Workout April 2024

Centre extension means upgrades and improvements

Blu Leisure marks five years with Macdonald Hotels

BLU Leisure is celebrating a five-year milestone in its ongoing partnership with Macdonald Hotels.

Macdonald Hotels ensures every guest has the perfect experience on every visit.

This includes the provision of quality leisure retail products, beautifully displayed and readily available at all times.

Blu Leisure has partnered with Macdonald Hotels since 2019 as the brand’s sole provider of leisure retail apparel and accessories.

Blu Leisure stocks all 21 of the brand’s health, fitness and spa clubs, working with each individual venue to ensure optimal display and to tailor the collection to the specific needs of each unique setting.

“Blu Leisure is our perfect retail partner,” said Dave Heap, leisure and spa director at Macdonald Hotels.

“Each of our health, fitness and spa clubs is unique in terms of its design, layout and, to some degree, clientele.

“This creates a need for a personalised retail offer and integrated display solution.

“Blu Leisure works with us to ensure every club optimises its retail potential through eye catching, functional display and product selection. All stock is supplied on a sale or return basis, creating a no-cost-risk solution that not only works for our guests but also for our business.”

Blu Leisure has direct liaison with

individual health, fitness and spa club managers, enabling the creation of highly personalised retail offers at every location.

Ben Orton, leisure club manager at Vital Health & Wellbeing, Alveston, added: “Our guests expect an elevated level of service that needs to be reflected in our retail provision.

“Through Blu Leisure we offer products that are not available on the high street or elsewhere online,

Upgrades save centre 60 tonnes of carbon

HUTTON Moor Leisure Centre, part of the Parkwood Leisure estate, has made significant strides in sustainability and community engagement, solidifying the operator’s commitment to environmental responsibility and improved wellbeing in the local community.

In an exciting move towards improved management and operational control, Parkwood Leisure, in collaboration with North Somerset Council, has upgraded the building management system. These changes have led to significantly reduced carbon emissions and increases in energy efficiency for the leisure centre.

Parkwood Leisure managing director Glen Hall said: “This project highlights Parkwood Leisure’s commitment to the environmental responsibility that comes with running leisure facilities.

“By upgrading the key systems that support the operational running of the centre, we are able to simultaneously improve the experience of the local community while maximising sustainability for a greener future.”

The project, which has been running since November, has reduced Hutton Moor Leisure Centre’s electricity consumption by up to 60,000KWh and gas by 18,000KWh with total carbon emission savings of over 60 tonnes per year.

These upgrades mean it is possible for centre staff to monitor the demands of essential functions such as lighting,

heating and AC.

The system is constantly monitoring the demands of the facility and making real-time adjustments to optimise energy usage, meaning lights only shine where needed and energy consumption is minimised without compromising the comfort and safety of customers and colleagues.

As part of this project to optimise the facilities, new variable speed pool pumps have been installed which allows the centre to circulate water at lower flow rates for extended periods throughout the day.

By allowing the water to circulate at lower flow rates for longer durations, Hutton Moor maximises energy savings without compromising water quality or guest experience.

As a part of Parkwood Leisure’s continued commitment to reducing carbon emissions and saving energy across all its sites, Hutton Moor Leisure Centre will be making further investments into energy efficiency at the site over the course of the year.

creating a sense of exclusivity, something our guests really appreciate.

“Working with Blu Leisure, products are regularly evolved to reflected seasonal styles and colour-ways, ensuring our guests have access to all the latest design trends and fabric innovations.

“Just recently, Blu Leisure has introduced Eco Blu, a sustainable range of swimwear, manufactured

from recycled plastic recovered from the ocean.

“As our guests become more environmentally aware and eager to play their part in protecting the planet, innovations like this are becoming more and more popular.”

Blu Leisure supplies Macdonald Hotels with a wide range of good from leisure and swimwear apparel for all the family to accessories including goggles, towels, children’s floatation aids and swim nappies, flip flops, holdalls and water bottles.

Ben said: “Some of our sales come from impulse buys prompted by guests who have perhaps forgotten to pack a swimsuit or pair of googles but many also come from guests making considered decisions about what they want to wear and be seen with.

“In addition to the provision of highquality goods, the team at Blu Leisure are also great to deal with. Nothing is too much trouble and items arrive with us within 24 hours of placing an order.

“Blu Leisure ensures our retail displays remain fully stocked and optimised at all times, ensuring a continuous, high level of service for members and a constant, no-risk, simple to maintain, revenue making opportunity for our business. A partnership with Blu Leisure delivers a win for everyone.”

For more information about Blu Leisure visit bluleisure.co.uk

BFT kickstarts 2024 with global growth

BODY Fit Training, Australia’s fastestgrowing fitness franchise, has kickstarted 2024 by strategically expanding its international footprint in the UK and Asia-Pacific.

The brand has not only welcomed its second Scottish franchisee in Glasgow, but is also rapidly progressing the franchise’s aim to open 150 studios across the UK within the next three years.

With Asia-Pacific now being the number one global growth leader in fitness, BFT has also recently celebrated

the entry of two new markets in Indonesia and South Korea.

The multi-studio franchisees will add more than nine territories between them over the next two years.

This development builds on BFT’s commitment to provide world-class fitness to as many communities as possible, including Malaysia and Hong Kong only last year. Scotland is proving to be a prosperous market for BFT, with the second franchisee having just signed an agreement.

A strong advocate of BFT already, coowner Colin Fraser has two successful studios in Sydney and didn’t need convincing to open a new site when he returned to his roots in Glasgow.

Due to open the first of many studios this summer, Colin has grand plans to bring his passion and 15 years of entrepreneurial experience to his new BFT business venture with business partner Tony Smith.

“Having relocated back to my hometown of Glasgow with my wife and young family, I knew I wanted to bring the BFT brand back with me and replicate what I had achieved in Australia,” he said.

“The UK fitness market is really progressive, and people understand the importance of having a balanced approach to health and wellbeing, so I am confident that the local residents will

be really excited to see us open a studio. We are very close to signing a lease on a studio, so then it’s all systems go.”

2024 is already proving to be an exciting year for BFT both in the UK and internationally, and it highlights the demand for world-class training programmes and practices both in the UK and worldwide.

“We are rapidly signing up new franchisees in the UK, which is testament to the success of our existing studios, all of whom are excelling with their member numbers,” added BFT founder Cameron Falloon.

“By having master franchisees in

Asia-Pacific, we are able to continue our strategy to partner with experienced, well-resourced operators who have specific market expertise to strengthen our global presence.

“There is significant opportunity for BFT to expand its presence around the world and to grow the brand with new and existing international multi-unit operators to serve even more members around the world.

“We recently launched our first European studio in Barcelona with 155 members and it was a great success for both franchisee and the local community.”

Meeting room transformed into studio offering inclusive fitness

SANDWELL Leisure Trust has created an exercise haven tailored for those who struggle to access traditional gym settings due to their age, health or mobility.

A former meeting room has been transformed into the Live Well Studio, which is attracting a diverse group of new users including stroke victims and wheelchair users.

Located at Portway Lifestyle Centre in Oldbury, West Midlands, the studio is home to six pieces of Innerva’s powerassisted exercise equipment inherited from Langley Swimming Centre, which closed in 2022.

Since its launch, the studio has recorded 1,500 visits from the local community, with many users booking in for four to five sessions a week.

The inclusive and inviting environment

Director of Operations:

Dominic Musgrave

Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Studio manager: Paul Hopkinson ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Sales:

Tracy Stacey

Tel: 01226 734480 sales2@workout-uk.co.uk

www.workoutuk.co.uk

provides a safe and gentle 30-minute workout suitable for people over the age of 16 and all levels of fitness, including older adults, those new to exercise and people with health conditions.

“The studio has attracted people you

wouldn’t find in your everyday gym, including wheelchair users, those with visual impairment and stroke victims,” said Liz Griffin, site fitness coordinator for Portway Lifestyle Centre.

“People tell us the equipment is really

improving their quality of life,” One of the features of the Live Well Studio is its relaxed and friendly setting, which appeals to people who are uncomfortable in traditional gyms, she says.

Liz added: “Users like the cosiness of the studio which encourages social interaction and allows people to have a good natter with each other.

“The social aspect is just as important for some of our users as the physical benefits they get from the equipment.”

Sandwell Leisure Trust has partnered with a variety of organisations to provide access to the studio and enhance its role as a community hub.

These include Sandwell Adult Social Care Services and the Albion Foundation, which works with adults with learning difficulties.

Industry veteran joins leadership team

RENAUD Grout, who has spent more than a quarter of a century leading the international business and growth of NordicTrack, Pro-Form and iFIT, has been named the new senior vice president of international sales for Freemotion.

His industry experience will be an invaluable asset to Freemotion as it looks to further expand its global presence in 2024 and beyond. Renaud will oversee the rest of the world, outside of North America and LATAM regions.

“The Freemotion business has and will continue to see significant growth in the international markets,” said Mark Watterson, CEO of iFIT Commercial. “The appointment of Renaud will only enhance and continue to drive this momentum.”

As part of Renaud’s appointment,

LATAM Sales,

the company’s North American dealer network and LATAM business.

Mark added: “Chris’ longstanding relationships with the US dealer network and his extensive experience in the LATAM region will super-charge our growth in these markets.

“Chris is a true Freemotion ambassador and we are confident in his future success.”

Commenting on his new role, Renaud added: “I am eager to contribute to the development of Freemotion – a vital brand within the wider iFIT family.

“Freemotion has the capability and the opportunity to further grow and amplify the business and brand internationally – I am excited to work with the team and our sales partners to maximise these opportunities.”

Freemotion Fitness’ senior vice president of sales Chris McGill will become senior vice president of dealer and

overseeing

Renaud Grout

Colin Fraser

The new BFT Exiample - Barcelona studio at its recent launch.

Complaints about group exercise are a thing of the past for operator

COMPLAINTS about group exercise have become a thing of the past for the Reynolds Group thanks to a partnership with CoverMe, a digital platform that simplifies group exercise and PT management for clubs and instructors.

Running more than 200 group exercise classes across three sites every week presented challenges for the Reynolds Group, especially when their instructors fell ill or took a holiday.

Reynolds Group director Stephen Turner said: “Finding cover was a daily issue; taking up a significant amount of admin time – approximately 24 hours a week across our three sites.

“A stretch class is never a great alternative for yoga and we would

consistently receive complaints when our specialist freelance instructors had to be substituted by our employed instructors.

“Since introducing CoverMe in November 2023 we haven’t had a single complaint about group exercise. The technology has allowed us to restructure so individual clubs are responsible for finding their own cover, which has also saved valuable time and resources.

“We’ve made savings of around £28,000, which we are reinvesting in member services, such as adding new classes.”

