Workout UK January 2017 by Script Media

January 2017

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Ballymena gym is first Irish winner of top accolade By Christina Eccles SCOTT McGarry Health and Fitness was crowned the first ever Northern Irish winner of National Gym of the Year at the 2016 National Fitness Awards, which celebrated the successes of clubs and individuals all around the country. The club – situated in Ballymena – was also named Regional Gym of the Year Northern Ireland at the event, organised in partnership with Workout and headline sponsor ServiceSport, and taking place at the Athena in Leicester. Hosted by four-time world champion boxer Ricky Hatton and fitness entrepreneur and former star of The Apprentice Katie BulmerCooke, the evening saw over 20 trophies handed out to winners including Ironmasters Gym in Gloucestershire, which scooped the Community Involvement Award, Gym 64 in Dunfermline – crowned Regional Gym of the Year Scotland and JD Gyms in Liverpool – named Budget Gym of the Year. Inspirational gym member Karen Biricz from Batley Sports and Tennis Centre was also posthumously recognised with the Member Achievement Award; celebrating the thousands of pounds she raised for charity and her efforts in inspiring

fellow members. National Gym of the Year winner Scott McGarry – who was also named runner up in the Gym Based Personal Trainer of the Year Category – said: “Being involved and hearing our name called out alongside the UK’s top fitness industry names is a great feeling, so we were extremely proud to win Best Regional Gym Northern Ireland and qualify for the national award. “To hear our names called out for the biggest award of the night tops off another momentous year for us all at SMHF and Gladiator Training.” National Fitness Awards’ event director Judith Halkerston added: “This year’s winners should be very very proud – the high standard of entries made it a tough job to select a final shortlist never mind a winner and runner-up in each category. “Our awards’ night was a great celebration of the fitness industry as a whole and it was great to see so many gyms represented at the event. “We’re already looking forward to the 2017 National Fitness Awards, so watch this space for more details and nominations opening in the near future.” n For a full round up of all the winners and action from the 2016 National Fitness Awards – and the daytime conference – see inside this issue.

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Prevention project for gym-goers

Award winning independent gym owner Steve Johnson was the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award, awarded to an individual who has dedicated their life to the industry. He said: “I have had some ups and downs in life but also achieved some great things on my journey in fitness. This is the pinnacle that someone like me could ever dream of achieving. I thank everyone involved in the awards and the people that deemed me worthy of receiving something so special. This will be cherished more than you could ever know. Although this award is a Lifetime Achievement award, I can assure everyone that I see this as the start and not the end of my impact in the fitness industry.”

GYMGOERS and amateur athletes are being targeted by a European-wide project to prevent the use of performance enhancing drugs. The project – SAFE YOU+: Strengthening the anti-doping fight in fitness and exercise in youth – is targeting young exercisers aged 16-25 years old with an educational tool to help them resist doping use. The project is led in the UK by Sheffield Hallam University and Kingston University, with Aristotle University taking the European-wide lead. It follows on from the successful project SAFE YOU. The SAFE YOU tool is an online educational resource, jointly developed by expert scientists and young exercisers in the UK and four other European countries. This second phase of the project will develop the tool further to help bridge the gap between recreational and competitive sport. By using the tools, exercisers across Europe can improve their knowledge about the myths and realities of doping use and learn how to make informed decisions.

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Invest time in your online presence, suggests Katie By Olivia Taylor FITNESS entrepreneur Katie BulmerCooke has encouraged fitness professionals to invest time in their online presence. The star of The Apprentice told delegates at the National Fitness Conference at Leicester Tigers Stadium how they can utilise social media to their advantage; attracting new customers and keeping current ones happy. She said: “We’ve all seen the adverts on the TV. Your bank is attracting new customers by giving them money to switch – you can do that too. “If you want to target new customers, Facebook allows you to create an ad exclusively for people

that don’t like your Facebook page.” Katie encouraged delegates to take the time to get out their laptops and ‘play’ with their business’ social media settings. She also told them to judge their client base and choose the social media sites that appeal to them the most. She added: “It’s all about picking which social media platforms are used by your target audience. You need to be on Facebook, then you need to pick another platform that appeals to your demographic. “Once you’ve cracked that, then think about other social media platforms, don’t try and spread yourself too thinly.” The fitness trainer and speaker

“People will tell me that they haven’t got time for social media and my answer is always if you haven’t got time, then maybe your competitors have. You should find time.” Everyone Active has won the Organisational Fundraiser of the Year Award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2016. The operator has supported Anthony Nolan since March 2015 after two members of staff received stem cell transplants. To date, Everyone Active has raised over £130,000 to date, smashing the initial target of £100,000 set when the company chose Anthony Nolan as its first national charity partner. Everyone Active’s associate director, Ben Beevers, said: “We’re thrilled to have won Organisational Fundraiser of the Year at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards. Thousands of people have been given a second chance of life by Anthony Nolan, and we’re proud to support them in any crazy way we can.”

let delegates into her social media secrets, encouraging them to engage with their clients with video and live streaming. She added: “Facebook Live is a tool that lets us show our potential customers exactly what they can expect. “It shows them that they wont be the biggest or the most unfit person in the gym. “When using Facebook Live, remember not to waffle, and please don’t hold the camera so everyone can see up your nose!” The main point Katie wanted listeners to take from her seminar was social media is a must when it comes to building a successful business. She added: “People will tell me that they haven’t got time for social media and my answer is always if you haven’t got time, then maybe your competitors have. You should find time.”

Katie Bulmer-Cooke

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Imperial Wharf, which opened in May, has now become ONE LDN, with a focus on providing a wide choice of studio classes, alongside a cutting edge gym.

Gym rebrands to better reflect its offering By Christina Eccles A LONDON based gym has undergone a re-brand, designed to better reflect its offering and build on the club’s successful first few months in business. Alex Fitness, which opened at Imperial Wharf in May, has become ONE LDN, with a focus on providing the widest choice of studio classes, alongside a cutting edge gym. ONE LDN provides a fully flexible approach to membership, allowing Londoners to take control of how they train. There are no contracts, so visitors can choose from various monthly memberships or pay-as-yougo drop-in options that best suit their training needs. The gym, in the heart of Fulham and Chelsea, has five studios covering

MMA and Boxing, Flex and Core, Cycle, Strength and Conditioning and HIIT. These sit alongside a high tech gym floor offering the latest in cardio and resistance equipment, linked to the latest fitness cloud technology and high performance free weights area. ONE LDN founder Evgenia Koroleva said: “I was fed up with paying for both a lengthy gym contract, where classes were simply not good enough, as well as various studios just to get the workout quality I wanted. This was coupled with all the time wasted having to travel between multiple locations. “As Londoners, we are increasingly demanding and time poor. We need it all now – the best facilities, the best range of classes, the best instructors

and fast results that slot perfectly into our busy work schedule and come at no sacrifice to our social life. That’s how the idea of a no-compromise gym was born. “We’ve focused on the five most prevalent areas of fitness, with classes that deliver real results, picking out the best instructors in each field. It became clear from very early on that we had created a strong niche in the market with our offering for athlete level training and a no-compromise fitness experience. “While we embrace the latest trends, we don’t rely on tapping into the latest fads or gimmicks to differentiate ourselves. Our focus and expertise lies in strength and high intensity athlete level training because we know that these deliver

real results. “We chose ONE as the brand because it is incredibly simple yet extraordinarily powerful, reflecting everything that we stand for – the best classes, with the best instructors and the best equipment, all under one roof. Importantly, the brand also emphasises a sense of inclusivity and community which is at our very core and, again, separates us from the rest.” In addition to its regular class timetable, ONE LDN also hosts monthly events, including yoga takeovers, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu selfdefence workshops, Muay Thai masterclasses and Strength and Conditioning competitions. All events are open to guests, as well as existing members.

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Training scheme has helped turn my life around, says Danny By Christina Eccles

Brooklands Barn in West Sussex.

New series of wellbeing retreats launched by nutrition company SUSSEX based health and nutrition company ShoreBeing has launched a new series of wellbeing retreats. The first one is set to take place in February at Brooklands Barn in West Sussex; offering a range of activities such as Vinyasa Flow and Scaravelli yoga sessions, mindfulness practice, meditation and guided walks through the surrounding countryside. Throughout their stay, guests will enjoy freshly prepared and creative vegetarian meals. Founder of ShoreBeing, Hannah

March, said: “I received lots of requests for running weekend retreats and am now very excited to be in a position to launch our first event. “This will be part of a series of ShoreBeing Retreats, which will include a variety of programmes, residential retreats, day retreats and health workshops to ensure there is something to suit everyone. Our retreats will provide guests with the opportunity to improve their emotional wellbeing, physical health and enhance focus and creativity.”

Operator signs up to Charter PLACES for People Leisure has joined over 200 sport and recreation organisations by signing up to the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation. The Charter sets out how sport can use its collective power to tackle mental ill health and the stigma that surrounds it. CEO of Places for People Leisure,

Sandra Dodd, said: “By signing the Charter we recognise our responsibility in helping to raise awareness of mental health and by putting procedures in place we want to make sure that everyone feels welcome to come and be a part of the activities we offer so that the true benefit of sport can be experienced by all.”

A FATHER of two has transformed his life, going from unemployed to senior fitness coach, thanks to a training scheme offered by Life Leisure. Danny Drayson struggled at secondary school and dropped out at the age of 16. After that he tried a number of jobs with family and friends or on schemes, but never had a contracted role, and was often without a job for sustained periods of time. During one of his times out of work he started attending gym sessions at Life Leisure and caught the fitness bug. He said: “I really enjoyed the sessions, so much so that I started seeing physical and mental changes in myself. My shape and fitness improved and I felt much happier.” When he found out about Life Leisure’s Motivator Scheme – which offers nationally recognised qualifications – he jumped at the chance to take part. To start out on the scheme Danny applied to do a minimum of eight hours voluntary work at Life Leisure. Initially this automatically gave him free membership at all their facilities. Once he had been volunteering for three months, he qualified to receive certified training in his chosen area – fitness instruction. Life Leisure funds those on the Motivator Scheme through these qualifications in return for the continued voluntary work which also gives all volunteers ‘on-the-job’ experience. Danny added: “Not only did it allow me to get work experience through the volunteering, but it also offered the prospect of recognised qualifications and a clear career path. I feel incredibly lucky that I was able to take that opportunity.

