Workout December 2014

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December 2014

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Industry has to play its part on inactivity, claim

By Christina Eccles INACTIVITY is killing us, according to an expert, who is calling on the industry to play an important role in helping to address the scale of the problem.

Speaking at the ukactive National Summit in London, director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England, Professor Kevin Fenton, told an audience of industry professionals that activity levels are continuing to fall; something which is costing us as a nation and having a massive impact on society.

He explained: “Levels of activity have been declining. Since the 1960s, there has been nearly a 25 per cent reduction and trends suggest this will continue.

“Inactivity is costing us as a nation.

That means it has an impact on society. We are the lazy man of the Western world.”

As part of a drive to improve the nation’s health, PHE has co-produced Everybody Active, Every Day; a framework for national and local action to address the physical inactivity epidemic, which will focus on four key areas of action to make active lifestyles a reality for all.

These are: Change the social ‘norm’ to make physical activity the expectation.

Develop expertise and leadership within professionals and volunteers.

Create environments to support active lives.

Identify and upscale successful programmes nationwide.

Now, following the launch, PHE is calling for action from providers and commissioners in: health, social care, transportation, planning, education, sport and leisure, culture, the voluntary and community sector, and public and private employers to get behind the initiative.

Kevin added: “I’m passionate about physical activity. That elixir of life we all strive for is for living longer and healthier, so this is something we all need to be passionate about.

“Physical activity underpins everything we do. We will continue to be part of the change we want to see.

Our ask of you is to please keep speaking to us. Be part of the change you want to see.” *What part do you think gyms can play in solving the inactivity problem?

Email our editorial team at scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Facebook or Twitter.

No 255 £3

‘Wearable technology’ among new 2015 trends

Thousands of group exercise instructors and enthusiasts met in Liverpool for the final event of the Les Mills GFX series. Attendees enjoyed the hottest dance, high intensity interval training, martial arts and mind body workouts, as well as the final of the Les Mills GRIT championships. Also on the day, local charity the Steven Gerrard Foundation received a £3,500 donation from the Les Mills Fund for Children. The cheque was personally accepted by the footballer, pictured here with CEO of Les Mills UK, Keith Burnet. *For full story see inside.

WEARABLE technology, functional training and fitness professionals becoming more business savvy will be among trends in 2015, it has been claimed.

As the industry gears up for another busy January rush, Workout asked a range of operators, suppliers and well known industry figures for their thoughts on what to watch out for over the coming months.

Among those we heard from was fitness entrepreneur Katie Bulmer-Cooke who predicts, in order to thrive next year, clubs and trainers will need to become all-round business experts, as being able to offer great fitness knowledge won’t be enough.

She added: “In 2015 it isn't enough to have fantastic fitness knowledge and be a great coach if you want to have a successful fitness business.

“You also need to be crazy hot on customer service and truly know your customer inside out; understanding their wants, needs, barriers and pain points, and most importantly find a solution to these.”

For more, see our feature starting on page 38.

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‘Positive messages could encourage people to be more active’, claim

By Christina Eccles POSITIVE media messages pushing health rather than size; realistic role models and a greater school curriculum focus on PE could all encourage people to become more physically active, according to top athletes James Cracknell and Tanni GreyThompson.

The sporting stars were among the speakers at the ukactive National Summit in London where they addressed delegates on the importance of prioritising physical activity.

And James claims that although competitive sport is important, it isn’t for everyone, so other healthy role models should also be praised to encourage people to lead more active lives.

He said: “The legacy of the Olympics shouldn’t be about finding the next Mo Farah, it should be about us moving more and making the most of our lives.

“If you are obese at 11, there’s an 80 per cent chance you will be obese as an adult.

“We need to get into that habit of exercising more as part of our life rather than for sport because sport doesn’t motivate everyone.

“Elite athletes will work for some people but we also need to have images of women looking real doing sport.”

“People see the perception of the extreme end of sport but it’s not realistic. A better role model is someone who balances a job with friends/family and getting stuck into sport.”

According to Tanni, it’s also important that women, in particular, don’t feel guilty for taking time out for themselves to be physically active and that the message given out to young people must be on health rather than size.

She added: “Young girls say they would rather be thin than healthy.

“That health message is so important. It’s about finding that connection. Elite athletes will work for some people but we also need to have images of women looking real doing sport.”

James added: “There are other ways than sport to get people physically

Tanni Grey-Thompson, event chair Denis Campbell and James Cracknell. active.

“Sedentary activities are so easy to get hold of. We have to make it easier for people to move and make sure people enjoy being active., not because they have to compete but because they want to make the most

‘Excellent’ rating for Centre WOKING Leisure Centre is celebrating receiving an ‘excellent’ rating following a rigorous two day Quest assessment.

The final stage of the process followed its success a year ago in the first phase of the assessment and covered all aspects of the business including health and safety, continuous improvement, business planning, environment, cleaning and housekeeping, maintenance and equip-

ment and customer experience.

Freedom Leisure area manager Phil Edwards said: “The Quest assessment is very thorough and it’s an intense two days with the assessor on site.

“The ‘excellent’ status is an honour and reflects the hard work of everyone on the site: their dedication and commitment to Woking Leisure Centre and our customer experience has been rewarded by this excellent achievement.”

of life.

“The curriculum needs to be more focused – not just on numeracy and literacy but also on health.

There’s no lobby group or pressure to make that mandate happen. We need to act now.”

Advertising Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry

www.workout-uk.co.uk

Sales manager: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 dl@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant sales manager: Chris Hartley Tel: 01226 734709 ch@scriptmedia.co.uk

Editorial Group Editor:

Official media partner of ukactive

Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Editor: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Olivia Taylor ot@scriptmedia.co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

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Dominic Hinde believes, when spreading the word about their brand, using professional photography is key for any club wanting to make a good impression.

Using quality images can make a big difference

By Christina Eccles USING top quality imagery on your marketing, which clearly showcases your club, can be the difference between attracting – or putting off – a potential member, according to a successful photographer.

Dominic Hinde is making a name for himself in the world of fitness photography, having worked on regular projects for the likes of Matrix Fitness and ukactive.

And he believes, when spreading the word about their brand, using profes-

sional photography is key for any club wanting to make a good impression on potential customers.

He explained: “The whole idea of advertising is to attract potential customers.

“In my opinion, if you use mediocre, poor quality images in an advert, then potential members who see the advertisement won’t even think of joining the club as the facilities won’t look impressive and the club will instantly be devalued.

“If you want something done right, then you hire a professional who has

the right skills, equipment and experience to do the job properly and I believe high quality images could be the difference between potential members, becoming members.”

According to Dominic, clubs should also think about using quality images of their own facilities, rather than stock photographs, which make it hard to differentiate one gym from another.

He added: “If any club or company wants to stand out, then I believe photography is one way to do so.

“A lot of clubs use stock images,

which can sometimes be off-putting for potential members as they often feature unrealistic-looking models.

“One stock image can also be more expensive than commissioning me to take a whole library of images to promote your business.

“Because so many clubs use stock images, their adverts become repetitive and they begin to look like every other local gym.

“Retail and lifestyle brands continually update their images for new campaigns etc, so perhaps the fitness industry should do the same.”

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Technogym to sponsor inspiration accolade INDUSTRY supplier Technogym will sponsor the Sports Personality of the Year Award at the third Berkshire Inspiration and Participation Awards.

Held on February 6, 2015 at the Blue Mountain Golf and Conference Centre, the event honours sporting heroes, coaches and volunteers.

It recognises the contribution local people in Berkshire have made to inspiring others to take up physical activity, individual and team excellence in sport over 2014.

Managing director of Technogym UK Andrea Bianchi said: “Having located our UK base in Bracknell, Berkshire for the past 20 years, Technogym has a strong commitment towards creating a healthier and happier local community through wellness.

“We are delighted to sponsor the Sports Personality of the Year Award again, and look forward to an evening of celebration for those who have inspired others to take on more sport, physical activity and exercise in Berkshire.”

Martial arts-style grading system helps boxers track their progress

By Olivia Taylor PROFESSIONAL coach Glenn Smith has created a martial arts-style grading system for his young boxing students, which enables them to keep track of their progress and move forward in the sport.

Glenn, owner of Red Corner Boxing Gym in Coventry, thought of the idea when parents kept enquiring about their children’s progress during the boxing classes.

This was sometimes difficult for Glenn and his instructors to answer as the classes were very busy, making it hard to keep an account of every single student’s progress.

Another strong influence for Glenn was the idea that a student could have been training for months or years without ever having anything to show for all their time and dedication to the sport.

He said: “We are looking to close the divide between boxing and martial arts, they are more closely linked than people realise.

“I would also like to take this already popular grading system into schools, nationwide.

“The focus is on boxing being reintroduced as a safe but effective sport and also to act as an incentive for any students who express an interest in pursuing sport as a career

Glenn Smith devised the programme following parents’ enquiries about their children. option.”

There are nine boxing grades, starting from white level and finishing with instructor level. The gradings start off by teaching basic boxing skills and then progressing onto advanced techniques.

The students have constantly got something new to aim for and as they move up grades will walk away with a

T-shirt, a certificate and a medal on the day of the grading.

Glenn is already taking bookings to teach the boxing syllabus in various gyms, schools and youth clubs. His boxing coach course, which has recently been approved by Skills Active, is also available for anyone wanting to become a qualified accredited boxing coach.

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Free biomass boiler initiative for leisure sector is launched

By Christina Eccles

Shaun Lawrence of Barnsley LGBT Forum presents the Rainbow Tick to Glenn Tolan and Joanne Heeley at the Metrodome.

BPL awarded Rainbow Tick Gold LEISURE operator BPL has once again received the Rainbow Tick Gold Award from the Barnsley LGBT Forum in recognition of its ongoing commitment to understand, value and welcome diversity.

