Workout May 2012 by Script Media

May 2012

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Owner facing re-brand after ‘easy’ battle By Christina Eccles A FURIOUS gym owner is facing a £50,000 bill to re-brand his clubs after being threatened with High Court action by European giant easyGroup. Easy Exercise, which has two machine-assisted exercise centres in Lytham and Northwich, has withdrawn from a year-long legal battle, which began when easyGroup said the smaller company was infringing its intellectual property as it owns the rights to the prefix ‘easy’ and trademark easyGym. easyGroup lawyers claimed the services offered by Easy Exercise and easyGym were “identical”, but Easy Exercise argued the only similarity between the two was the use of the word ‘easy’, that its own pink and purple logo was very different from easyGroup’s orange and white – and their target markets miles apart. Managing director Peter Landon, who has already spent thousands arguing the case, said the company could not carry on the fight – fearing the cost of losing could be £100,000. He explained: “The easyGroup makes millions of profit and yet still threatens small businesses like our own in this way, and while we would really like to

fight on we know that, should we lose, we would not only pick up our own legal bill but also that of the easyGroup. We cannot afford to take that risk so we are pulling up the drawbridge.” Peter, who opened his first club in 2005 with partner Joanna Hounsome, is now preparing to re-launch as Friendly Gyms, but is worried this will impact on business. He added: “We serve a niche seniors, ladies only market and are a million miles away from the kind of gym they have now opened. "The bill we will have to pick up is enormous and will halt our plans to extend our business.” A spokesman for easyGroup chairman, Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou responded by saying: “The easyGroup takes its rights and responsibilities for the ‘easy’ name very seriously. We will protect our business partners who have made a legitimate financial investment in the brand as part of their commercial strategy. It is simply unacceptable and unfair for others to use it as they please – free, gratis and for nothing. “The ‘easy name’ is synonymous with quality, value for money services and we also have a duty to protect the public from its unauthorised use.”

No 224 £3

Seminars feature industry experts

Olympic medallist Joanne Jackson was among the guests at an open day celebrating the launch of the new Plymouth Life Centre. The swimmer joined other sports stars at the event, which showcased the centre to the local community. The multi-million pound club will be operated by Everyone Active, on behalf of Plymouth City Council, and aims to give residents access to world class facilities at an affordable price. Full story: Page 20

EXCITEMENT is building for the first ever National Fitness Seminars – a series of informative discussions and debate aimed at independent gym owners. The sessions, organised by Script Events in conjunction with Workout, will include speakers with a variety of fitness industry expertise. The first event takes place at Bristol Zoo Conference Centre on May 24, followed by the Hilton Avisford Park Hotel on June 12 and the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool on October 18. Topics up for discussion will include how to effectively utilise social media, successful secondary spend tips and sales and marketing techniques. Delegates will also get the chance to look at exhibits from a number of industry suppliers, who will be showcasing their products and services at the conferences, and hear more about how to get involved with this year’s National Fitness Awards. For more information on speakers for the events and how to book your place, see Page 8

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Gym sector gets thumbs down for customer service By Christina Eccles THE industry’s biggest customer service survey has revealed more than half of people questioned wouldn’t recommend their leisure centre or health club to a friend. The survey, carried out by Leisurenet Solutions and The Retention People using the Net Promoter Score, generated more than 32,000 responses – also revealing more than a fifth of those asked would actively discourage others from joining their club. A Net Promoter Score is obtained by asking customers a single question on a zero to 10 rating scale: "How likely is it you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague?" Based on their responses, customers are put into one of three groups: promoters (nine-10 rating), passives (seven-eight rating), and detractors (zero-six rating). The percentage of detractors is subtracted from the percentage of promoters to obtain a Net Promoter Score – 75 per cent or above is considered quite high. The overall industry NPS was worked out to be 21 per cent, almost

the same score as in 2011 – the figure being made up of 21 per cent detractors and 42 per cent promoters. Founder of The Retention People Alister Rollins said: “In many ways it is not surprising that the scores from this year’s survey haven’t changed. “In fact, it shows that the methodology that we are using is consistent and robust. Scores will only move if the operators within the sector change the way they do things, whether this be cultural changes or operational improvements to service delivery.” One club which has bucked the trend with an NPS of 70 per cent is Crown Spa Health Club in Scarborough. Manager Stuart Russell added: “We pride ourselves in excellent customer service, so scoring well in such a well known and respected customer loyalty metric, and in comparison to the rest of the industry, is a real boost for everyone at the club.” What can the industry do to improve its NPS figures? Send your comments to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or tweet us @WorkOutUK

Budget club seminar date A DEDICATED seminar is being held in London later this month, advising gym owners on how they can deal with the growing budget club market. The seminar, organised by Oxygen Consulting’s Ray Algar, takes place

at the Brunei Gallery at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Russell Square on Tuesday May 22 from 10am-4pm. More details and how to book can be found at http://budgetgymseminar.eventbrite.co.uk

Nominations are flooding in for this year’s National Fitness Awards, which will celebrate the UK’s best gyms at a glittering ceremony. Clubs can enter via the dedicated website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk – with categories representing the entire cross section of the fitness industry. Trophies will be handed out at an event on November 30 at the Athena in Leicester, hosted by top personal trainer and TV personality Charlotte Ord (pictured above).

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Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Chief reporter: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Helen Williams Tel: 01226 734694 helenw@scriptmedia.co. uk

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UK FITNESS SCENE

‘One size does not fit all’ claims gym manager Pete By Christina Eccles GYMS should concentrate on the needs of each individual to help members get results, rather than using a ‘one size fits all’ approach, according to a successful independent operator. Manager of Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club Pete Todd contacted Workout after reading a story in our March issue, where founder of World Gym Challenge Sean Blyth claimed he was fed up with clubs which just used weight loss as a measure of success – believing instead they should encourage members to take part in gym based fitness challenges to gauge their progress. But Pete, who has recently been voted on to the board of the FIA to represent independent operators, disagrees. He says although there is a place for fitness challenges in gyms, they won’t appeal to everyone, so it would be wrong to assess every members’ progress this way. Instead he thinks it is important for clubs to look at individual goals – and the reasons someone joined

the gym in the first place – to decide what kind of training programme will suit them best. He explained: “No one model fits all – there are eight billion people on this planet and everybody is unique. “Any fitness regime or healthy lifestyle has to be tailored to the individual doing it and focused on their goals and what they want to achieve. The [fitness] professional has to do that in the best way possible.” Pete also said any perception that gyms focus solely on weight loss is wrong and that it is society as a whole driving this message rather than the fitness industry. He added: “Anybody in the profession knows it’s not about weight loss. Any gym professional who is focusing just on that, is barking up the wrong tree. “The majority [of people who join a gym] want to get fitter and healthier. Very few come to me and say they just want to lose weight. “There is so much more to joining a facility like this – it’s not just about fitness or weight loss. It’s harsh to say everybody just comes to the

gym to lose weight.” The original article also used TV programme I’m A Celebrity Get Me out of Here as an example of people doing no exercise or increasing their fitness levels but still losing weight by eating much less. But Pete highlighted other shows such as Strictly Come Dancing as better examples of where TV programmes are inspiring people to take up exercise by showing that it can be fun – and you can achieve results. He added: “The Olympics gives the UK the chance to showcase what is best about our industry. If we can get more people, more active, more often, that’s what legacy is about. “It’s not about the member fitting the club. It’s about the organisation or facility suiting the member and their needs. “With any person who wants to spend money with you, you need to know what they are wanting from their membership. And if you can deliver that to them, why would they want to go anywhere else?” What do you think? Email Christina Eccles at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or call 01226 734463.

Manager of Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club Pete Todd.

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Investment helps ‘value’ gym punch above its weight By Helen Williams INVESTING in quality equipment can really help a ‘value’ gym to punch above its weight, according to the owner of a recently-opened Kent fitness club. Jengiz Ali opened Oakley Fitness, Petts Wood, just four months ago and now has more than 1,250 members. The club can cater for all kinds of workouts from full body regimes to single exercises using its extensive range of resistance machines. A former developer, Jengiz brought in a range of equipment including: 15 pieces of strength equipment. 10 Life Fitness treadmills. 10 Life Fitness cross trainers. Five Life Fitness bikes. Five Life Fitness recumbent bikes. Five Life Fitness rowers. One Vibramaster machine. Spin bikes. Free weights, bars and flooring. All this was provided by Service Sport – with a two year parts and labour warranty and full service contract. Jengiz said: “When I decided to open, I was looking for a sector that was doing well and saw there were no other clubs like this in the area. “Although we are a value club we didn’t want to skimp on equipment – it was our intention to have the same kind of kit as Virgin Active

and David Lloyd. “Membership increased when we bought in the range and quality of equipment that we have now.” Jengiz said Oakley Fitness had indeed attracted some members who were formerly with Virgin Active. He added: “We have a mix of people. We also do classes such as Zumba, Pilates, Body Blitz, a circuit class and yoga – and we have personal training too.” The club offers flexible payments and no contract options. Membership is £19.99 per month, or a day pass is available for £5.99. Classes are £5.49 per session.

UK FITNESS SCENE

From left to right, Dean Armstrong (YSJ active coordinator at YSJ); James Oliver ([sitting on the ball], PE & sports coaching student at YSJ); Simon Kumar (former YSJ student and current chairman of York St John Inclusive Activity Club); John Gray (senior lecturer in sport at YSJ).

Paralympians showing interest in exclusive club By Helen Williams A UNIVERSITY-based club offering strength and conditioning coaching exclusively for disabled athletes has attracted attention from Paralympians. YSJ Strength is the latest arm of York St John Inclusive Activity Club (YSJIAC) and is building its membership. Following the success of its multi sports and goal ball sessions for people with learning and physical disabilities, the club has branched out into specific strength and conditioning needs of amateur and elite physically disabled athletes. A successful pilot scheme attracted athletes such as York-based two-time GB Paralympic bronze medallist table tennis player Cathy Mitton, and her husband Keith Mitton, a former GB wheelchair fencing athlete. The club operates in the York St John University fitness suite every Sunday from 10am to 12 noon under the coaching of John Gray, senior lecturer in sport and physical activity, Dean Armstrong, YSJ active development officer, James Oliver, a BA physical education and sports coaching student, and Simon Kumar, former student at York St John and chairman of

YSJIAC – and now disability sport and physical activity officer at City of York Council. Dean said: “We are passionate about inclusive sport and the club is driven by volunteers. We buy the time from the university and have four or five members attending every Sunday. The club is also a practical training and work experience route for students studying strength and conditioning – we have recruited two student volunteers.” He added that members appreciated one-on-one tailored sessions. “We are a dedicated, friendly environment for disabled athletes striving to improve their performance. Our staff have specialist teaching techniques and we are going for Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) accreditation. Our resistance and CV equipment is IFI compliant – for example, upper body amputees can adjust equipment to work on just one side of the body.” The club provides further recognition for the university as a key asset for inclusive sports coaching in the region. People involved in the pilot have been rewarded with a one-year free membership, and for anyone joining from now on, membership is £60 a year.