Danny Drayson “When someone walks through that gym door, I know it could have taken them 20 years to pluck up the courage to do it. “The first person they meet and interact with is usually an instructor and if that experience isn’t welcoming, supportive and happy, it might mean they never come in again. I love having that responsibility. I honestly don’t think any other career would give me that job satisfaction. “If it wasn’t for Life Leisure giving me that initial break and working with me, I would probably be in a dead end job, unhappy and lacking in confidence. Instead, I have the best job in the world, I’ve been able to provide for my family and move to a new house. I couldn’t be happier.”

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Kell Brook and Lord Mayor Denise Fox.

Boxer opens sports centre A SPORTS centre which underwent a transformation worth almost £1m has been officially opened by champion boxer Kell Brook. Wisewood Sports Centre has been overhauled by operator Places for People Leisure, which also runs Sheffield’s newly-built leisure centres at Graves and Thorncliffe. The old gym floor has been expanded to four times its original size and has brand-new equipment, while the changing rooms, reception area and fitness studio have also undergone a facelift. A plaque was unveiled by Kell Brook and the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, coun Denise Fox, to mark the opening. He said: “I’m extremely pleased to be here at the official opening of this impressive facility. “I’ve grown up in Sheffield and it’s great to see places like Wisewood Sports Centre opening up even more opportunities for Sheffielders to get more active and enjoy a love of sports.”

Gym making its mark by covering all bases By Olivia Taylor AN Oxford gym is making its mark on the local area, priding itself on having something for everyone. Feel Fit Gym is the biggest gym in the city and is covering all bases when it comes to fitness, with a spa, MMA facilities and a holistic nutrition bar. Marketing manager Dominic Conte said: “We decided to take the all round approach because gyms are getting so big now. “It doesn’t matter any more how much equipment your gym’s got, everyone else has equipment too – you need to have something different.” The facility offer members a range of different fitness options, from functional training, to Spinning and access to a state of the art gym and class timetable. Dominic added: “In the industry now you need to be unique, when you come to Feel Fit Gym it’s about that unique kind of experience.” To tap into the women’s only market and gain more members, Feel Fit Gym recently introduced a ladies’ only floor above existing mixed facilities. Installing a range of Matrix cardio,

Feel Fit Gym in Oxford promises something for everyone. strength and functional training come and not feel embarrassed or products, the gym has since seen a intimidated. boost in female memberships. “It was a gamble, but there’s Gym manager Eddie Igweh added: nowhere like us in Oxford, so it was “Our female members weren’t more of an educated punt. And it’s lasting long and we realised that really paid off, which is great for us. perhaps the main gym was a little “It was important for us that the intimidating for them. We also have gym wasn’t just a room full of old members who for religious reasons, equipment, we wanted it to be prefer to workout in a more private actually be a gym they could use. area. Now our female members can “You see it so many times, train on either floor, even taking something is marketed as a ladies advantage of our Olympic platform only gym, but really it’s a room with in the main gym. We also have cardio equipment. Ours isn’t like studios for classes, a spin studio that.” and a beauty therapy suite. The club is now looking to Dominic added: “We realised that introduce holistic therapies into the there was the market for the type club, to emphasise their all round of ladies gym where people could approach to health and fitness.

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‘Learn from the boutique trend’ By Olivia Taylor

“Music Free Moves“ sessions are being tried at Trinity Sports and Leisure.

Quiet sessions trialled at gym AN EXPERIMENTAL ‘quiet gym” session is being trialled in Bridgwater, Somerset following requests from some customers who want to work out in a quiet and peaceful environment. The “Music Free Moves” sessions are being tried at Trinity Sports and Leisure and if successful could be launched in the New Year. The sessions will run at lunchtimes and staff hope they could prove especially beneficial to older people who have impaired hearing and to people on the Autistic spectrum who are sensitive to noise and have difficulty processing sensory information. While customers can still listen to their own music on headphones while working out, the gym floor at the leisure centre will be kept quiet and music free.

General tannoy announcements will also be stopped during this time. The “quiet gym” follows a trend by supermarkets and retailers elsewhere in the UK who have trialled “quiet hours” in their stores so shoppers can enjoy a music free environment. 1610 health development manager, Amanda Godsell, said: “Modern life means we are constantly bombarded by noise and music and it means we are never given a chance to rest our brains from relentless stimulation. “This can be problematic for many older people with hearing difficulties or for people with Autism who can be distressed by constant noise. “We will monitor the response from customers and then review whether we should introduce “quiet gym” sessions permanently at Trinity and elsewhere within the 1610 leisure centre network.”

FITNESS consultant Dean Hodgkin has urged operators to learn from the boutique fitness trend. Gym owners and managers at the 2016 National Fitness Conference were told what they could do to up their game when it came to competition from fitness boutiques. Dean said: “Sometimes we’re struggling to get £20 a month membership sales and these boutique classes are charging £25 a session, why?” Boutique facilities have an average retention rate of 62 per cent where as gyms average at only a 50 per cent retention rate. Dean believes that the main reason for this is member interaction and communication. He added: “87 per cent of members want to be spoken to and only 37 per cent are. In some of these boutique gyms we’ve got instructors that welcome you in to the class and give you a hi-five on the way out. This is certainly the rise of the rock star instructor. “If you’ve got a spare five minutes you can either talk to a member or you can clean a treadmill. That being said, why on earth have we got fitness instructors in gyms still cleaning treadmills?” Dean told delegates a good way to

encourage friendships within the gym is to promote group exercise to members. He added: “Group exercise is good because it creates routine. Once someone has finished an exercise class, they’re already thinking about the next one. “For some reason we’ve got it into our heads that one-to-one personal training is better than group exercise, but that’s wrong, all the statistics say it’s wrong.” Fitness has become fashionable, and boutique clubs use this as a marketing tool to attract new clients by making them feel like they’re part of a fitness family. Dean added: “You’re kidding yourself if you don’t believe that fitness is in fashion, boutiques don’t talk about fitness, they talk about the results of fitness, for example they’ll say ‘come and train with us if you want to look like this on a Saturday night.’ “Boutique clubs really hit on the idea of feeling like you belong to something. I know we always say it but we need to start and talk to our members.” n Do you go above and beyond to make your members feel like they’re part of a family? We want to hear from you. Get in touch: ot@scriptmedia. co.uk

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‘Evolve or die’ advises panel By Olivia Taylor A PANEL of tech-savvy industry professionals are taking an ‘evolve or die’ attitude towards technology in fitness. The 2016 National Fitness Conference saw delegates gather to take hints and tips from a ‘trends in technology’ panel discussion. Panellist and head of leisure at Inverclyde Leisure, David McCorkindale, said: “I’ve worked in this industry for over 20 years and it’s amazing how far technology has come, we’ve all got no choice but to evolve with that.” Speaker and founder of GymCube. com, Kevin Foster-Wiltshitre made the jump from personal trainer to online only when he saw a gap in the market. He urged listeners to research what inexpensive technology can best help them before they spend money. He said: “When I went from being a personal trainer to online only I made a lot of mistakes, and I spent a lot of money, I’d tell people to actually find out what’s on offer first. “I spent money on streaming software and now I use mainly Facebook and YouTube, and they cost hardly anything at all.”

Free technology is there to be utilised and shouldn’t be feared, according to panel chair and customer experience manager at MyZone, Jamie Cartwright, who added: “Our lives are being affected by technology on a daily basis whether we like it or not. “For me technology is there to make things easier. If it’s making things complex then it’s not doing the job it’s supposed to.” Heart monitoring system MyZone is used as a communication tool by Mickii Edwards in his Weight Loss Academy and he spoke to delegates about how the technology helps him understand his disabled members. He added: “We have severely disable people that come into our gym, and sometimes they find it hard to even communicate, but technology like MyZone can communicate for me, and I can see how they’re feeling by looking at their heart rate.” The main message David gave to delegates was to ensure their staff are in tune with technology. “You need to get your staff on board with tech too. If they’re not buying into the technology aspect, they’re not the right staff for your facility.”

Paralympic swimmer Alice Tai has visited the recently opened BH Live Active facility in Corfe Mullen to check out the pool and hear how the operator is helping people of all ages enjoy physical activity. BH Live acquired the lease for the venue in January 2016 and following a substantial investment programme, the centre reopened in November. The gym now features the latest, high-tech gym and studio equipment, the full Les Mills class programme and a 23m swimming pool. Alice said: “It’s great to see the pool now ready for the whole community to use with a programme to encourage lots more people to get into the water.”

Organisations to join forces

SWIMMING Nature has joined forces with Future Fit Training to implement quality assurance across its suite of training courses. Over the past year, the two organisations have worked in partnership with the common aim of raising standards and developing quality assured training and skills development for swimming teachers. Future Fit Training has also helped to create a new professional development mentoring programme for all Swimming Nature teachers to ensure staff are kept continually up-to-date with the latest regulations and processes. Founder and CEO for Swimming

Nature Eduardo Ferré said: “As the largest independent provider of personalised swimming tuition, we want to ensure all of our staff are trained to the highest standard possible, which is why we chose to work with Future Fit Training to develop a kite mark for quality assured swimming instruction and training for our staff. “At Swimming Nature our vision is for everyone to be able to swim beautifully. “By ensuring our staff are all trained to the highest standard, we hope to raise standards across the industry and engage more people in the enjoyment of swimming.”

