Workout january 2014 by Script Media

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January 2014

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Aberdeen the big winners at best event yet By Christina Eccles

OVER 700 people enjoyed Workout’s fourth National Fitness Awards at The Palace Hotel in Manchester, which celebrated its best year yet. Organised by Script Events, in partnership with Workout and with support from headline sponsor Servicesport, the event celebrates achievement and excellence throughout the fitness industry. The big winners on the night included Aberdeen Sports Village who came away with three trophies – including the coveted National Gym of the Year – a delighted Rigs Fitness who were crowned Best Newcomer and Chokdee Academy in York who after being shortlisted for the award every year, picked up the trophy for Combat Zone Gym of the Year. Winners 2000 Fitness in Newton Abbot also had two reasons to celebrate on the night... The club retained its title of Regional Gym of the Year South, while staff member Adam Stansbury was named Gym Based Personal Trainer of the Year. After the awards, the Winners 2000 Fitness team said: “Incredible evening guys! Each year gets better and better! Looking forward to reaching new

heights and seeing you all next year!” The glittering awards’ evening was hosted by top TV presenter Caroline Pearce and radio presenter Guy Harris, with guests – who included well known faces such as Coronation Street star Kym Marsh – enjoying a festive themed drinks reception, three-course dinner, the presentation of the awards and disco. National Fitness Awards’ director Judith Halkerston said: “Thank you to everyone who helped make the night so special – it was great to see how delighted our winners were at their success and thanks for the continued support from our sponsors – some new ones and some who have supported the National Fitness Awards from day one. “Congratulations though should go to everyone who was short-listed as the standard of entries keeps improving year on year. The awards celebrate all that is good about our industry and, I think, the awards’ night showed not only that we all have much to be proud of but that fitness professionals certainly know how to party! Hope to see you all next year.” I Details of the 2014 National Fitness Awards will be announced early next year.

No 244 £3

Anniversary to feature event with Sir Geoff

Managing director of Health and Leisure Solutions LLP, Ian Kendall, scooped the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Fitness Awards 2013, in recognition of a career in the industry spanning almost 40 years. Ian’s wealth of experience includes working for local government, charitable trusts and the private sector and he has had strategic involvement as a board member or director of organisations including the FIA, Skills Active, Sporta and the Oldham Athletic Community Trust, as well as being a past president of ILAM. He received his award from host Caroline Pearce and category sponsor Kevin Scott from Harlands Group.

THE organisers behind SIBEC UK have revealed their plans for 2014, when the event will celebrate its 10th anniversary. To complement the traditional two days of face to face meetings, attendees will also be able to enjoy an evening with Sir Geoff Hurst and an optional round of golf. ukactive has also agreed a partnership with organisers, Questex-McLean Events, which will see the two organisations working together to deliver the event. Event director David Zarb Jenkins said: “Delegates will hear how it felt to win that World Cup and will have a chance to pose questions to one of England’s football legends.” ukactive CEO David Stalker added: “SIBEC UK provides a vital platform for operators and suppliers to discuss collaborative opportunities in a professional yet relaxed environment. The formula has been successful for 10 years and I am looking forward to a more formal relationship with what has become one of our sector’s most beneficial events.” The event takes place on May 20-21 at The Belfry.

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Entrepreneur Ross reveals gym aim for his low carb noodles By Christina Eccles AN entrepreneur who successfully secured investment for his business on TV’s Dragons’ Den has revealed ambitions to launch his low carb noodle products into gyms. Ross Mendham came up with the idea of Bare Naked Foods after spotting a gap in the market for low carb pasta products. After spending time developing his idea and building up a following selling them online, he pitched the idea to the Dragons’ Den panel and secured investment from ‘Dragon’ Peter Jones – enabling him to take the business to the next level. Ross explained: “I began a low-carb diet a few years back to try and lose some weight but the problem was, I had a real craving for pasta and noodles. “I did some research to try and find some low-carb pasta but came up with nothing. That's when I had my “Eureka” moment – why not create my own low-calorie, low-carb noodle product? “I spent 18 months on developing a

suitable product and visited China to find a manufacturer who could help. “I had tried standard shirataki noodles before but wasn't keen on the texture so I looked into creating a konjac-based pasta which was more palatable but was still low in carbs and calories.” The products are currently available via the Bare Naked Foods website and in Holland and Barratt and GNC UK stores. From next April, they will also be available in Boots and in the future, potentially stocked in supermarkets and gyms. Ross added: “It would be wonderful if our products could be available for people to pick up on their way home – our Bare Naked noodles make an excellent post-workout meal. “Bodybuilding athletes Ollie Matthews and Claire Bird swear by our noodles, but they are great for all types of people looking to manage their weight and nutrition. “Some gyms may also be able to offer our noodles cooked and served as tasty meals in their cafe or restaurant.”

Ross Mendham with his Bare Naked Foods’ products.

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

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PT combines exercise and performance arts for her new company

Speedflex opened with a 24-hour celebrity Speedflexathon.

24-hour event marks opening GROUP training concept Speedflex has marked the opening of its first London studio with a 24-hour celebrity Speedflexathon. With a start time of 8am, trainers led back-to-back hourly sessions until 8am the following day, burning a combined calorie count of 126,172 over the 24-hour period. The three high-profile Speedflex ambassadors – Alan Shearer, Rob Lee

and Ben Shepherd – were also in attendance and burnt a combined 9,962 calories during their sessions. Managing director of Speedflex Europe Paul Ferris said: “The Speedflexathon was a great way to open our London centre which attracted over 150 people throughout the 24 hour period. “Having Alan, Rob and Ben there only added to the excitement.”

PERSONAL trainer Laura Daglish has set up a fitness company, which specialises in combining exercise with performance arts techniques to create feel good workouts. Laura, who has a Masters degree in Contemporary Arts Practice from Lancaster University, has received guidance and financial support in setting up her business from the university’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Enterprise Centre and Research Enterprise Services. She explained: “I am different from many personal trainers as I work on the mind and body to increase people’s confidence and self-esteem as well their fitness and well-being. “All my classes, workshops and training sessions have a fusion of fitness and drama practices. For example, Pilates classes with drama visualisations and personal training sessions with fitness, nutrition and confidence boosting drama techniques to enable the client to feel good about themselves and help them achieve their goals.” Laura’s workshops can include unique elements, such as filming her clients’ exercise techniques, body language and speech at the beginning of

Laura Daglish the sessions then again at the end to show improvements. She added: “I provide people with a toolkit of techniques and skills which promote confidence and healthy living for them to use not only during training sessions but also to take away to use in their day to day lives. I truly believe it is possible for people to achieve their goals, and that I can help them to make these changes with my positive and enthusiastic attitude, by being tuned in to individuals’ needs and by working with the whole person, body and mind.” Once a month, Laura will also be launching an online, week-long Vitality Week, which will include a seven day online Pilates and vitality boosting programme.

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Expert Chris aims to get city into shape

Barno Bootcamp founders Victoria Hudson and Stephanie Guest.

Charity event raises £850 THE founders of an outdoor bootcamp have raised hundreds of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support by organising a charity event. Creators of Barno Bootcamp, Stephanie Guest and Victoria Hudson, held a special bootcamp in Barnsley’s Locke Park, which included a workout, raffle with prizes donated by local businesses, and a cake sale. So far, the pair have raised £850, with money still coming in. Stephanie said: “We chose to do a

charity event because we have had so much support and encouragement since starting bootcamp and we wanted to give something back. “There were over 30 participants in bootcamp ranging from three years old to 60. The day was a huge success, enjoyed by everyone who attended. “We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that donated or helped in any way at all, as the day wouldn't have been possible without them.”

A SOUTH Yorkshire fitness expert has revealed plans to get people in shape after setting up his own business. Sports and exercise science graduate Chris Mason has created Chris Mason Performance, based in Sheffield, specialising in helping clients to improve their health and change their body shapes. Chris said: “When people think about their weight or fitness they tend to want a quick fix. “We are definitely not about that. Our philosophy is to train smarter, not harder or longer with the focus being on building health which in turn allows us to achieve fat loss much quicker and with longevity. It doesn’t matter where someone is starting from – we work with sporting people to complete beginners. As long as the client is committed and prepared to give their all, they’ll see the results, as many of our clients have.” Chris set up his privately run, appointment only facility as he noticed a lack of emphasis on client results in the gyms he has previously worked from as a freelance trainer. He added: “For us, it is not about gym memberships or having thousands of members in our facility, it matters that we train the right people with the right amount of focus and desire to see real tangible results. “This is a real passion of mine and

Chris Mason I’ve sought out the best people in the industry investing significant money, time and effort into learning and training from them to ensure we are offering our clients the best possible experiences and results whilst working with our coaches at CMP. “Chris Mason Performance is all about taking training to a more professional arena and improving people's understanding of how to eat healthy, how to train correctly but more importantly to give our clients the tools on how to stay in shape once they are there. “We have seen some fantastic results and our website shows the visuals of clients before and after working with us are really remarkable. Anyone who is prepared to ditch the fad diets and lack of results will be the perfect client for us.”

