Workout February 2023

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Donation proves a knockout for Wigan gym

TOP BOXING talents and aspiring youngsters at a successful Wigan Borough community club will be fighting fit with the help of a treadmill gifted by Be Well Wigan.

Team Leigh Boxing Club, based at Leigh Boxing and Fitness Gym, took delivery of the running machine from Wigan Council’s leisure service recently.

The donation coincided with a visit from Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, who is also president of the not-for-profit club.

Councillor Chris Ready, portfolio holder for communities and neighbourhoods at Wigan Council, said: “When we heard the club was looking for a treadmill we were only too happy to step in.

“Our Be Well movement is about helping people of all ages from across our borough lead healthier, happier lives – and we’re also proud of the many local community organisations who share our passion for sport, leisure and wellbeing.

“Boxing is a brilliant way for young people to be active and, as well as producing tremendous talents who have gone on to represent their country, Team Leigh Boxing Club do such brilliant work with so many local boys and girls – helping them improve their fitness and develop the determination, discipline and skills to enjoy themselves and be successful in the ring.

“We hope their new treadmill will help the club continue to make such an incredible impact in our

community.”

Products of Team Leigh Boxing Club regularly shine on the national and international stage; including Team GB training squad member Paddy Hewitt – a three-time national champion who won gold in a European competition in North Macedonia last November – and his twin brother Will who has also won three national titles and represented England.

Others to have flown the flag for their country or earned a place on the national talent pathway include Eloise Edwards, Cain Morris, Ethyn Weaver and two-time national champion John

‘Red Monday’ campaign sees attendances soar

FITNESS First turned the so-called ‘most depressing day of the year’, on its head with the return of its annual ‘Red Monday’ campaign.

Fitness First, celebrating 30 years in operation in 2023, has been turning ‘Blue Monday’ Red for a decade, providing everyone in the UK with free entry to its clubs across the nation on the day.

This year, to support people with the soaring cost of living, it added an additional incentive, the chance for members to ‘Burn off Your Bills’

Anyone who visited a Fitness First club on January 16 was automatically entered into a prize draw to win a month’s worth of energy, courtesy of Fitness First.

As a result, Fitness First data has shown that collectively, participating clubs saw a 32 per cent increase in customers on Red Monday, compared to the same day last year, and six per cent compared to the previous week.

The campaign successfully encouraged customers around the country to head to their local Fitness First for a free workout; with residential clubs, such as St Albans, Bedford and Milton Keynes, collectively reporting an increase in attendance of 17 per cent on the day.

However, it was Fitness First’s citybased clubs that reported the most encouraging statistics on the back of the campaign.

In recent years, these clubs have been significantly impacted by the pandemic

induced exodus from UK cities. Yet, on Red Monday this year Fitness First city clubs reported almost 5,000 club visits, a 78 per cent increase in performance compared to the same time last year.

Head of marketing Anne-Laure Kujawski said: “Like many businesses, the state of the economy and the soaring cost of all areas of life is having an impact on our customer base.

“However, we recognise that as a fitness operator, we are in a position to offer an antidote to the mental strain that many are feeling at the moment.

“The aim of our annual Red Monday campaign is to provide all with access to facilities to improve their physical and mental health without worrying about financial barriers.

“This year we wanted to supplement this further by offering customers the chance to have their energy bills paid for by Fitness First.

“We are delighted by the impact of this year’s campaign and the results from our city-based clubs are particularly promising for our continued post-pandemic recovery.

“Although, most importantly, we hope that this year’s initiative helped customers to enhance their health and combat the January blues on Red Monday.”

As part of the Red Monday campaign, participants were encouraged to book into any of Fitness First’s nationwide facilities on the day, including gym, group exercise classes and spa activities.

Dugdale.

The gym’s driving focus, however, is on participation – with anyone able to come along each night for a small fee.

Youngsters don’t even have to step into the ring and can instead simply use the club facilities to exercise and meet others in a fun, safe environment.

Adrian Fleming, head coach at Team Leigh Boxing Club, added: “Winning titles is great, but for the past 22 years this club has always been about getting kids off the streets.

“Over the years we’ve had so many parents say that it’s changed their kid’s life – and that’s why we do what

we do. We’re a real community club, and if some of the kids end up being decent boxers on top of that then it’s a bonus.

“The treadmill is really important because our training isn’t all about punching bags, it’s about getting fit as well and this sort of heavy-duty equipment would cost an extortionate amount for a club like ours that mostly relies on subs.

“We’re really grateful to Wigan Council and Be Well for their support.”

The club continues to look for support, including a new kit sponsor, and also has a Crowdfunder page.

Adam Blezard (Be Well), Adrian Fleming (Team Leigh Boxing), Councillor Chris Ready, Chris Essex-Crosby (Be Well), Team Leigh boxer Paddy Hewitt, GM Mayor Andy Burnham and Councillor Dane Anderton with the donated treadmill.

Four benefits of having gym management software

By Wayne Heath

ULTIMATELY, organisation and internal operations can make or break the success of your gym.

That’s why many businesses in the fitness industry invest in a gym management system.

It allows you to manage all areas of the business from one central app, from controlling memberships to generating new enquiries and communicating with customers.

What are the other benefits of investing in a gym management system?

Getting new customers

One great feature of a gym management system is its user-friendly ability to market your club. Communication tools make it easy to send out promotional emails to prospects or push notifications to upsell existing members.

New customers can also join and pay online 24/7, so you’re no longer

restricted by your business opening hours to make a sale. Gym management software also gives you the power to automate prospect follow-ups which frees up time to focus on more productive tasks.

Managing bookings and class scheduling

With a gym management system, you can easily schedule classes and manage the attendees, from restricting the number of people that can book to assigning an instructor to the class. The same can be applied to other types of bookable activities; perfect if you run a community centre that hosts events and need to be able to manage everything from one place.

Payment process management

Managing a gym involves a lot of admin. Member payments, cancellations, staff payroll and bookkeeping are all necessary but time-consuming tasks. With a gym management system, you

can automate most of those boring tasks and get back to focusing on running the business.

Plus, it allows you to keep everything in one place because membership payments are automatically reconciled within the system, so you don’t have to spend hours each week trying to figure out who’s paid their membership fee and who hasn’t.

Valuable data insight

A gym management system will give you valuable insight into your business which is helpful when making important business decisions with confidence rather than relying on guesswork (useful if it’s your first time running a business).

Having access to detailed reports enables you to see exactly how the business is performing; the areas that are doing well and the areas that might need a little more attention.

To summarise, there are several benefits to having gym management

software. The biggest takeaway is that it enables you to manage all areas of the business from one system; automating mundane tasks that would usually take hours.