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Olympian reveals how gyms can support young athletes By Christina Eccles

Former Miss World Rosanna Davison has been named as the ambassador for Matt Fiddes’ ladies only kickboxing programme. Rosanna is also a respected nutritional therapist, with her own successful cookery book Eat Yourself Beautiful. She said: “The classes are really fun and this makes you more inclined to keep going to get the results you are looking for. On top of this the classes have boosted my self confidence. This is one of the main reasons I want to share the Ladies Only Kickboxing system with other women.” Matt Fiddes is pictured with Rosanna Davison.

OLYMPIAN Colin Jackson has revealed how gyms can play their part in supporting up and coming sporting talent. Colin is an ambassador for Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions scheme, which helps talented young athletes achieve success by offering them gold, silver or bronze tiers of sponsorship. The sponsorship can include funding for equipment and travel to competitions, as well as membership to Everyone Active centres; allowing the athletes to use the clubs to help with their training. Colin said: “I think it’s really important for us to support our athletes – both those who are current stars and the next generation of sporting greats. “There are lots of ways that support can be given, and access to first class facilities is key. Having that clean, welcoming and supportive environment when you’re spending so much time training there makes a big difference. “Financial support can help athletes in any number of ways, from allowing them access to nutritional advisors, physios, supporting with travel costs and funding the pieces of kit that they need for their sport.” Colin also told Workout other gyms could help out athletes in a similar

Colin Jackson way; advising them to work with local sports clubs to encourage talent through the doors of their facilities. He added: “Supporting young sporting talent is key to ensuring we as a nation continue to represent and do well at sport, as well as motivating people coming into an Everyone Active centre just to keep active. “Seeing athletes training and using the facilities offers encouragement for all levels, from Olympic stars to those looking to run their first 5k. “I’d encourage [operators] to look at their local groups and sports clubs, and steer them towards their fitness centres – offer as much

encouragement as possible to those who show potential and build connections with local sporting stars. “It’s hugely inspirational to both staff and members to get talented athletes through the doors.” Colin was also one of the guests at Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions event in London, which was also attended by athletes on the scheme – including Max Whitlock and Jade Jones – and provided the chance to celebrate their sporting achievements, as well as unveil the long-term plans of the programme in the run up to Tokyo 2020. Everyone Active has pledged to invest a further £1m into the scheme over the next four years, with the aim of having another 500 athletes signed up by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Everyone Active’s regional director and chairman of the scheme, Duncan Jefford, added: “We have long been committed to providing support for talented athletes across the country. “When we established Everyone Active Sporting Champions, we aimed to continue this support and ensure that everyone has the chance to fulfil their potential. “We look forward to working together with our ambassadors and supporters to further strengthen the Sporting Champions package and encourage our next generation of sporting stars.”

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

This month’s top Tweets...

Picture of the month

@WeAreRebelCycle‬: Thank you ‪@bodymehealth for the sample at ‪@FitConference yesterday. Very yummy.

@SportsCentreGCS‬: We attended fab conference ‪@ FitConference would definitely go again ‪#Leicester @LeicesterTigers‬: Great to see Ricky Hatton speaking at the ‪@FitConference ‪@ FitnessAwards at Welford Road today ‪#champ @PromotePR‬: Brilliant key note speech from ‪@ HitmanHatton this afternoon at ‪@FitConference ‪#rickyhatton ‪#NFA16 @uniquefitnesss: ‪@ FitnessAwards‪ We had a brilliant night, all really enjoyed it. Thank you‬. @CadburyHouse‬: So delighted that our fabulous ‪@ theclubcadbury won Health Club of the Year at the ‪@ FitnessAwards ‪#awardwinning ‪#health ‪#fitness ‪#no1 @SportsArt_UK‬: Had a wonderful night at the National ‪@FitnessAwards! Shoutout to Dennis and Rob from ‪@ FireFitnessUk. Thanks for joining us! ‪#YourBestSelf @MitchLawrencePT‬: Great evening last night at the National Fitness Awards. Thank you ‪@FitnessAwards for putting on such a great night. Hopefully be back soon! @TheEdgeLeeds‬: No wins this year but very proud to be shortlisted in both categories! Thanks to all our staff and fantastic members. ‪@ FitnessAwards @PhysicalCompany‬: A huge congratulations to ‪@ solan_fitness on winning ‘Gym Team of the Year’ tonight ‪#NFAs ‪#ProudSponsors ‪@ FitnessAwards @vision_stocky‬: Hope everyone is having a great evening at ‪@FitnessAwards. Gutted we can’t be there. Good luck to everyone nominated. You’re all winners! @BenCoomber‬: The ‪@ WorkOutUK Mag National Fitness Awards last night was very impressive, so glad I went and top people.

Shortlisted National Fitness Awards’ gyms, sponsors and special guests gathered for a VIP drinks reception ahead of the big night in Leicester. The event took place at the Clubhouse at Leicester Tigers Stadium and gave finalists the chance to network with each other before the evening awards at the nearby Athena. Celebrating with the finalists were specially invited guests including NFA hosts Ricky Hatton and Katie Bulmer-Cooke and judges Mark Laws, David McCorkindale and Steve Johnson.

Editor’s Comment ONE of the highlights of our calendar is the National Fitness Conference and Awards; a day where we can enjoy the culmination of months of hard work and celebrate the end of another successful year in the industry which we all love. And the 2016 event was no exception. Kicking off with the conference at Leicester Tigers, it was great to see so many of you there enjoying our speakers and the chance to look around our exhibition space. We’ve had some lovely feedback about the conference and, as always, we’re always looking to build on the success of our events, so if you have any comments about what you’d like to see next year, we’d love to hear them. We then moved from the conference rooms into the Clubhouse for our VIP drinks reception, which gave us the opportunity to network with some of our finalists, sponsors and special guests ahead of the evening awards. A big thank you to everyone who came along to that – we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. After a quick change, we headed to

the Athena for our favourite night of the year. At each National Fitness Awards, we are blown away by the standard of finalists and this year we had some exceptional winners – a big well done to you all. A particularly special moment for all of us was watching Steve Johnson pick up his Lifetime Achievement award. It was genuinely emotional seeing his reaction and also how well received the win was by everyone in the room – a very well deserved award. A massive thank you to everyone who came along this year, including our judges and sponsors, and also to our hosts Katie and Ricky for doing such an amazing job. We’re already thinking about next year, so watch this space for announcements in the New Year! As always, thank you for your support of the magazine in 2016. All the Workout team would like to wish our readers a very happy and healthy year ahead – and we’ll look forward to hearing your news in 2017!

Christina Eccles

This month’s hot topic:

Are you planning a New Year refurbishment in your gym? Let us know how you’re revamping your facility for 2017 and you could appear in our refurbishment feature next issue. Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue.

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The Old Swan and Minster Mill in Oxfordshire has opened a new garden spa. Facilities include an indoor plunge pool, poolside rock sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain and tropical rainforest showers. The three treatment suites include a dual treatment room, complete with walk-in double shower, with ESPA treatments on offer to both hotel guests and non-residents.

FitSpace becomes Better Gym THE budget gym sites formally run by FitSpace have become Better Gym, the customer brand of GLL. The gyms – including sites in Bournemouth, Bradford, Lincoln and Sheffield – were taken over on December 1 and bring the present number of standalone Better Gyms to 17. The Better Gyms will reach out to engage the local community through wider access, targeting younger, older and less traditional gym users so more people can benefit from affordable access to high quality and structured physical activity.

MD of GLL, Mark Sesnan, said: “The growing network of Better Gyms brings a fresh name to the high street and proves that a charity can compete very successfully with the private sector in leisure. “Better still, instead of shareholders, it’s our customers that profit from our social enterprise. “All our surpluses are reinvested into our facilities to help get people of all backgrounds, ages and communities more active, more often, thus helping address some of the deep problems in our society today such as inactivity and child obesity.”

Fit Kitchen to target healthy ready made meal market FRESH food company Scratch Meals has expanded into the growing healthy ready meal market, with a new brand Fit Kitchen. Developed with nutritionist Sharmain Davis and Professional MasterChef winner Ash Mair, Fit Kitchen is launching nationwide in 380 Sainsbury’s stores. The initial range consists of four dishes, that are high in protein, vitamin and fibre content, but remain low in calories and saturated fat. The range includes Pad Thai Chicken with Zesty Sauce and Middle Eastern Grilled Chicken. Sales director Daniel Litchfield said: “We have seen a number of markets respond to the growing interest in positive wellness, changing their offering based on a smarter, more health conscious

approach to diet and exercise. “Following the trend of what has been done well within other food categories, we looked to create something truly healthy in chilled fresh food with Fit Kitchen; rather than just a calorie deficit and bland tasting meal with no nutritional values. The Fit Kitchen brand is predominately targeting people that don’t diet, they simply choose to eat healthily to support their active lifestyle. “We have made the packaging clear, youthful and bright, as we know the growing interest in health, food and fitness has become typically gender neutral. “We are excited to be leading the development of this category, championing the importance of healthy options, even in the readymade meal market.”

With the popularity of boutique-style fitness showing no sign of slowing down, specialist studios around the country are thriving. Christina Eccles visited Barrecore’s latest offering in Leeds – and tried out a class.

Barrecore classes deliver a whole body workout and are a firm favourite among celebrities including Darcey Bussell and Jourdan Dunn.

Barrecore class isn’t just for the rich and famous FROM Strictly’s Darcey Bussell to supermodel Jourdan Dunn, Barrecore is a firm favourite among celebrities looking to achieve – and maintain – an enviable dancer’s physique. And it’s not just exclusively for the rich and famous... with studios popping up around the country, fitness fans from London to Leeds can now get involved. Focusing on the original barre fitness technique created by German ballerina Lotte Berk in the 1950s, Barrecore classes deliver a whole body workout; with participants quickly seeing results. Founder Niki Rein explained: “The entire body is worked and we aim to maximise every exercise with combined movements for maximum burnout in all positions. “We start with a warm-up moving into arms and core work then move to the ballet barre to burn out all the muscles in the lower body, interspersed with press-ups or pull-ups, and then finish class with intense and therapeutic abdominal work followed by a luxurious stretch to help elongate and relieve the muscle groups. “Everyone leaves class feeling the intense yet

Barrecore founder Niki Rein (left) and CEO Peter Woods. energising affects and are incredibly surprised by how quickly they see their body change in just a few classes.” As the trend for boutique fitness grows, according to Niki, what sets Barrecore apart is the instructors delivering the sessions, who she believes are among the best in the business. She added: “Our instructors are truly the best. Our teacher training program is over 200 hours and we truly consider ourselves to be the barre experts in the industry.

