Work Out June 2011 by Script Media

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June 2011

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Gyms must embrace new media By Christina Eccles INDEPENDENT gyms which don’t embrace new media are in danger of getting left behind by more tech savvy rivals, according to an operator. Mike O’Hagan owns Gym Xtreme in Worthing and uses the latest technology to ensure his club stays ahead of the game. As well as regularly updating the gym website, he has also set up a Facebook group and YouTube channel to promote facilities and classes. His latest venture is developing mobile phone apps, which show users the techniques needed for the club’s fight and kick classes. The apps have generated interest from all over the world and Mike said they have been a really useful way of getting the word out about the club. He explained: “It’s important to keep up to date with new trends in the industry. More people are moving away from the traditional phone to ‘mini computers’ so it’s a great way to get involved with people. “Any gym doing an app will be seen by the world. This technology allows

you to reach out to members and if you keep them informed about what’s going on and give them tips and ideas, it keeps them motivated.” Mike also offered advice for other gym owners wanting to embrace technology at their clubs. He added the key is to be able to find someone who can write and code the app – but luckily for him his business partner is able to help with that. He also said much of the technology available is free and can easily be updated – meaning clubs can keep members informed while at the same time promoting their offering to non members. But he warned gyms which don’t diversify and look for new ways to attract more members and additional revenue could struggle in future to keep up with those that do. He added: “It’s something more gyms should do. There are a lot of forms of media available and many of them are free so gyms need to realise that. “Small gyms have got to look at other ways to raise revenue. If not, they will be left behind or even go under.”

No 213 £ 3

New fitness concept comes to capital

Olympic swimmer Chris Cook was among the guests at the opening of a new Essex sporting facility. The launch party at Everyone Active Basildon Sporting Village was attended by professional athletes including Chris, 400m swimming world record holder Jo Jackson and former GB diver Leon Taylor, as well as members of the local community. For full story see page 27.

A NEW gym concept which helps users to get fitter while saving money and helping the environment has been launched in London. The idea behind H2 is to find a solution for commuters who care about health, fitness, the environment or commuting costs, allowing them to get to work as conveniently as possible on foot or by bike. To help with this, the club has extensive changing areas with over 1,000 lockers, showers and a 240-space bike park. Founder Piers Slater said: “The Department of Transport ‘Cycle to Work Guarantee’ encourages the provision of proper bike storage, changing facilities and safe cycle routes – and H2 provides exactly that. Cycling to work beats public transport, which may be overcrowded, there’s no congestion charge to pay and it’s more sustainable than other forms of transport. We believe commuters can save between £40 and £120 a month by using H2 in comparison to their existing travel, health and fitness arrangements such as travel cards, congestion charges, fuel, parking and gym membership.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE Music by artistes including Katy Perry is available to download.

to increase Hercules owner Bid gymnastics Scott takes on in centres new challenge BRITISH Gymnastics and DC Leisure have launched a drive to increase standards and participation levels in leisure centres.

By Christina Eccles INDEPENDENT gym owner Scott Horton has taken on an ambitious new challenge – organising a two-day, Viking-themed festival for an estimated 10,000 people. Scott owns Hercules Gym in Colchester and, after gaining experience organising other industry competitions, he has decided to turn his hand to a new style of event which he hopes will be suitable for the whole family. The Valhalla Festival of Muscle and Power takes place at Layer Marney Tower over a weekend in July and brings together a number of strength and combat sports under a Viking theme. The ethos behind the festival is to honour warriors of the past, such as the Vikings, right up to modern day soldiers.

Note perfect KEISER UK has joined forces with FitMixPro to help instructors find their perfect workout music mixes. FitMixPro is the first download site licensed by PPL UK – meaning that downloading original artiste music for CDs or MP3 players is legal as long as the instructor holds a valid PPL Licence. Users can choose their own tracks to create a playlist or pick one of Keiser’s pre mixed selections – making it easier for instructors to find the music best suited to their class.

Features will include the England’s Strongest Man competition, organised by Steve Winter from fellow independent club Ministry of Muscle, combat events such as MMA, karate and boxing and a junior strongest man competition. About 50 trade stands will also be in attendance – ranging from supplementation companies to food stalls – and Scott believes the festival brings something new to the market that has been lacking at other events. He explained: “The events out there at the moment are uninspiring.

“I have been putting on events such as strongman and fighting competitions as well as the Mr Hercules show and this brings together everything I have done.” Scott added the project has generated enquiries from all over the UK, as well as destinations further afield, including America. The long term aim is to establish it as an annual festival and set up spin off events in other areas to grow the brand. He added: “The festival has picked up so much steam and it’s getting really big. “We are expecting 10,00 people over the weekend and it’s going to become an annual event.” A proportion of money raised from the festival will also be donated to charity, with causes benefiting including the NSPCC.

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The scheme is designed to encourage leisure centres to register their gymnastics programmes with British Gymnastics. The £30,000 dual funded project will be rolled out across 10 key sites managed by DC Leisure, which will all receive a starter kit including mats, balance bench and a safety mattress

DC Leisure’s sports development director and operations support director Richard Millard said: “With 39 of our sites already delivering a BG endorsed programme to over 2,200 gymnasts, we are keen for further facilities to deliver gymnastics and help to raise the standard of coaching nationwide. “Through partnering with British Gymnastics, we aim to encourage people of all ages to become active and enjoy a sport that has wide ranging benefits.” Advertising

Editorial

Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Sales manager: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 dl@whpl.net Assistant sales manager: Danielle Hornby Tel: 07860 522 230 dlh@whpl.net Field sales executive: Chris Hartley Tel: 01226 734709 ch@whpl.net

Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 ah@whpl.net Chief reporter: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@whpl.net

Production Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 jhalkerston@whpl.net

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Elise throws training plan into the mix PERSONAL trainer Elise Lindsay has created an exclusive training plan to coincide with the release of a new workout mix. The Workout Mix – Beach Fit! features hits from the likes of Lady Gaga, Jessie J, Nicole Scherzinger and Jennifer Lopez and is designed by music and fitness experts. The album contains two 60-minute playlists designed to boost cardio exercise w ith a third mix designed for strength and resistance training. And Elise – renowned for sculpting the bodies of Coleen Rooney and Jennifer Ellison – has created a six week beach fit training plan and audio training session to guide users through a cardio style workout.

Mehmet takes brand to Cyprus By Christina Eccles A PERSONAL trainer will be swapping life in Essex for fun in the sun when he takes the Ripped Gym brand home to Northern Cyprus. Mehmet Pasha – who was a finalist in the 2010 National Fitness Awards – currently works at the club in Harlow. But he has now decided to follow his dream of opening a gym in his homeland, and after approval from Ripped’s owners, will be setting up a club under the same name in Famagusta. Mehmet has already acquired his site, a 5,000 square foot industrial unit, and all equipment and fittings and hopes the club will open its doors in September. He explained: “I'm originally from Northern Cyprus and it’s always been my dream to one day go back and live there. “Having discussed the options with

Biggest Loser trainer Richard puts members through their paces A TV star and fitness expert visited a Lichfield health club to meet members and hold exclusive exercise classes. Richard Callender, who trained contestants on ITV’s The Biggest Loser, held classes at Esporta Health and Racquets Club in Lichfield – guiding them through three different workouts. General manager Jo Ward said: “We are always looking for something different for our studio classes and it’s fantastic to get such a well-known celebrity in the club. “After the classes he was holding a question and answer session with members, so they could benefit from his knowledge as a high level studio instructor and personal trainer.”

Richard with some of the members

my wife we decided to make the move and open our own gym in Cyprus so that I could carry on working in the industry that I love and has ultimately become my life. “I’ve worked in many chain and privately owned gyms and by far the best gym I have come across is Ripped. I am absolutely blown away that I am able to take this brand to Cyprus. “I am thoroughly confident that the Ripped template will bring to Cyprus nothing it has seen before in terms of the ultimate gym experience.” Owner of Ripped Harlow Michelle Meade added: “We are delighted Mehmet is taking us global and there would be no other person we would trust more with protecting our brand. “While we wish him every success, we are going to miss him sorely, he’s going to leave a gap in our team that’s going to be pretty impossible to fill.”

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To celebrate the Royal Wedding, Williams or Kates could enjoy a free membership offer at Harpers Fitness clubs

Wedding gift for all Wills and Kates By Christina Eccles HARPERS Fitness rolled out the red carpet to treat all Williams and Kates like royalty in the run up to the wedding of the year. Ahead of Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton, local people sharing the names of the happy couple could enjoy a complimentary week’s membership. To take advantage of the offer, users simply visited the leisure centre of their choice with either a passport or driving licence to prove their name was Kate or William. 69 people took up the offer – 67 of which were Catherines or Kates – and about half a dozen new members signed up.

Existing members sharing the names could also join the celebrations with free coffee and cake and the clubs even took phone calls from a Harry and an Elizabeth wondering if, as ‘relatives’ of the groom, they were eligible for the offer too. But head of sales Terry Gibbs said although the offer did generate a few new members and raise interest from local press, it was never designed to be a serious marketing campaign – simply something to enjoy the occasion. He said: “We never really intended to do anything other than have a bit of fun and get into the spirit of the royal wedding. It was never intended to be a member acquisition

campaign. “We had fun with it and to date have had about six or seven people join up who were all individuals that weren’t taking exercise before.” Terry added that with Easter, the Royal Wedding and May bank holiday adding up to an extended break for many people, the company was bracing itself for a tough few weeks. But he told Workout by putting on an increased range of activities – such as fitness bootcamps – to get people through the doors, things went better than feared. He added: “We were prepared for a quite difficult end of April but we got far more people to come than we expected. “We are very much into activities

and making things fun. The biggest challenge we have as an industry is getting the public to realise gyms have much more to offer than weights and a treadmill. “This year will be all about customer service. We have recognised that people can go for a jog round the park or ride their bike in the woods and there are lot of ways they can keep in shape without going to a health club. “Getting them in shape is now not enough. We have to put the fun back into it.” Harpers Fitness is the fitness brand for Leisure Connection with 45 clubs across the country. The company also operates eight hotel gyms on behalf of Park Inns.

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Be ready to respond to GP demands

‘Luggage’ workout burns off calories ... BRITS burn more calories en route to their holiday destinations than during an intensive one hour gym workout, according to research from Hotels.com With the average Brit travelling abroad twice a year, research from the hotel expert revealed holidaymakers will carry over 3,040kg of luggage in their lifetime – the equivalent of 43 adults. In response, the company has devised a workout that aims to help travellers make the most of their journey, with a number of simple exercises to fill the hours spent queuing at airports. The ‘luggage workout’ includes a range of specially designed exercises effective when using objects such a holdalls, laptop cases or handbags. Available online at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom, fitness fanatics can watch Gymbox instructor Troy Dureh at London’s City Airport showing frequent flyers a number of moves.