Gym owners should be ready to adapt to the changing landscape of the fitness industry and investing in reliable gym software is one of the best ways to do exactly that.

ClubRight is an end-to-end solution created by people with first-hand experience in running a gym.

It takes care of everything, from automation and access control to class bookings and selling online – plus a whole lot more.

When you work with us, you’ll be speaking to the people that understand the day-to-day challenges of owning a business in the health and fitness industry.

Give us a call today on 0203 884 977 or book a free online demo with one of our product experts.

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Club upgrades facilities for new year fitness drive

A PROJECT to upgrade and modernise the health and fitness facilities at a North Lancashire hotel has been completed.

Lancaster House Hotel’s Sandpiper Health Club has benefited from a new steam room and wet area and the addition of a range of the latest gym equipment and weights systems.

The fitness studio now features a host of innovative, high-tech cardiovascular and strength conditioning equipment manufactured by Nautilus.

New facilities include two rowing

machines, spinning bikes and cross trainers for those wanting to push themselves and improve their aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels and endurance.

These are complemented by the addition of various weights and cable machines designed for muscle tone and strengthening work.

The completion of the modernisation project at the hotel, which is run by English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues, coincided with a special offer on gym membership to kickstart new year fitness drives

for local residents. In the pool area, the steam room has undergone a complete renovation with a small waterfall as its centrepiece.

The sauna has also been upgraded, a new hot and cold shower installed and there is underfloor heating for that extra bit of luxury. New drinking water machines add another level of care and detail.

General manager Emma Underwood said: “The new year is traditionally a time when local residents decide to roll up their sleeves and make an effort to get themselves fitter after

the festive period. It’s perfect timing in that we’ve just completed these modern upgrades.

“What better way to start your 2023 fitness drive in a safe and healthy environment with some of the latest technology in gym equipment.

“Whether you’re looking to kickstart a new fitness regime, training for an event or trying to target a specific area for strength, weight loss or toning, we have a dedicated team of qualified instructors and personal trainers to encourage you to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle.”

Gyms saving thousands are doing five simple things

WITH the price of just about everything going up, we all need to look again at how we best spend the allocated budget.

Is your business doing everything to get ahead or still trying to fit around outdated solutions?

Here are five simple ways gym operators can save thousands:

1. Compare the market

It’s estimated that the average size gym could save more than £9,500 per year just by using industry disruptor Orbit4. There are no hidden catches and the concept is simple.

Each part of the platform enables gym operators to closely manage their fitness assets, monitor service costs and track commercial value.

Orbit4 owns industry brands WeServiceGymEquipment, WeBuyGymEquipment, FitnessCompared and FitnessFinanced – each platform providing immediate access to the wider market. This guarantees best value when purchasing, servicing and financing existing assets and the trade-in of unwanted assets.

CEO Daniel Jones said: “Orbit4 is the only system that allows you to track the

entire fitness journey of your equipment.

“You can access all the latest data you need for daily management from servicing to buying and selling – even finance.

“ The data neatly links to any existing system or software. It really is the ultimate smart solution.”

2. Listen to fit-tech experts Industry expert Steve Ruffell said: “New fitness industry-based tendering and bidding platforms like WeServiceGymEquipment and

WeBuyGymEquipment create a much healthier marketplace that few gyms can’t afford not to use.

“As consumers we are already testing the whole market for insurance, credit cards and mortgages using platforms like GoCompare and CompareTheMarket.

“The fitness industry now has this technology so that operators can test the wider market for each stage of the asset journey.

“The amount of time and money you save is critical for businesses.”

3. Find out how much all your assets are worth and how much they are costing you right now

This sounds harder than it actually is. Using Orbit4, operators can become ultra-efficient operationally using easy asset management capabilities. The data that’s collated automatically triggers alerts to tell operators when it’s the best time to sell equipment, due to the assets reaching optimum levels of cost of ownership.

4. Get the best price for everything

Back to Orbit4 here – its smart tech gives gym operators quotations from leading suppliers for new equipment, competitive leasing figures, and the best buyback price the industry can offer. This will make more money and save time.

5. Check the warranty

The chances are your equipment will be out of warranty before it ever breaks down. But when it finally does give up, you want it fixed fast.

Nothing annoys your members more than equipment that stands out of order for weeks on end. Engage with WeServiceGymEquipment to access the wider market and let them find you your ideal service provider and perfect contract.

Specialist flooring company aims to find best solution available for your budget

A SPECIALIST flooring company which covers all areas of a gym environment is looking forward to an exciting 2023 following a hugely successful and busy 2022.

Gym Flooring, which has offices in Bristol, London, Manchester and Birmingham, has more than 30 years in business, and has been tried and tested by some of the most prestigious gyms in the UK.

Unlike many businesses who also sell gym equipment and other extras, flooring is what the company is all about.

Managing director John Harris said: “We offer a nationwide free site survey to discuss your project, plus a detailed no obligation quotation.

“We can take your ideas, add our experience and knowledge and come up with a flooring scheme that will incorporate a specific design tailored to your requirements.

“We offer a supply and install service, but if you wish to use your own contractors then we are more than happy to install it for you.”

Gym Flooring is well know for working with a range of high street gyms including Anytime Fitness, Energie Fitness, David Lloyd and Pure, as well as hotels both at home and abroad, independent and boutique facilities.

They have also worked for a range of Premier League football clubs, as well as a leading Formula One racing team and

the Ministry of Defence.

And their services have also been utilised by some of the country’s top boxing gyms.

These include those run by former champions David Haye, Ricky Hatton and Barry McGuigan.

One of the many sites that the company is most proud of is the recently opened UFC GYM® in Nottingham. UFC GYM® is the first major brand extension of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Offering a full range of group fitness

classes, private MMA training, personal and group dynamic training, and MMAstyle youth programming, UFC GYM® is home to fitness enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.

Gym Flooring has also seen a recent explosion of work at some of the most exclusive new clubs to open in the London area over the past 12 months.

This has included at Anthony Joshua’s BXR facility in Marylebone, which was voted the best designed in the world.

John added: “This was a great project

for us, not only for our love of boxing, but we actually got to meet Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn at their star studded opening night.”

Body by Ciara is another high-end London boutique-style gym in Muswell Hill that Gym Flooring worked on. Ciara Madden is a fully qualified personal trainer with more than five years’ experience.

She’s amassed a huge social media following of more than 140,000.

“No expense was spared here,” said John. “We were asked to design a gym flooring solution that would enhance this facility, and with this in mind we came up with a stunning functional training area which incorporates the Body By Ciara logo and sled track.”

And last but by no means least, Gym Flooring also provided the flooring at the iconic Warner Brothers Film Studios in Watford.

John added: “This was a fantastic project for us to be involved with.