The Gold Award is the highest level of recognition the LGBT community offers and it recognises the work BPL has continued to do since the award

was first achieved to provide an equal and inclusive environment for the staff and people who use its services.

BPL’s head of operations, Glenn Tolan, said: “We are delighted to have reached Gold standard for a second time and are proud to be recognised by the LGBT Forum for providing a friendly and inclusive place for people to work in and to visit.”

AN energy efficiency specialist has launched a multi-million pound initiative to offer businesses in the sector a free Commercial Biomass Boiler to help in the fight against rising heating bills.

The scheme, by Happy Energy, is aimed at hotels and leisure businesses, particularly those in more rural areas that are off the mains gas network and use electric, oil or LPG for heating and hot water, and have heating bills of £15,000 a year or more.

Those meeting the criteria could receive a £150,000 Biomass Boiler system fitted and fully maintained free of charge.

The boiler will also be serviced annually and fully maintained by Happy Energy for 20 years, also free of charge.

Happy Energy CEO, Adrian Wright, said: “For hotels and tourism and leisure developments not on the mains gas network, heating is a very expensive business – particularly in recent years with the annual energy price increases – that has seen one of the biggest overheads they have to deal with getting bigger.

“Biomass boilers – which use wood chips, logs or wood pellets as fuel –

will not only cut heating and hot water bills by around 30 per cent from the moment they are commissioned, which for a business spending £15,000 a year on heating is a saving of £4,500 a year, but are much more environmentally friendly.

“The launch of the Government's Renewable Heat Incentive, which sees payments made to those businesses installing Biomass Boilers, has made them a really attractive proposition for businesses but we recognise that the £150,000 capital investment costs can be prohibitive and stop many businesses from getting one.

“The launch of the free initiative will see us design and fit the system, commission it and maintain and upkeep it for 20 years, enabling hotels and other tourism-related businesses to enjoy the real benefits that Biomass offers, having to pay only for the wood pellet fuel themselves.

“The RHI payments come to us to offset the cost of the supply, installation and ongoing maintenance of the boiler, the business receives the benefits of significantly reduced heating and hot water bills, which, if energy prices remained static for the next 20 years, could see a business currently paying £15,000 per year, save around £90,000.”

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American fitness industry guru Thomas Plummer claims the industry has to stop being afraid of change in order to survive – and thrive – in today’s competitive marketplace.

Christina Eccles discovered his top tips for success at his recent Leisure Industry Week seminar.

Tommy offers advice to stay ahead of the competition ...

Happy Energy founder Adrian Wright.

Bright idea put savings in spotlight GYMS looking to go green – and save money – have been given a helping hand, thanks to the launch of a dedicated online LED lighting store.

Energy efficiency company Happy Energy, has launched the Happy LEDs site to provide a range of lighting options for use in the hotel and leisure sector.

Founder Adrian Wright said: “From experience the vast majority of hotel and leisure businesses do not realise how much energy traditional bulbs including Halogen use and by fitting new LEDs how much can be saved, not just in terms of energy usage and energy bills but in terms of replacement costs also.

“Replacing bulbs is one of the simplest and most effective ways to cut energy and can improve the quality of the lighting at the same time.”

FOR many, change is scarier than failure, according to Thomas, who told a packed room of independent operators at LIW that they would not be failing anyone by changing course to realign their business – but would be failing themselves by staying on a path which isn’t working.

He told delegates that as competition increases, clubs need to reposition themselves to keep up with the times – without resorting to a price war. And crucially that they should not think of their members as replaceable.

He explained: “You’re not failing anyone by changing course. You’re only failing yourself by staying on it.

“You need to constantly reposition against the competition – transition is your future.

“The traditional business model is based on unlimited numbers.

Competition is killing this business model because the member is no longer replaceable.”

He added that the future of the

industry is to make more money from fewer clients – moving from a volume based business model to one which focuses on a better rate of return per client served.

He added: “In The States, only 17 per cent of people are gym members. Here it’s eight to 12 per cent. We are fighting for such a small market share. There’s no volume left in a competitive market. The only tool we have left is to shift from volume to return from client served.”

According to Thomas, the key to doing this is by offering a layered price system where members pay a certain amount according to the services they want to use.

The bottom layer is the cheapest, which involves offering basic access to the gym, moving up to the next level of paying more to include group exercise, then team training sessions up to 20 people, small group training of up to four people and right at the top, one to one personal training.

He also recommends that all training is sold on 12 month memberships, rather than short term sessions or packages, and that the induction process should not be focused around one visit, to give new members more time to experience what a club can do for them.

He added: “Most people won’t even try a gym because the perceived risk is too high. The risk is not parting with money, it’s do I fit in?

“Offer a paid risk free trial, such as 30 days for $69, which says ‘come and try my gym and give me the chance to earn your business.’ This will bring in people who are experience driven rather than price.

“Slow the induction process down; don’t rely on a first visit. Rely on the experience of your team and the quality of your gym. Trials kill risk.

“What we do matters. Our time is coming.

“It’s the best time ever to be in fitness.”

Football club is put through its paces THE Aston Villa FC strength and conditioning department has spent a day being put through their paces

by Jordan Fitness’ training academy manager, Mark Laws.

Mark delivered a Kettlebell Certification course, which taught participants how to execute all the foundation exercises safely, how to implement Kettlebells into their cur-

rent conditioning programmes and how to correct any problems with players’ techniques.

He said: “It was a great honour to be asked to share my knowledge with such an experienced team.

“Premier League football is renowned as being one of the fastest and most physically demanding leagues in world football – the

strength and conditioning coaches at Aston Villa FC are among the best in the business at preparing athletes of the highest calibre.

“On behalf of the company I know that Jordan Fitness are delighted to provide equipment to Aston Villa FC, and from the Training Academy's perspective this is great recognition of our ability also.”

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Carly Tierney

Carly overcomes eating disorders to win first prize

By Lynsey Bradford BARNSLEY girl Carly Tierney has won a bodybuilding competition after overcoming both bulimia and anorexia.

Carly was placed first in the Miami Pro UK competition at St Albans after years of battling the eating disorders.

She donned a bikini and sparkly heels for the contest and beat off stiff competition from 65 entrants in the ‘Miss Bikini Tall’ category.

She said: “I was ecstatic when they said I had won. I’ve not spoken to many people about why I did it, but it was for myself. It was a defining moment for me.”

Carly said the competition was about women having a healthy, strong physique which is also feminine and athletic.

She trained for the competition at the gym twice a day for eight weeks and followed a bodybuilding diet because she was judged on how her body looked, how athletic her muscle tone was and how she presented herself on stage.

She added; “As a child I was always a bit chubby and I used to yo-yo diet and then I had really bad bulimia which turned into anorexia. It wasn’t until I became an ambassador for BSN that I got into weightlifting.

“It made me realise I had the opportunity to really go for it. I have completely changed how I feel about my body.

“I want to be strong, fit and healthy and my body is a a reminder of how far I’ve come in overcoming my demons. I’m totally happy with myself now.”

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Technogym Soccer duo’s personal training to kit out academy opens in Manchester new Derby Arena gym

By Christina Eccles

A STATE-of-the-art gym facility is set to open at Derby Arena early next year, kitted out with the latest equipment from Technogym.

The club will contain new interactive kit from the supplier including Excite+ cardio machines; functional training solution Omnia; interactive Kinesis Stations and Element+ and Pure Strength resistance machines. The arena will also be connected to mywellness cloud, enabling it to stay in touch with members and their progress no matter where they are.

Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture, Coun Alison Martin said: “Derby Arena is one of the most exciting new developments in the city. We have chosen to equip the gym with the very latest fitness equipment to present residents and members with the most interactive workout available today.

“We’re looking forward to encouraging even more people in the city to become more active and healthy through the Arena.”

A FITNESS business set up by football manager Dougie Freedman and former Crystal Palace player Gavin Heeroo has opened an academy in Greater Manchester for people looking to become qualified personal trainers.

It is the first academy venue outside London for Focus Fitness UK and will be headed up by business operations manager Vicky Owens, who also oversees a regional sales team.

The centre will deliver intensive, sixweek training courses leading to nationally-recognised diplomas in fitness instructing and personal training under the guidance of education manager Anne-Marie Knott.

Subjects taught will include anatomy, physiology, nutrition and how to design exercise programmes and warm-up and cool-down routines.

Health and safety, customer service and communication skills will also form part of the curriculum.

Vicky said: “Anne-Marie’s experience means she is ideally-placed to deliver our courses, which will provide all the training, skills and knowledge that students require to embark on a successful career as a fitness industry professional in the UK or abroad.

“Graduates will leave as fully-qualified personal trainers, ready to work in gyms, health and fitness clubs, or

Vicky Owens and Anne-Marie Knott in the gym. in their own business.

“They will leave our courses confident and ready to train all clients they may encounter.

“We will also provide support to them once they have graduated, offering career advice and help with tasks such as compiling CVs and website design.”

Gavin added: “Following the success of our academy in London, we are expanding into other regions and

have chosen Greater Manchester for our first venue.

“We are confident our new venture will be a great success. Fitness has become a way of life in modern Britain, and Greater Manchester has seen huge growth in the number of gyms and fitness centres.

“We are currently looking at establishing academies in other UK towns and cities, including Birmingham and Leeds, as well as overseas.”

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Leisure trusts launch programmes to engage inactive people in sport

By Christina Eccles

Jonathan Christensen has joined Gladstone as the company’s new customer service manager. With overall responsibility for the customer support teams, as well as customer retention, he will focus on ensuring every member of the Gladstone team fully understands each solution the company offers across its different products.

Jonathan said: “We value our existing customer base just as much as we value a new customer, so there will be a real focus on understanding our customers and their needs. The aim is to turn around any issues and convert cancellations into compliments.”

