By James Hilton, founder of Jim’s Gym
Jim’s Gym is built on one simple idea. Helping people do more of the things they love. The classes, the clubs and a WhatsApp community that rarely stops talking all came from asking what that idea needs to work in an ordinary week.
I’m James, and I run it. I’m nearly 42. I lift weights, I play football, padel and golf, and I’ll happily walk or cycle for two hours if you point me at a hill. And while I’m younger than most of my members, across my two fitness businesses I only work with people over 50. My clients and members most definitely keep me on my toes!
Jim’s Gym started three years ago, but the story goes back a bit further. In my mid-30s I was in a high-pressure job in London, in a toxic workplace, and with a brand new baby boy at home my mental health hit its lowest point. As a family we left London and spent six months travelling Asia and New Zealand, and that’s where I fell back in love with running and strength training. I came home, qualified as a personal trainer and quickly found my niche working with people over 50. When demand outgrew what I could do one to one, Jim’s Gym was born.
So this is the story of why Jim’s Gym looks the way it does. Every part of it was chosen so you get more out of your week and feel awesome in no time at all.
Why it lives in your living room
Jim’s Gym is 100% online. I film the classes from a studio in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, and you join from wherever you’ve moved the coffee table to. There are 15+ live classes a week on Zoom, every live class is recorded, and there are 1,000+ on-demand videos for the days when the timing doesn’t suit. Most classes work in a living room with little or no kit.
The science backs the living room. A 2022 review in Age and Ageing by Solis-Navarro and colleagues pooled 26 trials covering 5,133 older adults doing home-based exercise delivered through digital technology [1]. Leg strength improved, measured by how quickly people could stand up from a chair five times, and so did quality of life. The people in those trials averaged between about 70 and 83 years old, and some were living with health conditions, so they were a little older than many of my members.
Why the classes are live, together
Live classes are sociable. You can see the others, they can see you, and I can see who’s sneaking off to put the kettle on.
A 2025 scoping review in the Journal of Medical Internet Research by Wing and colleagues looked at 23 studies of group exercise for older adults delivered online [2]. Of the 18 studies that measured physical outcomes, 14 reported meaningful improvements, mostly in strength and balance. The authors also reported high attendance, enjoyment and safety. A scoping review maps what has been studied rather than pooling the results, and many of the studies were small pilots, so read it as a promising picture rather than the final word.
And because every live class is recorded, missing one never means missing out.
Why there’s no wrong way to do it
Jim’s Gym is built around the idea that you simply do what you can. There’s no right or wrong, no gold standard and no pressure to keep up. If an exercise isn’t for you today, swap it for one you love.
Many classes have seated and standing options, so you pick the version that suits the day. The timetable runs from Fitness and Strength with me to Zumba Gold with Row, Yoga with Virginia, Pilates with Aimie, Tai Chi with Andy, Dancercise with Anna, and Balance. Everyone has a go at everything.
The UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines suggest adults over 65 do activities that build strength, balance and flexibility on at least two days a week, alongside at least 150 minutes of moderate activity and some movement every day [3]. With that much choice on the timetable, two days of strength and balance is easy to fit in.
My version is shorter. Lift something. Yourself, a weight, your grandkids, the big shop. Twice a week.
Behind all of it sits our Components of Total Fitness model, covering physical, medical, mental and emotional, nutritional, social, spiritual, and health-related fitness. Our focus is health-related fitness, moving to improve your overall health and lifestyle, which then feeds every other part.
Why a gym has a book club
A gym is people, and people like more than squats. So alongside the classes there’s the Healthy Habits Club, with Book Club, Craft Club, Art Club with John Skelcher, and monthly nutrition sessions with Ian Thomas, Registered Dietitian. There’s a brand new Brain Jym & Journaling class starting this week too, led by Elizabeth Holla, and our physio Ed is a new addition to the team as well.
The members’ WhatsApp group has hundreds of Jimsters in it, and it’s rarely quiet long enough to boil a kettle. If you’d like a look before you join, the free Friends of Jim’s Gym group on Facebook has 4,000+ members and free live workouts.