“To work on a gym facility within the premises of the world-renowned Warner Brothers studios was something special.

“This gym is to be used by actors and actresses who are filming at the studios, plus all staff who work there. “We were contacted at the initial stages of this project by James Potter, MD of the very talented Liftd Design Company, to offer our advice and expertise on the gym flooring aspect of the development.”

New gym a smash hit in its first year

IT HAS been 12 months since the new BH Live Active gym opened at Pyramids, Southsea. And city residents have been snapping up the new facilities to help them get active and enjoy better well-being.

The team has recorded a successful year, attracting close to 2,000 new members.

And with 70 group exercise classes taking place inside its purpose-built studios every week it’s no surprise there have been more than 120,000 attendances to exercise classes over the last 12 months.

“Pyramids is so much more than a gym. We are a thriving hub at the heart of the community enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities,” said centre manager Sam Roberts.

“We’ve spent a lot of time this year getting out into the community to share the benefits of being regularly active and how we can help those who might not have considered stepping inside our doors before.

“We’ve encouraged customers and staff to take part in fitness challenges who have, through exercise, helped raise much-needed funds and smiles for other local charities including Macmillan, Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK, the British Heart Foundation, Naomi’s House and Jacksplace hospices.”

Over the year the BH Live Active team has supported lots of community events too including the Love Southsea Fitness Festival, Victorious and Race for Life.

And working with local colleges and

education providers, the fitness team is encouraging more young people to get into regular exercise for better physical health and mental wellbeing.

There are family yoga sessions to promote exercising together.

And for those living with long-term health conditions such as COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), there are lots of guided sessions at Pyramids to help improve health and manage symptoms. There is an exercise referral scheme which offers discounted access and there

are classes such as low-impact circuits which gives all the benefits of a challenging exercise routine but without the stress on joints.

Sam added: “To enable more people to use the facilities we have worked closely with the council to get free customer parking for 90 minutes, something which wasn’t available before.

“And we also offer free one-day passes so people can come along and see what we’ve got here and try out a gym session and class.

“We are so proud of what has been

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achieved this year. Our thanks to our customers who make every day so rewarding, the BH Live team who give care and support to so many people with such enthusiasm, and of course Portsmouth City Council and our community partners, without whom we would not have had such a wonderful facility and encouraging year.”

Pyramids is managed by registered charity BH Live in partnership with Portsmouth City Council.

The new gym facilities were part of a Portsmouth City Council investment to transform the ageing Southsea facilities into a new attraction for community benefit.

Councillor Steve Pitt, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure, and Economic Development said: “We’re pleased to work in partnership with BH Live to provide the gym facility at Pyramids to support people to live active, healthy lives, in line with our priority to create a happy and healthy city for our residents.”

Over the next 12 months there are plans to grow the facilities and activities at Pyramids further.

BH Live will be launching a new HIIT (high Intensity Interval Training) programme, with new classes in Pyramids’ dedicated HIIT studio. A new café area with refreshments and hot drinks will open.

And there will be new classes too including Les Mills’ CORE™ and BODYATTACK™, plus more functional fitness and gym classes.

Doors close on Altrincham Leisure Centre as redevelopment begins

THE doors have closed on Altrincham Leisure Centre for the final time, as work starts on an exciting multi-million pound redevelopment; reopening as move Altrincham in 2024.

Trafford Council’s investment into the scheme will transform the tired leisure centre into a state-of-the-art modern leisure facility for the community to enjoy.

Branded move Altrincham, the centre will benefit from a 25m swimming pool, a 20m learner pool, a pool pod to improve accessibility, a combined lobby area with pool viewing and café, a wet village change, an inclusive changing places toilet and a health and wellbeing spa facility.

There will also be a wellness assessment room, an enlarged fitness suite, fitness changing and dry change areas, two flexible studio spaces, an immersive indoor cycle studio, a four-court sports hall and storage, a gymnastics hub and staff rooms and offices.

The new-look facility will help Trafford Leisure achieve its vision of becoming the most active place in England.

Jo Cherrett is CEO of Trafford Leisure, a community interest company wholly owned by Trafford Council, which manages leisure in Trafford on behalf of the council, using any profits and assets for community benefit. She said: “We are retaining most of

our current workforce from Altrincham during the full closure, finding them alternative work at Trafford Leisure’s other sites, to ensure we still have our reliable team of experts to welcome members back to move Altrincham in the summer of 2024.

“The local community in and around Altrincham are passionate about their town and have an overwhelming desire to see their community thrive.

“When we re-open our doors, the modern, fit-for-purpose leisure venue

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The refurbishment follows the successful redevelopment of move Urmston in March 2020 and will see further refurbishments carried out on a phased arrangement at both Stretford and Sale Leisure Centres.

The investment supports Trafford Council’s strategy and commitment to get more people moving more often, helping improve health and wellbeing, and is part of its Physical Activity Strategy, ‘Trafford Moving.’

It also supports the Council’s corporate priority to reduce health inequalities across the borough. move Altrincham will include the replacement of the fossil fuel (gas) heating system with Air Sourced Heat Pumps and Solar Panels, which are significantly more sustainable options than the existing systems and support Trafford Council’s action plan to be Carbon Neutral by 2038.

will be an inspiring space to help local residents with every aspect of their wellbeing.

“It will become the second site Trafford Leisure will open under the new brand name, move.”

The new mix of facilities has been developed with support from Sport England to deliver long-term sustainable leisure provision that gives the best health and wellbeing outcomes for local residents.

Councillor Jo Harding, Trafford Council’s executive member for culture, leisure and strategic partnerships, added: “This is not just a lick of paint – we will be totally transforming this centre like we did at move Urmston and the results will be just as impressive.

“We are investing millions of pounds into this project as we believe that is the right thing to do to ensure residents are given top-class facilities to help them improve their health, fitness and wellbeing.”

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Leisure centre gym reopens after refurb

A LEISURE centre gym which has undergone a major refurbishment has reopened its doors to visitors.

The gym at Braunstone Leisure Centre has been transformed as part of a wider £4.7million city council investment programme which has also seen improvements made at Spence Street Sports Centre, Cossington Street Sports Centre, Evington Leisure Centre and two phases of work at Aylestone Leisure Centre.

The £500k revamp at Braunstone features an 80-station gym, new virtual group cycling studio, a functional training space, up to date cardiovascular equipment and a dedicated free weights

area. Gym members have access to the new equipment and have the opportunity to be shown around by a member of the leisure centre team.

It was officially opened by City Mayor Peter Soulsby and deputy city mayor for culture, leisure and sport, Councillor Piara Singh Clair.

He said: “These improvements to the gym at Braunstone Leisure Centre represent a real investment in ensuring fitness and sport facilities are accessible to all in the community.