FIA unveil daily review sponsor MYZONE has become the new sponsor of the FIA’s daily media review, a news service exclusively for its members. The review will now feature updates from MYZONE, including its Global Movers league table of MYZONE Effort Points. FIA CEO David Stalker said: “As long standing partners of the FIA, MYZONE and CFM have previously

supported the prestigious FIA Research Institute at Greenwich University, for which MYZONE physical activity belts monitored exercise and they continue to support our events as a lead sponsor at the 2012 Flame Conference. “We look forward to a prosperous year working together on all these projects, and delivering our daily news.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

New gym opening in Basingstoke A NEW gym is opening in Basingstoke later this month under the Anytime Fitness brand. The 1,500 member capacity gym features a 5m high ceiling, which will be left exposed with pipework to create a warehouse type feel. It will showcase a range of over 50 pieces of equipment from Precor, featuring the new P80 console. Franchisee Tom Norbury said: “My aim is to launch a convenient fitness facility where we know your name and your goals. “I am enthusiastic about helping people and strongly believe in creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and member centric. “There is a great focus on club culture and the members’ needs, all for a really reasonable monthly membership fee of £24.95. “Conceptually I love the Anytime Fitness model as it provides convenient, 24 hour access, 365 days a year, with state of the art facilities and equipment.”

International fitness expert signs up to speak at seminars INTERNATIONAL fitness presenter Dean Hodgkin is the latest big industry name to join the line up for The National Fitness Seminars. Dean’s many achievements include pioneering combat fitness in the UK, writing articles for a number of fitness titles, presenting masterclasses and workshops in 36 countries and working as a consultant to prestigious health spa Ragdale Hall. He will be sharing his expertise at the events, which are taking place at venues across the country, and are aimed at independent gym owners who want to maximise the potential of their businesses, with minimum outlay. Other confirmed speakers include: CFM/MYZONE CEO Dave Wright. Successful independent gym owner Andy Peacock. Director of Club Manager Wayne Heath. Social media expert Matt Bradney.

Owner of Ladies Only Ltd gym in Rochdale Michelle Matthews. CFM managing director Chevy Kelly. Event director Judith Halkerston said: “We are really happy with the positive response we have had so far to the first National Fitness Seminars. “We believe that the programme we have devised will prove interesting and an invaluable source of ideas and information for gym owners and all fitness industry professionals.” The conferences, organised by Script Events in association with Workout, take place at Bristol Zoo Conference Centre on May 24, Avisford Park Hotel in Sussex on June 12 and the Hilton Hotel in Blackpool on October 18. To book your place at what is shaping up to be a must attend event for independent gym owners, call the dedicated booking hotline on 01226 734475.

Dean Hodgkin

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Cyprus gym dream is a reality for Mehmet A TOP personal trainer has fulfilled his dream of opening an independent gym in Cyprus. Mehmet Pasha – a previous National Fitness Awards’ finalist – worked as a trainer at award winning Ripped Gym in Essex before moving to Cyprus to extend the brand internationally. Ripped Gym Cyprus is situated in Famagusta in the north of the island and features and equipment include suspension training, power bags, kettle bells, battle ropes, spin bikes and a combat zone with punch bags and a boxing ring. Mehmet said: “I used to work as an investment banker ›n New York and London but wasn’t happy. A friend of mine who I trained with at the gym said I should look into becoming a personal trainer and I haven’t looked back since. “I have dedicated my life to fitness in gyms across the UK and am passionate about helping others reach their goals so now I want to bring my fresh approach to working out to Cyprus. My dream has become a reality.”

Mark juggles training with fitness modelling By Helen Williams LONDON-based personal trainer Mark Wood is rapidly climbing the ladder in the world of fitness modelling. Mark, from Tamworth, started gym training when he was 15 and then studied sports science at college and Nottingham Trent University before becoming a personal trainer covering the Birmingham area. A friend encouraged him to contact modelling agencies, and Mark said: “Fitness modelling had actually always been a big dream of mine, so I sent some pictures off and got responses. The result was that I appeared twice in Men’s Fitness magazine.” Mark moved to London in November after spotting a tutoring opportunity at fitness training organisation Discovery Learning and since then has become increasingly involved in the modelling industry alongside his personal training career. He added: “Last year I was very lucky that I became a sponsored athlete and model for Reflex Nutrition, working alongside the likes of Olly Foster and some of the other big names in the industry.” Successful fitness model and personal trainer Olly Foster has graced the cover of Men’s

Mark Wood combines his training with fitness modelling. Health magazine six times. Mark, who does Reflex Nutrition sample days at gyms and also worked for the company at last year’s Bodypower Expo, said his varied career gave him more flexibility than just running his own business as a personal trainer. He added: “My job at Discovery Learning is Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, so weekends and evenings are mine.”

He is now planning to start a number of blogs for his own training programmes, do another photoshoot in May, and also aims to get on the cover of Men’s Health. “There are trends in fitness modelling, for example, because certain magazines are selling to the average ‘Joe Public’ male, the person on the cover needs to have an attainable physique. They don’t like it if you are too lean.”

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Free app launched to boost rower use BRITISH Rowing has launched a free app to help increase the use of indoor rowing machines in homes and gyms. RowActiv – which is compatible with iPhone and iPad – has been developed by a team of British Rowing experts and has video demonstrations, instruction on warm up routines and advice on how to perfect rowing technique. National manager at British Rowing Rosemary Napp said: “Thousands of people use rowing machines in the gym or at home as part of their regular exercise routine. “At the moment a high percentage will be using incorrect technique and just don’t have the level of knowledge needed to be able to tailor their rowing programme to match their fitness and health goals. “This is where RowActiv can really help.”

Is Tony the oldest personal trainer in the country? By Helen Williams FITNESS trainer Tony Gore from Hythe in Kent believes he is the oldest personal trainer in the country – at the age of 81. Tony is shattering the pensioners' “pipe and slippers” stereotype by continuing to work as a personal trainer, and most recently, has been leading exercise classes at a care home in West Sussex. A fitness instructor for more than 60 years, he qualified as a personal trainer in gym workouts for people of all ages in 2001 at the age of 70. He said: “People only get old if they want to get old. If you keep yourself fit and don't sit about watching TV all night but keep moving, you can add another 10 years to your life.” Tony, a former RAF physical training instructor, also did parachute training and rock climbing with the RAF and was a voluntary gym instructor at Folkestone College between 2009 and last year. He still leads a weekly Young at Heart aerobics class at Hythe Retirement Club in Kent – where he is older than all of his pupils. He says constant enjoyment of all forms of physical activity and work are his secrets of staying young at heart and in mind. He shared his secrets for keeping sharp and supple when he led a session for residents at Russettings Care Home, Balcombe. The session demonstrated chair-based exercise to help residents keep agile and alert. Tony gave up body building 10 years ago and now bases his own fitness regime on cardiovascular work and resistance training using low weights and high

Tony leads exercise classes at Russettings care home. numbers of repetitions to keep his body flexible and muscles taut. Russettings manager Naomi Butcher added: “Our activities’ lady already does some basic physical exercises with residents but Tony’s visit was very special and gave us some good ideas.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Owner opts to invest £150,000 in gym to keep ‘wow factor’ By Christina Eccles THE owner of a successful independent gym near Glasgow has revealed why he’s decided to invest £150,000 into his club during a recession. Alex Whelan has just ordered a range of new Cybex equipment to kit out his facility, Prolife Fitness Centre in Paisley. And in what is considered to be a tough economic climate for many operators, he told Workout why he’s continuing to spend his hard earned cash. He explained: “It has been challenging over the last three years but we have always tried to keep up to date – I’ve funded my own trips to shows like IHRSA and FIBO. We are spending money to try and keep ahead of the game and keep our ‘wow factor’.” The gym has been in business since 1990, with Alex relocating in 1993 to bigger, purpose built premises. He prides himself on running a club which delivers results, with the gym sponsoring local professional sports teams, which helps to give it credibility as a place chosen by those who are serious about getting fit. He added: “There are six gyms within a five minute drive time (of our

club) so you have to find that niche. Ours is that if you want results, we will give you results. “Over the last three or four years when money has been tight, people have been looking to save money. That’s what we have been fighting against. We are about £40 per month and the local council run gyms are about £30 per month, so we have to justify to members why they should pay more to come to us. We say if they spend that extra £10, it will guarantee results.” Over the years, Alex has built up a wealth of experience and insight into running a successful gym and he believes one of the club’s strengths has been integrating well into the local community. He added: “There are two local hospices we work with – running football tournaments and fitness challenges and supporting them with raffle prizes. We’re not just interested in taking money out of the town, we want to put back in.” Are you an independent gym owner in Scotland who would like to tell Workout about your club? Contact our editorial team on 01226 734463 or email ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

Members of the Navy try out the new BeaverFit equipment.

BeaverFit keep Navy in shape EQUIPMENT provider BeaverFit has been helping to build the strength of the Navy by providing equipment for HMS Temeraire. The BeaverFit Warrior FTR rigs have been supporting Navy personnel while they prepare for operations, as part of a detailed strength and conditioning programme. PT specialisation advisor at HMS

Temeraire Wayne Okell said: “The rigs from BeaverFit captured our imagination from the offset and we are now using them to conduct a series of trials on land and sea. So far the results have been phenomenal. With a specific periodised strength programme using this equipment, we are evidencing some serious strength gains over a very short period of time.”

Icon is top training provider ICON Training has been named as the top UK training provider in the fitness and leisure sector after achieving seven grade one’s from a recent Ofsted inspection. Following rigorous checks, the company achieved the grades in areas including capacity to improve, outcomes for learners, leadership and

management and customer service, as well as overall effectiveness of provision. CEO Julian Leybourne said: “Receiving an outstanding grade one from Ofsted is massive recognition for the work that Icon Training does and sets us apart from other training providers.”

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Business is booming at a long standing independent gym where ‘friendliness and cleanliness’ keeps members flocking through the doors. Christina Eccles took a look around.

The gym at Pontefract Squash Club and the staff who were a finalist in the Team of the Year category at last year’s National Fitness Awards.

