01
19/1/11
11:41
Page 1
February 2011
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
Survey reveals confidence for future
Owners unite to oppose budget gym By Christina Eccles
finding it hard.
WORRIED Swansea gym owners have joined forces to oppose the conversion of a local building into a new budget gym, which they fear could put them out of business. Budget chain The Gym Group has applied for planning permission to convert the first floor of a former shopping centre into a new gym. But existing gym owners in the city are concerned that a new club – potentially offering cheaper membership and longer opening hours – will make it even harder to stay in business in what is already a competitive marketplace. If the development goes ahead, the new gym will be situated just 400 yards from independent gym Burns Fitness, where there are already about eight operators within a mile of the club. General manager Anthony Williams said: “A lot of local gyms have objected to planning permission. We have got about 30 gyms here already, which is a lot for the size of our city, and with the recession and VAT increase as well, gyms are already
“A gym which offers £15 per month membership and 24-hour opening hours could send a lot of gyms out of business. “From our point of view, it would really affect us. There has been an increase in competition anyway and we have all seen a downturn in the last two to three years.” Burns Fitness currently offers membership for about £25 a month and Anthony insists there is no way that they could lower prices further. He is also worried that cheap membership prices may lead to a change in perception of gyms, which may not be seen by the public as a valuable service if the cost to be a member is low. He added: “£25 is as cheap as we can go and if the cheaper gyms get in, more people could see gyms as a devalued entity. “As an independent gym we always try to push the service side but no way could we go any cheaper.” The Gym Group told Workout that they could not comment at this time.
No 209 £3
New TV show The Biggest Loser has divided the industry – with some believing that its portrayal of fitness instructors could be harmful to gyms. The show – where people compete to lose the most weight and be crowned the ‘biggest loser’ – includes intensive gym workouts with personal trainers Richard Callender and Angie Dowds (pictured with host Davina McCall) who have been criticised for being too aggressive and potentially putting people off going to the gym. What do you think? Send your comments to ce@whpl.net or contact the Workout editorial team on 01226 734463. Picture: ITV Pictures
OVER three quarters of fitness industry operators are feeling confident about the future, according to a survey by Leisure-net Solutions. The Fitness Industry Confidence Survey – which is backed by the FIA and sponsored by Leisure Industry Week – found that 83 per cent were as confident as, or more confident about the future of the industry than they were three months ago. 81 per cent also say their yield is much better, better or the same as Q4 last year, 42 per cent of operators say their retention is better year-onyear and 41 per cent say it has remained steady. Leisure-net Solutions managing director Mike Hill said: “It’s telling that, despite a much longer and deeper economic downturn than many people expected, operators’ confidence remains high. “Most operators are positive that primary income streams will hold up in 2011 and it’s both surprising and encouraging that yield has increased across the board, despite the recession.”
Project6
201121921
11:31
Page 1
03
19/1/11
11:42
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
3
David battles to meet his gym deadline By Christina Eccles THE owner of a new independent gym in Carlisle has told how he is facing a race against time to open his club just weeks after getting the keys to the property. Dave Crossland purchased the gym after the previous owners went out of business and has changed its name from Strength2Strength to The Brickhouse. The gym will specialise in bodybuilding and powerlifting after Dave spotted a gap for a facility which caters to this market. But as soon as he got the keys in mid January, Dave set himself a target of being open and trading by mid February and hosting an open bench press competition at the end of March – giving him just weeks to get everything ready. He explained: “The building is not too bad but the previous owners had run it more towards the fitness side so the free weights area is dire. “But at the moment we haven’t got enough money to replace as much as we want to so we are going to get what we can to make a start.” Once the business is up and running, Dave – who will be running the
gym with his wife – hopes to gradually make improvements to the club and already has big ambitions for the future. He added: “I always felt there was a market in this area for a gym that goes down this route. We are not expecting to make loads of money but just want to keep our heads above water. There was an opportunity to give it our best shot and we will see what we can make of it. We are doing it because of a passion and love for lifting. “If you are offered something like this for next to nothing, then you would be a fool not to try and take it.” Although the club has been designed to attract hardcore bodybuilders, Dave insists that the atmosphere will not be intimidating and the gym will offer a friendly environment for members to train. He added: “We welcome hardcore trainers but we are here for guys who want to succeed in a supportive atmosphere. You can have the best equipment in the world but if the atmosphere is sterile who wants to train there? Equally, you might not have the best equipment but if the atmosphere is cracking, you will pack the place out of the door.”
It’s nomination time ... NOMINATIONS are now open for the 2011 National Fitness Awards, which recognise the best in the business. After a successful debut last year, this year’s event promises to be bigger
and better than ever and now is your chance to take part. To enter visit the website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk and look out for more details in next month’s Workout.
Singer Alicia Keys is the artist most likely to be heard at the gym, according to data from PRS for Music. She appears twice in the organisation’s list of the top 10 most popular songs played in gyms in the last quarter of 2010 – with entries at number two and number 10. Number one was Plan B’s She Said, with other acts listed including Alexandra Burke, Usher and Beyonce. Advertising
www.workout-uk.co.uk
Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Assistant sales managers: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 Danielle Hornby Tel: 01226 734707
Editorial
Official media partner of the Fitness Industry Association
Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 Fax: 01226 734705 Email: ah@whpl.net Reporters: Christina Eccles
Tel: 01226 734463 Email: ce@whpl.net Louise Cordell Tel: 01226 734694 Email: lcordell@whpl.net
Production Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 Email: jhalkerston@whpl.net Wharncliffe Publishing Ltd. 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS.
04
19/1/11
4
11:43
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
A Scottish personal trainer is staying one step ahead of his competitors by offering the ultimate level of service – an exclusive studio in his own back garden. Christina Eccles found out more.
Home comforts work out for personal trainer Alan By Christina Eccles ACCORDING to searches generated by Google, Alan Strachan has the most hit personal training website in Scotland – justifying the £1,000 he spends each year on improving the site. In the last three years, he has ploughed almost £400,000 into building up the business and is now hoping that his latest venture will help him to reap the rewards. Alan originally started off running a personal training business from his house but has recently expanded his Aszurra Fitness Studio – situated in the grounds of the property – to include another private personal training suite, massage therapy room, juice bar and sports supplement shop. To complement what he believes to be the first specialist personal training fitness studio in Scotland, Alan has also converted space inside the house into a beauty therapy area, which allows him to tap into his female clientele and launch offers which can be linked in with the rest of the business. The studio – which was kitted out by Powerhouse – officially opened last
month, with a launch day for regular clients taking place a few weeks earlier, and Alan said that the reaction so far has been really positive. He said: “We have received brilliant feedback and clients love it. It will definitely give the business an extra boost.” Alan also said that everyone who works in the business – himself included – believes they are offering top quality service and they hope that the new studio will take this concept even further. He is also preparing to launch a new Body for Life campaign where 10 people a month can take up a special offer of £195 each to take part in a month long programme guaranteed to give them results. Each group participates in three sessions per week led by three trainers as well as sessions focused on nutrition and measuring body fat. He added: “We are pretty excited. This is something different for us. “I have spent the last three years getting the house right and building the club and I genuinely believe that both the guys I work with and myself offer the best service.”
05 PTE
201121921
11:3
Page 1
06
19/1/11
6
11:43
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
Boxing matches bring cash in for ill children By Dominic Musgrave
Members of an independent gym in Harlow have raised £600 by posing for a charity calendar. Funds raised by members at Ripped Gym were donated to Everyman – the UK’s leading prostate and testicular cancer campaign.
THE owner of an independent gym in Hertfordshire has raised thousands of pounds for charity by organising a series of star-studded boxing matches. Gary Johnson – who owns Target Fitness in Cheshunt – was inspired to organise the events after his daughter Madison was diagnosed with Leukaemia. To give Madison and other children battling illness a safe and sterile place to play, Gary launched the PlayBarn Project to raise the money to build an indoor childrens’ play area. So far he has organised three charity boxing matches, which combined have raised over £90,000 – bringing the charity over halfway to its £150,000 target. The latest event – which took place at Tewinbury Farm – attracted over 300 people and comprised a champagne reception for all guests, eight bouts of boxing and a three course dinner. This was followed by an auction and a disco that lasted until the early hours of the morning.
All three events have also been supported and attended by famous boxers including Barry Mcguigan and Michael Watson – with auction prizes including signed West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham Shirts, F1 driver suits and VIP Take That tickets. And Gary told Workout that the gym’s members play a vital part in the success of these events by attending and supporting them. He said: “These events would not be possible without the help of members from Target Fitness giving their support to the charity nights and competing in other events to support the cause such as the London marathon. Their continued support has helped to make this so successful.” Gary’s other fundraising projects have included running the London Marathon and training eight women – including TV presenter Suzanne Dando – ahead of the group’s trek through the Pyrenees. His latest venture is a 135-mile mountain race across Brazil to raise more funds for the PlayBarn Project.
07 Sportsart
201121921
11:45
Page 1
08
19/1/11
11:44
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
8
Teaching trainers the personal touch By Christina Eccles PERSONAL trainers are being given the opportunity to learn the ‘soft skills’ which will help them to sign up new members on the gym floor. Ibrahim Allam has launched the UK’s only course to deliver step-by-step guidance for gym-based personal trainers on how to develop and maintain a successful PT business. Ibrahim – who started off as a gym instructor before becoming a personal trainer – feels that although up and coming personal trainers are taught how to train people and the physiology side of being a PT, they are sometimes lacking in the personal and business skills needed to get people to sign up and to keep their business going.