“We also know that it’s not only important to have a good workout but that most want to learn about their body as they work on it. “They want to know the ‘whys’ of what they are doing, so we do our best to also educate our clients as they work through each section in class. “We also know that having fun is one of the most important aspects of working out so we also make classes playful... after all, it’s just a workout and should also be fun!” Starting with a single site on the

Kings Road in Chelsea, Barrecore has pioneered barre fitness in the UK and now has nine studios – with ambitious plans for expansion on the cards. CEO Peter Woods added: “Barrecore is a boutique fitness brand that has built a very dedicated and loyal community, which has in turn supported strong business growth to date. “Our clients are very discerning, with very high expectations in terms of personal service and of course the results that they want to achieve – the envious ‘barre body.’ “There is clearly a strong demand for exceptional instruction and for personal attention in a class setting. Barrecore is exceptionally well placed to meet this demand. “The opportunities for Barrecore are primarily in increasing our portfolio of studios, across the UK and into Europe, as well as broadening our current product offering. We are currently exploring a number of potential studio locations in London and across the UK in areas that mirror our key core demographic profile. “We expect to expand significantly over the coming years.”

Enjoyable, energetic class left me feeling great “Fast paced, smart, energetic and fun” is how founder Niki Rein describes a Barrecore class. And after trying one out myself, I would definitely agree. Starting with a warm-up, participants are then put through their paces with 10 minutes of upper body exercises, 25 minutes of leg and seat exercises, 20 minutes of core conditioning and ending with a five minute relaxation and stretch – meaning the

whole body is worked hard. Although I’ve tried a couple of barre based classes in the past, this one was nothing like I expected. For starters, we used light weights and resistance bands to add another dimension to the movements. The music was also quite modern and upbeat, which made it feel like more of a fast paced workout than some of the others I’d tried. Visiting on a quiet Thursday morning just before Christmas,

I also got the benefit of being the only person in the class, which meant it was more of a one to one personal training session than a group exercise environment. As a Barrecore beginner, this was great for me as I got a lot of help from instructor Elishea who corrected my movements and was very encouraging all the way through the class. Overall, this was a really enjoyable workout – but it was also very tough. It’s recommended that

participants attend three or four classes a week for maximum benefits and it’s easy to see how doing so would achieve impressive results. All the movements were so precise that you could really feel your muscles working and the ache in my arms the next day reaffirmed that I’d definitely been put through my paces! The artwork on the studio wall says “Feel great in your body” and after pushing myself in a Barrecore class, I certainly did.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Group with a difference set for Barnsley

National Fitness Awards’ finalist The King’s School Recreation Centre in Canterbury has organised a charity ‘Elf Day.’ The event was held in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society and 24 members of staff took part; dressing in elf attire to take fitness classes, personal training sessions, lifeguarding and squash coaching. Visitors to the centre could also enjoy a raffle and a cake sale, with the club raising over £400.

Hinckley Leisure Centre.

Centre wins building award HINCKLEY Leisure Centre has won a prestigious construction and architectural award. The state-of-the-art £15m leisure facility, which opened in the summer, was declared the best large nonresidential building by judges at the ProCon (Leicestershire Property and Construction) Awards held at Leicester’s King Power Stadium. Judges chose Hinckley Leisure Centre because it demonstrated a creative approach to property development, in addition to design excellence, construction quality and innovation and visual impact.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council leader Mike Hall, who was at the awards night to receive the trophy, said: “With this award Hinckley’s new leisure centre has rightly been recognised as an iconic building in Leicestershire and Rutland and I am sure that this stunning design will survive the test of time. “The centre has now been up-andrunning for six months and I want to pay tribute to the efforts of all of our partners, who worked tirelessly with our own officers, to ensure that the building opened on-time and under budget.”

A RUNNING group with a difference is coming to Barnsley next year. GoodGym is about people meeting up to exercise but stopping midsession to do a good deed in the community, using the organised runs to take volunteers out to the people who need them and at the same time improving people’s fitness. Runs vary in length, from three to 15k, and GoodGym members can sign up to a distance they feel comfortable with, using a break halfway through to lend a hand in the community. Barnsley Council boss Wendy Lowder took to social media to share the news that a group will soon be set up in the town, tweeting: “Pleased to get funding to bring @goodgym to Barnsley in 2017.” GoodGym, which first piloted in the London borough of Tower Hamlets and now has 27 groups across the country, is the brainchild of enthusiastic runner Ivo Gormley – son of artist Sir Antony Gormley – who was frustrated with normal gyms, calling them ‘a waste of energy and human potential’. He founded the social enterprise to rival the success of traditional gyms by getting people off treadmills and into their communities to do some good through volunteering – be it sprucing up public spaces or popping in to see lonely pensioners. It does this in three ways – group runs, ‘missions’ and ‘coach’ runs.

The group runs involve members setting off on a run and stopping to do manual labour for community organisations, such as clearing land of rubble or rubbish or cleaning up community centres. The one-off missions see runners doing things like clearing gardens, changing light bulbs and doing oddjobs for people who struggle to do them alone. They run there, fix the problem, and run back again. The coach runs pairs members up with isolated older people. The older person becomes the runner’s coach, motivating them to keep running come rain or shine and in exchange they visit that person for a chat and a cuppa. Coun Jenny Platts, cabinet spokeswoman for communities, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing GoodGym to Barnsley. “It’s a fantastic initiative that combines the benefits of getting active whilst building on the great community spirit we already have across the borough. “I hope that it motivates both aspiring and existing runners to get involved in exercising with the added bonus of taking part in a good deed at the same time. “We’ll be launching the programme in 2017 and will be able to tell people more about it in the next few months.”

Fusion Lifestyle expands into Devon FUSION Lifestyle has expanded its offering into Devon, having officially signed up to operate leisure centres for South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council. The partnership between Fusion Lifestyle and the councils will operate for a period of 25 years and will deliver investment and development of the leisure centres.

Fusion Lifestyle’s CEO Peter Kay said: “We operate 93 diverse sports and leisure facilities across the UK and it is a privilege to take over the running of these incredibly popular and important sites. “This will be an exciting new chapter for Fusion’s team and we look forward to welcoming everyone to experience what we offer.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

ukactive to be a lead supporter of Elevate 2017 ELEVATE, the UK’s largest crosssector event focused on tackling physical inactivity, has announced that ukactive will be a lead supporter for the 2017 event, which takes place at ExCel in London on May 10-11. The event unites the physical activity sector, academia, healthcare, government and sports performance to focus on the increasingly important and complex societal challenge of tackling physical inactivity. Other lead supporters in 2017 include Public Health England, CIMSPA, London Sport and The Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health. Founder and director at Elevate Max Quittenton said: “We hugely value the support of ukactive. “Our goal is to create a free-toattend event of scale which brings together all that share a professional interest in physical activity – from leisure operators to healthcare professionals. “Creating a stimulating environment to tackling inactivity though sharing best practice, evidence and innovation completely aligns to ukactive’s ambition of getting more people, more active, more often.” Over the course of the two-day event, the 4,000 attendees will have access to the free programme which includes over 150 expert speakers from physical activity, health and performance. Organisations represented include: Public Health England, Team GB, EIS, Age UK, Premier League, Sheffield Hallam University and Parkrun. ukactive will be the official supporter of a seminar stream that will host a series of discussions exploring ‘Inclusivity – Creating an Active Nation.’ This part of the programme will look at how the physical activity industry and its wider stakeholders can reach and influence the inactive, exploring how to create opportunities

for people to be active in ways that fit with their everyday lives and interests. Executive director at ukactive Steven Ward added: “We are looking forward to supporting Elevate in its second year, educating and inspiring attendees, and galvanising our sector to tackle physical inactivity. “With inactivity costing the NHS £20b and causing approximately 37,000 deaths every year, it is now an incredibly important time for our sector to unite with the public health agenda and address such an issue.” In addition to the education programme, Elevate will also accommodate over 6,000sqm of exhibition space where organisations including Matrix, Concept2, Speedflex and TRX will be showcasing all the latest innovations aimed at getting more people physically active. To maximise the event further in 2017, Elevate will also support a Fringe; an unofficial programme of physical activity related events and activities that take place across London during the two-day event. Open to all, in time, these activities are likely to include AGMs, private product launches, presentations, breakfast meetings, networking and other physical activity related events. Once qualified as an Elevate Fringe event, details will be published and promoted to all attendees. Max added: “In addition to the seminars and the exhibition there will also be numerous opportunities for delegates, speakers and exhibitors to network, including several dedicated meeting spaces and VIP lounges where attendees can meet for business collaboration or simply catch up with friends. “We’re excited to build upon the momentum of this year and welcome an even larger, broader audience to the arena of physical activity, health and performance in 2017.” For more information on the event visit www.elevatearena.com

UK FITNESS SCENE

Warrington has most active adults in the North West By Christina Eccles

The Pulse Group has appointed Matt Johnson as their new executive director of the dedicated design and build arm of the business. Under his leadership, the division is responsible for designing, constructing and fitting out state-of-theart leisure centres as well as completing full refurbishments of existing facilities. He said: “I am delighted to have joined Pulse as executive director of design and build. Pulse has a fantastic reputation, with over 35 years of expertise behind them. I am looking forward to helping take the organisation into a new phase, broadening the range of projects that the business works on, and exploring opportunities for growth within the design and build sector.”