By Christina Eccles

Phill and Jenny Wright

A YORKSHIRE based training provider has urged the industry to prepare for a demand in qualified coaches from local GPs prescribing exercise as medicine. With physical activity at the heart of the government’s public health strategy, industry bodies such as the FIA believe there is a real opportunity to create a successful and skilled industry capable of improving the health of the nation. Creating Chaos founders Phill and Jenny Wright have taken an active role in doing that, and have seen their company grow quickly since it was established just over two years ago. Now they are hoping to raise awareness of the opportunities for both individuals and companies keen to invest in the right training for longterm careers in the industry, and have launched a 2012 challenge, which aims to build a network of 2,012 Team Chaos qualified personal trainers in time for 27 July next year – the date of the opening ceremony for the

London Olympics. Phill said: “It’s tough when finances are tight to find a reason to invest in training, but there’s never been a better time to make sure you are the best person qualified to meet the demand that’s just around the corner.” The company runs a range of training courses for individuals and also takes its trainers to teach teams onsite for organisations including Virgin Active, Fitness First and DW Sports. It has recently formed a partnership with St Helens based Central Sports, one of the UK’s largest providers of work based learning for the sport, exercise and active leisure sector. Phill added: “The partnership will support Central Sports learners, making them aware of continuous development opportunities as well as offering discounted rates for our courses. “It will support our growth by providing a much bigger audience to work with and a platform for us to start delivering courses in Manchester and London.”

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Introducing world’s first Retro gym ... By Dominic Musgrave AWARD-winning gym The Third Space is hoping to build on the success of its Soho club with the launch of a second site in Marylebone – complete with the world’s first ‘Retro Gym’. Based on the concept of a school gymnasium, the area includes ropes, beams and rings where members can get back to basics during their workouts. Fitness manager Matt Julian said the zone is designed to get members away from the machines and focusing on other ‘primal’ movements such as squatting, lunging, pushing and twisting to train their bodies in the way they are designed to move. To help users get the most from it, they can book a group class or a one to one personal training session where they are shown how to use the equipment safely and effectively and given a personalised training programme. The club is located at the Marylebone Hotel and comes with a price tag of £129 per month for membership, which gives access to both sites. According to Matt, the demographic of the two clubs is very different – as are the gyms themselves – but it’s still vital they both represent the ethos of the Third Space brand. The iconic red reception desk – a prominent feature at the Soho club – is also present as is the premium level of facilities and service. And although it only opened last month, the owners already have ambitious plans for this club as well as looking for other sites to expand the brand around London. Matt added: “It’s going really

The retro gym well. The club has a different vibe to our Soho club but deliberately so. Our CEO summed it up when he said it’s not as edgy but is edgier than anything that’s been seen before in Marylebone. “Our research tells us it is a lot more of a residential market. In Soho most people work in the area and fit their gym visit into their working day. In Marylebone it is more of an even spread, so the timetable is different as we have set up more classes during the day and at weekends. There also seems to be a more even split between male and female members whereas in Soho we have more male members. “We see this as a good partnership with the hotel and it’s a new step for us. Last year we were voted the best health and fitness facility in London so the challenge for now is to keep that quality and level of service across two clubs and eventually three, four and five.”

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Gym launches ‘biggest loser’ style contest By Dominic Musgrave A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE gym has created a ‘biggest loser’ style competition to motivate those who have fallen off the New Year fitness wagon and want to shape up for summer. The Clumber Park Hotel and Spa near Sherwood Forest has chosen six volunteers to take part in the free sixweek programme. Participants will benefit from: Use of the New Leaf Spa’s gym, pool, sauna, steam room and outdoor hot tub. A complimentary individual fitness plan tailor-made to each participant courtesy of personal trainer at the club Tom Myatt. Free nutrition advice from dietician Karen Stones. Weekly group sessions with Tom and Karen for support and weight loss advice. The person who loses the most weight by the end of the competition will be crowned the winner and walk away with the top prize of free mem-

bership to the club for a year. New Leaf Spa director Tracy Wormald said: “Spa membership levels always spike just after Christmas when motivation to get fit is at its highest, but by this time of year many people start to struggle and give in. “We really wanted to create something to spur the public on and help them shape up in time for the summer months.” Hotel general manager James Hemming added: “Research shows time and time again that the best weight loss and fitness levels are achieved with the guidance from a support group of some sort. The Fitness Club competition is our way of lending a hand and helping people achieve their ideal weight in time for summer.” Have you tried anything similar to motivate members at your club? Let Workout know by contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463, email ce@whpl.net or follow us on Twitter @WorkOutUK

11 Former Royal Marine Commando Justin Corcoran and national gymnast Nick Darling have joined forces to create a new 30 minute workout. The Metafit programme combines bodyweight conditioning exercises and high intensity intervals to work every muscle group, elevate the heart rate and challenge the core. It can be used for a group exercise session or an individual workout with a personal trainer. Justin said: “Too many gyms are full of people wondering why they are not seeing results after hours on a running machine. “With Metafit they can get off the treadmill and work the muscle in a fun exercise programme, which uses the principles of athletic conditioning in a simple but effective way to train the muscle to boost metabolism.”

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A right ‘Royal Workout’ GYM chain Gymbox has launched a new class, allowing members to take part in a workout led by genuine royalty. Heirs to the throne, Ellen and Amy Lascelles, 56th and 57th in line respectively, have been leading the ‘Royal Workout’ exercise class which delivers a mixture of cardio and weight lifting over a 45 minute session. The first half of the class involves a dance workout featuring some of Queen and Prince’s greatest hits fol-

lowed by a toning session. The last element includes lifting 10kg dumbbells to replicate the weight of an average royal corgi. Gymbox MD Richard Hilton said: “We wanted to offer our members the chance to get in touch with their royal self and what better way to do it then get in some blue-blooded instructors? The class is not only jolly good fun, but has been designed with some of our top trainers, ensuring a really thorough workout for everyone who comes along.”

A great way to engage with your existing members and keep them coming back for more is to run regular member surveys. Here Guy Griffiths explains how.

Easy, quick and interesting surveys can reap rewards MANY clubs see surveys as a chore – the standard SERVQUAL questionnaires are printed out and 100 members are badgered to answer the questions. However, if you make a member survey easy, quick, and interesting, it will reap retention rewards. There are three basic steps to a successful survey. Firstly, do the survey (you’ll find tips and tools below). Secondly, publish the results to all members. This shows your members what they think as a group, and where their opinions fit in the club. Thirdly, act on the results. Your members will see that you have taken note of what they think, and you will get more responses next time around. When it comes to the questions, first think what you want to find out, and define the questions accordingly. To make results analysis easy, define the answers as well, either yes/no (/don’t know), or a sliding scale of poor to excellent, or one to five. Comments or free format fields can add valuable feedback or elaboration on the answers. We recommend asking no more than three questions. Explain at the start why you value the member’s opinion, and that the three questions will take only one minute, and you will get many more responses. Clubs with the Technogym Wellness

System have a fantastic survey tool which can offer questionnaires to members as they check into the gym. Member segmentation, opt-out and results graphs are all key features. Survey Monkey is the leading online survey tool that you can embed into your newsletters, websites or social media sites. And if you want to keep it really simple, Facebook now has ‘Questions’, or you could just ask your followers on Twitter. Get your staff involved by having them complete the survey before it goes live. This ensures all questions and answers are clear, and enables staff to talk to members about the survey and encourage more responses. Ensure staff are aware of the outcome once the survey closes. Displaying results as graphs or pictures is much easier to understand, and many tools do this automatically if the survey is built right. Remember keep it simple and regular. Do the survey, publish results, and act on them. Make changes based on what your members want, not what you think they want. Guy Griffiths works for GG Fit, an independent consultancy that helps clubs to focus on member retention by working with staff, systems and processes www.ggfit.com twitter - @ggfit

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£1.7m facelift for centre HARTHAM Leisure Centre has undergone refurbishment worth £1.7m to upgrade facilities and become more accessible. The facelift includes a new reception area and gym, dance studio and additional changing facilities as well as a movemanSKG Prestige platform lift for wheelchair users. General manager Steve Cox said: “Exercising is not limited to the ablebodied. People with physical impairments form an important proportion of our customer base, and there is a huge range of activities and classes they can take part in. “Making premises accessible to wheelchair users is essential, and a top priority at Hartham Leisure Centre.”

Darren to be guest speaker OLYMPIC Gold medalist Darren Campbell was the special guest speaker at this year’s SIBEC UK. Darren addressed delegates on the important role local leisure provision has played in both his athletic and personal development. The event was expected to attract more than 150 buyers and suppliers and took place at the Forest of Arden, Marriott Hotel and Country Club near Birmingham.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Gym goes large to stay ahead of competition THE owners of a Torquay gym have revealed why moving to a bigger new facility will help them stay ahead of the competition. Business partners Kris Barras, Matt Gudgeon and Darren Yeoman opened Mixed Martial Arts club Fightworx at the end of March. After previously working out of a much smaller facility, they discovered a growing demand for MMA classes in the area and realised the club could benefit from extra space. They spotted the perfect building just 200m down the road but found it was too expensive. However, a chance internet search weeks later led them to the unit again and they discovered it had been split into two floors, with the top floor being much cheaper than the lower one. Once the location was secured, they set about transforming it into a gym – spending about six months getting ready to open. The new building is three times the size of the one they moved out of and situated by the side of a

busy main road – providing a natural footfall of potential members. Features include a 20ft fight cage along with 1,000 sqft of matting and punch bags. Classes on offer include Thai Boxing, Brazilian Ju Jitsu and kickboxing and are suitable for a range of abilities ranging from complete novices to professional fighters. Kris said: “It’s the perfect location. There are a couple of people trying to offer what we do but we are the only people with a professional fight team.

“This helps us stand out. It helped us to get by in the other place, which had the bare bones, but now we have the level of instruction and expertise and a brand new, state of the art facility, it seems at the moment we can’t fail.” Kris added that the old club’s members who moved with them are really excited about the upgraded facilities and it puts them in a great position to attract new people. Since moving, Fightworx has also introduced childrens’ classes which Kris said had taken off really well. In future they would like to expand on these further as well as attracting more people in to the adult classes, which can take between 40 and 50 participants. He added: “I am a professional fighter as well so it’s great to be able to have this kind of facility to train at. “There are more clubs popping up nationally but facility wise I think we are now in the top 15 in the UK.”