‘Hidden jewel’ is used by world number one James LIQUORICE may be Pontefract’s most famous export, but did you know the world’s number one squash player also hails from the West Yorkshire town? James Willstrop trains at Pontefract Squash and Leisure club – a facility which manager Pete Todd calls a ‘hidden jewel of a community hub.’ Workout last visited in 2009 to report on the club’s successful overhaul of its fitness facilities, which included the installation of the latest top of the range Life Fitness equipment, new flooring and LED lighting, as part of an upgrade costing £250,000. Since then, PSLC has continued to go from strength to strength, with achievements including increasing its membership figures by more than 100 per cent in the last two years, holding prestigious competitions such as the European Squash Club Championships and being shortlisted for Gym Team of the Year at the 2011 National Fitness Awards. This year sees the facility celebrate its 35th birthday – making it a great example of a long standing, successful independent gym. But in what can be a difficult climate for operators, Pete explained

why there is always room for further improvements to make sure its 1200 plus Lifestyles Fitness members are getting the best value for money and so the club continues to move forward. He said: “It’s not all about a numbers game – it’s about keeping members happy. The focus for the business now is on the quality of service and upselling memberships.” Although the club is known all over the world for its squash facilities, Pete is now keen for the fitness side of the business to get the same recognition. Eventually, he would like to revamp the exterior of the building to give it a more modern look which reflects the standard of the facilities inside. There have also been discussions about potentially expanding the gym area even further and linking it via a covered walkway with an onsite sports hall, currently used by the local community for five-a-side football. This scale of refurbishment work doesn’t come cheap, but with the club being not for profit, any money made is invested back into the facilities, allowing members to see exactly where their membership payments are being spent. Pete added: “In a sport like squash,

this club is massive. My remit is now to open the place to the masses. “But money alone does not achieve things – it’s about dedication and hard work from people who are passionate.” Once people take a step inside, the majority are keen to come back, whether that is for a gym workout, a fitness class, a game of squash or simply a drink in the bar – and Pete added that friendly community feel is

a vital part of the club’s success. “We ran a successful CFM campaign last year and out of every 100 people who came through the doors, 81 per cent signed up. “Once people come in they think ‘wow, we never knew these facilities were here.’ “We are also building up and improving the website – but nothing can substitute the feeling of actually being in the place.”

Pete takes on new FIA role PETE has also taken on a new role as the FIA board member tasked with representing the interests of independent operators. He recently attended his first board meeting and told Workout he was pleased with what he saw. He added: “What impressed me was the professionalism, expertise and diversity of the people around the table. The board is representative of all different areas of the industry. I’m very proud and privileged to be on it.” Pete added he is excited about the

opportunity, particularly as he believes in implementing the FIA motto ‘more people, more active, more often’ in his own club and can’t wait to spread the message. “I am excited about being on the board. First and foremost, I’m there to represent the interests of independent operators but also secondly to share in the mantra of the FIA and get as much of this nation moving and active as we can. It’s not about being an elite sportsman. It’s about getting back to what the human body was designed to do.”

UK FITNESS SCENE A star studded open weekend launched a new multi-million pound leisure centre in Plymouth, designed to get locals more active – at an affordable price. Christina Eccles went along.

GB women’s water polo captain Fran Leighton was among the guests at Plymouth Life Centre, with facilities including a climbing zone and 50m swimming pool.

New centre aims to make exercise fun WITH participation levels in the city lower than the national average, the aim of the new Plymouth Life Centre is to encourage more people to take up physical activity and make exercise fun. The £46.5m club’s impressive facilities include a 10 lane, 50m swimming pool, 160 station gym, 12 court multi use sports hall, climbing zone and eight lane indoor bowls hall – meaning there is something to suit everyone whatever their interests or ability. The Plymouth Life Centre will be operated by Everyone Active in partnership with Plymouth City Council and, according to Everyone Active’s regional director Jon Senior and contract manager David Greenwood, top quality facilities, affordability and intelligent programming will be the keys to ensuring lasting success, long after the initial excitement of the open weekend has faded. Jon explained: “Our aim is to highlight the very wide range of sports available – the climbing facilities are some of the best around. “With this weekend, we didn’t have to worry about marketing the centre itself, but everything that’s in it. It’s

really important for us to show people what the centre can offer them. “It’s a very proud thing for us to be involved in. Our approach is now how we engage people in memberships.” One of the biggest considerations when building the facilities is that they would be affordable and accessible for those wanting a family day out, as well as simply a place to work out. And with prices such as £3.80 for an adult swim – plus a range of membership options for those who want to attend on a more regular basis – David told Workout he feels they have achieved that. He added: “We were delighted to welcome around 25,000 visitors on our opening weekend and we had some very positive feedback from people, many of whom said the Plymouth Life Centre exceeded their expectations. “In particular people were pleasantly surprised by the value of what we are offering: even down to the cost of a cup of tea.” Everyone Active’s philosophy is to encourage people to take part in 30 minutes of activity, five times a week and to achieve these levels of partici-

pation it’s vital the centre’s sports programmes are designed in a way that can get as many people involved as possible. According to David, this ‘intelligent programming’ includes implementing schemes like No Strings Badminton, where anyone interested in taking part in a badminton session can turn up without a partner to be paired with like minded people. Local schools have also been given access to use the facilities, with the scale of the centre giving it the flexibility to offer space to children and community groups without restricting access to the general public. David added: “The city as a whole is often overlooked, although Plymouth is the third biggest city in the South West. The vision for the city is to establish itself as one of Europe’s premier waterfront cities and the centre helps to draw the spotlight on Plymouth. “We already have over 2,000 members signed up and over 15,000 signed up for an Everyone Active card which is a strong indicator that many people are going to make the most of these facilities.”

Olympic swimmers among special guests THE open weekend was held to showcase the Plymouth Life Centre’s offering to the local community and give them the chance to try out a range of activities and meet the team – plus a few special guests. Famous faces included swimming legend Steve Parry, Olympic swimming hopefuls Joanne Jackson and

David Davies, GB women’s water polo captain Fran Leighton and bowls Commonwealth champion Natalie Melmore. Diver Tom Daley also sent a special video message, which was broadcast to visitors, to lend support to what will be his home training ground. He added: “I’m honoured to be able

to use these facilities for my training and London 2012 preparation but I’m just as pleased to see such superb facilities made available to swimmers and divers of all abilities. “I feel really fortunate to have this great new venue here in Plymouth, the centre will be an important legacy of London 2012.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

The health club of the future By Dave Wright THERE has been an increased focus on the low cost health clubs infiltrating the industry, and whether or not this is good or a bad thing remains to be seen as they are still a very immature segment of the market. However, what is exciting is how the ‘industry’ is responding to the focus on ‘price’ and it is to the benefit to the end consumer. Not for the low price, but for the clubs wanting to add more value and subsequently increasing the price. You see if you look at the number of ‘training facilities’ or ‘options’ available to members wanting to get into shape through exercise, I would argue that on average when you include all the micro gyms and cross fits and group personal training programmes etc, the average cost to the end consumer has never been so high and the cost to implement those services has never been so low. This is due to the increase in what is called ‘functional training’ style zones or clubs who can operate in 1,000-5,000sqft facilities, charge higher rates (£80-£200 per month), and then create ‘circuit’ style training that is designed around the

HIIT principle of higher intensity training for a reduced amount of time. And it makes sense – because our members know that their time is precious, so the ‘offering’ that gets the best results in the shortest period of time is the ‘offering’ that will get the custom. So that said, I think we will find that these smaller ‘micro-gyms’ will become very popular as they have a higher yield per square foot. Already there are over 3,000 cross fit clubs around the world and they are continuing to open over 800 every single year. Combine that with the cycling studios popping up every week that purely do cycling but charge £25 a session … However, I think that the future will take a more advanced step so that it will bring rise to the style of gym that has a combination of both a ‘standardised gym’ with cardio and some selectorised machine weights, but also a group programme that will incorporate the functional training equipment to take it to the next level. What this will allow is an ‘introductory membership’ of basic access to the club, but then an upgradable option to incorporate all the group functional training

style classes that will ‘guarantee results’ but will be chargeable at twice or triple the amount of the introduction price. The net effect being more members, with more choices and more results than ever before. The irony with it all is that the industry once again seems to have come full circle back to the old strongmen style training where they didn’t have all the apparatus and ‘fancy’ buttons and levers, but it was centred around ‘lifting heavy stuff and then throwing it down … then lifting it again and then throwing it down again’. So this trend is now seeing many ‘mainstream gyms’ throwing out part of their gym floor equipment and converting parts of it to ‘functional zones’ and then creating programmes to support it. And that’s because it’s easy to do. But either way, it doesn’t really matter what you do. If you can get people results then they will pay more, stay longer and love you forever. And when members get results and clubs get remunerated for that, it’s a win-win for the industry as a whole. Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM/MYZONE, a company with over 300 staff that have served the

Dave Wright international fitness industry for over 21 years in 10 different countries; focusing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of the UK’s Fitness Industry, an IHRSA presenter and the creator and global distributor of a new monitoring device used by clubs around the world called MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

UK FITNESS SCENE

Increase your secondary revenue stream with exercise referrals By Nichola Curran IN last month’s edition, I outlined a ten-step plan for you to adopt in order to increase your chances of building partnerships with GPs and other healthcare practitioners. In the same edition, the article featuring FIA CEO, David Stalker encouraged independent operators to look at this market as a new opportunity. This month, I am going to explore with you why now could be the best time to seriously look at this as an option to increase your secondary revenue stream. You may by now be aware there is a shift taking place in how services such as physical activity programmes are commissioned. Decisions will be made at a more local level as Clinical Commissioning Groups look at the health needs of the local community and commission the most cost effective programme to meet those needs. Cost effective is also about how a programme will save costs to the NHS in the longer term and this is where we as a sector need to focus our message. Let’s think about what our programmes and services offer in terms of improving longer term health outcomes. We know physical activity works both as prevention and intervention to lifestyle related medical conditions; our downfall so far has been we’re just not that good at gathering, monitoring and evaluating the data to support it. I’m not apportioning blame; I just think this is an area which has not

been emphasised strongly enough in the past. Now we know capturing data is crucial, we must ensure we up our game and build strategies into our programmes going forward. Capturing data is covered in one of the steps of my plan and needs to be well thought out. For example, if you’re going to promote the fact exercise reduces blood pressure and therefore decide to measure BP at the start and end of the programme, ensure your programme is long enough to show a significant improvement. An eight week course is likely to show minimal change but you will be judged on this. It is possible, however, to see a significant reduction in waist circumference in eight weeks. Both are risk factors in the development of Coronary Heart Disease but one will score you points and one may not – unless your programme is longer. I’m not saying don’t monitor BP, I’m saying you may not want the success of the programme to be based solely on this outcome – there’s a difference. I recently partnered with Scott Hodson – founder of Train the Nation – to back his campaign to get GPs to work more closely with fit pros. Scott has been in contact with a number of GPs and reported: “There has been exploration between Newham Health Partnership (a consortium of GPs) where fit pros and GP practices work together to deliver a structured programme to target key health prevalences.

