WorkOut October 2011 by Script Media

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October 2011

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Gyms urged to join Our Greatest Team By Christina Eccles GYMS around the country have been urged to get their members involved in a ‘once in a lifetime’ campaign as part of the build up to next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. Our Greatest Team was launched at this year’s Leisure Industry Week in Birmingham by official Olympic equipment supplier Technogym, Team GB and Paralympics GB. The campaign – which is also supported by the FIA, Sport England and REPs – encourages gyms to sign up and back Great Britain’s athletes by asking members to make healthy pledges of their own – from promising to go to the gym a certain number of times a week to eating more fruit and vegetables and doing more activities with their children. Tony Majakas from Technogym spoke to delegates at the launch. He explained: “We are the ‘movement’ industry and have got the chance to pull together and showcase ourselves – every sport needs fitness. “Gyms can pre-register to join the campaign, which starts in January,

and they will get a ready-made marketing plan. Each location also goes on to a national map and we are going to track every pledge which is made from each one.” He also said the benefits for gyms which get involved include: Our Greatest Team branding in each club – meaning they are linked in an official way to the Olympics. The opportunity to get the word out there to people about their facility via the website, which includes a location map of participating clubs and a mobile phone app. The chance to win the actual fitness equipment used by the athletes in the Olympic Village gym once the Games are over. The campaign is also open to personal trainers who make pledges with their clients and REPs accredited trainers who sign up are also in with a chance of being chosen to join the Technogym trainer team at the Olympic village gym during the Games. Our Greatest Team is being rolled out in January and interested clubs have been invited to pre register via the website www.technogym.com/london2012

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Gyms await fitness award shortlist

Johnson Health Tech UK has signed up one of Britain’s most successful athletes to join its ambassador programme, Team Johnson. Double Olympic gold medal winner and six times world champion rower James Cracknell has joined a core group of elite and up and coming athletes and ambassadors, who will help the company in its quest to promote a fitter Britain. His involvement in the programme was announced at Leisure Industry Week where he appeared on the Matrix Fitness stand.

Watch out for a full Leisure Industry Week review next issue

GYMS up and down the country are anxiously waiting to find out if they have made the shortlist for this year’s National Fitness Awards. Clubs from all corners of the UK put themselves in with the chance of winning an award in one of 18 categories, ranging from gym of the year to best ladies’ only, combat and strength training facilities. Once the Workout team has drawn up the shortlist and visited the clubs which have made the grade, the judges – Carly Thornton, Wil Graham, Andree Deane, David Minton, Ian Wakefield and Jean Ann Marnoch – will have the tough task of picking our winners. Trophies will be handed out at a glittering ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham, hosted by Coronation Street’s Katherine Kelly on November 25, and a full shortlist will be announced in next month’s issue of Workout. To book your place at the event, visit our website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk or contact event organiser Liz Lee on ll@whpl.net You can keep up to date with all the news from the awards by following us on Twitter @FitnessAwards

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Hundreds enter fitness awards 2011 By Christina Eccles OVER 500 entries have been received for the 2011 National Fitness Awards, making them even more successful than last year’s debut event. Entrants from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been flooding in over the last few months – all eager to shout about what their club has to offer and why they should pick up a trophy. It’s now almost time to reveal the shortlist for the awards – with gyms who have entered anxiously waiting to see if they have made the grade. National Fitness Awards’ director Andrew Harrod said: “We are really pleased with the number of entries

we have received and how high the standard is this year. “The Workout team is now looking forward to getting out there and visiting the clubs which have made the shortlist and to another successful awards evening where the trophies will be handed out to our worthy winners.” The awards ceremony takes place on November 25 at the ICC in Birmingham and will be hosted by Coronation Street favourite Katherine Kelly, who plays Becky Macdonald in the long running soap. Look out for the November issue of Workout where we will be unveiling the full shortlist for this year’s awards.

£80k refurbishment for Swansea leisure centre A SWANSEA leisure centre has completed refurbishment work worth £80,000 to create a larger free weights area and a new spin studio. The studio has been equipped with additional bikes and due to demand, more classes have been added to the timetable. The room has also been decked out with disco lights and a sound system to keep motivation high during the workout.

General manager Nic Beggs said: “We are delighted with the final outcome of the extension. “The investment reflected conversations we had with our members and it’s been great to see these suggestions come in to fruition. “Feedback so far has been very positive, spin classes are quickly filling up and the extra room and equipment in the free weights area has come as a welcome addition.”

Katherine Kelly

www.workout-uk.co.uk

Official media partner of the Fitness Industry Association

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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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Supplement sales make Nick a healthy profit By Dominic Musgrave A SCARBOROUGH gym owner says making money from secondary spend is key to the success of his business. Nick Ingham, who runs budget gym Compass and Health and Fitness, says he makes his money from the volume of supplement sales he makes rather than charging his members for the products. He said: “Supplement sales are massive for us and, although we sell them at minimal profit to ourselves, members buy them from us because they can get them far cheaper than they could elsewhere in the town. “We make our money on volume of sales because we buy in bulk, which means we get better deals. I can guarantee that when we get a delivery of large tubs they will be sold out within a few days. “We also do well on selling over the counter shakes and other post workout drinks, and we have

The gym at Compass Health and Fitness recently launched our own clothing range, which is also proving popular.” Nick opened the gym three years ago after leaving the army and said membership retention is another priority for him and his staff. “We spotted a niche in the market and went for it, and we now think of ourselves as an affordable luxury,” he added. “Unlike other gyms in the town we don’t charge our members for the classes we run,

and Zumba has proved so popular that we have had to hire a council owned facility down the road. “The downside of that is that we may not see some of our members for a while because they just attend the other hall. “We have approximately 1,300 members at the moment, which I would say makes us at around 90 per cent capacity. “Like any other gym, retention is a priority for us because we want to make sure our members are happy and keep coming back. “The problem we have when trying to attract members is that because we are on the coast, half of the area where we would look to attract members from is taken up by the sea.” Nick, who captains the town’s rugby club, is in the early stages of looking to expand the business outside of Scarborough, and is also considering opening a small unit in a shopping centre.

Nick Ingham

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Manager Tim turns gym owner A FORMER gym manager with almost 15 years’ industry experience has opened his own club in Worcester. Tim Hosell launched the venture just over two months ago, naming it Sonny’s Fitness after one of his children. Although he admits he was slightly concerned about opening a gym in the current climate, he believes a good product will always do well, even in difficult times. He said: “I had been the manager of other local gyms and had always wanted to open my own but the timing never seemed right. “Opening at this time, I thought

things can only get better, as opposed to opening in a peak time and things going downhill. If we can make it work now, it can work anytime.” Tim told Workout he is ‘quietly confident’ the gym will succeed, as he has already signed up 65 of his 200 member target. The prospect of no contract, pay as you go usage and a monthly standing order – rather than direct debit – option has attracted people through the doors, as well as the club’s location in the heart of a residential area. And even though the gym is fairly small, Tim believes it has the poten-

tial to become an integral part of the local community. He added: “Nine weeks in, we are a third of the way to our membership target so I’m really pleased. “There are already a few local authority sports centres and independents around. “It is a tough market but if you have a good name and facility, you will attract the members anyway.” Although it’s still early days for the business, Tim is already thinking about the future and revealed his long term aim is to eventually open a second site, which will be named after his other son.

New scheme focuses on sport and fitness SKILLSACTIVE has launched a new national endorsement scheme for undergraduate courses focusing on sport and fitness. Higher Education Institutions have been urged to submit their courses in sports development, sport/leisure management, fitness, playwork and sports coaching for endorsement through the scheme, which has been developed following a consultation period with over 80 experts including academics, employers and students. Senior programme manager at SkillsActive Ben Gittus said: “We hope that the scheme will bring clarity to both students and employers as well as offering added value to HEIs and the degree courses they offer. “What we now need is for HEIs to submit their courses for endorsement. We estimate there are hundreds of courses that could be endorsed and we are keen to receive their submissions. “To aid this, we’ve organised a series of events to take HEIs through the endorsement process and provide information on the background, benefits, endorsement criteria and submission process for the scheme.”

Gym manager Aaron Howlett has completed his latest endurance challenge – Hell on the Humber. Aaron who runs independent club Peak Physique in Hull, carried a 60lb sand pack for 30 miles, repeatedly running the length of the Humber Bridge to complete the event.

New studio already making expansion plans THE owners of a newly-opened Power Plate studio are already planning to expand their business following a successful start. Repose Studio in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, is the first dedicated Power Plate studio in the area and its owners have invested £90,000 to create a haven where people can improve both their physical and emotional wellbeing. One of the owners Glenys Reynolds said: “When I first tried the Power Plate I was hooked. As well as feeling energized, I also felt that I was in a

more harmonic state and at one with my body. I believe that people who use the Power Plate can get a great workout and develop deeper wellbeing and I’m so proud to be able to offer these great classes to the public. In terms of product quality and as a company I really feel that I can trust Power Plate and am very happy with my choice.” After searching for two years to find the perfect site for their first location, the owners are already seeking another two sites in surrounding neighbourhoods to expand the concept.

UK conference is Pilates industry first THE first ever UK conference uniting the global Pilates industry will take place in London later this year. The Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute’s third annual Pilates conference brings together some of the world’s most respected Pilates teaching schools for a two day event which includes seminars

and workshops. Organiser Glenn Withers said: “Traditionally, Pilates teaching schools have been very insular and protective of their methods and philosophies, preferring not to share them with other providers. “This event marks a shift in this attitude and demonstrates a united

drive to deliver a truly outstanding event which draws on experiences and developments both from within the discipline and from the wider medical, health and fitness sectors.” The event takes place at the Royal College of Physicians in Regents Park on November 12 and 13.

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After taking on a new role as managing director of Creative Fitness Marketing, Workout caught up with Chevy Kelly who revealed how he feels about getting the job and the company’s plans for the future.

