February 2019
The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
One in four new gym-goers need medical help By Dominic Musgrave ONE in four ‘New Year, New Me’ gym-goers have been left needing medical help after a workout gone wrong, a new study has found. The most common gym fails include falling off treadmills, trapping fingers in machines and dropping weights on their toes as the uninitiated take advantage of cheap gym offers to work off the Christmas excess. More than half (53 per cent) admit to injuring themselves within the first three months of joining and 25 per cent required medical attention, from their GP (59 per cent) to an on-site first aider (28 per cent) and even a trip to A&E (21 per cent). Almost four in 10 of those injured (38 per cent) also needed follow-up appointments with physiotherapists, chiropractors or other health professionals after doing long-term damage. Dubbed “resolutioners” due to the time of year they join, the figures are in sharp contrast to the experiences of regular gym bunnies, just seven per cent of whom had picked up injuries. More than 2,000 people took part in the poll by personal injury specialists Slater and Gordon, which says it fields more calls about gym-related injuries in the New Year than any other time. Lawyer Tracey Benson said: “It’s not uncommon for people to get injured
when they are at the gym. “We do however see a notable influx at the start of the year of people making enquiries about injuries they’ve sustained after going to the gym or taking part in sports. “Many people see the New Year as the perfect time for a new beginning. But joining the January gym bandwagon does have its risks and accidents can happen.” “There is a lot of specialist equipment out there and without the right know-how they could cause themselves some serious damage. Most common injuries sustained after overdoing it in the gym were pulled muscles (72 per cent) and muscle aches (45 per cent), but nine per cent said they had also been left struggling to breathe and seven per cent had suffered chest pain. Despite being given inductions, almost half of gym joiners (48 per cent) said they were not confident in how to correctly use all of the machinery available. Fifty-seven per cent admitted to making up workouts as they went along. Despite the pitfalls, 96 per cent of people asked were still planning on upping their fitness in the New Year. A fifth (22 per cent) had canned the gym after an injury, however, and almost four in 10 (39 per cent) admitted to signing up only to quit their membership later in the year.
No 305 £3
Exhibition reveals its headline sponsor
Yogi and TV presenter Alexandra Legouix is back with a new fitness DVD. Alexandra, who presents motorsport from F1 to the Dakar Rally, has conquered injuries such as a broken back and degenerative disc condition with the help of yoga, launched Yoga Made Simple last year. This year’s edition, Yoga Made Simple – Four Daily Compact Workouts for Beginners and Improvers, follows on from that opening entry with more workouts designed to benefit the entire body in different ways.
TOTUM Sport will be the headline sponsor for the Elite Sport Expo until 2021. The next Elite Sports Expo will take place at London’s ExCeL Exhibition Centre on May 8 and 9 and will be attended by the industry’s most influential leaders and decision makers. Totum Sport CEO John Kelleher said: “Totum Sport is already being used by a number of elite athletes across the globe – including 17 times Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. “We hope that our presence within the Elite Sports Expo will help better inform and educate those on the benefits of a natural alternative to hydration and recovery.” Elite Sport Expo managing director Max Quittenton said: “2019 is an exciting year for us, with our flagship expo Elevate now being partnered with both elite sports and recovery professionals (COPA) in an events platform which is completely unique within the UK. “We are delighted to partner with a brand which operates in such a similar field, encompassing all of those areas.”
UK FITNESS SCENE
Boutique gym takes its classes to a new level BOUTIQUE fitness provider 3Tribes in Crouch End, London has relaunched its newly refurbished Warrior Room following the installation by React Fitness of new Freemotion Fitness 10.9 REFLEX™ Treadmills; part of the studio’s strategy to further improve their popular Warrior classes. By installing the Freemotion treadmills, designed specifically for interval and HIIT training, in its Warrior Room, 3Tribes has given its members the best equipment to take their workouts to a new level, growing the effectiveness of the classes and strength of its tribe ethos. 3Tribes founder, and former professional actor, Dan Percival, said: “Nowadays, people don’t just want a fitness class to attend; they want a social function to look forward to. “We create classes that bring people together and, with it, a social dynamic that transforms our members’ workouts, keeps them motivated and, ultimately, coming back for more. “We’ve got a fantastic network of clients and trainers who together embody what it means to ‘move as a tribe.’ We knew that by investing in top-quality gym equipment, it would ensure the ongoing success of our 3Tribes community.” The Freemotion 10.9 REFLEX™ Treadmill offers 1-STEPTM controls, which immediately respond to user commands, compared to a standard treadmill where the speed button would need to be pushed repeatedly
to reach a certain speed. Exercisers can also watch progress stats stack up on the treadmill’s simplified LED console with race track visuals and readouts for calories, distance, speed and time. “During a 60-minute Warrior class, participants typically switch between eight-minute sessions of cardio and strength work, so it’s vitally important that our trainers can use this time as effectively as possible,” said Dan. “The new treadmills ensure this happens, and everyone’s noticing the benefits. We’ve had an influx of people returning to running who’d previously suffered with joint problems because the treadmill deck offers so much more cushioning and protection from impact. “We host more than 20 Warrior sessions a week and each one is fully booked. Our members love the look, feel and responsiveness of the new Freemotion treadmills, and the feedback has been incredible.” Tracy Morrell, director of React Fitness, appointed UK dealer for Freemotion Fitness, added: “The 10.9 REFLEX™ Treadmill is absolutely perfect for HIIT and group training. It is such a dynamic and versatile piece of equipment and great for all ages and abilities. The rebound affect of the unique REFLEX™ deck suspension system helps propel runners to stride forward and aids those with knee and joint issues run longer and stronger, helping them make the most of their workouts.”
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The newly refurbished Warrior Room at 3Tribes in Crouch End, London. Advertising
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UK FITNESS SCENE
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CIMSPA and UK Coaching launch coaching professional standards
First Northern branch of US fitness brand to open MAJOR US lifestyle brand, Orangetheory Fitness, has brought its unique fitness offering to the North West. The brand’s iconic £1m studio has opened in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. Independent retail real estate consultancy Harper Dennis Hobbs worked with CEO Alistair Firth to secure the deal on the 5,500 square foot space. Altrincham is the first of 40 Orangetheory Fitness studios to open across the region over the next nine years. Orangetheory is a unique workout that focuses on the heart rate of those training. Members can see their realtime performance via screens within the studio, measured by heart-rate monitors. The varied range of high intensity interval training is designed to ensure every member spends between 12 to 20 minutes at 84-91 per cent of their maximum heart rate, otherwise known as the ‘orange zone’. Reaching this point will encourage
the body to continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours after exercise has been completed, making it ideal for busy lifestyles. Harper Dennis Hobbs CEO James Ebel said: “The North West has been identified as a hub for busy professionals wanting to remove themselves from the lucrative market and financial burden that comes with living in London, so it only seems natural for a fast paced, boutique-feel fitness studio to follow suit and make the move, too. “With the ever-increasing popularity of gym culture in the UK, this opening of the first Orangetheory studio in the North of England will be the start of an ever-growing trend as each cluster is launched throughout 2019 and beyond.” Wellcomm CEO Alistair Firth said: “We’re delighted to partner with HDH who have understood our needs and presented a range of exciting property options. We look forward to working with them as we develop our portfolio of studios, which will no doubt build on the success of Altrincham.”
Inclusive sports scheme arrives in Colchester SPORT For Confidence has partnered with Colchester Borough Council to deliver its award winning inclusive sports programme to new segments of the community. The programme places specialist health professionals alongside sports coaches to deliver a wide range of sports and physical activities for those who face barriers to participation. The social enterprise is already running programmes at four other leisure venues in Essex and one in Waltham Forest, collectively welcoming more than 1,000 participants per month. Jake Turner, positive behaviour support practitioner, will work alongside head coach Tom Doughty to deliver the programme at Leisure World Colchester. He said: “For many people in the community, just walking through the door of a leisure centre presents a challenge. This may be due to a lack of confidence or anxiety about the unfamiliar environment. “Being active is a key theme of the Livewell campaign in Colchester. Working in close partnership with Leisure World and a range of stakeholders who provide support
and deliver services to groups and individuals most likely to face barriers to getting active, such as GPs, local charities, community nursing and therapies teams etc. we hope to engage with and provide a service bespoke to the individual whatever their need.” Sport For Confidence has already received recognition from NHS England as an excellent example of how businesses, health professionals and councils can come together to deliver a service which hugely benefits the community. Uniquely, the scheme places an Allied Health Professional and sports coach alongside each other, delivering physical activity sessions designed to bring bespoke, life changing, occupational outcomes to each and every participant. Funding for the programme has been granted by Essex County Council and is fully supported by Colchester Borough Council. Initially Leisure World will host three scheduled Sport For Confidence sessions a week covering Multisports, Boccia, and a specific Football for Confidence session.