The research on exercising together online is still young. A small 2017 pilot trial in PeerJ by Baez and colleagues gave 37 adults aged 65 to 87 in Trento, Italy, an eight-week home exercise programme on a tablet [4]. Half trained together in a virtual gym and half trained on their own. Both groups got stronger legs and walked faster, and both groups felt less lonely, with no clear difference between them. In the group that trained together, though, the people who chatted more online saw bigger drops in loneliness. It’s one small study, but anyone who has read the members’ WhatsApp group would recognise it.
Jaqui put it better than I can. “I have been part of this truly excellent platform for almost a year now. James has put heart and soul into building something that offers so much for a really amazing price!”
What else comes with it
There’s a podcast as well. The Jim’s Gym Podcast: Inspiring Movement is free, needs no account, and I host it. Guests have included NHS falls specialists, our physiotherapist (Ed Voss), Virginia from our yoga classes, Ian Thomas, members, and people from well outside fitness. You’ll find it at jimsgympodcast.buzzsprout.com, on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. A new episode comes out every two weeks.
Then there’s the free Fitness MOT, which is the best place to start. It’s an at-home tracker with five exercises, no scoring and no pass mark. You retake it every four to six weeks and see what’s moved.
Your next step
Start with the free Fitness MOT. Five exercises at home and a clear picture of where you’re starting from.
When you’re ready, join Jim’s Gym for £12.99 a month, or £129.90 a year, which gets you 2 months on me. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, no contracts and no joining fees. Have a look at the class timetable to see what’s on.
It’s never too late.
Quick questions, straight answers
What is Jim’s Gym?
Jim’s Gym is an online fitness membership for adults over 55, founded and hosted by James Hilton. It includes 15+ live classes a week on Zoom, every one recorded, plus 1,000+ on-demand videos, the Healthy Habits Club and a private members’ WhatsApp community. Membership costs £12.99 a month, with no contracts and no joining fees.
Who is James Hilton from Jim’s Gym?
James Hilton is the founder and host of Jim’s Gym, an online fitness membership for adults over 55. He films the classes from a studio in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, and leads Fitness and Strength himself. Jim’s Gym is 100% online, so members join live on Zoom or catch the recordings from home, wherever they live in the UK.
Do online exercise classes work for older adults?
The research is encouraging. A 2022 Age and Ageing review of 26 trials and 5,133 older adults found home exercise delivered through digital technology improved leg strength and quality of life. A 2025 review of online group classes found 14 of 18 studies measuring physical outcomes reported meaningful gains, mostly in strength and balance.
How much does Jim’s Gym cost?
Jim’s Gym costs £12.99 a month, or £129.90 if you join for the year, which gets you two months on James. Every membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there are no contracts and no joining fees. You can try the free Fitness MOT at home before deciding.
Do I need equipment, and can I do the classes seated?
Most Jim’s Gym classes need little or no equipment and work in an ordinary living room. Many classes include both seated and standing options, though not every class does, so you can choose the version that suits you on the day. Every live class is recorded, so you can also try one at your own pace.
References
Solis-Navarro L, Gismero A, Fernández-Jané C, Torres-Castro R, Solá-Madurell M, Bergé C, Pérez LM, Ars J, Martín-Borràs C, Vilaró J, Sitjà-Rabert M. Effectiveness of home-based exercise delivered by digital health in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Age and Ageing. 2022;51(11):afac243. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac243
Wing D, Nichols JF, Parra MT, Barkai HS, Moran RJ. Digitally delivered, group-based exercise interventions for older adults: scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2025;27:e73578. https://doi.org/10.2196/73578
UK Chief Medical Officers. UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines. Department of Health and Social Care; 2019, updated July 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-uk-chief-medical-officers-report
Baez M, Khaghani Far I, Ibarra F, Ferron M, Didino D, Casati F. Effects of online group exercises for older adults on physical, psychological and social wellbeing: a randomized pilot trial. PeerJ. 2017;5:e3150. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3150
James Hilton is the founder of Jim’s Gym, an online fitness community for adults over 55, based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. He set it up for people who want to keep doing the things they love, with classes, community and a fair bit of laughing along the way.
Your first month is on us, so you can get a feel for it before you pay a penny. Then it's £12.99 a month: live classes every day, hundreds more on demand, and people who'll cheer you on and notice when you're not there. No contract, cancel any time. Go yearly for two months free and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