“We’re upgrading sports facilities in centres across the city, to make sure wherever people live, they have the opportunity to make the most of highquality sports and leisure equipment.”

The work is the latest investment by Leicester City Council in its gyms and sports centres across the city.

In November, Spence Street Sports Centre in Spinney Hills reopened following a £1million refurb which saw it equipped with a new 50-station gym, large group exercise studio and training space, a free weights area, new signage

and updated cardiovascular equipment. To tie in with the relaunch, customers are also able to get 50 per cent off the cost of their first three months of membership.

City Mayor Peter Soulsby added: “Across the city this refurbishment programme is really transforming sports facilities, and ensuring equipment and

training spaces are up to a high standard. “I was very impressed with the recently-completed scheme at Spence Street, and the ongoing work at Aylestone Leisure Centre is the latest of two phases to bring those facilities up to date too. It is an investment which will hopefully pay dividends for years to come.”

CEO left frustrated by Treasury announcement

IVAN Horsfall Turner, CEO of a charitable and not-for-profit leisure trust in the UK that manages more than 100 leisure and cultural venues including more than 60 swimming pools on behalf of local authority client partners, has been left frustrated and disappointed following the recent Treasury announcement.

James Cartlidge, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury laid out the Government’s support plans for businesses from April 1 on energy bills and also presented a list of industry sectors that were going to receive extra financial support due to their intensive energy use and other trade factors.

This universal scheme is much less generous than previous support provided and swimming pools and leisure centres have been excluded from extra support with the government not listing swimming pools or leisure centres as one of the “energy and trade intensive industries” which will receive additional government support.

Ivan said: “I am extremely disappointed and frustrated as to why public sector leisure has been omitted from the list.”

“Public sector leisure is one of the most exposed sectors because we are a very intensive user of utilities with energy costs a very

large proportion of our overall costs particularly in centres with swimming pools. We have recently seen our annual energy bill move from £8m to £20m even with the temporary cap.”

“Following yesterday’s announcement of a “discount scheme”, those figures are clearly going to increase even further and as a not for profit organisation that reinvests its surpluses back into the local community facilities we run, we simply do not have the reserves to cope with these unprecedented costs.

“I have personally written to all local MPs within the constituencies we operate and I call upon the

Chancellor and the Government to urgently provide clarity about the criteria used to decide which industries are classed as being “energy intensive”, it seems incredibly hard to understand how a public library or a museum is more energy intensive than a public swimming pool.

“If this situation remains as is, there is a real risk of more not-for-profit trusts, such as ourselves, taking difficult decisions to close more facilities and services which will have a long-term, detrimental effect on the health and wellbeing of the nation as well as increasing the pressure on our already overstretched NHS.”

TMD answers call from local authorities for specialist leisure workwear

TAYLOR Made Designs is offering a lifeline to local authorities seeking specialist leisure workwear.

As the volatile global economic environment continues to challenge cost lines, many local authorities are taking action to return to the in-house management of their leisure facilities but are coming up against hurdles when it comes to kitting out their teams with suitable uniform. Taylor Made Designs is offering a solution.

“Most local authorities already have contracts with workwear partners but very few of these general providers offer the specialist fabrics and styles of garment that are specific to the needs of those working in a leisure environment,” said managing director James Taylor.

“For example, the humidity of a swimming pool hall means those working in the space such as lifeguards and swim teachers need to wear apparel with specialist moisture wicking qualities

to encourage moisture to be lifted from the skin.

“Those working in the gym need clothing specifically designed to

withstand a wide range of movement without placing unsustainable strain on the fabric’s resulting in a constant need to replace.

“We have been providing specialist leisure workwear for almost 30 years and have systems in place that enable local authorities to partner with us, which is why we provide our ‘leisure essentials’ range and provide bespoke designed garments as part of our service.”

Taylor Made designs is already working with several local authorities, including a number who have recently in-sourced their leisure provision or who are in the process of doing so.

James added: “TMD has a large warehouse and distribution centre based on the south cost of England and all custom printing and embroidery is performed on-site by our team of talented machinists.

“These factors mean we can turn around large, diverse orders quickly and

efficiently – helping local authorities kit out hundreds of people in a matter of weeks.

“Ongoing order requests and stock control is then managed through our online web portal giving clients real time visibility of stock levels and enabling them to self-manage stock. If required, orders can be placed and delivered to individual sites, improving efficiencies.”

Taylor Made Designs is keen to hear from any local authorities considering a move to regain control of their leisure provision. TMD has recently been accepted as an approved supplier on the UK Leisure Framework which provides even greater flexibility when it comes to procuring services.

For more information about the provision of high-volume specialist leisure workwear, telephone 01202 473311 or email hello@taylormadedesigns.co.uk. More information is also available at taylormadedesigns.co.uk

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TMD managing director James Taylor.

How to help your gym to stand out from all your competitors

WE ALL know there are gyms and health clubs all over the place and, at their core, they all offer essentially the same thing: a place to work out and improve physical health.

With so much variety among competitors, it can be challenging to figure out how to attract potential clients and retain your existing ones.

To remain competitive, it’s important to stand out rather than to fit in.

So, what can you do to differentiate your gym from competitors? In this issue, we bring you the first two of our four ways you can make your gym shine and stand out amongst your competitors.

Focus on the member experience

In today’s increasingly digital world, ensuring a positive member experience is more important than ever.

A great customer experience provides your business with a competitive edge, improves customer satisfaction and customer engagement, and helps you attract potential clients.

Conversely, a bad experience has the opposite effect, and can quickly lead people to cancel their memberships, or leave negative reviews online and on social media.

The experience you provide is what makes your gym unique, and it’s what

attracts people to your products or services over your competitors.

Providing a great member experience gives you a competitive edge, and it’s critical to creating a positive association with your brand, and building a community of loyal, engaged members.

The member experience begins at the first point of contact with customers and encompasses all the touch points throughout the customer journey.

To ensure you’re providing a positive

member experience, you need to continuously offer exceptional customer support, anticipate customers’ needs and expectations, and make your members feel like your gym offers something they can’t get anywhere else.

Expand your digital fitness offerings

Online training and on-demand classes were perfect solutions for fitness businesses trying to stay afloat and generate new income streams during

worldwide lockdowns and forced business closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, online training became so popular during the pandemic that it secured the number one spot in ACSM’s 2021 fitness trends report.

The demand for digital and hybrid fitness options isn’t going away any time soon. Many members have grown accustomed to the flexibility, and they still want the option to go to the gym a few days a week, or to get their workouts done at home.

To stay competitive in 2023, fitness businesses should continue to focus on expanding, improving, and marketing online fitness offerings.

Consumers now expect a hybrid combination of in-person and online workout options, and they want to be able to research, book services, and communicate with brands easily.

