About Us
Sam Benton, Co-Founder:
To give you a brief look into my background: I’ve spent the past 11 years coaching on the gym floor alongside running online coaching businesses for the last 6 years. I decided to be a personal trainer after 2 failed stints at university where I attempted to study Physical Education with the idea of becoming a PE teacher and after that didn’t work out, followed it up by going back the following year to study Sport, Physical Activity and Health.
After another short 3 month stint and a realisation that my true focus in my time at Leeds Metropolitan (now Beckett) university was going out and getting absolutely obliterated. And whilst I was truly dedicated to the night life, I was unfortunately not so dedicated to the studying.
Since beginning my personal training career, I’ve had a very keen interest in having an impact on as many people as possible, wanting to help more than just a days worth of clients with the knowledge I’ve gained over my career.
So, when Ben approached me with his light bulb moment and brilliant idea, it was a no brainer to jump on board as the vision for what this could be was instant.
I genuinely believe that, through gaining so much experience of the different clientele and personalities gyms bring in everyday, that this app could be the biggest revolutionary piece of technology in the fitness industry to this date.
We are here to help as many people walk into the gym as humanly possible - and with this app, retain their interest too.
Ben Thomas, Co-Founder:
I've been in the fitness industry for the past 13 years, starting off as a coach and working on the gym floor. Fitness wasn’t always my obvious path though. Growing up, I was pretty bang average at most sports (I'll be the first to say it) and nothing really excited me or grabbed my attention.
That changed when I started working at a local hotel leisure facility. A few years into working there, the head coach asked me to join him at a new gym he was opening, and from that moment on, being in and around gyms became a real passion. Working closely with people on the gym floor allows you to truly understand the challenges they face with training, confidence, and motivation and helping them overcome those barriers is incredibly rewarding.
During Covid, when gyms closed, I took on a full-time role outside the industry, which I’ve been in for the past six years. However, I kept coaching for four to five hours a week because that’s where I found real fulfilment. I always had ideas about returning fully to fitness, from opening gyms, starting cafés/health bars, actually setting up a meal prep business, but nothing came of it.
If I was going to come back into the fitness world, it had to be for something special. Sam and I had been throwing ideas around for years, and eventually those conversations led to the beginnings of MapYourGym. Over the past two years, we’ve worked behind the scenes building a business shaped by our time on the gym floor, our understanding of how gyms operate, and the challenges owners and members face.
We genuinely believe MapYourGym can change how people experience gyms - removing barriers, supporting members properly, and giving people every opportunity to progress, get fitter, and feel better. Gyms should be places where everyone feels supported, not intimidated, and we’re passionate about helping make that a reality.
Ben Thomas, Co-Founder:
Sam Benton, Co-Founder:
I've been in the fitness industry for the past 13 years, starting off as a coach and working on the gym floor. Fitness wasn’t always my obvious path though. Growing up, I was pretty bang average at most sports (I'll be the first to say it) and nothing really excited me or grabbed my attention.
That changed when I started working at a local hotel leisure facility. A few years into working there, the head coach asked me to join him at a new gym he was opening, and from that moment on, being in and around gyms became a real passion. Working closely with people on the gym floor allows you to truly understand the challenges they face with training, confidence, and motivation and helping them overcome those barriers is incredibly rewarding.
During Covid, when gyms closed, I took on a full-time role outside the industry, which I’ve been in for the past six years. However, I kept coaching for four to five hours a week because that’s where I found real fulfilment. I always had ideas about returning fully to fitness, from opening gyms, starting cafés/health bars, actually setting up a meal prep business, but nothing came of it.
If I was going to come back into the fitness world, it had to be for something special. Sam and I had been throwing ideas around for years, and eventually those conversations led to the beginnings of MapYourGym. Over the past two years, we’ve worked behind the scenes building a business shaped by our time on the gym floor, our understanding of how gyms operate, and the challenges owners and members face.
We genuinely believe MapYourGym can change how people experience gyms - removing barriers, supporting members properly, and giving people every opportunity to progress, get fitter, and feel better. Gyms should be places where everyone feels supported, not intimidated, and we’re passionate about helping make that a reality.