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Trusts invited to bid for a share of partnership’s £2m

Gemma Atkinson

Actress Gemma joins USA Pro ACTRESS and fitness fan Gemma Atkinson has joined female fitness brand USA Pro’s Pro Team. As well as modelling the new range, Gemma will have an active role within the team, providing expertise on all matters of health and fitness, including training, nutrition and toning. She will be joining personal trainer Lucy Wyndham Read and brand ambassador Kirsty Gallacher in the stable of experts associated with the

brand. USA Pro brand manager Alicia Adcock said: “We are delighted to have Gemma on board as a Pro Team ambassador. “Her healthy lifestyle combined with her approach to exercise and fitness reflects the core values of the USA Pro brand, and is an inspiration to our customers. “We are all really excited about working with Gemma.”

LEISURE trusts around the country have been invited to bid for a share of £2m, thanks to a partnership between Sport England and Sporta. The National Lottery funding from Sport England will be distributed through Sporta’s Make Your Move campaign, which will assist in getting funding into sports trusts. Trusts can apply for up to £50,000 of funding to deliver projects that will help more people play sport. Sport England’s property director Charles Johnston said: “Leisure trusts play a central role in delivering high quality sports projects in towns and cities across the country. “I am delighted to work with Sporta ensuring that trusts get the support they need and continue to engage people with sport for the first time whilst also helping them to overcome barriers they may encounter.” Sites already benefiting from the scheme include Fusion Lifestyle, which operates 45 sport and leisure sites across the country, and has been awarded £43,000 for its Friday Night Project. In an attempt to reduce antisocial behaviour in Camberwell, Croydon and Lewisham, the trust will ask young people the type of sport sessions and fitness activities they

want to do and make them happen at four sites throughout the capital every Friday evening. In Stockport, Life Leisure has been awarded £17,000 towards ActiSPORT which aims to get sedentary and obese people in the most deprived areas of the city more active. The first phase will see each person take part in six weeks of gentle activity, such as walking and running, before moving on to 20 weeks of coaching in a sport of their choice. Sporta CEO Brian Leonard added: “Make Your Move will support Sporta members in delivering innovative local community sports programmes for people aged 14 and above. We aim to increase the number of people playing sport every week and to do this we need to understand what works and what doesn’t. This programme will give us invaluable feedback so we can continue to increase participation in years to come.” As one of the largest leisure trust membership associations in England, Sporta’s members operate 30 per cent of public facilities across the country, attracting more than 230m customer visits each year. Applications for funding are now being accepted and will close on January 6.

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Fitness instructor Matty Ward with gym owner Graham Barlow.

Photo: Marek Jarosi

Member challenges help new gym to build a following By Christina Eccles THE owner of a newly opened gym on the Isle of Wight has told how organising member challenges, which create a strong sense of community spirit, have helped the club to quickly build a loyal following. Evolution in Ryde opened in August after owner Graham Barlow spotted a gap in the market for a new club on the island. Graham, who is running the club with his wife, said: “After seeing gyms on the island segregate bodybuilders from casual gymgoers, we wanted to do the opposite and eradicate the “us and them” feel so many gyms have. “So far we have done this by introducing members to each other who perhaps had or have similar goals, and by running competitions that create a community spirit.” Recent member challenges include a week long deadlift, squat and bench press challenge, which Graham said

he was pleased to see had gone down well with both male and female members. He added: “About half the people who entered were women and they have now incorporated this kind of exercises into their routine when they had never used free weights before. “We are currently running a fitness test at the moment organised in teams. “Again this is proving very popular and motivational for both staff and customers, with all progress over six weeks being logged and a cash prize at the end.” The club has already attracted several hundred members and word of mouth and social networking have both been helpful in spreading the word. Graham added: “We also communicate several times a day with our members via Facebook, again reinforcing that familiarity with members and them with each other.”

Mayor of Kirklees Coun. Martyn Bolt and his wife are pursuing a healthier lifestyle by taking out Kirklees Active Leisure fitness membership. The pair now join nearly 20,000 other KAL members, who can benefit from multi centre usage while out and about in Kirklees. The mayor said: “During their term of office a mayor is often asked to be an ambassador for events and organisations. Knowing the benefit and value of keeping fit and healthy I am pleased to encourage Kirklees residents. I hope that the busy Civic diary will allow me to occasionally sample the high quality, excellent value facilities which KAL offers.”

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Fitness Superstore appointed retailer PERFORMANCE Health Systems has appointed Fitness Superstore as an authorised retailer of its Power Plate whole body vibration devices. Fitness Superstore will serve the UK market and sell from its showrooms and website. Staff have been fully trained by Performance Health Systems on the Power Plate range.

David Lloyd launches new payroll scheme DAVID Lloyd Leisure has introduced DL Flex – a discounted health club membership scheme offering companies a way to give their employees access to exercise through a payroll scheme. DL Flex can be run as an HMRC approved salary sacrifice scheme either within a flexible benefits programme or as a separate salary sacrifice benefit. Alternatively, companies can choose to run DL Flex as a simple net pay gym loan deduction. Corporate marketing manager Claire

Bettles said: “David Lloyd Leisure is delighted to support companies who want to look after their employees’ wellbeing and help them keep fit and healthy. “It is well known that encouraging your teams to be physically active can help lower sickness, boost productivity and improve morale. “With its unrivalled facilities and services and leading expertise, David Lloyd Leisure membership is a great way to encourage employees to improve their work-life balance and lifestyle through exercise and fitness.”

Players from Barnsley FC have officially launched The Metrodome Leisure Complex’s new Myride+ indoor cycling studio. The studio is the latest development at The Metrodome in the last two years, following upgrades to its Fitness Flex suite and, most recently, the creation of a luxurious Relaxation Suite adjacent to the members’ changing areas. Head of business development at Barnsley Premier Leisure Steve Roberts said: “The first team players from Barnsley FC were treated to a Myride+ fitness session and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.”

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Contract or agreement – is it helping your retention figures? By Dr Paul Bedford WHILE contracts may not be the sexiest topic around increasing member retention, it is the one I get asked the most questions about. However, the real question should not be whether or not you should have contracts but, what do you mean when you say contracts? Do you mean a binding legal agreement that you will enforce in order to recover your lost income should the member fail to pay? Or do you mean an agreement, where you encourage them to make 12 payments over a year and if they don’t you will have some interaction to try to recover some of the money, but eventually let them go, because you are uncomfortable with the possible negative publicity if this ended up in court or the local papers? My recent White Report of 342,759 members illustrates that members who take out contracts stay longer than members who buy memberships on a month-by-month basis. But what’s noticeable between the last national retention report in 2002 and my latest study in 2008 is the much wider range of contract lengths. In 2002 we had one month, three month, six-month, 12-month, 12month plus extra month/s, 18-month and 24-month contracts. In the table, we can now see that almost half of memberships sold are on a month-by-month basis, with no fixed length of agreement and a third as 12-month contracts/agreements. Private operators appear much more confident at selling longer contracts than the public sector. They also appear more willing to enforce contracts, where the public sector is more likely to treat them as

Agreement length One month 2-5 months 6-11 months 12 months > 12 months

No. 163,123 36,052 5,933 115,073 22,578

Percentage 47.6 10.5 1.7 33.5 6.6

agreements. I’m not suggesting one is right and the other wrong, I just think the public and private sectors have different approaches to selling memberships and that impacts on how long members stay. So why do members who buy into contracted periods stay for longer? From a psychological point of view it’s to do with consistency. Once we publicly make a decision to do something our brain looks for ways to make that consistent. So if we make a comment about behaviour; “I always think like that”, then our brain looks for ways to make that the truth. When members commit to a contracted period, the brain seeks ways to commit to that. As the member has to do little for that to stay true, just keep paying, it has a big enough effect on the payment process that members will continue to pay, even if they don’t attend. This may also be supported by the individual’s belief that they will become a committed exerciser at some point. Much in the same way you commit

to a mobile phone contract. You commit to pay for an agreed length of time and only look to change phones if your phone doesn’t work or you are at the end of the contracted period. So, when you choose to introduce a contracted period make sure that, if you discount it, you don’t end up receiving less money than you would if they had no contract. This can be calculated by identifying the median length of stay for noncontracted members, identifying what the revenue total from them would be, and calculating how much you need to charge to make at least the same amount. For further help, check out my tutorial on how to measure member retention at www.retentionguru.com/videos Dr Paul Bedford is the fitness industry’s leading authority on retention, attrition and customer experience management and the author of The National Retention Report. You can find out more at www.retentionguru.co.uk or by following @guru_paul on Twitter.