Chevy celebrates his CFM ‘call up’ ... Can you tell us more about your new role and how you feel about being appointed? I was absolutely pumped when I got the call up (I was hoping I would say that for the Wallabies one day!) I fell in love with this company from the moment I started working here in 2003 at the very sharp end, selling and marketing health clubs on site for our clients. The culture Dave Wright (the CEO) has created at CFM means that even though there are about 300 of us, there is a very flat structure and it’s incredibly people oriented. The turnover of staff is extremely low because the rewards are there to be had. For 21 years, integrity is what CFM has always stood for and you know if you can have a coffee with a current client that CFM first worked with in 1993 then we must be doing something right! Even though the majority of us hardly see each other as our staff are out there driving memberships for our clients, it is the closest knit company I have ever worked with. Maybe that’s the secret to my marriage as well! In essence, my job for the last six years has been helping health clubs to maximise their profits without having to put their hand in their pocket and will continue to be the main focus of what I do. What do you feel you will be able to

bring to the role? When I left school I had an unbelievable amount of jobs to help get me through Uni in Australia, from working on cattle farms, sheep farms, tree farms, salmon farms, I have been a house frame builder, a barman, worked in a frozen food factory, and even a cardboard box factory! Even though I didn't enjoy a lot of those jobs at the time I consider it a great foundation in dealing with people from all walks of life and builds a good sense of empathy, which particularly helps whether its selling a membership or understanding a club owners point of view. Through my work with CFM in the US, Oz and the UK I have been lucky enough to work with over 700 health club owners personally which helps give perspective on what challenges and issues club owners face and at the same time gives a great deal of satisfaction knowing what CFM has done for them in taking their business forward. As a I am a health club owner as well, it helps in understanding the business from the inside out. What plans do you have for the company in future? CFM has never been a company to be complacent and it’s exciting times. Our growth has been as a result of employing passionate people who care about building a bridge between our clients and those members from

Chevy Kelly the new to exercise market who the clubs often find hard to reach. Through a world of marketing clutter it is more of challenge to get those messages across and it is only through innovation and the generation of ideas from our staff that continues to move forward so we can help our clients reap the rewards. We have been at the forefront of founding the IOU and developing our partnership with the Department of Health in the Change4Life programme and will continue to look for

opportunities to further the fitness industry in the eyes of the powers that be in Westminster. For many years we have been solely an impact marketing and revenue generator for health clubs and now through revenue and retention tools like MYZONE and Customer Call we will be helping old and new clients to really make their clubs the hub of their local community and of course make the health club game a profitable one for club owners to be in! That's where our future lies.

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Budget chain in £9million expansion plans BUDGET chain Pure Gym has secured funding worth £9m to support its ambitious expansion plans. Alongside the strong cash flow generated by the company’s ongoing success, the combined capital will mean its current portfolio of 15 gyms will grow to 28 by February next year. CEO Peter Roberts said: “We are delighted to have secured funding for the next stage in our expansion plans. One of our biggest challenges is to identify and procure the most suitable sites by continuing to lease buildings from both private and major institutional land-

lords. We are currently looking at sites throughout the U.K. to continue with our rapid expansion into 2012 and 2013.” To help with the running of new and existing Pure Gym sites, a new operations director, Jacques de Bruin, has been brought in. He added: “The success of Pure Gym to date shows a strong demand for affordable and accessible fitness. I am really looking forward to utilising my experience to drive the new openings, moving Pure Gym into an even stronger market position. “It’s a very exciting time to be joining the team.”

Training company launches three new training venues PREMIER Training International is to launch three new training venues in Brighton, Southampton and Plymouth, bringing the company to a total of six new venues this year. The training team and the new graduates will be making themselves at home at the Esporta clubs in Brighton and Southampton and Nuffield Health and Fitness in Plymouth. The venues will offer the new Premier International Diploma in Advanced Personal Training, which includes ways of training with Kettlebells and ViPR and also looks at postural correction and advanced muscle release techniques. Chief executive Debra Stuart said: “We’re thrilled to be launching another new venue and this is testament to the reputation we’ve worked hard to build. “Our aim is to give students the qualifications, confidence and motivation to succeed in the rapidly expanding world of health and fitness training and it will be no different in our new venues in Brighton, Southampton and Plymouth. “We look forward to welcoming future students and helping them achieve their Active IQ qualifications for a long and fruitful career in the health and fitness industry.”

Rugby player gives personal training a try By Christina Eccles ENGLAND women’s rugby player Heather Fisher has set up her own personal training business to pass on her sporting expertise to others. Heather, who was also a member of the British bobsleigh team, set up the business about six months ago and is currently working out of a converted barn at her parents’ house near Solihull. Her competitive career is on hold while she recovers from a back injury but she told Workout although it’s frustrating not being able to play rugby, it has given her the chance to concentrate on building up the business – something which she has struggled to find the time to do when playing. She said: “I like having a goal to work towards and now with my injury, I can focus on the gym. It allows me to do what I do best, so I can’t think of a better job.” Competing at the highest level in two completely different sports has given Heather a wide base of fitness knowledge, which she is looking forward to passing on to clients. She added: “With the bobsleigh, the training is a lot of speed and power based stuff, such as acceleration drills. The rugby side is more strength and endurance. “I have done my personal training level three qualification and my degree but because of my sporting experience, I also know myself what people are going through when they are training.” In future, Heather added she would love to open her own studio and work more closely with young people who are looking to get into sport and athletes hoping to achieve elite status.

Heather Fisher

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Supplements shop brings new faces into gym AN INDEPENDENT gym owner has revealed why adding a supplements shop to his club has helped boost secondary spend and attract new faces through the door. Scott Gledhill, who owns Ultimate Fitness, told Workout the decision to create the additional space about four months ago has been really successful – attracting interest from both members and non members. The club, situated in Stalybridge in Cheshire, already had a popular healthy cafe area, but by also adding a bigger choice of supplements, Scott believes he has managed to create a one stop shop for fitness fans. He said: “We have always had products on the shelf but decided to branch out and get other brands. So we turned a wasted office space into a shop and now sell about 10 brands. “It seems to be going really well and we’ve had people come in to buy products who have then become members.” The club has been open five years and other features include a CV room, strength gym and boxing studio. Since the start, Scott has been working with Service Sport and the company supplied all his cardio equipment, which is also covered by a servicing contract. He added: “We have got a really good relationship with Service Sport. They helped me out with picking the right equipment and have always been good with servicing or if we have had any problems.” A London hotel transformed its gym and spa terrace into a secret summer garden complete with birch trees, wild lavender and a special picnic menu. The Berkeley Hotel’s health club and spa joined forces with skincare brand Green and Spring to create the scene. Throughout the summer, visitors could choose from a selection of Green and Spring treatments on offer at the spa while relaxing and enjoying the garden view.

Quest team delighted by recognition LEISURE centre staff who take part in Quest’s courses will now be able to earn CPD points from the Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (IMSPA).

Quest currently runs two courses – a one day introduction course worth 25 CPD points and a two-day internal assessors course which is worth 50 points. Operations director

Caroline Constantine said: “The Quest team is delighted that our courses are now recognised as an important part of staff development and accredited by a chartered institute as well known

as IMSPA. “It’s wonderful news that our industry is now recognised and we can play our part in helping leisure staff with their continual professional development.”

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Gym success leads to plans for second site By Christina Eccles

From left, Jamie Ward, Michael Blake and Neil Harmsworth

Innovative company takes prestigious award ONLINE resource payasUgym.com has been recognised for its innovation in the fitness industry with a prestigious award. The company has been named in the Smarta100 list of the most resourceful and exciting small businesses in the UK. The top 100 were selected by an expert panel including creator of social networking site BEBO Michael Birch and property developer

Sarah Beeny. Co-founder Michael Blake said: “We are really happy that payasUgym. com, and the fitness industry by reflection, has been recognised with such a prestigious award for innovation. 2011 has been an incredible year for payasUgym.com, despite tough market conditions, and we can’t wait to welcome even more gyms and gyms users to our service in 2012.”

BUSINESS is booming at a gym in Carlisle where a focus on staff training and customer care is keeping members happy. Vibralife opened in the city about 18 months ago and things are going so well, managing director Lana Brown already has plans in place to open a second site within six months. The club focuses on the benefits of vibration training, which according to Lana helps it stand out from other gyms in the area, and all staff are highly qualified with degrees in relevant subjects such as sports therapy. Vibralife has recently received funding from the FIA and Skills Active to put towards valuable staff training and Lana said having the extra money will help the club to achieve its long term goals and keep customers satisfied. She explained: “This funding is a fantastic idea. As a club that looks into the future, sometimes you can’t progress on your own.

“Funding is available for training, which has an impact on every aspect of your business life. If you have a vision to build up a business, it’s paramount. You can’t progress without being able to provide new services and skills, which keep staff and members happy.” The money will be used to further educate staff on working with members with disabilities, as well as to improve customer care skills and to help understand member behaviour. And Lana added although training is already a vital part of the club’s development, it is important to keep that going. She added: “We will be focusing on areas we have identified that will help to benefit the business. Our staff understand the importance of further training and development. “If you stop learning, you become out of touch. “We have such high levels of retention because we come across as experts in our field – and that only comes from continuous learning.”

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Soap stars in the saddle CYCLING over 200 miles from the set of Emmerdale to that of rival soap Eastenders was the challenge for ‘Team Emmerdale’, coached by personal trainer Ed Gration. Ed joined forces with a group of actors from the Yorkshire-based soap to cycle the distance in under 24 hours, raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. The team set off from the show’s iconic Woolpack pub and rode through the night to reach their destination, The Queen Vic in Albert Square, just over 20 hours later. Ed – who works as a trainer at DW Sports Fitness in Mansfield – completed the challenge alongside Emmerdale stars James Thornton, Rik Makarem, Kelvin Fletcher and Tom Lister plus ITV executive producer Steve November. Ed Gration Ed already knew Rik, who asked him to get involved because of his was when we did a night ride across experience as a Tour de France the Yorkshire Moors and didn’t get tour guide to help plan the race back to the studio until about 1am. route. “None of them were regular road From there his involvement escalatcyclists. A couple of them had run ed until he was actually taking part in marathons and had general fitness, the race himself, which by that time but they had to spend a lot more had been made more challenging by time on the bikes than they were condensing it from two days into a 24 used to. hour timeframe. “I tried to plan rides four times a As none of the team were profesweek, with two big rides per week. sional cyclists, Ed had the tough task Each week we put an extra 10 to 15 of whipping them into shape to miles in the bag and eventually they enable them to complete the tough started to rack up. task ahead. “I had to get them used to spending He explained: “The training aspect that much time in the saddle but was brilliant. One of the highlights with their filming schedules, training

Team Emmerdale outside the Queen Vic was sometimes interrupted. “The event was superb. I couldn’t have imagined it would go that well. The average pace for the first 100 miles was about 20 miles per hour and I had planned it at about 13 to 15mph.” Ed added the team has received so much support since they completed the challenge, it has made them think about holding fundraising events on a regular basis. And they have already discussed what other challenges they could take part in to push their fundraising figure from the £46,000 already raised, over the £50,000 mark.

