Bookings for the globally trending workout were up 92% in 2023*. The roots of Joseph Pilates’ original programme – a workout that could address the bad habits of modern life – are as relevant to today’s members as they were back then. Consumers are increasingly motivated to work out for intrinsic reasons, seeking movement that enhances their wellbeing and helps them live long and healthy lives.
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Strength, Fitness
and the Pursuit of Better .
ICasting the net wider
It’s time for the sector to represent more powerfully – not only by collaborating with close allies, but also by joining forces with other service industries such as hospitality and retail
ndustry bodies globally are increasingly effective at lobbying on behalf of the sector, with EuropeActive, the Health and Fitness Association, UK Active, Aus Active, the Global Health and Fitness Alliance and others stepping up to represent the needs of operators and make the case for the power of physical activity to change lives and optimise health resources.
But the size of our sector is still a huge disadvantage when it comes to really landing our argument with governments and it’s time for us to join forces, not only within our sector to present a united front, but also with other service sectors, such as retail and hospitality, to position our industry more powerfully with decision-makers.
Globally, retail employs around 430 million people and hospitality around 320 million and there are clear synergies between these markets, with retail driving traffic to hospitality and vice versa.
Hospitality and retail in the UK employ around 3.5 million people apiece, or around 16 per cent of the workforce, while in contrast, the health and fitness industry is currently nudging the 200k mark.
So when you listen to the news and sometimes hear hospitality and retail being mentioned in relation to their lobbying efforts and not the fitness industry, this is largely down to the perception of the sector in the eyes of governments in terms of scale and economic impact.
As fitness, health and wellness increasingly impact the day-to-day lives of consumers, there will be opportunities to connect all these sectors more closely in relation to footfall, services and experiential development.
We’d love to see key service sectors uniting to collaborate and to represent, for the greater good and with our trade associations leading the way.
Fitness, health and wellness operators have significant synergies with hotels, hospitality and retailing, with organisations from these sectors, such as global hotel
We’d love to see the major service sectors uniting to collaborate and represent, with our key trade associations leading the way
operators, increasingly collaborating with our sector –Equinox is building hotels, as is Life Time. Accor Well-being is becoming a major operator of health clubs and wellness facilities, Everlast Gyms is combining fitness with a powerful retail element, retailer, Colruyt Group, is building a gym chain and local authorities are partnering ever more closely with health.
With all this activity driving change, it’s time to join the dots and find ways to forge powerful collaborations between all these allied sectors for the benefit of the wider community and the future of our market.
Liz Terry, editor lizterry@leisuremedia.com
The lines are blurring between fitness, hospitality and retail
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/QUIGGYT4
CONTENTS
Uniting the world of fitness
82 Workout builders are bringing AI to the sector
05 Editor’s letter
It’s time for the fitness, health and wellness sector to lobby in partnership with other service sectors, such as retail and hospitality, says Liz Terry
12 HCM Forum
The co-founder of Longevity, Neil King, and Andy Molyneux of Everybody Health and Leisure address key industry issues
16 HCM people
Jessica Christensen
The founder and academy director of Mavericks Life Co talks about supporting PTs to build the skills needed to help people benefit from nature and the great outdoors
20 HCM people
Jenny Patrickson
The MD of Active IQ talks about the challenges created by the skills gap and how the industry must tackle it
24 HCM news
Tom Leverton is the new CEO of Purpose Brands. UK Active demands more support for the sector and The Gym Group reaches European FITcert Level 4
34 Interview
Will Orr
The Gym Group’s CEO gives HCM a progress report, a year after he made the move from the world of media to the fitness industry
46 Life Lessons
Liz Clark
The head of the Health & Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA) on the unexpected challenge of having to turn around a ‘virtually bankrupt’ organisation
50 HCM summit 2024
Everything you need to know about the HCM Summit 2024, including click-to-play links to all the speaker presentations on-demand
58 Unbreakable habits
Landmark research from Les Mills reveals the vital interventions required to set new members up for success and keep them coming back for more
PHOTO: EGYM
70 Immersive, multisensory experiences
64 Event report Meeting of minds
News editor of HCM , Kath Hudson, taps the zeitgeist at the recent W3Fit EMEA industry event that was held in Sardinia, Italy
70 The great indoors
Developments in technology are helping to power immersive, multi-sensory experiences. We look at the benefits for both members and operators
82 Workout builders
New technology is supporting the development of ‘workout builders’, which use AI to design customised exercises to enhance member results.
90 Product innovations
Julie Cramer rounds up the latest health, fitness and wellness kit from leading suppliers
92 Reader services HCM Directory
If you’re in procurement, the HCM Directory is part of a network of resources designed for you that includes www.HCMmag.com/CompanyProfiles
94 Research Tackling dementia
Half of global dementia cases could be prevented or stalled by lifestyle changes, according to a recent study by the Lancet Commission
46 Liz Clark
PHOTO: THERMENGRUPPE JOSEF WUND
16 Jessica Christensen
20 Jenny Patrickson
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The industry must become a trusted source of the truth
The challenge and opportunity of BioAge
Neil King, Co-founder, Longevity
I read with interest the recent editor’s letter in HCM about the benefits of using biological age versus chronological age as a starting point for a new generation of research (HCM issue 9 2025 page 5. www.hcmmag.com/biochrono).
It’s a fascinating subject and one which – in my experience – is not widely understood.
For the last two years I’ve been interested in the science around longevity and health optimisation, having opened a longevity studio where we’ve been testing health optimisation tools that calculate biological age. We’ve looked at a number of these tools, all of which give different BioAge results and a wealth of information about a multitude of different biomarkers, some of which are difficult to understand or use.
Having said that, it won’t be long before companies leading in this space refine their proposition
and develop tools that are truly meaningful and help us take personal responsibility for the decisions we take about our health – genuinely representing medicine 2.0 – a move to a focus on prevention rather than cure.
Complicated situation
However, right now it’s complicated. Some great companies out there are doing exciting things, but we need to think carefully about what we use and how we use it.
For example, my Egym bioAge is 49 years-of-age; my DNA and epigenetic bioAge is 52; my glycanAge (glycans are one of the four essential building blocks of the human body and scientific measurements of inflammation) is 20; my metabolic age is anywhere between 42-52 – depending on which brand of impedance scales are used to do this measurement and my Humanity bioAge is 57.
We recently ran trials with a group of members on metabolic health and over a 12-week period the average outputs were as follows: metabolic age reduced by nine years, 9kg dropped and 5 per cent body fat lost; muscle mass up by 6 per cent and visceral fat down 3L. These metabolic health improvements could never have been achieved by just working out or joining a gym – the complementary role of nutrition was essential and needs to be elevated when it comes to improving health and wellbeing. While a lot of this biotech has been available for around 10 years, we’re only just beginning to use it or interpret it to deliver improved
PHOTO:LONGEVITY
Neil King
health outcomes and the area represents a huge opportunity for operators to evidence their customers’ health gains.
Those who build it into their proposition will be able to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
Huge opportunity
We must present more compelling and evidence-based solutions which deal with a wider range of health optimisation solutions. In the future and with the aid of developments in biotech this may well include functional fitness – strength, mobility, metabolism, cardio; lifestyle – sleep, stress, daylight,
work-life balance; cellular health; gut health and nutrition – including supplements – and brain health.
At this moment in time, the world of longevity and health optimisation is still in its infancy but it’s moving fast, and billions of pounds of investment is currently going into this space.
Check out the investment in Altos Labs, which has raised US$3 billion; Calico Life Science –US$2.5 billion and; Human Longevity Inc, US$300 million, for example.
Health optimisation is not about living beyond five score years, it’s about improving healthspan and making sure every year we have in this world
is as meaningful, worthwhile, healthy and active as it can be.
Without doubt in the field of longevity we will see fads come and go and we’ll take some paths that will lead nowhere, but that’s part of the excitement of virgin exploration – new territory.
What’s important is that we, as an industry, become the ‘filter’ – a trusted source of the truth – and that we present solutions to our members that have been scientifically validated, that are easy to understand and that have a purpose and deliver benefit that unequivocally improves health. We all owe our members that authenticity.
Biological age is becoming the new health marker
We’re removing barriers to exercise for women and girls and also families of neurodiverse and SEND children
Removing barriers to exercise
Andy Molyneux, Disability and inclusion lead, Everybody Health and Leisure
At our leisure centres in Cheshire, UK, visitors can expect all the usual amenities – a gym, cafe, pool and studios for classes such as group cycling, yoga, and dance. However, what sets these centres apart is a determination to get as many people active and healthy as possible.
The teams at Everybody Health and Leisure have been working with local organisations to remove barriers to exercise for women and girls and also families of neurodiverse children and those with special educational needs (SEND).
Our charity operates 17 leisure facilities and has rolled out an initiative across all sites, working with an organisation called Caught Short Lockers, which provide freely accessible and free-of-charge period products for women and girls.
Free access to period products is vital when it comes to boosting participation by women and girls and according to Nuffield Health, more than four in five (84 per cent)
of teenage girls say their interest in sport and fitness diminished after starting periods, while almost one in four (23 per cent) say they feel embarrassed to take part in physical activity while menstruating.
This can have a huge knock-on effect when it comes to women and girls’ mental and physical health.
Free sanitary products
Caught Short Locker is the brainchild of founder Nichola Foulkes, who established the charity to remove a barrier for girls and women, who may have
abandoned a training session before, due to their period.
Free products are made available, including applicator and non-applicator tampons, sanitary towels, feminine wipes, incontinence pads and disposal bags.
A culture of openness and support from Everybody Health and Leisure has seen this initiative implemented across all sites with the aim of driving exercise uptake by women and girls.
When it comes to supporting children who are neurodiverse, or have special educational needs, we offer Calm Bags, from a charity called Ruby’s (www.rubysfund.co.uk), which contain resources such as ear defenders and sensory toys.
Parents use Calm Bags to help neurodiverse or SEND children sit happily in the café while a sibling completes a swimming lesson or other activity, taking the stress out of the situation for everyone and enhancing accessibility. l
PHOTO:EVERYBODY
Andy Molyneux
Many women say they avoid doing exercise during their period
HCM people
The sports and fitness industry has such huge potential to help people be more connected to their environment and their health
Jessica Christensen
Tell us about Mavericks
Mavericks Life Co is an international training provider for the sports and physical activity sector, specialising in active lifestyle education and sustainable approaches.
I launched the company in 2008 with the intention of getting people active while having fun, especially those who don’t generally think physical activity is for them.
What drives us is finding a balance between teaching sports and exercise science with fun ways to get people active in a recreational way, moving their bodies in a way that feels joyful, but is also backed by physiology, psychology and life sciences.
Can you give us a flavour of the skills you teach?
The Mavericks Way is a nature-based training programme, designed to help people reconnect with nature while improving their physical health and mental wellbeing.
We use key aspects of health and exercise science and psychology for leading and working in a community environment. This includes an introduction to motivational psychology for participation and developing intrinsic motivation. We explore the latest insights from recent scientific studies on behaviours, barriers and activities related to outdoor exercise and specifically focus on how outdoor activities should help meet physical activity guidelines around cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle and bone function, mobility and balance.
The Mavericks Way teaches people to adopt an active lifestyle using their favourite outdoor activity, such as walking or running groups, ultimate frisbee, rope and jump rope, tree climbing, wild swimming, or games with their dog or their children. Everything counts!
The outdoor environment gives more possibilities to be creative and playful – for example, working on balance exercises, agility and jumping drills, or playing recreational games. Outdoors is not a replacement for indoor training, but it’s a motivator, because people can have a lot of fun and they can be more social.
The course has a section on nature re-connection: exploring the science of evolution and ecology and the links between the environment and human health. We bring about a connection with nature by teaching people to use and explore the five senses in natural environments and highlighting how nature provides additional proprioceptive, energy expenditure and training opportunities.
There’s a guided mindfulness/sensory experience to show how contact with nature affects our bodies and reduces stress levels in the short term.
We also explore different terrain and opportunities to build fitness exercises based on the available landscape and discuss what nature provides humans and the different ways we and nature are connected.
The course is accredited by NASM and AFAA (USA), EREPS (EU), and CIMSPA (UK). It involves 12 to 15 hours of online learning, which has to be completed within three months.
Founder and academy director
Mavericks Life Co
WATCH THE VIDEO
You’re based in the UK and the Swiss mountains, can the programmes be transferred to urban environments?
Absolutely. Nature-based training can be practiced in any outdoor space. I pilot all the programmes at our training centre in Switzerland and pop-ups in London to see how they translate to different practices.
The outdoor course teaches participants to explore and discover urban nature, revealing how it may be a lot closer than we think. It’s not just Big Nature that’s useful – Little Nature is also a great resource that we should preserve, especially in urban settings. Examples of existing outdoor activities we can lean into more include running groups, outdoor circuits, jump rope and Tai Chi.
Have you ever tried this in an area of deprivation?
That’s exactly why we created the course and we’re currently running a pilot in the Philippines to measure the impact this type of activity could have within local communities. In the Philippines, we’re training leaders who practice rope flow, a highly accessible movement-based activity using a rope. The people of the Philippines have taught me that a lack of resources
Christensen in based in Switzerland
is just a perceived barrier: when you have a can-do attitude, you can achieve anything, even getting fit with a recycled piece of rope in your backyard.
Countries with the fewest resources often teach us the most about using basic resources and how people approach outdoor exercise joyfully in all weathers!
Who are your customers?
Our education courses are aimed at existing coaches, activity leaders and health professionals, but our workshops and online resources are designed for people of all levels. Our approach is neither a critique nor a replacement for what’s already happening indoors, but it’s definitely how we’re seeing things going forward.
I think the sports and fitness industry has such huge potential to help people be more connected to their environment and their health and move towards sustainable activities. l More: www.maverickslife.co
PHOTO: ALEX
PROD / MAVERICKS LIFE CO
It’s not just Big Nature that’s useful – Little Nature is also a great resource that we should preserve, especially in urban settings
Courses are piloted in Switzerland, and at pop-ups in London
PHOTO: ALEX PROD / MAVERICKS
Many fitness professionals don’t feel skilled enough to work with people with a health issue
Jenny Patrickson
MD, Active IQ
Patrickson says the industry needs to offer clearer career pathways
What’s the purpose of the 2024 Skills Gap Report?
We have a lot of anecdotal feedback around the state of education and the workforce situation within our sector and we wanted to have some concrete evidence as to the lay of the land. We also wanted to give learners a voice and understand their perspective. As an awarding organisation, our direct customers are training providers, while fitness professionals are once removed, so we wanted to find out about the issues they’re facing and their views on the opportunities in the sector.
What were the findings?
They confirmed what we were aware of: health clubs, gyms and leisure centres are struggling to find people with the right skills to fill roles, especially to deal with the increasingly diverse range of members. Year on year, since the pandemic, there’s been a decline in the number of people being certified and there are less people coming into
the sector looking for a career – plus the churn is too high. In addition, employers who are taking people on and then not supporting them in their continuing professional development or not upskilling them, are seeing the most churn.