If key outcomes are achieved i.e. a reduction in BMI from referred patients then remuneration is given to the practice and the fit pro. This model will prove to be a sustainable way that the health sector can work with the fitness industry to deliver real results in a sustainable and scalable way where the health of the patient is put first.” If you want to support the campaign then sign the e-petition at www.trainthenation.org Before I sign off, I also want to chuck into the mix another option – ‘exercise referral’ programmes packaged as a high end service, on a par with personal training. Yes, we are in a tough economic climate but people are still buying personal training services; when the marketing message is right of course! Why can’t we offer a more exclusive programme to those with conditions? If we work on our target market, communicate how we solve their problems then we are more likely to attract and retain these customers. In the past, I feel GP Referrals has been treated as the poor relation – largely because 1) we have relied on hospitals and GP’s referring these clients to us and 2) we have offered the service for next to nothing. These two factors mean we have neglected the service and the message of the real life changing value it brings. Let’s face it even the term GP referrals itself sounds pretty boring and not as appealing as personal training. Perhaps it’s time for us to change our approach and go against the norms, after all the GPs are with the way they commission

Soap stars help celebrate company move CORONATION Street stars Debbie Rush and Shobna Gulati were among the guests at a party celebrating a personal training company’s relocation to new premises. Rochdale-based Bodypro, which has been established for almost eight years, moved to a new studio in the town to allow for expansion and to enable them to offer express workouts

and fitcamps. To celebrate the move – and to launch its new Hypoxi and vacunaut machines – owners Ben and Natalie Bate held a party, where the soap stars, who will be also be training there, cut the ribbon to officially open the studio. A raffle was also held to raise money for a local hospice – generating about £250 for the charity.

Nichola Curran their services – just a thought! You may or may not have worked it out but I am pretty passionate about our sector and helping fitness professionals be successful, particularly when working with clients who have medical conditions. That’s what my company, Evolve Leisure is all about and why this month I will be starting a series of live free webinars on the truth about getting started and making money from exercise referrals. If you do nothing else, give this market some thought and if you have questions then I’ll do my best to answer. Nichola Curran is director of Evolve Leisure and works with clubs, centres and fit pros who want to work with all types of clients, particularly those with medical conditions. She can be contacted at nichola.curran@evolveleisure.co.uk

INDOOR CYCLING

Group exercise instructors can be some of the busiest people in a gym – delivering anything from a Zumba class to a studio cycling session. Here, expert Steve Harrison explains how to keep things fresh and avoid that burnout.

Organisation is the key AS a group exercise instructor, it is very easy to get stuck into a routine, which can start to take its toll on you. Exercise is meant to be beneficial to the human body and allow us to grow stronger with every session. However, if not organised wisely it could cause a regressive effect, with potentially damaging consequences. We’re all aware of the risks overtraining can cause the body, yet we often seem to glaze over the equally disastrous effect it can have on our businesses. As an instructor your body and teaching skills are your business and income. If your teaching schedule and daily demands start to be uncontrollable, your working benefits are sure to feel the strain. To have a popular, effective class following, your class design, structure, choreography, music relations, innovation and clarity need to be continuously prepared for and developed to ensure you remain on top of your game. For every one hour class you teach, there could have been several more spent on music playlist design, choreography planning, administration, PR and – most time consuming of all – practicing routines and conditioning yourself to ensure you have the highest possible quality demonstration form. This is why it has been stated

the maximum number of classes you should entertain delivering each day is three, and you should try to ensure a total of two complete rest days away from class delivery. This is still potentially 15 classes per week, without all the associated extra work needed to perform well. The timetable you deliver each week also needs to have enough diversity in it to keep both body and mind fresh. It is now easier than ever to achieve this diversity, as there are so many different class styles on offer – from conditioning to high impact cardio based and dance inspired. It would be unwise to deliver the same theme of class back to back everyday and every week, as we advise our clients they should aim to achieve balance in their training programmes whilst also making sure they make time for rest periods. Not enough rest leads to fatigue and breeds poor performance; this is identical to the responses experienced in class instruction – over exertion and lack of down time leads to poor delivery and it becomes very visible to your class that your standards start to drop. Imagine trying to teach four super high intensity, high impact classes back to back; purely because your most popular class used to be this style. Not only would your knees

and ankles very quickly start to deteriorate and cause a domino effect of associated injuries, but your physical tiredness would be very obvious by the second and third classes, let alone the fourth. Your freedom of imagination for keeping your routines innovative and fresh would suffer and people would start to see a lack of progression in your class planning – the most dangerous result would be you start to dislike teaching these classes and dread bookings. Your personality, passion and ability to act as a positive role model is massively emphatic in helping others enjoy exercising. Your members should want to feel like you look and feel. Your energy is infectious. If you start to lose some of this, your ability to motivate, instruct and inspire is massively affected. Try alternating the classes you teach – have a conditioning focused class, a high impact intense class following this and then a different style again. Also consider filling up more hours with a less demo heavy class like circuit training to work alongside these. Here is where you can start to build up your working week further as the classes are less choreographed and require less instructor participation. You can afford to deliver more 1-2-1

Steve Harrison personal teaching time and not suffer so much physically. Another tip would be avoid doing three days back to back of the same activity – this is a super fast track to over training. As a passionate instructor, your classes need to be clear at all times, must show great strong demo form and should inspire others. Your number one selling point is you, your body and your personality – don’t mess it up! Steve Harrison is national lead tutor at Premier Training International.

INDOOR CYCLING

Wheelie good decision pays off for centre A DECISION to invest in new bikes has paid off for a Welsh leisure centre, which has successfully boosted participation in its Spinning classes. Rhonda Cynon Taff County Council, which runs the Zenith Health and Fitness Studio located in Llantrisant Leisure Centre, recently bought 14 new Star Trac Spinner NXT bikes for the club. This makes it the first of their leisure centres to offer the official Spinning programme from Mad Dogg Athletics – with the new equipment proving so popular

that the gym has added an extra class to the timetable to cope with increased demand. Zenith fitness manager James Russell said: “We always look for sustainable, high quality equipment and when we decided to update our indoor cycling studio, Star Trac and the Spinning programme came out as the leaders in their field. “We have had great customer feedback and the increased numbers taking part in the classes speak for themselves.”

Latest Spinning investor PARKWOOD Leisure has become the latest operator to invest in the official Spinning programme from Star Trac. The fitness facilities management company, which has 85 sites around the country, has already installed equipment into five clubs; Torbay Leisure Centre in Devon, Scotch Horn Leisure Centre in Somerset, Hutton Moor in North Somerset, and Staffordshire based South Moorlands and Borough Park Leisure Centres, with plans to roll it out across more

sites in the future. The programme is achieving particular success at Torbay Leisure Centre, which has 13 Spinner Pro bikes and offers six Spinning classes a week, open to both members and nonmembers. Centre manager Alex Fuoco-Long said: “Our members can’t stop raving about the class and our trainers are equally excited. “This is proving to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”

Fitness club gears up for second site By Helen Williams A LONDON fitness club for cycling, running and Spinning is gaining so much support that a second site is due to open in the capital by the end of the year. The idea of H2 Bike Run in Soho sprang from the gap left by a lack of changing facilities for commuting cyclists and runners. With a secure 240-space bike park, 39 private showers and changing rooms, and even a dry cleaning and laundry service, the club attracted around 750 members in its first year. Its Spinning studio has 32 Star Trac bikes and there are also over 40 classes a week including TRX, Sport Pilates, Cross Fit Circuit Training and Boxercise. General manager Lee Kilby said: “I have worked in city fitness for over five years and this is a concept that will really take off. “We’re due to open our 13,400 sq ft H2 London Wall club by the end of this year and we’re looking at further sites like Canary Wharf, Kings Cross and Holborn. “There is a lack of secure bike parking in these densely populated areas and cyclists end up playing Russian roulette on the street. Our concept

offers a solution.” About half the members of the Soho club are cyclists. Lee added: “When we started, we didn’t really know if we would be standing outside tube stations encouraging people to take up cycling but we actually tapped into so many people who already ride.” He added that, in the future, the club envisaged having a wider role educating people about the benefits of cycling. The club is also enjoying success with the Myzone heart rate belt, the latest addition to the H2 Spinning studio. The belts, which store 18 hours of information, allow users to measure their performance. “The system allows remote measurement and reporting of information about weight, body fat, heart rate and exercise intensity. “Users can monitor their activities in real time and view their progress online.” After a workout, the information can be e-mailed or users can log in wherever they are and track their progress. So far, 67 members have purchased one of the Myzone belts.

‘Authentic cycling experience with unparalleled feedback’ IF you’re looking to offer an indoor cycling class that not only increases member retention but also taps into a new customer base then look no further than the Wattbike. Developed with and endorsed by British Cycling, the Wattbike offers an authentic cycling experience combined with an unparalleled level of feedback. Instructors ensure each client is working at their optimal intensity by utilising the heart rate and power measurements on the Wattbike, all delivered via the interactive power cycling software. The software brings a new level of engagement to indoor cycling classes and gives clients instant and accurate feedback on their session. Combine the cycling classes with regular fitness tests and you have the ultimate member engagement, motivational and retention tool. For the first time gyms are also now able to engage with the growing cycling and triathlon sectors

by providing a credible indoor cycle experience. The Wattbike offers a fantastic opportunity to benefit from the London 2012 legacy through Power Cycling, backed by British Cycling. For more information visit www.wattbike.com

INDOOR CYCLING

Boom! Cycle runs 20 popular classes each week.

Class variety helps business boom at new cycling studio By Christina Eccles BUSINESS is booming at a London based cycling studio where flexible payment options and a wide range of classes are attracting fitness fans through the doors. Boom! Cycle is the brainchild of top American model Hilary Gilbert and business partner Robert Rowland and opened in trendy Shoreditch about six months ago. The studio has got off to a flying start – already running over 20 popular classes per week – and attracting all ages from young professional 20somethings to people in their 70s looking to try something new. Although it is still early days for the business, Robert told Workout, he’s been really pleased with the response so far and although the number of existing fitness facilities in the Capital could make opening any new venture challenging, he believes focusing on one thing – and doing it well – has been key. He said: “It’s hard to be anywhere in London without a million other gyms around you. There are two personal training gyms nearby but we work with them. “But in terms of what we are offering, there isn’t really any competition.” Instead of positioning themselves in direct competition with traditional gyms, the studio has gone down the pay as you go route – meaning people can dip in and out of the classes as they wish and use them to supplement an existing gym routine. But there are discounts available for block bookings, which encourages loyalty, and Robert added that once people try a class, they are keen to come back. He added: “People like the efficiency of being able to get a workout done in

Boom! Cycle founder Hilary Gilbert and her business partner Robert Rowland. 45 minutes. For us, we want to focus on one thing and do it excellently, with the best levels of service and expertise. “We’ve put a lot of thought into the design and layout. The lights are kept low – which gives people the feeling of being able to escape – rather than the bright lights you sometimes get in a gym. “There are still a lot of improvements we can make but I think we’ve done a lot right.” Robert and Hilary are already thinking about opening a second site and in future want to roll the studios out around London – and eventually nationwide. Robert added: “The response has been fantastic. We know the customers are out there but we have to package it right and continue delivering excellence.”