Ibrahim Allam
‘As I've interviewed club managers, fitness directors and course providers, I've noticed no-one's willing to take responsibility for the void in business acumen and soft skills PTs have to face’
His company, PTIAUK, has already held successful one-to-one sessions and is now preparing to launch group classes for between five to 10 people. He said: “I've been in the industry over three years now, initially as a gym instructor for a short time and now as a PT and the rate of PT turnover in the UK is unacceptable. I'm also currently writing a book on how to successfully personal train. “As I've interviewed club managers, fitness directors and course providers, I've noticed no-one's willing to take responsibility for the void in business acumen and soft skills PTs have to face. This is not only unfortunate for the PTs but it also costs the operators tens of thousands of pounds as they never truly realise their revenue projections for PT rental.” Ibrahim’s course aims to address this gap – teaching skills and giving trainers confidence in areas such as how to identify potential clients, how to best approach them and converting them into paying customers. He is also preparing to launch a website www.ptiauk.com where people can sign up for the course and hopes to train about 70 personal trainers this year.
09 Vydex
201121921
11:3
Page 1
10 Perfect UK
201121921
11:4
Page 1
11
19/1/11
11:45
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
Aaron faces his biggest challenge GYM owner and weight loss guru Aaron Howlett is taking on his biggest challenge yet – a charity walk covering over 1,700 miles. Aaron was named Biggest Loser UK in the TV slimming show’s first series in 2005 and has gone on to complete marathons in Edinburgh and New York. Now, for his latest project he will be walking from Land’s End to John O’Groats, and back again, in order to raise money for the NSPCC. He hopes to complete the 1,744 mile journey in just 32 days, which will mean walking for 16 hours a day for over a month. Aaron, who also runs the Peak Physique Gym in Hull, said: “This really is my biggest challenge to date. “I have started training by walking 20 miles a day on a treadmill at the gym, on an incline, and also using kettle bells for overall fitness. “This combined with my work shifts means I will be practically living at the club for the next few months.”
He has already started raising funds and organising sponsorships and is planning on getting a range of celebrity names involved to help the cause. The aim is for the walk to become a national event and big names from the NSPCC’s publicity campaigns will also be taking part. Aaron has also decided that he will be ‘tagged’ throughout the walk, so that supporters will be able to log on and follow his route via the internet – literally tracking him every step of the way. He added: “I have received a great response so far. All the club’s members have got behind me and are being very supportive. “This is the biggest thing I have tried to achieve so far and it will be a real endurance challenge. However, it will be worth it as we are hoping to raise thousands for a very worthy cause.” To contribute please visit: www.virginmoneygiving.com/aaronhowlettteamgo.
Celebrity favourite New You Boot Camp has introduced elements of yoga and life coaching into its sessions to offer further advice to those who take part. The company – which has helped famous faces including Michelle Heaton, Brooke Kinsella and Abi Titmuss, pictured, to get in shape – has launched the new programme at its latest property in Suffolk. These new additions will complement the camp’s existing military inspired exercises to help participants achieve maximum results.
11
12
201122121
11:28
Page 1
12
UK FITNESS SCENE
Gyms sign up to new swap campaign
Personal training company BodyUK has developed its first programme specifically geared towards marathon training. The Marathon Training Launch Pad Programme caters to all abilities from world class athlete to first time marathon novice and was developed by BodyUK personal trainer and owner Jem Scragg. It covers a range of topics essential to
success, from the science behind marathon running to physical and mental conditioning including nutrition and hydration and race day preparation. Sessions are delivered by a combination of tools including live training events and Skype and participants also gain access to BodyUK’s social networks, giving them the opportunity to interact with each other online.
INDEPENDENT gyms across England have signed up to a new campaign encouraging families to lead healthier lifestyles. The Great Swapathon is the latest campaign from Change4Life and aims to get families to swap at least one unhealthy habit in food, alcohol and physical activity for a healthier one. Offers including discounted gym membership and half price swimming sessions form part of 5m voucher booklets, worth £50 each, which are being given away through the News of the World and Asda supermarkets. The booklets also include recipes for healthier meal options and nutritional advice. The Fitness Industry Association’s executive director David Stalker said: “'This is a very exciting initiative for our industry to be involved in. “The New Year is typically a time when our industry comes under scrutiny but this year we are
delivering the physical activity strand of a major public health campaign. “The campaign is yet another way in which we are developing integrated health solutions by working alongside Government and industry. It’s all about working together for the health of the nation. “It is essential that we make physical activity more accessible in order to support more people to engage with it.” The physical activity swap is also being supported by a website www.moreactive4life.co.uk where participants can register their details to access offers from participating FIA members. As a result of the campaign, the Government is aiming to deliver 1m healthy swaps among families and adults in England. How are you getting involved with the campaign at your gym? Let Workout know by contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463 or ce@whpl.net
13
19/1/11
11:47
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
New network set to target casual users A NEW online network has been launched to target casual gym users who prefer to pay as you go rather than being tied into a contract. The website www.payasUgym.com allows users to find a club, book a session and visit on a pay as you go basis, without being tied into a long term agreement. Users can create their own account, locate a gym they wish to use and then purchase an e-pass which can be redeemed at their chosen club’s reception to gain access. Customers are provided with an online e-wallet where money can be loaded on to spend on e-passes for participating clubs. The idea for payasUgym was created when colleagues Jamie Ward and Neil Harmsworth travelled home from a customer meeting discussing the difficulties in finding a decent gym that can just be visited on a one-off basis. Neil explained: “Consumers are demanding more choice and better value for money in all areas of the economy – the leisure industry
is no exception. The time is right to find a new way to engage with customers that they will respond to by offering more flexible and affordable options. We then need to communicate these options more effectively by tapping into new technologies such as Smartphones and social networking rather than relying on out-dated sales techniques. PayasUgym listens to what customers are telling us and we communicate with them using channels that they trust to increase the overall number of people visiting the gym for operators.” The cost of each visit varies from £5 to £35 depending on the individual gym and the services it offers as well as the time of visit depending on peak or off-peak usage. Another benefit of the programme is the wide variety of gyms on offer, ranging from top-end luxury health clubs to practical, ‘no-frills’ gyms. The site has already launched in London and the South East – with plans in place to roll it out across the UK later this year.
13
Zumba comes top of the class EXPERTS at Freedom Leisure have revealed their top fitness classes for 2011 – with Latin dance craze Zumba coming out on top. Other predictions include Pilates – loved by celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Kelly Osbourne – Kettlebells, Boxercise, Spinning and Bodypump. As well as predicting the most popular classes for this year, Freedom Leisure’s professional trainers have also forecast trends for the next few months.
Kelly Osbourne is a big fan of Pilates.
These include an increase in the number of short intensive workouts such as 30 minute circuit training, new technology including training apps and social networks which can provide a support network for users and more fitness programmes for older adults.
14
19/1/11
11:48
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
14
Losing her job inspired Bryony Gurmin to follow a lifelong dream to run her own gym. Now with the club just weeks away from opening its doors, she shares her story with Workout.
Job loss put Bryony on path to realising her gym dream ALTHOUGH Bryony admits she was devastated to find herself out of work last year, she managed to look on the bright side and turn what could have been a difficult challenge into an exciting new venture. Having always wanted to open a gym and now with the time on her hands to do something about it, Bryony, pictured right, started looking into her options and thinking about the type of club she would want to run. With the focus firmly on providing a centre which the whole community could enjoy, she began doing some research. But after discovering that opening a gym could prove to be expensive, she started looking at delivering community workshops in local centres instead. This led to a meeting with Gordon Clarke from the Sports Council of Wales who explained that he was situated at a run down gym in Markham – a small village in South Wales – which had been closed for 18 months and that there was an opportunity for her to work with them. Meetings soon followed with the Markham Committee, Sports Council for Wales and Caerphilly County Council, to discuss ideas and proposals to get the gym back in operation for the local community. An action plan has now been put in place and Bryony is looking forward to opening Fit-Smart in March – running the gym as her own private business via a lease agreement with the community centre. According to Bryony, the main
aim of the gym is to provide good quality, affordable facilities for local people and she will be using her experience as an instructor and manager in the fitness industry to deliver this. She said: “I have always had an interest in health and fitness, but have never been able to work locally due to it being quite a deprived area, so opportunities in this sector were hard to come by. “Back in March 2010, I came out of work, and as devastating as this blow was to me, it was also a wake up call. “Sometimes you become complacent and when bad things happen, such as the loss of a job, particularly in the recent economic climate, you have to take it in your stride and come out stronger. “I made a decision to start my own business.
“My ideal dream has always been to have my own gym, something local, for everyone and user friendly focusing on rehab and wellness.” Since starting the business plan, Bryony has also received support from UnLtd, an organisation providing help to young entrepreneurs, which has supported her training. And with only a few weeks to go until the gym opens it doors, Bryony is also working hard to spread the word. As Markham is only a small community, word of mouth is proving a valuable tool. She is also planning to contact members of the former club, distribute leaflets and utilise social networks. She told Workout she hopes to attract about 200 members and already has big plans to offer a range of services to local people
including personal training, an after school club and community workshops to teach skills such as first aid. She added: “We don't want it to be just a gym. Fit-Smart will be for all levels and abilities. The machines in the gym are pneumatic so are fantastic for elderly and disabled. “I will be offering personal programming, fitness consultations, fitness testing and rehabilitation. I am also giving an opportunity to take on apprenticeships and increase employment or work experience for local young people who have an interest in health an fitness. “I feel the gym has so much potential and am really looking forward to working with the community and getting it used to its full potential.”