Where are the skills shortfalls and is the training fit for purpose?
I think it is fit for purpose: we have training up to level four. Despite this, many fitness professionals don’t feel skilled enough to work with people with disabilities, or those with an injury or a health issue. They also report feeling that they lack the necessary skills to manage their own businesses and to find and retain clients. Business skills are included in qualifications now, but they weren’t 10 years ago. Responsibility for upskilling people lies with both the employer and the employee, even with a selfemployed model. If an employer thinks that someone can enter a role with the breadth of skills, knowledge and behaviour they need for their business right from the off, then they’re wrong. The qualification is just
Since the pandemic, there are less people coming into the sector looking for a career –plus the churn is too high
the start of the journey. Employers are responsible for upskilling team members while employees are responsible for becoming lifelong learners.
Are there enough career progression opportunities in the sector?
We received feedback about the lack of progression opportunities in the sector, but I think this is more Upskilling should be down to both employer and employee
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
The industry needs to do a better job of marketing its own opportunities and ensure it’s taken seriously as a career choice
about perception than reality, because training opportunities and progression opportunities do exist – this is something CIMSPA has been working on. We also work with Future Fit to create bespoke management qualifications and career opportunities to allow people to move into management.
However, having such a large proportion of the industry unable to see a career pathway is a clear call to action for employers, awarding bodies and training providers to increase the visibility of career progression while also highlighting success cases. Development of CPD also needs to be paired with a clearly communicated path explaining how careers can be advanced as skills are developed. The industry needs to do a better job of marketing its own opportunities and ensure it’s seen as an attractive option for potential employees and taken seriously as a career choice.
Is anybody making recommendations about pay and benefits and contracts?
This is one of the issues we’ve been banging the drum about for years, along with CIMSPA, EMD and UK Active. One of the problems after the pandemic was that it was a candidate’s world in terms of jobs and opportunities and other sectors offered better pay.
Is cost a barrier to companies investing in training?
It doesn’t have to be. If an organisation sets up its own academy, or works with a training provider and if it’s clever with how it bolts on CPD to qualifications it doesn’t have to break the bank. One opportunity that’s being missed is apprenticeships. We’ve had the same apprenticeships available for many years now and there’s no group within our operator environment blazing the trail to get new apprenticeships that join the link between healthcare and fitness. Employers with a pay bill of more than £3m are already paying an
Available funding for apprenticeships are currently underutilised
apprenticeship levy, so there are many benefits for the development of new apprenticeships, otherwise this levy will get wasted.
The higher the apprenticeship level goes, the higher the wage that goes with it and the higher the funding. The apprenticeship levy can also be used for other types of training as well, so there’s a massive opportunity for employers to fund training for their workforce.
How prepared are we in terms of trends, such as training people who are on weight loss medications?
In terms of weight loss medication support, we’ve been speaking to Dane Vishnubala, our chief medical advisor, and he feels this needs medical research, so there’s no quick fix. However, it’s possible that we could provide training that’s online and nonregulated, but accredited and delivered by someone like Dane who has a medical background.
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK / WAVEBREAKMEDIA
That would be the fastest and safest way of delivering that bolt-on, because getting a programme of learning regulated through the government structure takes many months.
Insurers can be more squeamish about nonregulated qualifications, however, so that’s something we would need to check.
Who is doing training well?
We’re working with a number of employers in the UK, including David Lloyd, Virgin Active and Freedom Leisure, who either have academies or are in the process of setting them up. They’re taking the core qualification, knowledge and skills that are essential to their roles, and building their own culture, ethos and values into the training. One of our private training providers has also bolted on CPD from The Well HQ on women’s health, so they’re already thinking outside of the box in terms of adding value. ●
Key takeaways from Active IQ’s 2024 Skills Gap Report
20 per cent of fitness professionals feel there are plenty of opportunities for career progression
52 per cent of fitness professionals feel improving their business skills would make it easier to be successful
41 per cent feel unprepared to help those with chronic illnesses
60 per cent of fitness professionals feel they don’t have enough knowledge in injury prevention or treatment to assist clients
The number of certifications being completed is decreasing
32 per cent of fitness professionals feel they do not have the required skills and education to train customers across various areas of diversity
43 per cent of respondents believe there are limited or no opportunities to develop and progress their careers
The skills gap is being exacerbated by technological advancements, shifts in consumer behaviour, evolving health and wellbeing trends and an increased awareness of diversity and holistic health
42 per cent of gyms and leisure centres have fitness instructor vacancies
Beyond injury, 35 per cent of fitness professionals feel it is difficult to customise for those with physical disabilities
45 per cent of fitness professionals feel they haven’t received enough training on how menstruation and menopause can impact physical and mental wellbeing goals
Tom Leverton is first CEO of Purpose Brands
Purpose Brands, the US$3.7 billion company formed by the merger of Orangetheory Fitness and Self Esteem Brands, has appointed Tom Leverton as CEO.
Leverton most recently served as an operating partner at Pritzker Private Capital, co-leading the firm’s activities in the services sector. He also previously served as CEO of CEC Entertainment (parent company of Chuck E. Cheese), Topgolf and Omniflight, and formerly served as chief development officer
Anytime Fitness is set for further growth under Tom Leverton’s leadership at FedEx Office overseeing 500 store launches in two years.
Leverton told HCM: “There’s a big desire to expand. About half of our locations are international and half are here in the US, which gives us tremendous white space globally across all our consumer facing brands.”
Purpose Brands has six million members across 7,000 sites in 50 countries under Anytime Fitness, Orangetheory, Waxing the City, Basecamp Fitness/ SUMHIIT Fitness, The Bar Method, Stronger U Nutrition, Healthy Contributions and Provision Security.
More: http://lei.sr/z3N8D_H
LifeFit Group acquires two more gym chains
The LifeFit Group has acquired Body Culture Group’s collection of 15 clubs, bringing the German operator’s estate to 165 and adding 30,000 new members.
Under the new ownership of Waterland Private Equity Investments, LifeFit Group has a buy and build expansion strategy, with the goal of getting to more than 250 sites by 2028.
Christophe Collinet, CCO LifeFit Group, says: “There has not been one month without growth in the last 36 months. We have significantly expanded our studio network throughout Germany in recent years and are very proud of how much we have been able to grow.”
Currently branded as Body Culture, Fitnessfabrik, Amanusa
and Intenso, the clubs are located in Frankfurt, Darmstadt and the surrounding areas, an economically significant metropolitan area.
The majority of the clubs will be positioned as the full service, best price brand, Fitness First Red, but those with stand-out facilities or locations will be branded as the premium Fitness First Black. Rebranding is expected to start in early 2025 and be completed in the second quarter.
Earlier this month, LifeFit Group also acquired Buena Vista Fitnessclub GmbH, a leading provider in North Rhine-Westphalia, which owns five fitness studios with almost 10,000 members.
More: http://lei.sr/P9N4p_H
We have tremendous white space across all our consumer facing brands
Tom Leverton PHOTO:
Martin Seibold is growing LifeFit Group through a ‘buy and build’ strategy
AI-powered gym franchise launches in the US
Fred Fitness – claiming to be the first gym to offer AI-driven, personalised workouts – will make its debut in Santa Monica in January, with plans for rapid expansion via franchising.
Backed by German operator, Clever Fit – which has more than 500 franchised studios in Europe
Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, Egym
– the concept will use Egym’s Genius technology to deliver customised training plans and realtime guidance to give a PT-style workout. The proprietary AI system will continuously adapt to each member’s progress, provide realtime feedback, dynamically adjust workouts and ensure optimal form.
Clever Fit founder, Alfred Enzensberger, says this concept will democratise personal training by giving everyone access to professional-grade workouts, regardless of budget or schedule. On-site PTs will also be available.
“As the fitness industry moves toward premium services focused on longevity, we aim to make these innovations accessible to everyone, at an affordable
price,” says Enzensberger. Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of Egym, says: “The launch of Fred Fitness is the culmination of our shared commitment to innovation in the industry.”
More: http://lei.sr/6k6w2_H
Urban Gym Group snaps up Gymbox
Urban Gym Group (UGG) has snapped up Sparring Partners Holdings, owner of UK-based boutique brand, Gymbox, which currently has ten sites open and trading in London.
The value of the consideration was not disclosed.
During the transition and integration of the two businesses, Neil Randall, CEO of UGG and CFO, Pascal Averdijk, will take the reins, while the current Gymbox leadership team – Marc Diaper (CEO), Scott Vernon (CFO) and David Cooper (co-founder) – will exit.
Randall said: “Gymbox is an iconic business with a unique personality and there are great synergies between our brands.
“This deal marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, starting with the development of a new flagship club in Finsbury Park, London, along with further investments into the current estate.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to Marc, Scott and David and wish them the very best for their next challenge.”
The Finsbury Park site has been on the Gymbox development roster for some time, but was held up by the pandemic. Gymbox locations have reduced from 13 to ten since 2020.
Diaper said: “This acquisition is testament to the incredible work our team has put into growing the Gymbox brand and I’d like to thank each and every team member both past and present for their contribution.”
More: http://lei.sr/t8j7H_H
The launch of Fred Fitness is the culmination of our shared commitment to innovation in the industry
PHOTO: EGYM
PHOTO: UGG
PHOTO: FRED
FITNESS
Fred Fitness will use AI to deliver PT-style workouts
Neil Randall will lead the combined UGG/Gymbox business
Planet Fitness raises targets after strong Q3
Planet Fitness has announced the appointment of Jay Stasz as chief financial officer and is raising its outlook for key financial targets following strong Q3 figures.
“We delivered solid results in the quarter, including more than 5 per cent revenue growth, approximately 3 per cent net income growth and approximately 10 per cent adjusted EBITDA growth and are raising our outlook for certain key financial targets,” says CEO, Colleen Keating.
Planet Fitness is growing in the US and globally under new management
The first price increase in more than 25 years was also achieved, raising the classic card membership to US$15 for new members. Twenty one new sites were opened, bringing system-wide total clubs to 2,637.
Jay Stasz took over as CFO on 15 November. Coming from retail, he has developed high-performing
finance teams and supported significant growth and value creation. He said: “Planet Fitness has a clear mission and value proposition, as well as a compelling business model. I’m confident in its relevance to today’s consumer.”
More: http://lei.sr/5D3P5_H
Expenses lead to losses at Xponential Fitness
Xponential Fitness posted losses of US$18 million for Q3 2024 – up from a US$5.2 million loss in the prior year – in spite of increasing sales and revenues.
The company is working to move forward following the resignation of founder Anthony Geisler against the backdrop of an ongoing investigation by the US Attorney’s’ Office. CEO, Mark King, said: “My focus is on fostering a culture at Xponential that is conducive to long-term success. We need to transform into a marketing- and operationsdriven organisation that places franchisee success at the centre.”
Net losses were attributed by King to a “decrease in impairment of goodwill and other assets; litigation expenses; acquisition
and transaction expense, primarily related to the acquisition of Rumble; restructuring and related charges from company-owned transition studios; a non-cash equity-based compensation expense and a loss on brand divestitures and wind-down”. Looking forward, King said gross new studio openings are expected to be in the range of 490 to 510 – a decrease of 10 per cent at the midpoint compared to full year 2023 gross new openings. This compares to previous guidance of 500 to 520. Revenue for 2024 is forecast to be in the range of US$310 million - US$320 million: a decrease of 1 per cent at the midpoint compared to full year 2023.
More: http://lei.sr/F4B7d_H
Planet Fitness has a clear mission, value proposition and compelling business model
Jay Stasz
PHOTO: XPONENTIAL FITNESS
PHOTO:PLANET
PHOTO: JAY STASZ
Club Pilates is the star of the ninestrong Xponential Fitness portfolio
Run of record profits continues for SATS
Third quarter revenues are up by 8 per cent on last year at SATS. Price increases have led to record-high profitability, while club upgrades have resulted in happy, active customers, the company has reported.
In February 2023, SATS chose to put the brakes on expansion and focus on driving profitability within its existing portfolio and the strategy is paying off.
After revealing its strongest set of year-end financial results last February, the momentum continued in Q2, with record results for six consecutive quarters.
The Nordic operator has now unveiled record highs for the third quarter, with total revenues increasing by 8 per cent to
NOK 1,194 million (€100 million, £84 million, US$109 million.)
The increased profits have been driven by investment in both the clubs and the group training product, which has led to more active members, who have accepted price increases. The average revenue per member is up by 8 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. Membership per square metre has increased by 2 per cent.
“We remain committed to investing in our product offering to deliver the best possible experience for our members,” says CEO, Sondre Gravir. “The response has been positive, with third-quarter visits hitting a record high of 10.1 million.”
More: http://lei.sr/J8e9x_H
Basic-Fit on track to reach 2024 targets
Basic-Fit CEO, Rene Moos, says 2024 is “going to plan” as the low-cost operator continues to open clubs across Europe and progresses plans for franchising.
Revenues increased by 19 per cent to €892 million in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, with a 14 per cent increase in the number of clubs.
The low cost operator’s ambitions for 2024 was to increase its number of clubs to around 1,575 and revenue to between €1.2 billion and €1.25 billion.
During the first nine months of this year 173 clubs opened and five closed. Most of the club openings have been in France and Spain. The number of sites stood at 1,570 at the end of September and the number of memberships increased 13 per cent year on year to 4.2 million.
“The first nine months of the year developed according to plan with continued strong growth in revenue
and memberships. We are well on track to reach our year-end targets and empower an ever-growing number of individuals to embrace a healthier lifestyle,” says Moos.
Having announced last year that it was planning to move into franchising, Basic-Fit has confirmed it expects to launch a franchise platform during 2025. It will require limited capex and
opens possibilities to expand into new countries. Talks are currently underway with potential franchisee partners with ample experience in their respective countries.
Tweaks to the membership structure are also planned, with the introduction of weekly prices.
More: http://lei.sr/S9j8f_H
PHOTO: BASIC-FIT
PHOTO: SATS
Improvements to group training is boosting SATS profits
Basic-Fit is exploring the option of offering weekly pricing to members
Eclipse Leisure Centre raises eco standards
Spelthorne Borough Council and Places Leisure have opened the doors to a leisure centre built to Passivhaus standards, expected to use between 60 and 70 per cent less energy than a typical modern leisure centre.
Located in Staines-upon-Thames, UK, Eclipse Leisure Centre includes a 25 metre main pool, learner pool, splash pad and spa, installed by Myrtha Pools; a 200-station gym, group exercise studios, a six-court sports hall, sauna and steamroom, squash courts and artificial rooftop football pitches, as well as a soft play area, a Clip ‘n Climb climbing area and a Costa coffee café.
Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, Joanne Sexton says: “We’re very proud that we’ve delivered one of the most advanced and energy efficient centres in the world. It represents a significant investment in the health and wellbeing of local people.”
The centre was designed by GT3 Architects. Director, Mark Gowdridge, says: “As one of the UK’s first leisure centres designed to Passivhaus standards, Eclipse has shown us the future of leisure in terms of reduced energy waste and running costs. A huge effort was made to ensure this
facility was fully inclusive, with a wide range of community benefits. From improved air and water quality, to promoting overall wellbeing, this centre is designed to enhance the lives of everyone who uses it.”
More: http://lei.sr/h9y7s_H
The Gym Group achieves FITcert Level 4
The Gym Group has become the first 24/7 UK gym chain to achieve the European certification, FITcert Level 4.
The FITcert scheme is led by EuropeActive and the Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN) and is the first recognised, sector-certification programme for Europe.
Joey Franco, head of health and safety at The Gym Group said: “We are proud to be sector leaders for health and safety excellence. To achieve the externally audited FITcert Level 4 certification is further great recognition of our commitment and demonstrates to our members and teams how seriously we take the health and safety of our gyms.”
Kai Troll, CEO of EuropeActive says the scheme sets the highest quality benchmark across Europe for industry health and safety standards: “Operators who successfully achieve this full certification are not only conforming to European standards, but also making a clear statement to their customers, colleagues, other stakeholders and the public about their commitment to quality, safety, and the overall customer experience. Congratulations to The Gym Group’s hard-working staff on this fantastic achievement.”
Kiwa, a UKAS accredited certifying body, was the external certifying body for The Gym Group in undertaking FITcert.
More: http://lei.sr/U5D2a_H
The 25 metre pool is one of three at the energy-efficient leisure centre
PHOTO: THE GYM GROUP
PHOTO: PLACES
The Gym Group is adopting the European FITcert standards
Active people save the health service billions
Sport and physical activity creates annual savings of £10.5 billion for the NHS and social care, according to Sport England research.
Social value of sport and physical activity for England, estimates that sport and physical activity creates an annual social value of £107.2 billion, by relieving pressure on the NHS through the prevention of illness, reduced mental health service usage, fewer GP visits and less need for informal (unpaid) care.
In partnership with State of Life, Sheffield Hallam University and Manchester Metropolitan University, Sport England’s research measured two types of social value: the primary direct value to individuals through improved wellbeing; and the secondary
UK
Uwider value to society, such as savings made to the public purse.
The Wellbeing value (WELLBY standard) is the value that can be placed on happiness, health and life satisfaction. Active adults, who do more than 150 minutes of physical activity a week, generate a wellbeing value equivalent to £2,500 per person a year.
Adults who are disabled, or live with a long-term health condition, generated double the wellbeing value of an average active adult, at £5,100.
Sport England CEO, Tim Hollingsworth, says: “Our research is unequivocal in making the case for physical activity being part of the solution to issues facing our country.”
More: http://lei.sr/T3r5d_H
Physically active adults who are disabled generate a wellbeing value of £5,100 a year
Active writes punchy letter to Chancellor
K Active has written to Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, asking for measures to offset the cost increases the fitness sector will incur as a result of the recent UK Budget.
According to sample evidence from the trade organisation’s membership, the combined impact of a 35 per cent rise in business rates, increases in National Insurance Contributions and the reduction in the threshold at which employers start to pay National Insurance will result in a 10 per cent increase in payroll costs when combined with an uplift to the National Living Wage.
In response, UK Active is urging the government to reduce VAT charged on health and wellbeing businesses, reform business rates, invest in incentivisation programmes and integrate the sector within the healthcare system.
UK Active CEO, Huw Edwards, wrote: “Across our sector, large private providers, public leisure
operators and independent gyms are reporting that the additional costs have forced them to abandon some of their plans for new facilities, halt recruitment or begin to reduce hours and make redundancies.
“Our members have an integral role to play in improving health and driving economic growth and are essential in supporting the government to
deliver on its five missions. While we recognise the importance of ensuring the long-term security of the nation’s finances, these latest measures represent a major threat to our members’ ability to support the government in achieving its missions and serve their communities.”
More: http://lei.sr/m2Q4h_H
PHOTO: UK ACTIVE
PHOTO: SPORT ENGLAND
UK Active CEO, Huw Edwards, says budget could add 10 per cent to payrolls
Peloton announces Peter Stern as new CEO
Peloton has announced that Peter Stern – co-founder of Apple Fitness+ – has been appointed its new CEO and president, effective 1 January 2025.
Currently the president of Ford Integrated Services, Stern has previously held leadership roles at Apple and Time Warner Cable, is experienced at scaling differentiated technology-oriented platforms and has been awarded more than 30 patents. He also has a strong fitness pedigree, being the son of a fitness instructor and serving on the Peloton board since 2016.
“Working for Peloton is a dream come true for me,” says Stern. “My goal is to help millions of people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Peloton, with its unique combination of people, products and passionate members, provides me with an opportunity to do just that. I am excited to link arms with our dedicated Lead Team.”
Peter Stern takes over as Peloton CEO in the new year
With two-thirds of Peloton members being female, the company is also aiming a marketing push at male audiences, starting with millennial males. The first advert in a new multi-phase campaign – Find your push. Find your power – has launched, featuring US football player brothers, TJ and JJ Watt.
Produced in partnership with creative agency, Special London, the advert showcases sibling rivalry as a form of motivation. The brothers rotate through various workouts, including running and cycling with the Peloton App.
More: http://lei.sr/n6H2Z_H
Oura can track heart rate across 40 activities
The new Oura Ring 4 includes Smart Sensing technology that gives more accurate health data and is supported by a redesigned app to make the connection between behaviour and long-term impact.
“The next-generation Oura Ring 4, the reimagined Oura App and the development of the Smart Sensing platform represent signifi cant steps forward for wearables across accuracy, comfort, personalisation and design,” says Tom Hale, CEO of Oura.
“Oura Ring is designed to be a personal health companion, giving our members a holistic view of their health by pairing personal data with meaningful, actionable insights to facilitate long-term changes.”
With the automatic activity detection, users can track their heart rate across more than 40 different activities, including pastimes such as dancing and gardening.
Oura has also launched its first stress feature, Daytime Stress, to empower ring wearers to learn how to better handle periods of physiological stress. Wearers can see how the physiological impact of their daily activities affects their stress levels and gain a better understanding of the impact of their h behaviours.
Women in their 20s are Oura’s fastest-growing member segment, so an update will soon be available to providing information about fertility, giving an estimated view of fertile days.
More: http://lei.sr/e4c7B_H
PHOTO: OURA
PHOTO: PELOTON
Oura Ring 4 features new technology for more accurate insights
OLIVER PATRICK
Wellness expert Oliver Patrick talks about the longevity opportunity and how to deploy tech innovations to gain a competitive advantage
Consumer knowledge around health and wellbeing is growing, and so is access to often confusing advice. It’s no surprise that while the majority of consumer spend is on products, people still seek trustworthy stewardship across the multiple domains of wellbeing.
Technogym asked Oliver Patrick to explain how AIdriven tech can support facility owners with data and personalisation to enhance the customer experience. Patrick is a leading expert in lifestyle management who led the largest team of applied physiologists, wellbeing advisors and nutritionists in the UK at Nuffield Hospitals. He now helps businesses around the world apply contemporary wellbeing strategies and has founded an education platform to drive practical coaching skills in the broader areas of lifestyle beyond movement and nutrition.
Developing practitioner competence
“Lifestyle wellness goes beyond strength training, but skeletal muscle is undeniably important for health and ageing,” says Patrick. “Muscle mass is the engine room of physiology, vital for glycogen storage, glucose control, hormone production, bone
density and overall musculoskeletal health. Given that sarcopenia begins in our 30s, it’s important to get clients doing strength training as soon as possible.
“Poor levels of muscle and strength can be catastrophic for overall health, affecting everything from basic mobility to cognitive function and social connection,” he says. “Lifestyle changes have the power to modulate physiology towards whatever the user would define as their benefit.
“As an industry, we need competency across all the domains of wellbeing, so we can give people strategic guidance. Technology can help us deliver that, track the data and communicate it to members.”
Improving member retention across demographics
In Patrick’s role as a global consultant to fitness facilities, he advises operators on how to use AI-led innovations to attract, engage, and retain members across all demographics.
“You can’t know what people need unless you really know them,” he says. “One question I ask facility owners is “how many of your members got fitter last year?” Operators need to define member progress and there are two new Technogym tools I recommend for doing this – the Technogym ecosystem, combining Checkup data with Biostrength’s AI-driven programming, giving specific data to provide personalised experiences.”
Technogym Checkup captures body composition, balance, mobility and mind data and uses Technogym’s AI algorithm to turn it into highly personalised programming, helping operators move from guesswork to precise measurement. This objective data is crucial for tracking, motivation and even gamification and the power lies in offering members tailored fitness plans based on their physiological profile.
Technogym Biostrength equipment gives a
Technogym Checkup uses AI to capture data and prescribe exercise
Technogym Biostrength and Checkup sit at the core of future-proofing wellness by intelligently capturing physiology markers
Oliver Patrick Co-founder, Future Practice and Pillar Wellbeing
practitioner-light workout so PTs, fitness professionals and coaches can add value. It offers key training principles in a technologically advanced package: smooth automated introductions for deconditioned people, eccentric overload training, precise control over range of motion and progressive overload. This advanced functionality enables people to understand their minimum effective dose of strength training and get greater results in less time.
Patrick suggests Technogym Checkup and Biostrength combined have the potential to support business growth by providing personalised, results-driven experiences that extend the average length of membership. For new technology to future-proof a facility, wellness needs to be embedded into a culture where datadriven, personalised wellness becomes the norm.
“By offering personalised programming and dataled efficient options, clubs can justify higher rates or offer an additional wellness tier of membership,” he said. “These technologies can help operators reposition facilities, attracting a broader market share and opening up new avenues for secondary spend.”
Attract and retain new wellness consumers
These advanced technologies have the potential to attract and retain new or hard-to-reach market segments. Younger users and people who’ve been hesitant about traditional gyms can be drawn to the idea of scientifically-guided, personalised advice – with messaging that’s tailored to the human element.
“Technogym Biostrength and Checkup sit at the core of future-proofing wellness by intelligently capturing physiology markers,” says Patrick. “While technology may evolve, the basic principles of how our bodies respond to exercise will stay the same. By investing in equipment that works with these physiological constants, facilities can stay one step ahead.”
AI is here, but it’s not out to replace you. Instead, it’s a powerful tool for saving time, getting ultra-specific, and using data to personalise wellness recommendations. Patrick is clear in his advice: embrace it, or fall behind. l l More: www.technogym.com
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PHOTO: PILLAR WELLBEING
Investors’ growing confidence in what we’re doing is encouraging to see
Gym Group research shows young people are choosing the gym over the pub
WILL ORR
What brought you into the industry and to The Gym Group specifically?
I feel a strong draw towards the purpose of The Gym Group: lowering the barriers to fitness for all.
Over the years, The Gym Group’s high value low cost (HVLC) proposition has brought affordable fitness to so many more people. It’s given them the opportunity to feel better, look better, have more confidence, feel less stressed – all things our surveys show are important to our members, who – with an average age of 29 years – are of a generation that prioritises physical and mental health equally. That fundamental purpose is very appealing, as is the scale of our impact: the positive contribution we already make to over 900,000 members and all the people we employ in our gyms. The significant opportunities for further growth also excite me.
I also feel a personal affinity with the sector: I played competitive tennis as a kid and spent a lot
In late 2023, The Gym Group welcomed a new CEO – previously MD of newspaper publishing house Times Media. One year on, he gives Kate Cracknell a progress report
of time in gyms from an early age. But it’s also nice to do something really positive in your work. Every company has a purpose, but fitness is so positive you don't have to try to be excited by it.
What insights have you brought from the world of media?
There are some obvious differences between selling newspaper subscriptions and selling gym memberships, but also some fundamental similarities.
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I felt there were opportunities to do more on retaining our members for longer, so we’re making this one of our big priorities
In both cases, you’re trying to create and evolve a product that’s sufficiently indispensable that people are willing to pay for it each month. That requires a great product, but also an understanding of where you fit into consumers’ lives. You have to help people see the value in the product and the subscription to keep them engaged.
And there are some similarities in how you go about this, not least in what The Gym Group calls ‘early life’, which is how we aim to retain members beyond the first 45 days of their membership.
At Times Media, we knew subscribers were most likely to churn early on, when they were just trying out their subscription, so we focused on building a habit around consuming Times news. We helped them see the value in their subscription by showcasing different types of content, prompting them to sign up to a newsletter and encouraging them to listen to podcasts and Times Radio.
There’s a very direct parallel with The Gym Group, where we encourage new members to have an induction, meet a PT, set objectives and build a programme. Again, it’s about helping them quickly understand the value of our product and service so they establish a habit and about congratulating and encouraging them when they come regularly.
What were your first impressions of The Gym Group?
In the gyms themselves and across our support centre, the people were really great. That was my first impression.
The opportunity lay – and indeed lies – in harnessing that great capability. It’s about enabling our great people to be as successful as possible by having a really clear strategy and plan, aligning our resources to that plan and reducing distractions from that plan.
My second impression was the fantastic growth potential in this market, which many of the more mature consumer markets don’t have. There is huge headroom in the HVLC gym market; earlier this year, PwC unveiled an analysis which said there was space for the number of low-cost gyms in the UK to more than double. Obviously we’re one of the leading players in that space, so, great people and great growth potential. Then there’s the fact that the fundamental proposition works. It can keep evolving, but what John Treharne [founder of The Gym Group] did from the outset was a stroke of genius, focusing on what really matters to consumers – convenient location, great kit, an affordable price and a friendly environment – and stripping the rest away.
I was also immediately impressed by the amount of work that’s gone into measuring social value, which lies at the heart of The Gym Group’s purpose.
TGG
Were there any areas you felt required work?
I felt the business was a bit siloed and that we could join up in a more focused way in the areas of greatest opportunity.
In line with that, I felt marketing could be simpler and more consistent, building relevance by focusing on the things that matter most to our members: quality of equipment, affordability, friendliness and results.
Retention was another big one. With a proposition based on flexibility and no contracts, I think there was a sort of accepted wisdom in the company that retention was less of a priority than acquisition.
I have quite a lot of experience here and felt there must be opportunities to do more to retain members for longer, so we’re making this a really big focus.
There’s no downside to doing this: if you get better at meeting member needs, you’re
rewarded by members staying for longer.
It’s a win-win. And when you have over 900,000 members, even relatively incremental improvements to retention rates can make a huge difference to the economics of the business.
Another observation was that, while opening new sites is obviously hugely important, when you have 240 existing gyms it’s arguably even more important to manage the estate and the members you already have. That became pillar one of our strategy growth plan.