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Oban club thrilled after scooping top award A HEALTH club in Oban has scooped a top award for its facilities. énergie Fitness Club was voted Health and Fitness Venue of the Year at the Scottish Health and Beauty Awards, held in association with 5pm Health and Beauty. 35,000 nominations were cast online and the award winners were announced at the Girls’ Day Out event at Glasgow’s SECC. Andrew Johnston from énergie Oban said: “We are absolutely thrilled to win against tough competition. Winning this award demonstrates our hard work, passion and dedication to the industry and our customers. It’s a great achievement for us to be voted the best of the best.” The club beat off competition from rivals Greens Health and Fitness in Edinburgh; Classical Pilates in Troon and The Movement Studio in Glasgow to take the title.

Conference date set THE latest National Benchmarking Service Improvement Conference will take place at Bletchley Leisure Centre in Milton Keynes on June 28. Designed for those responsible for ensuring the efficiency of leisure centres, the event will outline how the NBS can improve best practice in performance management. Sessions will focus on how to use the NBS effectively and improve customer service.

Council contract awarded PULSE has won the contract to supply fitness equipment and supporting services to Bury Council. The contract will see the company installing over 150 pieces of cardiovascular and resistance equipment across three sites. Pulse will also provide a marketing and sales solution and a fully inclusive fiveyear service and warranty package.

A number of new training techniques were launched at the annual Boxercise master class to help instructors deliver more varied classes. Hosted at Brunel University, the event was free to attend for all registered Boxercise instructors. Founder Andy Wake said: “I wanted to make sure that our instructors were looking for ways to continually develop the classes that they teach. Instructors often work on what can be a lonely freelance basis, so it’s important that every year we remind them that they are part of a bigger team and that there is support available.”

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Specialist instructors make cycling classes more appealing By Dominic Musgrave GYMS could make group cycling classes more appealing to members by employing specialist instructors, according to the owner of a studio in London. Andrew Clayton owns Pedal Studio – a pay-as-you-go Spinning centre in Putney. The studio opened almost three years ago and now has about 2,000 registered users, with about 700 of them using the facility on a regular basis. Users are not tied into long term contracts and instead pay £10 per session, although the studio does offer a discounted rate for block bookings of five or 10 classes, which Andrew said is a popular option for those wanting to come more often. The club prides itself on employing the best instructors who are all passionate about what they teach,

something which he believes is vital for the success of the classes. And he told Workout that although Spinning can do well in a traditional gym, often it is being taught by an instructor who also has to teach a range of other classes and who may not be as knowledgeable about the subject as a specialised trainer. He explained: “A lot of gyms are very good and they do what they can but their instructors may not be necessarily as enthusiastic. “We have professional Spinning coaches but gyms don’t necessarily recruit these people.” Surveys and feedback are also important at the club, which uses heart rate monitoring to track progress. The information is then transferred on to a graph which is given to participants after

each class. Andrew has also recently handed out questionnaires and he revealed this research has generated interesting results. He added: “We have a Virgin Active club nearby and about 30 per cent of those we asked had gym membership and were still coming to us. “The market is quite tight and people are becoming more aware about where they spend their money. Here they pay for what they use. “For £5 an hour [if they book a block of 10 classes] people are getting almost a personal training session and a really good deal.” Future plans at the studio include looking for bigger premises to expand the business and taking the bikes outdoors into local parks to run classes in a different environment.

Survey reveals attitude change to pole dancing Britain’s first pole dancing survey has revealed changing attitudes towards the activity. The survey, conducted by X Pole International, gained over 700 responses online and at exhibitions such as the Clothes Show Live. It aimed to find out why people pole dance, the fitness benefits they have experienced and the perceptions of pole dancing. The results showed 78 per cent tried pole dancing for fitness, 99 per cent would recommend it to friends, 98 per cent said it improved their upper body strength and 94 per cent associate pole dancing with fitness.

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Gym spends £20k on new kit to mark 10th birthday By Christina Eccles A SCOTTISH gym has celebrated its 10th anniversary by investing almost £20,000 in new equipment to upgrade facilities and secure its long term future. Think Fitness in Hawick was opened in 2001 by Greg Dalgleish and Stuart Oliver, who were then aged just 22 and 24. Greg had already been working in the fitness industry and Stuart had recently completed a business degree – giving the pair an ideal combination of skills to set up their own club. The gym has about 450 members – some of which have been there from the start – and Greg credits its lasting success with the ability to innovate and keep on top of new developments in health and fitness.

a small, single site, we were the first club in Scotland to have Technogym equipment. “Being a private gym, we don’t get a huge amount of help so we need to be on the ball. It’s important to progress and make changes.” The recent upgrade included developing a new functional training area, power rack and improved free weights area. An oil fired heating boiler has also been converted to gas and low energy lighting installed, making the club more environmentally friendly while hopefully saving money on bills. After celebrating 10 successful years, Greg and Stuart are now looking to the future to make sure it is around to celebrate its 20th anniversary and beyond.

He said: “When we opened the club, we saw a gap in the market and thought with Stuart’s degree and my fitness background, we would make a good team.

Greg added: “Equipment wise, it might be a struggle to add anymore in, but in future we may look to renew the cardio machines.

“We’ve moved with the times – you have to evaluate and develop in line with what’s happening in the industry. Although we are

“We will be keeping an eye on the market, investing in staff training and keeping on doing what we are doing.”

Latest usage figures show Norwich leisure centre reaching an all-time high ... MEMBERSHIPS and usage figures at a facility in Norwich have reached an all-time high. Figures show more people are using Sportspark – which is based at the University of East Anglia – taking part in activities such as athletics, swimming, martial arts, tennis and dance. The sports centre had already enjoyed successful usage figures covering the first two quarters of its financial year. And the latest figures, which compare like for like usage between the end of January and April 2011 with the same period last year, show more customers are

getting involved. Anyone can use Sportspark’s facilities on a pay and play basis. But for regular users there are several types of memberships which offer discounts and other benefits. Between January and March 2011, the number of Gold memberships were 13.5 per cent higher than those during the same three months in 2010. Silver memberships were also up 12 per cent on the same period. Director Keith Nicholls said: “This is a fantastic performance in a very difficult economic climate.

“The continuing rise in our usage figures confirms we are successfully encouraging thousands of nonactive people to become active and try out new sports. “Our philosophy is to make sport accessible to people of any age and ability so that more people can start to lead healthier lifestyles in line with Government targets. “Our affordable prices and flexible memberships options, with no long term contracts or joining fee, help encourage first time users to commit to being active on a regular basis.”

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Kids Fitness in association with Ellesmere College girls’ tennis team have been selected to represent England in the World Schools Tennis Championships in France. Following on from the team’s win at the Aegon League Schools’ National Championship at Bolton Arena in March, the girls will compete in the tournament against others from around the world. The school is also launching a new initiative to encourage children aged between four and 10 to join its Saturday tennis programme.

University bids to get students more active THOUSANDS of students from Northumbria University will be encouraged to get more active thanks to a £300,000 cash boost. The University will use the money from Sport England’s Active Universities campaign to run taster sports sessions, as well as training up to 200 as coaches to ensure the longterm sustainability of the project. More than 3,000 students who do not currently engage in sport will have the opportunity to take part in taster sessions three times a week in activities including climbing, swimming, triathlon, netball and badminton. The money will also pay for a range of new equipment, and a number of students will be appointed as “Student Activator Interns’’ to develop the programme and recruit others.

Assistant director of sport Sue Vout said: “We’ve already done some consultation with existing students and know they want others to help them get involved in sport. “Our success in securing this funding allows us to have a real impact on the fitness level of thousands of students. Through the taster sessions we will introduce them to sport, but it’s hoped they will then move into clubs and some will ultimately become qualified coaches. “This initiative builds on Northumbria’s outstanding record in performance sport by enhancing its reputation in sports participation.’’ More than 80 universities applied for a share of the £10m on offer from the campaign and Northumbria is one of 32 projects to have received funding.

Centre is climbing to success LEMINGTON Community Centre in Newcastle has been having great success attracting kids and adults alike to their centre by running family fun days. The centre has made use of a underutilised sports hall to create an activity zone including a newly installed low level climbing zone along an unused end wall. Using a new climbing system called the Freedom Climber has enabled adults and children alike to have a dynamic climbing experience whilst being only a few feet from the floor. Linking this to matching traverse panels has created an area suitable for running fun events for groups of all ages and can cater for up to 15 children. Linsley Charlton, fitness develop-

ment manager said: “The climbing area has been a great success for children and adults during school holidays and family fun days.” For more information contact Freedom Climber on 01483 559785 or info@ freedomclimber.co.uk

TV wins over exercise in kids MORE than twice as many kids spend their free time watching television than playing sport, a new survey has revealed. Research released to mark the launch of the Tata Kids of Steel triathlon series has discovered a generation of children turning their backs on physical activity in favour of watching TV, playing video games and chatting on social networks. The survey of 1,500 six to 15 year olds – commissioned by Tata Steel in partnership with British Triathlon – found 79 per cent of youngsters spend their free time watching TV, compared with just 34 per cent who use it to play sport. Other less active pastimes preferred to sport include surfing the internet (56 per cent), chatting on social networks (45 per cent) and playing video games (43 per cent). 15 per cent of the kids said they couldn’t swim, nearly a quarter claimed they had never run a distance of 400m and one in 10 couldn’t ride a bike. A further 15 per cent said they had never played sport with their parents. To encourage young people to become more active, Tata Steel and British Triathlon have committed to giving more than 50,000 eight to 13 year olds the chance to discover triathlon by 2012. British Triathlon CEO Zara Hyde Peters said: “We’re passionate about creating opportunities for young people to discover how much fun the triathlon challenge is. It’s one of the fastest growing, dynamic and modern sports around and, with the Olympics just around the corner, there’s no better time to be inspiring youth participation in our sport.” Tata Kids of Steel will visit 18 locations nationwide this summer. As well as being given the chance to try the three key disciplines – swimming, cycling and running – every child gets fitted with the correct size bike and helmet and receives a medal for taking part.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Believe in what you sell By Dave Wright SELLING is so much easier when you have belief. Your beliefs are the single most important thing you have control over when trying to persuade a prospect to join your facility. And when you think that sales is merely a transfer of enthusiasm from one person to another, you can easily work out that if you believe exercise is the key to a healthy lifestyle then it boosts your enthusiasm and you are already over half way to helping the prospect. Henry Ford is quoted as saying ‘whether you think you can or you think you can’t… you are right!’ Think about the people you know, friends and family, even yourself. How many times have they shared a dream or goal with you only to say that it will never happen? The majority of people don’t think they will ever live the life they want. Usually it’s because they’ve been told their goals are crazy or impossible, and they won’t ever achieve them. Kids are very impressionable, and will believe almost anything they’re told by parents and authority leaders. As a result, most of the population doesn’t put forth much effort in anything they do, because they don’t believe they’ll succeed anyway. It becomes a self-fulfilling