He added: “I would definitely like to do something like this again – it’s been quite a rollercoaster ride. “Team Emmerdale is now an entity – this won’t just be a one off and we are talking about doing other events. “The gym has been really supportive and has got right behind us. People who don’t even come to my classes have also come up and spoken to me about it because they have seen the challenge on TV. “I would be keen to get involved if any members wanted to take part in a challenge in future, whether it is something gym based or outdoors.”

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Why Michele is sitting pretty ... WHEN Michele White was left unemployed five years ago after the country club she was working at in Devon closed down, she never dreamed that she would have been running the fantastic health club she is today. One thing she could rely on was the name that she had made for herself amongst those she had already helped with their health and fitness goals. She said: “I saw an obvious gap in the Bideford market. The fact there was no club servicing members in the local district yet a massive need for it and if I was going to open up my own club it would be now or never.

“Unfortunately a competitor spotted that same gap so we were head to head with another club opening in the town centre at the same time.” Michele hoped that her name would help members in the community to remember her from her previous employer and putting her name to the club (Michele White Fitness Centre) paid off. Having brought two members of staff with her she provided familiar faces to the market and people just kept coming. She added: “I chose to be outside of town on an industrial estate, which has its pros and cons. It is harder to capitalise on walk by

trade however you get more for your money per square foot in rent and more parking available which in the end may have been what cost my competitor his business.” Michele brought in CFM to capture the members that she wouldn’t normally get through her own advertising and simply didn’t identify with the Michele White brand. “I have to say I was a little nervous that these guys would follow through with what they said when I signed up for my first campaign. “I had to ring a host of their clients before I felt I had made the right decision. I am happy to say 600 members later that I did. Even when these guys left the extra awareness they generated had members still rolling through the door.” Michele says of opening her club four years ago: “Sometimes out of adversity comes opportunity and something compelled me to grab this one with both hands and I haven’t looked back.” Michele is now sitting pretty in her market but never too comfortable, making sure she continues to improve the well being of the Bideford Community.

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‘Spicy dance’ craze set to hit industry A NEW fitness craze has hit the industry which instructors believe could be as big as the Zumba phenomenon. Hot new workout Masala Bhangra fuses aerobic exercise with traditional Indian dance moves to create a class suitable for all ages and abilities. Cori Withell has just become one of the UK’s first accredited Masala Bhangra instructors, following the completion of an intensive twoday course. She said the course – designed by the workout’s founder Sarina Jain – was brilliant and she would like to see the idea spread to other gyms and leisure centres around the country. She explained: “It’s completely unique. Zumba appeals to people because it doesn’t feel like a workout. In that respect, this is the same but it is more heavily choreographed.” Currently there are only 16 instructors trained in the UK, but Cori said she believes Masala Bhangra – which translates from

Pictured above: Cori and, right, Masala Bhangra in action

Hindi as ‘spicy dance’ – will be the next big thing in the fitness industry, rivalling the popularity of classes such as Zumba. She added: “The average class size is about 30 to 35 people per class. Gyms don’t need any special equipment but I’m only doing classes in mirrored studios as it helps people to see what they are doing. “This was the best training course I have ever been on – I would like to see others get involved.” When Workout spoke to Cori, who is the UK contact for anyone wanting to become a Masala Bhangra instructor, she was gearing up to launch her own classes at Swanmore College in Hampshire, which after taster sessions proved popular, thinks will be a hit with local people. Are you introducing any new classes into your gym? Let us know by emailing ce@whpl.net or contact Workout reporter Christina on 01226 734463.

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UK FITNESS SCENE As a former Mr Britain with over 20 years’ experience of running a gym, Steve Brookes is well placed to advise the bodybuilding stars of the future. Christina Eccles met him and his latest success story, Chris Hyde.

Steve and Chris in the gym

Not many people can say their hobby is their job – gym owner Steve TUCKED away down a side street in Barnsley, Spartan Bodyworks doesn’t advertise its presence to the outside world. But for those in the know, it’s been a haven for over 20 years. Owner Steve says he never really needs to promote the business – preferring to focus on retention rather than constantly fighting for new members. This approach has clearly worked for the club, with many members having been there since it opened in 1990. Steve explained: “If you look after people, it’s easier to retain an existing member than get a new one. Membership is flexible – people can pay daily, weekly or monthly and there’s no contract or joining fee. “And if you look after people, they will also tell their friends.” By concentrating on strength training, Steve feels his club is filling a gap in the market for those who do not want to train in a more commercial gym. Taking part in – and winning – competitions has also helped him build up a wealth of experience which he is keen to pass on to members who want to compete themselves. His latest protégé is Chris Hyde who has recently qualified for the Natural Physique Association finals, after winning the Midlands heat, his first competition. Chris has been training with Steve for the past six months and both of them feel the partnership is working out well. Steve added: “When you compete, the judges are looking for certain criteria so Chris needed someone to look at him subjectively. “It’s like an artist painting a picture. You have got to visualise what

you want to achieve at the end and how you are going to get there in the timespan you have. “But it could take Chris four to five years to get where he wants to be. Even if you know about nutrition, you have got to know what type of training to do to bring each body part up.” According to Steve, his methods of training differ from that of traditional bodybuilders as he believes it is also important to focus on cardio as well as weights. “I am a big believer in cardiovascular fitness. If you are doing more cardio, you are fitter and can also eat more as you are burning it off. A lot of people neglect that. “I’m self taught and have learned from others, but when you don’t know what to do, it takes years. Chris has done in six months what it took me six years to find out. “Back when I started there weren’t that many gyms. I wish I’d had somewhere like this. For someone like Chris, it’s perfect.” Although for some gyms the recession has made things harder, Steve said this year has been his best ever. “My philosophy has always been stick to what you are good at. I have had the chance to move to bigger premises but have stayed here. “If you go into a bigger gym, you may get shown around once but then left alone. “When you have a smaller place, you are more interested and can offer that personalised service. “Not many people can say their hobby is their job. That means a lot to me.”

Chris Hyde in competition

‘It’s like an artist painting a picture. You have got to visualise what you want to achieve at the end and how you are going to get there in the timespan you have’

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A new club in London claims to be leading the way on quality of equipment and levels of service provided to members. Christina Eccles paid a visit to see if Stars Gym really is out of this world.

New club is better by smiles ... SERVICE with a smile is the key message at Stars, with general manager Richard Coates instilling this philosophy into every member of staff from receptionist to personal trainer. He believes every member should be met with a friendly face on arrival at the gym – and it looks like this is working. The gym has been open since June and part of the membership process involves each prospective member filling out a form, which includes a question on why they decided to join. In that section, people have revealed the reason they decided to sign up was because of the reception and encouragement they got from staff when they came to look round, making service a priority to ensure this view of the club continues once each member has signed up. Opening in June, the gym has already attracted 120 full members with about another 60 also opting for pay as you go usage. And Richard revealed that in a competitive marketplace, Stars Gym has been well received by the local community. He explained: “We are pleased so far, but it’s very tough times so you can’t relax for one second. You have really got to keep working and pitching new ideas. “We have had a good reaction generally and the word is starting to

spread, so we are gradually building up a reputation.” The gym was originally going to concentrate on martial arts but the directors decided to give it a broader appeal and focus on general fitness and personal training Richard Coates as well. Richard added: “Our target market is local residents and businesses, that will be our bread and butter. Then we are splitting our marketing into segmented markets such as martial arts fans or more serious athletes. We are also looking at the mums’ market. “Because we are an independent that makes us very different [to other clubs nearby]. We are selling ourselves as something which is unique. “Our design and concept is very different – our USP is the gym design and this mix of kit and instructors you won’t find anywhere else. We know we can offer great customer service and that’s what we sell on.” The long term aim is to open another club but Richard told Workout it will be vital that opening another site doesn’t dilute the offering at their existing gym.

Stars Gym facts and figures: The club currently has about 120 annual members and another 60 people who opt for pay as you go usage. Membership costs £100 per month if paid by direct debit or £1000 for a year if paid up front. A day pass costs £15 or can be bought in blocks of 10 for £120 – providing a useful additional revenue stream and allowing potential members to try out the facilities before committing to full membership. The cost of a personal training session at the club is £65 per hour or £85 for a training session with a master trainer. Unique selling points include a boxing ring, full range of Life Fitness equipment and the latest technology such as integrated iPads on the wall where members can look up training tips online. The five prongs on the star shaped logo represent the club’s five directors who include Richard and martial arts expert Mati Parks. Between them bringing a varied set of skills which contribute to the successful running of the business. AS putting up obvious signage to promote the gym could land the owners in hot water with the local council, the team had to think smarter to ensure they got the word out there. The club’s location, right by the River Thames in Battersea, made it in close proximity to a popular running route along the river. To capitalise on this, the gym put a sign up on the route so that people running past would be able to see it. They also embraced new technolo-

gy by adding QR codes onto the poster so anyone who stopped to take a closer look could scan the code and be directed to the gym’s website for further information.

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22 Gym owner Lisa Auchinvole was forced to abandon her charity Channel swim just four miles from the French coast, after bad weather made it impossible to continue. Lisa had swum 28 miles on the day but strong winds and the tide pushing against her made it too dangerous to carry on and she had to stop. Lisa told Workout that although she was ‘gutted’ to have got so far and not be able to finish the swim, she was still really pleased with her efforts – reaching her target of raising £10,000 for chosen charity, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. She added that the local community and members of her gym – TFD Health and Fitness in Oxfordshire – have been enormously supportive and in future, she would like to give the challenge another go.

Gym marks tenth birthday STAFF and members at a Scottish independent gym have celebrated the club’s 10th birthday. Owners of Think Fitness Greg Dalgleish and Stuart Oliver were presented with a surprise cake to mark the milestone, following the end of a fitness competition which had been hosted in the gym. Stuart said: “We’ve been very lucky to have a strong core of loyal members and we would like to thank all our customers for their business over the last 10 years. “Most will recognise we have reinvested our profits and constantly improved during that time and we’ll strive to do that for the next 10.”