Our investment case is a like-for-like revenue and free cashflow growth story with a rollout attached to it. It isn’t just about a gym rollout and a race for space. We’re focused on a balanced, sustainable
PHOTO: THE GYM GROUP
Saver memberships offer lower prices for a longer commitment
growth plan that’s rooted in retention and marketing and doing a brilliant job for members.
You unveiled a new growth strategy for the company in March…
The Next Chapter growth plan is a three- to five-year plan based on three pillars: Strengthen the core, Accelerate rollout of quality sites and Broaden our growth – new revenue streams. [www.hcmmag.com/WO1]
We’ve defined clear priorities with clear goals, looking at areas such as how we acquire more customers, how we market, how we retain more customers, how we meet the needs of customers, how we manage our revenue and promotional strategy, how we approach opening new sites and so on. We’ve then created and empowered multi-functional, joined-up teams – teams that embrace data, customer insight, pricing, operations, marketing and more – to go after those priorities.
It’s still early days, but I’m encouraged by our progress across all work streams.
What’s the progress on pillar one: Strengthen the core?
The key metric is like-for-like revenue growth and return on investment in our mature estate. For new sites, we’re targeting a 30 per cent return on invested capital (ROIC), but we're also targeting a mature site ROIC of 25 per cent.
We’ll update on progress when we report our full-year results in March 2025, but our H1 results were strong [www.hcmmag.com/WO2] and the momentum continued throughout the summer. We were well-prepared to capitalise on the autumn peak.
Yield has been a key focus this year and has been assisted by very strong consumer perceptions of our value for money. When you can walk into a 15,000sq ft gym that’s clean, well-run and full of good equipment for £20 a month, that’s demonstrably great value. It creates the conditions to increase prices at least in line with inflation, if not a little bit more.
We’re talking about relatively modest increases of perhaps £1 a month, but across a big base of around 900,000 customers this can make quite a big difference. So we’re pursuing that strategy, but the absolute key is to simultaneously continue to build and reinforce our strong value for money credentials.
Our programme of maintenance feeds into this, with work being done at 150 of our mature gyms in the first half of this year
The Gym Group currently has 240 sites around the UK
For new sites, we’re targeting a 30 per cent return on invested capital (ROIC), but we’re also targeting a mature site ROIC of 25 per cent
–everything from a small tidy-up to a few d ays of closure to do a full refurbishment.
We continue to evolve the equipment mix to meet member needs, too. And we’ve launched Hyrox in 37 of our gyms already, for free to our members, with a plan to roll it out to 120 by the end of the year.
We also have a new Off-Peak membership tier alongside our Ultimate, Standard, Student and Saver products – Saver memberships being a pay upfront product with a lower monthly
price in return for a longer-term commitment. Different people find value in different tiers.
Then looking at revenue management, we’re being thoughtful about the way we promote. How we deploy digital media to advertise hyper-locally is one point, because most people choose a gym within a couple of mile radius. But we’re also looking at how we use promotions that are effective in terms of attracting customers but also retaining them. We don’t want to be over-discounting: that isn’t good for our business or for the industry.
PHOTO: THE GYM GROUP
We’ve also been looking at how we make our digital buying journey as effective as possible. We’re trying to be highly data-driven in every decision we make, recognising the important role this plays in achieving competitive advantage and sustainable growth. And then there’s the whole piece around retention.
Tell us about your approach to retention.
Ours is a very strong proposition: over 90 per cent of Gym Group members already rate us four or five out of five. But we need to build on those strengths, continually making sure we’re as good as we can be. Our approach to retention is data-driven and analytical – that’s the first thing to say. But crucially, we’ve made retention a priority across the company. We use a lot of data and analysis to understand what’s going on: why customers leave, when they leave, how they leave, what encourages them to stay longer.
We’re also putting a lot of thought into how we acquire customers in the first place: certain promotions are more retentive than others.
As I’ve already mentioned, we have a big focus on Early Life – on helping new members see and benefit from all the value in our proposition and in turn establish fitness habits that will last. We have a number of programmes in this area. Going back to the sense of purpose, the nice thing about this sector and this business is that if you win for your customers – if they get fitter and healthier and all the rest of it – they reward you with loyalty. You have to try and achieve that win-win and Early Life is a big part of it.
We’re also putting continued thought into the experience in our gyms. Consumers are so much more informed about fitness and wellbeing these days – we talk about ‘Fitness IQ’ – and they understand the need for gym facilities for a rounded workout. The social aspect of training together is another big consumer trend that’s very encouraging for The Gym Group and the industry as a whole.
Orr says there are plans for 50 new club openings between 2024 to 2026
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The ‘Early
We’re also looking at how our app and other digital elements can enhance the experience: everything from club access to capturing data to help members get better results. The longterm winners in this industry will be those that combine the best of what digital gives you – the inspiration and information it unlocks – with the best of what the gym experience has to offer. As we reported in our H1 results, we’ve seen an improvement in our retention rate. It’s early days with this work, but we’re encouraged by what we’re seeing.
Can you update us on your rollout plans and implementation?
Our plan includes around 50 new club openings from 2024–2026. We’ve already opened eight this year and are on-track to open 10–12 in the full year 2024. We will then accelerate throughout 2025 and 2026. Although we have only guided on this threeyear pipeline so far, I would expect to reach 300+ locations in the not too distant future. I certainly see us opening a lot more gyms. At this stage, we’re focused on the UK. I wouldn’t rule out overseas expansion at some point, but there’s just so much opportunity within our core business in the UK that we don't have any plans to expand internationally right now.
It’s the first time I’ve been CEO of a listed business. The way investors hold you to account is positive
Pillar three references new revenue streams. Any update?
For now, we’re focused on pillars one and two. We see so much opportunity around increasing the returns on our existing sites by being brilliant for members. We also think there’s probably 10 years’ worth of rollout in the UK for low-cost gyms. That’s a lot to go after that’s right there. Companies can sometimes take their eye off the ball and go after something new, because new things tend to be more exciting. It takes discipline to stay focused on the priorities you already have.
PHOTO: THE GYM GROUP
Watch Will Orr speaking at the HCM Summit 2024 by clicking the QR code (right)
ON
It’s nice to be on the winning team, and nice to feel that you’re making progress as a group
Over the longer run, we wouldn't rule out other adjacent opportunities in, say, nutrition, other aspects of wellness or other activities consistent with our purpose of accessible fitness for as many people as possible. All of that is under continual review, keeping an eye on where those opportunities might lie.
But we’re not in a rush. For now, we’ve so much to do and are making encouraging progress. I’d be reluctant to take our eye off the ball at this stage.
That said, I am very keen to explore how private sector gyms can contribute to the preventative healthcare agenda. The new government has started to talk about this and I believe the private sector – especially the low-cost sector with its scale and its pricing – can play a strong role here.
How are you finding running a listed business?
I have experience in both listed and private equity-backed companies, but this is the first
time I've been CEO of a listed business. The way your investors hold you to account is something I’m finding positive. They’re involved in lots of businesses and ask good questions, encouraging you to be thoughtful about what you’re doing so your growth is sustainable.
We’re building a track record of consistency of delivery and are making early progress on The Next Chapter growth plan. Investors’ growing confidence in what we’re doing is encouraging to see.
But the truth is, we’re absolutely focused on making the company as good as possible for our members, our new members, our people and the communities we serve.
Yes, ours is a listed business and as I always remind our people, it’s our investors who enable us to succeed. They are very, very important stakeholders and we want to keep building their confidence. However, if we deliver for our members, investor confidence should take care of itself.
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How do you measure success?
We want to grow the number of members we have. This is the single most important measure. We also want to grow revenue and improve the return on invested capital (ROIC) our investors get from our gyms. We want to create social value within the communities we serve. And we want engaged people working in the organisation; we were recently listed in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024. I ultimately believe we’ll have a winning business if we succeed for our members, for the communities we serve, for our employees and for our shareholders. That’s what we’re aiming to do.
What motivates you personally?
I’m excited by the combination of our growth prospects and the positive impact we already have across the UK. With over 900,000 members, we impact at scale and I believe there is so much more to come.
I’m also excited to work with the team. The Gym Group has a great culture and to be part of that – to have the chance to nurture and enhance it – is great. Winning also motivates me; as I said, I used to play quite a lot of competitive sport. It’s nice to be on the winning team and also to feel that you’re making progress as a group. That sense of progress and winning is definitely important to me. l
TGG is aiming to create real social value in the communities it serves
The Gym Group is the only listed operator in the UK
PHOTO: THE GYM
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OPTIMISING SALES
New research explores over a decade of membership sales to uncover insights that can help operators attract and retain more members
Gym management software platform, Xplor Gym, has partnered with research company Active Insight and trade body ukactive to produce a research report designed to arm operators with a greater understanding of who joins gyms, what attracts them, and what turns them away.
The research is based on Xplor data from over 929,000+ gym members starting their first Direct Debit membership agreement with a UK health club between January 2013 and March 2024. This is enhanced with analysis from Active Insight and ukactive.
Xplor Gym has produced a research report for operators
“Optimising the approach to sales and retention is vital if operators want to achieve growth,” says Xplor’s Dave Alstead. “This report has been designed with that in mind and we want to help operators find practical ways to be even more successful in building a healthy sales pipeline and loyal membership base.”
“The combined insight with Xplor’s extensive data presents a picture with tangible learnings that operators can apply to meet members where they are and maximise the opportunity to provide memberships effectively,” says Active Insight’s Julie Allen.
Ukactive’s Hattie Jones adds: “Operators can use these insights to support how they attract, engage, and retain long-term members. They’ll be doing so with the intelligence and understanding of specific demographics, making for a more personalised and valued experience for the consumer.”
PHOTO: GROUND PICTURE/SHUTTERSTOCK
Gen Z make nearly a third of gym members and behave very diff erently from previous generations
Focus area: Gen Z
One focus area within the report is Gen Z. Born between 1997 and 2012, the research shows that these gymgoers are making up a higher proportion of joiners. In Q1 2024, Gen Z made up 27 per cent of first time members. The study shows that Millennial first time members reached a peak in 2016 and 2017 (making up 59 per cent of first time members). The youngest Millennials turned 20 and 21 in these years. By 2030, every member of Gen Z will be aged 18+. A similar peak is anticipated for Gen Z. Gen Z presents a sizeable opportunity for operators targeting growth. Yet, the study also found that Gen Z quit sooner than any other generation. 14.8 per cent of Gen Z had a terminated their membership within 90 days of starting. That compares to the overall average of 9.7 per cent.
FAST FACTZ
27%
First time members in Q1 2024 who were Gen Z
14.8%
Gen Zers who terminated their membership within 90 days
9.7%
Average Gen Z membership terminations in 90 days
44%
Gen Zers who cancelled indirectly
And of those Gen Z members who left in this period, 44 per cent cancelled indirectly either by missing a payment or cancelled a payment via their bank. At best, this creates a revenue risk for operators. The report includes comprehensive insights and tactics to help operators win Gen Z. Other focus areas include strategies to maximise sales and ways to cut attrition risk early in the member journey. ● Get your free copy at www.hcmmag.com/Xplorsales
Life lessons ____ LIZ CLARK It was all about staying alive
Appointed CEO and president of IHRSA – now the Health & Fitness Association – in 2021 for her advocacy skills and experience, Liz Clark had no idea she was walking into a virtually bankrupt association. She talks to Kath Hudson about the turnaround
The most challenging part of my career has been saving IHRSA.
When I took over as CEO three years ago, the association was US$8m in debt. I was shown an ageing creditors’ report and I didn’t even know what it was because I’d only ever worked for wealthy associations that paid their bills on time!
Knowing I didn’t have enough money in the bank to make payroll the following week meant I didn’t sleep that night.
As a result of the pandemic, the whole industry went through such an awful period of closures and uncertainty and this was reflected in our association. Having to cancel our trade show in 2020, because of
If you have a heart, going through a restructure impacts you personally. I wasn’t sleeping and lost chunks of hair
the pandemic, resulted in a loss of more than US$8m and was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I knew things were bad when I accepted the role, but I didn’t know quite how bad they were – both financially and organisationally. There was also a lot of frustration from former members who’d left the organisation because it wasn’t focusing on what they considered to be a priority.
In time, I went on a listening and learning tour, hearing what the members cared about and what they didn’t care about, apologising for the past and promising a better future, but the first thing I had to address was the financials. I had to look at all options – filing for bankruptcy, clearing house and getting as much money from salaries as possible
to pay the bills, or trying to get a loan. I didn’t even know if we had enough credit for a loan!
I had to go at speed, so we ended up making major staffing changes within about 100 days. I’ve made personnel changes in the past, but this was something else: a holistic, big sweep of the entire executive team – people who had devoted their entire careers to this industry. That was really tough. I made the change quickly, because nobody wants these things to drag out. I did it myself and tried to do it with grace and kindness.
If you have a heart, going through that really impacts you personally. I wasn’t sleeping and lost chunks of hair.
For 18 months there was a lot of negotiating: I went through every contract, from our lease, to
IHRSA was US$8 million in the red when Clark took over as CEO
I learned about being in the hot seat and how to communicate what needs to be said, not just what people want to hear
our tradeshow partners and our Salesforce account and asked for a longer payment terms, less interest or lower payments and I was able to get a loan at a really low interest rate. It was 18 months of putting out daily fires. I had a lot of things coming at me and had to take things day by day. Initially, it was all about staying alive, so there was some frustration from members that we weren’t going fast enough. I’ve been in the seat for just over three years now, and the first year was salvaging and staying alive. The second year, we started to recover and now we’re in year three and starting to get healthy. I’m building out our team again and bringing people on board that I know are A plus players. In the last two years I’ve hired 11 new people.
Coming out the other side
I’ve definitely learned a lot, including how to fix an organisation, but that’s not a job I want to ever do again! It helped that I had the full support of a strong, smart board, who have given me the leeway and support to do what I needed to. My husband and sister-in-law also run trade associations, so my personal network is good.
If I could go back to the point where I was taking the job I would tell myself to do as much due diligence as I possibly could, so I knew what I was walking into financially. I had a lot of big, bold ambitions, thoughts and plans, but no resources to deliver them.
Coming from the confectionary/candy industry I felt both welcomed and as though I was on trial. I’m still on trial, but that’s my job. For the most part I was well received because I was hired to focus our organisation on advocacy and that’s been my whole career. The industry was fed up and
frustrated about being neglected during COVID and I promised that wouldn’t happen again.
As a registered lobbyist in Washington DC, I’d spent my career talking to lawmakers, building relationships on behalf of industries and being a credible, informed voice. By age 30, I’d testified to both the House and the Senate on a number of occasions and that’s a very intimidating situation. You’ve got to have your facts and stats at hand. You can’t fudge them or fake it. If you don’t have the answer, you don’t make one up, you say I don’t have the answer, but I’ll get back to you.