Dave Wright prophecy. The same principle applies to membership sales. You need the belief that you wish you could guarantee the membership for a life time. You need to believe that a prospect committing to a membership is the best way you can HELP them on their first steps to a healthier lifestyle. The main thing to bear in mind is

that it does not matter whether your belief is right or wrong. It’s just that your beliefs will determine your actions. And it’s your actions that get you results. So whenever someone has dipped in their results, the best thing to do is to take it back to their actions and then ultimately understand their beliefs. To add clarity, beliefs are built by things that you reference to support that belief – whether it’s an experience or a study or some information that supports your belief. If you think of a belief as a table top and the references are the legs – the stronger the legs (references) then the stronger the table top (belief). So encourage your staff to read up on the benefits of exercise. Write down the members they know that have got terrific results. Ask them directly why they think someone should exercise and also why they should join your club. This helps build those references under the table to make that belief as strong as possible. If we all believe in what we sell, and, we believe that exercise is non negotiable, then we will help so many more people take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Eco friendly first for company THE gym at the Hampshire Court Hotel has become QHotels’ first eco friendly club after the company invested over £160,000 in new equipment from Pulse. The club now boasts the newest Pulse Fusion cardiovascular range, featuring self powered technology that motivates the user to power the machines. Hotel general manager Dan Kelly said: “By providing our gym users with the self-powered luxury equipment we hope we can encourage more people to get fit and continue to cut down on the amount of electricity we consume, thus helping to meet our energy efficient targets.”

Active weekends A CENTRAL London council has encouraged local people to do more exercise by laying on a weekend of free sporting activities. Westminster council’s Active Weekend gave Londoners the chance to improve their health by taking part in over 68 activities. A number of the borough’s venues got involved, ranging from the iconic Marshall Street Baths to the new eco-friendly Little Venice Sports Centre. Activities on offer included coaching from Chelsea Football Club, swimming, trampolining, badminton and yoga.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

‘Too popular’ fitness suite introduces waiting list WHILE some clubs face a constant battle with retention, the sports village has had to deal with the opposite problem. The health and fitness suite is proving so popular that staff have had to turn prospective members away as they don’t want the equipment to become too busy, which could impact on visitor experience. But instead of simply telling people the club is full, a waiting list has been introduced where they can leave their details. Those on the list are then notified when a place becomes available and given the option to join up. The list is also visible online so everyone can see how far up they are and how long they may have to wait. Emma added that the club wants to make it as easy as possible for people to join and by offering them this option – plus flexible packages when they do become members – they can attract those who may otherwise have been put off by a long term contract.

From day one, Aberdeen Sports Village’s remit was to provide top quality, affordable facilities for every section of the community. Almost two years and an estimated 1m visitors later, the club is doing just that. Christina Eccles paid a visit.

Fit for whole community ABERDEEN Sports Village sits in a residential area of the city, close to the local university – providing a perfect location for both locals and the thriving student population to work out. Created thanks to a partnership between Aberdeen City Council, Sport Scotland and the University of Aberdeen, the club opened its doors in August 2009 with the aim of pro-

viding the best quality facilities for a price which local people could afford. In a difficult climate, the facility shies away from long-term contracts – instead offering choices ranging from pay as you play to one month memberships and the traditional monthly direct debit option. Existing facilities include a fully equipped gym, squash courts, indoor and outdoor athletics areas, sports

hall and indoor pitch. When it was built, the long term plan was set out in three stages. With stage one – the opening and initial facilities – completed, the focus is now on stage two which involves building a swimming pool. Stage three will follow, further improving the complex by adding more outdoor facilities. Continued on Page 25

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UK FITNESS SCENE Continued from Page 24 Sales and marketing executive Emma Hunter said: “We will have been open two years in August and have got about 6,500 members. “There is a demand for good sporting facilities in Aberdeen and we are proving that. For the facility we have got and the prices we offer, for the community it just seemed to fit. “There is a lot of competition but at the same time, that’s more on the health side and not on the sports side.” Excitement is building around the new swimming pool – which is due for completion in 2013 – with the club hoping to become a training camp for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow the following year. Funding has been secured for an eight lane swimming pool, but the dream is a 10-lane pool which would make it Olympic sized and allow it to host bigger events. To help the club reach its goal, it has received an anonymous donation of £1m and local employers The First Group have also donated £100,000. Emma added: “We were one of the first indoor football pitches in Scotland and have everything under one roof. “When the pool comes along it will set us apart from anywhere else in the rest of the UK.”

Schools use facilities for PE lessons ENCOURAGING the future of sport in Aberdeen is also important and the club does all it can to get young people through the doors. It runs kids’ clubs in sports such as hockey, athletics, table tennis and squash and, because of sponsorship from local businesses, the cost is only £1 each per session. Four local schools also use the facilities for their PE lessons and the club is hoping to secure further funding so other schools can take part. Emma said she would like to see more fitness facilities doing something to help kids become active and as a non profit organisation, sponsors and partners are a vital way of making this happen at Aberdeen Sports Village. She added: “Sponsors now want to engage with the community so they are more likely to sponsor a programme. They want to give something back rather than just advertise their business. “More places like this need to help to get kids active.” Emma has also gone into school assemblies to talk to kids about healthy living and has a local community project where members can bring in unwanted sports clothing and equipment which is donated to charity.

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Clare Nasir (centre) with the instructors on her fitness DVD Dee Thresher (left) and Elia Siaperas.

Elia enjoys life in the spotlight A RECENT foray into the spotlight has inspired personal trainer Elia to become more heavily involved in TV and media work. He made a name for himself as the man behind the body transformations of Eastenders actress Hannah Waterman and most recently weathergirl Clare Nasir – training the pair and appearing on their best-selling workout DVDs. His brush with fame has given him a taste for the limelight and he told Workout his next ambition is to become the next ‘Mr Motivator’ and a fitness industry guru. To fulfil his dreams, Elia is getting the word out about his work wherever he can. He applied to be a trainer on TV weight loss show The Biggest Loser and has work lined up on the Active Channel, as well as another celebrity fitness DVD in the pipeline. He added: “After teaching classes, this feels like the natural next step. I feel comfortable in front of the camera and with the knowledge I have got behind me, feel I have a lot to offer.” Elia, who is studio manager at the Muswell Hill club and its sister site in Hendon, also owns a personal training studio in Enfield with his sister Demi. He is also a regular contributor to The Lab Report – a quarterly newsletter which lets members know what is going on at the clubs and provides them with training tips.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Exclusive gym offers five star service By Christina Eccles A DEDICATED quarterly newsletter, regularly updated class timetable and a well-stocked juice bar are just some of the features pleasing members at one of London’s most exclusive gyms. The Laboratory Spa and Health Club is situated in leafy Muswell Hill and has been open for the past 15 years. Attracting A list members including actor Clive Owen and several of the Eastenders cast, the club prides itself on offering the highest level of service without being intimidating. Studio manager Elia Siaperas explained: “Members expect a different level of service – they are looking for the best so we have to give that five star service. “I have been here eight years and it feels like we have really got to know people. It’s such a personal club.” Elia is also responsible for making sure the class timetable at the club and its sister site in Hendon stays ahead of the game and is constantly looking for the next big thing.

Traditionally popular classes such as yoga, bodypump and Pilates sit alongside the latest craze to hit the industry – Aqua Zumba. Elia added: “We are always trying to look for new ideas in the industry. We have seen a move towards more danced based classes, which people seem to like because they have the motivation of being in a class environment and the music means it doesn’t feel like exercise.” The club also acts as a show-

room for Cybex – meaning members always have access to the latest equipment. Unusually, there is also a big garden area, which Elia added is a big draw for those who like to take their personal training sessions outdoors. A nutritious juice and salad bar – complete with balcony area overlooking the grounds – also gives visitors a place to relax post workout which won’t compromise their healthy eating plans.

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UK FITNESS SCENE A newly-opened gym has revealed ambitious plans to get at least 50 per cent of local residents more active. Workout found out more.

Fantastic response to £38m sports village EVERYONE Active Basildon Sporting Village opened its doors at the end of April with a spectacular launch party enjoyed by both local people and a number of high profile athletes. Over an action-packed weekend, visitors were able to try out the complex’s impressive facilities for free and watch demonstrations including entertainment from Britain’s Got Talent winners Spelbound, cheerleading sessions with the Saracens Sensations, taster group exercise classes and climbing sessions on a 10m wall. The £38m project – a joint venture between Community Solutions for Leisure and Basildon Council – will be operated in partnership with the council and Sports Leisure Management under the company’s Everyone Active brand. It has been designed to offer leading facilities for all its users – ranging from professional athletes training for top competitions to local people simply looking for a place to work out. As an official training venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games, the centre is also hoping to attract some high profile faces. It has already struck a deal to provide pre Games training facilities for the Japanese swimming and gymnastics teams and hopes other teams will follow suit. The complex has been so well received by the community that it smashed its ambitious target to open with 2,500 members. The long term plan is to get 50 per cent of residents equipped with an Everyone Active card,

Britain’s Got Talent winners Spelbound who performed at the launch. which allows them to use the facilities, and Everyone Active’s regional director Duncan Jefford told Workout the successful pre selling period has got them off to a good start. He added: “The response has been fantastic. But the level of investment has been £38m and, if you compare that with what is already in the local area, this facility is vastly different. There is something for everyone.” Much of the opening event was

geared towards children – showcasing what the club has to offer for young people – and Duncan added that another important aim was to sign up a large number of local kids for swimming lessons and introduce them to the benefits of physical activity at an early age. He also said that for any new club opening, a launch event is key as it allows potential members to try out the facilities while generating important publicity throughout the local area.