Ellie Morgan, head of fitness and group exercise, previously spent 40 hours each week managing group exercise across the group. With the introduction of the app, she now enjoys a more member-

facing role, teaching an additional eight hours of classes on-shift, overseeing fitness and group exercise and helping to grow the business.

CoverMe revolutionises the way fitness professionals manage group exercise classes, providing the ability to source the best freelance exercise instructors in just three steps and less than 30 seconds.

Previously the Reynolds Group managed the process of finding cover manually using different WhatsApp groups for each site.

Stephen added: “CoverMe is the only thing we now use for finding cover instructors because it’s so great for organisation and compliance. Previously I would have to read about 40 WhatsApp messages to work out who was covering a class. Now everything is in one

place and easily accessible. I can cross reference class cover with the relevant invoices, streamlining our procedures and ensuring the accounts are correct, which is fantastic.”

The app’s unique QR code system enables instructors to scan in at the club, so managers can track who is in the building. It produces class cover reports and generates automatic, accurate invoices to save further time and administration.

It can also be used to find new permanent instructors to take group exercise classes and, at the Reynolds Group, has encouraged employed staff to earn additional income.

Stephen concluded: “Staff are more happy to volunteer to take regular classes off-shift, knowing if they are ill or something comes up, they can easily find class cover.

“We still have to make some lastminute cancellations, but since launching the app we’ve covered approximately 80 per cent more classes than normal, and haven’t had to deal with any escalated complaints.

“It has improved the work-life balance of management and instructors, both employed and self-employed, helping them as much as us, and instructors have referred the CoverMe app to other clubs they work with because it makes their lives so much easier, broadening our network of instructors.”

Why buy new gym equipment when you can refresh?

MORE and more gym operators are choosing to elevate their facility by refreshing their existing gym equipment. Take for example two of the UK’s largest gym operators, The Ministry of Defence and Nuffield Health.

In recent months, both operators have enhanced their gym facilities at a number of sites by refreshing their existing equipment rather than purchasing new equipment. There are several benefits for refreshing your existing gym equipment rather than purchasing brand-new equipment:

1. Cost savings: Refreshing existing gym equipment is more cost-effective than purchasing new equipment. By refreshing existing equipment, you will save a significant amount of money

while still improving performance and aesthetics.

2. Maximising ROI: Refreshing existing equipment maximises your original return on investment. Operators such as the MOD and Nuffield Health have extended the lifespan of their equipment and will now continue to get value from their initial investment having refreshed instead of purchasing entirely new machines.

3. Member satisfaction: Familiarity and consistency are important to your members. Refreshing existing equipment helps maintain a sense of continuity for members who are accustomed to using certain machines. This can enhance member satisfaction and reduce the need for additional member training on new equipment.

4. Minimising downtime: Replacing all your gym equipment requires a significant amount of time and effort, resulting in downtime for your gym. Refreshing existing equipment can be done

incrementally, allowing your gym to remain operational and minimising disruption to member usage.

5. Minimal learning curve: Introducing brand-new equipment may require staff training and member orientation to ensure proper usage. Refreshing existing equipment reduces the learning curve for both your staff and your members since they are already familiar with the basic function of the equipment.

6. Flexibility and customisation: Refreshing equipment enables you to tailor it to your specific needs and preferences. You can choose the colour of the frame, the colour of the upholstery and whether you would like to brand the equipment with an embroidered logo, enhancing the overall experience and satisfaction.

7. Environmental considerations: By refreshing gym equipment instead of replacing it with new, you will contribute to environmental sustainability by minimising waste and reducing the ecological footprint. This aligns with the

growing importance of eco-conscious practices in the fitness industry.

8. Budget allocation: Refreshing existing equipment allows you to allocate your budget strategically. Instead of spending a significant portion of your budget on new equipment, you can allocate funds to other areas such as marketing, facility improvements, or member engagement initiatives.

9. Compatibility and integration: Refreshing existing equipment ensures compatibility and integration with your gym’s existing technology infrastructure. This can simplify data tracking, connectivity, and management systems, enabling seamless integration of upgraded features without significant disruptions.

To find out more about refreshing your existing gym equipment, or to arrange for a member of the ServiceSport UK team to visit your site to discuss further, please contact

01257 264 738 or email sales@servicesport.com

Advertiser’s

The before and after refresh work that Servicesport completed at Nuffield Health Wokingham.

Stephen Turner

Heavyweights join forces through new corporate wellness partnership

GLASGOW headquartered well-being company The Original Fit Factory, creators of corporate well-being solution TruConnect, has announced a partnership with fellow British health and well-being company, Westfield Health.

The partnership will see The Original Fit Factory’s TruConnect corporate platform integrated into Westfield Health’s UK Active Space proposition, as well as supporting the well-being of Westfield Health employees internally.

Together the businesses will explore opportunities to expand the platform across Westfield Health’s portfolio of wellbeing and insurance corporate clients – which as a collective includes 400,000 people and 9,000 businesses across the UK and Europe – including global brands in the finance and healthcare sectors. Enrolled businesses will have access to TruConnect’s extensive collection of fitness programmes, health, well-being and nutrition resources, in some cases extending to the provision of a bespoke cloudbased, corporate gym management software solution which The Original Fit Factory has developed to streamline the delivery and provision of corporate fitness spaces for businesses and employees across Westfield Health’s client portfolio.

James Wildish, head of technology and corporate wellness at TruConnect, said: “Looking at mental

health issues alone they cost UK employers up to £42billion last year.

“Health and well-being moving up the corporate agenda is long overdue, and we’re incredibly excited to be working with Westfield Health to empower businesses to take the best possible care of their employees.

“We’ve created the TruConnect corporate wellness solution with HR and benefits professionals in mind, so businesses can integrate it with existing solutions quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively, while still meeting strict corporate security

requirements.”

Having already been rolled out to a number of Westfield Health clients to further bolster Westfield Health’s holistic provision of wellbeing services which span the likes of mental health support, gym management and health insurance, TruConnect’s whole of workforce employee well-being solution is supported by a corporate dashboard which allows management and employers to view anonymous, aggregated analytics on the wellbeing of their customers and

employees. It also features unique interactive functionalities designed to empower users to take control of their physical and mental wellbeing together, with for example, the capability for employers to roll out challenges across workforces, and for employees to be able to do everything from creating, completing and logging their own workouts, to monitoring their mental health through the use of meditations, soundscapes and podcasts.

Westfield Health CEO Dave Capper added: “We’re thrilled to be announcing this partnership with TruConnect which we see only furthering the exceptional customer experience we pride ourselves on delivering across our client portfolio.

“At a time when many employers are under extreme financial pressure, investing to help employees cope can seem expensive, both in cost and time, but the cost of ignoring the problem is even greater.

“Partnering with TruConnect made complete sense for us given their ability to deliver a best-in-class whole of workforce solution spanning both corporate well-being and gym management.”

Work is already underway as The Original Fit Factory and Westfield Health also look towards possible expansion of the rollout to encompass Westfield Health’s 420,000 wellbeing and insurance clients.

‘New look’ gyms launched following major investment

operates leisure facilities in the borough, has launched its ‘new look’ gyms following a £750,000 investment.

The refurbishments of Chadderton Wellbeing Centre, Failsworth Sports Centre, Oldham Leisure Centre and Royton Leisure Centre were successfully completed on schedule at the end of 2023.

Stuart Lockwood, CEO of Oldham Active, said: “We are thrilled with the transformation of our gyms, and we’re sure that you will be impressed too. We’ve enjoyed hearing our

customers positive feedback from the refurbishment.

“As a charitable organisation our aim is to support people to find opportunities for better wellbeing; to help achieve this we need inspiring and welcoming facilities.

“The substantial investment into our facilities means all our venues have high quality equipment that’s easy to use, whilst creating a safe space where our customers enjoy spending time, now and into the future.

“We listened to our customers feedback and experience to create training spaces that the whole

community feel comfortable and motivated in.

“This isn’t just a lick of paint, the refurbishment, plus the new equipment, as well as our extended opening hours and our extensive timetable of classes, sports and aquatic activities, demonstrate there is really something for everyone.

“Furthermore, our dedicated, friendly team of experts is always available to assist you in making the most of your visit.”

The works included a substantial upgrade to the gym space at all four of the leisure centres, including a total

replacement of the cardiovascular equipment by Technogym.

Each of the indoor cycling studios have benefitted from either new or upgraded bikes and there is also a new, fully interactive gym floor cycle zone at Oldham Leisure Centre.

In addition, following requests from customers, a state-of-the-art sauna is a new addition to Royton Leisure Centre too.

Overall, customers will also enjoy the atmospheric lighting, décor and flooring, which deliver a fresh feel and positive outlook, whilst public high speed Wi-Fi has been introduced at all the centres.

OLDHAM Active (Oldham Community Leisure), the charitable trust that

Refurbs first in string of Sport Wales funded projects

ALLIANCE Leisure has completed the refurbishment of two gym spaces at Sport Wales National Centre to enhance the workout experience at the home of Welsh sport, with more Sport Wales-funded projects underway, including the country’s first interactive squash court. Working with Orbit 4, who redesigned the cardio and freeweights rooms, the £250,000 project at Sport Wales National Centre involved a complete overhaul of both spaces including the installation of new equipment, flooring and full redecoration throughout.

The team worked with Sport Wales to ensure the layout of both spaces

reflects the member journey and addresses the unique needs of their 800 members. The creative team at Alliance Leisure’s marketing agency, TA6, also provide new graphics and branding for the space aligning to the Sport Wales brand.

Alliance Leisure business development manager Gillian Dunster said: “This tailored and impactful project is already delivering benefits to members and is testament to the fact that enhancing member experiences doesn’t always require investments running to millions of pounds.

“By actively listening to customers and gaining a deep understanding of their needs, you can optimise spaces

to serve members better to retain them for longer.”

Alliance Leisure is working on a number of other Sport Wales-funded projects.

Part of more than £3m worth of funding, the projects will improve community sports facilities and leisure centres across Wales in the next few months.

They include new floodlighting for 3G and 2G pitches at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern.

Completing in the near future the installation will allow the pitches to be used by local schools and the public outside of daylight hours.

A new sports hall floor at Holyhead Leisure Centre will ensure continued

safe use for classes, clubs, competitions as well as the wider community when it completes in April. Finally, a PRAMA studio is planned for Prestatyn Leisure Centre for Denbighshire Leisure Ltd.

Expected to start on site this summer, the immersive circuit training programme combines music, lighting, interactive walls and flooring to offer more than 2,500 unique workouts.

The studio will form part of a wider scheme that also includes a clip ‘n climb facility and the first interactive squash court in Wales offering immersive projection graphics and video-game-style play to transform the game into a new sports experience.

Mastering social media advertising for gym growth – a guide for owners and managers

By Dean Godfrey

IN THE dynamic landscape of fitness marketing, the role of social media advertising has become increasingly pivotal for gym owners and managers striving to elevate their establishments.