I learned so much about being in the hot seat, how to pivot, to think before speaking and how to communicate what needs to be said, not just what people want to hear. As a result, I’m comfortable giving speeches, having conversations in the boardroom and on television and have also developed a thicker skin.
I hope I’ve brought hope to IHRSA – now rebranded as the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) – and because of that, we’re seeing a major turnaround.
It wasn’t just me that did this – I have a great team, a powerful board and fantastic members. We have the same shared goal now as our North Star and we’re about to hit the gas and go to the moon! l
The Health and Fitness Association Show, the organisation’s conference and trade show, will take place in Las Vegas in March 2025. For more details, go to www.hcmmag.com/HFAShow
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Clark says the organisation is seeing a major turnaround
SUMMIT HCM 2024
HCM and Spa Business magazines brought 300 thought leaders, speakers and suppliers together from its fitness, health and wellness community, for the inaugural HCM Summit
The first HCM Summit took place in London on 24 October at the QEII Conference Centre in the heart of Westminster, with Egym as Platinum Partner.
Senior delegates attended the event from 20 countries – ranging from Taiwan to Norway, Australia to Canada and Italy to South Africa, lending a truly global feel to the proceedings.
Delegates enjoyed a world class lineup of speakers, high-level networking breaks and special event catering by Virgin Active’s healthy food brand, Kauai.
There were also book signings by Jetts’ CEO, Elaine Jobson and The Well HQ’s Baz Moffat,
as well as an exhibition of innovation and a networking after party hosted by Les Mills.
The event was live-streamed globally, with teams of operators, investors and consultants around the world tuning in to watch proceedings in real-time.
The majority of delegates polled rated the event and speakers as ‘excellent’ in giving their feedback.
The speaker presentations are now free to watch on-demand at www.HCMsummit.live/2024/videos.
In 2025, this on-demand access will be chargeable.
The summit will be held on Thursday 23 October 2025 and Thursday 22 October 2026 at the QEII.
Liz Terry
Rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson talked about his journey to wellbeing
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300 delegates signed up for the HCM Summit 2024 from 20 countries
Emlyn Brown from Accor Well-being
Belinda Steward, MD, Places Leisure
Liz Terry interviews TGG CEO, Will Orr Phillip Mills, founder of Les Mills
Egym is Platinum Partner of the HCM Summit
Delegates enjoyed raw juices, smoothies and wraps by Kauai
PHOTO: HCM /
PHOTO: HCM /
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PHOTO: JACK EMMERSON
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Twinlabs.ai exhibited its digital twin software
Prism Light Pod with red light therapy
The One Living team with Jonny Wilkinson
PJ Nuitten from Colruyt Group/Jims Fitness
PHOTO: HCM / ED GALLAGHER
PHOTO: HCM / ED GALLAGHER PHOTO:
Third Space CEO, Colin Waggett, was a keynote speaker
Dean Kowarski, group CEO of Virgin Active explained the company’s new direction
Dave Courteen and Will Orr catch up
The ServiceSport team was in the house
Technogym was Innovation Partner
PJ Nuitten from Jims Fitness
Fahad Alhagbani, CEO of Armah Sports
The HCM/Spa Business team with chair, Andrew Gibson (bottom third from left)
HCM’s Kate Cracknell interviewed Justin Musgrove on stage
Lunch was hosted by Perfect Gym
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Keynote speakers participated in the event
Cyclops Workout brought its new tech to the summit
The Les Mills team hosted the HCM Summit After Party at the QEII
HCM and Virgin Active’s Kauai healthy food brand partnered to nourish delegates
Summit Partners were profiled
Keith Burnet took delegates into the Twilight Zone
UNBREAKABLE HABITS BUILDING
Landmark research reveals the vital interventions required to set new members up for success and keep them coming back to boost lifetime value
It’s like giving the keys to a Bentley to someone who hasn't got a driving license.”
So goes Retention Guru Dr Paul Bedford’s analogy illustrating where health clubs fall short when welcoming new members.
“We've significantly improved the quality of almost everything over the last 20 years and have some beautiful facilities to showcase, but we’re seriously lacking when it comes to onboarding,” he adds. “Doing onboarding well doesn’t need to be daunting and it can make a massive difference to the bottom line.”
Strong sales in January – the most important month in the club calendar – can set operators up for a stellar year, but as Bedford says, once a sale is complete and that member starts hitting the gym, many operators lack a solid strategy to aid their success. This is incredible considering acquiring a new customer can cost five to seven times more than retaining a current one (Source: Forbes).
The hard facts
HFA/IHRSA figures suggest half of new joiners leave their facility within the first six months
and 52 per cent of all cancellations are silent (Xplor/Active Insight) – meaning members stopped an upcoming payment without prior notice, or quit the gym without sharing a reason.
So how can clubs protect the revenue from their hard-earned sales and avoid being ghosted by new members? New research from the Les Mills Lab, in conjunction with Iowa State University, has identified positive touchpoints in the member journey – some of which happen before people even set foot in the gym – and once those critical habits are baked in, the results can be transformational (www.hcmmag.com/touchpoints).
The study saw 1,134 people – all new to exercise – split into eight groups. Each group was assigned a set of interventions, including goal-setting, motivational support, a ‘preparation habit’, and an ‘instigation habit’ to assess which combination of intervention had the greatest impact on retention.
At the end of the trial period, researchers found the group assigned preparation and instigation habits, along with goal setting, had the strongest adherence to exercise, achieving 200 per cent greater attendance than the group
Without social support, the only thing keeping new members coming back is willpower and that often isn’t enough
that had no interventions and 29 per cent more than the group that only did goal setting.
Preparation and instigation
So what’s the key to developing strong preparation and instigation habits and how can you help members adopt them?
Preparation is defined as an event regularly preceded by a consistent environmental or behavioural cue. For example, members might have time to pack their gym bag every evening after dinner, so “finishing dinner” becomes the cue to trigger a habit of preparing
their bag, thereby starting the process of committing to exercise the following day.
When preparation is coupled with instigation, exercise adherence becomes even stronger.
The rule of instigation comes into play when we appreciate that we're better at starting and maintaining a new behaviour if we partner it with an existing one.
In practical terms, this means asking members to think about their daily schedules to identify good opportunities to exercise that are regularly preceded by another routine or behaviour and occur on at least 3-5 days of the week.
For example, they might have time to exercise every day if they’re always in the same place before lunch. That place can be set up to be the trigger for exercise instigation –prompting the decision to go and exercise.
Bryce Hastings, head of research at Les Mills, notes that when both preparation and instigation habits are introduced, it makes it much easier for people to stick with exercise in the early stages of their journey.
However, he adds that understanding the value of establishing preparation and instigation habits is just part of the equation. "The research shows what's most important is taking action to bring these habits to life,” says Hastings.
“This means planning and noting down preparation and instigation intentions, thinking about what you might do to overcome obstacles or barriers, and visualising what success looks like.
“Adding these strategies to the setting of clear, adaptable goals and selecting exercise programmes
members enjoy, significantly increases the chances of them establishing new exercise habits.”
What do these findings mean for operators? As we head into high season, millions of consumers around the world will join health clubs in the hope of embedding a new fitness habit and a huge number will fail.
Insights from the Global Fitness Report , published in 2021, show the majority of new gymgoers don’t set out with a plan and lack a clear, achievable goal for their first six weeks of membership, meaning many routines fail to last more than three to six months. Only 38 per cent of beginners are motivated to stick
If you’re relying on motivation to stick with a behaviour, it will be problematic because motivation changes, our goals change, and life gets in the way
to an exercise plan. What’s more alarming is that less than 23 per cent of beginners consistently see exercise as a positive experience and 70 per cent of these members don’t enjoy being challenged.
The majority of those who quit their memberships do so due to lack of guidance and induction and 51 per cent of new-tofitness members said they experience a lack of social support (Global Fitness Report 2021).
“Without social support, the only thing keeping new members coming back is willpower and that often isn't enough”, notes Dr Alison Phillips, professor of psychology at Iowa State University, who co-led the study.
“If you're relying on motivation to stick with a behaviour, it will be problematic because motivation changes, our goals change, and life gets in the way,” she says. “This is why habits are so important: they become automatic and happen whether you want them to or not.
“Habits are easy to enact once you have them, but they’re not easy to form. Establishing an exercise habit doesn’t come quickly or easily – you have to do something long enough and consistently enough to form a habit.”
So as January edges closer, here are five crucial steps health club operators can take to help members build unbreakable habits…
Guidance is critical to members developing good exercisehabits
Top 5 habit builders
Get onboarding right
1
Going beyond the equipment tour and diving into what motivated your new member to show up is key to their success – and your chances of keeping them. This means understanding why they’ve chosen now to join, as well as understanding their goals and any potential barriers they face.
Many members know what they want to achieve, but think less about the hurdles that could derail their progress.
Gaining a deeper understanding of their existing routines and the time they have available to exercise helps hatch a plan they can adhere to, while implementing the key learnings from the Habit Study can ensure members are primed before they even set foot in the club, putting you on the fast-track to success.
Set achievable targets
2
Making it to the club at all is a major challenge for many new members, so setting goals that are realistic and achievable is vitally important to ensure they stay motivated to keep coming back and avoid being disheartened. Again, honest conversations around how much time they can comfortably dedicate to exercise will help calibrate expectations around what can realistically be achieved.
A good goal for new joiners is one that feels attainable and comes with the expectation it can be improved on over time.
Ensure accountability
3
Exercising in a supportive group is one of the most powerful forms of motivation. Studies show wellbeing increases 21 per cent when working out with other people (www.hcmmag.com/Lululemon24), so hosting a new member mixer or encouraging new members to bring a buddy to the gym is a great way to support this.
And it’s not just member wellbeing that increases when people move together – it’s also very healthy for a club’s bottom line. Members who attend group training classes visit their facility four times per week, compared to IHRSA’s industry average figure of 1.9 member visits per week (www.hcmmag.com/LMIgroupex). Meanwhile, those who do three or more Les Mills classes per week stay members of their club 50 per cent longer than those who don’t do classes – that’s an extra 9.8 months’ of dues per member.
Do timetable analysis
When it comes to driving good habits that are easy to adhere to, group training is a key part of the club offering – research shows 81 per cent of fitness beginners are interested in group workouts (www.hcmmag.com/LesMillsGFTR21).
But making habits stick requires a timetable that supports members’ diverse needs. This means offering a broad range of time slots and class types – augmented by in-club Virtual classes – to match the varying interests and routines of members.
The power of your people
The only element rivals can’t replicate, people are a club’s most valuable asset and this is especially true at the start of the member journey. The ability of instructors to boost self-esteem and offer timely encouragement can be crucial in the early weeks of habit formation and these same instructors play a key role in attracting them in the first place.
The people who work in clubs are a key factor in choosing a gym to join, say 59 per cent of club member prospects, while having contact with a great instructor makes a member 2.5 times more likely to refer a club to their friends. Further proof that an investment in people pays handsome dividends. 4 5
MEETING OF MINDS
HCM news editor, Kath Hudson, tapped the zeitgeist at the recent W3Fit EMEA event in Sardinia
Alongside the meeting programme at W3Fit there was also networking by stealth during HIIT workouts, yoga by the pool, a morning hike followed by a sea dip and beach games.
“The theme for this event was ‘energy,’ and we couldn’t be more pleased with the positivity and enthusiasm,” said W3Fit co-founder, David Zarb-Jenkins.
Expansion plans
CEO of Everlast Gyms , Dan Summerson, says there will be some serious launches coming soon in big locations: “We’ve bought some big sites and will have 10 new gyms in the UK within the next 18 months. The next step will be to go to Europe, the Middle East and we’d like to get to the US. Every time we have a better site we double our usage and we’re extending beyond our usual demographic of 18- to 30-year-olds to engage with older customers.”
Marjolijn Meijer, founder of Netherlandsbased Urban Gym Group, said international expansion was on the cards and has followed up by announcing the acquisition of 10 London locations from UK operator, Gymbox.
The Club Company is also interested in growth, seeking out golf clubs which can be converted to country clubs. Appealing to affluent achievers and
older people, group fitness and wellbeing manager, Luiz Silva, says its original market of active agers like to be looked after and repay this with their loyalty.
Ambitious expansion is also on the cards for Portugal-based SC Fitness, owned by food, retail, telecom and shopping company, Sonae. The company has three brands: Solinca Classic which is value for money with a pool; Solinca Light which is the same offering without a pool and Element, a low cost brand, which is currently the biggest focus in terms of new sites. Three clubs will open in November and growth beyond Portugal is on the cards.
“Penetration in Portugal is only 9 per cent,” says Lia Bahut, Solinca Fitness manager. “Obesity is a big problem, with heart disease being the
Stunning scenery provided an uplifting backdrop to the event
The event included wellness activities for participants
Delegates
biggest killer, which could be avoided with healthy habits. Our challenge is to attract more people who don’t currently see gyms as the solution.”
Changing models
MyFitness Estonia – the largest chain in Estonia with clubs in Latvia and Lithuania across three brands – says it’s opening smaller, dedicated studios in response to customer demand. Recovery services are being added at its premium clubs and the company is looking for a partner to add mental wellness to the mix.
In the UK, Fitness4Less is heading back to the mid-market. “We don’t want to compete on cost. We’re looking to increase membership yield and get back to the mid-market,” says CEO, Steve Bradley. Having relaunched the Topnotch brand in 2022, the company is in the process of converting all Fitness4Less sites with pools to Topnotch. The Northampton club is currently undergoing a transformation that includes an upgrade of the sauna and changing rooms, new kit, HIIT studios and a boutique-style branding. It will relaunch in January with a membership increase of £5 per month to £37.99.
Tackling new territories
Ahmar Azam, CEO of Pakistan’s TriFit , spoke to HCM about the challenges and opportunities of developing sites in virgin territory.
The theme for this event was ‘energy,’ and we couldn’t be more pleased with the positivity and enthusiasm
So far the company has seven clubs in three locations – all sites have separate male and female clubs and one has a site for young people – with more planned for next year.
“In Pakistan there are thousands of mom and pop gyms saying it’s an elite facility and charging expensive memberships, which caused a huge trust deficit,” he says. “They charge Mercedes prices for a Toyota Corolla.”
TriFit’s high value low cost concept offers cardio and strength areas, a busy class schedule,
Delegates shared thoughts on new trends and territories
Industry leaders enjoyed pre-schedule one-to-one meetings
physiotherapists, nutritionists, sleep therapists and healthy cafes called Tri Fuel.
Another operator taking international-standard health and fitness into new territories is Afrofit, founded by Yves Preissler. Currently gearing up to open its fourth site on the border with Uganda, Preissler is keen to franchise, or take on investment, to accelerate the growth of the business across Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda and in the long term to central and west Africa.
“The market is there for the taking,” he told HCM . “No one is operating on a large scale, now is the time to own the African market.”
