A BIT ABOUT US
Yus - founder & head coach
Yus leads everything coaching, programming & community at Principal Athletic.
With 15 years+ in the fitness industry, a background in sports science & a masters in exercise physiology, his approach to training is built on structure, intent and progression. He started out as a personal trainer, coaching CrossFit for 8 years alongside his own training across bodybuilding, powerlifting & functional fitness.
He’s been passionate about training since his teens, and that depth of experience shows in how he coaches: energetic, detail focused, and genuinely invested in helping people improve.
Alongside the gym, he runs Principal Nutrition, working 1:1 with clients to support performance and body composition goals.
Outside of the gym, it’s usually training, music (loves a slow jam), basketball, and anything Star Wars.
Alex - co-founder & gym manager
Alex leads the behind the scenes, structure and direction of Principal Athletic.
With a background in maths & insight, she brings the detail (loves a spreadsheet!) - from planning, systems, and making sure everything runs as it should. She’s responsible for building the brand & business, marketing & overall member experience, alongside coaching and supporting members on the floor.
Her own training started in gymnastics before moving into the gym, and then into CrossFit in her early 20s. Since then, she’s spent over 15Y training and competing, which has shaped how she sees training now: something that should be progressive, purposeful & actually enjoyable.
Outside of the gym, it’s training, long walks with our little dachshund, music (and a love for techno), and finding new places to explore.
Layla - gym dog & head of security
Layla will be the first to greet you when you walk through the doors of PA. She takes her role seriously - welcoming members, checking bags and making sure she gets the attention she deserves. If the standards aren’t met, you’ll hear about it.
Loved by everyone (and very aware of it).
Why we created Principal Athletic
Principal Athletic was created to bring more structure, intent and progression into training, alongside building a community that genuinely supports each other and makes you actually enjoy turning up.
From the start, our focus has been on structured training that actually drives progress over time rather than just workouts that make you sweat (although we do have those too!).
Strength training sits right at the core of what we do (and is a big part of Yus’ passion through our PHT classes), alongside developing athletic skill, improving performance across all modalities and building long-term results.
We officially opened in January 2025 and we’re still learning. The gym has evolved a lot along the way but one thing has stayed the same since day one, the standard.
Find us
We are based in Armitage Business Park in Nottingham, opposite the big Sainsbury’s in Colwick.
We serve members from all over Nottingham including: Colwick, Gedling, Netherfield, Burton Joyce, West Bridgford and the city.
Unit 3, Armitage Business Park
3 Park Road, Colwick, Nottingham
NG4 2TB
Come and check us out by booking a free trial or contacting us using the form below
Contact us
If you have any questions about the gym, our classes or our memberships, get in touch and we will get back to you within 48 hours.