New flooring for The Firm THE owners of an independent club in Wakefield have laid new flooring to enhance their offering to members. Michael and Michele Wright acquired The Firm in April this year and since taking over have set about improving the facilities. The couple have recently put in the new flooring, which has enabled them to introduce classes including pole dancing, boxercise and body pump, as well as Saturday kids’ sessions.

Newest class ‘not competing’ against Zumba THE founder of one of the UK’s newest exercise classes claims he is not out to compete with Zumba – instead he wants to give people another reason to stay longer in the gym. Creator of BOKWA Paul Mavi spoke to Workout on a recent trip to the UK when he officially launched the classes in this country. And he said that although there have been comparisons with Zumba, he sees the two as completely different workouts, which can complement each other on a club’s timetable rather than compete. He explained: “Zumba has brought people into the gym and got them interested in fitness. My job is to give them another reason to stay longer. “There is no competition between

the two. There’s no reason why someone can’t do Zumba on a Monday and BOKWA on a Tuesday. “BOKWA is going to get more members walking through the door, who will love it because it is athletic and geared to a different type of person.” The workout is derived from light boxing moves (Bo), combined with traditional South African dance (Kwa), set to a range of different styles of music. Cara and Kerri Donaldson became the UK’s first accredited BOKWA instructors after spotting the classes online, falling in love with them and flying out to America to meet Paul. They are now classed as education specialists and are helping Paul to spread the word to clubs around the country.

Following the first wave of instructor courses it has already been picked up by independent gyms including Fusion Fitness in Bude, as well as bigger operators who are interested in rolling it out across multiple sites. Cara added: “We took the gamble because we wanted something new. I can’t compare the course content to anything else. It is so thorough, with practical and theory based assessment. “Paul is very genuine and his ideas are fantastic.” She also added gyms who want to get involved don’t need any special equipment – just enough space to perform the class, a music player with pitch control because the music is set to a faster tempo and a microphone.

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Mayor goes to bootcamp to mark birthday By Christina Eccles A GYM in London has celebrated its first birthday with an open day for members, which included bootcamp classes run by the local mayor. Members at Oxygen Fit were invited to bring their friends and family along to the club for a fun day as a thank you for their loyalty over the past 12 months. Free activities on offer included Pilates, belly dancing, yoga and street dance, as well as the bootcamp circuits class with mayor of Barnet, herself an ex personal trainer. Special offers were also available for friends who joined up on the day and for existing members who generated referrals. Owner Neil Godly said: “It was brilliant. We couldn’t have wished for better. There were 10 classes

and all were fully booked. We generated about 25 new members on the day and hopefully off the back of it we will get a few more.” About 60 people joined in a toast to celebrate the club’s first year in business and Neil added he was really pleased with the turnout and how supportive members have been since it opened. He added: “Sometimes open days don’t really take off but the nice thing about here is that people feel it’s a home from home. “The gym is now three quarters full and we have got almost 400 members in a year. Membership is £48 per month or £38 for off peak and we have never discounted our prices. “This shows there really is a need for small personal gyms and people are looking for that extra level of care – thankfully my plan was right.”

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Recent additions such as Trixter bikes are keeping members happy at Topnotch clubs.

Why club chain has embraced budget gym market THE managing director of Topnotch health clubs has revealed why the company has decided to tap into the budget gym market. Steve Bradley told Workout in a tough climate, affording gym membership can be difficult for some people. But the arrival of the company’s budget brand – Fitness4Less – and others like it has shaken up the market by offering top quality equipment and levels of service – without a hefty price tag.

Steve explained: “It’s a very tough market, but Topnotch has branched into the budget sector with Fitness4Less, which has gone particularly well. “There’s no barrier to entry as membership is £15 per month. Membership at a budget gym works out about 50p per day for the amount of activity people can do. We want to highlight that.” About 30 to 40 per cent of those joining Fitness4Less are not previous gym members, meaning the

brand is successfully attracting a new audience into exercise. And Steve claimed that although times are tough, people now understand more about the benefits of keeping fit. He added: “People do see the value of health and fitness and realise they are better off cancelling their pub trip and keeping their gym membership.” The company currently has eight sites under the Fitness4Less brand, with plans in the pipeline to open more next year.

Weight loss yoga app launched CELEBRITY personal trainer James d’Silva has joined forces with actress, producer and environmental activist Trudie Styler to launch a weight loss yoga app. The app, available through iTunes, offers four focused workouts to help users achieve healthy and permanent weight loss, while transforming the body from the inside out. Also included is an interview with Dr Alejandro Junger, author of the best-selling diet detox book The Clean Diet. Trudie and Sting’s personal chef, Joseph Sponzo, also provides a twoweek weight-loss meal plan, with healthy recipes for every meal and daily nutrition tips.

Entrepreneur Mo Chaudry has chosen Pulse to provide equipment for his new gym, M Club Spa and Fitness. Mo has taken over the former Esporta club in Stoke on Trent, rebranding it and updating equipment before it reopens to the public.

The contract will see Pulse installing over 120 pieces of cardiovascular and resistance equipment as well as its gym management software SmartCentre into the facility. Picture shows managing director of Pulse Chris Johnson with gym owner Mo Chaudry

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Hospital benefits from eight mini triathlons EIGHT mini triathlons in just one day was the challenge for Everyone Active staff and partners, who took on the task to raise money for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. A 100 strong team travelled over 200 miles around the south east to eight different centres, completing a mini triathlon – consisting of a one mile run, 5km bike and 200m swim – in each one.

Everyone Active fitness staff and management were joined by representatives from partner and supplier companies Keiser, Trixter, Precor, Escape, Triathlon England, Fitness Professionals, Fit for Sport, Lifetime, Action PR and Physical Company, raising over £35,000 for the cause, in honour of Everyone Active colleague Sammy Eldridge who is undergoing treatment for cancer at the hospital. Everyone Active regional manager

Duncan Jefford said: “We have been overwhelmed by the support that our colleagues and partners have provided for this very worthwhile cause. “Everyone has really given their all and, despite the day being tough, we were smiling all the way. It was great to see Sammy cheering us on with her colleagues at Sunbury Leisure Centre, keeping us mindful of the great work done at the RNOH and why we were running the event.” With support from Triathlon England, all 25 Everyone Active centres in the Southeast region also invited members to ‘try a tri’ by running mini indoor triathlons at each centre. Duncan added: “Triathlons are becoming increasingly popular in the UK but many people are apprehensive to give them a try. “We wanted to offer people the chance to try it out in a less intimidating environment. Following on from this event, we are offering triathlon training to encourage members to progress in a fun and growing sport that can be seen to have high barriers to entry.”

Keiser deal extended DAVID Lloyd Leisure has extended its equipment procurement deal with Keiser UK for a further year. The deal will see David Lloyd Leisure clubs become the first in the UK to receive the newly updated M3 Indoor Cycle. Head of procurement Paul Batty said: “We were keen to continue working with Keiser because of the M3 Bike’s strong performance. “The M3 helps us deliver high quality classes for both our instructors and class participants, with excellent feedback due to the onboard computer and console. “This is particularly important as indoor cycling is one of our most popular classes.”

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Running a fitness stall in a town By Dave Wright, CEO, CFM REACHING out into the community is fast becoming a more acceptable way for health clubs to ‘go to the people’ as there is a willingness of businesses to be seen caring about health and its impact on society. So here are some simple tips that any club can use to set up a stall in your local community. Pre-stall: Brain storm with your staff on the possible stall locations – beginning with members and knowing where they work can be an easy start. Keep your ears open to local charity events, health fares, car boot sales or school fetes as a stall can be pretty much anywhere. Don’t worry if you can’t get into a supermarket as sometimes outside schools, weight watchers, your gym or on the main high street can be just as effective! Call ahead or research to try to get the name of the owner, manager or decision maker. That way you don’t waste time bouncing around different people and you have a name to ask for when you go in. Highlight the benefits to them first

and foremost. You are encouraging a healthier community which is a noble cause for anyone to be associated with. Talk about the body fat testing or health checks you will be doing, and the existing members that may already be connected with the site. It has to be ‘effortless’ to the business, so reassure them that it will be completely hassle free and they will not even know you are there (the customers and walk by traffic will of course!!!) Use reference letters and photos from previous stalls, charity events and members. One of the principles of persuasion is social belonging. If they see that other people have done it, they are more likely to agree! During Stall: You want to create an attention grabbing visual display so use popup stands, banners, balloons, leads, boxes, fitness posters, costumes and anything that will give that effect. Take some equipment down with you such as a bike or a fitball and all you need for the health check. The quality of your stall will deter-

mine the quantity of your leads! Free giveaways or ‘spin the wheel’ are a great way to attract interest. You could also do photos with the giraffe, Scooby Doo or Batman whereby the pictures maybe collected from the gym, signed and framed! Practice your sales approach before you start. This is often overlooked but if you write down a script and do some mock run throughs, you will be sharp and prepared straight from the off. To get great results it comes down to attitude and belief, always smile and show the public how you love life! A good way to approach a day on the stall is to set yourself appointment goals or hourly targets. You can even make this a competition to see who talks to the most people on a stall shift or who gets the most flyers out.

Dave Wright

After stall: Show your appreciation to the business owner or manager at the end and let them know how it went. You may be able to get a spot for another day or if not try to get

a reference for future stalls and repeat promos. Maximise your appointments and leads and reap the rewards of a fulfilling secondary driver where the results are completely relative to the effort put in.

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Big changes as trainer takes over gym ... A SCOTTISH gym is under new management after one of its personal trainers was given the opportunity to lease the club from its present owners. The gym at Craighelen Tennis and Squash Club has been taken over by Chris Bowman, who was previously fitness manager at the facility. Chris has only been at the helm for about two weeks but has already set about making changes, including replacing upstairs changing rooms with a studio for classes. The gym, situated in Helensburgh near Glasgow, is also due to be fully refurbished next month with new equipment and improved flooring. Look out for an update on the club’s progress in a future issue of Workout where we will be finding out more about the new look gym.