Public sector
The pivot to active wellbeing is well on the way in the UK public sector. Plymouth Active has just launched an ambitious strategy, in partnership with Plymouth YMCA and Plymouth Argyll Football Club’s Argyll Trust, to use health activity to tackle inequalities and relieve the health service burden.
The Active Health programme takes a full-systems approach and brings in NHS and public health funding, as well as contributions from charities, including Cancer Care and Parkinsons. The impact and social value will be measured by Plymouth Marjons University.
Aimed at the 85 per cent of people who are not currently active, people will be referred by the NHS for a free, eight-week programme either in the pool, or gym during quiet times. Staff have been trained in soft skills to support the supervised sessions. After the eight weeks, the option of half price membership will be offeredf for a year.
“Long term we’re hoping this will be embedded into the systems of the city for treatment and prevention,” says Plymouth Active COO, Rhys Jones. “We want to show people that our leisure centres are not scary places and hope some will enjoy the experience enough to stay as members and that there will be a ripple effect into the community.”
Buyers and suppliers are vetted for the event
Karl Hayes, MD at Impulse Leisure , says the charitable trust has struck a long-term agreement with Thurrock Council to deliver commissioned services for health conditions, including weight management and mental health.
To deliver this, Impulse Leisure will be working with partners, including Thurrock Mind and corporates.
“We’re making connections and looking to repurpose money which is already there, finding pockets of funding from places such as the regeneration team, the public health team and social care,” he says.
“Our sole focus is the 85 per cent who don’t go to gyms. We’re looking to turn our leisure centres into community hubs, so we can redefine what physical activity is and get people moving without them realising.”
The impact of Gen Z
Many delegates agreed with recent research from The Gym Group that found increasing numbers of young people are choosing the gym over the pub, reporting they’re noticing the gym floor becoming a social space for young people. Delegates are aware that managing groups of teenage lads may be something to watch going forward.
The
place
Delegates agreed with research that found increasing numbers of young people are choosing the gym over the pub
Urban Gym Group has been conducting focus groups with young people who will be entering the industry in five years’ time, to establish what they’re likely to want. RSG’s vice president of strategy, expansion and franchise, Jörg Fockenberg, says RSG is also looking towards engaging younger generations and considering the introduction of more angles for competition and gamification in its gyms.
Hyrox and Hyrox-style classes are growing in popularity and engaging younger audiences. The Club Company has recently launched its own version, HYBR1D, which brings a competitive element to the gym floor.
Posing rooms and Instagrammable areas are also becoming popular for younger generations, with operators starting to design them into clubs.
Consistently mentioned trends were recovery areas, red-light therapy, cold plunge and percussion therapy. Many operators, including Urban Gym Group, are underway with rollouts, while others are still working out how to integrate the offering and whether it needs its own separate membership.
Interest in reformer Pilates is off the charts and, thanks to Gen Z, strength training looks as though
it will continue to be a priority. The introduction of mental health services was another common talking point, with many operators showing an interest in adding more services for the mental wellness of their members. Sound baths are becoming a popular feature and a positive way to support the mental health of members.
Urban Gym Group’s Marjolijn Meijer says she’s interested in adding more services for perimenopausal and menopausal women, as well as creating enhanced stretching options to balance out strength training.
event took
at the Chia Laguna resort in Sardinia
Many delegates spoke about the challenge of fi nding the best staff
Padel tennis is also growing in popularity, with Lifestyle Fitness – which runs gyms in UK schools –opening its first sites. The UK-based Club Company is converting tennis courts into padel courts and Italian operator, Dabliu, is converting futsal courts.
Staffing challenges
Many delegates spoke about the challenge of finding and retaining the best staff, especially in newer territories. TriFit, which claims to be the first international-standard health club chain in Pakistan, has launched its own academy to overcome the issue.
Upskilling staff is also top of mind for many operators. Fitness First CEO, Justin Musgrove, said he wants his staff to deliver a more premium service: “The fitness industry should be learning from more mature industries, such as hospitality and retail about how to elevate the customer experience.
“Our energy and enthusiasm is off the charts, but we could learn a lot from the retail and hospitality industries about a more customer-centric approach. Fitness First is looking to operators such as Soho House and Lanserhof and thinking about how those higher service standards could be brought to the mid-market,” he said.
Other operators – including Nuffield Health, Plymouth Active and Lifestyle Leisure – all mentioned the importance of training staff so they’re empowered to deal with different populations.
There was also an increasing awareness of the importance of staff wellbeing. Urban Gym Group has recently launched a 24-hour helpline for employees and is exploring the possibility of extending the service to members. Everlast Gyms’ parent company, Frasers, has launched an employee wellness programme –Frasers Fit – to support its 35,000 staff with their mental, physical and– interestingly – financial health.
W3Fit 2025
Next year’s conference will take place in Spain from 14-17 October, at the Higueron Hotel in Malaga. W3Fit North America will be at the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California from 21-24 September
AI vs People
Not surprisingly AI was one of the hot topics at the event, with many delegates saying it was on their list of things to explore. In a panel discussion, Nuffield Health’s proposition manager for fitness and wellbeing, Joanna Seddon, referenced a recent study which showed that the combination of AI with a coach was far more powerful than AI alone, with 74 per cent of people achieving better results when using a combination of a coach and AI, as coaches make the metrics tangible. ●
W3FIT first launched into the EMEA region in 2020
JOIN W3FIT IN 2025
Representing the next generation of hosted buyer events, designed to bring together like-minded leaders in the club and fitness industry through scheduled meetings, interactive education sessions, and purpose-driven networking experiences.
W3Fit North America
Connecting suppliers with buyers representing North America.
September 21-24 • Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, California
Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains, Four Seasons Westlake Village offers a serene luxury five-star retreat with a world-class spa, gourmet dining, and beautiful gardens, perfect for both leisure and business.
W3Fit EMEA
Connecting suppliers with buyers representing Europe and The Middle East.
October 14-17 • Higuerón Hotel Malaga, Spain
Higuerón Hotel Curio Collection by Hilton is a five-star luxury hotel on the Costa del Sol, offering stunning Mediterranean views and a blend of contemporary design with local culture. Contact Our Team Today!
The fusion of technology, visions of nature and applied neuro-science is enabling health clubs to offer exciting, multi-sensory experiences, finds Julie Cramer
While many spa and wellness resorts benefit from being located in naturally-beautiful surroundings, the majority of health clubs are found in more built-up, and sometimes less inspiring urban environments.
However, with the rapid advancement of immersive technologies, using light, sound, scent and other
elements to create heightened and highly-motivating workout experiences, every club now has the opportunity to bring the ‘awesome outdoors’, and other engaging environments, within its own four walls.
We talk to some of the tech creators and designers who are driving experiential new workout experiences about how they can benefit members and operators alike.
These immersive innovations eliminate the monotony of static scenes or wall-mounted TVs, surrounding guests with ever-changing landscapes and destinations
Brian Paris
Wellscape Immersive
Wellscape specialises in creating fully immersive environments featuring full-spectrum lighting, atmospheric audio and ultra-high resolution LED screen technology. Our products enable any space to be transformed on demand or through a scheduling system, allowing for a seamless switch between various scenes and experiences tailored to each class type or application. Screens can be used through fitness, health and wellness facilities, including studios, pools, saunas and reception areas, while also bringing light, movement and nature to any space without a window.
What makes a great immersive fitness experience?
Truly immersive experiences can transform any space with dynamic lighting, atmospheric sound, and seamless scenic surround transitions. Imagine biking through the Swiss Alps today, the Tour de France tomorrow and along the California Coast the next day.
What are the benefits?
Members and guests enjoy custom-tailored journeys with each visit. This innovation eliminates the monotony of static scenes or wall-mounted TVs, surrounding them with ever-changing landscapes and destinations. We can also create touchless experiences through timed sequences, including movements of the sun, cloud, time of day, or seasons. This creates a self-guided experience without the need for attendants or staff.
What applications do you see for immersive environments?
They can enhance every area of a fitness, health and wellness facility. Whether it’s group exercise studios, meditation classes, or steam and sauna areas, these environments can transform typically enclosed spaces into outdoor escapes or any destination you desire. More: www.wellscape.biz
THERMENGRUPPEJOSEF
WOur current understanding of wellness offerings will evolve into spaces with seamless technology and nature elements, or ‘techno-sanctuaries’
tropical downpour, relax on vibroacoustic furniture, and observe the majestic lupuna tree.
e worked on Thermengruppe Josef Wund’s immersive wellness experience – called Forest Bathing: Lupuna – and launched at Therme Euskirchen in Germany, as well as playing a pivotal role in integrating sensory science and immersive technology to create a multisensory journey through the Amazon rainforest. The project engages participants through scent, touch, sight, and sound, fostering a deep connection with nature, and is inspired by the Japanese practice of ‘Shinrin-yoku’ (forest bathing). Visitors step through a waterfall into a simulated
What are the benefits of an immersive wellness environment?
Customers can benefit from enhanced mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. By integrating sensory elements, such as sound, light and visuals rooted in neuroscience, these environments promote relaxation, mindfulness, and deeper engagement, allowing participants to fully disconnect from external stressors. This leads to improved focus, mood, and overall workout effectiveness. For operators, immersive wellness environments offer a competitive edge by attracting health-conscious
PHOTO:
WUND
Ramy Elnagar
White Mirror
‘Experience
consumers seeking transformational experiences. These environments also encourage longer visits and greater levels of customer retention, while fostering a reputation for innovation. Additionally, they can differentiate the brand by merging fitness, wellness, and cutting-edge technology.
What makes a great immersive experience?
Immersive natural elements integrate multi-sensory experiences inspired by nature, using soundscapes, lighting, and visuals to foster a sense of connection and rejuvenation.
Neuro-aesthetic design uses insights from neuroscience to craft environments that stimulate the senses and promote mental clarity, engaging
participants in a deeper, more mindful workout, while expert collaboration involves wellness specialists and neuroscientists in the design process to create spaces that enhance both physical performance and emotional wellbeing.
What role do you see for immersive environments in the future?
Our current understanding of wellness offerings will evolve into spaces with seamless technology and natural elements, or ‘techno-sanctuaries’.
Scientifically-validated experiential wellness will be used to create transformative health club spaces. We use the term ‘Experience as Medicine'. More: www.whitemirror.studio
Mark Hutchison Hutchi by Hutchison Technologies
We were involved in transforming the spin studio at Grangemouth Sports Complex into a Les Mills immersive studio called The Trip. The highlight is a curved projection screen, illuminated by two, edge-blended Panasonic projectors, delivering seamless visuals for an immersive experience.
Dynamic lighting and audio are integrated and controlled via an iPad, allowing instructors to manage the environment, while bespoke FitBox automation integration allows for automatic class triggering without the need for staff attendance. The result is an engaging, immersive studio that receives great feedback from both staff and members, becoming a standout feature of the complex.
What makes great immersive fitness experience?
Visual engagement – seamless displays that immerse participants in the experience by occupying the full peripheral field of view; high-quality audio – a powerful, high-fidelity multi-channel sound system that creates an impressive soundscape with high levels of intelligibility for crisp and clear instruction and effect and; dynamic lighting – bespoke lighting effects tailored to the class content, and lighting
Shutting out the ‘outside world’, the immersive environment encourages participation and engagement, resulting in improved performance and enjoyment
design. Lighting can amplify immersion by extending the peripheral range of the display without becoming a distraction.
What are the benefits?
Customers experience more engaging and motivating workouts in immersive environments, which enhances satisfaction and loyalty. Shutting out the ‘outside world’, the immersive environment encourages participation and engagement, resulting in improved performance and enjoyment.
Operators can also benefit from increased retention, a competitive advantage through unique offerings, and more flexible class formats. These features help differentiate facilities, create social media buzz, maximise space usage and improve operational efficiency.
More: www.hutchi.tech
PHOTO:HUTCHISON
Mark Hutchison
A
Well-orchestrated sensory triggers and gamification can lift customers so they exceed their perceived limits
Eric Harvey Cactus
The team at Cactus designed Clmbr’s flagship immersive studio and retail space in Denver, Colorado, transforming the typically solitary activity of upright climbing into a memorable and social collective experience.
At the heart of our design approach is an interactive sculptural lighting system that was custom-designed and built for Clmbr studios. The light panels can be controlled by a tablet, allowing class instructors to have unparalleled control of the mood in the studio.
Strategically-placed mirrors and bespoke content creates the illusion of a fully encircling the ceiling, offering an immersive fitness experience with just a quarter of the space and hardware. This space was key in positioning the brand as more than just a piece of fitness hardware, but as a community-centric lifestyle brand.
What makes a great immersive experience?
Music has the power to improve our mood, deepen our sense of connection and increase our energy levels – all essential elements of a successful shared fitness experience. It can trigger the release of dopamine – among other chemicals that bring us joy – and can also synchronise the heart rates of listeners.
When music is orchestrated to the movements and flow of a workout it can create a sense of collectivism that sparks social bonds and builds community.
What are the benefits?
Customers benefit through distraction and motivation, which leads to improved performance and outcomes. Well-orchestrated sensory triggers and gamification can lift members so they exceed their perceived limits. Operators benefit from having a more differentiated and compelling offering to market to their customers.
What role do you see for immersive environments in fitness, health and wellness?
With the rise of extended reality technologies and AI tools, our ability to create hyper-personalised and immersive storytelling experiences has expanded exponentially. This new frontier has endless applications within the fitness, health and wellness market that will change the way we interact with our health and our bodies.
More: www.cactus.is
PHOTO:CACTUS/WILLIANMATIOLA
Eric Harvey
Instructors control light panels via a tablet, to set the right class mood
Studio owners find these tech-enhanced experiences justify higher class prices, boosting revenue potential
Steve Wright Power Plate
Studio owners are capitalising on immersive vibration experiences to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. Accomplish Fitness, Feel Good Fitness, and Leap Fit in the UK have all incorporated the technology into their class offerings, creating a unique blend of traditional fitness routines with the added advantage of high-tech, bio-hack enhancements.
What’s needed for a great immersive fitness experience?
Immersive fitness experiences are amplified by three key elements: sensory-rich audio and visual environments, interactivity through personalisation and real-time feedback. They also need diverse offerings that keep users engaged. Additionally, by embracing vibration technology, boutique studios can differentiate by tapping into the rising demand for bio-hacking – fast, innovative and effective fitness solutions that align with today’s consumer focus on efficiency and performance.
What are the benefits of immersive environments?
These tech-enhanced experiences justify higher class prices, boosting revenue potential. Some operators are achieving remarkable results by using a combination of therapies. For example, Power Plate and red light therapy can be used together to accelerate recovery and fitness gains, as well as benefiting clients and members both physically and mentally.
What role do you see for immersive environments in the future?