Dr Paul Bedford

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Experts join forces to launch specialist group qualification By Christina Eccles

Victoria up for top accolade PREMIER Training International’s global marketing director, Victoria Branch, has been shortlisted in the marketer of the year category at the 2014 Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Marketing Excellence Awards. Responsible for implementing marketing operational efficiency measures, leading to company savings of £250,000, Victoria has successfully diversified the company’s marketing mix to include digital initiatives in addition to more traditional marketing, advertising and PR methods She said: “I am delighted to have been recognised for this award and very proud of the work the marketing team has done. “The nomination goes to show that we are working in the right direction to take Premier Training International into a new digital era, whilst embracing new technologies and ideas to grab the attention of our target demographic.” Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on February 12.

TWO fitness training experts have teamed up to launch a specialist group exercise qualification. The FitEx qualification combines the Level Two Fitness Instructor qualification with Les Mills International Instructor certification and has been developed by Les Mills UK and Lifetime Training. Instructor experience director at Les Mills UK Jean-Ann Marnoch said: “The Global popularity of Les Mills Programmes demonstrates the value and opportunities available to Les Mills instructors. “Les Mills UK is pleased to be working with Lifetime Training to ensure that Les Mills instructors continue to provide quality driven exercise experiences for the public and employers.” The new qualification comprises Level Two Anatomy and Physiology, the five key elements of training, as well as trainer soft skills, plus one or two Les Mills programmes. Courses can be completed within two to three months through a variety of learning methods and tools, such as home study, online learning, four days split across classroom and gym, 10 hours Les Mills pre-course choreography learning, plus live training. Those interested in taking the new FitEx qualification have the option to choose from one of seven Les Mills

FitEx qualification combines the Level Two Fitness Instructor qualification with Les Mills International Instructor certification. programmes, including Body Balance, Body Combat and Sh’Bam. The course includes entry onto the Register of Exercise Professionals at Level Two and 20 CPD points. Each Les Mills programme earns instructors an additional 16 REPs points. Client services director at Lifetime Training Nigel Wallace added: “Fitness instructors and PTs need more than technical skills and this will become

increasingly clear as their roles change and become more demanding in the future. “Whilst we build key practical, communication and commercial skills into our certificate and diploma courses, having the FitEx Award including one or two Les Mills Programmes, really enhances an instructor's employment opportunities and value.”

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

Editor’s Comment WHAT a great night we had...! The fourth National Fitness Awards went off with a bang in Manchester, attracting the biggest crowd ever seen at the event and providing a great way for the industry to celebrate another successful year. Our winners came from all corners of the UK – from Aberdeen right down to Cornwall – showcasing the excellent work that is being done in gyms around the country. It was great to see so many of you there on the night and we hope you enjoyed the event. A big thank you to our presenters Caroline Pearce and Guy Harris for their hard work and to all our sponsors for your continuous support. For those of you who couldn’t make it, we’ve included a round up of all the action from the evening and details of our winners in a special feature this issue. Turn to page 47 for more. Even though we’ve only just got over the excitement of the 2013 NFAs, already our attention is now focused on how we can make the awards even bigger and better for 2014. But although we are thrilled they keep on growing year on year, one of our biggest challenges is finding the right venue. So, if you have any suggestions of somewhere we could take the awards to in 2014 or want to comment on what you would like to see at the event, we would love to hear from you. In other news this issue, we take a look at why the appetite for functional training is showing no sign of slowing down, reveal the latest technology and software helping operators streamline their businesses and I take part in one of my favourite challenges yet – Fitsteps. I’ve been going to weekly Fitsteps’ classes for over a month now and although I’m nowhere near up to the standard of founders Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite, I’m loving getting to grips with dancing and can definitely see improvements week on week, so watch this space! As we begin 2014, as always, we would love to hear from our readers and find out more about the work you are doing in your gyms. Contact us via email at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or on Facebook and Twitter. Best wishes for the new year from all of the Workout team and we look forward to working with you in the year ahead. Christina Eccles

The Workout office got into the Christmas spirit by wearing our festive winter woollies for Christmas Jumper Day – and we weren’t the only ones. The Brentwood Centre also contacted us on Twitter to say they were joining in the fun. Here’s a picture of the team in their best Christmas jumpers.

Fighting a losing battle ... AS the owner of a private gym I feel really isolated and without any form of help whatsoever. I have the real misfortune to have a council run charitable trust within a mile of my gym which spends money like a drunken sailor and am involved in a constant losing battle due to massive overheads every month which the other facility does not face at all. As I don’t seem to meet any bank’s criteria I have no money to invest in my business and due to VAT bills every quarter the money I do make goes straight to HMRC. This plus my huge council rates bill each month means I have gone down to one member of staff and am working 55 hours a week for around £3.00 an hour. I love my gym, we have 600 local community members who I know would be crushed if I had to close down. Although I’d love a level playing field, I’m old and wise enough to

realise that isn’t going to happen any time soon. All in it together yeah right. Derek Ireland Lifestyle Fitness Centre, Greenfield WITH reference to your front cover, November 2013. As the owners of Ufford Park Woodbridge, Hotel Golf and Spa, your feature strikes a raw nerve. VAT application is grossly distorted with both of our membership clubs, health and golf, however golf is the most blatant to ourselves. Members’ owned golf clubs enjoy VAT free membership subscriptions, whereas proprietors can provide an identical facility/product and their membership fees have to include 20 per cent VAT. Colin and Shirley Aldous WE totally agree with Andy Peacock regarding VAT on memberships.

We have been running our club in Kirkcaldy for the past 15 years now and are finding it increasingly more difficult making the 20 per cent VAT payments as the local council has opened up a new leisure centre on our doorstep and are running it as Fife Sports and Leisure Trust. Luckily for us there is no parking so we have lost approximately 20 members so far, mainly council workers and students who are paying only £15 per month. If we were to compete with this price we would be as well closing down after VAT, tax and overheads are deducted! We would very much like to hear how Andy gets on with his local council as we already have a training scheme in place for school leavers and would love to offer more support to the local community. Margaret McLean Priory Park Health Club, Kirkcaldy

NFAs a hot topic for clubs, PTs and sponsors THE hot topic among our Facebook and Twitter followers this month was the National Fitness Awards, with many clubs, personal trainers and sponsors contacting us to say what a great night they had in Manchester. Here’s what else we’ve been discussing over the last few weeks: Christina Eccles: Lovely to speak to @realnatalielowe earlier about the success of @Fit_Steps. Look out for the feature in the next issue of @WorkOutUK. CB's Gym: We have just opened a new gym in Brighouse. Love reading Workout Magazine, lots of inspiration and useful tips!

The Workout sales team plus guests enjoyed a day out at Tyke Racing in Barnsley. Tyke Racing: Looking forward to welcoming @WorkOutUK and guests to the track ... Anyone got their eye on the lap record guys?

viewed about Gymophobics Redditch winning Ladies Gym of The Year for Radio Hereford and Worcestershire. Two local papers running the story too.

Zoe Cooke: I have just been inter-

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challengechristina

Last year, Workout reported on hot new class Fitsteps, created by Strictly Come Dancing professionals Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite and champion swimmer Mark Foster. For this month’s challenge, Christina Eccles caught up with Natalie to find out how things are going – and got bitten by the Fitsteps bug.

Ballroom inspired class set to take industry by storm WHEN Workout last spoke to Ian and Natalie, the idea of Fitsteps was just taking off and they were preparing for the first wave of instructor courses... ... fast forward a few months and the classes have taken off massively, with 1200 instructors now in place, delivering sessions in gyms and community centres up and down the country. Since the launch of Fitsteps, people of every age have been swept up in the excitement of the ballroom – and with endless possibilities for progression and the development of new choreography, Fitsteps is set to be one of the industry’s hottest classes in 2014. Natalie explained: “I’m really excited. It’s been really successful and we are getting amazing feedback from instructors who have been saying it’s the most intense, professional course they have been on. “Things have been moving surprisingly fast – we’re making lots of progress. And people are loving it – both the teachers and those taking part. “ A typical Fitsteps class combines moves from some of the most popular

Latin and ballroom dances – many of which can be seen on Strictly Come Dancing – into a continuous, seamless workout. The classes are suitable for any age and no previous dance experience or a partner is necessary – meaning everyone with a love of dance can give it a go. For the coming months, the Fitsteps team will be working hard to get the word out there even further, with more instructor dates lined up for January and February and the release of a DVD, which will enable people to practice the moves between classes. Natalie – who will also be appearing on the Strictly Come Dancing live tour in the new year – also told Workout she would like to see more men get involved in the classes and spin off sessions are also in the pipeline, designed especially for older adults and kids. She added: “I’m so proud to have my name to this and just want to keep working hard. “I want everyone to feel the love for ballroom dancing and what it can do for you.”