PEOPLE in Warrington are the most active in the North West, according to Sport England. The latest figures from the Active People Survey reveal Warrington is the top performing area in the region for the first time in terms of how many adults take part in sport. The survey measured participation from October 2015 to September 2016 and showed that 43.1 per cent of over 16s in Warrington took part in at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least once a week – an increase of seven per cent on last year. It also revealed that Warrington is the second best performing area in the region for junior sports participation, with 42.9 per cent of 14-16 year olds taking part in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport each week. The indicator, which assesses every local authority in England, propels Warrington into 36th place nationally for over 16 participation and 43rd position for 14-16 years’ participation. Managing director of Warrington’s biggest provider of sports and active leisure activities, LiveWire, Emma Hutchinson said: “It’s fantastic that Warrington has topped the regional chart for the first time following significant increases in adult participation. This builds on

Warrington is the top performing area in the North West for the first time. the consistently strong performance we have seen in participation among young people for some time. “Becoming the most active local authority in the region was one of the

headline aims of our last business plan, and it is testament to the hard work of staff at LiveWire and our partner organisations to have achieved this.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Owner and director at Crow Wood Leisure, Andrew Brown, and managing director of Eurosite Power, Paul Hamblyn.

Club invests savings Equipment helps care into an outdoor spa

village’s residents to improve their mobility RESIDENTS at a retirement village in Gloucester are reaping the rewards of becoming more active. St Oswald’s Village, which has over 200 residents, has a small on-site gym to help residents lead healthy, active and independent lives. Recently the gym has benefited from the introduction of a SCIFIT Pro2 Total Body trainer, a rehabilitation tool that is an upper body exerciser and lower body recumbent bike. Users can now improve their independence by enhancing co-ordination as well as building their strength and balance. Since the installation, gym instructor Patrick Ansley has been delighted with the benefits of the SCIFIT equipment. He explained: “We chose SCIFIT equipment as the low starting resistance makes it easy for our

members to get moving in comfort, which is often a particular need for the older generation. “Currently the NHS spends £4.6m a week on treating people for injuries from falls and it’s incredibly important to ensure we are doing our part to help educate and train our residents to reduce the likelihood of such injuries occurring. “Since introducing our residents to the SCIFIT trainer, around 95 per cent have continued to incorporate the equipment into their fitness routines as they understand the long-term benefits of regular, tailored exercise. “Most importantly, I have noticed how much better residents feel after engaging with the training and it’s been great to find equipment that addresses their specific mobility needs.”

By Christina Eccles

A FORWARD thinking spa and leisure club has been able to further reinvest back into facilities after introducing a green solution which has provided both financial and energy savings. The savings date back to December 2013 when Crow Wood Leisure in Burnley signed an agreement with EuroSite Power to install a combined heat and power system to provide immediate energy savings at the leisure club, luxury spa and restaurant. Generating over 2,500,000 kWh of total energy per annum, the system also saves up to 450 tonnes of CO2 each year – equivalent to taking 93 cars off the road each year. As well as the energy savings delivered by the system, Crow Wood also avoided all costs associated with the purchase, installation, operation or maintenance of the equipment, because it opted for one of EuroSite Power’s On-Site Utility agreements. Under the agreement, EuroSite Power maintains ownership of the energy-saving equipment installed on-site and simply sells the green energy to Crow Wood at a price that

is guaranteed to be lower than buying the same energy from the national grid. The capital equipment savings and reduced energy costs have provided six figures savings in total since installation. Crow Wood Leisure director Oliver Brown said: “Since we opened The Woodland Spa with a £4.5m investment three years ago, Crow Wood has doubled its number of staff to 160, the business’ catering arm serves 7,500 covers per month and the business exceeded sales of £5m in 2014/15. “Earlier this year the spa’s outdoor facilities were officially opened following a further £750,000 investment. This has seen the opening of The Terrace Bar and the outdoor terrace areas substantially increased in size with the new large infinity spa pool and a fabulous outdoor fire pit. “We invited EuroSite Power to inspect the facilities due to the significant financial savings their equipment has provided to us over the past two and a half years, which has materially helped us invest in facilities that will delight our members for years to come.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Managing an effective ‘indoctrination phase’ in your sales system By Duncan Green

Susan Connor and Emma McCarthy.

New lease of life for Susan A SHEFFIELD woman who suffered a heart attack in 2010 has taken on a new lease of life through exercise. 71-year-old Susan Connor also suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was prescribed a programme of lowimpact physical activity through SIV’s exercise referral scheme. She started attending SIV’s Springs Leisure Centre three times a week as a way of improving her health – and six years on she is fighting fit.

Susan’s specialist cardiac and pulmonary instructor Emma McCarthy said: “It is great to see Susan still training and enjoying the sessions. She looks fantastic and that’s a testament to the hard work and dedication she has put in over the last six years. “It’s so inspiring to see patients like Susan who come to Springs Leisure Centre and how much of a difference the scheme makes to their day-to-day lives.”

ONE of the key changes that has come out of the rise of the internet compared with traditional fitness marketing is that it’s become possible now for customers to find out a lot of detail about your club online without leaving their place of “personal security.” Many clubs have produced websites (mistakenly in our view!) packed with facility detail, and (unhelpfully we think) with their membership prices quoted online. This is more than enough detail to satisfy UNEDUCATED BROWSERS and the danger is that prospects use this information to build a FALSE or at best NEUTRAL personal impression of your club. If you are the cheapest club in town then the challenge is straightforward. QUOTE your prices big and bold and point out how cheap you are compared to the competition. If you want to attract people who are buying largely on price then that’s the best plan. If you are at the other end of the fee spectrum OR you want to establish clear water between you and clubs in the same price point then your mission is to INDOCTRINATE; to convey an impression of your club to the customer online which will stimulate the e-mail enquiry, the telephone or ideally the appointment to tour. Here are the questions you need to answer in the INDOCTRINATION phase online. n Who are you aiming at? n What is your USP? n Why should these people join you? n Explain HOW you deliver the USP to the people you are aiming it at! n Provide PROOF that you deliver it. So, the solution to successful INDOCTRINATION is as follows ( it’s a pretty complex phase so forgive us for simplifying it but hopefully you get the main tenets of it) n Test different ideas to get the most effective capture of prospects’ details online. Give away FREE information in exchange for a prospect’s e-mail address. n Create video and audio representation of your club, and the STORY of your how your club works for people like THEM! n Link these presentations to your online enquiries via a series of sequential e-mails. The prospect will unsubscribe if they’re not happy and you can use e-mail technology which shows who is looking at which emails. n Use a sales system (preferably online) that allows easy follow up and prospect management. n Promote testimonials from your satisfied customers to substantiate the claims you make. This is massively important. Would you book a holiday without checking on TripAdvisor first? n Advertise results! Promote the total weight loss achieved by our new members last week/month. Highlight the total calories burnt this month in

Duncan Green the club. n Titles matter! Give your staff job titles that establish EXPERTISE. Replace “fitness instructor” with a specialism like “muscle conditioning specialist”, gym staff with “fitness guru”, receptionist with “customer service co-ordinator.” n Utilise the facilities on Google PLUS to establish AUTHORITY by member club reviews. n Utilise YELP! With positive club reviews. n Be seen in your community as The Go to “EXPERTS” in fitness. n Write articles for local websites, magazines and blogs. n Present regular webinars on health and fitness issues. n Create an “At Home Fitness Service” (programme service, nutrition advice, and home equipment consultancy) for people who are not ready /interested to join you YET! n Focus on ONLY ONE COURSE of ACTION at the conclusion of the phase – GET PROSPECTS TO VISIT YOU FOR A TOUR! In short, become the experts in your town and dominate your fitness niche. Build considerable authority and pre-eminence utilising the techniques we have discussed. When you successfully do that, the issue of price becomes largely secondary. n Duncan Green is managing director of Momentum Business Development. He is a trusted adviser to fitness clubs globally and his company provides advanced online sales and marketing services to UK fitness club operators.

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

Rigs Fitness near Birmingham scooped Functional Training Gym of the Year at the 2016 National Fitness Awards, and Sam Smith is ‘picky’ about who coaches there.

Specialising pays off for award winner By Christina Eccles AN award winning independent gym owner has explained why his decision to specialise in functional fitness has paid off. Sam Smith’s club Rigs Fitness scooped Functional Training Gym of the Year at the 2016 National Fitness Awards – beating off strong competition from other finalists all around the country. When Sam opened the club near Birmingham almost five years ago, the trend for functional training was just coming to the forefront of the industry. But over the last few years, he’s seen it become more and more popular,

leading him to expand. He said: “We’ve been open almost five years and right from the first day we called ourselves a functional fitness facility. “It seems like the trend will stay as we’ve since seen a lot of other gyms opening in the local area. “We started 2016 with a refurbishment in January and invested about £70,000 to make more efficient use of space based on feedback from members. “We’ve introduced more Olympic weight lifting, increased the area of mat space for classes and introduced two sprint tracks.” At Sam’s gym, everyone gets the chance to train like an athlete, with

top level coaching one of the club’s biggest USPs. Sam added: “Since we’ve been involved in the NFAs, we have had a lot of coaches approach us who want to work and train here, but I’m very picky. “We’ve got 12 coaches and they have all got to have their own niche – from weight lifting to boxing to yoga for athletes. “Everyone here adds a new aspect to functional fitness. “What makes us stand out – and many other independent gyms – is that personal level and level of coaching. “We have about 350 people who use the gym, which is a great number as

we can deliver that personal touch.” National Fitness Awards’ success – the club has also previously been named Best Newcomer – has also helped Sam further raise the profile of Rigs Fitness and he’s looking forward to a busy 2017, which will include adding in more equipment and classes, getting involved in events – including building on the club’s White Collar Boxing success – and further connecting with educational facilities and community groups. He added: “It was such a massive achievement for us to win – it’s the best accolade we could get. “I’m massively proud. It’s recognition of how hard everyone works at the gym.”