INDOOR CYCLING

Scheme success as centre aims for top Spin spot By Christina Eccles A SCHEME enabling members to train as Spinning instructors is proving successful at Woking Leisure Centre, which is aiming to become the top Spin site in Surrey. The centre – operated by not for profit trust Freedom Leisure – opened up the training programme to customers as well as staff last year because it wanted to find instructors who were passionate about Spinning and who would do a great job in championing the classes to other members. Customers who applied for the course were all regular users of the centre so staff were familiar with their personalities and could make an informed selection over who would make a good instructor. The initiative has proved so successful, the club has been able to add several new classes throughout the week, including at times when they have previously struggled to find instructors. Since the course took place, not one class has had to be cancelled due to lack of cover. Centre manager Jon Hames

The Spinning instructor scheme is proving successful at Woking Leisure Centre. explained: “We are extremely proud of our Spinning programme. We have 35 Spinner XT bikes and currently 13 run classes a week. “As a result of the success of the customer-instructor programme we are now developing a new studio and increasing the number of bikes.” According to staff, members have really enjoyed being taught by customer-instructors and especially like hearing about their journeys to become fully qualified Spinning

instructors. Jon added: “The success of the programme is simply down to the enthusiasm and professionalism of the instructors. All our instructors love what they do, salary is not the main reason they do it. We will continue to train customers to deliver our programmes. This approach clearly works, our customers very much appreciate it and want to put something back into the services that have helped them reach their goals.”

Fun while you work CLASSES which include themed music and fancy dress are being enjoyed by indoor cycling fans in South Wales. The sessions are run by centres under the Active Swansea brand and are proving consistently popular with members wanting to achieve results while having fun. Fitness manager Amy Lloyd said: “We run the classes at four of our centres across Swansea. We have been doing them for about five years and they are still really, really popular. “We have one instructor, in particular, who the customers love because he gets them singing, comes in in fancy dress at Christmas and

uses a disco ball and lights.” Amy also revealed why she thinks the classes are still going strong at the clubs after several years, despite competition from other fitness sessions – such as Zumba – which have been added on to the timetable. She added: “People like the small groups, that they burn a lot of calories and also because the instructors make it enjoyable.” The clubs also run beginner, intermediate and advance classes, which ensure participants get the support they need when just starting out and then have a pathway to progress when they become more experienced.

Above: Indoor cyclists working hard and, right, instructor Huw Edwards with gym members.

Vibe Cycle: All about the music ... VIBE Cycle is an indoor cycling concept which is all about the music. The three main elements are music, energy and fun and the Vibe Cycle experience is for everyone. Vibe Cycle is now in its fourth year and is now known as the most exciting indoor cycling concept around. The ever growing popularity of the 'Feel the Vibe' masterclass days has encouraged UK and overseas instructors to teach it and Vibe

Cycle is now in Norway, Denmark, Spain, Iceland and Holland. The ‘Feel the Vibe’ day masterclasses happen in fitness centres around the country. The day consists of one or more of the vibe presenters – Delvin Clarke, Bella Higgins, Jo Dandridge and Lisa Cuerden – teaching a class to 30 or more participants and instructors. There is also a Vibe Cycle forum of which a Vibe Cycle level two instructor can teach to the crowd.

The duration of the day is between two to five hours, sometimes more. Vibe Cycle and other Vibe Fitness Programs will be at BodyPower Expo later this month and to see what all the fuss is about you can also log onto You Tube and observe the footage of vibe events in UK and abroad. Until then don’t just ride, feel the vibe. For more information visit www.vibecycle.co.uk or email delvin@delvinfitness.com

INDOOR CYCLING

Inverness Leisure has spent £31,000 upgrading its studio facilities.

Centre upgrades with new bikes INVERNESS Leisure has invested a further £30,000 into upgrading its studio facilities – including purchasing 31 new bikes. The new bikes include features such as built in heart-rate monitors, designed to help members who are interested in taking their training to the next level. Company vice chair Hamish Wood said: “We were delighted to open the new Studio Two facility at the start of the year but I am even more delighted that we have been able to take that one step further and completely replace our group cycles literally within a matter weeks. “I know that the group cycling is an

extremely popular class at the leisure centre therefore I am sure that we will have many happy faces when they come along and see the new bikes.” Hamish added that those who have seen the bikes have been really pleased – with the centre hoping the upgrade will also encourage some new people through the doors. He added: “The feedback so far has been really positive from the customers who have seen the new bikes, which is great. “We hope the extra five bikes we’ve managed to squeeze into the studio will encourage some new faces to come along and give group cycling a go.”

Life Fitness unveiled a limited edition Augie’s Quest Lifecycle exercise bike at the recent IHRSA fitness trade show. The new design displays the Augie’s Quest logo and a motivational quote from life Fitness cofounder Augie Nieto, which reads “From Success to Significance.” A portion of the proceeds from the new bike will be donated to the Augie’s Quest cause – the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS research initiative led by Augie Nieto – which has raised more than $26m to date.

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

New feature areas added to annual BodyPower exhibition By Christina Eccles THE 2012 BodyPower Expo will be bigger, better and fitter than ever, according to the team behind the successful show. The three-day event takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from May 1820, with organisers promising to deliver something for all strength, fitness and nutrition enthusiasts. Highlights of this year’s show will include over 22 interactive feature areas, hundreds of the world’s leading fitness exhibitors and a number of professional athletes and industry recognised fitness experts. New feature areas include: Beach Body Zone New to BodyPower, the Beach Body Zone will see a huge man-made beach structure that will welcome stage performances and the UK's very own take on Venice Beach’s gym. Throughout the weekend the zone will host dozens of the world's leading fitness models who will offer up expert guidance on how to become the envy of everyone this summer.

Former athlete Darren Campbell will be among the guests at the annual BodyPower Expo.

The Training Lab The Training Lab is BodyPower's brand new functional fitness zone.

Run by leading strength and conditioning expert Andy McKenzie, the area will deliver the most effective and innovative functional inspired strength, conditioning and sports specific training techniques. The lab will boast extensive functional fitness workshops and seminars to get involved with over the weekend, hosted by a range of industry recognised experts. Healthy Eating Kitchen In the Healthy Eating Kitchen, leading nutritional experts will be on hand to advise on the best tips and techniques for getting in shape this summer. Visitors will also be able to find out what should be eaten pre, during and post-workout to optimise sporting performance. The healthy eating kitchen will help all fitness enthusiasts reach their goal, whether it is to lose weight, add lean muscle or to boost energy levels. Marketing director Ollie Upton said: “This show is getting bigger by the minute. “We have crammed so much into BodyPower this year and anyone with an interest in fitness and nutrition really needs to be there.”

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

Matt Lovell

Nutrition and healthy eating among topics NUTRITION and healthy eating will be one of the main topics discussed at the show – with a range of experts in this area signed up to deliver dedicated seminars. For the first time in the show's history, a third day has been added to the expo, and on May 18 a variety of nutritional seminars will take place – including the European Sports Nutrition Forum. The ESNF will welcome a host of expert speakers who will educate guests on various aspects of sports nutrition, supplements and the impact they have on training and sports performance. Confirmed speakers include: Phil Learney – director of Ultimate Performance Education Matt Lovell – leading elite sports nutritionist who has worked with professional sports institutions including England Rugby. Rehan Jalali – nationally recog-

nised certified sports nutritionist and the president of the Supplement Research Foundation. Matt and fellow nutritionist Gavin Allinson will also be hosting a healthy eating kitchen where visitors can learn about eating healthily and performance enhancement. A range of leading supplementation and nutrition companies will also be exhibiting at BodyPower, with brands on display including USN, MaxiMuscle, Gaspari Nutrition, Grenade, Extreme Nutrition, DrinkBe and PhD. Marketing director Ollie Upton said: “We cater for all strength, fitness and nutrition enthusiasts at BodyPower. We have continued to grow our healthy eating and nutrition areas as well as adding some superb new feature areas this year. “There is so much to see and I would encourage anyone with an interest in fitness and nutrition to come along.”

Cybex International UK will be making its debut appearance at this year’s BodyPower Expo. As part of its involvement, the company will be showcasing a range of cardiovascular and strength training equipment, sponsoring the VIP professionals lounge on the opening day of the show, as well as providing a range of equipment to the brand new beach body area. Cybex UK’s commercial director Rob Thurston (pictured above) said: “Cybex is well known for its extensive knowledge and experience in the strength training industry, so it makes complete sense for us to be at BodyPower. The event was well-attended in 2011 and with the addition of new interactive features to include the beach body area which Cybex will be supporting, we’re looking forward to a busy three days in May.”

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

Andy running training lab ... Leading fitness model and healthy eating ambassador Carly Thornton will be among the well known faces at BodyPower. Carly will be attending with the team from USN and told Workout she is really looking forward to the show. She added: “After coming back from FIBO in Germany, I am very excited for BodyPower. “It’s always such a fantastic event and this year it’s even bigger with more top fitness and bodybuilding professionals attending. “It caters for everyone – for people who are looking to compete, get some much needed motivation, after some advice on how to get their desired body or meet with their fitness/bodybuilding inspirations – then this is the place to be in May. I look forward to seeing everyone there for the fourth year of fun.”

LEADING strength and conditioning expert Andy McKenzie will be running a special training lab at BodyPower – boasting extensive functional fitness workshops and seminars hosted by a range of industry experts. Over the course of the weekend, Andy will deliver world class physical challenges and workshops along with demonstrations in bodyweight, kettlebell, rope and sandbag exercises. He will also be building an exclusive bespoke functional exercise rig, which will include stations for rope climbing, bodyweight progressions and parkour style training.

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

Endurance champion challenge OVER the course of the weekend, visitors will be able to compete for the title of BodyPower endurance champion by taking part in a number of challenges. The challenges include: BodyPower indoor duathalon championship (bike and run) Multi stage fitness bleep test Timed 1.5m treadmill Vo2 max test Abdominal curl endurance bleep test Watt Max bicycle fitness challenge Dragan endurance challenge

Talking training techniques VISITORS to this year’s show will also be able to find out more about the basis and principles of the world renowned Y3T elite conditioning training programme. Founder and training guru Neil Hill will be on hand to answer questions and talk about training techniques, eating habits and motivation. He will also be giving an insight into pre-contest preparation and how to make the most of your time in the gym. A number of world class athletes will also be appearing, demonstrating why the principles of Y3T Training are so important to maximise development and results.