15 isopure
201121921
11:26
Page 1
16
19/1/11
11:49
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
16
Hotel chain in gym deal LEISURE Connection has signed a deal with Park Inn Hotels to manage eight gyms and fitness facilities across its UK hotels. The company will manage the Inn Action gym brand, which includes hotels in Heathrow, Bedford, Nottingham and York and has committed more than a quarter of a million pounds to updating and refurbishing the facilities. As well as the gyms, Leisure Connection will also be launching and delivering its SwimSchool brand of lessons to children and adults. Leisure Connection CEO Richard Millman said: “This is exciting news for both Leisure Connection and Park Inn and we are looking forward to engaging with new communities to offer them a cost effective gym option. “Many of these facilities have swimming pools so we will be offering our successful swimming packages.”
Spinning first for centre ST Peters Leisure Centre has become the first club in Burnley to offer Star Trac’s official Spinning programme. Neil Hutchinson, leisure and facilities manager, wanted to raise the club’s profile by offering members access to an indoor group cycle class that they could not find anywhere else in the area. He said: “In Burnley I want to make sure that we are offering our members the very best in exercise equipment and class concepts. “Everyone you speak to knows about the Spinning programme, but not everyone is registered as an official facility, so it is something that we are proud to offer and be part of.”
FIBO 2010
World’s largest trade show on the move ORGANISERS of FIBO have announced that the world’s largest trade show dedicated to fitness and wellness will be moving to Cologne from 2013. The new agreement between trade show organiser, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH and Koelnmesse Ausstellungen GmbH has a term of 10 years and covers the period up to and including 2022. The next two events in 2011 and 2012 will be held in Essen. The reason for the change is to give the show more space and allow it to expand. At this year’s FIBO – which will be held from 14 to 17 April 2011 in Essen – the 75,000 mÇ show already takes up all available ground level halls and over the last five-year period the number of exhibitors has increased from 339 to most recently 561 companies. Managing director of Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH Hans-Joachim Erbel said: “Because of the success and the pleasant working relationship we have had with Messe Essen it is particularly hard to say
The Cologne exhibition goodbye, and yet it is inevitable as our future space requirements allow no further delay.” When the show moves to Cologne in two years time, it will occupy 86,000 ms, taking up four new halls as well as parts of three others.
Halls six to nine will be reserved as a specialist show for the growing Fitness, Wellness and Health segment while halls one to three will be used by FIBO POWER, which takes place at the same time and is devoted specifically to bodybuilding and weight training.
17
19/1/11
11:49
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
Louise bounces back after studio giant puts brake on Fitstop name By Louise Cordell A FITNESS instructor has told how an unexpected name change generated priceless PR coverage and boosted her business. Bromley-based Louise Whyte was made to change the name of her company Penelope Fitstop – a play on the name of glamorous cartoon character Penelope Pitstop – after a complaint from rights holder HannaBarbera. The name has now been changed to Penelope Fitstar and Louise told Workout that because the story was picked up by national press, it has raised the company’s profile – attracting more visitors to the website and encouraging new clients to sign up. Louise said: “When I set up the company I just thought it was a catchy name. The business grew quite quickly and I was looking into franchising so had to register the trademark. I was very shocked to get the letter on behalf of HannaBarbera. “I wanted to keep the new name similar as the brand is quite distinc-
tive. We came up with a compromise that we were happy with and that they were also happy for us to use. “It has given us a lot of PR and has been in the national papers, which has made people become more aware of us.” The company was set up in April 2009 after Louise spotted a gap in the market for personal training sessions which focus on the needs of mums or mums-to-be – and she has big plans to grow the business further this year. These include the launch of ‘Bootox’ – a bootcamp set in local woodland and a seven day diet plan which gives busy women results without the need for them to stay away from their families. She added: “Residential camps are popular but so expensive and not always practical. We are offering a more flexible version where women can get really good results.” Other plans include expanding the website to include a new online shop, which will stock branded clothing and the popular pink kit used in workouts.
Louise Whyte
17
Chain offers ‘salvation’ at the gym GYM chain LA Fitness has launched a New Year campaign to help new members lose festive temptation and find ‘salvation’ at the gym. The Church of LA Fitness campaign includes a no joining fee or no contract offer – giving potential members the chance to try before they buy. The no contract offer means people can try out the facilities before committing to a longer term contract, while the joining fee promotion is eligible on some long term memberships for those who want to sign up on the spot. And to help gymgoers get into the spirit, gym teams around the UK will dress up as angels and devils to introduce people to the new LA Fitness experience. Marketing director Tony Orme said: “We know that during the festive season most people tend to overindulge – often feeling guilty about how much they’ve eaten and drunk. The Church of LA Fitness is a fun way to encourage them to redeem their food and drink sins and get back to fitness without preaching!”
18
19/1/11
11:50
Page 1
18
UK FITNESS SCENE
'Too expensive' gyms blamed for inactivity By Christina Eccles
Paul Gater
Rugby trainer touches down with support for exercise machine TOP rugby trainer Paul Gater has joined forces with Versaclimber UK to endorse its Versapulley weightless exercise machine. Paul, who is head of strength and conditioning at London Welsh Rugby Club and a consultant to professional footballers in Spain and the UK, will help to promote the equipment across Europe. He agreed to act as an ambassador after using it throughout his career to develop a strength and conditioning programme that has been used to train some of the world’s top sports people. Paul said: “In my opinion, rugby
can be the hardest sport to train for at top flight level. “But over the last five years, I’ve found that the weightless training of the Versapulley helps to fill the gap that free weights leave in training the full power spectrum. The rotary inertia training that the Versapulley offers gives me an invaluable tool to build strength, power and fitness for healthy and injured athletes alike. “By acting as a consultant for Versaclimber UK, I’m looking forward to educating others in the sporting world as to how the Versapulley can be used to create world-class athletes.”
ALMOST a third of Britons are being put off being more physically active because of the financial cost, a survey for World Cancer Research Fund has found. According to the YouGov survey, 30 per cent of people said the cost of gyms and leisure centres prevents them being more physically active. The expense issue seems to particularly affect younger people, with 42 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds mentioning financial cost as a reason for not being more physically active – compared to 19 per cent in the oldest age group, the over-55s. Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science at WCRF, said: “It is a concern that so many people feel that financial cost is stopping them being more physically active. “Particularly in these economically difficult times, it is important for us to get the message across that being physically active does not have to mean signing up at expensive gyms or leisure centres. “There are plenty of ways of being active that are either free or do not cost much. “For example, people can take up
brisk walking or running, or start playing a sport that they enjoy. “Even hobbies such as dancing and gardening can count towards your daily total. “But as well as highlighting the fact that physical activity is something we can all do regardless of our income, we also need to do more to highlight the benefits of it, including the effect it has on cancer risk.” The survey of 2,196 people found that 36 per cent said pressure on time because of work, family or home commitments prevented them being more physically active. Pressure on time was also the biggest impediment to full-time students’ physical activity, with 43 per cent choosing this option, followed by financial cost. Over a fifth of students said they preferred to spend their time socialising, compared to a nationwide average of six per cent. The British weather was also mentioned as a factor, with 18 per cent of Britons saying bad weather prevented them from being more active outside. However, one in five people said they simply could not be bothered and this figure rose to almost a third for 18 to 24 year olds.
New classes aim to motivate A GYM in South Yorkshire is encouraging members to stick to their fitness resolutions with a range of new fitness classes. New additions at Stadium Fitness – which is based at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium – include outdoor fitness sessions alongside cardio step, body pump and circuit training. Chief executive of the Stadium Management Company Shane
Chalmers said: “When the New Year begins it’s always a brilliant chance to turn over a new leaf and up fitness levels, but sometimes regular monotonous exercise routines can be offputting. “So we are thrilled to able to provide these new fun-filled activities which cater to all fitness abilities, bringing motivation and enjoyment to all those who try them out.”
19 CFM
201121921
11:4
Page 1
20
19/1/11
11:50
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
20
Quest’s future is shaped INDUSTRY experts have come together to decide on the future structure of Quest – the UK quality scheme for sport and leisure. The vision for ‘Quest 2011’ was created during a two working group, where decisions for significant changes were made. One of these is the introduction of an entry level registration aimed at smaller and newly opened sites with the aim of making sure that every facility has the opportunity to be externally accredited. The full Quest assessment will also be getting an overhaul to make it more flexible and relevant. Other changes include replacement of the current scoring system with a banding structure to ensure Quest 2011 is easy for facility users to understand and recognise. It has also been decided that the scheme may be amended throughout the year, should best practice or feedback change, instead of being limited to a re-launch evey three years. Martyn Allison, Quest chair, said: “Quest must belong to the sector and represent the standards of management and service we want to aspire to. “I hope these efforts made will mean the new product meets the sector’s needs and that they will all now buy into it in these challenging times.” Quest 2011 will be officially launched at the inaugural national conference in Loughborough in March and the first new assessments against the updated standards will take place shortly after April 2011.
Brits burn cash THE average Brit wastes over £300-ayear on unused gym memberships and classes, according to a survey by online accountants Crunch.co.uk According to the poll, 77 per cent of adults asked confessed to wasting ‘a lot’ of money on swanky gyms and never actually used them. It revealed that the average person spends £303 on unused fitness centres, although one in 20 has squandered as much as £500 in one year. The poll found that people also waste hard-earned cash on food, drink, gadgets and clothes.