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

Performance centre to put functional training at heart of its offering By Christina Eccles

A NEW performance centre in Scotland has put functional training at the heart of its offering – with indoor and outdoor options for members to enjoy. Standout features at Oriam include the Life Fitness SYNRGY360 and SYNRGY BlueSky, which has helped the club attract more functional fitness fans through its doors. Fitness instructor Mandy Stott said: “During the build-up to Oriam opening its doors, one of our main selling points was the new functional areas and kit we could offer to our members. “In our previous facility, we didn’t have the space or the kit we do now which has meant we have really been able to focus on elements of functional fitness which has certainly attracted a new group of members who are interested in this type of training. “Functional training is one of our main focuses here at Oriam. We believe that a healthy body is a happy body and we encourage training that will transfer effectively into everyday life. “From elite athletes imitating movements that are required within their sporting careers, individuals undergoing rehab or simply individuals who are looking to get stronger and fitter.”

“We have found that introducing a wide range of functional fitness into our sports performance centre has been a massive success.“

Having an outdoor facility is also proving a big selling point, according to Mandy. She added: “Our outdoor SYNRGY360 training system was met with a few raised eyebrows to begin with. “Members have previously never had this option and it is not a feature that many other gyms or sport centres offer. We faced wet and cold weather but were lucky enough to have a group of members who were keen to give it a go. “Once they experienced the outdoor classes, they were sold. Features of our SYNRGY BlueSky circuit includes room to move, run and jump and being outdoors in the fresh air what’s not to love?” Offering a wide variety of training options is also helping the facility retain members. Mandy added: “Our cardio kit and resistance machines are state of the art but will always have the same key features. With the variety of functional kit and the expertise that our fitness professionals can offer it means that no two classes or functional workouts will ever be the same. “We have found that introducing a wide range of functional fitness into our sports performance centre has been a massive success. “It has enabled us to cater to a wider variety of members and to run classes and workouts that any member of any level can join. “It has helped our fitness professionals to better demonstrate the importance of functional fitness and has improved the quality of programming that we offer to our members.”

Chris Hairs, general manager at Bannatyne Newcraighall.

New area added to gym

A NEW functional area – including a Technogym Omnia eight – is among the latest additions to the Bannatyne Health Club in Newcraighall. The club has benefited from a £600,000 refurbishment, as part of a continued investment by the Bannatyne Group in all of its health clubs. Other improvements include upgraded CV and resistance equipment, an expanded free weights section and a new mind and body studio. General manager Chris Hairs said: “The new gym floor at Bannatyne Health Club Newcraighall is a great addition to the club. The new

equipment is the best that money can buy and will help members achieve their fitness and health goals even more effectively. “The company has developed and improved the gym floor and installed fantastic new equipment to further enhance the range of functional training equipment available to members. “Functional training is the way the industry is progressing and focuses on training movement patterns rather than isolating individual muscle groups. The new equipment provides fantastic fat burning workouts and will improve strength, endurance and boost metabolism.”

Physical Company has designed and launched its own range of Atlas Stones. Smaller in diameter than the traditional cement stones, the Physical Company Atlas Stones are made of durable, dense vinyl which is textured to improve grip. Available in four different weights, they can be used in the gym or for outdoor workouts.

INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Do you run a sports or fitness business?

Technology to benefit clients

LEGEND Club Management Systems has partnered with Innovatise UG to help operators use mobile technology to engage, retain and acquire members. The partnership enables Legend customers across the globe to benefit from Innovatise’s smartphone app technology – myFitApp. Managing director of Legend Club Management Systems Sean Maguire said: “This is an exciting and welcome partnership. “As a mature, richly featured specialist solution, myFitApp perfectly complements Legend’s extensive Software Management System, and brings customers instant access to their own branded native app.

“With push marketing, member referral functions, bookings and beacon-based access control, the solution offers compelling innovations to customers.” Jubilee Hall in London will be the first Legend UK client to enjoy the benefits of myFitApp. Legend customer projects manager Johnathan Cooke added: “There is a great deal of excitement that we can introduce yet another advance in the area of software technology which will provide advantages to both our customers and gym users. “We envisage that long term a significant number of customer interactions will be conducted through myFitApp.”

IF your answer is ‘yes’ then you need EZFacility. You have an opportunity to join thousands of successful facilities around the globe who already use our all-in-one web-based software solution to manage their businesses. In 2016, following demand from our customers we developed a feature that allows members to sign up online for their memberships and also features for our sports facility clients to allow their customers to make online rentals. We’re not stopping there though and 2017 promises to be another big year for EZFacility, with our customer facing portal set for a major overhaul, as well as improvements to the way in which personal trainers can manage their clients’ PT packages. EZFacility can make a real difference to your business. With facility and trainer scheduling,

employee management and customer facing tools such as membership management, point-of-sale, online booking and registration, all your technology solutions are covered. The EZFacility difference means you don’t just get another front desk tool, you get to run a successful sports or fitness business the EZ way. Our membership management product ensures a smooth process for checking-in, attendance tracking and recurring payments. EZFacility will aid you in managing and retaining current members while growing your client database simultaneously. Consolidate the management of your facility, employees and clients to streamline your business operations, delight your members and increase profits with EZFacility’s advanced management software solutions. For more information visit www.ezfacility.co.uk

Operator to work with MYZONE OPERATOR Lifestyle Fitness is working with MYZONE at three sites as part of its member engagement strategy. The award-winning wearable technology platform has launched at the Lifestyle Fitness Manchester club and will be followed by installations at its club in Canterbury and another yet to be named club in the near future. The move comes as the

operator, which has 53 clubs across the UK, launches the Lifestyle Fitness App to give members greater control over their workouts, by booking classes and connecting all of their health and fitness apps in one place. MYZONE will integrate with the new app so members can track their workouts and be in control of their fitness goals using the MYZONE technology.

INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Health and fitness start-ups could be the answer to £20bn inactivity crisis By Christina Eccles A VIRTUAL reality chair to get computer gamers active, a wireless circuit that inspires movement in the workplace, a ‘Fitbit for strength training’, and a fitness-themed community hub for older people are just some of the concepts which have made it through to the final of ActiveLab. Created by ukactive and backed by founding partners AXA PPP and Tech City UK, ActiveLab aims to help scalable health solutions which can help overcome society’s inactivity epidemic. As part of the initial selection process, ukactive engaged with over 150 potential entrants and received 70 full business plans. The 12 companies successfully winning support are: n imovesdance – online tools to get kids active in school and home n Connected Fitness Labs – an app breaking down the four walls of the gym by supporting a health club operator to become a true fitness brand by offering digital support to consumers. n EveryMatch International – a white-label mobile Software as a Service solution for building fitness member communities. n Gymetrix – the first company in the world to start attaching sensors to gym equipment to measure

ActiveLab aims to help scalable health solutions which can help overcome society’s inactivity epidemic. Photo credit: WMOR Architects customers’ usage of the equipment build them up to their optimal but and then use the data to optimise safe level of activity operators equipment purchasing. n LiveSmart – UK wide, dynamic, n Shapelog – described as ‘Fitbit for evidence based health assessment strength training.’ and improvement programmes. n Amaven – an online platform to n Stepjockey – smart signs and help measure, track and improve the gamification platform to enable physical development of everyone employers to quickly make their through fundamental movement buildings healthier and more active. skills and sports skills. n VRGO Chair – an active chair that n iPrescribe Exercise – an app that can be used for movement within uses an algorithm to provide the user virtual reality. with an automated, yet individualised n Open Play – online booking system activity programme that will gradually and marketplace for sports facilities

and activities. n Silverfit – weekly fun and fitness sessions for older people. Over the course of the 12-week ActiveLab programme, these companies will receive a series of networking opportunities with investors and leading physical activity firms, as well as tailored mentorship and expert workshops on the challenges of scaling a business. ukactive executive director, Steven Ward, said: “As physical activity, fashion, health and technology continue to converge, we’re entering a brave new world of innovation with exciting opportunities to get more people, more active more often. “We want ActiveLab to become the global launchpad for innovative and scalable physical activity businesses, so I’m hugely excited by the dynamic group of companies that have made it through to the first cohort. “The hard work starts here and over the next 12 weeks the cohort will work with our unparalleled panel of private investors, expert mentors and coaches to develop their concepts ahead of the grand final on 15 March.” At the final, teams will showcase their concepts and take part in a series of live pitches, with the winner receiving the top prize of a premium accelerator toolkit worth £25,000 – comprising a suite of products and expertise to fast-track their concept.

Inverclyde Leisure wins nationwide challenge MEMBERS and staff at Inverclyde Leisure are celebrating after the operator’s Waterfront Fitness Gym won a nationwide challenge. Inverclyde Leisure took part in the UK wide Make A Move challenge, in conjunction with equipment supplier Technogym, to encourage members to generate as many MOVES as possible, which are accumulated through exercise. Three of Inverclyde’s sites – Waterfront, Gourock and Birkmyre Fitness gyms – all took part, with a combined 850 members enjoying the challenge across the three sites.

In total, 75 gyms took part with the incentive of a Technogym SkillMill being awarded to the winning facility, along with various goody bags. Inverclyde Leisure also offered the members of each facility gift vouchers for the highest movers. Head of Leisure at Inverclyde Leisure David McCorkindale explained: “It was a great challenge that members and staff really bought into and it certainly created a strong buzz within the three gyms. “As the challenge was coming to an end it was clear the Waterfront

gym was in with a chance of winning this competition, so the decision was made to open the gym until midnight on the last day of the event to give every chance to stay in first place. “We had high numbers throughout the day, but were still anxious about exactly what would happen in the final two hours; by 10pm to midnight, there were over 40 members still in working hard to get the MOVES. “There was a real party atmosphere and we provided a buffet and drinks to keep the crowd well fuelled until

the final whistle “The challenge was a huge success with the Waterfront Fitness Gym coming first, Gourock Fitness Gym ninth and Birkmyre Park Fitness Gym 23rd place. “It is a credit to Inverclyde Leisure to have three sites in the top 30 in the UK, competing against much bigger facilities with higher membership numbers.” n Have your members taken part in any gym challenges recently? Send us details and a picture to ce@ scriptmedia.co.uk and you could appear in a future issue.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Exercise can improve short-term memory, new research claims

Staff from Oldham Community Leisure are celebrating after winning two awards for their work with local people. Members of the team at OCL’s Chadderton Wellbeing Centre were commended for their role in helping to save the life of a four-year-old boy who suffered horrific injuries after being hit by a car. Meanwhile, the OCL Health and Physical Activity Team, which works with specialist populations at OCL’s centres, won the Health Worker Award. Head of human resources at OCL, Louise Walton, said: “To win awards in both categories is fantastic; both teams are clearly deserving of the recognition and this represents the hard work that they put in each and every day to serve the public of Oldham. They are all over the moon to be recognised in this way.”