WorkOut is at BodyPower – visit us on Stand BB20

‘The grip is the new core ... pass it on!’ By Allan Collins “GRIP is the new core” has become my saying for 2012 on our courses, and many of the attendees usually have a queried look on their faces, probably as you are right now, until I elaborate. The core is regarded by many trainers as a weak link in the kinetic chain, and thus a limiting factor when performing functional movements like lifting, pressing or carrying loads. A weak core can mean less weight lifted in these exercises, and thus improving core strength and function can improve performance in these exercises. This is absolutely true, at least until the deficit has been corrected – once this has been achieved though, increasing core strength may not have positive impact on those exercises. Grip strength and endurance is the same. But this a largely ignored limiting factor. For many deadlifters, it is the weak grip muscles (assistant muscles) that may prevent you from lifting heavier weights, rather than the strength of the thighs and hips (the prime mover muscles). If the grip can only hold 150kg that’s all you’ll be able to lift, even if your prime movers could lift much more. This is a muscle imbalance between prime movers and assistants, rather than one between prime movers and their opposites, and it needs to be corrected. As a result, equipment like the Fat Gripz from the US are becoming more popular, and can be placed over dumbbells, barbells, cable handles and even machine handles.

Allan Collins They increase the diameter of the grip and overload the hand and forearm musculature for increased grip and subsequent improved lifting, pulling and carrying strength. But they are also great for other drills like the bench press, overhead press or windmill. Our education team also advise using other equipment and exercises to challenge your grip such as a Kettlebell pistol grip (bottoms up) clean or press, a barbell farmers walk, or a pinch grip high pulls or drop and catch using a weights plate.

The AlphaStrong Sandbags and Sandballs also show their superiority over other equipment, like the Bulgarian Bag, by increasing grip strength when lifted, pulled, or caught by gripping the bag and sand rather than the handles. These and other grip and forearm exercises can be used two to three times per week for improved functional carryover. Happy training and remember “the grip is the new core”… pass it on! Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness.

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

Premier Training team out in force PREMIER Training International is the market leader in the development and provision of high quality education for the health and fitness industry, with a well established reputation of delivering outstanding vocational education. The Premier team will be out in full force at BodyPower UK with demos and workout sessions in Tri-Planar Kettlebell and Power Club training strength combo and suspension training/ViPR plyometrics power combo at the Premier PT Zone. Great show discount offers on all Premier Training courses, stand challenges, as well as 20 free diploma in personal training scholarships up for grabs – to celebrate 20 years in the health and fitness industry.Don’t miss out – see us at stand DD20 at the Premier PT Zone.

Revamped fitness centre fully equipped for the elite By Helen Williams RAY Williams of the Welsh Weightlifting Federation, former Commonwealth Games Olympic Lifting gold medallist and captain in the Elite Army Physical Training Corps, has recently spent £300,000 refurbishing the Holyhead and Anglesey Weightlifting and Fitness Centre. Now fully equipped for elite performers, as well as stars of the future, the centre is also hoping to be used as an Olympic training base for the Albanian lifting squad. As part of the refurbishment, a functional training rig has been installed in the centre and Ray explained why it was such a key feature. He said: “The functional training

rig has provided us with space saving flexibility. Absolute Performance manufactured it to our specification to suit our facility, critical when space is such a valuable asset. “It will provide our athletes with a dedicated space for countless functional training exercises, and the great thing is that it enables athletes of all levels of ability to develop body strength using traditional bodyweight exercises, alongside the latest functional training accessories like suspension trainers, grapplers/landmines, battling ropes and dip bars. “Every functional training facility should have one. I love it.” For more information contact Absolute Performance on 029 20 65 11 36 or visit www.aperformance.co.uk

Show billed ‘biggest and best to date’ FORMER WBA champion Ricky Hatton, world number one fitness model Greg Plitt and MMA champion Sol Gilbert will be among the top athletes at BodyPower this year. This year’s show has been billed as the biggest and best to date – with more star names still to be announced. Marketing director Ollie Upton said: “It's not often that such an eclectic mix of world class athletes congregate in

one building. “We have so many huge names this year and still have more to be announced. These are very exciting times for the show.” Athletics superstar and Olympic medalist Darren Campbell will also be at the Expo. Darren will be on the PAS stand throughout the three day weekend, as well as offering guests the opportunity to participate in his masterclass as part of the Friday Masterclass Programme.

44 Rising star on the fitness modelling scene, Courtney Prather, has been unveiled as one of the newest additions to the BodyPower Expo line up. Courtney, who won the 2011 Bodybuilding.com Fit Body contest, will be on hand to talk about what it takes to become the world’s fastest rising female fitness model, as well as offering visitors the opportunity to see her train with other athletes including Men's Health cover model Kirk Miller. Marketing director Ollie Upton added: “It is great to have Courtney over for the show. She will meeting fans, offering training advice and possibly even doing some guest posing over the weekend. It will be Courtney's first time at BodyPower and we're delighted to have her.”

BODYPOWER PREVIEW

Showcasing martial arts and combat sports ... ONE of the show’s biggest highlights will be its combat zone, showcasing a range of martial arts and combat sports. The weekend will see two epic British National Championships, hosted by the World Martial Kombat Federation and the Brazilian Jui Jitsu British Open. These two national competitions will witness over 2,000 competitors take to the mat in what is set to be an unmissable action packed event. MMA European champion Sol Gilbert will also be running the ZT Amateur MMA tournament, with over 100 individuals battling it out across eight explosive weight divisions. An ultimate martial arts zone, hosted by 11x karate world champion Jason Baird will also be at the show, with the workshop based arena offering expert advice, meet and greet sessions with martial arts legends and a casting competition for a role in a martial arts movie.

Say hello to the WorkOut team on Stand BB20 at BodyPower

UK FITNESS SCENE Indo-Row has been billed as the hottest new class to hit the UK market. Co founder Jay Blahnik told Workout more about the concept – and how your club can get involved.

Team rowing workout now available in the UK How do you feel about launching the Indo-Row class in the UK? Josh and myself are very excited about bringing Indo-Row to the UK for the first time. We have had great success in the United States and Australia with this amazing programme, and we know the UK market is going to love it just as much as they have. Can you tell us more about the class – who is it aimed at and what does it involve? The Indo-Row workout is designed to be a team-oriented cardio and total body conditioning workout that utilises the Indo-Row machine by WaterRower, to burn fat and calories while experiencing an authentic rowing experience. From the minute you walk into the workout and get assigned to your team, you are taking all the skills, drills and elements of a whole season’s worth of rowing, and fitting them into one 45-minute workout that finishes with an exhilarating, high-intensity race where each individual and team are competing with each other to take home the gold medal. What do you think makes Indo-Row different and appealing? Indo-Row is a unique workout because unlike other group fitness classes where you essentially workout by yourself in a group, Indo-Row puts you on a team, teaches you to work together and motivate your teammates. It creates an authentic experience from one of the world's most beloved sports and turns it into a one-of-a-kind workout. What are the benefits of taking part in a class? In Indo-Row, you learn how to row

Indo-Row founders Jay Blahnik and Josh Crosby. properly or perfect your rowing technique, you get the opportunity to work with your teammates to push each other and motivate yourself to work harder than you thought you could, and get a one-of-a-kind workout. The energy is amazing, the workout is tough and the time flies by. What are the benefits to gyms which include them into their class timetables? Gyms will find Indo-Row attracts people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels, and it helps build community, interaction and teamwork like no other class can. You build a devoted following of Indo-Row fans that bring energy into your gym and group fitness studio that keeps members coming back for more. What advice would you give to clubs which want to start running these classes? At first, keep the Indo-Row classes short (30 and 45 minute workouts) so that more people can try the workout,

and it is less intimidating to people who are a little unsure. Offer promotional classes, and utilise the tried and true team-relay race to finish the class, and then watch the members interact like never before. The workout is simple, and members will learn it quickly, but you can also offer quick three minute rowing clinics on the gym floor the week before the classes start so more members feel comfortable knowing how to row before they even enter the workout. What is the long term plan for the business? Indo-Row is just the first of many programs being launched that utilise the Indo-Row machine. Coming soon is a new program that has been tested in Southern California with great success with one of the finest health clubs chains in the world (Equinox). The new program is called ShockWave, and it utilises the IndoRow machine in a totally unique circuit format.

Gym expands to attract female users A SUCCESSFUL independent gym has expanded to include a studio, ladies only gym and spin room to attract more female users. Crayford Weights and Fitness in Kent already has over 1000 members but when adjacent units becoming available, the club invested to double its gym space – choosing functional fitness specialists Jordan Fitness to equip the new extension. Gym manager Sarah Howard said: “Jordan Fitness are experts at functional fitness training and we are confident their equipment will help attract more female users as members. And, the men won’t miss out as they are also having Jordan Fitness free weights including Powerbags, Olympic training discs and medicine balls in their newly refurbished zones.”

The weights area at Crayford Weights and Fitness.

UK FITNESS SCENE Personal trainer Dean Hodgkin (pictured left) has been recognised with a prestigious lifetime achievement award for his services to the fitness industry. Dean, whose achievements include pioneering combat fitness, presenting masterclasses and workshops in 36 countries and releasing 23 videos and DVDs, received the accolade at the International Fitness Showcase gala dinner in Blackpool. Dean said: “I knew nothing about it in advance and so standing up there in front of the cream of the training providers, equipment suppliers and presenters I was completely shocked but also incredibly proud.”

Gyms rally to boost Sport Relief tally By Christina Eccles

ing an impressive £4,000.

GYMS up and down the country did their bit for charity by taking part in events and challenges to raise money for Sport Relief. Fitness facilities which got involved included independent gym Oxygen Fit in East Barnet where the club’s owners organised a leg of the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in their local park. Gym owner Emma Godly said: “It ended up being an absolutely fantastic day with over 300 people participating. “We had a lot of support from members young and old, and also great turnout from the local community.” Over in Oxfordshire, TFD Health and Fitness, near Wantage, staged a day’s worth of fancy dress fitness classes where members and instructors came to the sessions in their favourite character costumes. Outfits included superheroes, pirates and footballers – with the club raising almost £100. An open day at énergie Fitness Club and PlayGolf in Northwick Park also proved successful, rais-

Almost 3,000 people attended, with 200 people from the club taking part in the mile and others enjoying a bouncy castle, face painting, BBQ and cake stalls. Inside the fitness club, organisers held a Strongest Male and Female competition – a circuit challenge involving rowing, sit ups, kettlebell swings, bunny bench hops and press ups. Raffle tickets were also sold for prizes, including an Indian head massage and tickets to a film premiere at Leicester Square, and staff held taster classes such as Zumba and Pilates. Club manager Lenka Rybickova added: “This was an amazing event and people from all around the area came to join in. “We are overwhelmed by the amount raised which we are delighted will be going to a fantastic cause.” How has your gym been supporting local charities? Let Workout know by contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463 or emailing ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

TV’s The Apprentice contestants weigh into fitness industry ... CANDIDATES on hit TV show The Apprentice got a taste of working in the fitness industry when they were tasked with devising a hot new exercise class. The teams had two days to come up with a concept before pitching their routines to leading health and fitness chains who would pay for the rights to run them if they liked what they saw.

The eventual winning team opted for a retro class, complete with space hoppers and hula hoops, while their opponents went for a class fusing dance and martial arts. The FIA’s chairman Fred Turok gave his thoughts on their efforts when he joined model Katie Price and comedian Simon Evans on follow up show, The Apprentice: You’re Fired.