To give you a brief look into my background: I’ve spent the past 11 years coaching on the gym floor alongside running online coaching businesses for the last 6 years. I decided to be a personal trainer after 2 failed stints at university where I attempted to study Physical Education with the idea of becoming a PE teacher and after that didn’t work out, followed it up by going back the following year to study Sport, Physical Activity and Health.
After another short 3 month stint and a realisation that my true focus in my time at Leeds Metropolitan (now Beckett) university was going out and getting absolutely obliterated. And whilst I was truly dedicated to the night life, I was unfortunately not so dedicated to the studying.
Since beginning my personal training career, I’ve had a very keen interest in having an impact on as many people as possible, wanting to help more than just a days worth of clients with the knowledge I’ve gained over my career.
So, when Ben approached me with his light bulb moment and brilliant idea, it was a no brainer to jump on board as the vision for what this could be was instant.
I genuinely believe that, through gaining so much experience of the different clientele and personalities gyms bring in everyday, that this app could be the biggest revolutionary piece of technology in the fitness industry to this date.
We are here to help as many people walk into the gym as humanly possible - and with this app, retain their interest too.
About MapYourGym
MapYourGym was built from years spent working on gym floors coaching, managing facilities, and supporting members of all experience levels. During that time, the same issues kept appearing: people weren’t getting the ongoing support they needed, and many lacked the confidence to even start. For countless members, the gym felt intimidating, confusing, and overwhelming, creating a barrier before they ever truly began their fitness journey. Our mission with MapYourGym is simple: to remove those barriers and get more people confidently walking through the gym door.
As trainers, we spent a significant amount of time delivering inductions to members unfamiliar with equipment. These sessions often lasted 30-60 minutes, which was rarely enough to properly explain movements, machines, and training principles. Once the induction ended, support stopped unless members paid for personal training or tried to remember what they had been shown. This not only pulled trainers away from valuable coaching time but also left members feeling unsure, overwhelmed, and unsupported, especially in high-volume gyms where after-care is limited. Over time, this lack of confidence and guidance leads to disengagement and cancelled memberships.
In many gyms, structured inductions aren’t offered at all, or are only available at limited times. New members are often left to navigate the gym floor alone from day one, unsure how equipment works, where to train, or whether they’re using machines safely. For first-time gym users, this can be enough to stop them returning altogether. MapYourGym fills that gap by giving members instant, on-demand guidance from the moment they join, providing reassurance, structure, and confidence even when staff aren’t available.
That’s where MapYourGym began. By creating an interactive map of the gym floor, filmed in the exact space members train in, people can access guidance whenever they need it. Seeing exercises performed on the same equipment, in the same environment, builds familiarity, trust, and confidence. Members can learn at their own pace, revisit movements, and feel supported beyond their first visit - without needing constant staff supervision.
We also noticed many members arriving with training programmes purchased online, only to find their gym didn’t have the required equipment. This caused frustration and inconsistency. MapYourGym allows workouts and guidance to be built around the equipment available in that gym, making training more relevant, realistic, and achievable.
Finally, we saw time wasted when potential members toured gyms that didn’t suit their needs. Trainers spent time walking people around the floor, only for them to leave once they realised the equipment or setup wasn’t right. MapYourGym allows gyms to showcase their layout, equipment, and training environment before someone ever walks through the door, attracting higher-intent members who already know the facility fits their goals.
MapYourGym exists to build confidence, remove friction, improve retention, and create better gym experiences for everyone.
MapYourGym was built from years spent working on gym floors coaching, managing facilities, and supporting members of all experience levels. During that time, the same issues kept appearing: people weren’t getting the ongoing support they needed, and many lacked the confidence to even start. For countless members, the gym felt intimidating, confusing, and overwhelming, creating a barrier before they ever truly began their fitness journey. Our mission with MapYourGym is simple: to remove those barriers and get more people confidently walking through the gym door.
As trainers, we spent a significant amount of time delivering inductions to members unfamiliar with equipment. These sessions often lasted 30-60 minutes, which was rarely enough to properly explain movements, machines, and training principles. Once the induction ended, support stopped unless members paid for personal training or tried to remember what they had been shown. This not only pulled trainers away from valuable coaching time but also left members feeling unsure, overwhelmed, and unsupported, especially in high-volume gyms where after-care is limited. Over time, this lack of confidence and guidance leads to disengagement and cancelled memberships.
About MapYourGym
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