In this comprehensive guide we’ll navigate through tailored strategies for popular platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, offering practical insights to optimise ad content for maximum engagement and conversion. Let’s dive into the world of social media advertising and unlock the potential for remarkable gym growth.

Choosing the right platforms

Understanding the distinct features and demographics of each social media platform is the first step in crafting a successful advertising strategy.

Instagram, with its visual appeal, is ideal for showcasing your gym’s atmosphere and success stories. Facebook’s diverse user base allows for targeted advertising and community building.

TikTok, known for its short-form videos, can inject a dose of creativity and fun into your gym’s marketing approach.

Tailoring your content to the unique strengths of each platform ensures that your message resonates effectively with your target audience.

Crafting compelling ad content

The art of social media advertising lies in creating content that not only captures attention but also communicates the essence of your gym.

Start by showcasing what makes your gym unique – whether it’s state-ofthe-art equipment, expert trainers, or a

vibrant community.

Feature success stories and transformations to inspire potential members.

Use high-quality visuals and concise, impactful messaging to convey your gym’s brand identity authentically.

Optimising for engagement and conversion Engagement and conversion are the cornerstones of a successful advertising campaign.

Encourage interaction by incorporating compelling calls-to-action in your ad content.

Whether it’s inviting viewers to sign up for a free trial, participate in a challenge, or attend an exclusive event, clear and enticing calls-to-action prompt viewers to take the next step.

Consider offering exclusive promotions or discounts for social media followers to further incentivise conversions.

Utilising analytics for continuous improvement

Data analytics provides valuable insights into the performance of your social media advertising efforts.

Pay attention to key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and audience

demographics.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer detailed analytics tools that can help you track the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Use this data to refine your strategies continually – identify what works, what resonates with your audience, and adjust your approach accordingly.

In conclusion, mastering social media advertising is not just about placing ads; it’s about crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

By choosing the right platforms, creating engaging content, and optimising for both engagement and conversion, gym owners and managers can unlock the full potential of social media for remarkable growth.

Embrace the educational journey of social media advertising, and watch as your gym establishes a robust online presence, attracts new members, and builds a thriving fitness community.

In an era where digital connectivity is paramount, harnessing the power of social media advertising is a gamechanger for the fitness industry.

n Dean Godfrey is the chief operations officer at Creative Fitness Marketing. https://uk.cfm.net

Dean Godfrey

Advertiser’s announcement

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Are contracts impacting sales at your gym?

By Wayne Heath

HISTORICALLY it was normal to be tied into a contract when you join a gym. It was one of the things a customer would have to agree to in exchange for working out at your club.

However, with the cost of living rising and consumer priorities changing, is it wise to still be selling and enforcing contracts for your gym?

More importantly, could doing so be negatively impacting sales?

Is it really good business sense?

Signing your customers up for contracts has always made good business sense.

It helps you forecast income, adds weight to your business plan and keeps your investors happy because they can get a glimpse of their return.

However, tying your customers into a financial commitment doesn’t necessarily guarantee you stability.

Just look at how easily the pandemic disrupted everything as we know it! If your customers are unsure of what their future holds (like many of us postcovid), they’ll likely be put off by a long-term financial commitment like a gym contract.

You should consider the possibility that you’ll be able to sign up more leads if you promise them flexibility and control over their memberships. In doing so, you’re dismantling the potential contract barrier – which means you can get them to start paying and focus your

energy on retaining them.

Are contracts as effective as they seem?

Did you know consumers still have certain legal rights surrounding cancellations, even if they’re tied into a contract?

A customer that has joined your gym and entered a contract will normally have to pay the full cost of the contract if they want to cancel the membership early.

For example, if they cancel a one-year contract after six months, they’ll usually have to pay for the remaining six months of the term.

Despite this, there are still a few occasions when your customer can cancel their membership without paying the remainder of their contract:

n If the customer is injured or has a serious illness.

n If they can’t afford to pay anymore.

n If they think your contract terms are unfair.

Contracts can also mean very little because some gym contracts are service agreements, not consumerregulated credit agreements like that of car finance or mobile phone fees in which case you’re receiving a tangible product.

Plus, if one of your members wishes to cancel midcontract and go somewhere else, pursuing that legally can be both expensive for you and leads to bad PR if the local area catches wind of your club taking a customer to court.

It’s much easier to give your members the freedom to come and go as they please under a flexible membership that suits their lifestyle and focus on retaining them through a fantastic workout experience and unrivalled customer service.

Take us at ClubRight for example. We don’t tie our users into a contract to use our system – gym owners stay with us because they love the functionality we offer them, not because they’re forced to.

Gone are the days of sleepers

Sleepers are no longer an issue these days, especially post-pandemic.

Redundancies, income uncertainty and the rising cost of living have made people more vigilant than ever when it comes to their monthly bills.

They won’t hesitate to cancel a bill that they no longer see value in.

Your energy will be far better spent building an exceptional customer service strategy that retains your customers and makes them stay because they want to; because they see value in the service you offer.

Besides, having a large proportion of sleepers will end up costing you money in the long run. Any one of them (or all of them) could wake up tomorrow and cancel their membership, leaving you out of pocket.

Use referrals to your advantage

Those long-standing, advocate members are walking advertisements for your business.

Their friends and family will be asking them about their fitness journey, and your club will be one of the first things they mention.

So set up a robust referrals programme in place of worrying about contracts so that you can reward those that get their friends to join your gym.

In some ways, referred customers are more valuable than cold leads because they have real social proof to influence their buying decision.

Referrals are also a great way to measure customer satisfaction: happier customers are more likely to tell their friends about your club.

ClubRight has automated communications as part of our complete solution to help you keep in touch with customers, so setting up that referral scheme brings no added work on your part.

In summary, contracts can impact sales at your club. It’s understandable why clubs are tempted to sell and enforce contracts, but nowadays people want control and flexibility.

If your customers don’t feel like they have those key things, it can create a barrier for them before they’ve even joined.

CTA

Regardless of the memberships you offer, ClubRight can help you make sure they sell and retain those customers for longer.

Learn how by speaking to one of our experts on 0203 884 9777 or book a free online demo today.

Wayne

FIBO 2024 – when health meets passion

MORE and more people are gravitating towards fitness studios.

This trend’s importance is evident in recent statistics: Strength and aerobic training can reduce the risk of dying from lifestyle-related diseases by up to 47 per cent.

To convince even more people to lead an active life, FIBO 2024 will be even bigger, healthier and stronger.

Visitors can look forward to new educational formats, experience areas and returning faces among the exhibitors.

3 x E for better health

As an international platform for the entire fitness, wellness and health industry, FIBO unites diverse communities with varying needs. To better address these needs, it introduces the triad of Expo, Education, and Experience for the first time in 2024.

Expo

In a total of 10 halls, FIBO, together with exhibitors and partners portrays health in all its dimensions, showcasing how individuals can lead healthier lives.

One highlight for the upcoming year is the new Diagnostic Area in Hall 4.2.

Coupled with the theme of healthy nutrition, visitors will learn from experts how to precisely optimise their health.

This involves focusing on biohacking aspects through programs featuring key notes and self-experiential offerings.

The significance of comprehensive analysis and (self-) tests, as well as tailored advice and product selection related to hormone balance or women’s health, will be illuminated.

Aligned with the booming themes of health and training optimisation, which increasingly involve the conscious use of supplements, visitors can anticipate a familiar face. In 2024, supplement provider ESN returns, occupying its own hall at FIBO for the first time.

Major industry players will once again be complemented by numerous young companies.

The Future Forum, Innovation Areas Wellness, and POWER provide an ideal

setting for disruptive approaches.

Education

The European Health & Fitness Forum offers valuable insights for industry professionals through FIBO’s lectures for the 11th time.

Building on this, the newly structured education programme, including the FIBO Campus, presents the most comprehensive educational programme to date.

This encompasses the FIBO Congress, held over three days in collaboration with BSA and DhfPG.

Fitness professionals gain insights for their daily work in sports and health facilities, staying updated on the latest scientific knowledge and industry trends.

Also established and once again a highlight for sports physicians and physiotherapists is the symposium “when therapy becomes training” by Georg Thieme and thesportsgroup.

The Exercise is Medicine Day on Friday introduces new topics, including insights into mobile city development, women’s health, and the megatrend of AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Aside from the FIBO Campus, visitors will benefit from high-quality

educational offerings.

The Meeting Point Health serves as a meeting place for all health disciplines, providing the latest insights into sports medicine, physiotherapy, and long Covid.

In 2024, the Meeting Point Spa & Wellness becomes more international, hosting two awards: On Focus Day Hotel Industry, the Aktiv Hotel Award will be presented together with Tophotel.

On Sunday, the spotlight will be on the Spa Manager Awards by Deutscher Wellness Verband.

In addition to the B2C offerings on the Group Fitness Stage, in the E-Sports Area and the Diagnostic Area, the Lifestyle Area offers workshops on topics such as permanent and gym makeup, hair and beard styling.

Sessions on clean beauty, facial care, regeneration and healthy skin will literally get under your skin, including necessary skin analyses and solutions for skin issues.

Experience

Over four days, FIBO creates unforgettable live experiences that make the joy of an active life not only tangible but also desirable.

The Group Fitness Stage in Hall 4.2

invites visitors to engage in the latest workouts and conventions.

The POWER Stage also evokes a special atmosphere. Whether it’s posing by bodybuilder legends or interviews with successful athletes, visitors line up to take a picture with their idols and catch a professional tip or two.

Powerlifting will also be impressive: FIBO visitors will have the opportunity to marvel live at one of the few Strongmen competitions in Germany.

Things will also get powerful in Hall 4.2. when the FIBO Football Festival celebrates its premiere on April 13 and 14 and brings American gameday atmosphere to Cologne.

Visitors can enjoy a different kind of game-day atmosphere at the Gaming Area. From fashion brands to games suppliers, this is where major hardware and software partners meet gamers.

In addition to test offers, there will also be talks and knowledge challenges. Aspects and potentials relating to mental and physical fitness will be discussed.

Strong women for a strong society

The newly introduced Ladies Lunch, well-received in 2023, will continue in 2024 as a networking event for women in the industry.

But it is not to stop there. Organiser of FIBO, RX Germany, together with the Female Future Festival, has made it its business to honour women with the RX Female Award who act as role models in their industry through their extraordinary commitment, determination and competence.

The award will be presented at the 2024 Ladies Lunch. But the leading trade show is also setting new standards in its programme and increasingly integrating the topic of women’s health.

This includes a large number of female guests in panel talks as well as insights from women in competitive sports on the individual risk of injury, cycle-based training methods and nutrition across all hormonal development phases.

