Professional background
Richard Lambert is a fitness industry professional with over 20 years of experience specialising in gym design, equipment planning, and performance-led training environments. He holds a degree in Sports Science and Business Studies from the University of Hull, combining academic understanding with practical, real-world application.
As co-founder of Gym Gear, Richard has been directly involved in the design, specification, and delivery of gym spaces across the UK, working with a wide range of organisations including schools, universities, public sector bodies, and performance-focused facilities.
His role spans early-stage consultation, layout planning, equipment specification, and long-term facility development. Richard’s experience has been built through hands-on project involvement rather than theory, giving him a clear understanding of how training spaces must function in real-world environments.
Gym design and sector focus
Richard has a strong focus on education sector gym design, supporting schools, colleges, and universities in creating safe, practical, and engaging fitness spaces. His work within education settings includes curriculum-led gyms, strength and conditioning suites, and multi-use training areas designed to accommodate varying ability levels, class sizes, and supervision requirements.
He works closely with stakeholders to ensure each space meets safeguarding expectations, durability standards, and budget considerations, while still delivering environments that encourage participation, confidence, and long-term use.
Practical and experience-led approach
Richard’s approach to gym design is grounded in how facilities are used day to day. Rather than following short-term trends, he prioritises clear zoning, appropriate equipment selection, and layouts that support progression and inclusive training.
Alongside his professional work, Richard is an active endurance and functional fitness athlete. He has completed multiple marathons and regularly competes in Ironman, DEKA, and HYROX events. This first-hand training experience informs his design decisions, particularly when planning strength and conditioning spaces, functional training zones, and performance-led environments that must work for both beginners and advanced users.
Writing and industry contribution
Through his writing and industry contributions, Richard shares practical insight into gym design strategy, education sector fitness provision, and long-term equipment planning. His content is focused on helping organisations make informed decisions around layout, equipment investment, and space efficiency, based on real operational experience rather than theoretical models.
Areas of expertise:
Gym design and layout planning, education sector gym design, strength and conditioning environments, equipment specification for schools and universities, performance-led training spaces, long-term equipment planning and lifecycle management.