To learn how EZFacility’s comprehensive gym management software can help you easily connect with members and potential clients, convert leads into long-lasting relationships, and streamline operations so you can focus on the most important aspects of running your business, schedule a free demo and personalised product tour today.

www.ezfacility.co.uk

Wymondham gym gets an upgrade

A NEW workout experience has arrived at Wymondham Leisure Centre.

As part of South Norfolk Council’s ongoing commitment to invest in its leisure facilities and the health and wellbeing of its residents the Council is introducing EGYM to Wymondham Leisure Centre.

EGYM is state-of-the-art gym equipment powered by smart technology. It offers personalised workout experiences suitable for everyone, from beginners to experts.

South Norfolk Cabinet member

Richard Elliott said: “The Council is continuing to invest in all our leisure centres.

“We have installed new Matrix equipment in Diss and now we are putting, new state of the art, equipment in Wymondham.

“Keeping fit should also be fun and this new kit will ensure you enjoy your workout.”

Most gym equipment is designed to

fulfil a specific function that doesn’t necessarily adapt to the individual’s needs.

For example, a pulldown machine can’t customise a workout to your

individual abilities.

Leg curl machines don’t dynamically change settings as you progress through your workout. With EGYM, all you have to do is

enter your fitness goals and relevant health data and the new EGYM equipment will automatically adjust resistance levels based on your personal goals and ability.

This not only reduces the risk of injury but ensures you enjoy an efficient workout and stay motivated. EGYM’s in-built exercise guidance is a great way of helping you lift and release weights at the correct tempo, helping you to maximise the benefits of your workout.

It’s also a way of introducing more fun to your session.

The equipment at Wymondham Leisure Centre is:

Seated Row

Chest Press

Ab Crunch

Back Extension

Leg Press

Leg Curl

Shoulder Press

Lat Pull Fitness Hub

New management structure revealed at Absolute Performance

ABSOLUTE Performance, the Cardiff based gym design and installation business, has unveiled a new management structure as it looks to bolster its position as a leading player in the UK market.

Originally established in 2008 by husband and wife team Siân and Tony Buchanan, Absolute Performance has delivered continual growth and is now looking to further the business’ development with the appointment of Harry Tafota-Nash as managing director and Alistair Rosier as head of sales and marketing.

Tony said: “We’re delighted to grow our management team with the addition of Harry and Alistair.

“Both Siân and I are really excited to see what the next

period of Absolute Performance’s development brings with their experience and knowledge and our continuing support and input.”

The two appointments have been promoted from within the company and add a wealth of business and management knowledge.

An experienced leisure and fitness sector executive, Harry has been an instrumental part of the Absolute Performance operations team for more than three years.

He is supported by Alistair, who joined the business just over 15 months ago, quickly establishing himself in the UK strength and conditioning market.

The organisation is looking to accelerate growth this year with an ambitious medium and long term strategic plan.

The introduction of an enhanced brand appearance and marketing strategy is the first step towards what the business is determined will be an even brighter future.

Recharge your business with Myzone and improve NPS by nine points

FOLLOWING on from last month’s understanding of how the landscape has changed in fitness, further findings from customer and employee experience management company, Medallia, shows how you can leverage tech to boost NPS scores and your bottom line as we kick off 2023.

“We were lucky enough to have Medallia survey 65,000 members across 1,300 clubs,” said Myzone’s Mike Leveque during the 2022 State of the Industry, What’s Next In Fitness panel discussion with ABC Fitness Solutions and other industry leaders.

“What they saw from data was that if a member works out with wearable technology, they have a nine-point higher NPS score, which really indicates a likelihood to refer a member to your business.

“Of equal importance is there was a 10-point higher satisfaction with their fitness results, and a 14-point higher

likelihood to stay a member for more than six months.

“The pandemic has forced operators to focus on their members, listen to their members, and reset their business around the new conditions of fitness.

“They’re not only listening to their

members, but also to their front-line staff, the people servicing their members and the closest data point to the members.

“Leverage your vendors, and embrace technology for two reasons.

“Firstly, to increase and enhance that

member experience.

“The other side of it is that, as we enter this recession, we don’t know how deep it’s going to get.

“How are we going to leverage our workforce and build efficiencies within our workforce through technologies?

“Those should be the two goals when you decide to jump in with technology or sign on a new technology in your business.

“Understand that the landscape has changed; members are working outside of the club more than they ever have. Embrace digital and understand the difference it can make within your business.

“However, when you understand the difference that you want to make, focus on the member journey. If it doesn’t fit within your member journey, don’t do it.”

Managing director Harry Tafota-Nash (left) and head of sales and marketing Alistair Rosier (right) with Absolute Performance owners Tony and Siân Buchanan.

FMA sponsors first athlete at Wodcelona

FITNESS Marketing Agency has sponsored its first athlete at Wodcelona – the most adaptive-focused Crossfit competition in the world, producing a short documentary on the journey, competition and overcoming adversity.

Chris Fair, a fitness coach at Potential Personal Training in Lindfield, West Sussex was diagnosed with retinal dystrophy in 2011.

His condition caused his vision to deteriorate, eventually leading to him being registered as blind. Eleven years on from his diagnosis, Chris competed in Wodcelona, his first competitive live event, winning the adaptive sensory category.

Fitness Marketing Agency’s production team joined Chris on his journey to

produce a short documentary; Fitness Is For Everyone: An Adaptive Story which premiered at the opening of Potential Personal Training’s new facility in West Sussex.

The documentary follows Chris’ personal story from diagnosis to being registered as severely blind, to competing and winning his category in Wodcelona.

Upon diagnosis, Chris’ life massively changed. With limitations as to what he could do and have control over, he turned his focus into his fitness journey, eventually becoming a coach giving him the ability to motivate and inspire others and allowing him back some of the control he had lost.

Chris’ first time competing with

other adaptive athletes in front of a live audience was at Wodcelona. The three-day event showcased athletes from all over the world with a shared determination and incredible zest for accomplishing the challenging competition.

Fitness Is For Everyone: An Adaptive Story is an inspirational documentary leaving a permanent impression on the viewer. Chris continually motivates and inspires local residents with his story and commitment to fitness.

His incredible journey along with his impressively positive attitude and motivation leaves others in awe and feeling inspired to create a positive change in their own lives.

The short documentary premiered

at the end of January in front of Chris’s friends, family and the community Potential Personal Training has built in their local area of Lindfield. Fitness Marketing Agency was in attendance, supporting Chris and the FMA production team on a collaboration of a journey that overcomes adversity and challenges, leading to the first of many competitive wins.