Club vows to keep serving community amid funding fears By Christina Eccles A SHEFFIELD club which prides itself on being ‘a real gym for real people’ has vowed to keep serving the community – despite threats to its main sources of funding. Zest – which is situated in one of the more deprived areas of the city – markets itself as a healthy living centre for the whole of the community. Facilities include a fully equipped gym and swimming pool as well as a library, baby and toddler groups, childrens’ fitness sessions and newly launched adult weight management classes. The centre currently receives funding from Sheffield City Council and Primary Care Trust, but with the prospect of budget cuts forcing councils to tighten their belts and the disbanding of PCTs, it will face challenging times ahead. However, centre manager Karen Purnell told Workout that Zest is a vital part of the community and staff are doing all they can to make sure it stays open. She said: “We are worried. We are doing everything we can to increase turnover and make ourselves sustainable. We have reasonable prices for what we offer and don’t try and compete with nearby facilities. “What we offer is quite unique, we are not just a swimming pool and a gym. We offer personal customer service, which is what makes us stand out.” Zest aims to offer something which the whole family can enjoy – ranging from women only sessions, men only sessions, classes for the over 50s and classes for kids. Karen added that she feels gyms
‘I bet we’re the only gym playing Elvis, Jim Reeves and Perry Como whilst the customers work out ...’ should act as community hubs – somewhere where local people can feel comfortable, which provides them with accessible and affordable facilities. And she believes that Zest is exactly that. She added: “We have a successful exercise referral scheme and also a cardiac rehabilitation scheme, both of which attract large numbers of older customers who love it here so
much they tend to join the gym after they have finished their specific sessions – I bet we’re the only gym playing Elvis, Jim Reeves and Perry Como whilst the customers work out. “We will never compete with Fitness First down the road. Ours is a different community. We know that people come to us because they like the atmosphere. We are a real gym for real people.”
21 Bodybuilding warehouse
201122121
12:53
Page 1
22
19/1/11
22
11:51
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE Functional training tool ViPR is whipping contestants into shape during the new series of ITV’s The Biggest Loser. The show sees 13 overweight people move into a health retreat and undergo an intense health and fitness regime – with the aim of losing the most weight to become ‘the biggest loser’ and win a £25,000 prize. Richard Callender, pictured left with the ViPR, is one of the trainers putting contestants through their paces in the show. Richard said of ViPR: “I’d seen it around and was intrigued. “It fits with my training methodology – freestyle, functional, and it incorporates the whole body.”
Programme gets over-35 men moving By Louise Cordell A FITNESS programme which included free gym membership has reported great success in encouraging inactive men over 35 to lead healthier lives. Y Active Men – a YMCA national fitness motivation programme devised to tackle inactivity among middle aged men – ran for 12 weeks and was funded by Men’s Health Week and the Department of Health. The project was led by activity for health charity Central YMCA and involved over 120 men who were all tracked before and over the period of the project. It encompassed free gym membership, health and well being assessments before, during and after the programme and ongoing professional support. The results found that there was a significant reduction in waist circumference for men who took part, many achieved a reduction in weight and
others achieved muscle mass. Other benefits included a reduction in blood pressure, increased aerobic fitness and increased psychological well being. Participants also said they ate more healthily and that being involved gave them the motivation to become more active. Director of innovation and development at Central YMCA and one of the founders of the programme Robin Gargrave said: “Y Active Men has managed to get a significant number of inactive men motivated to lead an active lifestyle and shown how exercise also helps reduce stress, increase confidence and promote positive wellbeing.” Upon completion of the programme, one in five participants paid to become members of their local YMCA Fitness facility and most reported that the programme had been life changing – making them determined to find ways of getting and keeping fit.
Two fire stations in Northumberland have benefited from new fitness equipment, supplied and installed by SportsArt UK. Northumberland Fire & Rescue’s Pegswood community fire station and West Hartford fire station and headquarters both house the state-of-the-art facilities. The new equipment includes two treadmills, a stepper, an elliptical and upright bikes plus several strength training stations and dumbells.
23
19/1/11
11:52
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
23
Key brands help chain get off to a winning start THE NEW year got off to a winning start for Fitness First after the company joined forces with several key brands to promote its January campaigns. The gym chain partnered with brands including O2, Nestle and News International to deliver a number of offers designed to boost New Year membership figures at its 160 clubs. The company has also launched a high-profile advertising campaign which takes in key publications and London
Underground digital sites.
prehensive fitness offering.’’
Managing director John Gamble said: “2011 is set to be a hugely important year for Fitness First and the fitness industry in general and we want to ensure that as many people as possible are aware of what we have to offer.
He added that the company’s successful Jump Start programme – offering six-week membership and three personal training sessions – has also been re-launched to help people kick start their fitness regimes.
“The very latest in group exercise classes such as Get Fit with Mel B and Strictly Fit are hugely popular, and ongoing investment in the very latest in new fitness equipment and innovations provide our members with an extremely com-
Did your club experience a New Year membership boom? What are you doing to attract new members through the doors? Let us know by emailing ce@whpl.net or contacting the Workout editorial team on 01226 734463.
One of Fitness First’s most popular group exercise classes is Get Fit with Mel B.
What’s next for Club Manager in 2011? IT was smiles all round at the National Fitness Awards when Club Manager won innovation/product of the year. Club Manager has a combination of unique skills that fully understand your business from the inside. So what next for Club Manager in 2011? Spokesman Wayne Heath said: “Winning this award has meant that we are going to work even harder, providing innovation at all levels to
improve the performance of our customers’ businesses. Without the support from our customers we would not be here today.” Club Manager has recently continued their expansion by moving to new offices which allow them to provide improved in-house training facilities, customer support, and much needed office space. He added: “Our focus into 2011 is to introduce cutting edge software that enables our
customers to be more in control of their member retention, member activity and member intention. By doing this a club can ensure that they can sustain a solid business in what has been some of the most difficult economic conditions we have ever experienced.” This is clearly a winning combination to watch in 2011. To find out more details contact Club Manager on 01245 352 000 or info@clubmanagercentral.com
24
19/1/11
11:52
Page 1
24
Forum aims to improve nation’s health THE FIA has joined forces with the medical profession in a bid to improve the health of the nation. A joint consultative forum has been established between the association and a number of Royal Medical Colleges and Faculties to better use exercise in both preventing ill-health and treating disease in primary care. The Forum is the first of its kind and sees exercise professionals sharing a table with doctors from a number of the Royal Colleges, tasked to find ways in which healthcare professionals can refer individuals to exercise. The group is chaired by the Fitness Industry Association’s chief medical officer Dr. John Searle. He said: “For exercise to become a normal part of healthcare in the UK it is vital that the fitness sector works closely with doctors and other health professionals. The Joint Consultative Forum is a key part of this strategy and hence in improving the well being of patients.”
New website launched LOW cost gym provider The Gym Group has launched a new website after implementing changes to make it easier to use and more interactive. The new design follows several months of research and development and includes new features such as video walk-throughs of each gym, Google Maps to allow users to find information about gym locations and exclusive discounts with partner companies. CEO John Treharne said: “It’s worth mentioning that 50 per cent of our members have never joined a club before, so it’s key that we build on our flexible approach with a website that works for the end user. “It’s important for us to develop a healthy discourse with our members, and how our website functions for the customer is central to this relationship.”
UK FITNESS SCENE Social media can prove a valuable tool for any club wanting to interact with its members. In this month’s column, Guy Griffiths shares his tips.
Social media: why members ‘like it’ SOCIAL media channels like Facebook and Twitter are part of many clubs’ marketing strategy. The focus is often on getting more members. However sites like Facebook can also play a big part in member retention, or getting your existing members more active, more often. The golden rule of social media engagement is to plan before you start. You should educate, encourage and acknowledge your members on the channels that they use. Educating is relatively simple; let members know about classes, challenges, events and the like. To get the most from social media and extend your reach you need to identify the influencers and amplifiers among your members. These are the ones who forward invites onto their contacts; both existing members and prospects. Then reward these influencers – a thank you is a good start, and for some members will be all the reward they need to continue spreading the word. Encouraging members towards their goals and congratulating them on reaching a goal is another great use of social media for retention. While all goals are individual, achieving a goal is something every member can do. Whether it’s visiting once a week for two months, running 20k a month, or bench
pressing 10 x 100kg, a Tweet or Facebook message saying “well done” goes a long way, especially if 10 more of the members’ friends ‘like’ it. Publishing members’ photos when they achieve something (as individuals or as a team) can have a really positive effect. This can serve as a reminder of their achievement, particularly with ‘before and after’ photos. When you ask for a testimonial, ask to take a quick video as well. This reminds the member of the value they’re getting, and strengthens their bond with your club. Location-based services like Foursquare are a great way of identifying and rewarding members who shout about your club. There’s more to it than the Gym Rat badge (awarded if you visit a gym more than 10 times in 30 days). Acknowledge or reward your ‘mayor’ (user who checks-in the most), and give specials to members based on number or frequency of check-ins. These are just a few ideas of how to use social media for member retention. Many tools are free (check out Socialoomph, Cotweet, Howsociable), but they take time and resource to manage. Find out more, get some examples, or add your own thoughts on ggfit.blogspot.com. Most impor-
Guy Griffiths tantly, ask your members which channels they use and what interactions they would like. Next month Guy will be looking at selling retention to new members. Guy Griffiths works for GG Fit, an independent consultancy that helps clubs to focus on member retention by working with staff, systems and processes www.ggfit.com twitter - @ggfit
Technology creates more synergy at health club AN award-winning spa and health club in Stratford upon Avon has introduced the the latest Power Plate technology to create more synergy between its spa treatments and fitness facilities. The 37,000 sq ft Wildmoor Spa and Health Club has invested in a Power Plate pro6 model to further expand
its offering to visitors. Director Anthony Bird said: “To create a superior health and fitness area we needed to offer the newest equipment, so the Power Plate pro6 model was the obvious choice. The training and support we received, together with the proven results of this technology, helps our members achieve
their goals. “To strengthen the link between the fitness and spa facilities, we are planning to include a Power Plate session in some of our spa day packages, as the benefits also extend to aiding relaxation and reducing cellulite. We are sure this will help to increase the wellbeing of our guests.”