Facilities to keep everyone active ... FACILITIES at Everyone Active Basildon Sporting Village include: 50m x 21m swimming pool with a depth of 1.8m, able to split into two 25m community pools 17m x 9m teaching pool with a depth of 0.9m Swimming viewing areas for over 400 spectators Regional gymnastics centre – equivalent size of a 10 court sports hall housing a full spectrum of Olympic standard equipment An eight court sports hall for team games and badminton 100 station fitness suite with Trixter Xdream bikes, Precor’s new range of cardio and strength equipment, TRX area, Power Plate machines, Zig Zag Sportwall and a

functional training zone including ViPR and kettlebells Two multi-purpose studios for group exercise classes 10m by 24.2m indoor climbing wall, designed by climbing experts Rockworks Crèche and café

Six outdoor artificial floodlit fivea-side football pitches Outdoor artificial pitch for football or hockey 10 outdoor grass football pitches 12 outdoor netball courts Two cricket pitches 750-seat athletics stadium.

The launch event attracted a number of well-known guests from the world of sport and Duncan added that the athletes were keen to get involved and show their support for the new facility. Familiar faces on the day included: 400m world record holder Jo Jackson, swimmer Mark Foster, former GB diver Leon Taylor, gymnast and 2012 medal hopeful Becky Wing, Olympic swimming gold medallist Duncan Goodhew, Saracens players Brad Barritt, Adam Powell and Jackson Wray, former Wales international footballer Neville Southall and Essex cricketers Graham Napier and James Foster.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Local MP Mark Lancaster helped to launch the new énergie Fit4less club in Milton Keynes. 20 staff dressed as green men – part of the club’s promotional team – greeted the MP before showing him the facilities. The club is the énergie Group’s 10th Fit4less branded club and becomes part of the Group’s 90 club estate.

Budget chain opens new club in Southwark LOW cost gym chain Fitness4Less has opened a new 20,000 sq ft club in London’s Southwark. The gym has been kitted out with a £125,000 selection of Precor equipment, including 32 treadmills, 14 cross trainers, seven upright and three recumbent bikes. There are also dedicated areas for spinning, resistance and free weights and a nightclub-style Power Zone – complete with neon lights, a large projector screen playing loud music videos and CV equipment.

Up to 40 classes a week will be offered – including spin, step and boxercise – and specialised classes, such as Pole or Street Dancing. Oneto-one personal training will also be available at an additional cost. The opening of the Southwark club follows the success of Fitness4less clubs in Bristol, Birmingham, Watford, Newport, Cambridge Heath and Nottingham. The company is now planning to open a further two in the UK over the next year.

Catterick Leisure Centre has become the first Ministry of Defence owned leisure facility to go through the Quest scheme. Located at MOD Catterick Garrison, the North Yorkshire based dual use facility has been awarded highly commended status. The £22m centre offers leisure facilities to both service personnel and the local community.

Technogym portable device receives health innovation accolade TECHNOGYM’S mywellness key has received an accolade for health innovation at the 2011 FIBO Awards. The key is a portable device that measures the physical activity performed every day by the user. Inside a gym, it also allows users to activate their personal training programme on Technogym equipment and save the results that will contribute to achieving their daily activity target. Technogym’s UK network manag-

er Alex Bennett said: “To receive the award is great reward for all of the development surrounding the Mywellness Key solution. Since launching last year, a number of leading projects are underway across different target groups including corporate wellness, GP referral, cardiac rehab as well incorporated as part of personal training and club programmes to track indoor and outdoor activity all to deliver Wellness across communities.”

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MULTI-FUNCTIONAL EQUIPMENT Tony Susnjara can list yoga teacher, fitness instructor and martial arts practitioner among his achievements. But for his latest project he has gone one step further and invented a multi-functional product he believes will take the industry by storm. Here he answers Workout’s quick questions.

Why Tony puts his faith in board How and why did you get into the fitness industry? Like most people who get into the industry, I simply had a passion for fitness and movement in many different forms, however, I gravitated more towards high skill movement based art forms such as yoga and martial arts as I felt that they were far more holistic and expressive than doing three sets of 12 reps or sitting on a stationary bike. I actually became a conventional fitness instructor to supplement my training as a yoga teacher, but was inspired by the science behind the industry, which at that stage was missing from a lot of yoga teacher training courses. Again, like most people in the industry, there was also the deep desire simply to help people live more healthily and fully as I think it's obvious that being fit and healthy positively impacts every aspect of life. How do you think the industry has changed since you started working in it? I think the industry has evolved quickly in recent years and there is so much more openness to a broader range of conditioning tools and philosophies. Yoga and Pilates are now mainstream practices in the conventional fitness industry and the adoption of the more functionally based training has been a game changer. It's as if one day someone woke up and asked “what if we study real bodies moving in three dimensional space" rather than simply looking through a microscope in a laboratory? This movement has to my mind brought the industry closer to the integrated movement that I was drawn to myself in yoga and martial arts. New products have added new levels of balance, skill, mobility and the benefits of movement based training to an industry that in my opinion was once just a little dull and is now very exciting. Why did you decide to develop the freeFORM board? Initially I just had a hunch. I was experimenting with ways to teach my yoga students how to master a difficult move called ‘the jump through’ which requires a lot of strength, control, mobility and timing. I was using a range of body weight exercises and training tools such as foam rollers and stability balls. It was the limitation of these pieces of equipment that made me push the boundaries and create

something new. It was factors such as the size, the shape, the lack of restriction that allowed the freeFORM Board to facilitate ‘the jump through’ in a way other products could not.

can really feel their body working as they are using it. It's also an extremely practical solution in that it requires next to no set up time and takes up little storage space.

What are the benefits to gyms or personal trainers that decide to include the equipment into their clubs or training sessions? Apart from how effective it is as a training tool, it’s also described on a regular basis as ‘the most popular product in our gym’. I think this is largely due to a novelty and fun factor as the board is really playful and enjoyable to use and, at the same time, it provides immediate feedback to the user because they

What plans do you have for the future? Why do you think the board will be successful? While it's still relatively early days, I feel like it's already successful and just needs to actualise its full potential. The freeFORM Board is being used by elite athletes, elite dance and ballet schools, in extreme sports but also in the most basic rehabilitation by people in wheelchairs or with serious disabilities. I find this very satisfying.

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MULTI-FUNCTIONAL EQUIPMENT

Station can be used by four users

Ideal in limited space U1008B Olympic Performance Multi-Rack Half Rack System is one of the most functional pieces of equipment in any lifting area especially where space is limited. Standard features include: Fully welded 120 x 60mm x 3.6mm gauge steel tube powder coated side frames. Standard equipment: eight point side weight storage, 1200mm wide multi grip (25mm) pull-up bar, quick release single bar holders adjustable every 120mm, interior safety spot arms, and a 580mm deep spotter’s area, dual vertical bar storage socket. The open lifting zone offers a flexible environment. Reverse attachments enable lifts in front of the rack using single Bar hooks, safety spot arms or technique trays. Suitable for anchoring FitKit Pro Suspension Trainer. Available in various heights. Available with or without 60mm Integrated oak lifting platform. Powdercoated framework. Lifetime warranty on all steel components. Optional features include: Fixed or detachable 50mm tapered dip frame Bar socket Additional bar hooks Gym ball holders Med ball storage Adjustable band anchor pegs Resistance tube anchors and storage Prone row bench Adjustable bench dock/lock Chain lifting pod For more information please visit leisurelines performance.com or call 01455890100

AS WITH most fitness facilities space is of a premium. The more users you can incorporate in any one area of your gym at the same time the better. Clients are also looking for something different and fun to do. The Jordan four in one boxing station fulfils all of the above. With combat training becoming more popular as a form of functional fitness training this heavy duty, freestanding frame can be used by four people simultaneously. Any combination of punch bags can be included on the frame. Choose from a Jordan speed ball, Jordan punching ball and two different sizes of Jordan heavy weight punch bags. Jordan Fitness also offer a full range of Combat accessories including training gloves, thaipads, MMA training gloves etc.

For the full range of Jordan Fitness functional fitness equipment visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk or for more information please contact sales@jordanfitness.co.uk

Studio leading the way A RECENTLY opened Pilates studio is leading the way by becoming the first in London to offer a class using innovative new equipment. S.A.L.T – which stands for strengthen, align, lengthen, tone – is offering classes using Peak Pilates’ MVe chairs, from distributor Star Trac. Founder Jackie Stapleton invested £70,000 to fit out the state-ofthe-art studio, which focuses on traditional and classical Pilates. Jackie said: “Balance and stability

is at the core of every Pilates class, so we knew we wanted to offer something a little different, to challenge people’s perceptions of Pilates, as well as their body and mind, which is why we invested in the MVe chairs. They are incredibly innovative in terms of design and suit group training classes perfectly. In terms of usability, all its elements help us offer effective Pilates classes that everyone can enjoy, from beginner to advanced.”

Bravo provides total body workout AS one of the industry’s leading multi-functional pieces of exercise equipment, the CYBEX Bravo Functional Trainer offers its users the maximum in training options and versatile exercise programmes. The Bravo has been designed to provide a total body workout for both the upper and lower body, by combining the best in selectorized and cablebased strength training. The machine is also incredibly space efficient, to ensure that users benefit from maximum productivity. The Bravo’s adjustable features also ensure that it fulfils the training needs of all of its users. One of CYBEX’s latest clients to recognise the benefits of using a Bravo Functional Trainer is Nottingham Forest FC, who has recently taken ownership of a full range of CYBEX cardiovascular and

strength training equipment, to include the Bravo. The decision to purchase a Bravo came from a team trip to Champneys Health Resort, who CYBEX International also supplies with a full range of fitness equipment. Having experienced the Bravo at Champneys, the fitness team at Nottingham Forest immediately placed an order for a customised Bravo. The partnership between CYBEX and Nottingham Forest has been well received, as Nottingham Forest’s Head Physiotherapist Andrew Balderston commented: “We have found CYBEX a highly professional organisation to deal with, as befitting their status as world leaders in their particular field.” To see further details on the Bravo Functional Trainer and the full range of CYBEX equipment visit www.cybexintl.com

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UK FITNESS SCENE

NASA-inspired machine hits the UK market By Dominic Musgrave AN exercise machine designed to help astronauts walk on the moon has become the latest piece of gym kit to hit the UK market. The AlterG treadmill allows users to exercise while reducing the force of gravity – meaning a person’s body weight can be reduced by up to 80 per cent. Inspired by NASA, the AlterG is used by Manchester United, runner Paula Radcliffe and by the US Army to treat injured soldiers. The machine differs from a conventional treadmill as compressed air is pumped into a plastic chamber, creating lift, and the user is sealed from the waist down inside it. A computer panel allows patients to take up to 80 per cent of their body weight off their joints. Costing £27,000, there are only five in the UK available for public use – one of which has been snapped up by personal trainer Dan Fivey for use in his Cheltenham studio. Dan spends a lot of time working with people recovering from injuries and felt the AlterG was the ideal piece of equipment for the studio. He explained: “It sounds so bizarre because we live every day in 100 per cent body weight. To run or exercise without your body weight seems a bit odd. “You still get the cardiovascular workout but without the pounding through your joints, so your ankles and knees are not taking a lot of pressure. “That is crucial for someone who is recovering from an injury and who does not want to lose their fitness. It can be beneficial for someone recovering from injuries to the hips, lower back, ankles or knees.”