Fitness Is For Everyone: An Adaptive Story will be entered into multiple domestic and international film festivals and will be later released online. In the meantime, you can check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=NAbrTqXriP4

For more information go to www.fitnessmarketing.agency

‘Reverse running’ among trends shaking up industry

TRAMPOLINING , reverse running and VR workouts are just some of the latest fitness trends on the rise and set to make waves across the UK in 2023, according to research from fitness specialists Versaclimber UK. Its research revealed which trends have been searched for most between January and November 2021 compared with January and November 2022.

Backed by the data, the results identified what Versaclimber brand ambassador and qualified physiotherapist at The Prime Clinic, Remi Mobed, believes.

He said: “While people are still searching for workouts that, ultimately, train and hone the muscles in their bodies, they’re also now equally focused on ‘fitness for fun’.

“It’ll be no surprise to anyone in-the-know that being active releases chemicals in our brain that makes us feel good.

“It’s no longer simply about building up our muscles or hitting our PBs. Fitness is as much about our physical well-being, as it is mental.

“Fun workouts, with a holistic approach like trampolining and reverse running, help to boost our self-esteem, make us sleep better and smile.

“Since the pandemic, workouts are about the freedom to move and valuing the health of our bodies.”

Remi, added: “There’s also a drive towards the gamification of workouts; bringing in our love of games, competition and tech into fitness and playing into the rise in remote workouts – we’ve seen this with the addition of VR into HIIT and climb classes at home.”

Bouncing back

One of the biggest trends in the fitness industry is the rise of trampoline workouts, which saw an 1,565 per cent uplift in searches throughout 2022.

This fun and exciting workout involves jumping on a trampoline to get the heart rate up and burn calories, while also releasing your inner child.

It’s a low-impact way to improve cardiovascular fitness and coordination and, best of all, exercises the whole

body in one go.

The g-force created from bouncing can help to build muscle and burn fat quickly, while also making you grin from ear-to-ear.

‘Get techy’ for VR workouts

Virtual reality workouts saw a 1,000 per cent uplift in searches in 2022.

Equipped with a headset, you can experience engaging workouts that transport users to different environments – whether you’re at home, as most UK gym goers are today, or at the gym.

While the gear might be expensive, this trend is taking

‘gym-gamification’ to new heights and driving the popularity of fitness among people of all ages.

Home gym

Remote-workouts, from home, began during the pandemic.

And, like the remote-working trend, it’s a theme that has increased ever since, with many gym-goers feeling less self-conscious working out from the comfort of their homes.

In fact, searches have shown a rise of 1,079 per cent searches as people look to invest in home gym equipment.

As well as training equipment, fitness fanatics have been trying to replicate the gym environment by also investing in lighting and music solutions, according to smart speaker company, Sonos.

Running backwards

Running backwards, or otherwise known as ‘reverse running’, has seen an increase in searches of 688 per cent since 2021, which involves engaging muscles and improving balance and agility.

While it might seem like you’re going backwards with your fitness and attract the glare of onlookers in public, reverse running engages different muscles to those when moving forward.

Instead, you will be using your hamstring muscles and your glutes more, while using your quadricep and calf muscles less.

Exercise as treatment

Exercise as treatment saw an 138 per cent uplift in searches – from reducing stress and anxiety to managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, exercise is now a form of treatment, rather than just a way to get fit.

The pandemic has gone some way to shift peoples’ mindsets, with many now worrying less about hitting PBs and instead, focusing on reaching those endorphin highs for sleep and confidence benefits.

The heartbeat of your gym

A SERVICESPORT equipment service contract is an excellent way to keep costs and disruptions to a minimum while maximising your gym’s potential through timely preventative maintenance.

Whether it’s treadmills, strength equipment, spin bikes or any other type of critical equipment, a service contract with us can simplify your repair and maintenance commitments.

Your gym equipment won’t wait for the moment that’s most convenient for you when it decides to fail. Instead, it will almost certainly fail at a time that will be inconvenient and most costly for you and your business.

We can eliminate all that and send an engineer straight to your site to identify the problem and make the repair.

Operating a gym with faulty equipment in place takes up space, doesn’t look good and leads to unhappy, disconnected customers, as well as liability concerns.

A gym equipment service contract ensures that your equipment is maintained in optimal condition, mitigating possible failures and reducing the probability of your gym equipment not being in working order when it’s needed.

Also, as part of your service contract, our team of directly employed engineers will ensure that all of your equipment is functioning correctly.

By conducting disciplined preventative maintenance routines and testing, repairing or replacing any necessary hardware, updating

factory-installed firmware, cleaning, inspecting and testing, your gym will continue to function at optimum efficiency, rather than being bogged down by worn-out or faulty equipment.

ServiceSport UK is an established and reliable service provider and is trusted within the health and fitness industry.

Making use of a service contract from a reliable

supplier means you’re engaging with qualified and skilled professionals.

You’ll get the best service from the best people who can strip down and rebuild all forms of gym equipment from all the leading manufacturers.

Whether it’s a one-off service, a repair visit, allinclusive cover for the year or complete management of your gym equipment across your estate, contact the team today on 01257 264 738 or email info@servicesport.co.uk

Advertiser’s announcement

IndigoFitness design, manufacture and install hero gym spaces at Third Space Moorgate

IndigoFitness was a chosen partner on London’s latest luxury health club, Third Space Moorgate.

London’s premium health club group has a common philosophy: to provide individually styled and outstanding fitness spaces that members feel are their own.

Moorgate is the eighth club to be opened and is no exception. The 27,000 sq.ft former multi-storey car park is an epic environment of industrial design with its own set of infrastructure nuances to overcome.

IndigoFitness was engaged to solve a number of complex engineering challenges and collaborate with the Third Space senior management team, architects, structural engineers and main contractor to deliver a highspec club for tomorrow and world class training environment.

The hero gym spaces included a combat cage, lifting racks and platforms, the HIIT studio, a functional training rig and other key training space solutions.

A closer look at the immersive octagon for combat classes

Third Space designers set the innovation bar high with plans to utilise the central building core including creating a world first circular combat amphitheatre and

sprint track spiralling upwards around the core.

IndigoFitness was tasked to design a bespoke ceiling mounted bag rail capable of handling 10 heavy punchbags that would also store outside of the round combat amphitheatre when not in use, allowing the space to be utilised for other combat training.

The punchbags traverse on rolling trollies through the combat cage wall and into the combat arena locking into position using two friction brakes

OUTDOOR TRAINING SOLUTIONS

padded cage walls including a 1.5m cage door and shorter access door to allow bags to move in and out.

All elements were secured into floors and walls to withstand the impact of training activity including boxing, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

The finishing touches to the combat zone included bespoke branded storage outside of the area to manage all equipment and accessories and subtle use of the third space logo on stainless steel throughout.