25 Powerhouse
201121921
11:5
Page 1
26
21/1/11
14:58
Page 1
26
UK FITNESS SCENE
Campaign and new kit gets year off to flying start By Christina Eccles UPGRADED state-of-the-art equipment and a New Year campaign is helping a club in Lancashire to get 2011 off to a flying start. Hurlston Leisure in Scarisbrick installed the latest range of new True cardio equipment into the club before Christmas and also gave their six-year-old Force Strength equipment a make over. The new equipment was provided by Fitness Systems, which the club has been working with since it opened in 2005. The club has also launched a New Year, New You campaign which offers no joining fee and a pack of vouchers worth £100. And club manager Ian Sheppard said that the combination of the campaign and the new equipment is working well to bring in new members and keep existing ones. “Our members now have the ability to watch all free view TV channels, connect
their i pods on the 15-inch touch screen and use the innovative new programmes including Mix 3 and Heart rate control,” said Ian. “The campaign is a successful way of attracting new members. Most clubs realise that January/February is the optimum time – that is one of the reasons why we bought the equipment at the end of November. “The refurbishment shows we are here for the long term and are investing in the club.” The fact that the club has
had a recent upgrade has gone on all their marketing, including its website and advertising, and although Ian says the gym is comfortable with its 1,500 members, he added he hoped this might draw in a few more. Future plans at the club include making changes to its class timetable. These include the addition of Zumba, which has been introduced after Ian listened to feedback from members who said they would like to see the classes at the club.
Gym-goers like to stick close to home – report LOCATION is the most important concern for potential members looking to join a gym, a new report has revealed. The YouGov SixthSense report asked respondents to think about the gym they use most often and were asked which factors were important in choosing that gym. The results showed that 70 per cent of gymgoers said that a ‘location close to home’ is the most pressing
concern when choosing their gym. On the other hand, nearly one in five (18 per cent) UK gymgoers require a convenient location near work. 64 per cent of respondents said that a reasonable price is significant when choosing a gym or health club, making it the most important consideration after location. YouGov respondents were also asked what their reasons were for going to the gym. 80 per cent visit the
gym to improve general health and fitness levels. Over half (58 per cent) cited weight loss as a reason and a further 29 per cent want to build up muscle. 34 per cent said that they previously frequented gyms and health centres but now no longer do so – with the most popular reason for quitting being that gym membership was too expensive. The results also showed popular exercises undertaken at gyms or
health clubs. These included using a treadmill and bikes and swimming. Research director for YouGov SixthSense, James McCoy said: “Gymgoers put a strong emphasis on well-being and fitness. As such, regimens are skewed towards the aerobic. It is apparent that the majority of people do not require anything out of the ordinary when looking for a gym – consequently, they are unlikely to agree to extraordinarily high prices.”
27 Bodypower
201121921
11:5
Page 1
28 & 29 kettlercise
2
201121921
11:6
Page 2
28 & 29 kettlercise
201121921
11:8
Page 3
30
21/1/11
14:59
Page 1
TRAINING
30
The trust model promoted SPORTA is holding a ‘Time to Trust’ conference to promote the trust model to local authorities considering how best to deliver their leisure services. The day-long event is ideal for local authorities looking for a more cost effective and community led approach to leisure that fits both the Big Society and Localism agendas. Craig McAteer, chair of Sporta said: “At a time when resources are scarce, with increased pressure ‘to do more for less’, and with a Government committed to transferring the delivery of public services to social enterprises in the third sector, our members can give valuable advice on setting up a new social enterprise/trust or working with an existing trust in their area.” The conference will take place on February 16 in central London – for more information or book your space email helenfalco@leisurenet.org.
England rugby international Mike Tindall has opened the new Keiser Performance Testing Centre in Tetbury. He was accompanied by former team mate and Wales scrum half, Gareth Cooper to carry out the official opening. Keiser md Tim Colston said: “I am thrilled that Mike Tindall has kindly agreed to carry out the official duties at our open day. Mike uses Keiser equipment both at the Gloucester RFC gym and at his home so he is familiar with the quality and effectiveness of our products.”
Launch for Quest 2011 Barnsley-based leisure provider BPL has a new chief executive, Tim Wilson. Tim has headed the human resources team at BPL since it was established as a charitable trust in 1999. He said: “I am delighted to take up the lead position as chief executive of BPL. The trust has been a fantastic success story, increasing participation in sporting activities within the Barnsley borough for just over a decade. We recently won the contract to manage Bassetlaw District Council’s leisure facilities and we are working hard to achieve similar increases in usage in that area.”
THE new and improved Quest 2011 is to be launched at a national conference in Loughborough on March 1. The conference will take place at Holywell Park conference centre and outline the significant changes planned for Quest, which are set to reinvigorate the quality scheme over the coming year. Quest regional manager David Monkhouse said: “Whether you’re an existing
Quest site looking for a new challenge or you’re considering Quest as a future development tool to drive business and improve your customer’s experience, this event is a must.” The day will include workshops and presentations from the Quest team, plus presentations from Quest-accredited centres on how having the award has improved their facility.
31 Craftsman QL
201121921
11:9
Page 1
32
19/1/11
11:54
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
32
Be a doctor of selling By Dave Wright, Creative Fitness Marketing JANUARY and February are the times of the year that marketing for health clubs and fitness products are in full force – trying to capitalize on everyone’s New Year’s resolutions. Here are three simple steps to sharpen your sales skills, keep you focussed on helping the customer and hopefully help you take advantage of that increased interest in our sector. Three keys to building relationships The real key for selling in the fitness industry is that you should see yourself as a ‘Doctor of Selling’. So just as someone in the medical profession, you should see yourself as professional, educated, acting in your patient’s best interest, and are respected for a high code of ethics. If you think about it, the medical process is the same everywhere. Whenever you go to any doctor, of any kind, for any condition, he will follow the three part sequence of 1. examination, 2. diagnosis and 3. prescription. Begin with a thorough examination Just as a medical professional would never think of treating you
without following these three steps in order, you as a fitness consultant shouldn’t either. You should always begin with a fitness profile or questionnaire so that you can examine (and not presume) all that you need to know about the potential member. So in the examination phase, you ask excellent questions, carefully prepared, in sequence, which are geared to give you a thorough knowledge of the patient's condition, or the customer's situation. i.e, HELP (How they heard about the club, What’s their Experience, what’s their Lifestyle and what’s the Problem as to why they are in front of you). Diagnose the customer's need accurately The second phase is that of diagnosis. In the diagnosis phase with a customer, you would repeat back the results of your examination and double check to be sure that the symptoms that you had detected were the real symptoms being experienced by the patient. You would ask additional questions to confirm and make sure that you are on the same page with the potential member. You and the patient would mutu-
ally agree that this diagnosis seems to be an accurate description of the condition or problem. “So if I understand it correctly Mary, you want to achieve XYZ so that you can be able to push your child on a swing ... is that right?” Make the right prescription Once this mutual agreement has been reached, that a treatable condition exists and that you have identified it accurately, you can move on to phase three. This is the prescription phase, where you show the patient (potential member) that your club is the best available treatment, taking all the factors of the patient's situation into consideration for the ailment that you have diagnosed. You show that, on balance, what you are suggesting is the best of all possible solutions. In effect, you are saying… ‘Mary… you told me ABC and that you wanted XYZ and this type of membership is the solution that you wanted.’ Fitness consultants who sell in the way that doctors treat patients finally realise that they are truly there to help someone improve their life. But what happens with many clubs is that they prescribe
Dave Wright before the diagnosis and it just comes off as being pushy. If a doctor was to do that, then he’d either lose his licence (or get a job with the NHS ... only joking).
33
19/1/11
11:54
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
33
Adonis Complex warning about young male users By Christina Eccles GYMS have been warned to watch out for the signs of what experts have labelled the ‘Adonis Complex’ in young male gym users. As part of a project for his University of Derby Psychology and Counselling Studies degree course, student scientist Ross Thomson investigated whether there is a link between the pursuit of a lean, muscular idealised body, the drive for muscularity and self esteem levels. He embarked on research with 50 male gym users at LA Fitness in Derby who included weight and resistance training at least twice a week as part of their fitness regime. He also studied 50 male nongym users from the wider Derby city area who had not taken part in regular exercise or sport for the last 12 months. Participants completed questionnaires gauging their scores against three tests: the Drive for Muscularity Scale, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and the Muscle Dysmorphic Inventory (MDI). Ross discovered the results for the gym users were similar to those reported by bodybuilders and weightlifters in other studies – suggesting this group might be at risk of adopting potentially harmful behaviours in the pursuit of muscularity. They may also be susceptible to the effects of images which promote muscle development found in gyms, resulting in lower self-esteem.