A FURTHER 13 leisure trusts across the country are to benefit from Sport England Lottery Funding to deliver innovative projects to engage inactive people in sport.

The £571,112 allocation marks the second round of funding from the Make Your Move programme, which is driven by Sporta, the UK’s representative body for sport and leisure trusts who are all non-distributing profit organisations.

Designed to meet the needs of their own community, the projects vary in content and size, but are focused on increasing participation in sport within their local area.

They include a new partnership between Sporta and The Football League Trust, piloted through Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust, in partnership with Club Doncaster Foundation.

Together they have been awarded funding for Doncaster Moving Together, which aims to increase participation in sport by 300 local people, aged 35 to 55, at four venues.

In order to feel part of the project and the club, participants will be recruited through social media platforms, Doncaster Rovers FC fan base, and match day awareness sessions, and will enjoy player visits and physical activity incentives.

“The approach we are taking in this partnership with Sport England will ensure that all this information and experience will be gathered and shared widely over the coming year.”

Led by foundation coaches, the project will offer badminton, cricket and football, initially in an informal, fun and non-competitive environment. The 12-week sessions will become slightly more formal and may form into mini leagues and competitions across the four venues.

Elsewhere, Hyndburn Leisure Trust is set to launch Active Mums, which aims to increase participation in sport by 415 females.

Designed in consultation with children’s centres, toddler groups and community nurseries, the project will target inactive mums with young children whose main barrier to participation is lack of childcare and particularly Eastern European women, who are a growing demographic group in Hyndburn.

The project offers 12 weeks of activities in accessible locations, with childcare provided, but will also focus on outdoor physical activity with activities such as buggy fitness and walk to run groups.

To help sustain the project,

Hyndburn Leisure Trust aims to develop opportunities for participants to become volunteers and potentially paid instructors/leaders of the activities.

Sporta CEO Brian Leonard said: “This round two award of £571,112 from Sport England for the Sporta Make Your Move programme, shows the great ability and enthusiasm of Sporta trusts to help more people in their communities become more active.

“The trusts have again come forward with a wide range of imaginative proposals and the 13 new projects we have been able to approve will add to the learning we are gaining from the three projects in the pilot round and the 13 projects approved in round one.

“The approach we are taking in this partnership with Sport England will ensure that all this information and experience will be gathered and shared widely over the coming year.”

A third round of funding will be allocated early in 2015.

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www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk

Welcome to WorkOut Weigh In – it’s your chance to have your say and share your views on industry issues. You can email us at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or you can message us on Facebook or Twitter.

This month’s top Tweets...

@clubbercise: Happy Halloween!

Check out the eerie glow you get when you put glowsticks into a pumpkin @WorkOutUK.

@katiebulmer1: Buzzing to be on the first page of @WorkOutUK magazine #entrepreneur #fitness @LKB_PR: The November issue of @WorkOutUK has just landed on the doorstep so it's time for a coffee and a quick flick through. Any excuse! @MieFitQuest: It’s great to see that we made it into the November issue of @WorkOutUK alongside other great exhibitors at #liw2014.

Roll on 2015! @UniqueResults: Very honoured to have my @L_I_W talk written up on the front page of @WorkOutUK magazine. Thanks to @ChristinaEccles. @RHULSPORT: @RoyalHolloway in @WorkOutUK for our event celebrating @_ukactive #nationalfitnessday thanks to all who took part. @wattbike: Fantastic to see the Wattbike install @NHCity featured in the latest @WorkOutUK magazine @ProFitPerform: Good little write up on @danielafsar in workout mag.

Enjoyed watching this guys progress to Miami Pro and WBFF.

Andrew’s our lucky winner Picture of the month

OVER on our Facebook page, we teamed up with Les Mills to offer one lucky follower the chance to win two tickets to the company’s recent GFX event in Liverpool.

The winner was Andrew Mayne who told us the day was “absolutely brilliant.”

He is pictured here enjoying the event.

LOOK out for the next issue of Workout where we’ll be revealing all the news from the 2014 National Fitness Awards. Our special NFA feature will include a full list of winners – and comments from our judges as to why they chose them – plus a round up of all the action from the awards’ night at The Athena in Leicester. You can also keep up to date with all the latest on the National Fitness Awards by following @FitnessAwards on Twitter or at www.facebook.com/workoutmagazine

Charitable staff and members at Basildon Sporting Village have raised over £200 for Children in Need through bucket donations and a successful cake sale. Many opted to wear fancy dress to mark the occasion and a number of male colleagues were sponsored to have their chests waxed to raise extra funds for the cause.

Editor’s Comment AS we prepare for the excitement of the upcoming festive season, in the fitness industry all eyes are already on 2015.

What classes will be the crowd pleasers? What will be the latest innovations in technology? And crucially, what is going to attract members through your doors – and keep them coming back.

In this issue of Workout, hopefully we’ve answered some of those questions.

Our New for 2015 feature on pages ... speaks to the experts, who reveal what operators should be watching out for next year and the hottest trends to implement into your clubs.

When it comes to trends, the appetite for group fitness is showing no sign of slowing down, as our group exercise feature this issue demon-

strates.

Turn to pages ... where we take a look at why recruiting instructors from your membership base could be the way forward and include some top tips to help you find the best instructor talent for your business.

As I write this month’s Editor’s Comment, it’s a very exciting time in the Workout office as we are just days away from the National Fitness Awards.

In less than a week’s time, 800 of the fitness industry’s finest will be descending on The Athena in Leicester to find out who will walk away with a top award this year.

Congratulations to all our finalists and a big thank you to our sponsors who support the event year on year.

Next issue, we will be revealing a full list of winners, as well as a round up

Christina Eccles of all the action on the night, so if you were there, then we’d love to hear your feedback and see some pictures of your team enjoying the evening.

Have a great month!

This month’s hot topic:

With operators looking ahead to 2015, what are you doing to make sure your club will stand out from the competition and maximise the amount of new members coming through the doors in January?

Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue. @marklaws2011: Behind the scenes from @jordanfitnessuk video shoot with @WorkOutUK for 2014 @FitnessAwards #NFA #fitfam #kettlebells

Follow us on Twitter @WorkOutUK or contact us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/workoutmagazine

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As always, Leisure Industry Week 2014 provided the perfect platform for suppliers to showcase their hottest new products to a potential buying audience. With an array of equipment, classes and innovations on offer to grab visitors’ attention, Workout editor Christina Eccles took a trip around the show floor to try out some of the latest kit on offer, first hand. Here’s how she got on...

Christina is put through her paces in a circuit based session with some of the Life Fitness team (left) and does an upper body strength workout with TRX.

Show provides a perfect opportunity to try out the latest gym equipment LEISURE Industry Week is always a busy show for the Workout team and one of our favourite parts of attending the event is getting out and about to take a closer look at what exhibitors believe will be the next big thing to hit the industry – and tempt gyms to invest their hard-earned cash in.

It’s even more fun when we actually get to try the kit for ourselves, which is why I was really excited to get started on this challenge and see what was lined up for me to tackle.

First up, I headed away from the crowds inside the hall to the show’s outdoor area, where I got to have a go at Parkour, thanks to the team at Parkour Generations.

The idea of Parkour – or free running – appealed to and terrified me in equal measures and a lot of this part of the challenge came down to conquering my mental fears that I would fall over or injure myself.

Mastering an activity like this is definitely a case of mind over matter and with a lot of support from the team, I gave it a good go; balancing, climbing and jumping over the boxes. Trying out Parkour gave me a real sense of achievement. It’s nothing like any activity I do in the gym and more like the movements I used to enjoy as a child in a playground, which is exactly what makes it stand out as a workout. I could easily have spent more time on this one – and can’t wait to give it another go!

Next up was a trip to the Life Fitness stand to try out their latest offerings, including the new Synrgy BlueSky outdoor rig and the Powermill.

As part of this section of the challenge, I got involved in a circuit

Christina has a workout on the latest kit offerings from Life Fitness, Parkour Generations and Running Unlimited. based session with some of the Life Fitness team, trying out a short burst of activity on each station before moving on to the next one.

The team certainly put me through my paces as I progressed through the workout, but their support – plus that of the people who had gathered around to watch – spurred me on.

I’ve seen the original Synrgy in action when visiting gyms and it was great to give the outdoor version a go.

There is so much you can do with a product like this, that it would make a versatile addition to any club which has access to an outdoor space. It could also be a great product for a park looking to help the local community get into fitness.

After a tiring few minutes on the Life Fitness stand, I slowed down the pace to meet the team from Running Unlimited. I’d heard about their Zone Dome technology – where treadmill users can immerse themselves in an interactive experience and virtually

choose where they want to take their run – and now it was my turn. I opted for a relaxing jog along the beach.

During my own workouts, I’m not particularly a fan of the treadmill as I find the movements quite repetitive without something to focus on, but this technology made all the difference. I like the fact you can choose a backdrop which suits your mood and the pace you want to go – and, had I been feeling more energetic, I could have chosen to ramp it up a gear on something more strenuous. Maybe next time!

Finally, I came face to face with the experts at TRX where I finished the challenge with a workout which focused on increasing upper body strength. Again, I was impressed with the versatility of this kit and, having struggled with it during previous attempts, having someone on hand to make sure my positioning and technique was correct made the experience much more enjoyable.

I’m not sure if the TRX is something I would tackle alone in the gym as I’m still slightly apprehensive as to how to get the best from it, but as part of a personal training session, I’d definitely have another go.

I really enjoyed my LIW challenge experience and, from taking part, the one thing which struck me was the diversity of the equipment and workouts I could choose from. It just goes to show that whatever your levels of fitness or likes and dislikes, there are enough activities out there to suit everyone’s tastes.