Company seals rugby club sponsor deal NUFFIELD Health has become the official sponsor of Harlequins Rugby Club for the 2011/12 season. The deal will see Nuffield Health working closely with the playing department in providing advice to Harlequins on matters such as rehabilitation and injury prevention. The company will also receive branding on the back of the club’s new playing shirts and advertising at The Twickenham Stoop, the club’s home ground. Group marketing director David Grint said: “We are very excited to be working with the Harlequins this season. We know that to perform at the highest level players need to be aware of their health and fitness requirements. “We are confident that our expertise across the health spectrum will help ensure that players and supporters are at the very top of their game.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Going green saves sites money and educates members POLICIES which put the environment first are helping Freedom Leisure sites to save money – and educate members on how to be green. The company, which manages 30 centres across the South East, has achieved the Carbon Trust Standard by improving energy efficiency across its clubs. Improvements over the last three years reduced carbon emissions by over 4.2 per cent across the group, as well as saving over £16,000 in the last financial year in the Hastings, Rother and Wealden area. Among the sites to benefit under the scheme is Summerfields in Hastings, which has undergone a major refurbishment including replacing its swimming pool ceiling with a new, airtight, stretch ceiling – allowing air temperature to be maintained for a fraction of the previous energy cost. The centre is also one of many to have fitted LED lighting tubes, which use a third of the electricity of the old bulbs, last three times as

long and are run on a sensor system to reduce wastage. Area manager for Kent, Hastings and Rother Steve Parker said: “It’s great for the environment, so we should be doing it anyway but it can also make a difference to your bottom line profit. “We are not for profit, so everything we save goes back into the facilities and our members can see it in the long term. “Energy costs are also rapidly going up, which was something we needed to control. Customers would rather see investment in facilities than prices go up.” Steve also offered advice to any other operators who want to make their clubs more environmentally friendly. His top tips included getting complete buy in from customers and staff, having an environmental champion at each site and starting small – anything from making sure lights are switched off when not in use to implementing recycling bins.

New online survey product launched LEISURE-net Solutions has created an online version of its market research surveys, allowing health clubs and leisure centres to conduct their own staff and member surveys. The new online survey product, made in partnership with Snap Surveys, will be able to provide weekly or monthly automated reports and also have a benchmarking facility. Leisure-net will also be able to provide more detailed research analysis and reporting, should companies

wish to take their market research further. Managing director Mike Hill said: “This is a really exciting partnership for Leisure-net, linking us with an established leader in mainstream market research. I hope it will lead to an improvement in both the quantity and quality of research taking place within the leisure sector.” It’s hoped the surveys will be available by the beginning of December.

Steve Parker

Offer keeps gym busy A SPECIAL summer offer at a ladies’ only gym in Wigan has helped the club keep busy over the traditionally quiet summer period. The 10 days for £10 offer at Ladybird Fitness attracted 100 people through the doors during July and August, with about 60 per cent of those converting to full membership once the promotional period was over. Owner Sandra McGugan said the club repeats the offer every summer as it always proves popular with people who want to give the facilities a try before committing to a regular payment.

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Five principles of functional training ... By Allan Collins FUNCTIONAL training is a term used extensively in the fitness industry. Although there is some ambiguity to what the term truly means, it can be defined as ‘the execution of specific exercises that have a positive carryover or benefit to health or the performance of the person’s daily tasks, their occupation or their sport, or for improved resilience to injury.’ Functional training is synonymous with the training principle of specificity – you are fit for what you do. Train using the deadlift and your ability to lift objects will be improved, but it will probably have little carryover to something like swimming the backstroke. We advocate many different principles when it comes to functional training, but here are five to assist fitness trainers: Only perform exercises or training sessions that will cause adaptations – training that doesn’t maintain or improve different facets of fitness because the load is too light will be a waste of time. Train movements not muscles – we have expanded the original six movement patterns proposed by Paul Chek in the 1990s to the following nine patterns: 1.Squat 2.Lift 3.Press 4.Pull 5.Rotation 6.Smash 7.Moving and carrying load 8.Gait and locomotion 9.Fighting Any exercise that doesn’t fall into one of these categories would be classed as a supplementary exercise. Assess and train the limiting factors of all the movement patterns – each movement pattern will be limited by a number of factors and working on these weaknesses such as muscles in spasm, or tight antagonists will improve movement

Allan Collins pattern performance. Ensure optimal balance of the agonist-antagonist strength balance – strengthening the opposing muscle group can help to improve the performance of muscles involved in other movement patterns. For example, you may not be able to press more weight because of weaknesses in the upper back and external rotators of the shoulder, so focus on strengthening these. Include exercises that work the range of the movement pattern – for example, a bench press will work the body in the horizontal press pattern, but there should also be a vertical press upwards (overhead press), a vertical press downwards (dips), and press diagonally upwards and downwards. This will ensure all of the different pressing muscles or different motor units within certain muscles are worked sufficiently through the full spectrum of motion. The tool, exercises and the type of training all need to be selected specifically to achieve the end result of gaining very specific adaptations. This will transfer to increased performance and injury resilience in your daily tasks, occupation or sport. Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness and author of ‘The Complete Guide to Kettlebell Training’ and the ‘Complete Guide to Functional Training’.

New sports massage certificate launched ACTIVE IQ has launched its new level four certificate in sports massage, which is one of the highest quality courses of its kind in the country. The qualification exceeds all the National Occupational Standards stipulated by the British Olympic Committee to work with athletes at the 2012 Olympics and is accepted by the Sports Therapy Organisation as meeting its requirements for membership. Executive director for Active IQ Suzy Toseland-Goakes said: “We are

thrilled to add this qualification to our expanding portfolio and we are confident that it will be a popular choice amongst learners. “We have fused the best in vocational teaching to deliver a very practical qualification, which will produce some excellent and competent, fit for work professionals. “Although an intense and detailed qualification, its modular design allows a structured and staged approach to learning, with each “unit” having value in its own right.”

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Top title for Marina in only her third contest PERSONAL trainer Marina Cornwall has won a top powerlifting competition, less than three months after taking up the sport. Marina, who works as a trainer at Fitness First in Southampton, defies the typical stereotype of female

weightlifters – weighing just 44kg and standing at 5ft tall. But she beat off the competition to win the British Powerlifting Championships in Northumberland – lifting 62.5kg in the squat, 50kg in the bench press and 112.5kg in the deadlift to win the under-47kg weight category with a 225kg total. She said: “I weigh a mere 44kg which means I deadlifted more than two-and-a-half times my body weight. “What is more amazing is that this is only my third competition in this sport. It shows what you can achieve with sheer hard work and determination.” Marina has also appeared in the media for her achievements as a professional bodybuilder and is a three-time British champion.

International rugby players help launch challenge ENGLAND rugby players Matt Banahan, Lee Mears and David Wilson helped to launch a challenge where participants virtually travelled the circumference of the earth to raise money for charity. The Around the World in a Day challenge was organised by the Hilton in the Community Foundation and involved Hilton Worldwide team members, charity partners, including fitness equipment supplier Precor and the public, all working together in more than 100 hotels in eight countries across Europe. The collective aim was to virtual-

ly travel the circumference of the earth – 24,901.55 miles – with participants sponsored to either run, cycle, swim, walk and even abseil the distance. Teams of four competed on Precor fitness equipment in the hotels’ gyms and lobbies, with every penny raised supporting local children’s charities chosen by each hotel. More than 5,000 people participated in the annual event, with a record 39,276 miles covered and a total of more than £100,000 raised to support disadvantaged young people.

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UK FITNESS SCENE Corporate business, leisure breaks and loyal local members are proving a winning combination at a Nottinghamshire club. Workout found out more.

Club checks out for different types of guests FACILITIES at the Clumber Park Hotel and Spa include a fully equipped gym, classes, swimming pool and outdoor hot tub – providing the perfect venue for anything from a relaxing weekend away to a welcome retreat from a hectic business meeting. As well as catering for the needs of hotel guests, the club also has its own membership base of about 200 people, meaning it can often get busy, particularly at peak times. But good organisation and regular feedback sessions ensure paying members feel valued and everyone gets the chance to use the facilities. Members have the opportunity to meet every month and voice any concerns or issues they may have, with the club providing drinks and canapes to also make it into a more social event. Sales and marketing manager Edward Mobbs said: “Feedback is important – we want to make sure our members are staying with us. We have also capped our membership so won’t go above 250 members.” Edward also told Workout that they offer a day spa Monday to Thursday between 9am to 5pm

rather than at the weekends, when the club is busier with regular members. He added: “The hotel is like a beast I’ve never known before. Monday to Thursday is very much corporate business and the majority of people will use the hotel for that reason but won’t use the spa facilities. Weekends it’s very different – mostly spa breaks or people staying for a wedding. Now some members know that if they want the best chance of getting on the equipment they want, to come earlier.” In a difficult climate, the gym has also developed a range of membership packages for people who may not want to commit to a 12 month contract. It has also created a ‘dry’ package for people who are keen to use the gym but not the swimming and spa facilities, offering them a reduced rate. Another recent addition for corporate guests is the ‘Clumber Jungle’ for those who want to try activities and team building outdoors. Features such as a Segway track can also double up as extra fitness facilities, providing visitors with an outdoor running track when they want a change from the gym.

Loser campaign fails to take off A RECENT ‘biggest loser’ style campaign didn’t take off as well as the club hoped but they are keen to try and repeat it at a different time of the year. People who wanted to improve their fitness levels and lose weight were offered free membership for 13 weeks, plus guidance from personal trainers, and the person who lost the most weight in that period would be rewarded with

free membership for a year. But Edward added the offer generated a very poor response – perhaps due to it being the popular summer holiday period and people being unable to commit for 13 weeks. Instead they have decided to put the idea on hold and revisit it later in the year – doing more promotions to get the word out and hopefully attracting more interest.