The AlterG treadmill allows users to exercise while reducing the force of gravity. The machines are also used to help we give them the same workout. I obese patients, not just for training, have clients who are running but in giving them incentive by showmarathons who are training on the ing them how their feet and knees AlterG. They use it to build their pace would feel better if they lost weight. while easing the stress on their joints. There’s nothing else that can Dan added: “A lot of people worry do what this machine can. You can that they’re not going to be as fit if have normal gait mechanics at a they’re on the AlterG. reduced body weight. It’s quite amaz“By altering the intensity of the run, ing.”

British sprint kayaker Tim Brabants has unveiled the new fitness facility at Kirk Hallam Community Technology and Sports College. The new centre now boasts a fitness room, which has been fitted with Matrix Fitness equipment, a four-court sports hall, five-a-side Astroturf pitches and four tennis courts. The £1.8m funding for the sports hall and fitness room was provided by Derbyshire county council, with construction of the artificial grass pitches jointly funded by the Football Foundation and the Department for Education’s Specialist Sports College Capital funding.

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FINANCE & INSURANCE

Sole Trader or Limited Company? ONE of the most common questions asked when starting a business is “Sole Trader” or “Limited Company”? A Limited Company is perhaps the most misunderstood type of business and there are some key things to remember: The owners of the company are the shareholders – directors are appointed by the shareholders to run the company on a day to day basis, although in the majority of cases (especially in small companies) directors and shareholders are usually the same person/people.

When becoming a director of a Limited Company you are effectively an employee – albeit potentially the most senior employee. There is much more responsibility aligned with being a director – there are more forms to be completed, and any money taken from the company in salary must be subjected to PAYE. Dividends may also be paid by the company to shareholders (not directors) – but these can only be paid out of company profits after Corporation Tax. Limited Companies must also file Corporation Tax returns, submit accounts to Companies House and complete Annual Returns.

In general smaller Limited Companies are used where the level of trading anticipated, and therefore the level of profit, is substantially greater than that required by an individual for living expenses. This is because if an individual were to generate a profit of £50,000 they would, as a sole trader, pay tax on the whole amount. However if the individual actually only required £25,000 as a “salary” for living expenses then, as a director of a Limited company, even with paying the associated National Insurance contributions, his tax liability would be substantially lower. Limited Companies can also be a useful tool in presenting a “corporate image” as opposed to the “one man band” image associated with small traders. As usual what will work for one individual may not be the best solution for another, and you should think carefully and/or seek advice before deciding which way to go with your particular venture. Good luck! For more information contact Accounting 4 Fitness on 01234 267860

Chasing members for payment can be a headache for many gym owners and one of the most challenging aspects of running a club. Here, gym owners Glyn Amos and David Robinson share their story with Workout.

How owners handed ‘worst aspect of gym business’ over to DFC WHEN Glyn and David started Oxygym in 2004, the pair came from a background in leisure services and thought they would be able to handle the administration side of running the club. But they soon discovered it wasn’t as easy as they first thought. Glyn explained: “I guess we deluded ourselves into believing that our service and club would be so great that very few would prematurely cancel their membership, but if they did we could recover the lost revenue with simple letters to them. “How wrong we were. Chasing bad debtors is just about the worst aspect of the gym business, you are subjected to all manner of excuse, abuse and threat.” Four years ago, they decided enough was enough and handed the job over to Debit Finance Collections. This enabled David and Glyn to concentrate on other important aspects of the business like service delivery, marketing and finance. DFC now provides a system

that gives the club up to date information on members – whether they are up to date with payments, when/if they default and when the membership is due for renewal. The membership system also allows the club to track different types of membership and compare them for example, male against female, peak against off-peak. It will tell them whether promotions have been successful or not and also shows year on year comparisons on performance, enabling the club to compare usage patterns on a weekly or monthly basis. Glyn added: “We, like everyone else, are trying to ride the storm of the worst recession in living memory. I believe that without the support and partnership of DFC we would have suffered and perhaps may not be in the position that we are in at present. “I say let the experts do the chasing of direct debits and free yourself up to focus on the numerous other vital areas of running a small business.”

Consider insurance implications when making changes IN the current economic conditions, many gyms are looking at different ways to both cut costs and increase revenue. Some ideas we have seen are reducing staff numbers, opening 24 hours, leaving the gym unmanned for periods of time and introducing outdoor activities such as military style boot camps. These changes need to be thought through in some detail as they can have a substantial effect on a gym’s insurance arrangements. So, if these options are on your agenda ask yourself: With less staff can customers still have proper inductions and ongoing support to ensure they are undertaking exercise safely and effectively? With no staff what security procedures ensure no one steals equipment? In the event of an injury how is help summoned and by whom? How do you defend yourself against a spurious claim when there are no witnesses? With outdoor activity does the

Craig Smith instructor continually update risk assessments as the environment is constantly changing? This is just a starting point. Make sure you discuss potential changes with your insurance adviser early to ensure adequate cover will be available. For more information contact Craig Smith at John Ansell and Partners on 020 7251 7474 or visit www.ansell.co.uk

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Market research and sound business plan vital to success A SUCCESSFUL gym owner has advised anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps to undertake thorough market research and create a sound business plan before opening a club. Greg Dalgleish opened Think Fitness in Hawick in the Scottish Borders with business partner Stuart Oliver in 2001. The club has recently celebrated 10 years in business – and still has some original members who have been with them from the start. Now with plans already in place to keep the club moving forward in future, Greg shared his advice for any gym owners just starting out.

He said: “Do your research. Securing finance back then was a lot easier. You need to look really hard at funding options. “Also don’t forget about overheads such as staffing costs and insurance and have a sound business plan in place.” Although Greg admits being an independent operator isn’t always easy, the club prides itself on keeping up to date with industry trends and has regularly reinvested in new equipment, fixtures and fittings to keep members happy. When the pair were looking for a suitable site to open the club, they thought the town fitted perfectly and spotted a gap in the

market for what they were looking to offer. But there is a local authority leisure centre nearby and Greg added when it comes to issues such as the ongoing VAT debate, he would like to see clubs like his on a more level playing field with them. He added: “The local community have been really supportive of the club and appreciative that we have moved with the times. “But our rates went up by 40 per cent last year and a year later we are still waiting for the results of the appeal – and in the meantime we still have to pay it.”

Collection company launches new product DEBIT Finance Collections, one of the UK’s leading specialist direct debit collection companies, has launched FASTDD Platinum, a new generation of online direct debit collection.

solution including the ability to accommodate different cost centres which is particularly useful if clients have two separate facilities that offer different price structures to members.

This new product will provide customers with an online portal that can be designed to look like their existing website and fully integrate with systems to provide a seamless journey for the member.

Commenting on the launch of this new generation online product David Mellor of Debit Finance Collections said: “FASTDD provides our customers with an excellent system that enables them to provide online direct debit solutions.

There are other benefits of this new

“The new Platinum product goes the extra mile and provides a greater degree of integration and flexibility that more and more of our customers have been asking for.” FASTDD and FASTDD Platinum provide automatic bank account verification, give instant feedback on customer payments, provide easy navigation for members and can be set up either online or face to face. For more information contact 01908 422000 or visit www.debitfinance.co.uk

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Promoting healthy eating is key part of running gym By Christina Eccles EDUCATING members to make healthy eating a way of life is a key part of running a gym, according to a successful independent operator. Andy Peacock owns Warehouse Gym near Huddersfield – working with members in the club and personal training clients. Although it can be a challenge to get members to change their long standing eating habits, Andy insists that it can be done. He helps members along the way by breaking things down into small chunks – helping them to clarify years of conflicting advice on diet and nutrition they may have picked up from magazines or the internet. He says that instead of simply handing out diets or telling people what foods to eat, the best way to get results is through education. Andy goes through different food groups with clients and explains the roles they play in the body and how they will benefit from eating them. He also explains the importance of a healthy diet, not skipping meals and seeing food as fuel rather than ‘the enemy’ and how eating the right foods will help to complement their exercise regimes. He added: “If members understand how something is working inside the

body then there is more reason for them to do it. “The most important thing when doing personal training is that you know what works. I’m results driven. For me as a personal trainer that’s what I’m paid to do but it’s important to understand everyone individually.” Supplements are also on sale in the gym, which generate useful second-

New research looks into European substance use NEW research has been commissioned to look into the usage of substances in health clubs across Europe. Commissioned by the European Union, the research will look at the levels and patterns of usage of illegal and harmful drugs in the gym environment. The research covers the use of banned substances such as steroids, social drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines, and also food supplements, which may or may not contain banned or illegal substances. Consumers, exercise professionals and club owners and managers will all be surveyed. Leisure-net Solutions is advising the project management team at EHFA and the FIA on the research methodology and sampling framework that needs to be employed on the project.

Managing director of Leisure-net Solutions Mike Hill said: “Leisurenet is pleased to be advising on such an important European project, which will have ramifications for years to come. “The research should provide statistically significant information on the prevalence of doping in the European health and fitness sector, something it’s essential that we get an accurate picture on.” Director of programmes and projects at The European Register of Exercise Professionals Cliff Collins added: “If, as a sector, we want to be instrumental in delivering on the health agenda for European and national governments, it’s vital that we understand this issue much better than we currently do. This important piece of research will be the largest and most comprehensive of its kind ever carried out in Europe.”

ary income. But Andy added that although they can be useful, they are no substitute for the right diet. “Food is the best thing for you and supplements are exactly that. The only time things such as protein shakes are better is for convenience or immediately after exercise. Educate people on that and they will make the choice for themselves.”

New range of products launched MULTIPOWER has launched a new range of products designed for serious bodybuilders and athletes in intense training. The Multipower Professional series contains 14 products including powders, ready-to-drinks, bars and capsules, for before, during and after training. The range is endorsed by six-times Mr Olympia competitor, Gunter Schlierkamp and the youngest-ever IFBB professional Daniel Hill.