If I had to pick a favourite, I would choose Parkour; simply because it offers such a different experience to anything else I’ve tried, and I’d love to see sessions become more widely available around the country. Taking part in all four sessions was a fun way to enjoy the show, while taking a closer look at some of the industry’s current trends. I can’t wait to find out what next year’s show will bring!

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UK FITNESS SCENE What are the secrets to keeping your members coming back and why is customer service so important?

Workout reporter Olivia Taylor found out by attending The Retention People’s seminar at LIW – and speaking to clubs leading the way.

Interaction and experiences the key to retention Independent gym owner Jonathan Walker fulfilled a lifetime ambition when he met one of his idols Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jonathan, who owns award winning club Gambaru Fitness in Harrogate, attended an evening with the star, hosted by Jonathan Ross, where he spoke about his life and achievements from starting out as a body builder to becoming governor of California. Jonathan said: “It’s been a life long ambition to meet him as he is an amazing example of focusing on something you want to succeed in and never giving in until you achieve it.”

Members at Ladies of Leisure in Canterbury wore fancy dress for the Halloween mini classes.

Members get in the spooky spirit with themed workouts MEMBERS at an independent ladies only gym got into the spooky spirit of Halloween by taking part in two themed workouts.

The sessions at Ladies of Leisure in Canterbury comprised three 20 minute mini classes of Zumba, Kettlebells or Boxercise and Pilates, which were performed back to back over an hour in a specially decorated studio.

Staff and members also dressed up in their favourite costumes and, at the end of the class, each participant went home with a personalised

Halloween orange.

Gym manager Fidelma Atkinson said: “Both events were fully booked and we received excellent feedback from the participants.

“The members and staff really got into the fancy dress spirit and the quality of the workouts matched the great fancy dress.

“The aim of the event was also to encourage members to try something new. This was achieved through the four different mini classes offered and it was great to see members enjoy a new exercise experience.”

STUDIES by TRP show that whether a member stays at your gym or leaves is mostly down to their experience; what frustrates, delights and motivates them.

Motivation can be measured by age, sex, appearance and social factors, with younger members being more motivated by appearance than older members.

TRP asked 2,571 members on a scale of one to 10 how likely they were to recommend their gym to a friend or colleague.

People giving the gym a score of nine to 10 are the people who will promote your club to their friends, becoming a walking, talking advert, whereas people giving you a score of six or below are the people that won’t speak as highly.

Interaction and creating experiences with members is the one thing that The Retention People found to be a key technique to keeping members coming back – if a member isn’t spoken to by staff they’re 50 per cent more likely to want to leave.

The Retention People’s professional services manager Tamara Bailey explained: “Members will forgive you a lot of things if they feel looked after and valued. The power to delight a customer lies within their willingness to hold a conversation.”

Inverclyde Leisure in Greenock and Rockets Health and Fitness in Gloucestershire have both been recognised for their efforts in delivering great customer service – making the finals of the 2014 National Fitness Awards.

Inverclyde Leisure’s operations manager Jim Lyon added: “We feel that

“Customer service is the first and last thing a new or existing member will experience at your club.” great customer service is the lifeblood of our organisation and underpins everything that we do.

“We make Inverclyde Leisure great, inspirational and creative in the services and standards that we offer and deliver on our mission to be the best in the eyes of our customers.”

Andy Griffiths, owner of Rockets Health and Fitness, added: “Customer service is the first and last thing a new or existing member will experience at your club.

“First and last impressions stay forever and they could make the difference between the member deciding to come along and train with you next time, or not train with you at all, just because somebody didn't say welcome in or remember their name.”

To go the extra mile with members, Rockets Health and Fitness offer rewards such as cinema tickets, training tops and personal training sessions to members once a month if they achieve a goal or refer a friend to the club.

Andy added: “It’s just as rewarding for us to give something away as it is for the member to receive.”

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Exeter Sports Academy now offers customers three types of membership.

Academy expands its offering

By Olivia Taylor A CLUB in Exeter has branched out from its Taekwondo roots to expand its offering to members.

Exeter Sports Academy was originally set up to service the sporting needs of the local community and opened in May, when managing director Ben Cheriton’s Taekwondo group lost their venue and needed a place to train.

But since opening, the pair have introduced 28 classes a week ranging from ladies’ kickboxing to teen yoga and spinning.

Centre manager Nick Denslow explained: “The initial idea was based around the Taekwondo group but the more we thought about it, the more it

progressed.”

The club boasts a large interchangeable sports hall that can be adapted into two or one single sports arena; a personal training gym with a range of cardio, weights and rehabilitation equipment and a dance studio with a sprung floor.

It offers customers three different types of membership – gym only, classes only or combined – and it took the team four months to get it perfect for opening.

Nick added: “It had to be completely gutted. It took a lot of effort from a lot of people.

“So far it’s going ok – we’re taking every day as it comes. Every week that passes we get more members.”

Independent club Rigs Fitness has welcomed some special VIPs who enjoyed a training session at the facility. WWE stars John Cena, Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston and Luke Harper paid a visit to the club near Birmingham, much to the delight of owner Sam Smith. He added: “We are delighted that the WWE Superstars choose to train at Rigs when they're in the UK. We work hard to ensure our facility can accommodate the world's best athletes and that's exactly who we recently had train with us. It’s not every day you have John Cena, Seth Rollins, Luke Harper and Kofi Kingston train in your gym – and we took great pride hearing them all compliment us on our set-up.”

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12-hour Spinathon raises hundreds of pounds for charity

By Olivia Taylor INSPIRATIONAL gym manager Emma Reeves has raised hundreds of pounds for charity after she came up with the idea of hosting a 12-hour Spinathon when a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The event took place at FX Leisure in Poulton, where bikes were placed in the reception area during the mammoth challenge, which was undertaken by both members and staff at the club.

Emma said: “The Spinathon was a huge success. Bikes were placed in the reception area to create as much exposure as possible – and they didn't stop from 6.30am to 6.30pm.

“Members and staff could do as little or as much as they wished. I placed collection buckets by each bike. Each time a donation was made, the participants were encouraged to pedal faster.”

Those joining in the fun included professional footballers Matty Blair of Fleetwood Town and Matthew Blinkhorn of AFC Fylde, as well as one of the club’s PTs who managed four hours on the bike.

Emma added: “As we have members as young as 16, through every age

“Bikes were placed in the reception area to create as much exposure as possible ...” group up to 80, I wanted to raise awareness that breast cancer isn't a disease that affects just one particular age group.

“Also, I feel it is important to understand that everyone will be affected at some point in their lives, either directly or from a family member or friend.”

As well as the Spinathon, the gym held a coffee morning and a successful raffle, with people donating a large amount of cakes and raffle prizes such as personal training sessions, gym memberships and salon treatments.

To raise awareness of the illness, all staff wore pink and one male personal trainer went further still and came to work in a dress.

Emma added: “I'm still counting the donations. So far, we have raised £860. The support from staff and members was unbelievable.”

Deputy Mayor Richardson works out with colleagues Rob West, Chris Turton, David Hall, Paul Kirk, Colin Davies, Glynn Allott, James Bailey and Lee Thompson. Picture: Wes Hobson.

Football Club programme aims to get village’s men into shape

By Alison Burkinshaw MEN in a village near Barnsley are being put through their paces in an eight-week Fit Reds programme, taking place at their local leisure centre.

The fitness programme run by Barnsley Football Club, and sponsored by the British Heart Foundation, is aimed at men over the age of 35 who want to get in shape.

Lee Thompson, co-ordinator, said the scheme has gone down well in Cudworth, where the group meets every Wednesday at the Dorothy Hyman Centre, from 7pm until 9pm.

Lee said: “The programme aims to target 200 men in Barnsley a year, and we have around 12 men attending the sessions in Cudworth.

“Most of the sessions are at Oakwell,

but we’ve opened it up to different venues so we can reach more people in Barnsley.

“Cudworth health and wellbeing board have been supporting the programme, and are looking to put something in place for the men when the eight weeks are up.”

The men are given nutritional and dietary advice every week and a meal plan to follow. They then exercise for the final hour of the session.

Lee added: “We have people attending for all sorts of reasons, some to get fitter, others for the social aspect — there are lots of different people.

When men get to a certain age they can get caught up and drown in work and their family. This can be a big release for them, it gives them something to look forward to.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

An innovative health club in North Somerset is going from strength to strength, with a massive investment in facilities proving popular with members – and improving its green credentials. Andrew Harrod took a look around.

Jason Eaton, general manager at The Club and Spa at DoubleTree by Hilton, Cadbury House (left) and the swimming pool.

Cadbury House pushes the boundaries IT’S fair to say that since its launch, The Club and Spa at DoubleTree by Hilton, Cadbury House has consistently pushed the boundaries of what people expect from a health club.

The facilities and equipment broke new ground in this part of the world – nothing like them had been seen before.

With a £6m investment, the management wanted to offer the very best money can buy – and that is exactly what is on offer here.

The investment in staying at the top of their game has continued unabated since 2006. Only a few months ago, £500,000 was invested in refurbishing the gym area and its fleet of equipment.

This innovative approach meant they became the first club in the world to have a full install of Technogym Artis fitness kit that feeds surplus energy generated by members’ efforts back into the club's power supply.

It’s good for the environment, good for the bottom line and is loved by members who can quickly see that their 60 minutes on a treadmill has powered the flatscreen TV in reception for half an hour.

The recent refurbishment is a real indicator of a very forward-thinking club with one eye firmly on the future rather than the past.

General manager Jason Eaton – a former professional footballer whose career was cut short by injury – is justifiably proud of the club he has been integral in creating.

He said: “The facilities here are unquestionably world class but there is only so much you can do with equipment and facilities.

“Integral to our club’s success are the people who work here and without them, we would not have this thriving club.