The study found that gym users possessed a higher drive for muscularity than non-gym users and suffered from increased feelings of being insufficiently muscular, or too small compared with non-gym users, as measured by the MDI. Now Ross is suggesting fitness instructors should have a greater awareness of these issues when assessing the training regimes used by individual gym users and that clubs should make members aware of support outlets available to them. He said: “While most men who exercise in gyms do so responsibly and are realistic about their physique, there appears to be a male body image continuum with those possessing excessive drive for muscularity levels being more susceptible to body dysmorphia. “This particular group of men may also be at risk of adopting potential harmful behaviours such as eating disorders and steroid use in the pursuit of muscularity. While these concerns seem to be well known in bodybuilding and specialised gyms, it is currently unclear how widespread this problem is in more mainstream fitness centres.” His tutor at Derby, senior lecturer in Health Psychology Dr Vicki Staples added: “Ross’s findings highlight the potential need for additional monitoring and safeguarding measures within mainstream gyms to protect men who may be at risk.”
The Altrincham gym team, from left: Denise Renshaw, Rachel Brindley, Steph Leese
No-men, no mirrors concept moves into Manchester A NEW ladies-only gym has opened in South Manchester.
Ladyzone’s head office, following a move from Sheffield.
Ladyzone specialises in offering a 30-minute circuit based system where women complete a mixture of cardio and resistance exercises, in a no-men and no-mirrors environment.
Managing director Jamie Cartwright, who runs the business with financial director Anthony Carpenter, said: “The opening of this site marks a real milestone for Ladyzone. We survived a recession, have continued to grow and the future is looking very, very bright.”
The new club will bring the company’s portfolio to 10 and the site will also become
34 Vibrostation
201121921
11:9
Page 1
35
21/1/11
14:59
Page 1
UK FITNESS SCENE
Gym offers workouts, indoors and out A NEW independent gym which has opened in Sunderland combines indoor and outdoor workouts to maximise results for members. Mark Banks has opened The Fitness Bank after expanding from his previous premises in order to grow the business. Through advertising in the local paper, he managed to sign up 13 new members within three days of the club opening and has brought about 100 with him from the old gym.
As part of their membership package, people who sign up not only get to train in the gym, they also get the chance to take part in Mark’s outdoor bootcamp sessions, which take place locally three times a week. And the combination of offering both indoor and outdoor exercise offers members the opportunity to take part in something different, which they may not be able to do at other gyms. Mark explained: “People like the combination of both and the
chance to do outdoor training as well. Members get three sessions a week plus their time in the gym and also a diet plan and monthly fitness testing.” Mark added that members of the old club love the new premises and equipment and his long-term plan is to get more people through the doors and become even more successful. He added: “In future I want to grow the membership and provide a service where people gain results both indoors and outdoors.”
How Glossop Leisure centre gym keeps its supports Laura in her battle members happy against illness Laura Aldrich
INDEPENDENT gym owner Glenn Campbell is celebrating another successful year at his club in Glossop. Glenn has been running Bodycheck for the last 22 years and says that although other gyms have always come and gone in the town, delivering results and offering high levels of service have kept his members coming back. The gym also prides itself on giving something back to members and the surrounding community and regularly organises events which local people can get involved in. One of the most successful is a children’s fun run, which takes place in
June, where over 250 kids up to the age of 16 complete a one-mile course around Glossop. The event is supported by local businesses and the money raised is donated to charity – with the proceeds this year going to Help for Heroes. He said: “Things are going really well. We had a cracking year last year. We have seen gyms come and go and they will continue to do so. “But we have fantastic equipment and happy members because we deliver that extra level of service and they get results. And people keep coming back when they get results.”
Outdoor fitness challenge A FITNESS challenge with a difference has been developed by the National Trust to help Brits shed the excess pounds gained over the Christmas period. The Outdoor Gym Challenge – which encourages people to exercise outside in places such as those looked after by the Trust – includes exercises such as power walking
and tree press ups. It builds on research done by the University of Essex, which explored the benefits of exercising outdoors. The exercise challenge was devised by Somerset outdoor training company Eco Fitness, which already runs exercise programmes at the National Trust’s Stourhead in Wiltshire.
A SHEFFIELD leisure centre has helped one of its members back to full fitness after she was struck down by meningitis. Laura Aldrich works as an assistant fitness manager at Hillsborough Leisure Centre and after recovering from her illness, used her place of work to help her on the road to full recovery. She explained: “It was really quite embarrassing. I came back and I was so weak that I could barely do anything. I started doing a Pilates class once a week to start building up my strength again. “It really helped a lot and the staff kept me going at it. In the gym as well, if I was flagging someone would come up to me and make sure I met my goal. “It was really hard to keep going. It’s so easy to just do nothing, especially when the smallest things are just so painful and tiring. “It’s all about setting yourself little goals though. I made sure I had little targets that I would complete – at first it was small things like walking down the stairs but I plan on running the London Marathon in 2012.”
35
36
19/1/11
11:55
Page 1
36
UK FITNESS SCENE
TV presenter and keen swimmer Gail Porter and Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew have officially launched the world’s biggest fundraising swim at Marshall Street Leisure Centre in London’s Soho. Swimathon 2011 is set to hit a record 580 pools across the UK between April 8-10, when 22,000 swimmers will raise more than £2m for Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Swimathon Foundation. Now in its 24th year, over half a million swimmers have taken part in Swimathon – swimming the equivalent of 24 times around the world and raising more than £34m for charity.
Two-month free offer unveiled FREEDOM Leisure has unveiled a new offer for customers signing up for annual membership – 12 months for the price of 10. The offer also coincides with the release of new timetables for 2011 and is available until February 6. Managing director Jeff Hart said: “In the current times, people are looking for good value and we hope that this significant saving will encourage new
and existing members to keep exercising. “Opting for a healthy lifestyle is truly rewarding and the team at Freedom Leisure are here to help customers to reach their goals and get 2011 off to a flying start!” Freedom Leisure operates 23 leisure and fitness sites across Kent and Sussex.
Coronation Street star Debbie Rush has released a new fitness DVD after teaming up with athlete Andy Titterall and dropping four dress sizes. Debbie Rush’s Bulge Buster Workout is split into seven sections, including cardio and full body workouts and parts targeting specific areas of the body. Debbie said: “I turned to athlete Andy Titterall who’s an expert on sports science, to show me a routine I could do on my own at home. I decided to go down this route because you never see an untoned or overweight athlete. I’ve been doing my workout three times a week for over four months now, and the weight has really dropped off.”
Ten-year partnership continues STAR Trac and Mad Dogg Athletics have renewed their partnership to collectively market and distribute Spinner bikes and Spinning programming and education worldwide. The renewal of this agreement follows a successful 10-year relationship between the two companies, which has already included selling over 300,000 Spinner bikes to over 30,000
official Spinning facilities worldwide, training over 200,000 certified Spinning instructors and developing the newest Spinning innovations. Star Trac president and COO Mike Leveque said: “We are pleased to extend our long-term commitment with Mad Dogg and maintain our success as the worldwide leaders in the indoor cycling category.”
37 Muscle Talk
201121921
11:10
Page 1
38 Prolab
201121921
11:10
Page 1
39
19/1/11
11:56
Page 1
39
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION
Nutrition brand gives top marks to Davina’s DVD TV presenter Davina McCall’s workout DVD has been voted the most effective in a poll by sports nutrition brand www.myprotein.com The company conducted the poll as part of research into the effectiveness of celebrity fitness DVDs, given their popularity as Christmas gifts. 1,924 women aged 18-35 were polled and asked questions surrounding their experience of the DVDs. And Davina Fit – hosted by The Biggest Loser presenter – was voted by 89 per cent of respondents as the celebrity workout DVD with the most satisfactory fitness regime. The poll also revealed the top 10 celebrity fitness DVD flops – with Eastenders’ actress Natalie Cassidy’s Then and Now voted number one, followed by Katie Price’s The Jordan Workout. Head of marketing Mark Coxhead said: “This time of year inevitably sees the release of a new celebrity fitness DVD; so we wanted to look into which ones do the job, and which ones fall short of the mark. “Although they can be a good way of putting the fun into home exercise; celebrity workout DVDs rarely produce lasting results, as people simply don’t enjoy having to go through the rigmarole of watching the same programme day in, day out.”
Davina McCall
40
201121921
11:49
Page 1
40
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION Cherries are not only a delicious way to help make up your ‘five-a-day’, new research also suggests that their juice can provide active people with real performance benefits too. Andrew Hamilton explains …
Pick cherries for very vigorous workouts WHAT is cherry juice? Cherry juice is just that – juice extracted from the cold pressing of cherries in a press. However, most of the benefits of drinking cherry juice (described below) have been observed in studies where ‘tart’ cherry juice was consumed, for example from varieties such as Montmorency cherries. Why consume cherry juice? Like all vividly coloured fruits, cherries are packed with healthgiving antioxidants, which are great for long-term health. However, one particular class of antioxidants called ‘anthocyanins’, which are present at high concentrations in cherries, appears to exert a very powerful natural antiinflammatory effect in the body. In particular, these anthocyanins seem to be able to reduce the inflammation in muscles and joints associated with strenuous exercise. Indeed, studies on runners and weight trainers have shown that consuming cherry juice not only reduces the amount of muscle soreness following exercise but also accelerates recovery. These findings are supported by the fact that markers of muscle damage at the molecular level are also reduced when cherry juice is consumed before exercise. Moreover, a growing body of research suggests that cherries could reduce inflammation related to heart disease, arthritis and may even help maintain muscle strength for those suffering from fibromyalgia – a common and chronic widespread pain disorder.