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity and UK Coaching have released the first sector professional standards related to coaching. The new standards provide an agreed reference point of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required of coaching assistants and coaches, informing the development of future coaching qualifications and training but also supporting the effective deployment of coaches. The new professional standards for Coach and Coaching Assistant have been developed by employers, supported by CIMSPA, UK Coaching and national organisations such as Association for Physical Education, Youth Sport Trust and ukactiveKIDS, who along with others make up the sector’s Community Sport Professional Development Committee.
Emma Atkins, director of coaching at UK Coaching, said: “UK Coaching welcomes the launch of the first coaching professional standards. This is the start of a new era for coach development, qualifications and training that will give coaches clearer career pathways, a broader range of skills and help create an active nation inspired through great coaching.” Spencer Moore, CIMSPA director of strategy, added: “CIMSPA would like to thank all members of the committee for their contribution to this important sector-wide project. In particular we are grateful for the expert technical support of UK Coaching in developing these standards. “We are looking forward to continuing our close partnership working with UK Coaching to realise the potential of agreed professional standards for our sector.”
Club take functional training outdoors THE Village Club at the Village Hotel in Portsmouth has created an outdoor, functional training space to complement its already extensive fitness offer and to add a new dimension to the member experience. Centre stage is a bespoke rig. Galvernised and powder-coated to protect it from the weather, the rig opens the opportunity to integrate a myriad of training equipment for almost limitless training options. Andy Logan, national operations manager at Village Hotels, said: “We wanted to expand and diversify our workout options. “There was an area outside which could lend itself perfectly to the creation of a functional training space. “We engaged Physical Company to help us plan the space and to advise on equipment selection. “We needed to deliver an outstanding member experience, while also giving thought to how the kit would perform in an outdoor environment. “When not in use, all equipment is stored in a dedicated container but, as the area is uncovered, kit is exposure to the weather for long periods and we had to know that performance and durability would not be affected. “This is a whole new venture for
us and we wanted to get it right first time.” The rig is brought to life by bars, plates, battle ropes, gymnastic rings, kettlebells, prowlers, wreck bags and slam balls. Lloyd Salmon, key account manager at Physical Company, added: “We worked with Village Gyms to create an engaging, non-intimidating, outdoor, fitness playground that offers a diverse range of programming and functions perfectly well in all but the most adverse weather conditions. “The final result, from an aesthetic, functionality and durability perspective is exactly what we set out to achieve.” The outdoor training space took six weeks to complete. The facility hosts a full programme of scheduled classes from strength workshops to bootcamp styled workouts. Personal trainers also use the space to conduct small group and individual training sessions. Logan added: “The introduction of this space has not only created new opportunities for members and our fitness team, it has also helped to alleviate pressure on the main gym during busy times. “We would love to see similar spaces incorporated at other Village Gyms. This is now something we are exploring on a site by site basis.”
UK FITNESS SCENE
James’ personal approach works MAKING it personal has helped a Leeds gym thrive on the doorstep of commercial facilities. James Johnstone set up Leeds Personal Training a year ago after more than a decade working as a personal trainer in large commercial gyms. He set up the boutique space as a way of specialising in the one to one training environment. Within six months of opening, he was doing 60 sessions a week and has now taken on a member of staff to meet demand. He believes his success is down to tapping into a higher end, personalised market which has been neglected in the recent budget boom. James said: “From 10 years of working in a large commercial gym I had a good idea of what clients wanted from their gym experience. It wasn’t necessarily a pool, sauna or cafe. ‘It was just great training that was tailored uniquely to them to get results but also make their fitness experience fun and effective. “As any personal trainer knows, you don’t need a room full of machines to deliver a great workout, clients are paying for your time and expertise and with the functional style of training we do, we only need the essential equipment. “We operate a simple pay-as-yougo system with no membership fees. We don’t do offers, incentives or discounts. “We charge what we feel is the right
James Johnstone set up Leeds Personal Training a year ago. price for the high level service people pride’ often prevents a man asking for are getting. advice in a commercial gym,” James “Clients love the fact they are said. training in their own private space, “People are busier than ever so especially the self conscious or people free time is extremely valuable to who would never join a gym and train them. Our typical clients tend to be in front of lots of people.” financially comfortable but time poor James said before the studio, his so want to ensure their free time is demographic was 80 to 20 women to spent as effectively as possible. men. “Every session is recorded so clients But after opening the studio, can track their progress which also enquiries are now at a 50/50 gender gives them comfort that they are split. being looked after. “The feedback we get is that ‘male “Because we work so closely with
them we know exactly what level they’re at, what needs to be worked on and what style of training they enjoy so they’re confident that they’re getting the most out of their time. “Our main emphasis is always on enjoyment. If someone enjoys what they do, they’re far more likely to get results and more importantly, stick with it.” James said the personal relationship between staff and clientele is what separates them from bigger facilities. “We try to make people feel special,” James said. “From greeting them when they arrive, to exercising to their own personal playlist, anything we can do to enhance their experience we will. “Due to the demand I have two new PTs starting. We had more than 30 applications. “The aim is to grow our model of exclusive one to one training without compromising on quality. We plan to keep on expanding this way in to 2020 and the next step will be to move to larger premises. “The day to day life of having a studio compared to working at a commercial gym is different. We decided not to pay for marketing as we want to grow as organically as possible to build a strong brand. “This means we are very active on social media channels. I encourage and challenge our trainers to use social media as much as possible. “I feel there will always be a place for any high end service, providing what it offers is the very best.”
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Centre reopens following £1.4m facelift WORSLEY Leisure Centre in Salford has re-opened its doors after a £1.4m facelift. Operated by Salford Community Leisure on behalf of Salford City Council, the project has been funded through Salford City Council as part of its £35m masterplan to develop leisure centres across the city to boost health and wellbeing. Worsley Leisure Centre first opened as public swimming baths 80 years ago and has since hosted in excess of 12 million visits from people across Salford, Greater Manchester and beyond. The centre now includes a 317m2
gym added to the existing building constructed in copper to mirror the older red brick part of the building and to complement the red brick of the older houses in the area. The first floor addition houses a new gym complete with state-of-the-art equipment, a dedicated weights area, a HIIT zone and a modular rig for functional and small group training. A second, larger, multi-purpose studio has replaced the lower ground floor gym to offer more space for exercise classes. A new group fitness class timetable includes new classes and increased capacity following the
redevelopment. The extra studio space will also enable more children’s dance and gymnastics classes as well as a range of sessions aimed at helping elderly members get more active. Existing facilities at Worsley Leisure Centre include a six-lane, 25m swimming pool, as well as two smaller teaching pools, a sauna and steam room and a café. Plans were proposed and developed by internationally renowned leisure architects, Pozzoni with Wates as the construction partner, also working with Urban Vision, and the work commenced in April 2018.
Mark Chew, director of leisure at Salford Community Leisure, said: “The centre has been the hub of the local community since opening in 1937 and has now been transformed as part of Salford City Council £35m master plan to develop leisure centres across the city to boost local people’s health and wellbeing. “This development means we can continue to help more people get and stay active. “The new facilities are wonderful news for the community and we’re excited to welcome back loyal members and attract new centre users as well.”
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German rehab centre installs FitQuest to enhance its offering
SLT instructor Stacey Pearson with member Sally Chance.
It’s all about girl power at SLT SANDWELL Leisure Trust’s six-week Girl Power beginner’s course has started at its flagship Wednesbury Leisure Centre and is all about ladies learning to lift safely and effectively – as well as proving the weights room is not just a male-only domain. Wednesbury Leisure Centre’s site fitness co-ordinator Natalie Corns said: “We’re delighted to be delivering this bespoke and targeted programme for SLT, because many women lack confidence to work out in free weights areas. “Girl Power will cover all the major weight bearing techniques and enable participants to stabilise their core and maximise muscles through the correct positioning, etc.”
SLT’s business development manager Neil Duggan added: “This bespoke new Girl Power programme will spice up any fitness regime and is our very latest platform to try and encourage new participants into being more active and fitness aware, but also support women members (old and new) who are looking for technical advice in terms of lifting. “This much anticipated pilot follows our hugely successful Couch to 5K initiative delivered across Sandwell in 2018, which resulted in record numbers of local people trying running for the first time and had a retention rate twice above the national average.”