“They are the heartbeat of all that goes on and can regularly be out and about in the local community in

schools and community groups giving advice on exercise, nutrition and general wellbeing.

“We are much more than just a place where people come to exercise.

We have managed to create a very close, tight-knit community of our own here.

“With the on-site cafe bar and spa facilities, we find that people come and spend whole days here. They’ll come and do their workout in the gym, they might go in the pool for an hour and then they’ll have some lunch. Then they might go for some spa treatments. We’ve worked really hard to build a real community here.

We’re a social hub for our members.”

The club takes its commitment to the local community seriously. Staff regularly go out to visit schools, giving them help and encouragement to leave their Xboxes behind and adopt more healthy lifestyles.

The club has recently signed a sponsorship deal with North Somerset

Athletics Academy, meaning some 240 competitive members get to use its facilities, and it also sponsors the local cricket club.

Jason added: “We are renowned for supporting local sports clubs and community initiatives. Our deal with the cricket club helps its members and players to aspire to compete at the highest level.

“We also like to think that we are helping nurture local talent and encouraging youngsters to lead more healthy lifestyles.”

Membership currently stands at 4,000 – and about 800 of those are members who joined when the club first opened its doors eight years ago.

The majority of Jason’s colleagues have also been there since day one.

He added: “You get a modest turnover of staff but by investing in training and matching aspirations and ambitions, we find it’s easier to hang onto the really good members of staff who are vital to our success.”

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Jane Binns, PACT Awards project manager at the WSPCF, presents the award to Lancing Manor Leisure Centre manager Stuart James.

Centre wins Silver PACT Award LANCING Manor Leisure Centre has passed an assessment to prove its excellence in working with children and young people with disabilities and additional needs.

The centre has passed an assessment process carried out by the Parent Carer Team from the West Sussex Parent Carer Forum and been awarded a Silver PACT Award.

The accolade rewards the places and services in the area that are family friendly and have actively considered the inclusion of children and young people with disabilities or additional needs. The leisure centre was commended for its welcoming staff, excel-

lent safety procedures and good accessibility for all users.

Contracts manager at Impulse Leisure Andi Dunstan said: “The PACT Award doesn’t focus on the same things as other quality assessments.

“It concentrates on the types of things that parents of children with disabilities really want – and need – from an organisation.

“Things like safety, communication, staff attitude and involvement, inclusion and participation. Getting silver is a great achievement and it also gives us the incentive to put in place an action plan and press on and achieve gold.”

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Why do members make great class instructors?

By Christina Eccles GYM members turned instructors can become some of your most valuable members of staff, according to a successful fitness manager who herself went down that route.

Amanda Roberts, health and fitness development officer at Wrexham Waterworld, has been in the industry for 35 years, starting originally as a participant in group exercise classes before becoming an instructor.

Now as a manager, when recruiting her own staff she has also looked at her membership base – choosing members who she feels could be a great asset to her team – many of which have gone on to be some of her most popular instructors.

She said: “I have total commitment from my instructor team and they continue to pack out my studio and gym.

“I don’t need to teach these instructors about passion, drive, customer service and commitment, they’ve already learnt these skills as a member.

“I just need to teach them the technical stuff and to be honest they know most of that too because they’ve participated in group fitness classes and gym workouts already.”

According to Amanda, there are two types of instructor; the ‘look at me’ instructor and the ‘look at you’ instructor.

She believes the first type of person wants to be in the limelight and wants recognition for what they do.

A Body Attack class at Wrexham Waterworld.

The second type, instead wants the member to take centre stage, gain confidence and achieve their goals.

And this is the type of person she looks to employ.

She added: “This instructor wants you, the participant in the limelight.

They pack their classes out because participants feel encouraged, motivated and more confident.

“This instructor lives for the moment when members drop a dress size, get a new job, learn to love themselves again.

“Where do I find these instructors now? Within my gym membership.

They were encouraged and supported and now they want to give something back. Why stop them? Let them upskill, train and give back to the community.

“When I look back at my background I realise that I came from participant to instructor too and probably that’s why I’ve been able to develop my team into what it is today. That is totally committed to their class participants 24/7.”

KETTFusion a massive hit at gym

Pulse Fitness in Birtley, Tyne and Wear prides itself on offering a varied timetable.

Group classes keep people happy GROUP exercise is attracting people through the doors at a North East independent gym, where a wide variety of classes are keeping members happy.

Pulse Fitness in Birtley, Tyne and Wear prides itself on offering a varied timetable; including everything from indoor cycling to Insanity and Bokwa, as well as MOSSA’s popular Group Kick and Group Power sessions.

Gym owner Viki Davis said: “Both Group Power and Group Kick have been excellent choices for our studio.

“Group Kick is a good blend of upper and lower body activity.

Furthermore, it isn’t just the same old moves with new music, as is often the case with other pre choreographed programmes.

The Group Power classes are hugely popular and always full.

“There is also a good cross over between Group Kick and some of our other programmes, like Fight Klub, and between Group Power and the strength areas in the gym. “ The class participants really benefit as their technique improves by using this approach and as a business we benefit because they attend the gym more often or do more classes.”

AN innovative class combining martial arts and kettlebells is proving popular with members at Hatton Health and Fitness.

Michael Ross’ KETTFusion classes are going down so Michael Ross well at the club near Manchester that it has had to increase the number of sessions to three per week to keep up with demand.

Club manager Jon Eade said: “KETTFusion is a new breed of fitness class that gets fast results in a short amount of time.

“Our members really enjoy the combination of kettlebells and martial arts moves and the tribal rhythms help them focus and perform better.

“It really helps them get into the zone and give it all they’ve got.”

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Shaun (left) leading a Les Mills Grit masterclass to fitness delegates at LFX and delegates on the day of the recent conference at Leigh Sports Village.

What to look for in an instructor ...

By Christina Eccles THE best fitness instructors are confident, outgoing and have a natural ability to engage with others, according to recruitment expert Shaun Egan.

Auditioning for world class fitness leaders was among the topics discussed at the recent LFX conference at Leigh Sports Village where Shaun, who is part of the customer relationships team at Les Mills UK, revealed his top tips on recruiting quality instructors.

Speaking at the event, Shaun explained what operators should be looking for when taking on instructors within their organisation; advis-

ing them to look at what their top performers in this area do and what other members of staff could learn from them.

He explained: “We are in the motivation business. The most successful organisations design their facilities to meet this need.

“Motivation is directly related to quality. The best instructors have personality, are outgoing, have confidence and engage.

“What if everyone in your organisation was like that top person? What difference would that make to your business?”

According to Shaun, the biggest recruitment challenges faced by clubs

include: Finding new instructors in your area.

Replacing great instructors when they leave.

Determining whether a potential candidate will be able to deliver what they promise at their interview/audition.

To combat these issues, he advised clubs to be clear about what they need from their instructors, hold regular recruitment seminars to meet with potential candidates and consider looking within their membership for customers who, with the right training, could become valuable members of staff.

He also revealed what he thinks are some of the key attributes which make up a quality instructor. These include having a commitment to ongoing training and upskilling; an ability to interact and connect with people; someone who can inspire members and who is a credible physical role model.

He added: “Recruiting great instructors is the top challenge clubs face in growing group fitness. The key thing is quality. Choose instructors who have the potential to pack a room.

“Some of the most passionate instructors I know come from membership. That’s the sort of person you want.”

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GROUP EXERCISE Advertiser’s announcement

Our journey to Group Xellence started with Les Mills …

90 per cent of all exercisers report that they would prefer to work out in a group as opposed to alone, which is why operators need to ensure their group exercise timetable has real pulling power.

How can they tell they are doing a great job motivating people? It’s simple, members attend more often! With more than 30 years of designing and developing group exercise programmes that really drive member motivation and attendance, Les Mills is the most trusted and respected brand in the industry.

Amanda Roberts, health and fitness development officer from Wrexham Waterworld talks about her partnership with the Les Mills.

She said: “It’s been a 10-year journey for us. When I first took over the group fitness offering our timetable had in excess of 20 different classes, all with different names, different descriptions and there was no structure. Something had to change!”

Wrexham Waterworld and Les Mills started their partnership back in 2005 when the team delivered in house training to a team of Les Mills BODYPUMP instructors.

Amanda continued: “This training was the turning point for me. The professionalism and quality of the education that the Les Mills team provided was incredible, especially when compared to the other brands we were working with.”

Since then Wrexham Waterworld has migrated the majority of its group fitness offering and training to Les Mills and now operates eight of the Les Mills programmes, with the view to launch further programmes in 2015 including its new children’s solution – Les Mills BORN TO MOVE. Amanda added: “It’s not just my life that Les Mills makes easier – it’s the members and users who benefit the most. They love the classes. The over-

all group fitness timetable is easy to understand and is built by applying the Les Mills tried and tested, and more importantly proven approach.

We launched the new Les Mills GRIT programme earlier this year and the success is phenomenal.

The classes are full to bursting; we even played host to one of the Les Mills GRIT championships heats in the run up to GFX Liverpool.

And that’s what’s great about working with Les Mills. We get far more value for money. We get support and interaction and the opportunity to be part of something amazing.”

Keith Burnet, CEO of Les Mills UK

added: “There are many ‘copycat’ products and programmes in the market which promise to deliver results for operators but in reality this doesn’t happen.

“Consumers and indeed instructors want to be part of something bigger – a brand and a cause that they feel proud to support and to be part of.

What we do works and that’s why there are over 20m Les Mills workouts enjoyed across the UK each year.”

Facts and figures: 93 per cent of Les Mills users have recommended their current facility to friends or family.

Independent research shows that LES MILLS licensed facilities have 500 more members per club than the global average.

Average group exercise attendance at LES MILLS licensed clubs is 33 per cent, with top performers above 50 per cent..