Who can benefit from drinking cherry juice? The current research suggests that cherry juice is most beneficial for those undertaking unusually vigorous exercise – for example, your first race of the season or returning to full-intensity training after a layoff – or for those who need to perform at maximum intensity on consecutive days, for example, competing in a tournament where there are several heats to get through. Other people who may benefit from drinking cherry juice are older exercisers who regularly suffer pain and stiffness in the joints but don’t want to resort to antiinflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen. How should you use cherry juice? Most studies on cherry juice recommend consuming about 12 fluid ounces of juice twice a day for a few days prior to vigorous exercise. Of course, being a natural, healthy product, there’s nothing to prevent you from consuming 1224 ounces of cherry juice a day everyday if you’re seeking permanent long-term protection. Where can I find cherry juice? You can of course get the benefits of cherry juice by eating cherries, but to do this, you’d need to consume around 120 cherries a day and fresh cherries are expensive out of season! An easier way is to consume ready prepared cherry juice, which is available from many
Andrew Hamilton health food and sports shops. Andrew Hamilton BSc Hons, MRSC, ACSM is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American College of Sports Medicine and a consultant to the fitness industry, specialising in sport and performance nutrition: www.andrewmarkhamilton.co.uk
New programme piloted at ten clubs EXPERT advice on diet, nutrition and supplementation will form part of a new training programme offered at selected LA Fitness clubs. Piloting in 10 clubs across the country, Small Group Training is a series of four week intensive programmes that combine fun, interactive exercises and games with diet and nutrition advice.
Led by an LA Fitness coach, the classes are for up to 16 people at a time and breakdown into two one-hour sessions per week for four weeks including a 10-minute educational slot at the start of each session to help build up customers’ knowledge around diet, nutrition and exercise. National fitness director Mark Talley said: “We are
constantly looking at new, innovative ways in which we can help our customers achieve their fitness goals. We recognise that getting fit is hard work, so we’ve created these circuit-based exercises to be as fun as possible with game playing and team work. We also want to help our customers understand more about their bodies and how diet and nutrition
affect their health and wellbeing, so we’ve included a mini-workshop in each session which we will build on each week. We’ve also tied each course into a tailored nutritional supplement programme to further enhance the results that our customers want.” Following the pilot, the programme is set to be rolled out at LA Fitness clubs nationwide.
41
201122121
14:3
Page 1
41
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION In this month’s column, Janey Holliday explains why doing your research and collecting the right resources is the vital first step in launching your own nutrition and lifestyle service ...
How to gain a better understanding of a client’s body and mind LAST month I talked about why offering a lifestyle/nutrition service to your fitness business can help your clients achieve their goals and help you boost revenue. I suggested that you created a mini questionnaire to send to clients regarding what their lifestyle/nutritional challenges were, to collate the answers, and look through them to see if there were any patterns. What did you find? My guess is that answers included things like ‘ not enough time’, ‘stressed or busy’, ‘not sure what to eat’, ‘I’m tired’, ‘I crash at 4pm’, ‘ I am hungry when the kids eat their tea’, ‘I drink too much alcohol’, ‘I don’t get enough sleep’, ‘I don’t have good quality sleep’, ‘when I diet it doesn’t work’, ‘I am bloated’, ‘I get bored’… the list is really endless! When creating a nutritional/ lifestyle service for your business you need to understand (like personal training) that one size or approach doesn’t fit all. You need to get a better understanding of people, thinking about their bodies of course, but more so their minds. You need to get away from muscle function and think about behavioural change, think about nutrition principles instead of detailed fitness programmes. When looking at a fitness programme, you would usually think about sub headings such as aerobic fitness, endurance, muscular strength, interval training, core training, stretching and flexibility for example. Under a lifestyle programme, you want to think about things like sleep, stress and adrenal issues, energy and vitality, mood and emotional problems, gut function and digestion, relaxing and having fun as well as nutrition and fitness. Before launching a lifestyle service I recommend doing a research and resources phase. Firstly, do your research. In order for you to be able to charge for something like this, you need to become confident in this field and for some of you the research stage could take a few months, even longer. As I said last month, you don’t need to be a nutritionist or a sleep expert but you do need to look at all the issues your clients have raised or could raise and get reading. Get googling or read some books on common lifestyle issues and human psychology, particularly those on motivation, eating issues and behavioural change. I highly recommend Psychologies magazine as a starting point and my favourite books
‘When creating a nutritional/ lifestyle service for your business you need to understand (like personal training) that one size or approach doesn’t fit all’
Janey Holliday are: Skinny bitch for nutritional inspiration (don’t be put off by the title!), Feel the fear and do it anyway by Susan Jeffers, Power of Now by Eckard Tolle and Fat around the Middle by Marilyn Glenville. Secondly, start creating a set of branded resources. This is essential if you are serious about this side of your business. I have about 40 different resources that I email people following on from my consultations. Of course they are not applicable to everyone and only recently I did an MOT session and I needed to create a new resource for that client that I hadn’t even thought of before. These can be from one page flash facts, to a detailed ebook. Create a wish list of the resources you think you might need and get writing. Next month I will talk about what different services you can offer under the lifestyle umbrella, how to structure your lifestyle sessions and networking with lifestyle experts. Happy researching! Janey Holliday is founder of Fit for a Princess www.fitforaprincess.co.uk
42
201121921
11:48
Page 1
42
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION
Kerry pitches in with diet advice Diet and fitness expert Nash Jocic has created a new book which he claims could reverse the UK’s obesity problem. Nash believes that traditional weight loss and exercise programmes are not working so has created the Fat Loss manual to give people the opportunity to try a new method. The programme takes an unconventional approach to mental attitude, exercise and diet and explains how people can change their mental attitude to become fully aware of the importance of healthy eating and exercise.
SPORTS nutrition expert Kerry Kayes has teamed up with footballer Craig Bellamy to offer advice to members at Craig’s new gym in Cardiff. Kerry visited Cardiff Combat – a mixed martial arts club in the city – to talk to gym members about incorporating proper nutrition into their diet and training schedule, in order to maximise their performance. As part of the visit, he also brought along some special guests in the shape of British and European champion John Murray, exOlympian Joe Murray and fellow boxer Anthony Crolla, plus UFC fighter Paul Kelly, all of whom spent time chatting to the Cardiff fight fans.
Kerry explained: “Nutrition is vital for fighters in every discipline. They put their body through intense trauma, both training and competing, and need to recover quickly. “One of the key areas to focus on is increasing protein intake, to aid muscle repair, but they’ve got to be the right sort of proteins – it’s worth paying extra for quality.” Kerry has also put together a package of sports supplements for athletes involved in combat sports. His ‘boxing stacks’ feature a selection of CNP products designed to help boost stamina, repair muscle and enhance performance.
43 Bodytemple
201121921
11:11
Page 1
44
21/1/11
15:00
Page 1
44
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION
Why John believes his programme can change the whole industry By Christina Eccles THE founder of a revolutionary weight management programme has revealed why it has the potential to change the whole industry. John Thomson – creator of Thomson Diet Clubs – claims traditional methods of fat loss such as a high impact cardiovascular exercise do not work. But he believes his programme is the way forward as it focuses on the importance of nutrition and toning exercises instead. And he says that by adopting his model, gyms could increase retention, attract more new members and make money. He explained: “Most of the fitness industry and government guidelines are exercise to lose weight. The commonest choices for this are impact exercises of the cardiovascular type, for example, running and power walking. “People love to prescribe exercise for fat loss, because they do
not have the necessary knowledge to help with nutritional counselling. The current guidelines for fat loss recommended by the authorities are high carbohydrates and calorie counting and are ineffective on many levels. If the focus is on correct nutrition and toning, people will get amazing results really fast. “We run a business model that gets amazing results and increases income dramatically. The synergy of the unique exercise programme and the nutrition system guarantees results for members. This increases peripheral club income, retention and referral.” John also runs New Physique gym in Ilford and claims to be the busiest personal trainer in the world. He also told Workout that the Diet Club and personal training sessions keep the gym – which has 350 members – in business and generate the most income.
He added: “At our club we take more income from these services, than memberships. In short, we would go bust without the systems. The system creates massive retention and gives the club a positive reputation of weight management and amazing results. “We have 13 other clubs in our area offering the usual approach to fitness and fat loss. 40 people bring in over £120,000 per annum in personal training income. The Diet Club also generates £50,000 per annum. “But best of all, family and friends see the results the members achieve and we get many recommendations. “Our advertising budget is minimal, as we can not compete with Fitness First and Esporta’s local advertising – but don't need to. Our reception is full of testimonial pictures which helps us sell memberships.”