UK FITNESS SCENE

With its most exclusive ‘black’ annual membership coming with a five-figure price tag, ESPA Life at the Corinthia Hotel attracts London’s most discerning clientele. Christina Eccles visited the club which combines fitness with a five-star service.

The silver steel swimming pool at ESPA Life.

Nothing is ordinary about this exclusive London club UNUSUAL features such as private sleep pods and individual personal training areas, make ESPA Life no ordinary gym. With its position in one of the capital’s most iconic hotels, quality is key, and staff at the club work hard to provide the best service for hotel guests from all over the world, while helping private members to achieve their health and fitness goals. To create the club, ESPA worked closely with equipment provider Life Fitness which kitted the facility out with products from its top end Engage cardio and Signature strength ranges. Key account manager James Blower helped design the layout and told Workout, high end luxury and the best equipment were key to the plans.

The glass encased amphitheatre sauna.

He said: “We worked closely with ESPA – this is their flagship club – as they wanted to create a great workout space for hotel residents and members. “The key focus was getting the right blend for the hotel’s business and leisure guests and making sure it’s a great space for the personal training market.” With clients paying about £90 an hour for personal training, they are looking for an exclusive experience – something which the individual pods help to achieve. All four pods have specific equipment – one has Power Plate, another resistance equipment and another functional kit – plus mirrors which help the client to focus on getting the right technique.

James added: “If you’re a trainer, you can spend half a session getting hold of the right equipment. If you have pre-designed pods, all the tools are there for you. “It speeds up the transition of the workout and makes it easier for clients and trainers.” The gym and spa facilities also work closely together to provide the ultimate workout and relaxation experience. Other features include a silver steel swimming pool, vitality pool with air and water massage jets, glass encased amphitheatre sauna and a lounge area serving a range of healthy food and drink. The fitness facilities also act as a great selling point for the hotel, with previous guests using website Trip Advisor, rating it as one of the Corinthia’s highest scoring areas. This summer will see the club mark its first anniversary and although membership is currently quite small, this means staff can give members their undivided attention. As part of this, different specialists,

such as personal trainers, nutritionists and physiotherapists, work closely together to offer members the ultimate package and improve every area of their lives. Club manager Phil Daniels added: “What attracted me here was the concept of wellness and being able to work in a close environment with other areas such as rehabilitation and our osteopath. “I’ve not seen it done this well before – the process is fantastic. We offer a very personal service and can concentrate closely on members. “We currently have about 25 members and are looking to get to about 180 by the end of the year.” Plans in the pipeline this year include revamping membership options and organising a running club two mornings per week, followed by a healthy breakfast in the spa lounge. Phil is also going to get the word out there about the gym by setting up a dedicated blog and Facebook page, which will give users access to fitness and nutrition tips online.

One of several gyms which features Life Fitness equipment.

COMBAT

A Plymouth combat gym is going from strength to strength – reaching the finals of a prestigious awards scheme and completing an ambitious expansion all within the last six months. Workout paid a visit.

Combat club where friendliness and family are key ... FRIENDLINESS and family are the keys to success at Hybrid MMA and Fitness Centre – smashing the stereotypical view of a hardcore combat club. The gym was set up by Darren Norris almost two years ago, after he decided to fulfill his dream of opening a club which could make martial arts disciplines more accessible to the wider community. The club currently has just over 200 members and is still growing – with users including everyone from title holding fighters to mums who enjoy the class timetables and kids who want to try something new. After getting off to a successful start, the club expanded in January to include a new fitness suite, allowing them to further increase their offering to members and offer a comprehensive class timetable including TRX sessions, yoga, Zumba and ladies’ kickboxing. Darren explained: “Things are going well. We expanded a lot sooner than I anticipated and it’s all very positive. “The traditional image of MMA is that it’s two meat heads fighting each other in a cage but we are trying to re-educate people and open it up to a wider spectrum.

“About 90 per cent of our members don’t want to get in a cage, but they enjoy the fitness benefits and confidence side.” Another popular area of the club is its cafe and shop, which stocks a wide range of items including supplements and drinks, as well as branded workout clothing and specialist MMA equipment. The cafe also acts as a meeting area and is often used by parents waiting for their kids to come out of classes, adding to the sociable and friendly atmosphere. Although the business is still relatively new, Darren is already thinking about the future. The club was shortlisted for best combat gym at the 2011 National Fitness Awards and Darren told Workout he would eventually like to roll out the concept to other sites. He added: “The plan is to build up our membership base and do a lot more work in the local community,schools and colleges. Eventually we would like to open another site in the Devon and Cornwall area. What we are doing appears to be working, so once we have refined that, we will roll it out somewhere else.”

Derelict building transformed into community gym CHAMPION boxer Jamie Arthur has teamed up with functional fitness specialists Jordan Fitness to regenerate a local community gym in rural South Wales. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist and his fitness instructor wife Karen have spent six months transforming a derelict building in Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd into a thriving independent gym. The club, Arthur’s Boxing Gym,

opened in February this year and has already attracted 100 members, with Jordan Fitness equipping the facility with Powerbags, Alpha Strong sandbags and Jungle Gym XT Suspension Training Systems. Sales director Zak Pitt said: “We are very happy to help Jamie’s community project as he is such an inspiring role model and extremely driven in his vision to drive down obesity and promote healthy living through fitness.”

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Rosemary and Kardy bid to get nation fit DIET and fitness guru Rosemary Conley and exercise presenter Kardy Laguda have launched a new bid to get the nation fit. Kardy-O-Fun is a new collaboration between Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs and fitness performer Kardy, which combines healthy eating advice and an aerobics and dance workout into one class. Rosemary said: “We all know we need to incorporate more exercise into our daily lives. Adults need at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week but we will only stick to exercise if it is easy and fun. “This is where Kardy comes in. “Kardy-O-Fun is an infectious, powerfully motivating dance-based workout with simple movements choreographed in a fun and professional way which can be followed by anyone of any age and ability. I challenge anyone looking to lose weight not to enjoy our Kardy-O-Fun classes.”

Kardy Laguda and Rosemary Conley.

Picture credit: Alan Olley.

Suppliers protest against sports drinks VAT plan By Christina Eccles ANGRY suppliers have joined forces to protest against plans to add 20 per cent VAT onto some sports nutrition drinks, claiming it will penalise those who want to be healthy and active. Last issue, Workout told of proposals announced during the budget, which would see some products currently with a zero VAT rating, be subject to the 20 per cent tax rate from October 1. But the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance has condemned the proposals – claiming the increase is a tax on health and nutrition at a time when the UK is facing an unprecedented obesity crisis and preparing to host the Olympics. The alliance has warned that imposing additional costs on consumers could result in them purchasing unsafe, unregulated and untaxed products online – or otherwise being penalised for following Government advice to be more active. The alliance also claims the treasury

has underestimated the effect of the tax increase and is not allowing sufficient time for consultation. Campaign director for the UK SSNA Chris Whitehouse said: “With the Olympics around the corner and an ever-growing national problem of obesity, it makes no sense for the Government to hike up the cost of products designed to promote good health. “This measure is ill-considered, unwelcome and will either push consumers away from healthy products or towards alternatives they find on the web that will be unregulated and quite possibly unsafe.” Robin Holiday is managing director of CLF Distribution, the largest independent UK distributor of sports nutrition products. He added: “This is an extremely disappointing decision by the chancellor that will penalise members of the public looking out for their wellbeing. “In the year that we’re hosting the Olympics it seems quite bizarre that the Government should be trying to

impose a health tax, when other less healthy food and drinks such as milk shakes, drinking chocolate and Jaffa cakes continue to be zero-rated for VAT.” The Government had originally announced plans to hold a shortened consultation of just six weeks on the proposals, but this has now been extended until May 18, after opposition from the Alliance. Chris added: “The decision to extend the consultation is the direct result of the huge number of consumers who have made their feelings known and have either written or sent postcards to their MPs. The Government should see that the writing is on the wall and should drop these unnecessary proposals.” The UK SSNA has also launched a petition, which it hopes will generate 10,000 signatures, calling on chancellor George Osborne to reverse his decision. It can be viewed at http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/vatonsportsdrinks

Watch your salt intake, association warns THE British Dietetic Association urged people to look more closely at their salt consumption during a dedicated salt awareness week.

The association issued some easy to understand facts and tips to help consumers cut down on how much salt they eat. These include using lit-

tle or no salt in cooking, cutting back on salty, processed foods and ready meals and checking food labels for lower salt choices.

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Little Black Dress Club shaping up well for Katie A SMALL group training concept combining nutritional advice with short effective workouts is proving a successful business model for personal trainer of the year Katie Bulmer-Cooke. Katie set up The Little Black Dress Club after spotting a gap in the market for something which combines a personal training programme with a bootcamp style class. The workout is aimed at busy women, who struggle to find time for prioritising themselves and their health, and proved so successful in her hometown of Sunderland that she franchised the model six months ago. The Little Black Dress Club is now running in 15 towns and cities in areas as far afield as Lanarkshire, Wales and Essex – taking off particularly well in the North East area where it originated. Throughout the six week course, five women are trained together each time. The workouts never last longer than 45 minutes and, according to Katie, the short, effective sessions, plus the combination of support from fellow members and nutritious meal plans is helping generate great results. She said: “The programme was an instant success and the results achieved by my clients were outstanding, with clients dropping up to two dress sizes in just 36 days. “It’s for real women, with busy schedules, long working hours and family commitments, who’ve tried every weight loss solution out there, but never seen the results they’ve craved.” To help keep clients on track with their healthy

Katie Bulmer-Cooke

eating, Katie has also developed an e-book containing a range of recipes such as homemade soups and stews, many of which can be easily prepared in advance and cooked in a slow cooker. And she told Workout, making healthy food easy and fun means clients are more likely to stick to these good habits, even once the programme is complete. She added: “The nutrition plan is a very family orientated cookbook. I did it with my mum – I gave her a list of ingredients and the kind of thing I wanted and she came up with the recipes. “A lot of diets are quite boring and too ‘samey’ and don’t capture the client’s imagination. If you make it interesting and fun, people are so much more likely to stick to it.” Katie was recently named PT of the year at the International Fitness Showcase Awards in Blackpool and added that the win has already helped to further boost her business as it generated a lot of positive local press coverage. She added: “I’m thrilled to bits I won – in fact I still don’t think it’s properly sunk in – and I want to make the most of having this prestigious title to my name.” Her future plans include rolling out the Little Black Dress Club to more franchisees and she says her dream would be to get into TV and media work.