LES MILLS class participants visit their facility at least twice as often as the average club member. 3.1 - 3.7 times per week, vs. 1.2 - 1.9 visits per week.

71.8 per cent of LES MILLS participants say they intend to remain a member of their club in 12 months’ time.

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GROUP EXERCISE

Equipment range is ideal for small group training

Les Mills rocks out final GFX event in Liverpool OVER 2,000 fitness experts, instructors and group exercise enthusiasts attended the final event in the Les Mills GFX series, which took place at the ACC Liverpool.

The event included the hottest dance, high intensity interval training, martial arts and mind body workouts, as well as the final of the Les Mills GRIT championships, won by a team from Rocko Portsmouth who picked up a £10,000 makeover for their gym.

Also on the day, local charity, the Steven Gerrard Foundation received a

Kettlebells and provides the ability to adjust the different stations to suit varying class numbers.

Physical Company have also just launched BOSU 3DXtreme, a high energy group exercise class created by fitness industry titans including Jay Blanik and Greg Sellar, that allows operators to use their existing BOSUs along with other equipment from their current inventory.

Whatever type of group session you are looking to offer Physical Company have the equipment and programming to suit.

For more information visit www.physicalcompany.co.uk

£3,500 donation from the Les Mills Fund for Children, which was personally accepted by the star.

UK head trainer Dave Kyle said: “Liverpool was the biggest and best GFX event we have hosted so far – previous GFX events were a little taster of what was to come at Liverpool. The atmosphere was electric and it was inspiring to see so many people taking part and really getting stuck in with the Les Mills programmes – it really showed the power of group exercise.”

Kettlercise® denies rumours of boardroom departures ADRIAN Burton, managing director of Kettlebell Seminars Ltd, the people behind the Kettlercise Group Fitness System, has responded very quickly to squash rumours that Guy Noble, one of the company’s founders and head of The Register of Kettlebell Professionals will be leaving the company.

Adrian said: “I can confirm that the Chinese whispers circulating the internet and the fitness arena are simply not true but I am constantly amazed by these things.”

What has happened is that we have started an internal search across our network and through our Kettlercise members for both regional Instructors and for the new (what we call) Kettlercise Apprentice.

PHYSICAL Company’s wide range of innovative fitness equipment is ideal for small group training on the gym floor or studio based group exercise.

The new Total Gym Elevate line offers functional training on fixed station equipment including the Total Gym Leg Trainer, Total Gym Press Trainer, Total Gym Pull-Up Trainer and Total Gym Core Trainer.

The equipment is easy to use and accommodates all fitness levels making it ideal for circuit-style group training sessions on the gym floor.

Cyclone Training on the X-Lab rig also provides great scope to utilise functional equipment such as TRX and

As the Kettlercise and the Kettlercise H.Core brands continue to go from strength to strength, Guy and our current team are stretched to capacity.

With two new courses that we’ve been BETA testing this year due out in 2015 and with huge demand currently in the corporate sector we need to select and train suitable internal instructors to join our existing team to assist in delivering more courses.

When we asked about new courses for 2015, Adrian’s response was “you’ll have to wait and see but one thing that is for sure..... Guy isn’t going anywhere!”

To view more details on the Kettlercise Instructor Course see page 15 or to contact Kettlercise directly call their main office on Tel: 01282 698698.

A monthly circuit based fitness challenge is going down well at an independent gym in Sheffield. Fitness Garage’s Signature #40#40#40 Circuit is held on the first Saturday of each month and gym owner Darren Woodhead said the event is proving popular. He added: “It’s free to members as a thanks from Team Fitness Garage and to non-members it's £5. It's very popular and a waiting list is needed!”

BMF expands its qualifications BRITISH Military Fitness has expanded its offering to include a Level Two Certificate in Instructing Circuit Training, which will qualify people to start a new career in the fitness industry and provide opportunities to become a BMF instructor.

BMF tutors and support staff will deliver the Level Two Certificate in

Instructing Circuit Training, with the first four modules completed via a distance pre-learning course.

Students will then complete the last two modules on a three day practical workshop based at Stoneleigh Performance Fitness Centre in Coventry, where they will learn how to plan and instruct group circuit training sessions.

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Clubbercise – the class that’s catching on fast Kettfusion set to introduce EVEN in today’s health-conscious society people who genuinely love exercise are in the minority; the majority need extra motivation to work out regularly.

For some this could be an inspirational instructor who injects an element of fun into their workout, others just want to get fit in a nonintimidating environment, some people need a great soundtrack and many love the friendliness and community spirit of group exercise classes.

Clubbercise classes incorporate all of the above and appeal to the masses, which explains why they’re expanding so rapidly.

Rachel from Cumbria said: “I’ve hardly done any exercise since school but going to Clubbercise has

changed that, it’s boosted my confidence. I don’t go because I want to lose weight, I go because I enjoy it.”

Louise from Doncaster added: “I hate the gym but I love Clubbercise because it’s just like being out with the girls and I’ve lost over half a stone.”

Instructors and gyms are having to put on more classes to meet demand and the fact that Clubbercise taps into the longestablished club culture – along with household names like Ministry of Sound, Kiss FM and Pete Tong – means it’s not just a passing fad.

Their remaining 2014 training courses are almost full but they’ve just released their first 2015 course dates.

For details visit clubbercise.com

instructor training courses KETTFusion, the 60-minute dynamic fitness class that fuses martial arts moves with kettlebell exercises, is urging gyms and fitness facilities to host their own instructor training dates in 2015.

Currently causing a storm in the North West of England, KETTFusion is a unique workout set to tribal rhythms that incorporates martial arts moves with light kettlebells to create a fun, energetic cardio and strength training workout.

KETTFusion will be hosting their own instructor training day on January 25 in Mellor, Stockport, but

they want to encourage gyms and fitness facilities to host their own KETTFusion instructor training days.

As an incentive, for each sixth instructor that signs up, that instructor goes free.

Creator Michael Ross will still provide the training but the gym will take responsibility for booking instructors onto the course.

An additional instructor training day will also take place at the International Fitness Showcase on March 19 2015.

For more information visit www.kettfusion.com

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NEW FOR 2015

As the industry looks excitedly towards another year, all eyes are on the top trends to watch out for in 2015. In a special feature, Workout reveals what the experts think...

Industry experts look ahead to next year’s fitness trends Wearable technology: "2014 has seen an explosion in wearable technology. At the recent ukactive National Summit there was debate about whether the results from wearable technology would hit the nail on the head for bodies such as Public Health England who look at self reported activity.

“Wearable technology is, I feel, the answer to supporting these self reporting tools as opposed to replacing them."

Stuart Stokes, commercial director, Refer-all Children’s fitness: “With the obesity epidemic showing no sign of abating, it’s vital that leisure operators open up even more opportunities for children of all ages and abilities so they develop healthy, lifelong habits. We’ve recently launched Les Mills BORN TO MOVE for children aged just two to 16. There is an enormous array of activities available for youngsters across our 98 leisure facilities – from Parkour and rock climbing to dancing and martial arts. We will continue to enhance our already impressive offering in 2015 to encourage even more children to keep fit and active.”

Mark Talley, group fitness development manager, Everyone Active Functional training: “Functional training remains as popular as ever and this is reflected in our sales of functional equipment which continues to grow year on year.

“We’re constantly looking to expand our offering of functional kit and in doing so we’ve seen a new trend emerging. Many highly effective fitness concepts that began in the ‘back yard’ are being developed, made safer and more effective, in order that they may be brought into the mainstream.

We stock products that started off life as homemade fitness tools such as The Surge, a water filled tube, that has evolved from a slosh pipe and RMT Clubs which have been developed from steel clubs.

“We predict that 2015 will see even more pieces of functional equipment being adjusted to appeal to a wider

audience and utilised for functional training.”

John Halls, sales and marketing director, Physical Company.

Fashionable fitness apparel: “Previously active wear was just for exercising in but now we are seeing more and more brands designing kit that can be worn in and outside of the gym. Net-A-Porter is a good example of this. The fashion website launched Net-A-Sporter earlier this year bringing together luxury sports brands.

Style driven active-wear is a great motivator and allows women to feel confident so it is not surprising that more brands are combining functionality with design. Even top fashion designers have introduced a sporty, chic look to their collections as they understand that more and more women are wearing fitness kit as part of their everyday wardrobe. The demand for stylish fitness wear will no doubt continue to rise in the next year.”

Linda Hipp,founder, LIJA Body weight training: “It’s no surprise to see that body weight training has continued to grow in popularity and remain such a strong contender on the fitness trends list as the industry and the consumer have recognised the efficiency, portability and versatility of this form of training. Functional training is a relatively new concept in our industry but gyms and health clubs are now seeing the advantages of including functional training areas on the gym floor to provide more opportunity for staff to engage with customers, space for small group exercise or one-toone training and ensure that teams are kept up to date with the latest training techniques and equipment that this research shows users are asking for.”

Alan Holl, senior director at TRX Consumers shopping online for gyms: “The increase in January 2013 was an all-time high and we expect this to be smashed once again as more and more people use the internet to decide which club to join.

“Being easily found online and well represented in terms of customer feedback will be critical for operators seeking growth in 2015.”

Jamie Ward, co-founder, PayasUgym Swimming lessons: “In order for gyms to stay afloat in 2015 they need to balance the down turn in memberships with secondary spend opportunities.

“Those with swimming pools, which are a fabulous draw for new members, need to pay the huge costs of running the facility.

“That's where swimming for kids, adults and Tri is a perfect fit.

Swimming lessons are a win win for health clubs. When they are run efficiently by a third party provider they provide £1000s of extra revenue. Club staff can get on with daily duties, PT and classes and all the hassle is dealt with by the swim lesson provider.

