classes and training sessions were open to people of all ages and abilities, including pregnant women, the elderly, people suffering from fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, arthritis and back pain, as well as paraplegics, tailored to personal needs.

"The great thing about the exercises is that they can all be applied to everything else you do," she said. "We are even planning to run a pilates course specifically for golfers."

All four said their motivation was a passion for health and fitness and a desire to learn more about it and were looking forward to the challenge of being their own boss.

Pilates and yoga sessions range from $25 for 55 minutes for a class of five in a 10-class package to $75 for 55 minutes for a drop-in one-on-one, with classes running throughout the week.

The South Shore Studio is open Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with holidays by appointment only.

For more information, contact 232-1300 or e-mail severinngibbons@gmail.com The studio is also on Facebook under the South Shore Studio.