THE largest European outpatient rehab healthcare centre in Germany, medicos.AufSchalke, has installed a FitQuest machine as part of its service offering. This new partnership with the centre, which specialises in orthopaedic, cardiological and psychosomatic rehabilitation, injury prevention, modern sports medicine, performance diagnostics and training, has been made possible through Blankenburg Distributions, FitQuest’s exclusive distributor in Germany. With an experienced team of leading industry experts and around 1,500 visitors per day, the FitQuest machine was chosen as the perfect addition to help medicos with its latest research, focusing primarily on collecting health data from 10-16 year olds. medicos is currently looking to develop a special programme to support obese children and prevent childhood obesity in the future. The machine will be used to collect diagnostics before and after a threemonth programme and provide tangible data to show the extent to which exercising can improve health. Further to this, FitQuest will help medicos to collect data in cooperation with its partner school Gesamtschule Berger Feld, Gelsenkirchen, an elite
school for sports. It will also be used in its in-house gym, offering members the additional opportunity to run a full diagnostic of their fitness levels and track their progress. “We are thrilled to partner with medicos to add FitQuest to their service offerings,” said Brian Firth, CEO of FitQuest. “With its innovative technology and sophisticated measurements, FitQuest will allow the healthcare centre to gain a deeper understanding of individual’s health and performance levels, analysing the results to determine new guidelines and make data driven assumptions.” “The FitQuest machine is the perfect addition to our health care centre, as we look to conduct more in-depth research into health and fitness levels in the population,” said Ersan Özen, member of the executive board and head of healthcare and training management. “FitQuest perfectly complements our diagnostic services, offering tangible data for our staff to provide clients a greater understanding of their fitness progress. We are invested in helping people change their lifestyle and become healthier and FitQuest is the perfect tool to help our members do that in a scientific and measurable way.”
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Trust to help Mayor complete challenge
The Wattbike Zone at PureGym in East Grinstead.
PureGym installs Wattbike Zone PUREGYM has installed its first Wattbike Zone at the East Grinstead site to elevate themselves out of the budget gym stigma of large floor spaces lined with rows of CV equipment, and into the new era of quality, boutique-style, performancefocused zones. PureGym has also installed a total of 12 Wattbikes split between its Portsmouth, Stoke, East Grinstead, London Wall, and Marylebone sites. East Grinstead is currently the Wattbike Zone pilot site. Francine Davis, commercial and strategic director at Pure Gym East Grinstead, said: “We want to offer our members a low cost, high-quality
training experience. “Our members expect quality training equipment, which is why we teamed up with Wattbike to install a Wattbike Zone at our East Grinstead site. “The versatility and innovation of the Wattbikes has provided a great training experience for our members and personal trainers on site, and we look forward to helping our members become healthier and achieve their goals, whatever they are.” The Wattbike Zone installation at PureGym East Grinstead is the first of an ongoing trial, with plans to consider further installs should this site be received successfully.
THE Mayor of Pendle has set himself a challenge and has joined forces with Pendle Leisure Trust to help him achieve his goals. Councillor James Starkie has four targets in mind – to lose weight, help local children who need additional help with learning to swim, encourage other people to get fit and climb Pendle Hill by the end of his Mayoral year in May. He said: “I do need to lose some weight and get fit, so I have set myself a series of challenges, which I’m hoping people will support me in, either by joining me during my training or helping me to raise money to enable youngsters with their swimming. “After my local parish council was contacted by Pendle Leisure Trust’s chief executive Alison Goode about free swimming for local schoolchildren, I asked my own family about it and they said that while most go swimming with school and learn successfully, there are a few that slip through the net for various reasons and need the extra lessons. “Therefore, I want to raise money to help Pendle’s financially or physically disadvantaged children with those extra lessons. “When I was 13, I was thrown in at the deep end at Nelson Baths and it has literally scarred me for life. I have since learned to swim and I think it is very important that everyone
can do so. I also want to get the fitness message across and stress how important it is to keep fit and healthy. I know I need to lose weight and this is my first step towards doing something about it. New year – new me!” Councillor Starkie will be using Pendle Leisure Trust’s facilities to do his training over the next four months, with the help of a dedicated team of gym instructors. At the launch of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership Project in October, the 66-year-old Mayor made it to the top of Pendle Hill, welcoming the Mayor of the Ribble Valley at the summit. They had both made it to the top on quad bikes – but suggested walking it next time. He added: “Since then other Mayors have said they may do it with me and the Mayor of Burnley has said he will run up. I am also hoping other people will join me in May. “I have committed to these challenges and I promise I will give it my whole. With the help and support from staff at Pendle Leisure Trust and the financial generosity of the people and businesses of Pendle, I am determined to reach my goals. “In keeping with the theme of the Mayoress’ fundraising this year for disadvantaged children and younger people in Pendle, I’m doing my bit by trying to help more youngsters with their swimming.”
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Trafford Leisure partners with Myzone at its Altrincham site
Gym wear basics have undergone a cool makeover for 2019 with the Missguided Active range encapsulating the latest trends. Stand out from the crowd in neon brights, all over snake print and branded logo detailing across a range of separates which can be worn as a matching set or mixed and matched. The collection makes a serious nod to the gym-goer with matching leggings, sports bras and workout tops for gym selfie worthy outfits.
TRAFFORD Leisure is partnering with wearable technology company Myzone at its Altrincham site. The operator is incorporating Myzone heart rate and tracking technology in its new cycle studio and refreshed holistic Move Zone area. The Myzone programme will work with, and enhance Trafford Leisure’s new timetable and bespoke classes. The programme plans to strengthen customers’ experience making physical activity more rewarding and enjoyable. Jo Cherrett, COO, Trafford Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be upping our game, and embracing fitness and wellness technology. “Myzone seemed like the perfect solution, as it appeals to all our customers, as Myzone levels the playing field between the elite athlete and the beginner. “We understand that exercise routines can become trying at times and like a lot of things in life, we know that a bit of feedback can be a welcomed boost to motivation. “So we’re really excited that Myzone will help our customers get the most out of their workout.” Tamara Bailey, key account manager, UK, Myzone added: “The team are very excited about the new partnership with Trafford Leisure and being part of the new plans for Altrincham Leisure Centre. “Wearable technology has been
identified as a vital part of member engagement and success into 2019 so it is great to see Trafford Leisure embracing this and embedding Myzone into their customers’ experience. “Together with Trafford Leisure’s new studios and programme concepts, Myzone provides the final part of the experience of helping members feel good about exercise by
making it fun, providing a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress, and a community of support.” Trafford Leisure will review and monitor the success and its customers response to the Myzone technology, in a bid to roll the programme out to other sites in the future, creating a tangible but virtual community across its various locations in the Manchester area.
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Fighting technology with technological fitness solutions By Simon Heap “Only 10 minutes to go and I can get off this treadmill…” “Just 30 more reps until I can go home…” “Must remember to book the MOT…” “Wow, this is tiring – how long have I got left?!” ACCORDING to a recent national survey run by Rugged Interactive, the main reason that one third of us go to the gym is to improve our mental health. Two-thirds of us say that we exercise to “de-stress” and a further 32 per cent of us are active to “escape daily life.” Sound familiar? Clearly, you’re not alone. More and more people are craving
mindful workouts – being able to switch off from the stresses of every day life and be completely present in the moment. No more counting down the minutes until you can step off the treadmill, and you definitely don’t want to be distracted by thinking of the weekly shopping list whilst you’re getting your squats in. We’re now a nation that’s been engulfed in technology; phones glued to our hands, constantly on social media, navigating life via the internet. The reason that mindful workouts are becoming more popular is that we’re trying to escape the tech by being completely and utterly immersed in our workouts and totally present in what we’re doing at the time. Imagine if you could turn off
distracting thoughts leaving only complete focus, flip that internal dialogue switch to ‘off,’ listen to your body instead of your mind and let the stresses of the day float away as you start to sweat and find your fitness rhythm… The workout is entering a new era. Long gone are the days where you have to just slog it out, putting one foot in front of the other on the treadmill until you hit whatever milestone you’ve created in your head. With years of mastering motivation and engagement, the traditional gaming principles of entertainment, competitiveness and full on engrossment are beginning to work their way into how we exercise today. With interactive technology that
includes this crucial ‘gamification’ element, we create interactive exercise equipment that is specifically designed to keep both the body and the mind engaged and active – taking physical activity out of the mundane monotony and into the next level of motivational mindfulness. Did you notice we said the word ‘technology’ there? We are all trying desperately to escape the clutches of technology and become more present, and yet technology is at the core of our inventions. That’s because, in this case… Technology is the problem but also the solution. Ironic, no? n Simon Heap is the founder of Rugged Interactive.