IndigoFitness worked with ThirdSpace on its Moorgate club from an early stage.

Rob Beale, fitness director at Third Space was asked in a testimonial what Third Space look for when selecting suppliers and partners.

on each bag for group training.

Bespoke rail mounting brackets were designed to both carry the rail but also secure into the concrete ceiling above.

All parts and fixing methods had to be agreed with structural engineers along the way.

The combat wall and doors to the front of the area follow the curve of the room.

IndigoFitness worked with French partners, experts in the combat sports sector to design bespoke

He said: “First and foremost, great quality product. Operating in the premium luxury space we really need to work with somebody who understands that and is able to work with us to provide the solution.”

Rob Coleman, managing director at IndigoFitness, added: “Indigofitness is no ordinary supplier, we don’t just provide products, we’re a solution provider with huge scope and appetite for problem solving.”

See the full solution IndigoFitness delivered at www.indigofitness.com

Gym undergoes £180,000 refurb in time for New Year

THE University of Bristol’s main gym has had almost all of its equipment replaced in a £180,000 facelift.

Users of the indoor sports centre can expect new cardio machines, weights machines and free weights. This includes a 30 per cent increase in weight plates and bars, driven by increasing interest in free weight use, particularly among women.

The new machines are energy efficient models which will save a minimum of 10kWh of electricity – or 2.33kg in CO2 emissions – per day.

This will help the University meet its ambitious carbon targets by 2030.

James Rowntree, group health and fitness manager at the University, said: “We want gym-goers to have access to first rate, modern equipment.

“The old equipment had been well used so we wanted to make the

change in time for the New Year and new semester.

“In the last five years we’ve seen a big increase in people lifting weights,

including many more women which is fantastic to see.

“That’s why we’ve increased our free weights.

“We hope everyone likes the changes and can’t wait to see you all getting stuck in.”

The old equipment will be reconditioned by a specialist company and sent to gyms that cannot afford new kit.

Most changes are like-for-like swaps, but new additions include an arm curl machine and a calf press machine.

In 2018 the indoor sports centre underwent a £4.9m modernisation project that brought in state-of-theart facilities and increased capacity by 30 per cent.

The centre now boasts two gyms; studios for classes; a sports hall; indoor running track and sports medicine clinic.

Students and staff are given discounted membership and it is also open to the public.

Muscle-bound George becomes online sensation

A RETIRED Barnsley businessman has become a TikTok sensation – at the age of 83.

George Sagar, from Wombwell, has become an overnight sensation on the social media app – picking up thousands of likes and followers for his gym routines.

The ‘powerhouse’ hasn’t been into the gym his entire life and was overweight in his 40s.

His son Shaun said: “He says he had been fit in his 20s and early 30s but business pressures and family life meant that by his late 40s he was overweight and very unfit.

“So much so that he was taken to hospital after a heart scare.

“Now 83 and having had replacement knees and hips and open-heart surgery, he still attends the Muscle Factory in Wath three days a week.”

He’s picked up more than 300,000 views on TikTok and he’s now hoping to inspire the next generation.

“In less than three weeks one video alone has had well over 300,000 views,” Shaun added.

“He said he was amazed at the response and now hopes that his regime of positive thinking, eating well and exercise could help inspire other people of all ages.”

To view George’s videos, search GeorgeSagarPowerhouse on TikTok.

Club generates more than £93,000 in gross membership income in just seven weeks

IT’S FEBRUARY 2023 and the cost of living is continually increasing.

Many clubs are looking at ways to increase their revenue to offset these increasing costs. Some clubs turn their focus to increasing the yield per member by upselling to personal training, or higher ticket packages. This can work in affluent areas but isn’t effective in every market or for every club. In some instances, the best solution is to grow your membership base.

Choices Health Club undertook a successful marketing campaign late last year which did exactly this. They increased their membership base by 146 and gross revenue by £93,733 in a period of seven weeks.

Why did it work so well? It was a combination of hitting the right market with the right message. The target market for the campaign was deconditioned locals who don’t typically respond well to traditional ‘gym style’ advertising.

Guys with six packs and girls in crop tops can be very intimidating and off-putting for beginners to exercise.

The solution? They used a lifestyle. The campaign was multi-faceted

marketing including Facebook and Instagram.

The campaign was designed and managed by Creative Fitness

Digital marketing manager Kate Landers said: “Digital advertising has changed dramatically in the past five years, and especially since Covid. There is a lot more competition in the fitness industry, so results don’t come as easily as they used to.

“We find authentic, localised, offthe-cuff, or out-of-the-box content tends to get the best results for local clubs. Complementing this online content with offline marketing is also essential. The power of tangible marketing mediums like direct mail shouldn’t be overlooked.”

On working with CFM, Choices Health Club group manager Katie added: “I would highly recommend CFM. They always bring in a significant number of members and ensure we have a great campaign. Rich and Sophia have been very professional and had a great presence in our Allestree site.”

To find out more about how Creative Fitness Marketing works, visit their website at www.cfm.net or call Harry or Jonny on 0115 777 3333.

Panatta Hip Thrust Monolith

The Italian premium glutes experience

This innovative machine adds to Panatta wide range of equipment to train the back of the thigh muscles, allowing a workout on the target glutes that faithfully reproduces the traditional hip thrust exercise performed in supine position.

The Hip Thrust Panatta is designed with the most modern criteria of biomechanics and ergonomics, ensuring a correct back posture and allowing to perform the hip thrust movement with the best functionality and efficiency being more comfortable when using big loads, if compared to the exercise with the barbell.

Muscles activation:

The work focuses on the back of the thigh muscles with specific activation of the glutes. Thanks to knees flexion, the hamstrings commitment is reduced, while enhancing the isolation of the gluteus maximus. The Hip Thrust exercise can be bilateral, by involving both thighs, as well as monolateral, for an higher stimulus on the gluteus maximus while stabilising the hip muscles. In any case, performing the exercise requires control of core stability to ensure the right back posture.

The Hip Thrust Panatta is made of four main elements:

n Central seat for the user to sit on in the first stage of the exercise.

n Wide footrest adjustable in height (optional).

n A comfortable thrust roller to easily step on and off the machine.

n Tilting backrest that follows the user movement at the beginning of the exercise. The Hip Thrust generates a rising load curve during simultaneous extension of the hips and trunk, opening and closing the hip joint, and ensures an efficient and physiological work on the glutes muscles involved.

Work under way on state-of-the-art fitness studio

WORK has started on-site at a Hereford college which is building a new gym to keep up with growing student numbers.

Hereford Sixth Form College currently has more than 2,000 students on roll, but it said in a planning application for the new building that this number was expected to grow.

The new building, which will be called Thornbury, in line with the college’s tradition of naming buildings after Herefordshire locations, is being built to improve the sport offering at the college.