John Thomson
45 Bodytemple
201121921
11:11
Page 1
46
21/1/11
15:01
Page 1
46
SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION
We’ve got that BodyPower feeling! NEVER a show to be outshone, new interactive areas for visitors have been added for BodyPower 2011. The Sports Science and Performance area, Sports Nutrition and Healthy Eating Kitchen areas amongst them. In these areas, you can expect to see the likes of A-list trainers Ramona Braganza, Hany Rambod and sports performance enthusiast Martin Rooney. The Healthy Eating Kitchen is a must. In the Kitchen will be Sly Stallone’s nutritionist and personal trainer, Rehan Jalali and the England Rugby Team’s nutritionist Matt Lovell. The guys have forged reputations as some of the best worldwide. For UK bodybuilding – Jay Cutler’s got that BodyPower feeling! UK Bodybuilding enthusiasts will be more than familiar with Jay Cutler. Jay is a renowned name on the bodybuilding scene and is the
current Mr Olympia. Jay appeared at BodyPower 2010 and will be posing and telling our exclusive audience how to become the next Mr Olympia. For UK fitness scene – ABA catch the BodyPower bug! The Amateur Boxing Association of England have joined that BodyPower movement. The ABA will be bringing a range of the UK’s best boxers to the NEC. Alongside running an exciting two day competition, it begs the question – who will be crowned BodyPower 2011 Champion? Be sure not to miss out on this unforgettable event for the industry taking place on May 21 and 22 at the NEC. Visitors get showexclusive discounts on supplements and nutrition products for 150+ of the top companies. To book call 0844-581-0817 or online at www.bodypowerexpo.co.uk
Celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore and Britney Spears have been getting in shape with help from a supplement containing chilli extract. Capsilite contains capsaicin, which is found in chillis, and claims to offer fast and effective weight loss by speeding up the human metabolic rate and enabling the body to burn up to 12 times more calories.
Martin Rooney
Rugby players get in shape YOUNG rugby players at Hartbury College have been getting in shape with a helping hand from CNP. The college takes promising young players and equips them with the skills and knowledge needed to take them into the professional and semiprofessional world of rugby. There are matches every Wednesday and Saturday, as well as training sessions, so to help them deal with such a demanding schedule, the players have been using the supplements to give themselves a boost. The supplements of choice for
Hartbury rugby students are CNP Professional’s Pro Recover, Whey Protein, Pro Hydrate and the new Pro Energy Max gels. The college’s strength and conditioning coach Owen Satterley said: “One of the main products we use is CNP’s Pro Recover. I want to make sure my students don’t suffer any long term damage that could hinder their future career. “They drink Pro Recover as soon as they come off the pitch to give their tissues a much needed protein boost.”
Star names sign up WITH over 25,000 visitors expected in 2011, BodyPower have secured further star names to attend and run seminars on 21 and 22 May at the NEC. These include Hany Rambod trainer to Jay Cutler and Phil Heath, Ramona Braganza trainer to Halle Berry, Zac Effron and Jessica Alba, Martin Rooney a leading strength and conditioning coach from New Jersey USA, who has trained NFL stars, Olympians, UFC, Pride and MMA fighters plus
many more. With more interactive features and competitions in 2011, including a Healthy Eating Kitchen, Sports Performance and Science Zone and a Fitness Zone run by Vibe, BodyPower will have something for every fitness enthusiast. Over 150 brands will be exhibiting and these include Johnson, BodyMax, Livestrong, Lesiure Lines, Jordan’s , USN, QNT, Maximuscle, Creative Fitness Marketing, plus many more.
47 Bodytemple
201121921
11:12
Page 1
48
21/1/11
15:05
Page 1
PRODUCT AND INDUSTRY NEWS
48
Escape Fitness – can you handle the challenge? START the year as you mean to go on – as a winner. Beat the trainer in our January challenge and win a pair of boxing gloves worth £30, plus every entry will get a free Reebok Grip Master. Watch the movie clip online at www.escapefitness.com to see the challenge and to find out what score you have to beat. Then all you have to do is film yourself doing as many ViPR Slam’s as you can and post or share the video to the Escape Fitness Facebook page. The trainers’ tool of choice this month is the ViPR, which looks like a rubber pipe but is actually the Swiss knife of functional fitness. It is perfect for strength workouts and can also be used to shape and tone the entire body by using four planes of motion. It will give you an intense, fun and great body workout which is guaranteed never to get boring and that puts the fun back into functional. For more information visit. www.escapefitness.com or call 0800 294 2802
Jordan helps Biggest Loser for third year running WITH the New Year kicking off many people’s fitness regimes, Jordan Fitness have yet again been able to support the ITV show ‘Biggest Loser’ which airs on television at this time of year. Jordan have been the choice for this production’s functional fitness equipment for the third year running. Jordan have supplied a variety of functional fitness equipment including kettlebells, Powerbags, dumbells, barbells, medicine balls and the body weight suspension training system ‘FitKit Pro’. All this equipment will be used over the duration of the fitness and weight loss series as the contestants fight to become the ‘Biggest Loser’ by losing the most weight. The personal trainers on the show use the Jordan equipment alongside cardio vascular equipment to help the contestants lose the maximum amount of weight over the eight weeks of the competition. People do not always appreciate the benefit of using functional and free weight equipment in their fitness and weight loss programmes. Jordan Fitness have been at the forefront of developing functional fitness equip-
Sometimes a hobby can grow into something more, for Matthew Charge, his enjoyment and love of sport began when he was a child.
ment for many years now and consider themselves as specialists in this field. All of the Jordan range of functional fitness equipment is of commercial quality and is priced competitively. This type of programme helps to promote the fact that anybody, however much weight they have to lose, with the right help, encouragement and determination can achieve their goals. The show ‘Biggest Loser’ is currently being shown on ITV 9pm on Monday nights. It is hosted this year by television personality Davina McCall. For the full range of Jordan Fitness functional fitness equipment visit their website www.jordanfitness.co.uk. Or contact sales@jordanfitness.co.uk
Why I gave up my degree to Bodybuilding and lots more help motive and inspire others SOMETIMES a hobby can grow into something more, for Matthew Charge, his enjoyment and love of sport began when he was a child... Dismissing his favourite pastime as “a bit of fun”, Matt took the traditional educational route and applied to university to study for a degree in Fine Art. However, football slowly crept back into his life and sport and fitness soon took priority over his degree. Eight months later he decided he should pursue a career in sport and fitness and attended a Premier Training International open day and learned about life working in the health and fitness industry. He immediately signed up for the Gym Instructor course and has never looked back. With a number of Active IQ qualifications now under his belt, Matt’s hard work and passion really has paid
THIS year IFBB Professional Bodybuilding is back in the UK, but this time there’s going to be a whole load more than pro bodybuilding with it in the British Grand Prix and Fitness Expo weekend. On March 19 and 20 2011 thousands of muscle and fitness fanatics are expected to descend on the ExCel Centre, London for a huge fitness, bodybuilding and strength expo featuring professional strongman, powerlifting, arm wrestling, MMA and, of
off. Working as a Gym Instructor and Personal Trainer at Virgin Active Health Club in Wokingham, he looks forward to going to work every day to help and inspiring others to reach their fitness goals, something that gives him a huge amount of job satisfaction. For more information visit: www.premierglobal.co.uk
course, bodybuilding.
As well as these, there will also be exciting displays of other extreme sports like BMX and skateboarding, plus a fitness model search. So, in mid-March London is going to be the place to be and it looks like this event is going to grow bigger and bigger over the years to follow. For more details see www.grandprixexpo.co.uk or telephone 01536 416233
Three additions to FIA board THREE new members have been welcomed on to the board of the FIA. They are John Cleland, CEO of Esporta, Innes Kerr, group operations director at Energie and Debra Stuart, CEO of Premier Training. Executive director Dave Stalker said:
“With increased credibility of the industry within the public health agenda, the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games and the new five-year industry strategy there has never been a more important time to have a wealth of experience sitting on the FIA Board.”
Badge benefits are clearly proven NEW research carried out in three countries has found that in businesses and customer facing staff, something as simple as wearing a name badge can make a huge and immediate difference to customer satisfaction levels. The study, carried out by mystery shopping and customer experience experts Shopper Anonymous (www.shopperanonymous.co.uk), found that when a range of businesses introduced name badges for all staff, customer satisfaction ratings rose by a remarkable 12 per cent almost overnight, in comparison to those that didn’t
require staff to wear badges. The figure came out of the study of 116,000 mystery shopper reports carried out over the last eight years in the UK, Australia and New Zealand by independent research experts. Customers wanted staff to be wearing badges so they could distinguish between staff and other customers if uniforms weren’t being worn; said they trusted staff wearing name badges and were more likely to build up a relationship conducive to making a sale with someone who wasn’t anonymous.
John Bancroft, managing director of Europe’s largest name badge manufacturer, Badgemaster, thinks your choice of design is an extra opportunity to help boost your brand. He said: “We can manufacture custom-made bespoke name badges, in line with a company’s corporate identity. “It is very rare to go into a quality establishment these days and find that staff are not wearing name badges – the benefits are clearly proven.” For further information call Badgemaster on 01623 723112 or visit www.badgemaster.co.uk
49 Bodytemple
201121921
11:12
Page 1
50 badgemaster
201121921
11:40
Page 1
Classis
201122121
10:56
Page 1
CLASSIFIED EQUIPMENT
51
Classis
201121921
11:50
Page 2
CLASSIFIED
52 EQUIPMENT
FINANCE
EQUIPMENT
FLOORING
SOUND & VISION
FOR SALE MARKETING
INSURANCE
Classis
201121921
11:54
Page 3
CLASSIFIED SERVICING
53
LOCKERS
LOCKERS
TRAINING
MANAGEMENT
DIRECT DEBIT COLLECTIONS
NUTRITION
NUTRITION
To advertise in this classified section call 01226 734615
INSURANCE
Classis
201121921
11:55
Page 4
CLASSIFIED
54 MARKETING
SOFTWARE
SUNBEDS
SOFTWARE
HYGIENE
UPHOLSTERY
WANTED
TRAINING
To advertise in this classified section call 01226 734615
55 Marshmans
201121921
11:13
Page 1
55 Marshmans
201122121
10:53
Page 1
56 Uboss
201121921
11:13
Page 1