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Advertiser’s announcement
Fitness Systems kits out Simply Gym Walsall and Coventry – Earl Place FITNESS Systems has fitted two new facilities for the ever popular Simply Gym in the last six months. With new sites located in Walsall and Coventry, Earl Place. We recently sat down with Managing Director Andy Hastings to a find out more about the Simply Gym brand, how the latest facilities are performing and what Simply Gym has planned for the future. What was the motive for getting into the fitness industry? I had been working in the leisure industry for several years and an opportunity arose to invest with two business partners setting up a new low-cost gym chain. I jumped at the opportunity and together we created Simply Gym. Development of the company of how it established itself We opened our first site in Cheltenham in August 2011, just as the budget gym market began booming. 18 months later we had the opportunity to take on the leases of several Fitness First sites, so grew from one site to eight in a very short space of time. Since then, we have set up and opened six more sites. However, in 2017, we sold five to other operators due to a company
re-organisation, when one of our directors decided to move on. How did you come across Fitness Systems and what was it that made you go with us for the following sites? Fitness Systems had supplied various pieces of equipment and flooring to us when new sites came along, but it was only in 2018 that we began working with them on a larger scale. They had secured contracts with other national operators and there was a track record of repeat orders and reliability which naturally suggested we would be well served if we gave them the opportunity to fulfil a complete cardio and strength order for one of our new gyms. Kit supplied – Full True Fitness cardio range including the TCS600 Treadmill, XCS900 Elliptical, RCS900 Recumbent Bike, UCS900 Upright Bike, Traverse and Alpine Runner. Full range of Force Epic resistance and plate loaded Strength equipment, with full Rockit functional kit, all designed bespoke to the client’s request. The kit was selected due to its functionality and quality but also the opportunity to have bespoke colours and graphics on equipment which secured the Simply Gym identity, overall making it look uniform within the Simply
Gym brand. Facilities include: n Spin and aerobic studios. n Large ladies only section. n Fully equipped cardio, free weight and functional training areas. n 50 free studio classes per week. n Personal training. n Changing rooms and showers. n Free parking. *To see our full product range in what we supply please visit www. fitnesssystems.co.uk How have the customers taken to the kit The feedback from customers has been extremely positive. The gyms’ design, variety of equipment and the robust look and feel have gone down very well with members. “Although the gym has just open and I can’t really say how busy it will get, I can already say that I love the facilities, the abundance of equipment on offer and how the gym is laid out. If you haven’t signed up yet, what are you waiting for?” Daniel Flis – Facebook – 08/01/2019 What impressed you most about Fitness Systems We received a lot of good guidance and ideas from Fitness Systems right
from the start. We weren’t pushed into over ordering and there was a strong focus on what the end user will want from the gym, and how they would access equipment, rather than just filling areas with as much equipment as possible. How much went into creating the following sites? New sites typically take between six and nine months of planning. But, we have had some take up to three years where planning consents were required. The new sites in Walsall and Coventry both took around a year, purely due to delays securing planning permissions. What’s to come from Simply Gym in 2019? Over the next 12-24 months we will be looking for new opportunities to continue the company’s growth. There isn’t a target number of gyms we want or need to open so tend to wait for the right opportunity rather than go for deals we aren’t fully confident in. We would look at both new fit outs and acquisition opportunities as and when these opportunities arise. n For enquiries contact 01204 541710 or email info@fitnesssystems.co.uk
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Nailing small group training in your club By Dave Wright
Improved technique for indoor climbers AS climbing becomes increasingly popular, fitness clubs are awakening to the benefits of installing dynamic climbing walls for functional training. Traditional vertical climbing equipment has become outdated, with rotating disc climbers taking the lead, replicating real climbing technique. Focussing on lateral movement opposed to unnatural vertical ascent, climbers engage their core and obliques alongside the upper body. The Freedom Climber’s rotating disc and hydraulic resistance demands a wider range of physical movement,
while encourages exploration of both clockwise and anti-clockwise climbing routes. By enabling a spontaneous and natural climbing style, the Freedom Climber facilitates an effective total body workout for the user, while developing a functional training zone unlike any other. With a wall mounted system, the Freedom Climber is space efficient, requiring 25cm of floor space, allowing installation into even the smallest of training areas. Email info@freedomclimber.co.uk or visit www.freedomclimber.co.uk
Range provides that extra edge NEW Bullet & Bone is set to take the fitness industry by storm comprising four skincare treatments, all of which have been carefully designed to help active people of all ages achieve their performance goals and smell great too! What makes the range unique are the natural extracts and essential oils which have been expertly combined to help improve preparation, performance and recovery. Each product contains a ‘power trio’ – maca, magnesium and jasmine – known to enhance alertness, concentration, stamina. The range is endorsed by sports scientist and former Olympian,
professor Greg Whyte OBE and contains a muscle activating rub, a protective moisturising spray, a vapour release balm and a cooling recovery body wash. Greg validates the fact that some topically applied lotions can be more effective than oral supplements in enhancing sporting performance. It’s hard to ignore the commercial opportunity as the brand looks to forge new relationships with those in the fitness industry. Bullet & Bone brings cleansing, grooming and exercise together in a revolutionary way and will become an essential part of fitness programmes before long.
FOR the second year in a row, the top three trends of the fitness industry remain to be wearable technology, group training and high intensity interval training. The combination of the three is why small group training seems to be the one area that clubs around the world are trying to nail. Here are some tips on getting it right: 1. To pay or not to pay? The nirvana for SGT is the more scalable and economic take to personal training, where customers pay a little less than PT, but get the personalised training with one instructor. Not many operators have been able to really execute this as a charged service when it is within the same four walls of the club. There is an argument that if you have a conventional health club that you are blocking a potential boutique from moving into your market. 2. Programming and equipment The one thing about programming and equipment is that this all depends on whether you require members to be doing the same exercise at the same time (which would require more numbers of each piece of equipment) or whether you could spread out the selection as in a circuit. It’s also got to be simple to understand and involve progression and regression of each exercise. Again, too many instructors try and overcomplicate the programming with too many combinations moves and combinations that takes away from the member’s experience. Finally, if you are trying to promote a HIIT programme, then it is a must that you provide technology to be able to evidence the biometric feedback from the customers and what they are expecting. Too many HIIT programmes actually are just High Intensity Training leaving the Interval (recovery) aspect out. This is a no no. 3. Separate area The location of the SGT can be within the confines of the existing club so that you can maximise the real estate when the class is not in use, or alternatively in its own area that creates a feeling of uniqueness. Having a separate room or not is a space choice, but the most successful deployments of SGT is when it is
Dave Wright clearly defined as its own `space’. If you do charge extra, it allows you the autonomy to lock the door so that it’s saved purely for SGT. 4. Wearable technology Aligning with the number one trend for 2019 again, a good and accurate wearable technology system and telemetry display feeds well into the small group training model of creating a special experience for the members and cultivating the group ‘togetherness’ of the team. Attaching post workout photos to the members tech experience reminds the participant that not only did they have a great workout, but they also enjoyed the company of other people. It reminds them of the fun time that they had and makes them feel good about exercise and want to return. Small group training is a huge opportunity for a club to build that community and then subsequently create stickiness to your club. It’s relatively easy to implement but must have buy in from all the staff on how it is delivered. Nail it and you will build more community and subsequently make more money. Good luck. n Dave Wright is the creator and CEO of MYZONE®, CEO and owner of CFM (Creative Fitness Marketing) and owner of the Feelgood Fitness & Voyage Fitness Club chains. With offices in Chicago (US), Nottingham (UK) and Melbourne (Oz), Dave’s companies have worked directly with over 5,000 health clubs across 65 different countries, encouraging people to be more and stay more physically active. He may be contacted on Dave@myzone.org
Newly created role for Gabriella GABRIELLA Macis has been appointed national accounts and partnerships manager of Anytime Fitness to continue their fast-paced growth within the UK. As well as maintaining and developing existing strategic accounts and national partnerships, the newly created role will see Gabriella explore future partners that can enhance Anytime Fitness’ brand awareness in the UK and provide increased support to its franchisee network. These partnerships will focus on
adding value to members while supporting the profitability of franchisees’ clubs. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be appointed as national accounts and partnerships manager of Anytime Fitness,” Gabriella said. With previous senior roles at PureGym and LA Fitness, Gabriella brings a wealth of fitness industry experience to the Anytime Fitness support office and will focus on maximising the reach of Anytime Fitness’ services throughout the United Kingdom.