Operator appoints new HR director FREEDOM Leisure has appointed Jackie Turner-Robinson as HR director. Jackie has over 20 years’ experience in HR and joins from Kent County Council where she ran the Business Services Centre. Jackie has strategic and operational responsibilities for all

aspects of HR, training, payroll and pensions administration. Her main remit is to streamline their processes and gain efficiencies within the HR team in light of Freedom Leisure’s recent growth, which has resulted in a current workforce of more than 3,200.

EXERCISING at moderate intensity improves the accuracy of a person’s short-term memory, according to research from Edge Hill University. Tests carried out on healthy, active people aged 18-35 revealed that moderate to intense running or cycling for 30 minutes improved the accuracy of short-term memory. When asked to remember a list of associated items such as household building terms including roof, door and wall, people who hadn’t exercised before the recall test were more likely to remember ‘false’ associated words in the list, such as saying window when it wasn’t there. Those who had exercised however accurately remembered more words and didn’t show ‘false memory’ in the test. Another experiment also showed that exercising before learning the list of words also benefited immediate recall. Reader of Sport and Exercise Psychology, David Marchant, who conducted the research said: “We wanted to test how physical arousal through an acute bout of aerobic exercise affects memory. Previous published research shows mixed results and we were particularly keen to test the accuracy of short-term memory.

“In certain types of physical arousal such as emotional or stress, shortterm memory is affected and mistakes are more common. After exercise (in this case we tested cyclists and runners) we found this wasn’t the case with more correct cognitive recalls.” Over the coming months, the research will be developed to look at whether factors such as a person’s natural memory ability, fitness level or other physical factors affect the accuracy of short-term memory in this context.

NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Newcomer of the Year sponsored by CFM/MYZONE: Be Fitter Gym, Leicester WITH an electric atmosphere, a great sense of community and a genuine passion for its members, Be Fitter Gym just oozes enthusiasm. The branding inside the gym is cleverly linked, laid out and supports a first class ethos – not bad to say they are just under two years old! Judge’s Comments: “There are so many features that I love about this facility, such as the PB Bell, no mirrors and the genuine care and

attention for members which is clear to see. “The list of improvements they have made since coming second last year is commendable. “Not only does this facility develop physical strength and athleticism, but features such as their own vegan shakes, artwork, customised clothing, table tennis area and chill out lounge make this as much of a spiritual refuge as it is a gym.”

Health Club of the Year sponsored by Matrix: theclubandspa at Cadbury House, Congresbury THIS is a stunning facility that boasts 4,000 members, from newborns to 92-year-olds. It has everything under one roof; a Marco Pierre White restaurant, a large swimming pool, chill out areas, a terrace complete with sun loungers, a hot tub/jacuzzi and top class changing facilities. The gym is equipped with the latest technology and equipment, including TGS keys and swimtags, monitoring your every move to give you the complete workout. There are the usual classes, Spinning,

Zumba, Boxercise – and even art and painting classes. There’s something for everyone. Judge’s comments: “This club has so much on offer, taking a holistic view of health. Excellent retention rates prove that this is not just about facilities, although they look stunning. “To achieve that kind of retention demands a much more ingrained ethos of belief and passion, with an operating structure to support and grow.”

Best Hotel Facility of the Year sponsored by ServiceSport: Foxhills Club and Resort, Ottershaw FOXHILLS is definitely a hotel and health club that has the wow factor. Used by the likes of Team GB and Team Sky’s cyclists, and hosting its own major tennis event, Foxhills is a true performance centre. But with its wide offering, it also promises something for all the family. The latest technology is used throughout at Foxhills, but staff are encouraged to offer members that little bit extra – the personal touch. Judge’s comments: “You’ll leave feeling better than you arrived

is the ethos this club wants everyone to experience – no wonder their retention rate is higher than it’s been in five years. “The facilities appear second to none but on top of the huge variety and choice there are cycling and running clubs, fitness challenges and outside events, all providing the member with a sense of belonging. They continue to invest in upgrading and improving facilities and manage to provide an uplifting, health enhancing experience for both long term members and hotel guests alike.”

Budget Gym of the Year sponsored by Fitness Systems: JD Gyms, Liverpool WITH a promise to shake up the low cost sector, JD Gyms is doing just that; providing top quality facilities and branding which wouldn’t look out of place in a trendy, city centre boutique club – but without the hefty price tag. The club has a membership base of over 5,000 people and a prime city centre location putting it in the heart of the action. Situated over three floors, there is something for everyone; from boxing and

functional training to group exercise classes and a dedicated indoor cycling studio. Judge’s comments: “This budget gym is punching above its weight and appears to be offering an experience which is more in line with the higher end of the market. “They’ve done well to cope with their challenges of being in a listed building and live by their values of ‘seriously stylish, seriously affordable.’”

Ladies Only Gym of the Year sponsored by WeBuyAnyGym Equipment.com: Unique Fitness 4 Ladies Only, Dudley GYM owner Raj Kaur is a formidable woman in the local area; having been honoured in the Pride of Dudley Awards for her charity fundraising efforts. This is just one example of how the gym supports the wider community, as well as the ladies who train there. For many it’s that level of care and commitment from Raj and her team which keeps them coming back, plus the variety of classes and regular social events on offer. The many testimonials provided in this

entry showed what a great job this facility is doing – and how much it’s valued. Judge’s comments: “The gym appears to create a safe environment where individuals with a variety of needs seem to thrive, succeed and support each other and others outside of the gym. Supporting many different ages, medical and mental needs, nothing appears too difficult for this gym to take on, turn around and genuinely improve the quality of life of those that join.”

Best Rehabilitation Facility of the Year sponsored by SportsArt Fitness: Hailsham Leisure Centre – Freedom Leisure

IF ever there was a leisure centre at the heart of the community improving the lives of its members then Hailsham has to be it. It’s difficult to put into words the work the inspirational staff are doing day in day out. Hailsham was the first gym to run a GP referral scheme in the UK, and the centre and operator Freedom Leisure are always looking to set the standard and be a step ahead. Judge’s comments: “This facility is certainly raising the bar and

their service standards in this specialised area are improving year on year. “This facility has also made massive steps by recent refurbishments and developing more disabled access such as changing rooms, hoist, parking bays, and IFI equipment that is designed to meet the requirements of clients with abled and disabled needs. “Some of the good news stories and outcomes are unbelievable and services like this are priceless.”

NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Combat Zone Gym of the Year sponsored by Powerhoop: Shaolin Temple Academy, Orpington THERE’S much more to Shaolin Temple Academy than teaching clients selfdefence and helping them improve their fitness. Clients are tutored in centuriesold, traditional Chinese relaxation, selfdiscipline, confidence-building techniques. It’s a complete fitness package that focuses on holistic health and well-being. Judge’s comments “Shaolin Temple Academy has chosen to

specialise in an ancient Chinese martial art and have created a world class facility in the heart of Kent. To travel to China from the UK, compete against the Chinese in an ancient Chinese martial art and have 15 world championship medals to show for it is a very good sign of expertise. For me, a very convincing winner in a very competitive field who are doing things in a very different way to their rivals.”

Group Exercise Gym of the Year sponsored by Les Mills: St Peter’s Leisure Centre, Burnley AT St Peter’s Leisure Centre, they don’t cancel classes. If the instructor scheduled to take the class can’t do it, another instructor does. It’s as simple as that. From Pilates to aerobics to classes for mums and babies, this club’s timetable caters for everyone. Vitally for a leisure trust, this facility is also a really integral part of the local community; getting involved in anything from local races and charity events to national initiatives such as National Fitness Day.

This helps to spread the message that exercise is for everyone. Judge’s comments: “From showing membership growth over and above their projected number for 2016, maintaining high levels of retention, consistent member interaction and one of the most diverse class programmes, Burnley Leisure has smashed it again. “They have a winning formula and each year it seems they step it up and produce more amazing results, stories, marketing, classes and engagement.”

Strength Training Gym of the Year sponsored by Cybex: FSI Gym, North Shields

Member Achievement Award sponsored by Clubbercise: Karen Biricz, Batley Sports and Tennis Centre

WHEN it comes to strength training, FSI Gym has everything you could need. The gym has a good female client base and even runs children’s classes to get local kids into fitness and teach them the proper techniques. Other big selling points include its outdoor training area where members can get involved in everything from tyre flipping to lifting a car and its big focus on education. FSI hosts regular workshops and seminars from some of the biggest names in strength training. Bringing these stars to a small town in

THIS inspirational gym member has been posthumously recognised for her grit and determination to ensure cancer didn’t define her while demonstrating pure dedication towards her fitness goals. Raising thousands of pounds for charity and creating a sense of community amongst other members, Karen was the sort of lady that created the question “If Karen can do it – why can’t I?” Karen’s story is a nice reminder that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. Judge’s comments: “Karen’s story is extremely touching. Her

the North East is a great way to inspire members! Judge’s comments: “The level of quality and quantity of the equipment is matched by the team working there and the sheer amount of services offered as a result. “Many gyms have more equipment, but FSI manage to make the equipment relevant and useful for more than just bodybuilders. “This is the sign of a true strength gym. “They have remained consistent and continued to expand on their quality of delivery across the board.”