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READERS’ LETTERS

Independents ‘must know their target market’ Scott Hodson, Fit Biz Builders: I TOTALLY agree with James and the headline that “Independent gyms are the future” but there is a massive hurdle we need to get over first before independents can fulfil the prophecy and unfortunately I don’t see it being an easy one to navigate. The industry is going through a shift at the moment, forced by two contributing factors. The first is the introduction of budget gyms and the second is the behaviour and requirements of consumers. The introduction of budget gyms might be something that independent gyms want to ignore and put their heads in the sand and think that it’s “same as you were” because we think the consumers will see the value. Unfortunately it is not! Consumers will be attracted by the bright lights of £10 per month memberships and not see the value of the personal service and the results independent gyms deliver on (as stated by James). At this point some independents might want to enter into a price war and do special deals on memberships. This will certainly be a bad idea and the beginning of the end for

the independent sector. What independents need to do is use their size, flexibility and speed as an advantage against their big, slow and clumsy gym chain counterparts. Consumer behaviour has moved on since the 80s and in my view, health and fitness marketing doesn’t need (and shouldn’t be) about the latest membership discount you can get, or what you are rewarded with for referring a friend … which is the only type of marketing you see on the high street or in the paper. In today’s market 70 per cent of the market want information and education and this should be at the forefront of the independent’s marketing strategy. Big gym chains can’t react quick enough for the market and this is where independents can reap the rewards by producing cost effective information products as a key marketing tool to help solve people’s pain and make health and fitness a million times more accessible. Unfortunately the owners of the independent gyms would be the first to admit that sales and marketing isn’t a strength and positioning themselves on anything apart from price is something that would

come alien to them. The key to success (and where the future for independents lays) is knowing your target market. Independents should niche down and concentrate on developing results for a particular market and ignore the people who want memberships for £10 (and everyone else outside their niche) We can then produce readily available and media rich information products to engage our target market. This is where the independent sector can take the lead and be known as a serious delivery partner for the Government and NHS on particular conditions such as obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia and cancer and leave the big gym chains (budget and non-budget) fighting for scraps. For independent gyms to be the future of the industry they need to avoid a price war, concentrate on getting results for a particular market and then use information marketing to reach out to the “hard to reach” and inactive market to position themselves on results (not price) for their niche.

An intense Looking after your labour of love instructors is key Craig Falconer, City Gym Glasgow:

Joanne Roche, Ability Bow:

I HAVE just read the front page article on independent gyms being the future and would fully agree with James Ferguson.

I TOTALLY agree with James!

I own a small gym in Glasgow's south side. It is fairly new and has been an intense labour of love – I had very little cash to throw at it, but I am hoping to expand into the next door unit quite soon.

We are a small charity and specialise working with people who have disabilities or a long term health condition. We are seeing more and more of the local community wanting to come to our gym because of the mentality of our instructors.

They are friendly but professional, enjoy a laugh but take their responsibilities seriously and they really care about our members. We believe by looking after our instructor, paying them a decent living wage and a nice environment to work in that the payback comes when their happiness shows through to the members. After all if the instructors are miserable, it’s not going to be a happy gym to go to!!

The gym has attracted many members from big commercial gyms, lured by the backstreet gym style, basic yet functional equipment and expert advice that is on hand every day.

‘A vicious nasty circle?’

Every member is an individual and is treated as such, no attitude (unless it's a good training based one!), no hassle – just a great place to train with like minded people.

I AGREE with James, but in my experience smaller gyms may have to fight hard to keep members but their results are questionable too. I have spoken many times to independent gyms only to be met with we haven't got enough time or resources to engage in running member interaction. It remains the same today – it’s a

The staff are passionate about the gym and are given a free reign in terms of trying new things and offering exciting stuff to members – Fight Club and Urban Combat being two of the latest additions. The gym also acts as a first class personal training space, enabling a whole other range of clientele to come to a gym where it's the training and advice on all fitness and nutrition related matters that count. I am still a cash-strapped gym owner but opening the gym has been the best career move I ever made.

Sean Blyth, World Gym Challenge:

hard slog to increase members’ fitness and results are predominantly the last thing on the gym manager’s mind – it is a business after all – and membership hits top of the list. Now comes the cruncher – I have never known a PT who wasn't results driven and here is the problem. PTs looking for members to adapt into a lifestyle change, whereas the accountants are baying for more turnover – it’s a vicious nasty circle.

If you’d like to share your views with WorkOut then please email us at ce@whpl.net or write to us at WorkOut news desk, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

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COMBAT FITNESS

Martial arts in Scarborough is proving as popular as ever after Louise Smith purchased her gym three years ago. Dominic Musgrave paid her a visit.

Tomboy Louise takes on big challenge with fighting spirit THE 24-year-old took over the running of the town’s base for Premier Martial Arts three years ago after its previous owner decided to get out of the industry as the recession hit. Louise told Workout it was a ‘massive risk’ but one that she is glad she decided to take. She added: “The gym has been here since 2003, and part of Premier since 2006. We now have 80 students, with the youngest we can take just three for one of our kids’ classes. “I may not be what people might imagine a typical person who does martial arts to look like, but I have always been a bit of a tomboy and, growing up with my brothers, I was always into wrestling. “I got into martial arts at the age of 12, and have loved it ever since. I worked for the previous owner and when he decided he didn’t want it any more I decided I had to go for it, even thought it was possibly the worst possible time to do so given the credit crunch. “I’ve put all my savings into it and a couple of other people have also helped me out, which I will be forever grateful for. I run a very tight ship here and always buy any new equipment outright as and when I can so that I never have any debt.”

The gym is open five evenings a week, and offers a wide range of martial arts classes including karate kickboxing and Jiu Jitsu to suit all tastes. On Saturdays an ‘open’ session is held where members can practice what they have been taught. Louise has also been involved in a scheme this summer which teaches martial arts to youngsters between the ages of four and 16 on the beaches. She added: “In future I want to expand the business further so that we have between 150 and 200 members, and possibly move to another site. “That is the main reason why I get involved with the Scarborough Beach Club and why I also teach PE in local schools. “The kids come here for an icebreaker and hopefully they enjoy it and ask their parents if they can give it a go. Once here we hope they soon realise that once they have seen myself and another female instructor we have working here that martial arts is not scary and can be enjoyed by all. “Most of all we want to make martial arts fun, which is why we also host various social events throughout the year such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day parties. We also hold regular social events throughout the year for adults too.”

Premier teams up with local gym PREMIER Martial Arts has joined forces with a local gym in the town to offer competitive rates for members. Louise said: “Most of our members train here at least twice a week and then head up the road to Compass Health and Fitness for half-an-hour before it closes. “Several others also attend the classes they have up there, but we feel that most people can only afford to either

join a gym or do a sport, which is why we decided to offer a deal whereby they could do both. “I am keen to promote the sport to women because it is still very much male orientated. “Several women have said that they would be scared if they were taught by men, and I always tell them to come down here and be taught by me.”

Louise Smith at Premier Martial Arts

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Kids Fitness in association with

Fun facility to be extended to new sites DAVID Lloyd Leisure is rolling out its successful DL Kids concept to further sites across the UK and Europe. DL Kids, a purpose-built facility offering fun, sporting and educational programmes developed by the group, will open at David Lloyd Finchley in December at a cost of over £800,000. Another site in Beckenham will also open later this year, as well as one in Barcelona, the first outside the UK. The first purpose built DL Kids facility opened at David Lloyd Raynes Park in January 2010 as a pilot, and, following its success, one in Leeds was opened in April this year. Facilities include a mini sports hall, multi-purpose studios, interactive classrooms, DL Kids café and child-

oriented bathrooms, and offer the DL Kids programmes which include sports, arts and crafts and games. Head of family and programming at David Lloyd Leisure Sarah Hobbs said: “The demand for DL Kids programmes and facilities has grown significantly since we first introduced it and the purpose-built facilities at our clubs in Raynes Park and Leeds are extremely popular. “At David Lloyd Leisure we know that children who have positive sporting or active experiences at a young age are more likely to continue being active into adulthood, which is why we put a lot of time and investment into ensuring the programmes focus on fun and participation and with practical facilities that work for the family as a whole.”

Team GB Olympic athletes Dwayne Grant and Aiden Syers joined young people in Camden for a day of sporting fun. An open day at Parliament Hill Fields’ athletic track gave local kids the chance to try out activities such as athletics, yoga, Zumba and rugby while gaining top tips from the professionals. Awards for events including the 100m, 200m long jump and high jump were also handed out by the Mayor of Camden, coun Abdul Quadir. Team GB Olympic athlete Aiden Syers is pictured giving Olympic tips

£50k upgrade for college gym STUDENTS and staff at Bideford College in Devon are benefiting from £50,000 of the latest Pulse Fitness equipment in their gym.

Olympians Gail Emms and Liz Yelling have got behind a scheme designed to get more young children active. The pair visited their local Play Providers Association play centres with their children to highlight the importance of indoor play areas for children. Liz Yelling is pictured with her daughter Ruby.

New equipment includes Pulse’s Fusion range treadmill, cross-trainer and bikes and Evolve range chest press, shoulder press, seated leg press, lat pull down and range of freeweight equipment. College coordinator Mike Newby said: “Our motto towards fitness is sports for all. We want to encourage as many stu-

dents, and ultimately the local community, as possible to take part in some form of physical exercise. “We believe the new equipment will be hugely beneficial to attract and engage the majority of our students. “The equipment was selected via tender as it is safe and simple to operate enabling the students to grasp the fundamentals of use for each machines for maximum performance and health benefit.”

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Lynwen Harrison and Rachel Smith

New ready-made sports drink launched GB TRIATHLETE Lynwen Harrison has created a new ready-made sports recovery drink. Lynwen and business partner Rachel Smith have launched NouriSH me now, designed to be a time-saving product for people who don’t want to have to make drinks up themselves. The drink contains natural ingredients such as cherry juice, green tea, lemon and probiotic yoghurt and milk and its nutritional value has

been tested by Sheffield Hallam University. Lynwen, who is also a part time senior physiotherapist for Derbyshire Community Health Services, said: “Competing is compulsive. I just love it. I never thought I’d get this far. Admittedly, I can’t train as often as I’d like because of my work and family commitments, which are equally important to me, but I really take

Weight loss guru designs course to help members By Dominic Musgrave A COURSE designed by weight loss guru Pete Cohen has been helping members at Freedom Leisure clubs achieve impressive results. The trust has delivered over 20 eight-week freedomlite group courses, plus one to one coaching sessions, and has reported great achievements from those taking part. According to figures, 81 per cent of people complete the programme with an average weight loss of 12lbs each.

And Freedom Leisure claims the success of the scheme is down to the fact they focus on more than just exercise – helping customers to identify the reasons they are carrying extra weight and advising how to keep it off for good. Group customer service and retention manager Debbie Reed added: “We believe this aids retention, not only do our customers achieve results but they also get to know others and the social interaction and support they gain really motivates them to keep going.”