Fitsteps founders Ian Waite, Natalie Lowe and Mark Foster.

A Fitsteps class in action.

A fun class which appeals to people of all ages I’VE been attending a weekly Fitsteps class at my local community centre for about a month now and I can honestly say it’s one of the most fun classes I have ever tried. During the 45 minute sessions, I have been put through my paces with a number of dance styles including the jive, quickstep, paso

doble, waltz, rhumba and samba, with the moves blended into a continuous workout where participants move from one dance step to another and one style to another. The class I attend has been attracting people of all ages and as well as being great fun, I also like the fact it’s something which appeals to every-

one – my mum comes to the classes with me – and you don’t need a partner to get involved. Although, I haven’t picked up all of the steps straightaway – the waltz definitely takes lots of practice – I’ve noticed an improvement week on week, which has encouraged me to keep going.

As well as perfecting the dances I’ve already tried, as the classes progress, I’m also looking forward to trying other dances we haven’t looked at yet and will definitely continue going to Fitsteps in the new year. And with a bit more practice, maybe you’ll see me on a future series of Strictly Come Dancing...!

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The music matters By Rachel Holmes

The first City Bike Battle took place at Cyclebeat’s studio in London.

IN all my years of teaching fitness classes of every discipline, from Step sessions to HiiT classes, there's one factor that's consistent to a successful session; high quality, motivational music that will fire up your participants. Being part of the Pure Energy music production team, I see first hand what goes into creating each and every album that we release, whether it's a chilled out Mind Body mix or a fast paced, blood pumping Hi-Impact release. Our team of skilled producers have years of experience in creating music for fitness, ensuring each link is seamless, each mix is 32 count

phrased and that the BPM follows an aerobic curve suited to the discipline. Because every mix is hand crafted (nothing is auto-mixed in the Pure Energy studios!) it means we can cover all genres and music styles, from 60s to current chart hits, soul and motown to deep house. I personally road-test every album that comes out of the Pure Energy studios before it's sent to the pressing plant, to ensure that the mix works in a class environment. Pure Energy produce album ranges using both original artist music and high quality cover versions, meaning your music needs are met no matter what your licensing requirements are. For more information visit www.pureenergymusic.com

Studio raises cash for charity A LONDON based indoor cycling studio has held its first City Bike Battle event to raise money for charity. The event saw teams from all over the City of London riding against each other to find out who had the strongest cyclists. Teams from companies such as Keddie Scott Associates, Price WaterhouseCooper, KPMG, the Financial Times and Vantage Capital Markets entered teams of five riders into the 35-minute ride session, which took place in Cyclebeat’s studio. The studio’s cutting edge Beatboard technology displayed each team’s cycling power and average energy in front of the class, which

provided motivation and competition between all teams, with talent agents Keddie Scott Associates were crowned the overall winners. Co-founder of Cyclebeat Greg Allon said: “This event was a first for London – our unique technology let teams ride against each other in an indoor environment for the first time. “It was fantastic to watch the competitive nature of individuals in the City coming alive in the Cyclebeat studio and raising £1,800 for HOPEHIV was a great accomplishment for all involved. “We plan to organise more of these events in the future to raise more money for charity.”

The services of a personal trainer and chef form part of a special new year package at a venue in Cumbria. Beech House Holidays’ 18th Century Threshing Barn can be hired exclusively for up to eight people for three nights throughout January and February for those who want to take part in its New Year’s Resolution Retreat and get back on track with healthy living. The package includes a personal chef throughout the stay to provide nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners; a personal trainer on hand for a full day to provide a morning boot camp, afternoon Pilates session and bespoke fitness advice for each guest; full day’s cycle hire, plus a beauty therapist on hand to provide a relaxing facial and a hamper of Bath House treats for guests to use throughout their stay.

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New Year resolutions bring calls to install defibs at more clubs By Christina Eccles

Galgorm Resort and Spa

£10m leisure wing to include gym and swimming pool A LUXURY spa hotel has revealed plans for a £10m investment, which will include a new leisure wing complete with swimming pool and gym. Galgorm Resort and Spa, which has invested more than £25m in the last 10 years to create one of the most successful, luxurious spa hotels in the UK and Ireland, is extending the leisure facilities – and adding 48 new bedrooms – to the property in Ballymena, County Antrim, with work due for completion in 2015. Operations director Paul Smyth said: “We’re delighted that the Department of Environment’s planning department and environment minister Mark H Durkan have given us the formal

go-ahead to proceed with our plans to provide additional new bedrooms and leisure facilities, which will ensure that we will continue to meet the demands of our quality-focused local and international customer base. “These plans have been carefully based on our commitment to not only grow the business further but also on our commitment to deliver a top quality offering that continually exceeds the expectations of our guests. When combined with the significant investment made to date, we are confident that the extra facilities will underpin future growth and ensure our guests return time and time again.”

Awards body joins group AWARDS and qualifications body CYQ has joined ukactive’s Vanguard Group. ukactive will now be supporting CYQ to undertake a detailed survey into what knowledge and skills professionals from the sector require. The survey will focus in particular on establishing the skills needed to attract inactive populations within communities to get active. Head of CYQ Jenny Patrickson said:

“I am delighted that CYQ has joined ukactive as a new Vanguard member. “It is absolutely essential that as an awarding organisation we engage effectively with the sector in which we operate to ensure that we develop qualifications that are robust, fit for purpose and of real value to employers.” The outcomes of the survey will be shared in a number of free to attend seminars later this year.

WITH a possible influx of new faces in the New Year, gyms should think seriously about installing defibrillators into their clubs, according to an expert. Mark Roberts, director at emergency specialists Evac+Chair International has warned that failure to have an Automated External Defibrillator on the premises could make the difference between life and death, should an emergency arise. He explained: “To put the importance of an AED into perspective, you need to look at the vital role it can play. “Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the UK’s biggest killers causing 100,000 deaths every year, and can affect anyone regardless of age, lifestyle or gender. “Undiagnosed heart arrhythmias can mean that there are individuals across the UK that are susceptible to cardiac arrests without their knowledge. “We’re aware of high profile cases where healthy individuals, such as

footballer Fabrice Muamba, have been struck by SCA without an indication of ever suffering from a heart condition, so whether a person is a fitness fanatic or stepping into a gym for the first time the risk of SCA still exists.” According to experts, the window to treat a person who has gone into SCA is extremely limited, with shocking the heart back into normal rhythm as quickly as possible being a crucial action for saving the life. Using an AED increases the chances of survival from nine per cent to 50 per cent if used within those fundamental four minutes of SCA occurring. Mark added “Our CardiAid AED provides comprehensive assistance to the user, guiding them with clear verbal and visible instructions throughout the whole process. “Furthermore the AED remains completely safe for the patient and user. “The device accurately analyses the heart rhythm of the patient and only allows an electric shock to be given if that action is required.” Oldham Community Leisure has a new team sports leader – Rachel Hosker. Rachel (pictured left) will be tasked with helping to boost activity levels through team sports in the local community and will be responsible for ensuring the effective management and profitability of the existing sports leagues within OCL. She said: “I’m hoping to bring some fresh ideas to the table that will encourage higher participation rates. I’ve learned that it’s vital to really get to know your customers, so you truly understand their requirements, both when building existing leagues and creating new ones. The trust’s mission is “A Community More Active, More Often”, and I plan to play a key role in helping OCL to achieve this.”

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NEW FOR 2014

Tracey McNellan at Cameron House Hotel.

Tracey launches luxury yoga retreat at hotel MANAGING director of Your Radio and yoga fan Tracey McNellan is launching a luxury retreat for the New Year at the five-star Cameron House Hotel. Yoga devotees will be able to join Tracey in the surroundings of Loch Lomond from January 26 to 28 to practice their skills and recharge their batteries after the festive season. She said: “I am so excited to be launching yoga retreats at Cameron House – I mean, you really cannot get a more perfect setting.

“This is yoga for everyone; it doesn’t mean that someone who has never tried it isn’t going to be able to do it. You can do all sorts of yoga and I can teach all kinds. “The yoga retreats however are all about regaining balance and a sense of calm and the yoga I will teach on the retreat will be a general hatha yoga mixed in with a yoga flow, but it will not be fast-paced. “This retreat is all about people relaxing and enjoying the surroundings of Cameron House. It’s a complete switch off.”