‘100 per cent traceable from cow to can ...’ SPORTS nutrition specialist Kinetica continues to lead the way in the protein category. Working with elite professional sports nutritionist Matt Lovell and the scientific team at their exclusive flavour lab, Kinetica has created and developed a range of whey protein products that defines the best quality, best tasting product in the marketplace. Kinetica whey protein products contain essential peptides, amino acids and digestive enzyme Aminogen, which help to replenish your body’s amino acid levels and support lean muscle growth and recovery. Absorbed quickly by the body, Kinetica Whey protein lets you achieve the maximum effect in a short space of time, aiding muscle

development and maintenance. Kinetica Whey Protein is ideal for all athletes and fitness enthusiasts simply add low-fat milk or water to create a delicious shake. Available in 1kg, 2.7kg and 4.5kg tubs. Also in the Kinetica whey protein range are Milk pro and Crisp pro bars and Ready to Drink product all underlining the company’s commitment to working hard, tasting great. Each product in the Kinetica range is made from natural ingredients. They’re 100 per cent traceable from cow to can. For more information visit www.KineticaSports.com

‘Pivotal partnership’ announced MAXIFUEL has signed a deal to become the official sports nutrition partner to the UK’s biggest cycling event, The Tour of Britain, which includes The Halfords Tour Series and The Tour Rides. The company will provide amateur riders with individually tailored nutritional support to complement their lifestyle, training and racing schedules, as well as support professional participants and race enthusiasts through sampling opportunities at the various events. Senior sponsorship and PR manager for Maxifuel, Mark Morgan said: “We are delighted to

announce this pivotal partnership with The Tour of Britain and are relishing the opportunity to make a nutritional impact on such an exciting and vibrant series of cycling events. “Following our recent sponsorship of the UK Youth Pro Cycling team this deal further exemplifies Maxifuel’s commitment to cycling.” The company is also supporting a number of GB athletes including Stuart Hayes (triathlon), Kate Dennison (pole vault), Chris Walker- Hebborn (swimming) and Andrew Steele (athletics).

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Knock-out treat for shop duo By Helen Williams DAVID Stache and Ben Pryor had a bonus after launching their new S1 Supplements shop in Sheffield – ringside tickets to an international fight watched by 10,000 boxing fans. Ben and David’s shop has won the support of Sheffield pro boxer Kell Brook, and he was happy to invite them to his clash with Matthew Hatton in March when he won the IBF International Welterweight title. Ben said: “It was surreal how he came to promote the shop for us. I was in a friend’s bar on New Year’s Eve talking to a guy. I happened to mention Kell’s name and the guy just said ‘I’ve got his number here.’ The next thing Kell was at our launch in April.” Nutritionist David and personal trainer Ben met when they were both working at Fitness First. David added: “We are passionate about sport, health and nutrition and had been looking for shop premises for two years. We decided to just go for it and self-finance the whole thing.” Ben is able to fit his personal

training commitments around shop hours, and David, who has a degree in sports nutrition and a masters in management, runs a nutrition consultancy from his laptop in the shop. In September he will be starting a further masters in human clinical nutrition. “We aim to give people good advice, but to do that you have to get to know them,” said David. “I don’t want to sell customers something that won’t work or something they don’t need. If people come in asking for fat burners, my first question is why?” Ben and David, both from Sheffield, say they are filling a niche that the city needs, and appealing to men and women customers. David added: “There are other supplements shops but not like us. There is a perception that supplements are only about muscle building but sometimes people want to find, for example, fish oils or something that’s good for sleep. I suppose we’re a bit like Holland and Barrett.” They are fans of specialist sports supplements like Kinetica, and bestsellers include Myprotein and

David Stache and Ben Pryor with boxer Kell Brook BSN. But also on the shelves are products like SleepEezy Valerian root, evening primrose, and Devil’s Claw tablets, as well as protein bars and beef jerky. The business supplies a couple of gyms and Ben and David are approaching other independent

clubs that they think would be a good match for their products. They are also looking at partnerships and sponsorships with Sheffield Eagles rugby league club, as well as a women’s football team and a netball team, and hosting seminars and open days offering samples to customers.

PRODUCT NEWS

LIW: attracting a unique audience LEISURE Industry Week is the UK's largest event that covers all sectors of the out of home leisure industry. Health and Fitness at LIW, supported by the Fitness Industry Association, provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase new products and ideas and conduct business faceto-face with senior decision makers from key industry players such as Virgin Active, Bourne Leisure, Fitness First, Bannatyne Group and many more. With its six sectors (health and fitness, pool and spa, eat and drink, sport, play and attractions and leisure facilities) LIW attracts a unique audience of over 9,000 from all walks of

the leisure industry, seeking to discover the latest innovations, learn from industry experts, see demonstrations of the trends currently hitting the market and network with their peers. Don’t miss out, book your stand for 2012 and get your company in front of this vast market. LIW is taking place from September 18-20. To find out more call Max Quittenton on 079553972 or email max.quittenton@ubm.com

Visitor number of 65,800 exceeds all expectations RECORD visitor numbers attended this year’s FIBO in Essen, organisers Reed Exhibitions have revealed. 65,800 visitors came through the doors, with a total of 612 exhibitors from 35 countries showcasing the latest trends, products and training from the fitness, wellness and health market. Reed CEO Hans-Joachim Erbel said: “21 years ago we came to Essen as an offbeat fitness and bodybuilding event, today we are leaving as the leading international trade show for fitness, wellness and health: that is a development we also owe to the extraordinarily good cooperation and

partnership with the entire Messe Essen team.” Next year FIBO moves to Cologne, with the show taking place from April 11 to 14 2013. For more information visit www.fibo.de

Escape supports best newcomer with TRX on Tour training THE owners of award-winning independent gym Oxygen Fit joined forces with Escape Fitness for a special TRX masterclass, designed to help them deliver the classes in their club. The relationship between the two started when Escape sponsored the National Fitness Award for best newcomer, which was won last year by the Barnet-based club. To help keep the club on its toes and able to offer clients the latest in innovative, functional fitness, TRX on Tour popped in to see owners Neil and Emma Godly and the team.

Emma said: “Ritchie (master trainer from Escape) came to the club to do some training with me and the team. It was really nice to get some serious proper technique. Now I really know what I’m doing with the TRX and I’m really excited to put that into training for myself and my clients.” Matthew Januszek from Escape added: “We started as a company, from my parents’ spare room and so we are always excited to be able to support new entrepreneurs in the industry and watch them grow.” Watch all the action from the day at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ayer_embedded&v=lhTQeP9Enr0

New high-visibility safety feature for flooring ... FUNCTIONAL fitness specialists, Jordan Fitness, have introduced a new safety feature for their flooring. High visibility ramped yellow floor edging provides a health and safety feature to mark the boundaries of the matting and assist users with impaired vision. The edging is available in yellow only and compatible with Jordan Fitness’ Easy Lock Free Weight Flooring. The compatible flooring is available in black and gives a unique highly durable and flexible solution that will ensure your free weights and floor are protected from damage and marking by benches or other equipment. The new yellow floor edging is quick to install, easy to maintain and repair. In addition, both the flooring and edging are easy to move, highly durable and have an anti-slip surface. They

reduce noise and vibration, are cushioned and ideal for free weight areas, gymnasiums and other sports facilities. The product is made of high quality rubber, available in 50cm x 17cm tiles and with thicknesses of either 8mm or 12mm available, tapering down to a 5mm edge. Other technical details include a density: 2200kg/m3, hardness of 66° and a weight per 12mm tile of 6kg. For more information visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk

Introducing custom-made equipment HAMMER Strength, a Life Fitnessowned performance brand of strength equipment, introduces HD Elite; its most durable rack line, built for extreme training conditions and available with new custom-made options for coaches. This modular line of racks – which includes half-racks, single racks, power-racks and multi-racks – and more than 30 combo rack configurations, are all available with the options that teams and gyms need for the toughest training programs. The new line includes 38 options and accessories like the Power Pivot attachment, which locks Olympic bars into place for rotation exercises, adjustable band pegs and nine pullup bar options, including the patentpending Rotating Chin-Up Handle

that adjusts to multiple positions for more natural movement. Complementary storage selections are also available and there is a Sumo Base option that provides a wider space, giving taller athletes more room to perform. For more information visit www.HammerStrength.com/HDElite.

Les Mills reinvents barbell design Set sail in a new direction THE biggest innovation in barbell technology for decades is available now. Les Mills Smartbar is a revolutionary barbell weights system that gets faster results for users. With a patented design, this a one-of-a-kind barbell uses a new ‘gator’ fastening mechanism for speedy weight transitions. CEO of Les Mills Enterprises at Les Mills International Vaughan Schwass said: “The barbell weights system hasn’t changed much at all over the last 10 years. “Our research showed that most people found fastening and changing weight plates during exercise pretty slow and cumbersome, so we’ve kept user-testing at the front of our design

process and have completely reinvented traditional barbell design. “The Smartbar has a cutting-edge ergonomic design and an exclusive ‘gator’ fastening mechanism with retractable teeth. These combine to speed up plate transitions and help people maximise their workout and get faster results.” For more information visit www.lesmills.com/smartbar

HOW do you advance in your profession and see the world? Simple. You apply for a cruise ship job with Steiner, the largest and most renowned company that operates spas at sea. Steiner, who has been synonymous with quality spa and salon services at sea for over 50 years, employs over 2,000 spa professionals every year to travel while they work. We hire massage and beauty therapists, fitness instructors, physicians, acupuncturists, hairdressers, nail technicians and receptionists for our spas onboard luxury cruise ships.

These cruise ships sail all over the world. And when you join Steiner, so will you. For more information visit www.onespaworld.com

CLASSIFIED EQUIPMENT

UPHOLSTERY

FINANCE

LIGHTING

BELTING

FLOORING

CLASSIFIED DIRECT DEBIT COLLECTIONS

LOCKERS

AUDIO VISUAL

CLASSIFIED CLOTHING AND MERCHANDISE

SOFTWARE

SUNBEDS

CLASSIFIED INSURANCE

FOR SALE

ID CARD SUPPLIES

MIRRORS

SUPPS & NUTRITION

TRAINING

CLASSIFIED MARKETING

RECRUITMENT

TRAINING

MANAGEMENT

WANTED

CLASSIFIED

70 TO LET

Experience indoor cycling in a new way DEVELOPED by The Indoor Cycling Group and distributed by Matrix Fitness Systems, MyRide allows fitness enthusiasts of any level to experience indoor cycling in a new way, and is an ideal concept for fitness facilities looking to offer on-demand indoor cycling for members. The sleek, free-standing/wall mounted HD touchscreen console allows users to choose a biking challenge, build custom workouts, or simply be entertained while listening to music, watching their favourite TV shows, or surfing the Internet. With thousands of workout variations and in-studio or virtual outdoor coached rides, MyRide users have the opportunity to select a journey that suits their training needs at a time, intensity and duration thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for them. MyRide is also an ideal introduction for those who want to try indoor cycling but may be apprehensive about joining a class. Utilising outdoor scenery from Virtual Active, riders can bike through the Rockies, Yosemite, or the streets of LA without leaving the cardio floor, allowing them to get more engaged in their workouts, escape, and experience places theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never been.

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