Tickets for FIBO 2024 and the FIBO Congress are available now from fibo.com

Magna Vitae’s Quest for Excellence pays off

MAGNA Vitae has been on a 14-year journey with Sport England’s quality benchmarking scheme, Quest, to achieve a rating of Excellent at its flagship facility, Meridian Leisure Centre.

This puts it in the top six per cent of all Quest facilities, whilst Skegness Pool and Fitness Suite and Horncastle Pool and Fitness Suite both achieved Very Good.

The Trust uses its sites’ individual Quest assessments to lead continuous improvement across all the venues.

Director of operations Naomi Wilkinson-Baker said: “Without Quest’s guidance we wouldn’t be where we are today. Across our sites we could have different Quest assessors with different objectives and specialism areas, so we compile our reports to capture all the recommended areas for improvement.

“Our duty managers meet every other month and work together. For instance, we have a real advocate for environmental management, who leads on that for all our sites.

“The team choose what module they

want to lead on or be a part of, and share their ideas. For example, someone may want to join the customer journey steering group to learn more as they don’t deal with it day to day.

“This same approach feeds into the physical Quest assessment day, with the wider teams involved from receptionist

to duty manager level. It’s a great way to develop our team and strengthen our cross-site bond.

“We’ve changed the stigma of Quest being viewed as someone checking up on us, to someone offering support and assistance with our continuous improvement journey.

“Our team now can’t wait to show off what we’ve been doing and how we can take it to the next level.

“When you hear that you know our efforts will have a great impact on the community.”

Quest also feeds heavily into Magna Vitae’s leisure strategy plan.

“Every section of the plan tells you what Quest module it supports and who’s leading on that,” added Naomi.

“For example, crash course swimming lessons feed into our customer journey and tackling inequalities modules. We also ask how it aligns with and supports our partners and what’s the impact if we don’t do it. It’s like a giant to do list shared across all venues that feeds into every thing we do.

“When it’s Quest assessment time, we can easily view what we’ve done and the results.”

Observing that Environmental Management is Quest’s weakest scoring module nationwide, Magna Vitae chose to change its approach.

Naomi said: “Thanks to an AFI from a Quest assessor, we now have environmental notice boards that tell people what we’re doing, such as lowering the pool temperature in winter; if it’s really cold outside customers don’t notice the pool is a little cooler.

“We’ve always done this but didn’t share it with our customers. It really helps with buy in and our environmental management score has greatly improved.”

Meridian Leisure Centre also undertook the Tackling Inequalities in Leisure module, which has its own award Standard within Quest, to test how they fare ahead of a new venue opening in an area of high deprivation and health related issues.

Advertiser’s

Construction begins on £12million sports village in Clayton-Le-Moors

COUNCILLORS and officers from Hyndburn Borough Council recently met with Alliance Leisure and members of the ISG construction team to celebrate the start of works on the new, state-of-the -art, leisure and sports complex on Wilson Playing Fields in Clayton-le-Moors.

Funded by Hyndburn Borough Council as part of the borough’s leisure transformation plans and developed by Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework, when complete, facilities will include a four-lane, 25-metre swimming pool, a fitness suite, sauna and steam room, group exercise studio, café, large changing village and dedicated changing facilities to service teams making use of the various outdoor sports facilities.

Councillor Marlene Haworth, leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, said: “It is very fitting that these significant development works fall in the 50th anniversary year for the dedication of Wilson Playing Fields, ensuring the location will remain at the heart of the community’s active leisure and wellbeing provision for many years to come.

“It’s fantastic to finally see a spade in the ground. This development reflects the council’s commitment

to placing the health and wellbeing of our community at the heart of our ongoing strategy.

“In addition to creating new indoor active opportunities for everyone in the community, the building will add-

value to the existing outdoor facilities to create a leisure hub like no other in the local vicinity.”

In addition to the many social, health and wellbeing benefits Wilson’s Sports Village will deliver to

the community, the new building will also optimise energy efficiencies.

Air source heat pumps, solar panels and the utilisation of the very latest Low and Zero Carbon Technologies will all support the council’s carbon reduction strategy and ambitions to achieve net zero.

Tom Gardner, business development manager at Alliance Leisure, added: “We have assembled a brilliant team with vast experience in leisure development to deliver this project.

“Partners include; principal contractor ISG with lead design delivery by Pozzoni architects.

Bradshaw, Gass & Hope will contribute the structural design requirements and CGP MEP the MEP design.

“Together we will build a facility that provides an energy efficient sporting hub for the community to enjoy for many generations.”

Works are being delivered through the UK Leisure Framework, owned by Denbighshire Leisure Limited, in full consultation with Hyndburn Borough Council, supported by Hyndburn Leisure and Sport England.

Works got underway in February, with the sports village expected to open to the public next Spring.

Skelcore unveils distribution partnership with CYC Fitness

SKELCORE is a Miami-based fitness equipment brand that entered the scene in 2020 with a mission to redefine the fitness journey.

Its vision is to provide a holistic fitness solution, empowering clubs and facility owners to offer members a curated selection of stylish and differentiated products – all under one brand.

The brand embodies the core essence of human fitness and wellbeing –protecting your Skeleton while building your Core strength – hence ‘Skelcore’.

“I am extremely pleased and excited

with our new partnership with Skelcore,” said Craig Young, managing director of CYC Fitness.

“Skelcore offer a fantastic range of innovative and quality commercial strength, cardio and fitness accessories.

“The comprehensive range of gym equipment combined with an aggressive marketing strategy and fantastic design team at Skelcore, will ensure a greater commercial and light commercial presence for CYC Fitness throughout 2024 and beyond.”

Skelcore has been engineered to build

fitness communities and help people develop a better lifestyle through strength and endurance training with biomechanics in mind on each machine. Designed in Miami, USA, where fitness is a way of life and physical activity inspires people to live a healthier lifestyle, Skelcore understands that its equipment needs to enable consumers and gym owners to achieve their best and drive performance.

Marc Ackermann, CEO of Skelcore, added: “We aim to partner with the best distribution companies worldwide

to form strategic alliances, bringing differentiation and complete solutions to the market under one brand. CYC is a key partner for us in our global rollout.”

Stefan Sillner, global head of business development, further emphasised CYC Fitness’ decade-long leadership in outfitting commercial fitness spaces in the UK.

He commends their focus on innovative solutions and best-in-class service support, expressing pride in having Craig Young and his team as exclusive partners in the UK.

Advertiser’s announcement

Councillor Marlene Haworth, leader of the Council (with the spade), along with other representatives from the council and the project team at the ground breaking ceremony.

Centre extension means upgrades and improvements

AN EXTENSION to the contract for

Maidstone Leisure Centre will include upgrades and improvements to the value of £2.5m.

Approved recently by the Maidstone Borough Council Cabinet, the contract will be extended with Maidstone Leisure Trust and Serco continuing to provide facilities at the leisure centre, fitness centre, sports hall, cafe and adventure zone.

Councillor Claudine Russell, cabinet member for communities, leisure and arts, said: “The extension of the contract with the Maidstone Leisure Trust represents value for money for the taxpayer, along with the introduction of new and improved facilities at the centre.

“The capital spend will also introduce energy saving measures to assist in cutting the carbon footprint of the building.

“The contract extension is scheduled to end when the capital investment for the new leisure centre will be available but has also taken the steps to improve the offering for residents along with energy saving measures.

“The centre is structurally sound and serviceable and our investment will mean that it continues to be so for the life of the contract extension.

“The health and wellbeing of our residents remains one of our strategic priorities.”

The upgrades and improvements will include:

n Health and fitness equipment.

n Immersive group exercise.

n A new splash pad.

n Soft play area.

n Fitness and teaching pool ventilation

system.

n Changing village ventilation system.

n Fitness and leisure dividing glazing.

n Café refurbishment.

The current contract is due to expire in August. The extension (of up to eight years) will ensure the continued operation of facilities providing consistency with Council continuing to contract services with Maidstone Leisure Trust and facility management using Serco Leisure.

MBC’s leisure centre is operated under a contract with MLT – an independent not-for-profit community benefit society comprised of volunteer trustees with an active interest in sport and leisure in the borough.

Also approved by the MBC Cabinet was £1m to bring forward plans for a new or refurbished leisure centre and the contract extension period will allow the Council to be flexible and agile in developing detailed plans and a future leisure centre, refurbished or redeveloped, that can be delivered before the end of the contract extension period.

Hotpod Yoga set to open in Chesterfield

HOTPOD Yoga will be the first tenant to locate to the new units created in the former Co-op department store in Chesterfield.

Chris Wilkinson, owner of the new Hotpod Yoga Chesterfield franchise, has signed a 10-year lease and Hotpod Yoga Chesterfield will open to the public in the near future.

He said: “I love the location. It is prominently located in the town centre and offers convenient parking for customers.

“It is a beautiful building, full of history

and fresh energy. I am very much looking forward to opening the studio.”

The new Hotpod Yoga unit is one of seven street level units and large basement that have been created by regeneration specialist Jomast Developments.

Additionally, there is a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel which has been successfully trading on the upper two floors of the building since 2019.

Work is now underway to install the heated pod, showers, toilets, changing and reception areas ahead of the

opening next month.

Chris added: “The unit is a real blank canvas which is making for a straightforward fit out.”

The opening of the new yoga studio brings the Hotpod Yoga brand back to Chesterfield. Previously owned by another franchisee, and located at Chesterfield FC, the studio was forced to close amid the Covid crisis.

Launched in 2013, Hotpod Yoga is now Europe’s largest yoga business with around 70 locations, including Sheffield and Derby.

Advertiser’s announcement

Gym surpasses expectations with a marketing campaign profit of more than £213,000 in seven weeks

IF YOU’RE in the health and wellness business and looking to enhance your member base, here’s an inspiring story for you.

Wave Spa and Wellness at Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross recently engaged CFM to execute a membership drive campaign that delivered exceptional results.

Wave is a space for everyone. Whether you’re catching up with friends, making the most of your downtime on a business trip, or seeking the space to be yourself and move freely, they provide a friendly and supportive environment where you can enjoy exercise and leave feeling great.

The key to the success of this campaign at Wave lay in adopting an integrated marketing and sales strategy, centring around showing customers that the benefits of joining far outweigh the costs

This comprehensive approach encompassed various marketing channels such as graphic design, videography, and both digital and print marketing, seamlessly

integrated with a well-structured sales process.

The entire campaign, spanning seven weeks, was orchestrated by Creative Fitness Marketing.

The on-site team, James (marketing manager) and Georgia (sales assistant) were responsible for welcoming, touring and enrolling the 136 new members.

CFM, known for its commitment

to community well-being, places a strong emphasis on understanding individual customer needs and aspirations.

CFM business development manager Jonny Packard said: “Our process goes beyond showcasing the benefits of the spa alone.