Have you got a story for us? Call our newsdesk on 01226 734463 or email: ce@whpl.net

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Nutrition as important as training for America’s strongest man AMERICA’S Strongest Man, Derek Poundstone, has spoken out about the importance of expert nutritional advice for his career. Talking following his appearance at the 2011 Giant’s Live British Strongman Grand Prix, he said: “I think that nutrition is very important for my strong man career – just as important as the training I do, maybe even more important – afer all, just being in the gym isn’t going to help you recover and get stronger.” Derek attended the event to give a talk to contestants and to present awards, although he was not able to compete himself due to a back injury. He was named America’s Strongest Man in 2007, 2009 and 2010 and is hoping to compete in the World’s Strongest Man competition in September. He said: “I am known for being a guy who can overcome obstacles the way I train has let me win, but it has also caused injuries. This means I need to follow a diet that keeps me in good shape – but more importantly helps my body recover – one that is very high in calories and that is also mostly made up of proteins. “Most people looking for the easy way of doing things – for example if they decide to try a high protein diet, they will just eat chicken. But it is important to eat a wide variety – for example I vary between chicken, steak, eggs, dairy and soya and this means I am not lacking in anything or limiting myself.” Derek has also noticed a change in attitudes towards the use of supplements and diet products in the strength training world. He added: “I think that today you see much more casual use of nutrition products. For example, people

Derek Poundstone are using them as meal replacements if they are busy – not because health and fitness is a serious part of their lifestyle. But it is important to get your diet right first, before you move on to using supplements, and then it

is important to have a proper balance. “Supplements are just that – something to supplement a proper diet to help you achieve your training goals.”

Celebrity trainer launches new book CELEBRITY personal trainer Matt Roberts has launched a new exercise and diet book to help clients get in shape quickly. The book – I Will Make You Fit Fast – includes two of his programmes that can be followed at home or in the gym. The first 12-week plan is designed to sculpt, strip fat and increase fitness levels. This is then followed by a two-week intensive body blitz. The book also contains Matt’s advice on what to eat and sets out aerobic and resistance training programmes to deliver optimum results. Matt’s famous clients include actress Amanda Holden, supermodel Naomi Campbell and Spice Girl Mel C.

Amanda Holden is one of Matt’s celebrity clients.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION A London-based club is pioneering a new approach to health and fitness – combining exercise, nutrition and spa treatments to create the perfect package. Workout paid a visit.

Health and fitness with a touch of luxury WITH a price tag of up to £2,500 per year, membership of the Chelsea Club doesn’t come cheap – but the facilities are second to none. Located at Chelsea FC’s home Stamford Bridge, those who can afford to sign up are not disappointed when they walk through the doors. The first sight greeting them is the opulent lounge area serving a wide range of food and drink. Free wireless internet access makes this part of the club a popular choice for business meetings – which have also led to new membership enquiries – as well as for those looking for a place to relax post workout. Dishes on the menu have been devised by a Chelsea FC nutritionist and, although a healthy eating area has become a popular fixture at gyms up and down the country, this club goes one step further. A big part of the club’s appeal is its Antara spa area and the management team are working hard to create packages which combine treatments with exercise and nutrition to achieve the best results possible. When visiting the spa, guests undertake a consultation to determine their body types and some

dishes on the club menu are designed accordingly. Members are then advised which foods are the best for them to eat and the menu is labelled with that information to make it easy for them to choose the dish that suits them best. Spa manager Flomny Menon explained: “Everyone’s body is different. There are three types – air, water and fire – and we need to educate people what the right food is for them. “We diagnose their body type and the foods that suit them will help to keep the balance in their bodies.” Flomny added that the original essence of a spa was as a healing area but some clubs are forgetting that – instead focusing on beauty treatments rather than those which promote well being. She added: “A lot of spas are doing more beauty treatments and forgetting that spa actually means healing. After working out, you have a treatment, then you have a healthy meal – it’s all part of a journey. “Members have been amazed. They feel guided and though they are getting a more personal experience.”

Chelsea Club fact file The club is situated at Stamford Bridge – the home of Chelsea Football club. It has been open for 11 years and has about 1,000 members. Referrals are the most successful way of attracting new members. The club has a popular referrals scheme for those who recommend to family and friends – prizes on offer including a magnum of champagne for referring one member to six months complimentary membership or two VIP hospitality tickets to a Chelsea FC home game for introducing five members. According to gym manager Angelo Lanzilotti, the club has welcomed some famous faces through its doors – although he remains tight lipped over who they are. Its latest campaign aims to attract more corporate members – an area the club is eager to grow. Facilities at the club include fully equipped gym complete with Technogym equipment, a Kinesis wall, vibrogym, free weights and an outdoor running track. The pool, sauna and stream room are also a big draw, as is the Antara spa facility.

Dishes on the menu at the club include: Baby spinach and asparagus fusilli – suitable for ‘water’ body types Spiced chicken and couscous salad – suitable for ‘fire’ body types. Steamed salmon and lemongrass kebabs – suitable for ‘water’ body types. Grilled rib eye steak salad Smoked chicken, pear and avocado salad Thai green chicken curry Jacket potatoes with fillings such

as baked beans, cheddar cheese or tuna and sweetcorn Paninis with fillings such as tomato, mozzarella and pesto or tuna, sweetcorn and avocado Tuna nicoise Soup of the day Stir fry with beef or chicken, egg noodles, vegetables and black bean sauce Catch of the day – grilled fresh fish with a selection of vegetables.

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Online help can save time and add value to sessions Cracking way to work off treats ... GYM chain LA Fitness helped members to eat healthily over the Easter break by coming up with a series of ‘Eggs-ercises’ they could do to work off their chocolate treats. The tips included spending 25 extra minutes in an aerobics class to burn off a Cadburys Crème Egg, a 30-minute walk after eating a hot cross bun and a 10-minute exercise bike session followed by a 45-minute swim in order to get rid of the calories in the average Easter egg.

THE founder of a new online service for personal trainers has revealed how it can save them precious time and add value to clients’ sessions. Phil Crosby set up website www.iexerci.se because as a personal trainer himself, he couldn’t find anything to track clients with between sessions. Trainers can register on the site and create their own profiles, which they can then link with the profiles of their clients. Registration costs £60 per year, allowing links with up to 30 connections, or users can pay £149.99 per year for unlimited connections. Once the profiles are linked, clients can upload their food diaries, allowing trainers to access them straight away and leave comments on what they have eaten and tips on how to improve their diets. Once the information has been keyed in, the site also converts it into a pie chart – breaking down a meal to show how much of each food group has been eaten, vitamin content and the amount of calories. The site works in real time so if

Phil Crosby someone posts details of food they have eaten, the trainer can immediately leave a comment for that person. Phil said: “As a personal trainer you get your clients to keep food diaries but if you only see them once a week or once a fortnight you then have all these sheets of paper to go through, which wastes time when you could be training them.” Phil also said the website acts as a great motivator because if clients have given their trainer access to

view and comment on everything they are eating, they are more likely to keep on track with their diet goals and gain useful feedback on where they can improve. It also adds value for a client who feels they are getting more for their money as they are able to interact with their trainer between sessions and their actual contact time is not taken up going through food diaries. He added: “Coming from a personal training background I realised how difficult cash flow can be. So I tried to come up with a pricing strategy that is affordable and gives value for money. “I can’t find anything else that lets personal trainers track food diaries and set goals online and in such a competitive marketplace it definitely adds value.” Future plans include adding a payment system which would allow clients to pay their personal trainers through the site. Phil is also looking at creating an app so that diaries can be managed via compatible mobile phones.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Firm reports soaring UV interest atg UV have reported soaring interest in the application of Ultraviolet protection by the UK leisure industry over the last 12 months, and have seen the inclusion of Ultraviolet units become standard practise across a number of leading UK leisure operators. atg UV, have warranted their success in the leisure market to their breakthrough ECFsystem range, which was designed and engineered specifically to suit the needs of the Swimming and Leisure industry. Unlike traditional chemical treatment methods, the effectiveness of UV systems are not limited to certain micro-organisms, and will provide an effective barrier against all known bacteria, viruses and pathogenic

micro-organisms, including chlorine resistant organisms such as Cryptosporidium. Additionally, UV treatment breaks down chloramines, vastly reducing ‘Red Eye’, skin irritations and chlorine smell. The elimination of chloramines also produces crystal clear, sparkling water, and vastly reduces the need for taxing shock treatments and backwashes. For more information contact 01942 216161 or visit www.atguv.com

‘One-stop-shop for all equipment’ ALL athletes need to improve maximal strength, relative strength, speed strength and strength endurance to improve overall performance. Being able to perform squats, deadlifts and Olympic movements in the gym environment is key to rapid and long-term strength gains. Therefore, having safe, high quality and durable equipment is very important. Factory Gyms caters to a wide range of exercisers, from gym newbies right through to international athletes. We specifically coach a number of Edinburgh based rugby teams. When we were looking for strength and conditioning equipment, Absolute Performance came highly recommended as the one-stop-shop for high quality equipment.

We got everything we needed including power rack, lifting platforms, Olympic bars, bumper plates, technique discs and various accessories such as medicine and stability balls, heavy duty matting and resistance bands. This equipment has significantly improved the service we offer, attr-acted and encouraged more people with strength and conditioning goals and made our rugby players happy. For more information contact: 01727 76 73 89 or email info@aperformance.co.uk

Managing director of SportsArt Fitness UK Mark Turner believes companies should be geared to long term servicing of customers’ needs. Here he explains why ...

Don’t just consider price when it comes to service contracts AS part of a major established, international manufacturer of cardio and strength training equipment, with a network of over 70 distribution companies worldwide, SportsArt Fitness UK know the importance of professional technical servicing and maintenance of all fitness equipment. Whilst the very nature of accidents and breakdowns are unpredictable, there are some things that can and must be planned for by anyone looking to maintain safe and trouble-free operation of fitness equipment. It is this common sense approach that has won SportsArt’s dedicated servicing division contracts with health clubs, educational facilities and more recently with leading premiership football clubs as they look to improve on the maintenance and servicing of their fitness equipment. Although SportsArt offer a comprehensive range of quality fitness equipment, its engineers are highly trained on all makes and models of equipment installed throughout the United Kingdom. Apart from the inconvenience of failed equipment, there is also a question of safety. In managing

any fitness facility, be it at football or leisure clubs, you have a legal duty of care to ensure that all operating equipment is maintained to a safe standard, ensuring maximum care has been taken to avoid any possible accidental injury to users of the equipment. Mark explained: “When selecting a service provider don’t just look at the cost, it is important that the company appointed has the backup to provide you with a prompt, responsive and professional service. Check out their response time to a call-out and question any times they may claim and how they manage call out procedures. “By having a service contract with a bona-fide company, this should provide you with documented material evidence to demonstrate that every possible care has been taken to maintain equipment to the highest safety standards. “Long term, good house keeping pays for itself and certainly avoids frustration for management and those training, as equipment is maintained to the highest standards and continues to operate reliably.”