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Sat on the edge of Lake Windermere, the stunning Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa offers a variety of classes to both its members and hotel guests. Dominic Musgrave and his wife Emma and daughter Beth tried a couple of them when they were lucky enough to visit.
The popular FloatFit Balance (left) and Total Body Blast (right) classes at Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa on the edge of Lake Windermere.
Put through our paces in the water and the studio
THE Low Wood Leisure Club opened as part of the Low Wood Hotel in 1985. Over the years the club has been constantly changing and moving with the times including building a fitness studio, adding an outdoor hot tub and extending the gym. The biggest change began late 2016 when the whole site began a major £6million refurbishment. This resulted in the club being rebranded as the Health Club at Low Wood Bay in June 2017. And where many clubs struggled with attendance last summer due to the great weather, the outdoor timetable meant classes were always full, with members enjoying keeping fit while enjoying the sunshine. Innovative outdoor classes devised by the staff include Nordic Walking, an Outdoor Bootcamp on the lawns at the front of the resort and Paddlecise and Dragon Boat Paddling on Windermere itself. But, as it was the middle of January our choice was limited to the indoors, with the weekend timetable including Circuits, FloatFit Balance, Spinning and Total Body Blast. All of the fitness areas are supplemented with Myzone technology, which has enabled the facility to set up a community where members challenge each other to win weekly, monthly and annual prizes ranging from beauty treatments to three-course meals in the hotel. As keen swimmers who recently completed a charity challenge that saw them swim the equivalent of the English Channel in our local swimming pool, my wife Emma and our 10-year-old daughter Beth opted for the Saturday morning FloatFit Balance class in the 15m pool that was given a makeover as part of the
A Paddlecise class taking place on Lake Windermere. refurbishment. Emma, who is also a keen gym and class-goer, said after the 45-minute class: “Taking part in a FloatFit class was unlike any exercise class I have experienced before, and I loved it. “Imagine working your core, legs and arms while maintaining your balance as the water threatens your stability at any point – it is not easy. “The boards that you use are loosely clipped to the lane ropes at the front and back to stop you floating away down the pool while still leaving enough give to enable the float to move forward and back and side to side. “The class involved fast paced exercises, moving from one challenge to another fairly quickly, which kept the class fun and ensured that all parts of the body had a work out. “There were also some mini challenges with the person next to you, where one person for example would be in the plank position while
their partner rocked their float side to side to create waves, adding to the difficulty level. “During the class, instructor Callum kept the energy levels up and encouraged everyone throughout, as we did squats, rotations, lunges, twists, jumping and planking on the board, as well as working on our abdominals using a ball. “I would encourage anyone who enjoys the water to give it a go. Everyone falls in at some point, I lost count of how many times I went in, but that is what made the class so much fun. I have never laughed so much while exercising. It is a real challenge and I can definitely feel the good it has done me as parts of my body that never usually get a workout through my normal cardio and swimming classes are aching.” As an anti-social gym goer myself who likes to go, do my own stuff and then leave, choosing a class to do was a little bit daunting.
I opted to burn off some of the calories I had consumed the previous evening at the delicious three-course meal and breakfast the following morning in the hotel restaurant and chose the 45-minute Total Body Blast. Instructor Nick warned the six of us beforehand that it was going to hurt, and he wasn’t wrong. Using a mixture of varying weights of dumbbells, a barbell and a mat he soon had me aching, grimacing and pulling all kinds of silly faces as my body was indeed given a blasting. Yet he made it fun at the same time as watching him laughing at the front of the studio because if he didn’t he would probably cry with the pain during some of the exercises made you strangely feel that you wanted to keep going. Nick was also keen to ensure that the class was safe at all times and regularly checked our techniques to ensure there were no injuries, particularly to class novices like me. I visited Low Wood Bay last September as part of the NFAs judging process and one of the memories that I took away from the day was that the facility was exclusive without being elitist, and it had a real community feel to it. The class certainly confirmed this theory as all of the other people who took part were friendly and keen to encourage. All three of us all commented on how welcoming the staff made us feel during our visit. We all had a great time taking part in classes at Low Wood Bay and certainly felt the benefits of it over the days that followed. Maybe one day we will be lucky enough to return during the summer months to take part in an outdoor class or even one on Windermere itself.
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Leisure centre and community facility drives regeneration
Les Mills International is having a top down culture shift when it comes to leadership. The changes begin with founder and managing director Phillip Mills taking on an executive director role that will allow him to focus more on his passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. Chief marketing officer Clive Ormerod (pictured) will become the new Les Mills international chief executive officer. Former chief financial officer Doug Robb is now the chief operations officer, and USAbased Jean-Michel Fournier is the chief executive officer of Les Mills Media, with UK-based Keith Burnet in the role of chief executive officer global markets. The transition will take place over the coming months, with the appointment of a new CMO one of several priorities for the senior team.
A NEW leisure centre and co-located health and community facility will form the heart of ambitious plans to regenerate the Somerset town of Chard. Proposals centre on the redevelopment of the historic Boden Mill – including the former ACI factory site – in the centre of town into a mixed used scheme comprising a new leisure centre and swimming pool, alongside housing, offices, community facilities and commercial developments. South Somerset District Council has appointed leisure development specialists Alliance Leisure to develop the project. The new leisure centre will offer a diverse array of facilities to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the community. These are likely to include a 25 metre swimming pool; a gym; group exercise studios; a soft play area; changing rooms and a café. Jo Roundell Greene, Deputy Leader and Chair of the Chard Regeneration Board for South Somerset District Council, said: “Feedback from a series of public consultations has revealed that people want the development to include: a leisure centre with swimming pool; more places to eat and socialise; improved leisure opportunities for young people; green open spaces and opportunities for small, independent retailers to thrive. “We are working with Alliance
Karle Burford, director at AHR; Paul Cluett, managing director of Alliance Leisure Services Ltd; Councillor Jo Roundell Greene, portfolio holder for Chard Regeneration; Adam Baker, architect; Alex Parmley, chief executive of South Somerset District Council, all welcoming the appointment of Alliance Leisure and AHR Architects outside the Boden Mill at the former ACI site. buildings that are listed. We will also Leisure to help plan and build this create full design plans for the new vision.” leisure centre, aiming for submission Boden Mill itself will be redeveloped into a public sector hub with a library, in the spring of 2019. Once planning permissions are granted, works will and other community facilities. The start on the demolition and site upper floors are likely to be converted clearance. into residential units for rent or “These works will completely purchase. transform Chard into a vibrant Julia Goddard, senior business modern day community which fully development manager at Alliance integrates leisure and culture.” Leisure, added: “Together with the The works will be carried out in Council we will work closely with phases starting with the new leisure architects AHR to produce outline centre, which is planned to be plans for the overall development. completed by the end of 2020, subject “This will include a tasteful to planning approval in the summer. restoration and redevelopment of the
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IHRSA and REPs UK enter into Strategic Agreement THE International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs UK) have entered into an agreement as strategic partners. This agreement provides IHRSA with the opportunity to strengthen and extend its network and expertise in the United Kingdom, the fitness industry’s second-largest market in Europe. “By virtue of this collaboration, health and fitness professionals and club owners will have greater opportunity to participate in IHRSA events, and receive expert educational materials to help them strengthen their knowledge, expand their business and, ultimately, create a healthier world,” said Florian Cartoux, IHRSA Europe director. The agreement will give Reps UK’s health and fitness professionals and corporate partners better exposure to the various benefits of collaborating with IHRSA. Andy Whiting, commercial director at UK Coaching, who own Reps UK, added: “We are thrilled to collaborate with such a prestigious organisation. “This agreement will give our members who choose to become IHRSA members additional education, research and networking materials as they progress through their qualification journey. “This agreement is also in line with our intention to continue working with international partners
Kilian Fisher, international public policy advisor for IHRSA and Andy Whiting , commercial director, UK Coaching for REPS. as is the case with the International Confederation of Registers of Exercise Professionals (ICREPs).” The principal points of the Agreement IHRSA will offer Reps UK clubs who decide to join IHRSA the following membership benefits: n Access to IHRSA publications, research and reports, statistics, webinars and business books. n Member rates to the IHRSA European Congress and Convention and Trade Show. n Travel benefits for club members around the world, with exclusive benefits and a 25 per cent discount on admissions thanks to the IHRSA Passport Programme.