“We invest time in understanding what our potential members want to achieve—whether it’s improved

health, greater strength, or increased confidence. By tailoring our approach to their personal goals, we ensure that the benefits they receive far surpass any associated costs.”

The team focuses on building rapport during phone calls and tours, encouraging open communication to uncover the unique objectives of each prospect.

This empathetic approach allows them to demonstrate how the membership can contribute to achieving not only physical fitness but also mental well-being.

What sets CFM apart is its clientfriendly approach—they operate on a commission-only basis, eliminating any upfront costs and risks for the client.

Wave Spa and Wellness proves that with the right strategy and partners, your spa can surpass expectations and thrive in the competitive wellness industry.

To explore the potential for a CFM campaign at your spa or health club, visit their website at www.cfm.net or contact Jonny or Harry at 0115 777 3333.

Chris Wilkinson

Horizon Leisure scoops prize at Portsmouth Business Awards

HORIZON Leisure, which operates Havant Leisure Centre and Waterlooville Leisure Centre, was crowned Community Business of the Year at the Portsmouth Business Awards.

The annual event held at the Portsmouth Guildhall, now is in its 24th year, recognises the success of local businesses and entrepreneurs in the region.

The Community Business award required companies to demonstrate their commitment to supporting their local community, with expert judges looking for clear proof and evidence.

Mike Lyons, CEO of Horizon Leisure, said: “It was a true privilege to receive this award. It’s fantastic to see our teams efforts being recognised, and winning Community Business of the Year against some tough competition is a considerable achievement.

“As a charitable organisation, any surplus made by Horizon Leisure is reinvested back into our services, which create inclusive, affordable health and wellbeing initiatives for the people in the local community.”

Horizon Leisure was recognised for being a trailblazer for its community, with its wide range of neighbourhood-led initiatives, including its unique drop-in Wellness

Hub in Havant’s shopping mall, which now has SurgeryPod taking blood pressure readings that feed directly back to local GP’s.

The charity contributed £3.7million in social value last year, quantifying

Origin Fitness’ ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Defence

ORIGIN Fitness’ latest gym equipment installation at The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery is just one of many installations that are happening across the country at Ministry of Defence sites.

Having a gym on-site is extremely important for the British Army, allowing troops to train in ways that assist them in keeping fit for their specific job roles.

The King’s Troops required a space that could accommodate a sizable number of soldiers simultaneously, focusing on both individual and squad-based workouts.

To optimise space and training possibilities, Origin installed a Performance Series Rig. This rig contained 15 individual user stations and included eight lifting stations with adjoining pull-up bars and rope climbers. In addition to the Performance Series Rig, the gym featured a range of free weights and storage solutions to ensure quick access to essential equipment

during fast-paced training sessions.

High-intensity interval training was a key focus for The King’s Troop, so the gym features Origin Storm Air Bikes and Origin Storm Curved Treadmills to push the soldiers to their limits.

The M1 Tank sleds were also chosen, offering resistance for speed exercises such as sled pushes on the built-in red track.

We are honoured to have played a role in creating a cutting-edge training space for the MOD once again, and it’s great to see the unit is happy with the results too:

“We are very happy. With all the new equipment we’ve got here, I think it’s fantastic. I really appreciate what Origin has done for us, and I think all soldiers will make very good use of this.”

SSgt Leon Marcelle LD BQMS

If you’re considering establishing a new gym or revamping your existing facility, contact us at hello@originfitness.com and let Origin Fitness help you design and build your dream gym.

life satisfaction, as well as reducing crime rates for young males in the area.

The past year also witnessed a 31 per cent surge in memberships, a 26 per cent rise in group exercise attendance, and a year-on-year increase of 25 per cent in gym visits.

Havant Leisure Centre was awarded ‘Trust Gym of the Year’ at the 2023 National Fitness Awards, with both Waterlooville and Havant leisure centres being accredited by Sport England’s quality assurance scheme, Quest.

its non-market economic, social and environmental impact.

That represents more than £100 for every single customer, positively influencing everything from their physical and mental health to their

Mike added: “I’m immensely proud of Horizon Leisure’s diverse health and wellbeing initiatives, which include dementia-friendly activities, our successful ESCAPEpain programme, clubs for additional needs and tea dances to combat loneliness, a health/GP referral scheme, falls prevention classes, long-term condition swim sessions, a new gym membership called Thrive for 10 to 15 year olds, a funded school holiday programme, and even GP and breastfeeding expert-led parent and baby groups.

“The Horizon team won’t rest on their laurels, and we are committed to further extending our community led initiatives for the people of Havant.”

Advertiser’s announcement

11 - 14 APRIL

PANATTA

PHIL HEATH

7X MR OLYMPIA

Grow your gym with a branded mobile app

THE average person has about 40 apps on their phone, comprising everything from banking to video games.

More and more, people expect to be able to manage their days using self-service functions of phone apps. Providing a mobile app for your members is not only convenient for them but provides a crucial avenue to build client retention for your fitness business.

Why apps work

In the tech world, companies try to make their products more “sticky;” in other words, how do you make a customer keep using your product and make it so integral to their life that they won’t want to cancel?

Apps are often one of the top ways product teams try to engage customers and extend their time as customers.

There are a few different ways that apps achieve company growth and retention goals:

1. Apps help you stay connected

It’s harder and harder to get in front of your customers – whether it’s through email, mail, or social media. But apps can help you stay connected by sending relevant push notifications. Consider using

pushes to remind members that they have an upcoming class or to prompt them to sign up for a personal training session.

2. Apps help people save time

Think about the times when you get an email which tells you to go to a website, where you need to remember a password and then verify your identity on another

app. It makes you want to never log in again, right? Compare that to the experience of opening an app you know well – a couple of taps later, and you’re able to do what you need to. In addition to the simplicity, apps also offer a level of convenience you won’t get elsewhere. You give members the ability to check gym hours while waiting in the line at the

grocery store. By making client engagement quick and easy, you’re more likely to have those clients engage.

3. Apps give you more opportunities

When you implement an app, you also get access to a wealth of data about your members. You’ll be able to see who is using the app and who is making purchases. You can use this information to fuel your outreach and try to engage people who haven’t been visiting or ask common gym-goers for referrals.

How to get a custom branded app

It’s clear that implementing an app for your business can not only aid in growing your business but also improve client satisfaction.

So, what’s next? EZFacility gym membership software can provide custom branded apps that integrate seamlessly with your other gym management tools.

When they all speak to each other, it makes it easy to schedule classes, manage members, and handle purchases and billing.

sales@ezfacility.co.uk

0203 3270480

www.ezfacility.co.uk

Ronnie Coleman

Mr

the past, embracing the future

RONNIE Coleman is moving out of his longtime house. After spending three decades in his previous home, as he settles into his new home, he’s not just rearranging furniture, but also redefining his fitness empire.

Coleman plans to build two separate gyms – his personal playgrounds at home in Texas and a corporate gym for video production and exclusive training retreats in Florida – with his customised equipment he handpicked during his June visit to the Panatta factory (Italy). I am sitting next to him in the Panatta showroom, both of us are in awe of the many incredible pieces of equipment.

We both cannot stop to touch, lift, move, test these machines. Looking at him, with his iconic Cheshire-cat smile on his face, I ask: “Ronnie, do you think the only test is testing them? Because there is nothing to say. You have to use the machines.” Ronnie confirms: “Yeah, I figure, you know. Yeah. The human tests, those are the real test. And these machines are easy to use.”

Brendan Ahern, CEO of Ronnie Coleman Signature Series (RCSS) and Ronnie’s associate, tells me: “When we test the RCSS products, he always goes like: ‘Well, the proof is in the pudding’. The same here”. “What would you have accomplished with this equipment back then?”, is my question after watching Ronnie admiring some new Panatta machines in the HQ showroom. I know back then Ronnie preferred free weights together with just the addition of a few indispensable machines like a lat pulldown machine, a leg curl, a leg press.

Ronnie smiles and mutters: “Difficult to say. It’s cool that today’s there are such machines as the Panatta Free Weight Special. Sometimes you are before your time, I think. Yeah. You know, people used always to ask me whose era is the best. Who was the best in each era? Yeah, I was the best in mine and another Mr. Olympia was the best in his. I have been probably the best that I could possibly be for the technology that I had available for me. The technology has advanced compared to my era, that was what? Yeah. 20-30 years ago”.

Indeed, there has been a lot of extra care and attention to detail put into the Panatta equipment.

Ronnie’s workout style: Yeah, buddy-philosophy

In fact, Coleman’s energy and positive vibrations inspire those around him to work harder. His workout style is characterised by focus, intensity, and enjoyment. He finds it essential to maintain a positive energy and mindset during workouts, where hard work meets pure joy. He encourages a healthy mindset and believes that hating one’s body hinders progress.

Coleman views working out as a hobby and compares it to playing a sport. When asked, he confesses that he trained because he “liked doing it the most, he liked the feeling of doing it”.

Just watch him in action—every rep, every set is an explosion of passion and dedication under the continuous chant “Yeah, buddy”. Get ready to witness the fusion of classic muscle-building wisdom with the fresh vibes of the young gym-goer culture.

I ask him: “Isn’t it our mission to get all the young guys passionate about body building? You are the perfect ambassador, and it helps them to spend time at the gym instead of in the streets or on a couch.”

“It helps but yeah, you got to have that fire within yourself and give yourself the motivation to take your body to the next level. The reason why I started working out was that since when I was about 10-11 years old, everywhere I went, people wondered if I worked out and for a long time, at least a couple of years, you know, I would always say no. Then I thought, if I look like I did, how could I be if I actually do it? That’s why I kind of started working out – I got tired of saying no, because I wanted to see what I looked like”.

He is funny and this is the reason he has young gym enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. However, even with his larger-than-life persona, Ronnie appreciates uninterrupted training sessions.

His pet peeves? People attempting to take selfies or “cameo” videos with him mid-workout.

Ronnie’s dedication to maintaining a positive energy and mental focus is well-documented, and these impromptu interruptions can disrupt his flow and hinder his performance.

However, even when Ronnie was lifting super heavy (“Light weight, baby”), like we remember at the iconic MetroFlex Gym in Texas, he didn’t think about angry things in his mind. Ronnie was already pumped up before he went in there.

The same happened for the Olympias: “The last three or four days before, it was in my mind every single day and the day of it, you know, I was so pumped up and geeked up, I knew I was going to get it. There was no doubt in my mind. I didn’t even think about the stage until I got to the stage. I was competing against myself. Yeah. Since I can only control what I’m going to do, I was just worrying about me – and nobody else. When I’m in the gym training, I’m focused on what I’m doing in the gym.

“The mind is everything. Intensity is produced in the mind. I would visualise especially before my workouts and the heavy lifts. Then my yelling ‘light weight, baby’ was just a command to remind me what I had to do. If you see it accomplished, it is already accomplished.”