“Let's force the trend for 2015 and ensure that everyone is encouraging kids to learn this vital life skill now.”

Linda Price, director, Swimtime UK Data collection: “With so many wearable technologies being introduced to the market, there will be a big emphasis on the collection of health and activity data throughout 2015.

“Many people have invested in this type of technology without even knowing – the iPhone’s iOS 8 new Health app automatically collects a range of health and fitness data, such as heart rate, calories burned, and even sleep. Operators need to exploit the versatility of these apps to ensure activities outside of the gym are com-

bined with those inside to give a true picture of their members’ exercise patterns. Harnessing this data would create an extremely powerful tool, giving a complete overview of the member’s exercise habits.

“The technology to report on these combined data sets is already a reality. But collecting all this information without a means to combine activities outside of the gym as well as those inside and then report on it just deems the data useless.”

Leon Houseman, marketing manager, Gladstone Health and Leisure Fitness professionals becoming more business savvy: “You can be an amazing trainer, your classes can be the best in your area, but if you don't know how to market in 2014/15 then you could well be low on clients and short on class participants. In 2015 it isn't enough to have fantastic fitness knowledge and the ability to be a great coach if you want to have a successful fitness business.

“You must become a savvy business person who is switched on to social media management, email marketing, web design and PR, in other words a fitness business hybrid.”

Katie Bulmer-Cooke, fitness entrepreneur Small group training: “In most fitness centres, personal training is delivered on a one to one basis, however members who are working towards the same goal are now seeking to work out together from group personal training.

“That is why through popular demand from existing gym members, starting January 2015, selected gyms in South Devon are forming a Group Personal Training Transformation Program. The program made of up to four to six members work out with a personal trainer over a four week period with sessions focused to a specific goal. This initiative makes personal training affordable to everyone and allows members to work out with friends or to meet new people whilst receiving coaching, motivation and dietary advice.”

Sarah Harris, USN brand ambassador and personal trainer at Winners 2000 Paignton

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NEW FOR 2015

So what have you planned for 2015?

SO what have you planned for your gym business that is going to be new in 2015?

You may well be giving your loyal members back the investment they deserve by replacing or adding to the facilities, such as new lockers; new gym kit; new free weights; new cardio kit. Well the list could go on.

But have you stopped to think about the things that make the business run smoothly?

The changes that would save your business money?

Changes that could be saving you time in your day-to-day routine, therefore, allowing you to focus on growing your member base.

Today is a great time to plan how you could make some big changes for 2015 that benefit both your members and your bottom line.

Would you like an integrated software solution that saves you time each day or are you still juggling spreadsheets and paper or wrestling with that old software system you’ve had for years?

Would you like to have up to date KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) so that at a glance you can make

important business decisions every minute of the day?

Would you like to know the status of all Direct Debit or Standing Order members every time they walk in the club?

Have they paid this month?

Would you like to have retention tools so you can keep your customers paying you for longer?

ClubManager can answer all of these questions and a whole lot more for you in 2015 Club Manager founder Wayne Heath. and we are ClubManager on 01245 807 360, visit: looking forward to having a chat www.clubmanagercentral.com or email with you soon.

To find out more contact Wayne at wayne@clubmanagercentral.com

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System makes it easy for you to email and text

DO you know who has stopped coming into your club and therefore is unlikely to renew their membership?

Even worse, do you know who they are, but haven’t got time to re-engage with them before it’s too late?

Ashbourne’s new Connect+ system gives you the detailed retention information you need and then lets you act on it quickly and easily.

At the touch of a button, you can identify, for example, members who have not visited your club in the last 30 or 60 days.

Then, at the touch of another button, you can send them a smart, personalised email with your own message to get them to come back in and start making active use of their membership… before they just drift off and leave. You can also send out targeted text messages.

With Connect+ there are email templates linked to a whole range of data selections, right down to sending an email to someone on their birthday.

Targeting the right people to receive the appropriate email is really quick and easy. Even better, the whole system is available as part of Ashbourne’s All-Inclusive service, at no extra cost.

Contact Grant Harrison at Ashbourne on 0871 271 2088 for more information.

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NEW FOR 2015

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Trends that the industry can’t avoid

By Dave Wright Fitness fans can beat the January blues and kick-start 2015 with a health retreat at a London hotel. The package, available at The Peak Health Club and Spa in Jumeirah Carlton Tower from January 16 to 18, includes a two night stay at the hotel, a rejuvenating fitness programme and take-home tools to support wellness and enhance physical and mental performance.

Barry’s to launch second studio BOUTIQUE indoor fitness company Barry’s Bootcamp is preparing to launch its second London studio in January.

Originating from the US, the new location, bordering the City and Shoreditch, will be spread over two levels and will be equipped for Barry’s 60-minute high intensity workouts,

with the latest Woodway 4Front treadmills, as well as hand weights, medicine balls and resistance bands.

Barry’s London co-owner Sandy Macaskill said: “Opening in East London was an obvious choice for the second Barry’s studio. The area is ultra trendy, energetic and alternative, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

What our followers have been saying on Twitter We also received some top trends from our Twitter followers. Here’s what they had to say... @clubbercise: Healthy clubbing is going to be HUGE! We're not the only ones doing it, this new genre has been growing steadily in 2014 :-) @ViamiaUK: Hoping to see a massive shift in trend in how employers recruit new staff by more effective ways of connecting with jobseekers. @F4A: Small group training / semi private training, moving away from "normal" memberships and focusing on higher end/results. @Hubbs05: 2015 trends – be great to see focus on nutrition for health not "weight loss" in 2015 supporting workouts with good nutrition. @JuliaWillmott: trends-recovery workshops e.g self myofascial release – mine are sold out! Online workouts, child obesity programs, menopausal fitness. @Kim_eKuiLibriuM: #fitness trends 2015; more interest in sport meaning PT very focused. Death of badly run group training! @SwimtimeGroup: #Swimming,the most popular participation sport in the UK. Swimtime for #swimming lessons, career pathways, #franchise opportunities. @LOUIEF2000: Pilates, Core Stability and Toning sessions will trend, in reaction to Hi Intensity workouts that many will leave behind? @lifestylept: Helping people overcome the mental barriers and limiting beliefs BEFORE exercise and nutrition is my prediction.

EVOLUTION is all about adapting to society as it changes.

Those that don’t adapt are considered dinosaurs and are left behind and those that do adapt move with the times. The same applies to the health club industry as certain trends impact its very existence. Here are a few trends that are changing and challenging the way we operate our clubs.

Cloud Technology People are very mobile and therefore need to have quick and simple access to their data and operating systems ‘on the go’ and at all times.

Cloud computing eliminates clubs having the expense and hassle of holding huge amounts of data at the club, as it’s stored with providers in the cloud.

Not only does this save costs, but it means that the data shouldn’t get lost as it’s always in one safe place off site.

This widely accepted solution also allows the solution provider to make updates to their system that are easily pushed down to the customer – the same way that it’s easier to update a website that reaches 1,000+ people than have 1,000 fliers printed with the wrong phone number.

CRM and accounting packages such as XERO are a perfect example of how operators can benefit from an easily deployable system that is constantly updated, accessed and delivered through the cloud at a fraction of the cost.

Big Data Following on from cloud technology is the huge trend about big data.

Customer analytics to improve the understanding of the consumer enables the service provider to offer solutions that are relevant to their customers’ behaviour.

‘To know me is to love me’ is a term that is widely used in today’s customers’ experience journey. Analysing the effort level of members, establishing the amount of calories burnt during a workout or a session performed away from a club, body fat percentages over a period of time is all the kind of big data that is powerful and easily available for clubs if they choose to collect it or use it to their advantage.

GoogleFit, SHealth and Apple Health are now seriously imploding into the health club industry with their big data aggregators in an attempt to own your members in their eco system.

Wearable Technology Wearable fitness technology is a rapidly growing market sector that is forecasted to grow significantly from 14m shipped devices in 2014 to 171m

Dave Wright by 2016.

It is considered to be the same level of growth as the tablet market of 2012.

‘Wearables’ are all designed to motivate people to be more physically active –without the need for a health club.

The issue with the majority of these devices is that they are extremely inaccurate and have no bearing on the level of intensity when customers train so have no place in the industry apart from allowing potential members think that a device on a wrist is their solution for getting in shape.

Health club operators, however, can embrace technology that is built for their environment, therefore offering the market need without having to potentially lose them as a member.

Tying wearable technology, collecting massive big data and stored in the cloud for easy and cost effective access is completely where the industry is heading, so health clubs need to embrace it, plan for it and train for it so that they can continue to provide the only solution that members want.

That solution is results.

Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM, a global company with offices in the UK, Australia and North America that has served the international fitness community for over 24 years; focusing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of ukactive, founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite) and the creator of MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

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WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Client success equals membership retention ACCORDING to research the number one reason for joining a gym is to lose weight.

The number one mission of gym owners; to have and maintain as many happy members as possible.

One aid to achieving both these goals is the tried and tested method of weight management programmes.

As we know exercise professionals each have their own unique style.

Motivation can be achieved in both one-to-one and group approaches.

Some people need the group encouragement and some need that discreet personal approach.

Monitoring progress aids retention of clients.

Keeping clients on board and signed up works best when they can feel the benefit of their efforts.

We all need some encouragement to work hard.

Consider the following at the start of their programme: Before and after photos.

Put an item of clothing to one side. e.g. trousers.

Take tape measure readings of reference points e.g. chest, waist, hips.

Measure body weight.

Most importantly aim for as accurate as possible body fat percentage score.

Changing shape through exercise and keeping members will rely on maintaining and maybe increasing lean muscle mass.

Losing fat is not quick, diet is the most important measure.

There are standard rules for nutrition, such as make sure that you take in daily 2g of protein per kg of body weight and 2-3g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight.