Initiative to encourage town’s older adults to be more active A NEW initiative in Stockport is hoping to tackle loneliness and ill health in the town’s aging community. Sport England, which runs 12 fitness facilities in the town, estimates one in three residents over 55 are inactive. Life Leisure, Stockport Council, Age UK and Stockport Homes have joined forces to tackle the issue. A 12-week mentoring scheme so older adults can meet and learn from peers who have turned their lives around through exercise is one way. Life Leisure’s Active Ageing Lead Ross McGuigan said: “It’s all about promoting a healthier lifestyle and the benefits of that. A lot of people think that once they reach a certain age it’s too late for them. “We hope by introducing them to peers they can be encouraged to take
the next step and take advantage of some of the many healthy opportunities on offer in a sustainable and supportive environment. “It’s not about getting older people working out at the gym, it’s about encouraging them to look at what is available and try something new. “Whether that’s an ‘easy’ exercise class like walking football, or something delivered by one of our partners, like walking or cycling.” The scheme – which hopes to encourage 1,250 participants who are inactive to become active/partially active by 2020 – has been funded by £104,000 from Sport England, with match funding from the partners, totalling £216,200. Residents who sign up to the 12-week programme will have access to an inclusive activity timetable and free activity passes.
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UK FITNESS SCENE
Duty of care By Gill Twell AS employers in the leisure industry, we all have a duty of care to our employees and for the safety of our customers, and correct health and safety processes and procedures are essential to the smooth running of facilities. However, you may not be aware of the updated gross negligence manslaughter guidelines which came into effect at the end of last year. Invoked for cases like the recent Grenfell Tower fire, you may wonder how they affect our industry, but they’re equally crucial to health and safety practices within leisure and fitness. In essence, GNM occurs when the offender is in breach of a duty of care, which causes death. For gross negligence to have occurred there is also a serious and criminal departure from the proper standard of care. The law has been changed because past sentences for other offences, such as unlawful act manslaughter (involuntary manslaughter where an unlawful killing has unintentionally taken place), have been deemed too lenient. The seriousness of this offence is clearly illustrated by the mere 22 convictions for GNM between January 1, 2016 and October 1, 2018. The updated guidelines aim to create clear and consistent direction for sentencing, particularly in relation to complex cases involving both individuals and employers. Within the leisure industry, GNM could cover employers who blatantly disregard the safety of their employees. A change in sentencing would be particularly relevant for those who show a long-standing and serious disregard for employee’s safety. Careless cost cutting could also have a bearing if it resulted in someone’s death. The new guidance seeks to place greater blame on the offender rather than the circumstances of the case, with a maximum sentence of life
Gill Twell imprisonment, depending on the culpability of the offender. Considerations for a high degree of culpability include continued or repeated negligent conduct, as well as flagrant disregard for a very high risk of death resulting from the negligent conduct. In contrast, lower culpability views the negligent conduct as a lapse in the offender’s otherwise satisfactory standard of care. Ignoring previous warnings, actions to conceal or cover up evidence following the offence, or hindering the investigation or falsely blaming others are just some of the factors taken into account when considering culpability. While an extreme end of the spectrum for health and safety prosecutions, it’s a timely reminder to remain vigilant. Health and safety must be managed proactively, with clear and consistent systems and documentation in place, as well as regular staff training. For more information about the new sentencing guidelines visit https:// www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/ wp-content/uploads/Manslaughter_ Definitive-Guideline_WEB.pdf or contact us at Right Directions on 01582 840098 or info@rightdirections. co.uk n Gill Twell is head of development at Right Directions.
Arena to host fitness event THE East of England Arena and Event Centre will host a new kind of fitness show on June 29. Organised by Matt Weston of Empire Gyms, High Intensity Live will be an indoor event, bringing together leading High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) brands to create a one-day endurance and fitness challenge, the equal of any mud run or obstacle course. Matt said: “We’ve followed and delivered a broad variety of HIIT products over the years, and it’s always struck me that these brands attract a huge amount of loyalty from their fans. “We saw an appetite for a oneday endurance event based on high intensity training, bringing all the leading training brands together in a richly motivational environment with DJs, top-flight sound systems and well-known instructors.” High Intensity Live will feature eight disciplines from old favourites to new sensations, including Les
High Intensity Live organiser Matt Weston. Mills SPRINT Cycle, Les Mills GRIT, Insanity Live, P90X Live, Metafit, HIITSTEP, Totally Shredded Drum and Bass and Totally Shredded HIIT House.
UK FITNESS SCENE
Olympics leader to speak at Quest NBS Conference
Thirty Six and Life Fitness to support Cybex
MARK England OBE, Chef de Mission Team GB for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games; the most successful Olympic Games for Great Britain in over a century, will deliver a keynote address at the 2019 Quest NBS Conference. He will discuss Delivering Continued Success After A Home Olympics, including success factors and key lessons learned from London to Rio and Tokyo Olympics, as well as the impact Team GB’s Olympic successes have on the growth of grass root sports and participation. Opening the eighth annual conference will be Sport England, with an update on its 2016 strategy ‘Towards and Active Nation’. The presentation will consider the impact of sport on changing lives and how the UK is performing against its five outcomes: physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing, individual development, social and community development and economic development. The afternoon keynote session will be delivered by former MP Andy Reed OBE, who will use his experience to discuss The Black Box Approach – learning from failure, knowing what works and why. Andy is a director and founder of the UK’s only independent think tank dedicated to sport policy, as well as a director of Saje Impact, which offers support and advice to help bring
LIFE Fitness has partnered with health and fitness consultancy Thirty Six to support the sales of Cybex equipment in the UK. The partnership will see Thirty Six sell equipment through its procurement and reseller operation Fitness Bricks across Cybex’s full range of strength and cardio products. Fitness Bricks will also sell indoor cycles from fellow Life Fitness equipment brand Indoor Cycling Group. Thirty Six will also offer servicing packages to customers with full access to genuine Cybex and ICG parts, assuring the quality of service associated with the two brands. Thirty Six aims to support its clients achieve commercial growth and business goals through its network of experienced and qualified specialists. Chris Webb, Life Fitness UK consumer and dealer sales manager, added: “Aligning ourselves with the right organisations across all areas of our business is key, and Thirty Six’s understanding of Cybex’s values, the products and its customer base, alongside their extensive experience in the fitness industry, makes them the ideal strategic partner to further the growth and expansion of Cybex in the UK.”
sporting projects to life. Breakout sessions, which all link directly to Quest NBS modules, include Exercise referral – a collaborative approach, promoting an inclusive employment practice and real community engagement. Quest director Caroline Constantine will deliver the annual Quest NBS update, and a separate NBS strand
will also host dedicated workshops and seminars. The two-day event, shared with CIMSPA, will take place on February 27 and 28 at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth. Delegates booking for both days will receive a free ticket to the evening event on the 27th.
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REFURBISHMENT, SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE
Giving your gym a new look can be much cheaper than you think. Here the experts at Gym Wizard explain why.
A new look for your gym does not need to break the bank ... What difference can changing the look of your gym upholstery make? As you can see in the photos, simply changing the upholstery in your gym will dramatically improve the look, not only of your equipment, but of your club too. Gone are the days of taking your own pads off and taking them to a local upholsterer to be recovered in a mismatched fabric, leaving machines out of action for days or even weeks on end, or even ordering expensive replacements from the manufacturer, waiting for them to be delivered and then paying someone to fit them or messing around fitting them yourself. Thanks to the guys at Gym Wizard all it takes now is a quick phone call and you can let them do the rest.
How can Gym Wizard help operators in this area? You might not think much when a van pulls up at your club, until you see what’s in the back. A fully kitted out upholstery workshop with sewing machines, staple guns, a trimming bench and a lot of rolls of fabric. Wood and woodworking tools and sheets of foam for those pads that are a little worse for wear. Basically, everything required for professional upholstery work. The guys take the pads that require attention from a couple of your machines at a time, and in their place leave a polite, professional looking sign informing your customers that you are renewing the upholstery and the machines will be ready to use
again very soon.
How long does it take to provide this service? It really is quick. The guys take the pads outside and into their mobile workshop and within half an hour or so, the pads are back on the machines and the next batch are being removed for the same treatment. A typical gym can be fully recovered within the day for about the same as it costs you to replace a deck and belt on two of your treadmills. Not bad when you think about it – nobody notices what you spend on maintenance but they can’t help but notice this. Don’t be thinking you need to be getting your full gym upholstered for them to come out to you either.
They’re just as happy to come out and re-cover a handful of pads and can easily match them up to your existing upholstery colour.
What experience does Gym Wizard have in this sector? Gym Wizard was set up after realising the need for a dedicated, hassle free upholstery service and have over 25 years’ experience in the fitness industry; so it’s safe to say they know what they are talking about. Their customer portfolio speaks volumes. From the very smallest personal trainers and private clubs right up to the biggest chains, prisons and county councils, even the major manufacturers themselves. For more info check out www.gym-wizard. com or call them on 0700 3400 335.