Yeah, this is a beautiful message. Especially nowadays with the social media where people compare themselves to the others too much. This is why it’s a great message for our young people. It’s like he’s living proof of what you can achieve as far as going beyond your limits. Right? Yeah, he did that with the passion and the love. Yeah. Yeah.

This is why the young guys love Ronnie so much and the biggest thing he has, it’s not his muscles of his

prime, it’s not his genetics, it’s his mindset.

This is also the great quality of bodybuilding. In any other sport, once the lights are off, you can relax and chill; when the lights go back on again, you perform again. Bodybuilding is 24 hours a day for a lifetime. You can’t cheat your entire life career.

And that’s the mindset. You can’t hide what you are doing and even more thinking. It shows on stage and when you’re at the top level – as Ronnie is – you are a walking billboard of yours for 24 hours.

Rubbing shoulders with the legend and elevating your fitness game

Since Ronnie wants to connect with his die-hard fans on a whole new level, just imagine the grand opening of your gym with Ronnie as the guest of honour, sharing his insights and unleashing his infectious energy.

As said, Ronnie is also joining force with Panatta to create that kind of beautiful opportunities and exploring the idea of exclusive retreats at his Panatta HQ gym during significant events.

These retreats would provide a once-in-a-lifetime chance for select individuals to train alongside Ronnie, receive personalised training and nutritional guidance, and immerse themselves in a personalised experience when it comes to the Panatta equipment.

This personal touch is what sets Ronnie apart – a legendary bodybuilder who understands the importance of being there for his fans, sharing the highs and lows, and inspiring everyone to reach for greatness.

Ronnie is shaping the future of fitness, ensuring that the next generation of gym enthusiasts can embark on their own journey to greatness.

Oh yeah, all this ain’t a peanut. It’s the best from our buddy Ronnie.

Rudi Panatta founder of Panatta company, Ronnie Coleman and Edoardo Panatta vice-president of Panatta company.

Ronnie Coleman 8x Mr Olympia, Panatta brand ambassador

Ronnie Coleman and Rudi Panatta

Watch Ronnie training with Rudy Panatta

Elevate continues to leads the charge in powering the future of physical activity

1. Welcome from event director Lucy FindlayBeale

As Elevate enters its seventh edition in 2024, we continue to lead the charge in powering the future of physical activity.

Since our inception in 2016, Elevate has served as a catalyst, uniting the physical activity, fitness, and sports therapy industries in our collective pursuit of national health and well-being.

Within the industry, there’s a notable surge in collaboration, education, and standards.

We are particularly seeing this geared towards health, reflecting a concerted effort to support the health agenda.

This dynamic shift underscores a commitment to holistic well-being and collective progress. The connected approach of the sector shows its strength and deeper understanding of its importance and power.

Once again, we are delighted to be working with sponsors, partners, exhibitors, and speakers. Elevate is the result of a collaborative effort, and their contributions have been instrumental in shaping and delivering this pivotal event.

Elevate remains the arena of opportunity, showcasing ideas, technology, and innovation from leading suppliers and thought leaders under one roof. We remain committed to accessibility, keeping registration free for professionals eager to connect, learn, be inspired, and power the future of physical activity.

2. What is Elevate?

Elevate stands as the United Kingdom’s premier trade show dedicated to physical activity, fitness and sports therapy.

Over the course of two full days, more than 7,000 decision-makers representing gyms, studios, sport clubs, sports therapy practices, universities, personal training, schools, and private practices convene with more than 200 leading suppliers. These suppliers showcase thousands of product innovations meticulously crafted to “elevate” the nation’s physical activity levels.

Elevate 2024 promises not only a vast array of cutting-edge products but also unparalleled networking opportunities and invaluable insights from more than 200 expert speakers.

This extraordinary event is made possible through the generous support of more than 50 industry associations, media partners and non-governmental organisations.

3. Programme overview and highlights

Elevate content We’re thrilled to announce that our education streams are back in partnership with our valued education partner, Future Fit. We are delighted to be collaborating with them for another year.

For 2024, our four key theatres return with refreshed identities. Elevate’s commitment to providing free education remains constant, maintaining Elevate as the most inclusive platform in the sector.

DEBATE – This is the hub for tackling the industry’s most pressing topics.

Sponsored by Myzone, it starts with David Stalker, Huw Edwards and Tara Dillon as they ask if the picture of physical activity has changed.

This conference will host the leading discussions on women in sport, the future of leadership, the pivot to health, the relationship between physical activity and obesity, mental health, and sustainability.

GENERATE – focuses on the business side of fitness. Dive into retention strategies, AI integration, social media best practices, technology utilisation, staff recruitment and upskilling, and how to use your data and modernise your facility.

COLLABORATE – sponsored by LifeFitness, emphasises community engagement

and health promotion. Topics include the used of gamification, the importance of inclusive language, integrating fitness into healthcare, supporting those with long-term health conditions, and mental health advocacy.

ACCELERATE – zooms in on optimising personal performance and wellbeing. Explore long-term behaviour change, sleep optimisation, menopause management, adaptogens, biomechanics, injury recovery, resilience, and mindset development.

External content

Alongside the Elevate-created content, we are thrilled to welcome an array of exceptional brands and thought leaders as they deliver their own education. In addition to our four Elevatecreated theatres, we have a number of standalone theatres offering more than 10 streams of content—all free to attend. Our partner theatres will feature Kidztivity, bringing engaging content to support children and young people in being active.

Active Aquatics, presented by RLSS, Swim England and STA, will dive into aquatic fitness. Third Space returns with bespoke training for PTs and PT business, sharing insights from the best in the UK, and Heart Centred Business is back to help businesses increase revenues and smart marketing.

Technogym returns with its education space, showcasing innovation, data, and the latest wellbeing trends. 2024 will introduce Quoox education, allowing

attendees to explore its software and solutions and join discussions on key themes and client challenges.

Include Summit

New for 2024, Elevate is proud to announce its new strategic partnership with the Include Summit, the dynamic conference committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in sport.

Through this exciting collaboration, Elevate will integrate four exclusive sessions curated by Include Summit into its educational offerings, with each session specifically focusing on EDI topics.

Elevate is thrilled to join forces with Include Summit to enrich its educational content and provide valuable insights into EDI practices across its sectors.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with the Include Summit,” added Lucy. “We are committed to delivering the highest quality education by collaborating with experts from different fields.

“The presence of Include Summit’s curated sessions underscores our dedication to this and the importance of the subject matter.”

The partnership with Elevate marks a significant milestone for Include Summit as well. By partnering with Elevate, Include Summit aims to expand its reach and impact by sharing its expertise with a broader audience eager to enhance their understanding of EDI principles and its presence in their businesses.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Elevate,” added Include Summit co-founder Jamie Hooper.

“The partnership represents a fantastic opportunity to drive EDI forward across the fitness and leisure industry, and we can’t wait to jump right in this year.”

Include Summit co-founder Gurmej Pawar added: “By bringing a flavour of our content to Elevate this year, we hope to offer some EDI awareness to Elevate attendees and to encourage them to come and join us at the Include Summit later this year in London.”

The sessions developed by Include Summit for Elevate will cover a range of EDI topics, including best practices, case studies, and actionable strategies for fostering inclusive environments within organisations, communities and businesses.

EGYM and Precor enhance existing global partnership

PRECOR, the pioneer of connected commercial fitness equipment and EGYM, the global fitness technology and corporate health innovation leader, continue to pave the way with their latest integration on the third generation of Precor cardio consoles.

Precor made history in 2011 with the launch of the first connected fitness console.

Since then, exercisers from over 13,000 facilities across 100 countries have completed an astonishing 1.2 billion workouts and counting on Precor connected fitness cardio products.

This remarkable milestone has set the stage for the evolution of the next generation of connected fitness

solutions, in partnership with EGYM and redefining standards in performance, fitness and entertainment.

EGYM’s Smart Cardio ecosystem EGYM has integrated directly with Precor P82 and P62 touchscreen cardio consoles since 2017, including cardio tests, training programmes, on-screen gamification and more.

Now members can extend the immersive EGYM Experience through the all-new Smart Cardio integration on the latest generation of Precor P94 and P84 touchscreen consoles.

Launching soon, Smart Cardio brings together EGYM’s advanced fitness software with Precor’s lightning-fast

technology, innovative modular design and a best-in-class media experience, including a wide range of workouts to keep exercisers motivated and engaged. Operators will benefit from an industry-changing cardio experience, designed to supercharge their business and members’ workouts.

“Precor is excited to continue our partnership with EGYM on our latest line of connected consoles,” said Precor CEO Dustin Grosz.

“We believe that operators should have the flexibility to choose the partners that work best for their business and EGYM has proven to be a leader in innovative connected solutions that improve the experience on Precor connected fitness

equipment and help operators engage with their members throughout the facility.”

EGYM CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer added: “EGYM is honoured to have a long-standing collaboration with Precor, an innovator in the field, and we eagerly anticipate advancing our joint innovative efforts with our esteemed colleagues at Precor for the benefit of fitness facilities around the globe.”

Visit Precor at IHRSA 2024 at stand 1330 and FIBO 2024 at stand 6B81 to see many more connected fitness, strength and functional training updates.

For more information on Precor’s connected fitness solutions visit

https://www.precor.co.uk/egym

POWERING THE FUTURE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

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TAIPEI CYCLE 2024 and Sports and Fitness Taiwan (TaiSPO) conclude with success

TAIPEI CYCLE concluded with a total of nearly 5,000 international visitors from 80 countries attending the two exhibitions.

The top five buyer countries were Japan, South Korea, the USA, Singapore and Germany, with TaiSPO hosting procurement meetings with buyers from eight countries in 50 sessions.

Additionally, a total of 25,000 domestic industry attendees visited the two exhibitions.

This year’s exhibitions introduced innovative themes to inject new vitality into the cycling industry, exemplified by the Bike Venture programme initiated by TAIPEI CYCLE and Anchor Asia (Anchor Taiwan).

The initiative aimed to harness Taiwan’s rich bicycle industry tradition and profound technological capabilities to foster an innovative ecosystem for the bicycle industry.

The Bike Venture Zone showcased 10 selected startups from eight countries/ regions, with notable attention garnered by their innovations.

The Bike Venture Summit and

Innovation Salon attracted more than 30 per cent of registrations from investors and technology industry executives, highlighting the keen interest in crossindustry collaboration.

In TaiSPO, the Sport-bilities innovation zone featured a diverse range of sports technologies, including software solutions, IC chips, water purification equipment, and sports equipment, presented by IAPS at Yang Ming University.

The exhibition provided excellent exposure for startup teams, attracting inquiries from domestic and international businesses and investors, thereby generating business opportunities for the startups.

Both TAIPEI CYCLE and TaiSPO introduced more diverse and enriching content this year.