The focus is less on fitness and more on ‘living well’. We believe that some of the key roles in shaping the wellness landscape are likely to be mental health and therapy, chronic pain management, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, preventative wellness, and social connection – all enhanced by maximising the human experience. More: www.powerplate.com
Steve Wright
The Bio-Hack Pod merges Power Plate and red light in an immersive space
PHOTOS:
Current technology is very exciting as it enables the creation and capture of content that is as close to the real-life experience as possible
Charles Pearce
Immersive Gym Co/ImersU
We installed an immersive studio in Grosvenor’s headquarters in London. Regular yoga and pilates classes are held in the space, as well as virtual classes, sound baths and other wellness experiences. We’ve also completed designing two studios in a new seven-star hotel in central London, forming part of the wellness offering. In both cases our integrated software and hardware platform, together with our own content, form the backbone of the immersive experience.
their environments in a connected way. With our dynamic time-of-day and weather settings, users can enjoy a deeply connected experience. This also gives operators the chance to provide shared experiences with scientifically-proven benefits.
What makes a great experience?
Content should be shown across three walls to provide an immersive visual experience with a 220-degree field of view – filling the extreme peripheral vision. This should be supported with sound and scent to cover the three key senses. Scent is important as it’s the fastest sense to reach the brain and is highly emotive.
What are the benefits of immersion?
We focus on creating content that brings the outdoors indoors. When combined with vision, sound and scent, the user enjoys a biophilic experience with a sense of connection with nature right inside ImersU. This brings well-researched mental, physical and cognitive benefits, resulting in a reduction in stress and an increased sense of wellbeing. Our content can be connected to hardware such as rowing machines, so users can be fully immersed in
How will immersive environments develop?
Current technology is very exciting, as it enables the creation and capture of content that’s as close to the real-life experience as possible. Being in the right kind of nature delivers the best mental and physical experience, so if technology can recreate this experience indoors, this enhances the user experience. It also brings users into the spaces as this is where the experience will be at its best.
More: www.imersu.com
Charles Pearce
Connection to a biophilic space brings physical and cognitive benefi ts
When people step into the studio, they immediately feel they’ve arrived in a unique space, enabling total focus on their workout
Joanna Walker Box 12
We transformed under-utilised space at Oak Park Active Living Centre in Walsall into a high-tech BOX12 studio, providing an engaging new fitness option for the local community.
Oak Park wanted a solution that could attract new members and energise existing ones without adding to the staff workload.
BOX12 was delivered as an all-in-one, automated training experience that enables a 24/7 offering with no downtime, no fixed schedules and minimal staff involvement. Virtual coaching screens guide a rolling 12-round circuit, so members can jump in at any time.
Within eight months, the installation was able to drive a 26 per cent increase in premium membership revenue at Oak Park.
What role do you see for immersive environments in the future?
Immersive fitness experiences are becoming essential in the increasingly competitive fitness landscape, driven in part by the growing popularity of hybrid fitness models that allow consumers to enjoy programmes that combine in-club and virtual training.
What’s needed for a great immersive fitness experience?
Firstly, the physical space must feel special and exciting. This includes visually stimulating design, such as bold branding, lighting, and sound to
Joanna Walker
Immersive fitness experiences can be highly motivating for members
create an environment that energises and motivates. Secondly is technology-driven programming, which should be reliable and repeatable, delivering the same high-quality workout with every session. By using virtual coaching screens and pre-programmed circuits, members can enjoy a premium, skill-based workout without any fluctuations in quality, no matter when they choose to train.
And finally, accessibility and flexibility: The experience must cater to a wide range of fitness levels and demographics, without members being bound by fixed schedules.
What are the benefits of a more immersive wellness environment?
An immersive fitness environment boosts member engagement by creating an exciting space where workouts feel like an experience. Impactful visuals, virtual coaching, and skill-based programming keep members focused, motivated and coming back for more.
For operators, benefits include increased member retention, maximised space utilisation, and increased revenue. Under-utilised areas can be transformed into high-demand zones, and automation reduces staffing needs, delivering consistent, high-quality workouts while improving efficiency and ROI. l More: www.box12fitness.com
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A skill-based, 36-minute circuit divided into 12 rounds, combining boxing with strength training.
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A TRULY IMMERSIVE WORKOUT EXPERIENCE FOR EVERY MEMBER
Our In-Club Studio Experience is an immersive all-in-one solution, o ering 24/7 rolling circuits powered by virtual coaching screens.
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Fully automated with digital coaching screens using proprietary technology, no sta required. No fixed schedules. No downtime.
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No-contact, safe boxing experiences with equipment every member can use.
THE POD SMALL, MIGHTY, AND ACCESSIBLE
The fully loaded Pod is a space e cient boxing and functional fitness solution. With its digital touchscreen, members can follow pre-set programs, guiding them through structured, e ective workouts without the need for trainer supervision.
New technology is powering the development of ‘workout builders’ – systems that use AI to design customised workouts, based on parameters such as members’ workout goals and the results of physiological tests. Julie Cramer talks to the innovators
WORKOUT BUILDERS
“Using Egym Genius, members can benefit from personalised training plans designed by AI”
Steve Barton Egym
Egym Genius uses AI to make the gym floor smarter. Genius integrates equipment from a wide range of fitness brands into a single training experience and creates hyperpersonalised training plans for members that adapt to their goals, fitness levels and to all the equipment available on the gym floor.
Using Egym Genius, members can benefit from personalised training plans designed by AI, real-time feedback, progress tracking, connected equipment and engaging workouts. They begin by using the Egym Fitness Hub to complete a body analysis, input their preferences and set their goals – this can be done with or without a trainer. Once this has been completed, they perform a strength test assessment which helps define the weights they need to use on both analogue machines and free weights. After completing these tests, a training plan is created at the click of a button. The member can access their plan directly in the app and then view and track their progress.
What are the main benefits for operators?
By providing personalised training plans, realtime feedback and connected equipment, Egym Genius enhances the member experience,
increases retention and provides upsell opportunities.
On top of that, it streamlines processes, provides valuable data insights and supports data-driven decision-making, helping businesses to grow sustainably. This ultimately leads to improved operational efficiency, revenue generation and a significant competitive advantage.
How would you define a truly connected experience?
One that seamlessly integrates technology and data to deliver a hyper-personalised, engaging and effective workout experience. It should help members benefit from tailored training plans, real-time feedback, connected equipment and data-driven insights. This holistic approach creates a transformative and enjoyable fitness journey.
How will digitalised workouts develop?
They’re poised to become increasingly integrated and personalised. As we continue collaborating with our connected partners, Egym expects to see an even greater development in the experience. Hybrid models combining in-person and digital workouts will offer greater flexibility and convenience and as technology advances, we can expect digitalised workouts to become even more accessible, effective and enjoyable.
More: www.egym.com
PHOTO: EGYM
PHOTO: EGYM
The Egym Genius customer journey starts with the Egym Fitness Hub
Cyclops sends workout data directly to the user
Marc Fouché Cyclops Workout
Our solution, the Cyclops Workout combines a free app with load sensors which are retrofitted to gym equipment across cables, straps and bands and by scanning a QR code, users are shown live rep count through the app. The sensors also measure effort in real terms, monitoring time under tension, total force and concentric vs eccentric movement, to show the value of workouts against different goals: shape, stamina, or strength. Our live in-workout interface helps users maintain form and effort through every rep. Workouts are then logged in the app, which gamifies the experience with fun, interactive goal-setting features and the ability to share progress with friends.
Our aim is to provide an automated, motivating tool for users, empowering them to optimise workouts to meet their goals, seamlessly set new goals and see progress over time.
How do operators benefit if they choose this technology?
software. This helps operators make smarter decisions about equipment usage, purchasing and maintenance, leading to happier members and better retention.
A connected strength experience attracts new members, while giving engaged members the ability to track their progress increases motivation and improves retention. Cyclops can be retrofitted into any equipment, making it a cost-effective upgrade.
What makes a connected fitness experience?
Making the invisible visible by showing progress in a tangible way, with minimal manual input—making it easier for people to create healthy habits. Connecting exercise with wider life by fostering community and building a space that will boost wellness well beyond the gym floor is also vital.
How will digitalised workouts develop?
Workout data is sent to the user, while equipment usage data is stored in the cloud and displayed through our asset management
Exer-gaming will continue to grow as a niche and I think mainstream workout experiences will also become more game-oriented without going fully down the VR/AR route. Integrations will define the future – the tech that connects home workouts, the gym, strength and cardio with other health data will provide an all-round picture. In a complex world, we’re looking for streamlined, simple solutions.
More: www.cyclopsworkout.com
“Our live in-workout interface helps users maintain form and effort through every rep. Workouts are then logged in the app, which gamifies the experience”
Sohail Rashid Brawn
The Brawn workout builder allows members to complete their PT-led or ‘DIY’ workout by logging the movement, weight, reps, sets and rest times. We then use predictive analytics to ensure personal progress by recommending weight and volume increases that suit the individual’s demographic and training experience. This means that gym members not only get to follow workouts, but the builder also takes the thinking out of what weight they should be using and for how many sets or reps. Our app also recommends regressions and progressions for each movement to work around injury and movement issues.
“The workout builder takes the thinking out of what weight should be used and for how many sets or reps”
Group PT which is a more accessible version of personal training. This allows operators to support PT businesses and reduce PT churn, which is a big issue across the sector.
What does a truly connected experience look like to you?
What are the benefi ts for operators?
Member retention is the obvious long-term benefit. As we’ve seen from the likes of Strava and MyFitness Pal, the more someone tracks, the more progress they make which leads to better retention.
However what makes Brawn unique is that our workout builder is linked to Brawn Small
I’d define it as a cross-platform integration of nutritional, sleep, activity, wellbeing and exercise data points, but delivered via simple and easy to understand actionable insights. It needs to be as simple as “you need to do more of X today”. Too much data is confusing for 99 per cent of people.
How will digitalised workouts develop?
We’ll see more hyper-personalisation and as much automation as possible. It will never be possible to automate the tracking of free weights, but the friction of data entry will need to be reduced to increase member adoption.
More: www.brawn.co.uk
Users need a simple ‘you need to do more of this today’
PHOTO: BRAWN
PHOTO: BRAWN
“The Wattbike Workout Builder allows personal trainers and coaches to create and share personalised workouts that align with fitness goals”
Tom Crampton
Wattbike
The Wattbike Hub app and Workout Builder offer a customisable training experience for users. Through the Hub app, users can access a library of tailored workouts crafted by elite coaches and sports scientists, while also tracking essential performance metrics.
The Workout Builder enhances this experience by allowing personal trainers and coaches to create and share personalised workouts that align with specific fitness goals. By integrating real-time data with precise training controls, the Hub and Workout Builder empower everyone – from beginners to elite athletes – to improve power, endurance, and overall fitness, regardless of their goals.
What are the benefits for operators?
The system offers several key advantages. Personal trainers can deliver enhanced personalisation, providing engaging workouts tailored to individual goals, while operators can monitor and analyse client engagement, helping to improve training effectiveness and retention through progress tracking. The workouts are also highly repeatable, enabling users to monitor progress and keep track of meaningful metrics.
The Hub app provides flexible programming, making it easy for users to integrate structured workouts for consistent, high-quality training sessions that are suitable for any fitness level or goal. The Hub+ custom Workout Builder allows trainers to make quick adjustments to workouts based on changes in a user’s performance.
How will digitalised workouts develop?
We anticipate digital workouts becoming more personalised, immersive and adaptive. Key developments could include hyper-personalised programming with AI which uses individual performance data, while AI could also create adaptive workout plans, adjusting intensity and progression based on each user’s workout history.
Seamless data integration cross devices such as wearables, smart equipment and apps could sync effortlessly, offering holistic insights into sleep, recovery and nutrition, which could then influence personalised training recommendations and remote coaching. Social engagement and remote coaching could see trainers interacting with clients worldwide, while social features foster virtual fitness communities, making digitalised workouts not only accessible, but also community-driven.
More: www.wattbike.com
PHOTO: WATTBIKE
Danny Woods
Funxtion
The Funxtion Workout
Builder – called Journey.AI
– is powered by a white label digital fitness platform that offers tools to create and manage member journeys and workout experiences at scale. Journey.AI allows operators to generate AIpowered workouts for members. The platform uses consumer information, such as fitness goals and experiences, to create tailored workouts with progressions, ensuring members follow a path aligned with their personal fitness journey. This feature is powered by Funxtion’s library of 2,500-plus exercise videos, which enables instructors to generate diverse, customised and visually guided workout plans covering various fitness levels and objectives for every member.
What are the benefits to operators?
“Journey.AI uses consumer information, such as fitness goals and experiences, to create tailored workouts with progressions”
Experiences are delivered in-app or on club screens
Members receive personalised, guided experiences during every visit and also at-home and on the go. Journeys are created in the Funxtion Platform using AI and set up for scale across all clubs, giving operators the confidence that fitness delivery is being executed to a high standard and consistent across all sites.
The Funxtion platform and software kit can be implemented in just a few days, with experiences presented either in-app or on club screens, creating a consistent experience 24/7.
What’s the future for digitalised workouts?
Most would agree that AI is going to be instrumental in shaping member experiences moving forward, and for the first time in our history, operators are able to deliver hyper-personalised experiences at scale.
Operators aren’t tech companies. Funxtion acts as an agnostic technology partner by providing off-the-shelf technologies that seamlessly plug into the existing ecosystem.
Powered by a library of digital fitness content, operators can augment traditional workout experiences with digital workout experiences with their brand at the core.
This has the potential to drive an improved member experience and better retention –a financial game-changer for operators. With opportunity come challenges. AI is a tool and like all tools, the magic lies in the application. As a fit-tech specialist, it’s our job to optimise the latest technology, creating solutions that push the boundaries and empower operators to drive better member experiences and operational efficiencies. l More: funxtion.com
Building community
The University of Warwick has unveiled a £1 million refurbished gym in partnership with Matrix Fitness
The University of Warwick has announced the completion of a £1 million gym refurbishment at its renowned Sports and Wellness Hub. This state-of-the-art facility, developed in partnership with Matrix Fitness, marks a significant milestone in Warwick Sport’s strategy to promote active wellness for students, staff and the wider community.
The newly-upgraded gym features the latest equipment, an improved layout and a modern visual identity. Emphasising inclusivity and engagement, it caters for a diverse range of fitness needs, from elite athletic performance to community-based fitness.
“We’ve redesigned the space to include designated zones for functional training, strength and conditioning and cardio workouts,” says Mark Hyndman, director of sport and active lifestyles at Warwick Sport. “This has transformed the fitness experience, providing a seamless and engaging environment for all users.”
About the new gym
The gym now offers the latest cardiovascular and strength equipment from Matrix Fitness, including products from its Endurance, Ultra, Magnum, Go and Connexus ranges. In addition, as an official Hyrox partner, Warwick Sport has introduced a dedicated Hyrox training area, as well as a revitalised cycle studio with Matrix Fitness CXP bikes which incorporate intelligent cycling technology, allowing users to engage in personalised, competitive indoor cycling sessions, complete with live performance tracking.