Pete Cohen

myself to the limit when I do. “Consequently, I wanted to look after myself by finding something to support my training. “Like many other tired and time pressed mums, I didn’t want the additional bother of measuring and mixing recovery drink powders. “I wanted a convenient, tasty and quality product from natural ingredients – which inspired the idea for nouriSH me now.”

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Francesca signs sponsorship deal EUROPEAN and Commonwealth swimming champion Francesca Halsall has signed a new sponsorship deal with sports nutrition company Multipower. The deal will see her use a range of Multipower bars, gels, drinks and powders, as she works towards Olympic glory at the 2012 Games in London. Multipower’s UK marketing manager Steve Kessell said: “It is an exciting time for Fran, as she builds towards London 2012 and we look forward to working closely with her, to ensure she has the necessary sports nutrition to help prepare for, compete in and recover from racing. “With a training regime based around 60km of pool lengths per week, her nutritional needs are considerable and our Sportsfood team looks forward to working with Fran and her coaches to tailor her sports nutrition diet to maximum effect.”

Francesca Halsall Picture by Ben Duffy

From fresh shakes to tubs GO Protein’s innovative Go.Pro.Station is continuing to be in demand. Nick Mills, head of UK sales, told WorkOut: “The system has come to the market at the right time. Gyms are under pressure to increase secondary spend, and crucially make that secondary spend profitable. “Our system gives the gym members what they want, a fresh, great tasting, high quality protein shake at an affordable price, typically £2, whilst at the same time giving gym operators sensible margins.” “You can blend and serve a fresh shake from start to finish in less than 20 seconds, and because you blend in the serving cup, you have no washing up. Who wants to blend a shake that creates more work, with the Go.Pro.Station you simply blend and go.” Whilst the Go Protein brand may be relatively new, it is a wholly owned brand of Be-Well Nutrition. They started out 25 years ago managing the nutritional programs of athletes; many who went on to become World and Olympic champions. This grew into the business today that designs, formulates and contract manufactures for supplement brands sold worldwide. Nick added: “We used our product knowledge and experience to develop Go Pro Whey, our signature whey protein supplement designed for the Go.Pro.Station.” Lee Adams, gym manager at the Langstone added: “To put in bluntly, it’s been the fastest and easiest way to increase our secondary spend. Installing the Go.Pro.Station was simple, it’s a

self contained system and we’ve been able to site the unit exactly where needed. I would not hesitate to recommend Go Protein”. Nick added: “Gym operators are benefiting from additional secondary spend with the GoProStation, but their members were also asking where they could buy Go Protein products for use when they are not at the gym, being the manufacturer we were able to react and meet that demand fast.” So due to demand, we now also offer the Go Pro Range of supplements in tubs for retail sales from participating Go.Pro.Station gyms. For further information contact Go Protein on 01778 560868 or Nick Mills directly on 07894 619686. Email: nickmills@goprotein.com

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Formula has one goal in mind ... WARRIOR Blaze has been designed with one goal in mind – to be the world’s most powerful thermogenic formula. We haven’t hidden the ingredients behind some “proprietary blend” – they’re right there on the bottle. This is an elite class thermogenic stimulant formula designed for hardcore athletes who need and demand the best from their sports supplements. If you haven’t got a high tolerance for stimulants, this isn’t for you. If you have a weak constitution or are afraid of taking something designed to give you serious results, this isn’t for you. This is for those looking to get serious energy, serious heat, serious appetite suppression ... seriously quickly. If you’re really looking for results, check out Blaze. For more information contact 0161 236 1588 or visit www.bodybuildingwarehouse.co.uk

Leading fitness model Carly Thornton joined the Workout team at this year’s Leisure Industry Week – speaking to fans on our stand and attending the annual IOU party at the Hilton hotel. Carly, who is also a judge at this year’s National Fitness Awards, also took the time to visit other exhibitors and try out some of the latest equipment on display at the show. Look out for next issue where we will be including a full round up of supplementation and nutrition news from LIW and finding out how Carly got on at the event.

Are you a gym owner who sells supplements and nutrition products? Has it boosted your income or brought new people into your facility? Call Christina Eccles on 01226 734463 or email her: ce@whpl.net

Friends create good, honest snacks EAT Natural was created in 1997 by two friends Preet Grewal and Praveen Vijh. They have developed a range of fruit and nut bars and toasted mueslis that contain simple, honest, wholesome ingredients, such as macadamia nuts, honey, multiflakes and sultanas. They’re great for everyone who loves a good, honest snack – whether it’s at your desk at work, on the way

Products ‘more accessible’ MAXIMUSCLE is making its products more accessible by offering them in gym vending machines up and down the country. Ready to drink protein shake MaxiMilk is now available in over 1,000 clubs via vending machines, following a successful trial. Marketing director James O’Shea said: “This is a big step forward for Maximuscle. We will be able to get the product into the hands of many more customers, who perhaps weren’t aware of, or hadn’t tried Maxi-Milk before. “Being a part of GSK has opened up some fantastic opportunities for Maximuscle. This significant development for the brand illustrates the progression of sports nutrition into the mainstream area.”

to the gym or for those interminable car journeys. People who are gluten intolerant love our bars as they are mostly gluten free. Eat Natural has also created a range

just for kids – ‘Lunchies’ – which contain no nuts. They are kid-approved too. Eat Natural can be found in most supermarkets, independent shops and cafes. This year, for every Peanut, Almond and Hazelnut bar sold, Eat Natural will donate 5p to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, to help protect Britain’s much-loved red squirrel. To find out more, visit www.eatnatural.co.uk

Wheyhey ice cream now available to retailers and gyms FOLLOWING global demand for a whey protein ice cream, the bright guys at Wheyhey have developed a product that is now commercially available and tastes great too! It has just been launched in the UK and is available for gyms and specialist retailers. The benefits of whey protein were established over 25 years ago, but it was only a few years ago that techniques required for extracting the whey protein from raw whey were developed. Since then whey protein has become available in a variety of forms, such as whey protein shakes and bars. The market has grown exponentially – but many consumers say that the taste leaves a lot to be desired. Wheyhey Ice Cream uses whey protein isolate but tastes great. It has all the benefits that are associated with

whey protein in a handy size pot – 150ml contains 22g of protein, but just seven per cent fat and no added sugar. For a limited time, gyms and specialist retailers that wish to stock Wheyhey Ice Cream can benefit from a free launch package. We’ll hold a taste test on your site for your members and hand out flyers with your information to raise awareness – an offer not to be missed. Call us on 020 8334 8306 or email info@wheyheyicecream.com for more details.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Lynn Clay

England cricketer Stuart Broad is one of Maxinutrition’s sponsored athletes.

The sports supplement industry has seen phenomenal growth over the last decade – not only catering for professional athletes and bodybuilders but becoming more commonplace in gyms. Here Maxinutrition’s consultant nutritionist Lynn Clay explains more.

Secondary spend opportunity for gyms THE sports nutrition industry is estimated to reach a global value of £56b by 2013 with predictions for year-on-year growth measuring 24.1 per cent. This reflects the demand from gymgoers and clients to integrate sports nutrition products into their diets, as well as the growing number of products now catering for those who are also looking to lose weight and improve their health and wellbeing. This opens up the opportunity for gyms and personal trainers to maximise their secondary spend through sports nutrition, whilst improving the efficacy of their workout programmes too. Focusing on the right benefits: It can be tough explaining the benefits of taking a protein enriched supplement to a client looking to lose weight as it can seem counterproductive to burn lots of calories

in the gym and then immediately replace some of them in a protein based drink under the premise of improved recovery. Although the benefits of recovery supplements may be extremely appealing to athletes and users that are motivated by performance optimisation, taking on calories to aid recovery is a redundant message for most gymgoers. Dr Betts from the Department of Health recently questioned the benefits of protein supplements over regular food proteins for recovery. His comments may create doubts in the minds of consumers regarding the efficacy of his message, but a protein supplement is far more convenient to consume after a workout than carrying a chicken breast in your bag. Helping your members and clients to see the bigger nutritional picture can assist supplement sales and lead to a healthier bottom line

for the trainer, club, as well as for the member and client. Educating your clients on the benefits of protein supplementation for appetite management and metabolic support provides a far more appealing message for this audience. The client is more likely to commit to regularly using protein supplements if they understand the benefits of consuming a protein enriched shake or bar immediately after a workout. It is important to make them aware that protein supplements will curb their appetite, reduce subsequent calorie intake, as well as improving toning and maintenance of a healthy metabolism. There is a growing body of evidence related to the affects of protein on weight management, which has been capitalised on by mainstream food brands such as Marks and Spencers and Kelloggs, who have developed protein enriched,

‘Educating your clients on the benefits of protein supplementation for appetite management and metabolic support provides a far more appealing message for this audience’

‘feel fuller for longer’ meals and breakfast cereals. With solid evidence that protein is more filling than other nutrients and knowledge that intake in one meal is subsequently associated with a decreased calorie intake for the next, convenient sports nutrition products provide ideal solutions for your clients immediately after a workout, as well as for bridging the gap between main meals and appetite control. Getting the message across: It can be tough keeping up with the latest scientific developments in the sports nutrition industry and delivering this succinctly to your clients. This is where sound training from an efficacious sports nutrition brand is invaluable. Available from the UK and Europe’s leading sports nutrition provider, Maxinutrition, which promote Maximuscle, Maxifuel and Maxitone products in gyms and health clubs, this training can help you and your staff to understand the ingredients of the products, their benefits and target audience. It can also help with the development of sales skills and messaging to your clients to maximise secondary spend sales.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

‘Membership body of great importance’ – survey THE results of REPs’ annual customer satisfaction survey have been revealed – with 90 per cent of members saying they feel having a membership body is of great importance to their work. The register, which currently holds 30,000 members, recognises the qualifications and expertise of exercise instructors in the UK and, according to figures, 82 per cent of members stated their main reason for joining was the recognition of professional status that the body provided. 80 per cent of members also said they are satisfied with the level of

customer service the register offers and 70 per cent feel their interests are very or fairly well supported by REPs. Other services rated as important by members included insurance and a legal helpline. REPs registrar Jean-Ann Marnoch said: “Generally we’re very pleased with the results of this, our third, customer satisfaction survey. Naturally, there remains scope for improvement; we’ll continue to listen to feedback from our members in order to improve the products and services we offer so that they are the best they can possibly be.”