Actress Roxy Shahidi has launched a new yoga DVD, following the success of her first DVD release. For Yoga Conditioning, Roxy has created three unique 45-minute workouts, designed to fit around participants’ daily routine, while being long enough to provide a balanced and challenging workout. The first workout focuses on full body; the second helps develop and strengthen the core; and the third is for the lower body.

Active IQ unveils qualifications ACTIVE IQ has launched four new health and wellbeing qualifications for 2014. The new qualifications are the Level Two Award in Smoking Awareness and Cessation, the Level Two Award in Understanding Nutrition, Performance and Healthy

Eating, the Level Two Award in Alcohol Awareness and the Level Three Award in Facilitating Behaviour Change for Health and Wellbeing. All of these are available to centres who want to become approved for them as part of their delivery offer to learners.

Clinical director of ICE Health Cryotherapy Alla Pashynska.

Portable machine now available A REVOLUTIONARY portable machine that enables clinicians and therapists to deliver cryotherapy at temperatures as low as -180C is now available in the UK for the first time. ICE Health Cryotherapy has been appointed the exclusive UK distributor of the Cryo T Portable machine

and is already talking to businesses who are interested in adding the equipment to their offering. The Cryo T Portable is the only machine in the country that reaches such low temperatures in salon and clinic environments, delivering targeted and effective treatments for clients.

Four time UK fitness champion Joey Bull has released two new workout DVDs. Circuit Training Fat Burning Workout and Ballet Steps Inch Loss Workout are the latest collaborations between Joey and fitness and lifestyle specialists IMC Vision.

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Gym helps Phil ‘ski’ his way into record books By Christina Eccles A 74-year-old member has achieved a world record – with a little help from his gym. Phil Wood has recorded the quickest time of four minutes and two seconds to ‘ski’ 1,000m and one minute and 55 seconds to ‘ski’ 500m in the men’s 70-79 age category, using the Skierg fitness machine. Phil has been a member of Lifestyle Health and Fitness Suite located in the Riviera International Centre, Torquay for 14 years and works out about three times a week. His preferred machines include the Concept Two Rower and Skierg machine and he’s regularly been entering his completion times online for different set distances. The online record system allows anyone who has used the Concept Two machines to enter their completion times and it wasn’t until Phil recently checked the world record leader’s board that he discovered his name appeared. Lifestyle Health and Fitness Suite manager Colin Pemberton said: “Skierg makes the sport of Nordic skiing available to everyone. “It builds strength and endurance by working the entire body with the

Fitness Function features six Total Gym GTS

New studio offers GRAVITY Colin Pemberton, Lifestyle Health & Fitness suite manager (foreground) and Phil Wood, Lifestyle member. poling motion integral to all techniques of Nordic skiing. “Each pull engages the arms, shoulders, core and legs in a downward “crunch”, using body weight to help accelerate the handles. “There are two Skierg machines at Lifestyle Health and Fitness Suite which are amongst 57 different fitness stations.”

A NEW studio has opened in Buckinghamshire offering a range of GRAVITY programmes from HIIT to Pilates. With over 22 years’ experience in the fitness industry and seven years as a master trainer for GRAVITY UK, Julie Burfoot has opened Fitness Function, which she has kitted out with six Total Gym GTS. Julie plans to offer over 50, 45 minute sessions per week in the 400sqft studio, with group sessions holding a maximum of six people. She said: “I have been using Total Gym equipment since becoming a

GRAVITY master trainer in 2005 and I love it. “It’s the most diverse piece of equipment I’ve come across which is what you need when you’ve only got a small space. “Having six Total Gym units at Fitness Function will allow us to offer a variety of different cardio, strength and mind and body based classes which are much more exciting than many traditional workouts. GRAVITY programming makes each workout time efficient whilst providing excellent results. I’m confident the classes will quickly get members hooked.”

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A naming and topping out ceremony has taken place for the £11m West Bromwich Leisure Centre, which will open to the public next summer. Representatives from Sandwell Council, DC Leisure, Sport England and Pellikaan Construction joined the Mayor of Sandwell and local school children for the ceremony. The centre, which will be managed by DC Leisure, includes a 25m swimming pool, learner pool, sauna and steam room, four-court sports hall, 100-station fitness suite, two dance studios, indoor cycling studio, indoor children’s adventure play centre and cafe.

Gold medallist Denise opens new functional training area EXIGO is proud to announce the completion of a new state-of-the-art functional training site at Wolverhampton University, which was officially opened by Denise Lewis OBE. The university is home to the centre of excellence for British Judo and will focus on delivering a centralised training program to the association’s junior and transition athletes. Managing director of Exigo Darren Golden said: “We were very excited to be given the opportunity to work with the university on this project and between us we have been able to create a very unique strength and conditioning site. “Over the last couple of years functional training rigs have been increasing in popularity. They are hugely versatile and provide strength and conditioning sites with countless functional training exercises. “All of the equipment was designed and manufactured in our UK factory, the fitness suite boasts the very latest Exigo MFS functional freestanding and wall mounted rigs, plate loaded strength equipment, functional flooring – including two sprint lanes and integrated lifting platforms.” Strength and conditioning coach

Nico Kolokythas added: "It has been a great pleasure to work with Exigo and we are very pleased to have chosen them for the design and creation of our brand new performance gym where British Judo is going to be based. “Together we have managed to use the space we had in the most efficient and functional way in order to cover the needs of elite performance sport and judo in particular. “Exigo has shown professionalism and reliability in the delivery of this project and they have managed to create a strong working relationship with the University of Wolverhampton.” For more information contact Exigo on 0870 8501822 or visit www.exigostrength.com

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The ultimate way to get new members into your club ... By Dave Wright I HAVE to admit…I’m lazy. And my attention span is terrible. So much so that I don’t spend time reading papers or journals as much as I’d like (Workout Magazine excluded). Instead I would sooner watch a video that can give me the information that I want in less than a few minutes. I even get the news from the BBC and Sky News Apps on my smart phone. It’s quick, it’s efficient and I can watch it with ease. And I’m not alone. You see times have changed… time is short and information is a plenty. I believe the days have gone where clubs should get really excited about their new websites, with the abundance of information about their club’s mission statement and class timetables etc. People want that information as quickly and as relevant as possible… and ideally in a format that is ‘easy’ for them to digest. Why spend 10 minutes reading about you when they can pick it up in a simple two-minute video? And that’s where the power of video comes into play. I wonder how many clubs have their own youtube channel? Or a simple

video that describes their club? You don’t need to spend a lot of money on production teams… this is something that you can easily run from your smartphone and then post to youtube in a matter of minutes. Have you got members that like your facilities? Have you got members that love your programming? Have you got members that love your staff? If so, have you got members that are willing to tell anyone about why they like your club? If so, then whip out your smartphone and then record the answer and put that on your site. That will be far more effective than long ‘blog’ posts any day. Testimonies are nothing new. The power of video testimonies with real people take recommendations to a whole new level. You don’t have to give away your pricing structure… but you can give away the atmosphere of the club. Nor does it matter if you haven’t got the nicest equipment in town – but if you can portray that you are the type of club that a person could spend their time at – then that’s half the battle. And remember that half the challenge is getting them through the door in the first place. However, for you to do it in the first place… you mustn’t be lazy… leave that up to me!

Dave Wright Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM and creator of MYZONE®, a global company with over 300 staff that have served the international fitness community for over 23 years; focusing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of ukactive and founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite). He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

Gym gets planning approval THE team behind multi award winning independent club, Ripped Gym, are celebrating after receiving planning permission for a second site in Basildon. A joint venture with sales expert Alper Kani, the new club will build on the success of the first Ripped Gym in Harlow and will include the latest in Hammer Strength equipment. Gym owner Michelle Meade explained: “We have taken the approach ‘if it’s not broke, don't fix it’. “We have people travelling from all over the UK to train at Harlow so the lessons are minor for Basildon. “We are looking at new entry systems, bigger changing rooms and things that, from experience, are going to decrease the amount of maintenance with regards to the actual gym. “We are also going to put more focus on functional training with a specific area related to that and introduce a ‘posing room’ for competitive bodybuilders.” Once the gym is up and running, members will be able to train at either site.

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England rugby league player and supporter of Play Touch Rugby League Thomas Burgess.