Driven by extensive staff and customer feedback, as well as an independent review conducted by TrackMyGym, the refurbishment project aligns with Warwick’s mission to create inclusive spaces that promote community wellness and encourage an active lifestyle.
“Matrix Fitness has been an incredible partner throughout this journey,” continues Hyndman. “Its innovative approach, attention to detail and educational support
“Matrix Fitness has been an incredible partner throughout this journey”
Mark Hyndman, director of sport and active lifestyles at Warwick Sport
for our on-site team have been invaluable in creating a gym that not only meets fitness needs, but also enhances the sense of community at Warwick.”
The University of Warwick’s Active Wellness and Sports Strategy also includes the “Broadening Horizons” initiative. As part of this, Matrix Fitness has played a key role in upskilling the team, enabling staff to deliver expert guidance, maximise the benefits of the new equipment and help members achieve their fitness goals.
To further enhance the installation, Alex Hurst, Matrix Fitness education sector specialist and master trainer, will work on-site two days a week to assist the team with the implementation of new programming and workouts. ●
More: www.matrixfitness.co.uk
PHOTO: WARWICK SPORT
For more insight, or to get in touch with the companies featured, visit www.fitness-kit.net and type in their keyword
Product innovation
Julie Cramer rounds up the latest health, fitness and wellness kit
Data from TwinLabs leads to a better member experience, optimally distributed resources, and extended equipment life, says Tim Wade
TwinLabs.ai is a startup focused on making digital twin technology accessible and impactful for businesses and the platform is already working with clients in the gym space.
“Many gyms only get usage metrics from select high-end equipment, and current data on spatial use is limited”
Its Gym Twin software can help health clubs to optimise member experience and equipment usage, making decisions based on data rather than anecdotal evidence.
CTO of TwinLabs, Tim Wade, says: “Many gyms only get usage metrics from select high-end equipment, and current data on spatial use is limited.
“Decisions on layouts, resource allocation, and equipment investment often rely on subjective impressions or vendor recommendations, which don’t always refl ect true needs.”
TwinLabs.ai solution has been designed to address these gaps by providing a comprehensive, evidence-based view of equipment and area usage.
Brighter Boost harnesses the benefits of mushrooms, says David Lavelle
Brighter Boost is a new natural drink supplement derived from mushrooms and is claimed to unlock vitality, boost immunity and reduce fatigue and anxiety.
Through their ‘Gym Twin’ dashboard, clubs can track peak and under-utilised areas, monitor usage patterns down to individual machines, understand customer demographics and decide on layout and equipment maintenance.
fitness-kit.net KEYWORD
TwinLabs
Tim Wade Brighter Boost
The supplement is available in two varieties, for day or evening use. Day Boost has been formulated to replace coffee, with vitamins D and B and natural caffeine, while Night Boost is blended to aid relaxation and sleep, with added magnesium, lemon balm and chamomile.
Made in the UK, the products are organic and ethically-sourced, GMO-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly.
The chocolate-fl avoured powdered drink is added to milk or water for a natural alternative
“Both products have been meticulously crafted to support daily health and wellness needs”
David Lavelle
to other beverages, harnessing the benefi ts of mushrooms to provide energy and focus. The drink is claimed act as a natural supplement to help with anxiety or ADHD.
Founder David Lavelle says he created the products to replace his own caffeine and anti-anxiety medication intake.
fitness-kit.net KEYWORDS
Real
Every touchpoint and element of the HydroMassage is designed to be exceptional and immersive, says Paul Lunter
WellnessSpace Brands has launched an elevated new model of the HydroMassage, the personalised heated water massage lounger designed to meet the needs of diverse industries seeking wellness and recovery technology.
The HydroMassage 440 G3 features a redesigned touchscreen and interface with enhanced, simple controls, offering one-touch selections for targeted massage areas.
The massage experience can be personalised with speed, intensity, location and temperature controls for a relaxing feeling of wellbeing in only 10 minutes.
The HydroMassage is claimed to provide users with relief from sore and stiff muscles, as well as reduced stress, tension and anxiety to support a more active lifestyle and improved mental wellness.
“Every element of the HydroMassage 440 G3 is designed to be exceptional, immersive, and unlike anything else on the market,” says WellnessSpace Brands CEO, Paul Lunter.
“As the focus on wellness continues to grow, our innovative and customisable products can help users to relax, reset, and recover.”
fitness-kit.net keywords
WellnessSpace Brands
The HydroMassage 440 G3 features a redesigned touchscreen
“Businesses can transform their wellness space with a lounger to target specific areas of the body for a personalised experience”
Paul Lunter
Clubs can now access detailed information about each client, making it easier to create personalised strategies, says Pablo Viñaspre
A new version of data analysis and management tool, FitnessKPI, has been launched, offering operators greater levels of personalisation, segmentation and real-time analysis. The latest update has been designed to adapt to the needs
“The ability to analyse and compare data, along with advanced tools like drop-out prediction and adherence analysis, makes FitnessKPI an essential tool for clubs”
Pablo Viñaspre
of franchises, chains, independent gyms and boutique studios, making data centralisation and access to detailed information easier than ever before.
Clubs can now access detailed information about each client, such as the time and day of visits, email, age, gender, generation, postcode, membership type, and even which entrance they use to access the facility.
This improvement makes it easier to create personalised strategies and identify behaviour patterns, enabling the provision of services that better meet clients’ needs.
FitnessKPI’s AI – called Anna – continues to be a key pillar of the platform, analysing data in real-time and providing predictions on client behaviours. Clubs can now request that Anna notify them when a KPI exceeds a certain
level or reaches a percentage compared to the previous month. Founder, Pablo Viñaspre, says: “The ability to compare data, along with tools such as dropout prediction and adherence analysis, makes FitnessKPI an essential tool for clubs.”
fitness-kit.net keywords
FitnessKPI
The upgrade enables more personalisation
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Tackling dementia
Half of global cases of dementia could be prevented or stalled by lifestyle changes including more exercise, says the Alzheimer’s Society. Kath Hudson reports
Untreated vision loss and bad cholesterol have been cited in new research as high risk factors for dementia, according to a Lancet Commission study, partfunded by the Alzheimer’s Society.
The updated Lancet Commission study on dementia prevention, completed in Q2 2024, added untreated vision loss in later life and high lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in mid-life as risk factors for developing the condition. They contribute to 2 per cent and 7 per cent of cases respectively. The report says that eliminating all the addressable risk factors could theoretically halve the number of dementia cases.
As well as having far-reaching benefits for so many individuals – the number of people living with dementia is forecast to treble to almost 153 million by 2050 – addressing the risk factors and reducing the number of people living with the illness would bring down the global costs linked to dementia, which now exceeds £780 billion a year.
Fiona Carragher, chief policy and research officer at the Alzheimer’s Society says: “Dementia is a global crisis affecting more than 55 million people and the UK’s biggest killer, but it’s never too early or too late to reduce dementia risk.
“This Lancet Commission study suggests that nearly half of dementia cases around the world could be delayed or prevented,” she said. “If we can support people to reduce their dementia risk and address the societal change needed, this could mean hundreds of thousands fewer people will develop dementia.”
Reducing the number of people living with dementia would bring down the global cost, which currently exceed £780 billion a year
Understanding risk factors
Some risk factors can’t be changed. Age is the biggest, with the over 75s most at risk. There’s also a genetic risk and more women than men live with dementia. This could be because they live longer and it might be impacted by women over 80 having had less opportunities for education and work when they were younger.
Some risk factors need to be addressed on a societal level, including social isolation, education inequalities and air pollution. People who live in deprived areas are at a higher risk, which might be because of the lack of opportunities to keep mentally active; less access to health and social care and higher levels of air pollution. Small particles from traffic fumes and burning wood in the home have also been identified as risk factors.
Access to healthcare is important to help with other risk factors, including hearing and vision loss and head injuries. The Lancet commission has made a number of recommendations including making hearing aids available for people with hearing loss, providing children with good-quality education, being cognitively active in midlife and detecting and treating high cholesterol from the age of 40.
The risks that are controllable by the individual are taking more exercise, stopping smoking and stopping excessive alcohol consumption. l
More: www.hcmmag.com/dementia
PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
UNLOCK THE POWER OF TECH WITH TRAKK 2.0 SPONSORING THE ‘CYCLE AGAINST CANCER’ EVENT
NEW ADDITIONS TO EXPAND OUR PRODUCT RANGE FROM
PULSE FITNESS IS COMMITTED TO ADAPTING AND INNOVATING
“With the excitement of the Olympics and Paralympics inspiring the nation, more people than ever are being motivated to take part in sport and fitness activities. Pulse Fitness is proud to support local leisure centres and gyms in creating enhanced fitness facilities that encourage community-wide participation. The undeniable power of exercise for both physical and mental health cannot be understated, which is why we are especially proud to have worked with the Ministry of Defence for over 14 years, supplying fitness equipment to various British military facilities. In the last 12 months, we have continued to make significant strides in supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of the UK’s armed forces with a number of installations and upgrades both within the UK and internationally.
At Pulse Fitness, we understand the vital role technology plays in helping individuals reach their fitness goals, whether they’re aspiring to compete internationally or simply looking to move more. That’s why we are excited to introduce TRAKK 2.0, a new and improved version of our app designed to further empower fitness facilities to support their members.
As we approach the final months of the year, we remain committed to supporting businesses across the UK and beyond, and we eagerly look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
Best wishes, Chris Johnson, MD
OUR WORK WITH THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
For the past 14 years, Pulse Fitness has had the privilege of working alongside the Ministry of Defence to provide stateof-the-art fitness solutions specifically tailored to the unique needs of military personnel. Working across all branches of the UK’s armed forces, including the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force, Pulse Fitness has
installed brand-new equipment, plus serviced existing equipment, carefully selected to support the diverse and demanding training regimens required in military service. This year, Pulse Fitness was awarded the Service and Maintenance Contract to provide ongoing support with service contracts across UK military bases and overseas locations. Prestigious sites
‘Big’ Phil Campion & Graham White - Senior Operations Manager - Government Services at Pulse Fitness
Royal Gibraltar Regiment
RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
RAF Shawbury
benefi ting from these services include the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Commando Training Centre Royal Marines, and 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles in Brunei, among others.
UNLOCK THE POWER OF TECH WITH TRAKK 2.0
Supporting operators in improving the fi tness experience for consumers has always been a top priority at Pulse Fitness, which is why Pulse is excited to introduce the next evolution of its digital platform with TRAKK 2.0.
TRAKK is the fl agship off ering of Pulse Fitness, a cutting-edge fi tness digital ecosystem tailored for each facility, empowering gyms and leisure centres to off er a more connected fi tness experience for both members and staff.
Tailored to each facility, TRAKK 2.0 is designed to improve both operator effi ciency and member engagement. With TRAKK 2.0, Pulse Fitness has focused on optimising the user experience while off ering powerful new tools for facility operators.
Key updates include:
STREAMLINED ACTIVITY CALENDAR: A consolidated interface provides users with a clear and convenient view of all activities, making it easier to manage schedules and workout plans.
REVAMPED EXERCISE LIST AND WORKOUT CREATOR: New exercise options and a refreshed workout creator enable users to personalise their routines based on their preferences, off ering more variety and fl exibility.
IMPROVED DESIGN AND COLOUR SCHEMES: The updated look and feel enhances the overall user experience and sets the stage for future digital enhancements.
One of the most exciting additions to TRAKK 2.0 is the transformation of the desktop software into a web-based app to off er staff and PTs seamless access to cloud-based data from any device, turning TRAKK into a reporting oasis of insights and analytics, giving operators a comprehensive view of member activity and operational performance.
ENHANCED USER JOURNEY: Removal of unnecessary steps in navigation, creating a smoother experience that allows users to focus on their fi tness journey.
The importance of mental health alongside physical fi tness cannot be understated, which is why Pulse Fitness is proud to have partnered with former soldier, author, and TV personality ‘Big’ Phil Campion who has come on board as the MilitaryFocused Mental Health Ambassador for Pulse Fitness. Participating in events and hosting talks at various military stations, Phil has been instrumental in addressing the mental health challenges faced by military personnel.
Phil Campion, Military-Focused Mental Health Ambassador for Pulse Fitness.
“You should never underestimate how important mental health is. I’ve always been told a fi t body will aide a fi t mind. I’m grateful to Pulse Fitness for partnering with me to help raise awareness of mental health, especially with the military community which is so important to me. The only way we will combat problems is by talking about them.”
With TRAKK 2.0, Pulse Fitness is continuing to lead the way in digital fi tness innovation, providing a more connected and data-driven experience for operators and members.
EXPANDING PRODUCT RANGE
At Pulse Fitness, our team is constantly working to keep up with the changing demands of the industry and develop new equipment and upgrades that continue to support our clients, which is why we are proud of the newest additions to expand our product range.
Our new Adjustable Storage Bench is a versatile and mobile solution designed for commercial gyms, personal training studios, and home gym enthusiasts. It is ideal for
NEW
gyms offering functional, HIIT, or circuitbased classes where participants need organised zones to workout efficiently. Serving as both a fully functional adjustable bench and a convenient storage solution, it has been engineered for durability and stability.
Designed to enhance speed, strength, and endurance through high-energy workouts, our new Group Cycle is a fully commercial, rear-drive indoor cycle that
is equipped with a smooth, quiet belt drive and magnetic resistance system. With multi-functional, adjustable racing handlebars, forward/aft and height settings, and a premium cycle seat, the Group Cycle ensures a comfortable and customisable ride for all users.
NEWS IN BRIEF
SPONSORING RAPTC TEAM WHO SECURE BRONZE
NEWS IN BRIEF
SUPPORTING THE ‘CYCLE AGAINST CANCER’ GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
Pulse Fitness was proud to sponsor the ‘Cycle Against Cancer’ event by EC3 Relay, hosted by HAAS F1 Driver Ollie Bearman, and supply state-of-the-art bikes. Held at the iconic Leadenhall Market in London, the event set a new Guinness World Record for ‘Most participants in a static cycle relay’ with over 560 participants cycling a minimum of 1km each. As a result, over £75,000 was raised for Cancer Research UK.
After meeting the Pulse Fitness team at the launch of its Research and Development Hub in Congleton, Pulse Fitness sponsored Tracey Hetherington – a member of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps – at the European International Dragon Boat Federation Championships. With the addition of a Pulse Fitness Ski Trainer, Tracey and her teammates were able to enhance their preparation for the championships, allowing them to focus entirely on their performance. Competing against 16 countries, Tracey and her team secured Bronze medals in both the 500m and 2000m races in the Ladies Senior A category. Great Britain also achieved an impressive overall 6th place finish in the championships.
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