Benefit of healthy habits recognised NUTRITION and healthy eating habits are important to the majority of British children and their parents, according to the results of a YouGov poll. Research revealed 87 per cent of British children aged eight to 15 believe eating healthily is important and 97 per cent of parents think their children should be eating healthily. However, although most children appear to have adopted a healthy attitude towards nutrition, what they

actually eat on a day to day basis is a different matter.

THE UK’s first National Fitness Day was held on September 30, spearheaded by the énergie Group and supported by the FIA.

ticipants taking part in a variety of free activities from Zumba to treadmill challenges.

17 per cent of children surveyed eat crisps every day and nearly two thirds eat crisps at least a few times a week. Sweets, chocolate and biscuits were also stated as being consumed more than once a week and over a quarter of children eat chips at least a few times a week. But healthy snacks are also popular – over half eat fruit every day and 84 per cent eat it more than once a week.

Champion fighter Nick to open new combat gym Plans for annual fitness day

CHAMPION MMA fighter Nick ‘headhunter’ Chapman is to open a new combat gym in Aldershot. The Fight Science club will be an extension of the already successful brand, which is a bespoke service for combat athletes spanning all training principles from strength and conditioning, nutrition and physiotherapy, to mental conditioning, technique and competition performance. In partnership with Life Fitness, Nick, pictured above, will further extend the Fight Science offering by opening the doors to the dedicated

gym facility, located in a former British Army boxing gym. He said: “I’m delighted to be working with Life Fitness on this amazing project. Our goal is to offer our athletes the very best that science and development in sporting performance has to offer. “The equipment that has been developed by Life Fitness and Hammer Strength is the very best in the industry, offering a very functional approach to strength and conditioning and adapts perfectly to the different sports that we target.”

Free events and activities took place across the country in a bid to encourage the nation to think, get involved, and take action about their personal fitness and wellbeing. 90 fitness clubs across the UK opened their doors to the public to host the biggest combined one hour workout ever, with over 10,000 par-

National Fitness Day will now become an annual event, taking place every year on the last Friday in September when the nation will review its level of fitness. What did your club do to mark National Fitness Day? Let us know by emailing ce@whpl.net or contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463.

Training provider designs new Kettlebell course PREMIER Training International has designed a new Tri-Planar Kettlebell Training course that it hopes will refresh classes. Following the huge success of its first Kettlebell one day course, the training provider has developed more than 100 additional exercises using the equipment in a bid to offer inspirational ideas to fitness professionals using them both in and out of gyms. The all-new innovative Kettlebell exercises will be delivered across a two day workshop, available nationwide from autumn. It will carry 16 CPD points and trainers must have an existing

basic Kettlebell certificate in order to enroll on the course. Richard Scrivener, Premier Training’s Kettlebell expert, said: “Kettlebell exercises, in particular the new lifts we’ve developed, are very effective as they provide many desirable physical attributes. “They promote muscles that work through a full range of movement (which strengthens and conditions), they increase cardio-respiratory function when performed in continuous sequences and they enhance coordination and flexibility in an integrated manner. The company has also launched

a new Total Pad work qualification, aimed, not only at teaching personal trainers and gym instructors the correct way to hold pads, but also the most effective boxing techniques. Unlike other boxing-related qualifications on offer, Premier’s course combines hook and jab pads together with body pads, to offer a more complete workout incorporating body to head training techniques. The qualification will be taught over a two-day practical workshop culminating in a final practical demonstration assessment, with successful students awarded 16 CPD points.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Jordan Fitness confirms exclusive partnership with SAQ International JORDAN Fitness has confirmed a new and exclusive partnership with SAQ International. The agreement names Jordan Fitness as the exclusive provider of SAQ equipment for the health club and gym sector and means that Jordan Fitness is now able to offer a full range of speed and agility training aids from the experts in this field. Announcing the agreement on behalf of Jordan Fitness, business development director Leon Rudge said: “We're delighted to be working

with the team at SAQ International. “The quality and innovative nature of the SAQ products naturally complements our existing portfolio of products and I know, having spoken to a number of clients already, that they are keen to add the equipment to their functional training areas. “There is a clear synergy between Jordan Fitness and SAQ International and we look forward to working together and creating some excellent results for both companies.”

New body shaping and fat expelling system launched LIPO Light is a brand new body shaping and fat expelling system, that not only delivers exceptional weight loss and body contouring results to the gymgoer, but at the same time huge financial benefits to the gym owner. Lipo-Light is the first red light based system for body sculpting, contouring and lymphatic drainage. Harnessing the power of light therapy to trigger the body’s own natural ability to burn fat, it enables the fat cells to release acids and glycerol (a process known as lipolysis) which are

then burned off during exercise, enabling faster results in the gym and a motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Results are visible after just one 20 minute treatment and a course of five treatments is recommended for optimum results. Lipo-Light works particularly well in conjunction with regular exercise and is therefore very much at home in a fitness centre, spa and gym. For more information contact 01993 776611 or email duncan@big-waves.co.uk

Introducing the Pro Sport Ionic Band The Biggest Loser turns to Jordan’s for equipment again

LIFESTRENGTH UK, the ionic balance band company are pleased to announce the launch of the Pro Sport Ionic Band. As it is the strongest ionic band on the market it is the favourite in the professional sports market. Look out for the band on your favourite sports superstars. Also joining a large clientele of top sports coaches are Matt Lovell (top pro sports nutritionist, UKA, England RFU) and Mark Sheasby (top pro sports mind coach, soccer, cricket and rugby) who feature as endorsing the Lifestrength Ionic Balance Band. As a regular feature, Matt and Mark will be sharing some excellent advice

Matt Lovell that they specialise in to their professional sports clients. Contact Lifestrength UK so that you can retail the Lifestrength Ionic Balance Band to your clients and share in the success. Call 01422883303, email reseller@lifestrengthuk.com or visit www.lifestrengthuk.com

FOR the second year running, Jordan Fitness will be supplying a range of functional training equipment to the gym featured on ITV1’s hit television show The Biggest Loser. Following the success of the last series which was viewed by an average of four million viewers each week, the next series of The Biggest Loser started filming in September. Contestants will compete to lose the highest percentage of bodyweight during the show, which was won last series by Wil Graham, who lost 8st 7lbs. On the partnership, Jordan Fitness’

business development director Leon Rudge said: “We’re delighted to once again be involved with The Biggest Loser. “The results achieved by contestants on the show are amazing and to be able to support this with a full range of functional training products is fantastic.” Jordan Fitness also recently supplied a range of training products to the gym featured on Channel Five’s latest series of Celebrity Big Brother. Contact: 01945 880257 sales@jordanfitness.co.uk www.jordanfitness.co.uk

Bringing studio cycling into the cardio area ‘Specialising in the health and fitness industry CLUBS can now bring the excitement of studio cycling into the cardio area, allowing members to have a serious cycling experience anytime, in their own time, at their own intensity with the new AmadaSport range of Virtual Bikes. By linking the real cycling feel of a studio bike to a fully interactive touchscreen system, it allows members to experience real world cycling on legendary courses such as Alpe d’Huez, and Mount Ventoux or train with the professional teams in real life video. A new bike being launched in UK is the Ixion Real Life virtual bike. It uses the leading Tacx software to create a totally interactive system that simulates hills and wind through to the pedals. UK distributors Revolutionary

was the best decision we ever made’ ALMOST 11 years ago Independents arranged cover for their first gym and since then have become immersed in the fitness industry. Products claim: “The AmadaSport Ixion bikes open up a world of limitless possibilities to everyone wanting to stay in shape on a bike outside of studio class timetables. Riding a different course each workout really motivates you to come to the gym.” Members can even train with the likes of Tour de France winner Cadel Evans! For more information call 01403 752223 or go to www.revolutionaryproducts.co.uk

The company now boasts a client base of over 200 gyms and health clubs in addition to a range of equipment manufacturers, training providers and other organisations connected with the industry. Director Frank Adebowale said: “We made a decision early on to specialise in health and fitness and we don’t regret it. “We are passionate about the industry and as keen gym users ourselves, we understand the business of our

clients. We also know price is key, particularly in these challenging times and we always offer highly competitive premiums, but we always ensure the client has the right cover and the best advice. “Other low cost solutions can often be a false economy and end up costing more in the long-run when a claim is not covered.” Many gym operators have cited their friendly and personalised approach, as well as their expert knowledge as the main reasons for using Independents. For more information contact: 01189 875100 or neil@independents-ins.com

Badgemaster throws down lower price challenge Bodymax Collections LEADING international supplier of name badges, Badgemaster, is citing technological advances as the reason behind its new, lower prices. For more than 19 years the company has placed keen emphasis on investing in the most up to date manufacturing and order processing systems which, coupled with consistent volume growth, has always enabled economies to be passed on to customers. “We’re now in a position to complete even the shortest runs extremely cost-effectively”, said managing director John Bancroft. “So we’ve overhauled our price list to make lower quantities of badges accessible at the same discounted rate previously reserved for higher

volumes and are able to offer further significant savings for larger users – and the product quality is better than ever.” John believes competitors will be hard pushed to match Badgemaster’s combination of product quality and pricing, and invites buyers to check out their current deal against his own company’s offer. Enquiries: Contact 01623 723112 or visit www.badgemaster.co.uk

OUR studio and free weights collection includes a selection of products from Ziva, Reebok, Bodymax, Powerblock, Powerbag, Zenith and Lonsdale and has been brought together to provide a comprehensive range of equipment to fit the requirements of all sectors of the commercial fitness industry from health clubs, local authority leisure centres, corporate gyms and sports clubs. Spotlight On: The Ziva Collection – stylish, functional and affordable. The total solution for your functional and studio requirements. Weight equipment including: Dumbbells Barbells Olympic Plates

Bars Performance Racks Benches Studio Equipment including: Medicine Balls Gym Balls Resistance Tubes Matting From single items through to new start or full scale equipment renewals, you will find what you need within the Bodymax Collections. View the full range in our online catalogue at http://bodymaxfitness.co.uk/cat1.pdf

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