Notably, the Norwegian brand reTyre, featuring their recyclable tires aligned with the industry’s sustainability focus, stated they had a successful debut at the exhibition, connecting with buyers worldwide through the platform and plan to continue participating in future.

Japan’s National Cycle Route, promoted at the Japan Pavilion, received enthusiastic responses, indicating promising prospects for expanding cycling tourism options next year.

The newly established E-cycling Pavilion attracted crowds through exhibitions, experiences, and lectures, serving as a focal point for the exhibitions and facilitating cross-domain exchanges between online and offline cycling ecosystem operators.

There will likely be more international exchanges and cooperation via online events.

At TaiSPO, the Italian fitness brand Technogym, participating for the first time, expressed that Taiwan is a market with great potential and was pleased to interact with Taiwanese customers. Synerter Corporation, a newcomer to the exhibition, presented an AI smart serving robot for table tennis that blends sports training and gaming. Its innovative approach combines traditional table tennis training with cutting-edge technology, drawing a significant number of engaged and

experiential attendees.

Within the dedicated space of the diving speciality pavilion, Ocean Mango highlighted the focus with which the event is tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of its target market.

The transformation of TaiSPO brings many effective and diverse customers.

The sustainability theme was a major focus of TAIPEI CYCLE, with the Riding Towards Sustainability Forum held on the second day, featuring speakers from Cycling Industries Europe, Rapha, Accell Group, and Bicycling Alliance for Sustainability (BAS), attracting 172 industry professionals.

Meanwhile, the TaiSPO Sports Fitness Industry Forum explored topics such as gym operations and the application of sports sensing technology, attracting 300 industry professionals.

For 2025, TAIPEI CYCLE and TaiSPO will be held from March 26 to 29 at TaiNEX Halls 1 and 2.

For more information visit the official websites of the two exhibitions:

TAIPEI CYCLE: www.taipeicycle.com.tw

TaiSPO: www.taispo.com.tw

Club celebrates success with 35-day membership campaign

MOVE Health Club, nestled within the Mercure Hotel in Nottingham, recently concluded a highly successful membership campaign with an influx of 280 new members in just 35 days.

Managed by Conan, the dedicated CFM marketing manager, and supported by Sophia the sales assistant, the campaign not only achieved significant growth in the club’s membership base but also generated a campaign profit of £91,000.

Move Health Club, known for its state-of-the-art facilities and luxurious ambience, has become a fitness haven for individuals seeking a holistic approach to health and wellness.

With a prime location within the Mercure Hotel, the club offers a unique fitness experience, blending modern amenities with a commitment to individual well-being.

The success of the campaign can be attributed to a well-executed strategy that combined innovative marketing techniques with a personalised sales approach. The campaign aimed not only to showcase the club’s exceptional offerings but also to connect with

potential members on a deeper level, understanding their fitness goals and motivations.

participation.

TJ, the manager of Move Health Club, added: “I am impressed with how many people they’ve managed to get in. The numbers that signed up on the open day were particularly noteworthy.”

Sales assistant Sophia played a crucial role in welcoming, guiding, and signing up new members during the campaign. Her personalised approach and ability to connect with prospects was instrumental in achieving a high conversion rate.

The campaign’s success highlights the effectiveness of a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy, tailored to the unique attributes and offerings of Move Health Club.

The solid achievement of 280 new members in just 35 days not only reflects the club’s appeal but also the team’s dedication to fostering positive lifestyle changes in the community.

The open day proved to be a pivotal event, drawing significant attention and

Conan said: “Our strategy was to create a buzz around Move Health Club, emphasising not just the facilities but the transformative experiences our members enjoy. “We utilised a mix of digital marketing, social media engagement, and targeted outreach to engage our audience effectively.”

For those curious about the transformative experience offered by Creative Fitness Marketing at Move Health Club, check out their website www.cfm.net or call Jonny or Harry on 0115 777 3333.

Advertiser’s

Fitness On Demand joins forces with Les Mills

A NEW collaboration between two wellness innovators will make it easier for health clubs, gyms and studios to offer their members an omnichannel fitness solution.

Fitness On Demand, a worldwide digital fitness and engagement platform catering to fitness and studio facilities, has revealed a new strategic partnership with Les Mills. This marks a significant step towards making cutting-edge omnichannel fitness solutions more accessible and cost-effective for fitness centres and their members.

Andy Peat, CEO of Fitness On Demand, said: “Our collaboration with Les Mills is a positive step forwards and aligns perfectly with our mission to make fitness accessible to more people, empowering them to lead healthier lives. We are excited to see how this partnership will transform the fitness experience for our current partners, new members, their members and stakeholders.”

Les Mills facility partners that do not yet offer a bespoke or branded fitness

app for their members can now utilise the Fitness On Demand platform, opening up the opportunity to begin delivering in-gym and at-home content in an engaging way.

Fitness On Demand simplifies engagement and retention with a

comprehensive platform that enables partner facilities to automate their studio spaces with high-quality fitness and wellness content. They also provide a fully whitelabelled app to give members greater choice and convenience, wherever

they are.

It will also simplify the installation process, lowering costs and barriers for clubs to begin offering their own virtual fitness solutions.

With at least 85 per cent of all gym members doing workouts at home, facilities which can keep members engaged, even when they aren’t within their four walls, will be able to improve retention and customer loyalty.

The Fitness On Demand platform now features Les Mills content packages, ensuring customers can easily access a suite of scientificallybacked workout programmes to keep their members engaged wherever they want to work out.

Sean Turner, CEO of Les Mills US, added: “Joining forces with Fitness On Demand is a strategic move in our ongoing efforts to innovate and enhance the fitness journey for club members. This partnership enables us to extend our reach and provide world-leading workouts to an even broader audience.”

Operator achieves record-breaking January membership targets

PARKWOOD Leisure has recorded a record-breaking January through its campaigns committed to promoting physical activity and community engagement across the country.

Through targeted campaigns focusing on personal wellbeing and designed to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of leisure facilities for the local community, Parkwood Leisure reported a record-breaking January, with more than 1,000 new members signed up on the last day of the month alone.

“2024 has seen a great start across our leisure, golf, and theatre sites, marking a record-breaking beginning to the year for Parkwood Leisure,” said managing director Glen Hall.

“As a leisure operator we recognise that the rising cost of living is impacting

people’s abilities to prioritise their physical and mental wellbeing.

“The aim of our January campaign was to provide individuals across the country

with access to premium health and wellbeing facilities and services without worrying about financial barriers.

“It has been particularly pleasing to

see the level of retention of existing members continuing to increase, recognising the work of all our teams on customer engagement.”

The recent campaign, which ran from December 26 to January 31, offered customers flexible payment options designed to encourage participation at local leisure centres.

With options to defer payments until February or March, the campaign aimed to provide convenience and financial relief.

Despite the struggle faced by swimming pools amid the ongoing energy crisis, swimming remains a huge pull for potential new members and a priority for existing customers, with Parkwood’s 45 swimming sites recording a three per cent uplift in January as well.

Recognising the importance of the warm up

By Katie Bulmer-Cooke

ONE OF the key skills required by a personal trainer is the ability to be able to think fast and adapt sessions.

You could spend ages crafting the ‘perfect’ session plan for your client, or hours planning out their next couple of months of programming, but then they could arrive to their session and tell you they’ve had some bad news, they’ve had a super stressful day, they’ve picked up an injury at the weekend or they aren’t feeling 100 per cent.

A section of the session that is especially important to be able to adapt in such scenarios, is the warm up.

This part of the workout is often overlooked in terms of it’s opportunities and importance, but has so much potential to shape the session and build rapport with the client.

There are times when a technical, dynamic stretch based warm up is the perfect option and there are times when the best thing to do is have your client warm up on a simple piece of cardio kit like the bike or treadmill.

Imagine your client comes into their

session after a super stressful and emotional day and could really do with venting their frustrations.

Hopping on the cross trainer for between five and seven minutes, to warm up the body, while they get their day’s issues off their chest could be the

best set up before heading into the workout.

As personal trainers we wear many hats, and sometimes simply being a good listener is one of them.

Our job as trainers is to ‘read the room’ and know what the client needs at that exact point and be able to be versatile.

These skills will grow and develop with experience. They are the skills that make the difference between a bog-standard PT and a great trainer, and they really put the ‘personal’ into personal trainer.

So, as well as experience, how do we develop these skills?

Becoming a good listener and improving emotional intelligence involves active listening, empathy, and self-awareness. Practice active listening by focusing on the speaker. Make eye contact, nod occasionally, and use verbal affirmations like “I see” or “I understand” to show you’re engaged.

Also use techniques such as reflecting and paraphrasing, by repeating back what you’ve heard in your own words

to ensure you understand correctly.

This demonstrates empathy and shows the client that you’re actively listening and trying to comprehend their message.

Develop empathy by understanding others’ emotions and paying attention to nonverbal cues such as body language.

These skills enhance communication, foster deeper connections, and lead to more meaningful professional relationships between the trainer and client.

From a gym owner and operator point of view, helping PTs become equipped with these skills will no doubt aid member retention due to the solid working relationship between the client and trainer.

In addition, investing time in providing training to the PT in this area, will also help them feel valued, help them become busier and encourage them to stay in your facility and not move on elsewhere.

n Katie Bulmer-Cooke is an awardwinning fitness trainer, speaker and consultant.

Katie Bulmer-Cooke

Hub breaks down barriers to tackle inequalities

THE Wellness Hub is tackling health inequalities among those who don’t typically engage with conventional fitness facilities, including older adults, those on low incomes and people with long term health conditions.

New research shows the Innerva equipped power-assisted exercise Hub based within Grimsby Health and Wellbeing Centre is breaking down barriers to improve mental and physical health in one of the most deprived areas in North East Lincolnshire.

Max Associates and 4Global were commissioned to assess the social return of the Wellness Hub to provide a holistic review of the community impact of investing in the Innerva solution.

Developed in partnership with Experian in 2015, 4Global’s Social Value Calculator gives leisure operators, local authorities, national funding bodies and industry stakeholders a means of measuring and evidencing the social value created from investment in sport and physical activity.

The tool makes these monetary figures consistent and relative across the sector, thereby allowing benchmarking.

The SVC is part of the Datahub project, which is the largest repository for sport and leisure data in the UK.

The study found that by meeting the needs of those who are underrepresented in traditional leisure facilities, the Wellness Hub has generated exceptional social value for the community, earning a place in the top 10 per cent of facilities when

compared to sector-wide benchmarks across the UK.

It also shows how much users value the hub, which is operated by charitable trust Lincs Inspire, with many travelling past leisure facilities closer to their homes to use the specialist powerassisted equipment.

Laura Childs, head of marketing at Innerva, said: “For years the health and fitness industry has talked about the challenge of engaging underrepresented groups in physical activity.