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PRODUCT NEWS

Med Ball Power Slam challenge THE Med Ball is one of the most functional bits of kit on the market today. It can be used on its own or fused with other functional tools for the ultimate workout. In a bid to put the mighty Med Ball through its paces, the Escape Trainer will be getting you to put your balls to good use in the new Beat the Trainer Challenge. Launched on June 1 exclusively at www.escapefitness.com/blog the trainer will do as many Med Ball Power Slams as he can in 30 seconds and will be challenging you, yes you, to beat his Power Slam Score. Plus throughout June, the Escape team will be showing you how to

move it with your Med Balls for maximum effect, how you can use them to boost group training and how they can add that much needed twist to any workout. So what are you waiting for, grab your Med Ball and head to www.escapefitness.com/medballmadness now!

Step forward in sock design THE sock is one of the last items of clothing to undergo a revolutionary change in design. NZ Sock Co., in consultation with expert clinical advisors, has designed a range of socks using advanced technology. Incorporating a unique combination of natural merino wool, renowned for its exceptionally high quality fibre, superior softness, strength and durability and Seacell, an innovative, cellulose and seaweedbased fibre with extensive applications for medical textiles and situations where hygiene and cleanliness are important. Lifesocks deliver outstanding preventative and protective features and are designed to reduce friction and

pressure, effectively manage temperature and moisture, inhibit bacterial growth, offer a warm and non-constrictive comfort and adapt to the individual shape of the foot. They provide an important protective interface between the shoe and the skin, what we call the forgotten interface. Our trademarked Elastic Support System (ESS) locks the sock onto the foot and the lower leg with minimal compression, providing support particularly under the plantar arch region.

‘Collections’ catalogue launched by Powerhouse ESTABLISHED in 1980, Powerhouse Fitness has over 30 years' experience in the supply of fitness equipment to the European fitness industry. Powerhouse Fitness has recently launched their new ‘Collections’ catalogues, under their Bodymax Fitness brand. The Bodymax Cardio and Strength Collection brochure concentrates on capital equipment including Johnson CV and Strength along with IFI equipment, while their Bodymax Studio and Free Weights catalogues pulls

together a range of brands such as Ziva, Reebok, Lonsdale, Zenith and Powerbag to provide the total solution for your functional and studio requirements. These comprehensive collections have been brought together to provide adaptable solutions to any size of project and budget. From single items through to new start or full scale equipment renewals, you will find what you need within the Bodymax Collections.

More than just a workout ... GROUP Boxing Circuits for the gym and studio to give your members more than just a workout. The Tube Boxing group exercise programme gives you all the tools you need to run outstanding boxing based fitness workouts; training, equipment, marketing, class programmes, music and regular updates. Targeting all levels of fitness and experience, users will punch their way through 12 euphoric rounds of boxing using focus pads, hanging bags, free standing bags or a combination of pads and bags. The programmes are designed to be very easy to follow as the music runs and sequences every workout. This means the workouts can be instructor lead or self-operating. For businesses that want to be able to deliver a quick, easy gym based

All-in-one product ‘packs on muscle mass’ Affordablesupplements.co.uk now stocks a new all-in-one product from Reflex that promises to pack on muscle mass. Combined with a balanced diet and training regime, the new Reflex One Stop Xtreme is an improved version of the all in one supplement, Reflex One Stop and is the only product to contain the exclusive Quattro, a time-releasing protein blend which is unique to Reflex One Stop Xtreme. Along with Quattro and other carbohydrates, the product contains high doses of Peptide Bonded Glutamine, Creatine, BCAAs, Beta Alanine and ReflexTestoFusion stack so ultimately you are getting more supplements for your money. When asked the difference between all in one supplement, Reflex One Stop compared to Reflex One Stop Xtreme, manager at Reflex Nutrition, Karl Schwick said: “The primary difference between Reflex One Stop and Reflex One Stop Xtreme is the micro nutrient breakdown. “One Stop Xtreme contains more carbohydrates and protein when compared with Reflex One Stop, ideal for those who struggle to build mass muscle. “In fact, I challenge anyone who shops at Affordable Supplements to take Reflex One Stop Xtreme along with a balanced diet and training regime and if they don't make any gains in muscle mass, we will give them their money back!"

Social evening encourages interaction XERCISE4Less has launched a monthly social evening to welcome new members and encourage more interaction between its two clubs.

boxing circuit that does not require an instructor, Tube will install a bespoke boxing circuit (choice of bags available), a workout timetable and the music to be played when a session takes place. To introduce a new boxing based workout to your studio timetable, Tube will train your instructors and fully equip the class with gloves, pads, bags, wraps and functional equipment. To give your members the ultimate boxing experience, contact 01487 831185 or enquiries@tubeboxing.co.uk

The company operates budget gyms in Wakefield and Castleford and has so far organised two events – with the latest at local attraction Xscape attracting about 100 people. The evenings have proved popular with both newcomers and established members and also includes giveaways and a member of the month competition. Sales director Stuart Perrin said: “We find it helps with retention and gets a good vibe going. It’s also good for members from each club to interact with each other.”

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Marc takes a dive for cancer charity THE Direct Fitness team are passionate about all kinds of charity work and helping to donate wherever and as often as possible. With donations over the last few years to a number of charities including Children in Need and Cancer Research, they decided a Just Giving page would be a perfect place to showcase any fundraising they do. This most recent one is Marc Heywood’s sky dive in the Lake District in aid of Cancer Research.

The team are asking friends and work associates to put forward anything they feel comfortable with for this 14,000 feet fall that aged Marc 15 years! He decided to do the dive first so you can actually see what the donation is for as well as knowing the jump’s paid for and gone and 100 per cent of your donation goes straight to Cancer Research. Thanks in advance. http://www.justgiving.com/directfitness

Kit options deliver exceptional value InstaBadge launched BADGEMASTER, the UK’s leading manufacturer of engraved, ready-towear employee name badges has launched a new product range to fulfil the needs of the re-usable name badge market. ‘InstaBadge’, as its name suggests, enables employers themselves to create instant name badges for new starters. Managing director John Bancroft explained: “InstaBadge offers the good looks and performance of a permanent badge with all the flexibility of a re-usable one. “It’s ideal for workplaces with frequent staff changes, as new employees can be smartly badged from the word go.” The wearer’s name is held within the badge rather than engraved onto it, so employers can control costs by reusing the badge frames when staff leave. The design of the badge frames, together with Badgemaster’s longestablished expertise in corporate personalisation, means that customers who prefer the re-usable option needn’t sacrifice either choice or visual appeal for economy. The new range includes eight different styles, all available in any base colour and with plenty of space for company logos and corporate designs to be accurately reproduced. In terms of aesthetics and durability, “InstaBadge neatly overcomes the drawbacks often associated with reusable name badges,” explains Royal Warrant holders Badgemaster. “The wearer’s name is printed on card or tape and is held perfectly secure and level behind a protective acetate front, so there will never be any lop-sided printing or peeling corners to contend with. Badgemaster will provide free label production software to help customers print names professionally.” Of special interest to catering, food and beverage serving and food preparation staff the InstaBadge has a unique advantage for all environments where health and safety are paramount. Its unique patent protected design combines the fastener as an integral part of the badge and so prevents the pin ever becoming detached from the badge. All Badgemaster badges are independently accredited to ISO9001 quality standards by the British Standards Institute. For more information contact the customer services team on 01623 723112 or log on to www.badgemaster.co.uk

High Grade Indoor Cycle by FreeMotion FMEX81010 The workhorses of our indoor cycling line offer the same high level of functionality, durability and quality that you expect from FreeMotion products however delivering exceptional value. Product information: Easy-to-use handlebar and seat adjustments help you quickly determine preferred comfort setting. Corrosion-preventing stainless pins can be quickly threaded tight for a secure hold on the sliding tubes. Corrosion-resistant frame and finish with new step-through plate that protects finish from cleat damage. Enclosed chain guard keeps lubricated parts away from the rider, yet offers convenient access for easy lubrication. Two composite water bottle cages hold bottles up to one-liter in size.

Easy-to-turn adjustment knob and natural wool felt pads provide linear incremental resistance. Ten-bike package available from £27.69 per week. Other options available The FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross Professional F624 The FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross enhances strength by allowing users to perform movements that mimic

activities in both sports and life. Functionally trains the muscles of the entire body to work together while building stability and coordination. A must if you are starting a PT programme. US Trainers swear by it The FMDCC available from £24.92 per week. Other options available for limited period includes two free core bars Incline Trainer VS Treadmill The Power of Incline is now available from -3 per cent to 30 per cent incline with the FreeMotion Incline Trainer. Does everything a treadmill does but better. Burns calories from fat vs. carbohydrates. Recruits more muscles than training on a flat surface. Same or more cardio benefits with less joint impact. Offers a unique cardio training experience with incline ranges exceeding traditional treadmills. Burns more fat: Walking at two mph at 21 per cent burns 3.4 times more fat than running at six mph with no incline Walking at two mph at 21 per cent burns six times more fat than running at seven mph with no incline The FreeMotion Incline Trainer TK7256C is available from £27.13 per week. Other options available. For more information contact 01204 541 710 or visit www.fitnesssystems.co.uk

Challenging alternative to normal workout “AT The Marlow Club we have a very different approach to fitness from the norm, which is providing functional yet innovative products to our members. In this way we are able to keep our members interested and their workouts become enjoyable yet at the same time the member still receives all of the physiological benefits of a stereotypical workout on targeted muscle groups and cardiovascular training.” says Simon Backer, assistant general manager. The club decided to install the Freedom Climber, a rotating rock climbing trainer to create a fun exercise that offered members a great functional total body and core muscle workout. It utilised a spare wall space and provides a new zone without sacrific-

ing valuable floor space. Once inducted, members use the climber unsupervised and without any climbing experience and find it a challenging alternative to the normal workout. For more information contact Freedom Climber on 01483 559785 or info@freedomclimber.co.uk

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To advertise in this classified section call 01226 734615

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SAUNAS

EQUIPMENT

55 Marshmans

19/5/11

14:23

Page 1

56 Be well

17/5/11

10:00

Page 1