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Provider enjoys relationship with Ministry of Defence SERVICESPORT is Europe’s leading independent service provider for the fitness industry. The company works with a wide variety of customers including small independent gyms, large fitness chains and government organisations. The Chorley-based firm enjoys a fruitful relationship with the Ministry of Defence, providing technical support for the supply and maintenance of both resistance and cardiovascular equipment. ServiceSport’s engineers work on MOD sites in the United Kingdom throughout the year, in addition to carrying out specially-assigned jobs further afield. Cyprus and Afghanistan are amongst the countries ServiceSport staff are required to visit, and these tasks often require specific training to be completed before the engineers are able to travel abroad. All ServiceSport staff who work on MOD sites complete fully-accredited CONDO courses that comply with DEFSTAN 05-129 (Defence Standards – Procedures & Requirements) and DEFCON 697 (Contractors on Deployed Operations). These are designed to familiarise individuals with safety, security and emergency procedures in countries currently or formerly involved in conflicts. National service manager Chris Crane ensures all ServiceSport engineers meet the requirements laid
Facility refurbished with Technogym equipment down by the MOD to be cleared to work on their sites. He said: “Forming close bonds with all of our MOD customers is becoming part of what we do on a daily basis at ServiceSport. “So much so, that we are delighted as a company to have recently been recognised and awarded the Armed Forces Covenant bronze Award for our ongoing work with the MOD.” Call 0845 402 2456, visit www.servicesport.co.uk or email sales@servicesport.co.uk
LANES Health Club Rustington has recently refurbished its equipment offering with Technogym. The club, which was shortlisted in the Newcomer of the Year category at the 2018 National Fitness Awards, now has a full range of strength equipment with touchscreen displays and the innovative non-motorised curved running product Skill Mill. This is alongside the popular rowing, cycling and running machines they already offer. It also features unique Kinesis machines, with more than 300 exercise and movement patterns to open up workout possibilities. Lanes Health Clubs owner Chris Lane said: “At Lanes we echo the
Technogym mission to help people live better and we can do this more effectively now with the best possible gym equipment. “With the addition of all of the new equipment there truly is something for everyone and we have worked hard to make the process as seamless as possible for members. “The problem with health clubs in the UK is they are mostly so very intimidating to those that have not grown up with it all so it is crucial that this new equipment is very easy to use and the gym team is always on hand to explain how to get the best out of the equipment and we’re also holding drop-in sessions on how to use, and get the most from the kit.”
THE FUTURE OF BODY ASSESSMENT
Fit3D offers the user a platform to track distinct body changes. The system provides gym members with a great 360 visual of their own body, it then offers insights into their wellness and body composition through their own personal login account.
Why Fit3D? The Fit3D ProScanner offers the user a simple 40 second scan. This automatically provides them with a whole host of metrics (along with their virtual avatar) to track any fundamental body change. Alongside tracking physical shape change through the avatar we also provide a comprehensive wellness assessment.
Obtain a 360 body scan of your member to monitor body changes visually.
The ProScanner automatically calculates body composition metrics including body fat percentage, fat mass vs lean mass and more.
It automatically gives the member a full body posture analysis.
For further information or to arrange a demonstration, contact our sales team on 01788 220456 or toby@ďŹ t3dltd.co.uk
Gives your members an insight to their wellness based on body shape.
Compare multiple scans to view fundamental body changes.
Allow your members to order custom ďŹ t clothing based on their measurements.
The User Login Every Fit3D user within your gym will receive a personalised online account to review all body changes! This can be accessed, on any device, via www.Fit3D.com. On this account the user is able to view any scan they have taken past or present. They can also visit the comparison page to view how there body, measurements and wellness metrics have improved over time.
Increase client retention by PROVING Success How it works The Fit3D ProScanner takes 1,200 images of the body while the client is standing on a rotating plate and then uses advanced algorithms to stitch these together and create a virtual 3D avatar of the user. After the scan is complete it will give your client their own login account, that they can access from any device, to view their virtual scan and wellness metrics that have been automatically generated. This gives the client a whole range of data including weight, full body measurements, body fat percentage, fat mass vs lean mass and a body shape wellness rating based on a comparison with over 300,000 scans logged. It also allows them to compare their 360 body avatars side by side view to review their shape change, whether it be for weight loss or muscle gain.
The benefits to your business include: 1. Increase member motivation by providing them with a scientific way to track results in your gym! 2. Increase revenue per member by charging £30-£40 per repeat scan. (every 6-8 weeks) 3. Create bespoke personal training plans based on a member’s Fit3D assessment. 4. Show your unique focus on providing your members with the best service in the industry. 5. Access and track all members’ progress and improvements in the Gym’s own login account. 6. Set yourself apart from local competition by including a scan as part of the induction. 7. Increase member retention by proving to them their hard work is paying off!
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Increased Revenue By taking on a Fit3D ProScanner your gym doesn’t only benefit from creating a point of difference and enhancing customer service, it also creates a great new ongoing revenue stream. TOTAL MEMBERS THAT SCAN
AVERAGE RATE OF RE-SCAN
COST OF REPEAT SCAN
TOTAL REVENUE (3 MONTHS)
YEARLY REVENUE (12 MONTHS)
100
every 6 weeks
£30.00
£6,000.00
£24,000.00
300
every 6 weeks
£30.00
£18,000.00
£72,000.00
500
every 6 weeks
£30.00
£30,000.00
£120,000.00
1000
every 6 weeks
£30.00
£60,000.00
£240,000.00
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Operator appoints new CEO ahead of European launch
Silviu Prioteasa
International ops manager joins Cadbury House Health Club A NEW ops manager has joined the team at theclub & spa in North Somerset. The facility, based at Cadbury House in Congresbury, has taken on 36-yearold Silviu Prioteasa in the role. Originally from Romania, Silviu has a background in professional football back in his home country and joins the team from his previous role as operations manager at Holland House, Bristol. Silviu said: “I first visited the club at Cadbury House about two years ago when I came here with my wife for the day. “I remember then her commenting on what a fantastic place it is and how good the facilities are. When I said I was going for the ops manager position, she knew instantly where I meant. “It’s that sort of impression I’ll be looking to build on not only with current members but also those considering joining.” Having played professional football
not only in his native Romania but also the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, Silviu knows what it takes to create a world-class facility. He added: “The standard of equipment and facilities available here at Cadbury House are of the highest quality. I know how good the equipment is as I have personally used a lot of what’s available when I was training during my footballing days. “theclub is highly respected across the health club sector. It is certainly one of the most pioneering so I’ll be looking improve on what’s already here.” Group director at theclub Jason Eaton said: “It’s great to have someone like Silviu on board. His international experience allows us to look at things in a different light so we’re pleased to have him here. “We’ll be using that expertise and knowledge to enhance our members’ experience and can’t wait to see the results.”
MARK Chambers has been appointed as CEO of HITIO Gym ahead of the Norwegian gym franchise’s international expansion. HITIO, which combines a traditional gym and studio offering with combat sports training, has become one of the largest fitness chains in Norway with 32 clubs nationwide. In his new role, Mark will be responsible for building on HITIO Gym’s success to launch and establish the concept into the UK and across Europe through master and single site franchise models. Mark joins HITIO with more than 20 years’ experience in senior commercial roles across the UK and European fitness industries, including six years as Managing Director of global operator, Jatomi Fitness Group. In his time at Jatomi, Mark oversaw the opening of more than 50 new clubs across Central and Eastern Europe before taking on the organisation’s operations in Turkey, where he completed a full restructure in just six months, streamlining business performance and significantly reducing costs to create a pipeline of 17 new clubs. In the UK Mark has also worked for Fitness First, managing all commercial and operational activities for clubs across the London City West region and acting as a turnaround specialist within the network. Commenting on Mark’s appointment, Per Christian Pedersen, HITIO founder and director of
international business development, said: “Mark’s extensive knowledge of the health and fitness industry, alongside his wealth of experience in high-level commercial and operational roles, makes him extremely well-placed to launch HITIO internationally. “Our concept is truly unique and one that we believe offers something different to the UK fitness industry and beyond, and we are really excited to have Mark on board to drive our international roll-out plans.” HITIO’s distinctive format aims to bring people together through physical activity by targeting a large customer base including families with children, who can exercise at the same time thanks to HITIO’s unique offering. Each facility combines a state-of-the-art gym and studio with group training in a variety of martial arts. Mark said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role ahead of HITIO’s international launch; the industry is booming, membership and club numbers continue to rise, yet no other operator offers a concept like HITIO’s. “We have ambitious plans for the UK and European markets but with a proven investment model that we know works, and I am hugely passionate in the brand’s vision to create community experiences through physical activity; particularly given the challenges we are facing with child and adult obesity.”