Rugby League seeks partners for new game THE Rugby Football League has launched a new, fast-paced, minimal-contact version of the game – and is now seeking licensed partners to deliver the programme at sports and leisure venues across the UK. Play Touch Rugby League has been piloted with huge success in the past two years, delivering all the thrill, excitement and camaraderie of the traditional game without the high impact tackling. Director of participation David Gent said: “The professional game is attracting incredibly positive attention right now thanks to the huge home crowds attending World Cup games and the millions of viewers enjoying the international action on their television screens. “We hope to use this national interest in the sport as a springboard to launch Play Touch Rugby League. We’ve had incredible feedback on the new format which will enable a much broader range of people to enjoy our sport and the physical benefits of playing regularly. We are hoping to attract delivery

partners from outside of our immediate Rugby League community. The game can be played both indoors and outdoors in an area about the same size as a five-a-side football pitch. Leisure centres with sports halls or astroturf are ideal venues. “The pilot programmes have been extremely successful, with venues regularly attracting 150 players on a weekly basis. “Play Touch Rugby League provides leisure centre operators with a significant opportunity to generate income.” Operators interested in exploring the opportunity to offer Play Touch Rugby League sessions and leagues are urged to register their interest as soon as possible. David added: “The RFL is investing significant resource in the national promotion of Play Touch Rugby League. Licensees signing up now, and in the run up to the official launch in March 2014, will benefit from this as we work together to direct players to venues across the UK.”

Gymophobics staff Jo Waldron, Louise Hyde, Zoë Cooke and Jane Maries.

Ladies bare all for charity MEMBERS and staff from a ladies only gym have stripped off for a 2014 charity calendar to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Nearly 40 ladies from Gymophobics in Redditch took part in the calendar photo shoot, with local photographer Heidi Robinson donating her services and artwork produced by local newspaper designer Jane Maries – who is also a member of staff at the gym. The calendar will be on sale in the gym and at the Redditch Standard office – priced at a minimum donation of £6 – and the team hopes to sell

1,000 copies. Gym owner Zoë Cooke said: “We decided to produce the calendar because it involved our members in a fun activity with a serious fundraising goal. Cancer seems to be affecting an ever growing number of people. We want to help fund the important research which will hopefully ensure more cancers are curable in the future.” Gymophobics has raised more than £70,000 for Cancer Research UK during the past three years by hosting a variety of fundraising events.

Lifetime Training wins award LIFETIME Training, in partnership with DC Leisure, has been named Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the 2013 Active Leisure Awards. With more than 350 DC Leisure apprentices achieving qualifications each year, Lifetime Training has now helped more than 1,800 of their team members achieve success. Operations director at Lifetime

Training Michelle Hyatt said: “This is a very significant award for us. “It’s great to be recognised for our quality of delivery and our ongoing dedication and commitment to both customers and learners. Our aim is to continue to invest in robust training and development programmes that deliver tangible business impact while creating career opportunities.”

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Technology helps Neal climb squash rankings By Christina Eccles A LONDON based personal trainer has helped to push a professional squash player 100 places up the world rankings with help from innovative MYZONE technology. David Kingsbury – owner of DKPT in London’s Mayfair – started training Neal Brooker after he joined the Professional Squash Association World Tour in September 2012. As a professional squash player, Neal’s fitness regime needs to encompass a variety of elements including speed, power, agility, flexibility and endurance. David explained: “When we first started working together, Neal’s fitness regime was mental. He was very fit, but was too tired when it came to playing matches. “We initially looked at his nutrition, but found no problems there. So, we started using MYZONE to monitor his training programme. We soon identified that Neal was overtraining and

not allowing adequate time for rest and recovery.” Using MYZONE, David was able to see exactly how hard Neal was training during the week and, therefore, the level of fatigue to expect. This gave him the resources to plan a personal programme of training and recovery organised around Neal’s competition calendar. With MYZONE tracking the intensity of all workouts and squash games, David can modify Neal’s training sessions as required and also build in vital strategies for recovery. And since working with David and MYZONE, Neal’s athletic performance has improved dramatically and he has jumped 100 places in the rankings. He added: “Together we agreed some key goals and then using MYZONE we set challenges for Neal’s pre-season conditioning. MYZONE has also been really useful for identifying when to reduce the intensity of Neal’s workouts in accordance with his training and games schedule.”

Personal trainer David Kingsbury.

Exerp secures Pure contract SOFTWARE provider Exerp has secured a contract to help affordable gym chain Pure Gym with its major expansion programme. The Copenhagen-based company, which specialises in providing software solutions for large health club chains, is to implement its centralised management system across the Pure Gym group. The chain has ambitious expansion plans, and supported by the new system from Exerp, expects to have 150 clubs in operation by 2016. IT manager at Pure Gym Andrew Forsyth said: “With the Exerp platform we are now able to expand our business without IT constraints.” The company has also recently signed an agreement with Holmes Place Europe to implement its Exerp platform in its clubs across Central Europe. The rollout of the new system will allow Holmes Place to manage and monitor all of its central European business in one system from its headquarters in Berlin. Head of sales Jacob Nathan added: “By focusing strictly on the needs of large enterprises where streamlining, control and scalability are essential, we are able to meet the increasing demands of large chains such as Pure Gym and Holmes Place Europe.”

App helps gyms to boost online sales LEISURE trust 1610 is to launch a new mobile app, enabling the operator to better connect to customers and boost online transactions. The trust will be an early adopter of Gladstone Health and Leisure's MobilePro, a smartphone app that hooks directly into the company’s Plus2 Leisure Management System. Head of marketing and communications Rebecca Sawtell explained: “We’ve chosen to be early adopters for Gladstone’s new MobilePro app because with 60 per cent of our web users now viewing our site through their mobile or tablet device – and this figure growing month on month – it has become clear that we need our own mobile app if we’re going to keep up with our customers’ needs.

“What’s great about MobilePro is that the app is fully integrated into the Gladstone system, enabling customers to access real-time information when booking and paying for classes online. It’s so quick and easy to navigate that we hope it will encourage more people to book and pay in this way, easing the pressure on our front-of-house team. “As the app can interface with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, we’re also hopeful that it will encourage more people to share content about us, as well as interacting with us on our own social media sites.” 1610 will be trialling the product at five of its larger sites, with the eventual aim of rolling it out across its portfolio of 19 leisure centres.

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Software solutions make it easier to gather feedback By Christina Eccles OPERATORS will now find it easier to gather feedback from customers, thanks to the launch of two new software solutions from Leisure-net Solutions. The first is an online comments and complaints system – feedback-Focus – which enables operators to easily keep on top of all forms of customer feedback, whether it comes in via the web, email, phone or face-to-face. By logging all comments in one place, managers can now track actions, customer comments and any resolution. Leisure-net Solutions managing director Mike Hill said “feedbackFocus will allow operators to keep track of every customer comment they receive in one place for the first time. “The software allows users to analyse all customer comments, as well as track their responses and whether the complaint/comment is resolved and in what time period.” Alongside this, Leisure-net Solutions has redeveloped its complete

Customer Insight online platform, to allow Net Promoter Score customers to ‘close the loop’ and track their engagement with people after they’ve completed the survey. The NPS asks customers just one question on a 0 to 10 rating scale: “How likely is it that you would recommend our company to a friend or colleague?” Based on their responses, customers can be categorised as Promoters (nine-10 rating), Passives (seven-eight rating) and Detractors (zero-six rating). The percentage of Detractors is subtracted from the percentage of Promoters to obtain a Net Promoter Score. Mike added: “Closing the loop will allow more dynamic recording and increase the functionality around our NPS surveys. “The new system will ensure companies can track how they’ve interacted with people after they’ve completed the NPS survey and so see if they’ve moved them up from detractors to passives or promoters.” A series of webinars is planned to demonstrate the new products.

SportSoft’s small club system a big success AS well as providing leisure management systems to local authorities and universities, SportSoft also deals with many small gyms and fitness centres. A new product has been recently created with these customers in mind. Limited to 1,000 membership records, the new system includes the standard SportSoft CRM system including features such as email merge and text messaging, plus a choice of swipe card or fingerprint recognition system. SportSoft manging director Paul Duncalf said: “The idea is to provide a system to smaller clubs on a limited budget – a system which takes care of their primary area of revenue – memberships.