“This research shows that the perceived barriers of low income, disability and long term health conditions can be overcome if operators provide an accessible offering that meets people’s needs.

“Lincs Inspire’s work across the borough is a blueprint for how physical activity can be made inclusive and welcoming for all.”

According to the DataHub study, the Wellness Hub has positively impacted the lives of people living with a range of conditions including CHD stroke, breast cancer, colon cancer, Type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression, hip fractures and back pain. In addition, regular Wellness Hub users have reduced their visits to the GP.

The health of people in North East Lincolnshire is generally worse than the England average with three quarters of adults classified as overweight or obese and 56 per cent of adults reaching the required levels of physical activity.

Mortality rates from preventable diseases for people aged under 75 are also higher than the national average.

The research shows the hub is meeting its ambitions to engage older people, with 46 per cent of users aged over 65.

This is the borough’s largest population group, but historically is underrepresented in leisure centres.

Former professional snooker player Mike Hallet, once ranked world number six, has been using the Wellness Hub as part of his recovery from a stroke.

Having lost all use on his right hand side, Mike is building his strength and coordination to regain his independence. His ultimate goal is to take part in the forthcoming senior snooker championships.

Ben Frary, sport and health improvement manager at Lincs Inspire, added: “North East Lincolnshire has some big challenges when it comes to tackling health inequalities amongst its residents, but we are proud that the SVC report shines a light on the positive steps being taken within our Wellbeing Hub to support some of our residents to be more active. The Hub is at the forefront of our health improvement strategy and has enabled us to forge closer partnerships with the health sector to collaboratively support people to better manage their health conditions.

“The data from the SVC report is brilliant and coupled with the numerous case studies from our members, demonstrates the impact of the Hub on the health of the borough.”

25 years supporting the UK fitness industry

ServiceSport UK celebrated its 25th anniversary at the end of March, and what a 25 years it has been.

Our humble existence began when our owner/founder Colin Marriott identified a gap in the market for an independent gym equipment service and repair provider and established ServiceSport (UK) Ltd in March 1999.

Our core purpose at the time, to prolong the life of commercial gym equipment.

This was a time when gym equipment was predominantly mechanical and in its simplest form.

Since then, technology has revolutionised the industry with the introduction of wearables, fitness tracking apps, virtual workouts, AI trainers, connected fitness experiences and even smart gym equipment itself.

Gyms and “standard” workout classes –such as step aerobics and legs, bums and tums – used to dominate the market but now there is an influx of boutique fitness studios that offer specialised classes like HIIT, Pilates, spin and yoga, that cater to diverse preferences and provide personalised experiences.

Even the layout of equipment in commercial gyms has changed.

The rows and rows of cardio equipment, complemented by fixedweight machines, have given way to functional training areas that provide gym users with access to rigs, sled tracks,

plyo boxes, kettlebells, lifting platforms and more.

It’s great to see and just shows how far the industry has come.

There’s now a growing emphasis on sustainable practices too, such as eco-friendly equipment, green fitness initiatives, energy-efficient facilities, and eco-conscious choices to reduce the

industry’s carbon footprint and promote environmental responsibility. This is something that we have advocated for many years by encouraging gym operators to prolong the life of their existing equipment, not only through a preventative maintenance programme but by refreshing their existing assets.

Moving forward, we will continue to see the industry focus on holistic health, mental wellness, nutrition, mindfulness, and overall well-being, leading to a more balanced approach to fitness as opposed to just physical fitness and aesthetics. One thing is for sure, fitness has become a lot more accessible with on-demand workouts, virtual training sessions, live streaming classes and fitness apps, making it more convenient for users to engage in exercise anytime, anywhere.

This has moved forward another step with the rise in hybrid models that combine in-person and virtual elements, offering a blended approach that caters to different preferences and lifestyles, allowing users to seamlessly transition between physical and digital fitness experiences.

Since our inception in 1999, ServiceSport UK has evolved with the industry.

In the beginning, we offered the service and repair of gym equipment, 25 years later, we maintain more than 80,000 assets a year and have expanded our portfolio of services to include gym upholstery repairs, the refresh of used gym equipment, the extraction, build and installation of gym equipment, 3D printing, CNC machining, custom branded clothing, electronic repairs and asset management software that is making life much easier for gym operators.

We are proud to have played our part in supporting the fitness industry and we’re extremely excited to see how the fitness industry continues to evolve. Here’s to the next 25 years.

Advertiser’s announcement

SkiErgs,

Jump on board the data train…

By Stuart Stokes

NUMBERS matter more than ever for the leisure sector; now’s the time to make data your most valuable asset.

Whether you’re a small independent health club, a large multi-site leisure trust or something in between, data is set to become your most prolific – and valuable – output.

Think about the data your sites output daily, from your leisure management system to online bookings and access control; it’s a deluge.

But what about health and wellbeing services, your weight management programmes or stroke rehab sessions?

Too many health improvement activities, the ones we know are making a difference to that 65 per cent of the population who ‘don’t do’ physical activity, are simply not collecting or using data.

Does gathering every kind of data help highlight health and wellbeing results? Not always. First, let me clarify what I mean by data. It’s essentially information.

This can range from the number of people in a class, or regular weight or body fat percentage checks, to responses from questionnaires about behaviour change or wellbeing.

Often, the instinct is to start by

looking at what your club or centres already gather – which is completely understandable. But why not try a different approach? Begin by asking: ‘what do we want to find out?’ and then look at your current data collection, analyse what you are collecting and assess any gaps.

Data is infiltrating and influencing all businesses whether we like it or not. In order to give health schemes credibility, to get the NHS and healthcare

providers to sit up and take notice of their successes, everything needs to be backed up by solid data.

Stakeholders and funders also want numbers, proof of positive change caused by leisure’s interventions.

As an example, ReferAll has supported delivery of the Prehab4Cancer Programme, a free exercise, nutrition and wellbeing scheme in Greater Manchester helping people with a cancer diagnosis prepare for, and cope better with, treatment.

Prehab4Cancer has used ReferAll’s platform to accept and manage patients referred into the service, monitor progress, manage individual patient records, and record outcomes since its inception in May 2019.

“Collecting tangible data to support the efficacy of our interventions has enabled us to provide evidence-based findings and secure funding,” said Prehab4Cancer programme manager at GM Active, Jack Murphy.

Data collected and managed through ReferAll was used during an independent evaluation of Prehab4Cancer; the findings of which helped secure recurrent funding for the programme past the pilot phase.

Prehab4Cancer was able to show that more than 6,000 patients have been

offered support with a 74 per cent engagement rate.

Patients were stronger and had significantly reduced frailty scores following completion of prehab.

Colorectal cancer patients, who were the largest cohort, saw a 1.5-day reduction in length of hospital stay per patient, equating to 550 ward bed days (worth approximately £342 per day) plus 146 critical care bed days (worth £1,214 per day).

“Our goal is to create cost savings for the NHS and the data we’re extracting from ReferAll proves we’re doing this,” added Jack.

“Thanks to this data, the programme received recurrent funding in 2021.”

Data can help our sector align with healthcare and holds the key to unlocking best practice and driving continuous improvement. It provides guiding evidence for the improvement of physical-activity-related social prescribing pathways and, ultimately, allows us to increase the efficacy of services.

I genuinely believe its data that will change the way exercise, medicine and healthcare interact. What could be more important than that?

n Stuart Stokes is MD at software platform ReferAll.

Lampton Leisure expands HAF programme to all Hounslow sites

LAMPTON Leisure’s Holiday Activities and Food programme holiday camp offer is being expanded to all Hounslow leisure centres following its success at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre and Hanworth Air Park Leisure Centre over the past two years.

The extension of the HAF programme forms part of Lampton Leisure’s ongoing commitment to offer the local community improved access to health and wellbeing services.

Rowland Omamor, managing director of Lampton Leisure, said: “By expanding our HAF programme to all six of our sites, we are helping more children in Hounslow to stay active and develop new skills in line with our commitment to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes for the community.

“With a broad range of fun and confidence-building sessions and nutritious meals on offer, we are supporting healthier lifestyles while

providing children with the opportunity to participate in activities that they may not otherwise have access to.”

Lampton Leisure’s HAF sessions provide eligible children with access to free and engaging activities including

swimming, tennis, dodgeball and fun team challenges such as “drop the egg”. Sessions last four hours each and attending children also receive a healthy meal.

Lampton Leisure has run 14 weeks

worth of HAF sessions since first launching the programme in April 2022 and last year the business was selected as a regular HAF provider.

Welcoming 66 participants in its first camp, Lampton Leisure’s holiday programmes have grown rapidly with 126 participants attending the sessions over the Christmas holidays.

By extending the HAF programme to all six of its leisure centres, Lampton Leisure will improve access to sessions for children across the borough.

Parents of children who have attended previous Lampton Leisure holiday camps have shared overwhelmingly positive feedback about the programme.

Parents in receipt of a qualifying benefit are encouraged to apply for HAF for their children attending reception to year 11 who receive benefit-related free school meals.

All claims should be verified by the school or local authority.

Fitness trailblazers strike up commercial partnership

PRIMAL and Indigo Fitness have signed a commercial partnership to offer an industry-leading product and service solution for commercial and private gym spaces.

The partnership sees PRIMAL, the UK’s fastest growing strength brand, and Indigo Fitness, the leading UK manufacturer of bespoke strength equipment, collaborate to provide a one-stop-shop solution for all segments of the fitness industry.

Founded in Glasgow in 2016, PRIMAL has grown to be one of Europe’s leading strength brands, with recent expansion into Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East.

It counts major gym chains and top sports clubs, as well as celebrities and elite athletes, amongst its global client base. Meanwhile, Indigo Fitness was founded in 1996 and operates from its design and manufacturing site in

Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

With vast experience across the fitness sector, Indigo Fitness is a solutionled manufacturer of bespoke fitness equipment.

Together, both businesses have combined sales of approaching £30m. The collaboration will provide new and existing clients of both businesses with a greater range of bespoke products and services.

Steven Rinaldi, founder and CEO of PRIMAL, said: “Even from our early conversations, the synergies in our business outlook and philosophy were clear between PRIMAL and Indigo Fitness.

“Everyone knows our passion for strength and functional training and creating world-leading functional spaces

to equip everybody to discover their true strength potential.

“Together with Indigo Fitness, we can build on our long-standing industry experience and strong client relationships to deliver even more stateof-the-art projects.”

Robert Coleman, managing director of Indigo Fitness, added: “We pride ourselves on creating intelligent training spaces for health and fitness facilities, through the design and manufacture of bespoke training equipment made in Britain.

“By partnering with PRIMAL, we can help accommodate more challenging and bespoke design concepts for their client base while elevating our brand on a global scale and offering our clients a greater product range.”

Stuart Stokes

Steven Rinaldi