Sport for Confidence to deliver carer activity sessions SPORT For Confidence has been commissioned by Southend-on-Sea Council to deliver activity sessions to carers. The project has been funded on the back of a recent successful bid by Sport For Confidence to host a series of interactive workshops, with carers, at various locations across Southend. These will explore the reasons why carers struggle to be physically active
and then based on the outcome of the workshops, the sessions will be designed and delivered by Sport For Confidence. SFC senior occupational therapist and founder Lyndsey Barrett said: “It is very important that the activity sessions reflect the learnings from the initial workshops. Carers need to play an integral role in creating a solution if we are to influence positive, long term, behaviour
change on a significant scale.” Activity sessions will run two to three times per week in accessible venues across the county, for a year, starting in March. Barrett added: “Carers have been identified as a group which is traditionally inactive and socially isolated. Our activity sessions will focus on helping carers to integrate physical activity into their daily lives, whilst also creating opportunities to
expand their social network. “A report last year by the Activity Alliance revealed that the activity level of a carer has a direct influence of the activity of the individuals on their care. “So, as well as directly influencing the activity levels of carers, we also hope this project will have a much wider ripple effect, benefiting those in care as well as the carers themselves.”
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PRODUCT NEWS
York Sport signs long-term deal OPENED in 2012 York Sport Village is a £9million sports facility situated on the University of York’s Heslington East Campus. This extension of the University’s first-class sports provision features a competition-standard, eight lane, 25 metre pool; learner pool, full size 3G Astroturf pitch and three five-a-side pitches. Indoor facilities include a 100-station computerised fitness suite, floor space for classes such as spinning and yoga; three specialist treatment rooms, sauna and steam rooms and a cafeteria. Used by students, faculty staff and the wider community it is very much a fitness hub for its members. Harlands has been a long-term partner of York Sport, processing DD payments for members since it opened, providing a full service including customer service centre, credit control on memberships, online joining and integration with York Sport’s CRM, XN Leisure.
Richard Orr, business manager, said: “This year York Sport Village has signed a long-term agreement with Harlands Group. We have already been with them for five years and our membership has grown in this time. “As well as providing us with a payment solution that suits our customer’s needs, Harlands provide administrative support that would be
difficult for us to have in place.” York Sport Village has an influx of students joining in September each year, and although a third of these may end the following May/June most look to freeze their membership as they go away for the summer. In addition, there are freezes for Christmas and Easter and this can cause an administrative nightmare.
Richard added: “When a member joins through SNAP they are immediately pushed through to our XN Leisure database. “If a member wishes to cancel or freeze they contact Harlands directly and the member services team handle it all for us. “Again the update is made to XN Leisure automatically meaning we do not have to invest in additional staff at certain times of year to deal with the extra work. Harlands just do it for us, and we concentrate on the customer experience on site.” All York Sport Village memberships are processed by Harlands including fitness, swimming lessons, tennis and cycling. Richard concluded: “We have a dedicated account manager who deals with any of my questions, changes to SNAP or price increases. They provide me with the reports I need. It takes away the strain and we are pleased to continue our relationship with Harlands.”
Body tracking with Corevue First kit comparison THE Corevue 360 is a professional scale, perfect for retail, physiotherapists, gyms, health centres and more. It uses Multi Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, a safe and accurate way of providing insight into your customer’s health. Among other things, it shows their body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone density and metabolic age. This allows it to deliver a full body composition analysis in as little as 15 seconds. Train with Corevue Time to find out what you’re made of. Corevue technology brings you fast, accurate body composition results using the latest advanced bioelectrical impedance analysis technology developed over the last 25 years. This gives you a true indicator of your inner health and, when monitored over time, can show the impact of any fitness regime or weight loss programme. So, find out exactly what you are made of, set your goals and use Corevue to help you achieve your optimal fitness level and improve your health and wellbeing. Every time you use Corevue your results are immediately displayed and also securely uploaded to the cloud to allow private monitoring or optionally sharing via social media. Corevue can also integrate with other devices such as physical activity trackers to provide a more complete
website launches
picture of overall health and wellness. Body metrics include weight, height, body fat percentage, total body water percentage, muscle mass, physique rating, bone mineral mass, basal metabolic rate, metabolic age, body mass index and visceral fat. Corevue provides the perfect solution for public and private fitness, health and leisure operators as well as elite sports teams and universities. The flexible modular design allows for a wide range of customer payment methods from contactless card payment, cash and bespoke payment solutions such as membership and loyalty cards. Call 0161 794 3206 or email info@healthcheckservices.co.uk
THE health and fitness industry’s first comparison website has launched, to help operators secure a range of equipment quotes, 24/7, all within a few clicks. FitnessCompared brings together many of the sector’s leading equipment manufacturers and suppliers, offering an impartial platform where operators can quickly and easily compare the attributes and cost of like for like equipment. Managing director Daniel Jones said: “We’ve been working tirelessly with the major fitness equipment manufacturers to ensure buyers have access to their extensive product portfolios and pricing, without the need for timeconsuming online research and to minimise face to face meetings. “FitnessCompared is great news for suppliers too, providing an opportunity to get in front of even more operators at the click of a button. Similar to a tender process, but faster and more efficient, operators can pick as many suppliers as they want and compare by price, lead time and product availability, as well as value-added extras and customer reviews.” FitnessCompared is totally independent from featured suppliers, who have full ownership over the products and pricing they
Daniel Jones upload. The platform’s algorithm creates quotes based on like for like comparisons, dependent on the spec chosen by the operator. “Buyers are anonymous, so can be sure they’re receiving accurate like for like quotes, based on the spec of the kit they are interested in,” Daniel added. The site also includes a review system, allowing customers to rate suppliers across six areas including product design, reliability and durability and after sales/service, to help other buyers with decision making. To find out more visit www.fitnesscompared.co.uk
VR workouts arrive in the UK HOLODIA has partnered with Virtual Reality Fitness UK to launch the Holofit virtual reality fitness software programme in the UK. Users can cycle through the streets of Babylon, row through the jungle or fly through space, adding a fun element to their regular workouts and a new angle and way to monetize the cardio floor. VRF CEO Ian Kenward said: “The Holofit works because it creates
happy customers. A cardio workout becomes fun. “It is motivational, because there is always a new world to explore, opponent to beat or competition to win. “We are delighted to work with Holodia on bringing this technology to the UK and we see this as a way to encourage a broader spectrum of people to get more active more regularly.”
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Businesses face a bill of £6.7bn in late payment collections ANNUAL research by Bacs, the UK body responsible for automated payments, has shown that small businesses in the UK are facing a £6.7bn bill to collect late payments. This boils down to a hefty £9,000 worth of costs per business. It’s money that will be used to recover overdue payments and, worryingly, this figure has more than doubled since 2017. With billions of pounds tied up in late payments, small businesses are having to battle a domino cashflow effect. As a health club, if your members aren’t paying up, how are you supposed to pay your suppliers? All this has a knock-on effect for growth and investment which is putting
many out of business entirely. Paul Horlock, CEO of Pay.UK, the UK’s leading retail payments authority, is one of a wave of people who suggest the answer lies in automated payments, which give the service provider control over payment collections. The late payment rate for Direct Debits is below one per cent. With transactions coming out at set frequencies, the problem of leaving suppliers to pay manually is eradicated. So if you’re a small to medium business, then it might be worth looking more closely at your collection data. You could stand to save thousands. www.debitfinance.co.uk
Features in the March issue include: Finance and Insurance FIBO Preview Sustainability Strength and Conditioning Combat Fitness For advertising opportunities call 01226 734699 or 01226 734605 FITNESS EQUIPMENT
Active Tameside makes a splash with Swim Festival ACTIVE Tameside made waves with its winter swim festival. Held at Active Copley, it involved swimming races appropriate for each class development stage, so swimmers could experience a competition environment without the pressure that comes with galas. And there was a special guest in the form of Swimming Teachers Association mascot Stanley the seal. Events had a festive theme, with
races involving challenges such as blowing Rudolph’s nose across the pool or balancing Santa’s presents on their heads. Improver swimmers got to take part in the 25 metre front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke while Swim Academy members competed in 50 metre races of all four strokes. There were 326 individual entries to the competition and a total of 76 swimming heats.
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