“Not all clubs require online bookings, touch-screen tills and project management.” The system runs in the Cloud, so very little computer knowledge or resource is required – just a PC and a broadband connection. Paul added: “So far take-up for the new package has been keen with three new clients installed in October. “Down the line, “if clients do wish to expand the system to encompass bookings and tills, it is an easy job as it is all the same system underneath.” SportSoft have been supplying leisure management systems in the UK and Europe for over 20 years. For more information visit www.sportsoft.co.uk

Leisure operator pilots new software system New technology keeps gym’s members happy AN ANYTIME Fitness franchise is keeping members happy by offering them the latest in interactive technology. The club in Edgbaston is kitted out with a range from Precor, with the cardiovascular equipment including the supplier’s Preva networked fitness software – a cloud based system which offers a suite of tools designed to help attract, engage, motivate and support members. Franchisee Diane Vesey said: “As everyone lives on the web nowadays, Preva plays well to that strength, offering support to our members whether or not the club is staffed. “Preva Net offers access to a wide variety of internet content and Preva

Personal Accounts helps our members to keep motivated, as they can set weekly goals, track their progress, and if they miss a session it automatically recalculates remaining workouts so members can still reach their goal. It allows them to select an individual long-term focus, like losing weight or toning up. I also really like the mobile app as members can upload activities outside of the gym too, that all count towards their weekly goal. “The area around my club in Edgbaston is very competitive, so people have lots of options. “But our members really like the Precor equipment and see Preva as an added bonus that allows them to interact with the machine as well.”

NOT for profit leisure operator Freedom Leisure is piloting an innovative software system in order to streamline its GP referral services. Refer-all has been installed at its Wealden sites in Hailsham, Heathfield, Uckfield and Crowborough as a trial, with a view to extending it across the Freedom Leisure group over the next few months. Refer-all is a secure online system that submits referrals electronically to the leisure centre’s GP referral coordinator. Each patient’s progress can be logged on the system to give an ata-glance view of how they are doing. This is looped back to the referring GP who can keep an eye on their progress by viewing the ‘dashboard’ summary online. By storing the information electronically, it can also be easily cross-referenced with other medical, health and fitness data to provide a complete and detailed picture of the patient’s health.

Group sports development manager at Freedom Leisure Richard Bagwell said: “We expect Refer-all to both streamline and clarify our GP referral process. “The previous system relied on referred patients contacting us to start the process and inevitably some fell by the wayside. “The new automated Refer-all system sends us details of the referred patients electronically and we can then contact them directly making the referral route more effective by engaging their interest and motivating them if necessary to make their first appointment. “As demand increases for GP referrals, more work is created for everyone involved. “With Refer-all, once the initial form-filling has been done and submitted, the system kicks in and we take it from there and update as we progress. “It really is very straight forward and gives a precise and clear picture for all interested parties and allows us to provide detailed feedback to our referring partners.”

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FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

The Kinetics Club in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

Functional training has key role at new club FUNCTIONAL training will form a key part of the offering at a newly opened club in Towcester, Northamptonshire. The brainchild of owner Neil Clark, the Kinetics Club, which has opened with the help of Escape Fitness, has been built from scratch and equipped with the best and latest equipment the industry has to offer. Neil said: “Functional training is at the core of what we do, we love to kick things, throw things and

punch things, we love body weight exercise and we love to lift appropriate weights – our members have had a whole new way of training introduced to them and they love it. The flooring was a significant investment and was probably the single most challenging part to get right – there were so many factors involved but the support from the Escape team and their incredible professionalism and dedication ensured we have what we have today.”

Neil and awards’ guest Kym Marsh from Coronation Street.

Investment is rewarded as gym wins accolade A BURNLEY gym has been rewarded for its decision to invest in the latest functional training kit, thanks to a recent award win. St Peter’s Leisure Centre was named Functional Training Gym of the Year at Workout’s National Fitness Awards, beating off strong competition from clubs in Liverpool, Berkshire, Leicester, Coventry and Croydon. As part of the judging process, the club was commended for its innovative functional training offering, which includes the Synrgy 360x from Life Fitness. Guests on the night included Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, who is pictured here congratulating St

Peter’s facilities manager Neil Hutchinson on the club’s award. Kym said: "Congratulations Burnley Leisure on winning your well deserved award. I work out two to three times per week with a professional personal trainer, Matt Baker, and I have achieved great results. “I believe it's important to exercise and being a working mum means that it isn't easy to fit in but I make time. “I encourage everyone to exercise, the benefits that you see and feel outweigh the time it takes. “I understand what a great job Burnley Leisure does in helping people to start and stick to an exercise programme."

Award winning budget club Xercise4Less in Leeds has installed a new rig to expand its functional training offering. The rig is 15ft x 15ft and includes a range of features such as crossover monkey bars and TRX straps. The club said it believes this type of kit will be the future of functional training – and it has already had some great feedback from members.

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FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

The functional training area at Hailsham Leisure Centre.

Functional training area included in £3.1m refurb EXTENSIVE redevelopment work has now been completed at Freedom Leisure operated Hailsham Leisure Centre, with improvements including the addition of a large functional training area. A £3.1m investment from Wealden District Council and eight months of work has resulted in a totally remodelled facility, with more dedicated workout space, top-spec changing facilities and state-of-theart fitness equipment. The functional training area includes Pavigym flooring, Jordon Soft Plyometric Boxes, battling ropes, ViPRs and Kettlebells. The centre piece of the new functional zone is a Queenax Training

System, a multifunctional training frame that can be used to perform a range of exercises including suspension training, climbing, swinging, hanging, jumping and stretching. Freedom Leisure centre manager at Hailsham Leisure Centre Dominic Horner said: “Hailsham has a population of just 20,000 so we consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have such high calibre facilities. It’s no surprise that the centre has a great community atmosphere and the new facilities will only serve to strengthen this. “The additional studios will allow us to run a more varied programme of classes while the bigger gym will allow us to comfortably accommodate all our members.”

Group training rig X-Lab arrives in UK X-LAB is the new modular functional training rig system from Torque Fitness. X-Lab outperforms the competition in terms of practicality, scalability and value. Thanks to some very clever design features and its unique modular concept, X-Lab can turn almost any space into a functional training powerhouse. X-Lab has 15 standard configurations, starting with a footprint of less than 30 sqft, allowing any facility to configure its own unique training platform. Arrange the base sections and then add the training stations, which include Ground Rotational Trainer, Plyo Step, Dip Bars, Ball Target, Bag Anchor, Plyo Rebounder, Weight Stack Adjustable Pulley System, Accessory Trays and High Bars.

Up to six people can train on the 1.3S configuration at one time, giving one trainer the ability to guide small groups through a variety of workouts in a space equivalent to four treadmills. Physical Company also provides Cyclone Training programming, free of charge with purchase of XLab 1.3S and above. This provides instructors with a group training concept to follow, while allowing them to adjust the class with different stations and varying class numbers. Exercisers move around to the left after performing a drill at each station, creating a spinning cyclone of fun fitness activity. X-Lab is distributed exclusively in the UK by Physical Company. For more information visit www.physicalcompany.co.uk

Escape launches cleaning range ESCAPE Fitness has developed its own range of cleaning solutions to enhance its flooring aftercare service. Escape Sprint is a daily or weekly cleaning product that is a non-acidic, low alkaline to remove general dirt or spills while being kind to the floor surfaces and non-damaging to materials. Escape Power is a periodic cleaner and heavy duty solution for a deep clean and use on heavily soiled areas in the gym. International flooring project manager Paul Lipscombe said: “The

launch of our own brand cleaning solution is another step forward for Escape Fitness and clearly illustrates the complete service we provide to our customers. “We recognise that investment in flooring is a major commitment for many facilities. “However, caring for this investment will provide years of quality and reliable performance. “This range of cleaning solutions is designed to ensure the appearance and durability of any floor will be maintained over a long life cycle.”

A dedicated functional training area is among the improvements at the newly refurbished Dearne Valley Leisure Club. The club has installed Life Fitness’ Synrgy360XS system, which provides four distinctive training spaces for users to work out in. The fitness village will also be the first leisure facility in South Yorkshire to provide members with access to innovative tablet console, Discover. Head of leisure at Doncaster Culture and Leisure Trust Kraig Kelly said: “We are thrilled to be housing the latest Life Fitness equipment at the revamped Dearne Valley Leisure Centre.”

