Today marks the start of international fitness week, which runs from 1^st February to 7^th February. The aim of International Fitness Week is to encourage people to change their lifestyle and improve their overall fitness.

As an incentive to get involved more than 400 gyms across 15 countries are offering free training sessions for non-members.

Over here in the U.K ex Spice Girl Mel B has become the face of fitness week; The star launched International Fitness Week on Thursday, stating ''I want to encourage everyone to find what works for them and make being active part of their lifestyle.

''It's easier than you think to get totally fit and we will show you how.''

The trimmed up star will soon be hosting US TV show Dance Your Ass Off, was launching the week at a central London Fitness First gym where they are offering free sessions to visitors with passes which are available on the International Fitness Week website.

www.internationalfitnessweek.com 

Renowned for her abs of steel as much as her music the “Queen of Pop Madonna”, has just embarked on her latest venture, opening a worldwide chain of Hard Candy Fitness Gyms.

Madonna opened the first Hard Candy Fitness Gym in Mexico City yesterday. Members of the Hard Candy Fitness Gym will have to shell out £100 a month for membership which will enable them to perform various forms of cardiovascular exercises on five different types of exercise equipment. Members will also be able to attend dance classes and fitness classes in which the regimes are inspired by Madonna's own routines.

Her plan may eventually include an extension of the chain of gyms to the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Russia.

The gym itself is very Madonna, it is in your face and full on. Pictures of the superstar are a feature on almost every other wall. According to Chris Dedicik, Madonna's business partner in this latest venture, she has chosen "the graphics, colours and machines" as well as "weighing in on the choreography of all the classes and giving them a twist to make them more dynamic, more special and to better reflect her style".

When asked why she chose Mexico City for the opening of her Hard Candy Fitness Gym Madonna, said she chose Mexico because of the "energy of the people" and because she loved its culture, food, art and architecture.