A design and access statement submitted with the 2018 approved bid for outline planning permission said the new three-storey sports pavilion would create a dance studio to enable more students to be taught together than is currently provided.

It would also create improved changing rooms and a gym for more students and staff to use.

The plan also wouldn’t decrease existing on-site car parking provision or directly lead to an increase in student numbers, but this was expected due to Herefordshire’s demographic projections.

The new building should also provide a high-quality environment that is flexible and able to meet the evolving learning needs of the college, which is among the topachieving sixth forms in the country.

The document also said the building would continue the redevelopment of the college campus, and provide an enhancement to the character and appearance of the Aylestone Hill Conservation Area.

Now, with building work underway, the college said contractor William Powell and Sons is making great progress, with the internal layout now

taking shape.

It also said it was pleased to partner with commercial gym equipment supplier Dyaco UK which will provide a complete gym package for the spacious ground floor fitness studio to cater to all students, including those in sports academies and elite athletes.

“The new fitness studio will house a range of state-of-the-art bespoke fitness equipment, including lifting platforms, a functional indoor track, fixed weight machines and HIIT conditioning equipment,” the college said.

Nail new member onboarding to increase retention and profitability

THE start of the year is busy for gyms and health clubs with an influx of new members. Your new member onboarding process is crucial.

Effective onboarding will help you retain more new members – and –become more profitable. IHRSA figures suggest that if a new member cancels after three months, you could lose out on as much as £313 a year. That adds up.

Having the right onboarding messages in place also takes pressure off your team, letting them focus on new members needing extra attention.

Retention expert Guy Griffiths said: “The best method of member engagement is a conversation, either face-to-face, or over the phone.

“However, with staff resource at a premium, messages (email and SMS) can help shape the conversations of a member journey.”

Tips for a successful onboarding journey

Your onboarding journey will be most successful when you keep in mind your business and why new members are joining.

It should help you quickly spot and solve potential friction points.

To have maximum impact, focus on key moments in a member’s journey.

Guy added: “Timely, triggered messages can mean that no member

gets left behind.”

Celebrate achievements and milestones, cheering members on to make that next visit.

Get them to visit regularly to raise your retention rates.

Keep these tips in mind when onboarding new members:

n Establish realistic, personal goals (and follow ups). Unrealistic goals and perceived lack of results are key reasons for attrition.

Help members set SMART goals with your trainers. Offer regular follow ups to keep members on track.

n Segment new members to increase relevancy – create triggers based on key milestones for a simple, effective approach.

Automatically send the right message at the right time using your gym management software.

n Encourage gym buddies – “Tell your new members that they’ll stay

longer, get faster results and have more fun if they work out with friends,” recommends Guy.

“Build guest pass and referral offers into your onboarding journey so new members make working out a social activity they’ll stick with.”

n Ask for regular, honest feedback.

Guy said: “Lots of clubs don’t ask for feedback because they fear negative comments, but this is not a good strategy.

“It’s better to ask and therefore get those negative comments through your official channels, otherwise they may appear on online forums where you have less control or may not even be listening.

“Also, by asking, you’ll get lots more positive feedback that you can share with your team and with other members and prospects.”

New playbook: Onboarding made easy Xplor Gym has partnered with industry expert Guy Griffiths to publish the ultimate onboarding journey playbook –making it easy to get onboarding right. It’s packed with the tools you need to create (or refresh) your onboarding journey. Know what messages to send and when, with 20+ ready-to-use adaptable email and SMS templates. Want expert advice? Get in touch by emailing hello@xplorgym.co.uk

Advertiser’s announcement

Myzone Group CEO Dave Wright joins ukactive Board and GLL’s Mark Sesnan reappointed

ukactive has announced the appointment of Myzone Group CEO Dave Wright to the ukactive Board and the reappointment of GLL strategic advisor Mark Sesnan OBE.

The Board election process was held with ukactive members in November 2022, with the Board approving each of the new appointments in December.

Dave has been appointed on a three-year term as the representative for the ‘wider activity’ section of the ukactive membership, having previously served on the Board from 2009 to 2014.

From February he will take over the position from Professor Greg Whyte, who has been reappointed as an independent non-executive director for his second term on the Board.

Dave said: “I’m really looking forward to joining the ukactive Board again and helping to drive the

physical activity agenda wider into the community, as well as learning from other members of the Board.

“I can’t wait to get started serving ukactive’s members again and taking

Escape Fitness recognised for environmental best practice

ESCAPE Fitness has been announced ‘winner’ of an environmental award for innovation in the health and wellness sector at a prestigious awards ceremony held at the Houses of Parliament. The award was part of the annual Green Apple Environmental Awards to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.

Ritchie Januszek (pictured), product and service executive director, said: “Escape is an environmentally responsible company, continually innovating and reviewing our transport and manufacturing processes to lower our environmental impact.

“Our own manufacturing facility –Evergreen Barbell, based here in the UK, is reimagining the manufacture and supply of commercial grade fitness equipment to move towards a more sustainable future that provides the outstanding functionality to the consumer whilst also protecting the planet.

“Whilst winning awards is not our

GYM EQUIPMENT

motivation reviewing and adapting our products and processes, it is fantastic to have our efforts recognised on the global stage by The Green Organisation.” Launched in 1994 by The Green Organisation, The Green Apple Environment Awards have become the biggest environmental awards campaign on Earth, with entries from Governments, Ministries and Regional Authorities as well as companies, organisations, communities, etc. across both the private and public sectors.

forward our strategy to get more people, more active, more often.”

Mark is reappointed for a final three-year term on the Board after first joining in May 2015, and will serve as the representative for the ‘public operator’ section of the ukactive membership.

He added: “I am proud to be reappointed to the ukactive Board for a further three years, particularly as we approach such a crucial time for the future of the sector.

“Together with our new Board members, we want to work with ukactive’s members to elevate the value that society puts on our industry and ensure what we do is recognised and supported by the Government and its agencies.”

The news follows the announcement last September of new Board members Amy Williams MBE, Victoria O’Byrne and Katy Cox,

bringing new leadership experience and knowledge to the organisation.

Under chair Mike Farrar, the new Board members will work with ukactive’s councils and the executive to drive ukactive’s plans for the development and growth of the sector to reach more than five million new members as part of its Vision 2030 strategy.

Mike said: “Dave and Mark clearly have a wealth of sector experience, knowledge, and passion for our mission, so we are delighted to have them on the team as we begin the next chapter in our vision for the sector’s growth.

“Together with the reappointment of Greg, and our new Board members, Amy, Katy and Victoria, this news means ukactive’s members can feel well represented and confident about the direction of our sector over the coming years.”

Myzone Group CEO Dave Wright.

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