If you use a Bodystat it calculates both base metabolic rate and estimated daily calorie requirement.

These values are also available free on the www.idass.com/bodyfatcalc page and the free IDASS iphone app.

Once you know your client’s lean weight, age and gender, a base calorie requirement can be calculated and a daily calorie amount estimated.

In summary to succeed, aim to provide supplements, motivation and monitoring in individual or group sessions with a few simple tools of the trade.

Weight programme launched OPERATOR tmactive, which manages Tonbridge and Malling Council’s leisure centres, has launched a weight management programme aimed at people with a BMI of 28 or higher.

The 12-week course, which costs £40, includes qualified instructor-led exercise classes and access to the trust’s gyms at Larkfield Leisure Centre and the Angel Centre in Tonbridge, Kent.

Participants also receive motivational talks and targeted nutritional advice using Counterweight, an evidence-based weight loss programme.

Chief executive Martin Guyton said: “We wanted to create a scheme that

would really help people trying to lose weight focus to on their goals, and then offer them targeted guidance for a three-month period, and follow ups for a year.

“Losing weight is never easy, but with only 10 to 12 people per course, participants get real, focused guidance and one-to-one advice from our fully-qualified instructors, to help them reach their target weight.

“With weigh-ins at the beginning and end of the course, and then every three months for a year, we’re hoping to encourage people to make a significant lifestyle change, and then help them to stick with it.”

41

Flying start for app that turns diet and fitness into a game

By Olivia Taylor A NUTRITION and exercise app which turns diet and fitness into a game has got off to a flying start, with its founder now revealing plans to team up with gyms and personal trainers.

The WatchFit app allows users to download exercise and nutrition plans to follow and by successfully sticking to these plans, points are accumulated; creating healthy competition between users. The more points a user accumulates, the more plans they can buy.

All diet plans on the app have been devised by registered dietitians and fitness plans by exercise professionals, with those on board including celebrity chef Pete Evans, who has created a series of healthy, nutritious meals.

Founder and CEO Parisa Louie said: “Over the years I’ve always found it hard to lose weight on my own. It’s more motivating and fun to do it with friends.

“It’s going really well and there’s some really top chefs and personal trainers getting behind WatchFit.” The app also lets users choose where they would rather workout and how they would rather lose weight – at the gym, at home or outdoors.

And Parisa told Workout, in the future, she hopes to team up with gyms and personal trainers so that plans can be created specifically for members to follow.

She added: “The way the app has been created allows members to

WatchFit app founder and CEO Parisa Louie. work out at home or at the gym, by showing them workouts they can easily follow at the gym.”

Parisa is also looking to integrate WatchFit into other running applications so users can track their progress on both platforms, as we as applying it to a range of wearable technology.

She added: “It’s unbelievable how you can create something from nothing and see how it progresses and how people get involved.

There’s been a lot of work behind it. I’m going to stay positive and continue to progress the app further.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

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Tomorrow never comes Women’s gym will

By Mark Laws, Jordan Fitness

IT’S that time of year again and as you read this you may well have half a mind on your New Year Resolutions for 2015.

Most of us use this as an opportunity to right our wrongs from the previous year, to learn from our mistakes or to attempt to achieve something that we have been meaning to do for ages.

The sentiment is a positive one, which should be applauded. But why do we need to wait for January 1 to turn over a new leaf? Why should our diary dictate when we will do something that is supposedly 'important' to us?

Why do our resolutions always start at the beginning of a new year? Why do gym memberships increase at the start of a new month? Why do diets always start on Mondays? In reality, most resolutions get broken within a few weeks anyway, most gym memberships are left to gather dust within a number of days and I have known many many diets that have been broken literally within minutes... so why do we wait for a date to come around when there is a good chance we won't keep to our word anyway?

Here is the reason. We have really good intentions, but we can be very weak... and we find it far too easy to find excuses.

It is so easy to find an excuse not to do something – it's too hot, it's too cold, I don't like training inside, I

don't like training outside, I don't have time, I don't have money, I don't have a car etc... – I have heard them all before and if I am honest I have used a lot of them myself too, so I know how easy it is to have a continuous cycle of good intentions followed by crappy excuses.

The bad news is – nothing will ever change. 10 years can go by in the blink of an eye and we won’t have achieved anything we said we would.

Remember, if you do what you have always done, then you will have what you have always had.

The good news is – things can be changed right now. If you know that you need to do some training, or you know you need to stretch more, or there is something you should/ shouldn't eat... then sort it out. Now. The minute you wait until a point in your diary comes around then you have completely devalued the importance of that activity – hence the reason most resolutions are broken within a short timeframe.

As I write this I am in a hotel room in the middle of Hampshire, 12 hours away from the start of my first ever Obstacle Course Race. It's the end of November. It's cold. It's raining. There is another race in April. But I don't care – I am doing this race now because it means a lot for me to challenge myself and push myself out of my comfort zone.

There are 1,001 excuses I could use not to take part but I am using every excuse possible to justify doing it

increase offering

Mark Laws right now. As soon as I finish writing this article I am going to make a dentist appointment, do some Christmas shopping, use my foam roller and plan my sessions for next week.

I am on a roll, getting things done... and it's going to stay that way, every single day.

Find an excuse to do everything that is important to you right now, no matter how easy it may be to wait until tomorrow.

A LONDON leisure centre is expanding to cater to demand for a ladies only offering.

The Everyone Active Acton Centre will benefit from the installation of a women’s only gym in January following a significant investment by Everyone Active, which operates the facility in partnership with Ealing Council.

As part of the development, one of the existing group exercise studios will be converted and the latest equipment installed, including Precor cardio equipment such as treadmills, upright and recumbent bikes, cross trainers and Adaptive Motion Trainers, as well as Concept 2 rowers, Power Plate machines and resistance kit. There will also be dedicated areas for stretching and free weights.

Everyone Active group fitness development manager Mark Talley said: “We’re passionate about getting more people active and feedback showed that lots of women in Acton and the surrounding areas were wanting to exercise in a women only environment.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Gym helps member to success A GYM in Plymouth has helped one of its members to bodybuilding success.

Alex Rainey is celebrating after winning Junior Mr Plymouth and credits much of his achievements to the club where he trains.

He said: “I started body building a year ago as a hobby at Flex Fitness gym. I never planned to take part in any shows until people starting telling me all the potential I had.

“I started to believe in myself and went for it but could not have achieved what I have without my friends and family and the owners of Flex Fitness Steve Hunt and Steve Swatton.

“Winning Junior Mr Plymouth has proved to me that if you work hard enough at it and you put your whole heart and soul into something you will get it and you will succeed.

“I would love to help others achieve their fitness goals in the future.”

Sports nutrition company SuperVitality has appointed Pure Gym co-founder James Jack as chairman. Jack has also invested in the company to further the growth of the brand, which has former England rugby international Lewis Moody as a director. James said: “It is fantastic to be on-board with SuperVitality. People are more concerned than ever before about what they put into their body, and the range of nutritional products we can offer serve both high performance athletes and those playing sport or working out for pleasure who want to see the maximum results.”

Alex Rainey

David McIntosh (left) and Kieran Fisher (right), managing director and founder of Bodybuilding Warehouse.

Bodybuilding Warehouse Ostrich steak and sweet potato to distribute new range Ingredients: Two x Gold Standard Nutrition ostrich steaks.

Frozen spinach.

Two large or three medium sweet potatoes.

Half of bunch of flat leaf parsley.

Tsp of paprika.

Heaped tsp of Dijon mustard.

Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.

Juice of half a lemon.

Method: Stick the spuds in the oven and bake until soft.

When the sweet potatoes are getting close to being done place the frozen spinach (about three to four cubes) in a pan of water, bring to the boil then simmer for six minutes.

Mix the paprika, mustard, oil and lemon juice in a small bowl or jar.

When the spuds are done half and scoop the insides and mash with a small knob of butter.

Time for the fun part, making a messy board: Pour the marinated mixed on a chopping board along with the chopped parsley and cover.

Cook your GSN Ostrich Fillet Steaks in a pan until they are cooked to your liking.

Once cooked place the steaks on

SPORTS nutrition supplier Bodybuilding Warehouse has become the official UK distributor of a new range of supplements created by TV personality David McIntosh.

The Devil Dawg Nutrition range comprises of three new sports nutrition products; Shredded God Fat Burning Matrix, Dragon Fire PreWorkout Matrix and Genesis All-inOne-Protein, all of which are designed to aid training, pre and post-workout.

David, a former Gladiator on Sky 1’s TV programme, has been passionate about fitness and nutrition from a

the chopping board and cover with the sauce.

Cut the steak into strips and serve.

This recipe was submitted by Gold Standard Nutrition customer Chris Yendell.

If you would like a recipe featured on the GSN blog and more, then please submit your recipe and photos to: Mike@goldstandardnutrition.co.uk

young age.

He was inducted into the Royal Marines at the age of 16 and now acts as a model, fitness expert and advocate for healthy living.

He said: “It’s great to be working with Bodybuilding Warehouse especially because they are the best at what they do. This new line of products is designed to take your training to the next level by improving your pre and post-workout routines, and I’m really excited about promoting the range. I hope that people enjoy using them as much as I do.”

A new company is hoping to shake up the sports supplements market, with the launch of its new range. DECIBEL Sports Nutrition’s products include flavours such as Cola, Wild Berries and Pink Lemonade, targeting a core audience of active men and women aged 18 to 30 with defined fitness goals. Director Adam Johnson said: “Our aim is to create a lifestyle brand that has mass appeal across numerous markets, which individuals choose to consume on the basis that it’s functional and actually tastes great.”

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CLASSIFIED EQUIPMENT

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CLASSIFIED

52 LOCKERS

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CLASSIFIED FLOORING

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CLASSIFIED

54 INSURANCE

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