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FUNCTIONAL FITNESS

ATP World Tour Finals use Cybex systems CYBEX’S Bravo Functional Training System combines the best aspects of selectorised and cablebased strength training equipment to offer facilities and their users simple, safe operation, expanded functionality and better results. The series comprises the Bravo Press, Pull and Lift, Bravo All-InOne and the new Bravo Pro and offers hundreds of movements in a single space-efficient machine. Its unique Progressive Stabilisation system allows users to incrementally modify the stabilisation provided and the Cable Width Adjustment results in a wide range of height and width configurations. Popular with individuals of all training interests and abilities, from regular gymgoers to elite athletes, the Bravo was recently installed at the onsite gym for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2. ATP World Tour medical director Clay Sniteman said: “Cable based training is perfect for tennis players as it accounts for the multidirectional motion required for the sport. “By using the CYBEX Bravo, players benefit hugely from the range of motion, angles and also stability work, being able to isolate parts of the body during their workouts and target the weaker areas from abdominals to core, back to shoulders and even lower body.” For more information visit www.cybexintl.com

Life Fitness launches three configurations LIFE Fitness is making its multi-purpose training system Synrgy360 more accessible with three new customisable, modular configurations. New smaller configurations include the Synrgy360XM, which gives facilities a bold option including six available training spaces that can accommodate multiple users per space. The Synrgy360XS features four distinct training spaces and the Synrgy360T configuration is the smallest and allows for placement against a wall. All the Synrgy360 models have the ability to be connected to each other with the new cable crossover boom, which gives facilities new

flexibility in product layout and creates additional training options between units with an overhead bar that supports suspension training. Vice president of global marketing and product development Dan Wille said: “The Life Fitness Synrgy360 and synergy training model that we introduced drew interest from facilities of all types around the world. “To accommodate the demand for equipment that would suit both large and small facilities, we’ve continued to develop new configurations that will support ranging training needs.” For more information visit www.lifefitness.com

Mark holds workshops at Sole Fitness JORDAN Fitness training academy manager Mark Laws attended independent club Sole Fitness in Leicester to hold a series of functional training workshops, created in partnership with Cybex. After a recent installation of a wall rig from Cybex, which is equipped with a large range of Jordan Fitness functional equipment, Mark was invited to demonstrate how to get the best from this space. The workshops included Kettlebells, Jungle Gym XT suspension systems, Medicine Balls, Core Plate and Power Bands. Mark said: “I was really pleased to be invited by Rob Thurston from Cybex to come along and teach these workshops. “It’s great to see a gym with a huge bodybuilding background adopting some functional training methods to add to the service they can provide to their customers. “This is a really well run gym that has a great deal to offer, they thoroughly deserved their shortlisted nomination in the Newcomer of the Year category at this year’s National

Mark Laws leading a workshop at Sole Fitness in Leicester. Fitness Awards.” Cybex UK commercial director Rob Thurston added: “We’ve worked closely with Jordan Fitness for a number of years, delivering REPs accredited courses and training workshops to Cybex customers across the UK. “As one of our UK showcase sites, Sole Fitness was the perfect location

for the recent functional fitness workshops, which were very well received by all who attended. “It’s a great facility with a fantastic range of equipment catering to all training interests and abilities and the workshops ensure staff and members are able to make best use of the equipment available.”

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NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Regional Gym of the Year: North: Gambaru Fitness, Harrogate Judge’s Comments: “Everything about Gambaru Fitness reflects the ethos of independent gyms. It is a real inspiring story of a club that sets

examples for others to follow. “The spirit of leadership is in evidence – it is clean, interactive, inspirational and an example for all – most definitely a winner.”

Regional Gym of the Year: South: Winners 2000 Fitness Ltd, Newton Abbot Judge’s Comments:

“The club won last year and it’s easy to see it winning again this year.The driving force of the owners is without doubt the reason for their success.”

“The sheer energy of their submission is overpowering.

Regional Gym of the Year: Midlands and Wales: Velocity Health and Fitness, Coventry Judge’s Comments: “My decision for this is based on how the manager has embraced the team effort and turned the business around during a 16

month period. “The club looks clean, orderly and vibrant. It also demonstrates leadership, innovation and pride.”

Budget Gym of the Year: Xercise4Less, Leeds Judge’s Comments: “A very impressive club, successfully managing to break down one of the biggest barriers to exercise – cost. “The wide range of facilities cater to all cross sections of the community from stu-

dents, to strength and combat enthusiasts and women who prefer to work out in the dedicated ladies only section. “It would be hard to find another club which offers so much for such a small price.”

Ladies Only Gym of the Year: Gymophobics Redditch

Health Club of the Year: Health and Leisure Club at Ribby Hall Village, Preston

Judge’s Comments:

“An innovative club which is focused on ensuring current members are really happy, as well as doing their bit for the local community through charity events,

school events and work with the local mental health team. “Much more than just a gym. It was very clear they make a huge impact on members’ happiness, not just their fitness levels.”

“As well as being a holiday village, Ribby Hall focuses massively on its members and keeping them happy, with a stunning new gym and members’ only swimming pool – complete with sauna and steam room –

alongside the main leisure pools. “The owners are constantly heavily investing in the site and the bar has also undergone a major £250,000 development to create the perfect social hub for that after class drink or meal.”

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NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Strength Training Gym of the Year: Physique Warehouse, West Molesey Judge’s Comments: “It’s clear to me that this gym wins hands down.

“It has cut no corners in ensuring its members are provided with expert knowledge and the passion from the owner clearly shines through.”

Best Rehabilitation Facility of the Year: The Health Hub, Stockport Judge’s Comments: “A unique facility whose main purpose is to rehabilitate those with a range of long standing, limiting illnesses to better manage their health. “The gym has no mirrors apart from in a small free weights area and even has a sep-

arate closed area for those who feel uncomfortable exercising in a normal gym environment. “The facility also owns the Alter G anti-gravity treadmill which reduces body weight, enabling clients to literally 'train without the pain'.”

Best Hotel Facility: Norton House Health Club and Spa, Edinburgh Judge’s Comments: “Manager David Gordon and his team have put together a gym – using the latest Technogym equipment – that you would expect to see in a David Lloyd or Nuffield, but on a much smaller scale to suit their size of members. “He’s also introduced extras, such as

monthly challenges for members to get involved in, and has turned the studio where classes are held into a functional training zone for when it is not in use. “The facility itself offers everything you would expect from a top end spa. Clearly what David is doing is working because the membership has risen since he took over.”

Combat Zone Gym of the Year: Chokdee Academy, York Judge’s Comments: “This facility, although small in comparison to others in this category, offers everything they have and more.

“The testimonials speak for themselves and it’s clear this club doesn't only make a difference to people’s fitness but also to their lives and wellbeing.”

Newcomer of the Year: Rigs Fitness, Kings Heath Judge’s Comments: “I love the value they place on their brand and not pricing their services to compete with the competition, but believing you get

what you pay for. “Their belief in offering something different and extra, people are obviously buying into.”

Customer Service Award: Stringer's Gym, Truro Judge’s Comments: “The majority of members pay their fees monthly by cash or cheque. “Owner Ian accepts it is not the most efficient system but it makes it more personal and means every member has regular

contact with staff. “What this gym lacks in the latest, greatest kit, it more than makes up for with its relaxed, helpful environment. Stringers is carving out a niche that sets it apart from the rest.”

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NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Community Involvement: Inverclyde Leisure, Greenock Judge’s Comments: “It’s very difficult to think of anything more Inverclyde Leisure could actually do for the local community.The dedicated and enthusiastic team must work all hours because there is so much going on. “A nice touch is that for every event, the

team has special T-shirts printed for those members who enter to give them that feeling of belonging to something.The centre is truly at the hub of the local community, as its partnerships with local businesses, sports teams, the NHS and charities shows. The effort put in by staff is incredible.”

Gym Team of the Year: The Core Fitness and Wellbeing Centre, Falmouth Judge’s Comments: “Nothing tests a team’s cohesion and loyalty like a crisis and the Core team certainly faced that. “Moving premises is a stressful process anyway so when their relocation plans fell through days before they were due to

move and the captain of the ship was wheelchair bound following surgery, they were faced with a very challenging situation. “The team clearly have a strong purpose behind them and worked together brilliantly to ensure the gym could continue to operate in (owner) Helen’s absence.”

Functional Training Gym of the Year: St Peter’s Leisure Centre, Burnley Judge’s Comments: “The management team are reaping the rewards from making a brave decision to make the Synrgy 360x the centrepiece of their gym.

“The kit brings the place to life, but to make it work, management needed support from the staff. Involving them in every part of the process has ensured they are on board and interaction between staff and members has increased massively.”

Member Achievement: Jaina Mistry, The Engine Room Fitness Centre, Leicester Judge’s Comments: “Joining a gym and getting fit when you haven't trained in a while is hard enough,

but Jaina has had to overcome more obstacles than most, being 90 per cent blind and having health problems.”

Gym Based Personal Trainer of the Year: Adam Stansbury, Winners 2000 Fitness Ltd Judge’s Comments: “Adam’s attention to detail in his application felt genuinely reflective of his dedication and passion for his role as a trainer. “He has clearly invested in his own education, led from the front, passed his knowl-

edge on to others to help raise standards within the industry and seemingly remained humble with it. “He has provided proof of impressive results and is clearly an integral part of the team in which he works.”

Lifetime Achievement: Ian Kendall, MD, Health and Leisure Solutions LLP Judge’s Comments: "Ian has devoted many years to our industry and is a hugely-respected figure – I

think the rousing reception he received when he came up on stage is testament to the fact that he is a very worthy and popular winner."

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