Functional Training Gym of the Year sponsored by Jordan Fitness: Rigs Fitness, Kings Heath, Birmingham THE sign above the door at Rigs Fitness says it all: ‘No saunas. No internet. No Cafes. No Treadmills. Just Fitness.’ With a proud focus on functional fitness, this club contains everything you need for a functional workout, backed up by a team of experienced and passionate coaches. Owner Sam Smith saw a gap in the market for a top quality functional training gym – and is now reaping the rewards of his investment.

Judge’s comments: “The sheer number of highly skilled personnel they have within their team – in different fields – fills me with confidence that Rigs Fitness are the most deserving winner of this award. “They are based in an area which is full of competition yet their membership base is growing nicely every year. “Their Athlete Development Programme is also something very close to my heart.”

personality and warm character jumps from the page and makes you smile from ear to ear. “Her love for dancing around in Zumba with her friends echoes her bubbly nature and her zest for life in spite of the pain she was constantly in. “Karen was taken from us far too early but by saving her spot in every single class, her legacy can continue to positively influence those closest to her, inspiring them to dance and smile and not allow anything to stop them achieving their goals. That is a true ‘member achievement’.”

Community Involvement sponsored by Pulse: Ironmasters Gym, Cinderford IRONMASTERS Gym takes its community responsibility to the next level. The gym – just two years old – is more than a place to work out, it is a community hub. Members – and non-members – often come in for a drink and a catch up, and owners Tom and Kelly are very much a part of that. They have created a gym family. But it’s also the charity work that makes Ironmasters stand out. They not only work with big charities, but also concentrate on local issues, giving back to the local community that has

served them so well. Judge’s comments: “Community engagement is what this award is all about and this facility has clearly demonstrated this within their submission and evidence. “The charity work sounds absolutely fantastic and Ironmasters are a credit to this community within the Forest of Dean. “This work is absolutely fabulous and I feel this gym will lift the trophy on the night with absolute delight. Ironmasters Gym truly deserves this award.”

NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Gym Team of the Year sponsored by Physical Company: Solan Fitness, Orpington SOLAN Fitness offers the best of both worlds: the slickness and professionalism of a high-end corporate offering with the affordable, personal touch independent operators are famed for. The gym team is at the heart of this – made up of staff who are specialist, educated and trained within the strength training industry. All staff are trained within the club’s own bespoke ‘university’ which covers customer service, sales, leadership, health and safety and product knowledge,

creating a knowledgeable and passionate team striving to give the best to members. Judge’s comments: “It was clear that Solan are determined, geared towards success and cannot do a fraction of what they do without the team all pushing in the same direction. ”Based upon the sheer amount of classes they run, the services they offer and the management of the site, it shows they need to have a closely knitted team all working together and the evidence proves this.”

Customer Service Award sponsored by Physique Sports: Aberdeen Sports Village, Aberdeen THE ASV staff have met the challenge of the recession hitting the city head on. There’s no point in having the best possibly facility with the shiny new kit if no one is using it, and that is the attitude the team have had. So what have they done? Well, quite simply they have recognised that they need to ensure they retain their current members, and have surveyed them asking for some feedback. Judge’s comments: “With a wide variety of services on offer it is easy to see why ASV really does offer

something for everyone; keeping the customer fully satisfied and having the passion to deliver a very personalised service. “The facility is a huge asset to the city; offering affordable activities from all age ranges and the feedback from customers and statistics clearly speaks for itself. “The customer feedback and comments are very strong and these comments and the information presented shows that this facility is clearly delivering excellent customer engagement.”

Local Authority/Leisure Trust Gym of the Year sponsored by ServiceSport: Littledown Centre, Bournemouth

LITTLEDOWN Centre has enjoyed a rapid expansion – with a 92 per cent increase in footfall in the last six years – while maintaining a high level of quality and customer service. It welcomes hundreds of thousands of people through its doors – and a staggering 11 per cent of Bournemouth’s population are members of a BH Live Active gym. Membership numbers are also up 200 per cent in three years, and the gym has all the latest equipment and classes. Its facilities also include world class

swimming facilities ideal for all ages – making it a place for all the family. Judge’s comments: “The facility has come up against challenging competition in recent years and has managed to still retain very high club live membership numbers, along with low attrition levels. “The gym has demonstrated great news stories for members and their gym team continually strive to deliver excellent quality management systems and continue to market and promote their facilities with high campaign marketing exposure.”

Regional Gym of the Year Scotland sponsored by Gym Upholstery: Gym 64, Dunfermline AT Gym 64, owner Alan Goodsir has quite simply thought of everything. Put simply, Gym64 ticks every possible box, and some that you may not have even thought of. Gym64 does a lot of work for charity, and has raised over £50,000 for the Mary Leishman Foundation. A chunk of this comes from the Scottish Strongman event which the gym hosts annually. Several national records have

been broken at these events over the years. Judge’s comments: “Gym 64 has great membership retention rates, which is always a clear sign they are doing things right. “Everything you can think of has been thought of and catered for by someone who is obviously focused on delivering quality and satisfaction. “A stand out in this category for me as the centre that delivered in all areas.”

Gym Based PT sponsored by Future Fit Training: Michael Warren, Xercise4Less, North Shields A COMMITTED and passionate personal trainer, Michael has 20 years’ experience in the fitness industry. As well as being a past winner of this award in 2014, he has also been named as one of the World’s top 10 personal trainers to watch by Life Fitness. Michael is also a published author and regular speaker at industry events and as well as training clients out of Xercise4Less, also owns his own company – Michael Warren Performance Education – delivering training and education both in person and online.

Judge’s comments: “Through an almost inexhaustible level of effort, Michael has translated his personal training credentials into a working brand that is growing both within his gym and across the industry. “As well as having some great testimonies, success stories and evidence of his growth, Michael has shown the ability to adapt to the changes in the industry over the years and has created sub-brands within himself to cater to various groups and sports.”

Regional Gym of the Year North sponsored by Emprise: Gambaru Fitness, Harrogate BE the best you can be is the message given to everyone that walks through the doors at Gambaru Fitness – and that’s exactly what this club strives to be. The 24-hour Harrogate facility has a wide range of exercise solutions on offer to their members, from ladies only fitness, to a dedicated weight lifting room and fitness suite. With a passionate workforce that ensures they always go above and beyond, and the latest technological equipment, once a member joins

this facility, they’re in it for the long run. Judge’s comments: “I love the genuine feel to this place and the friendly approach to helping people. “Here you have everything under one roof but the thing that sets this centre apart from the rest is its overwhelming passion for everyone’s self-improvement. “An atmosphere, genuine caring and loyalty of staff mean Gambaru is here to stay in a very competitive market.”

NATIONAL FITNESS AWARD WINNERS

Regional Gym of the Year Midlands and Wales sponsored by Staffs Fitness: Ezeegym, Lichfield MEMBERS at Ezee Gym can enjoy everything from classes to Power Plate to a fully equipped gym all for just £20 a month; making them one of the most value for money operators in the area. With good retention figures and a reputation for great customer service, the club is going from strength to strength. Being on the edge of a sprawling industrial estate has also helped the owner build his membership; offering corporate deals to

nearby firms which brings in clients during the day and at other off-peak times. Judge’s comments: “Ezee Gym is the perfect example of someone knowing how to market their centre and set realistic targets. “The gym aims to be trendsetters and not followers and made many bold moves with classes and equipment. “The way this centre came over made me want to visit for a training session myself.”

Regional Gym of the Year South sponsored by ClubManager Winners 2000 Fitness Ltd, Newton Abbot WINNERS 2000 leads the way in the south of the country. The facility has everything you need under one roof. All the latest equipment, classes, a cafe and much more. But it’s the high level of the staff who work there that makes Winners 2000 the leader of the pack. The owner, Simon, and his staff share a passion for fitness that’s reflected in the innovative work they do. Its offering is excellent – and that’s why it continues to welcome more members and

expand. Judge’s comments: “Winners 2000 had a very clear and informative entry and hadn’t left a stone unturned. “They pay particular attention to detail and have very clear focus of what they want to do – and they do it. “They have great follow up protocols and deliver with equipment, top quality staff and customer results. “They are constantly growing and improving.”

National Gym of the Year sponsored by DFC: Scott McGarry Health and Fitness, Ballymena Judge’s comments: “This place is something special and obviously being steered by a very knowledgeable management that clearly wants to offer the very best service. “Scott himself is not resting and pushing

forward in a big way to branch out into mentoring new personal trainers through a new training academy. “The energy behind this gym is why it will undoubtedly continue being a massive success!”

Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Harlands Group: Steve Johnson THE winner of this year’s Lifetime Achievement award has been working in fitness for over three decades – and has a passion for the industry which grows with every passing year. The recipient of the 2016 award has had a long and varied career, ranging from fitness manager to competitor to coach. Over the years, our winner has achieved competition success themselves, coached many top UK bodybuilding athletes and as co-owner of a multi award winning independent gym, is no stranger to picking

up trophies – including several National Fitness Awards. As the current NABBA Mr Britain Masters Champion, one of our winner’s most recent accolades is being named runner-up in the NABBA Universe Masters Class. He is also an official NABBA bodybuilding judge and for the last three years has been tasked with the job of judging the National Fitness Awards – an honour he takes great pride in. Steve Johnson is the worthy winner of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to our runners up ... Regional Gym of the Year Northern Ireland sponsored by Hatton Academy: Scott McGarry Health and Fitness, Ballymena DESPITE his ‘professional’ attitude to fitness, Scott employs people from all walks of life, and is a true inspiration. Scott is also keen to ensure that he offers the personal touch and personally assigns all clients to the PT he believes is most suitable to the individual and their needs. He quite simply wants to do things the right way, and he must be doing something right as the number of PTs he employs has climbed from 12 to 18.

Judge’s comments: “This is a very professional set up with impressive branding that is hard to ignore. No expense has been spared on the fitness equipment and the professionalism on site is clear to see. “Scott has invested large and wisely in his marketing and it is very hard to be anything but massively impressed with this entry.”

n Regional Gym of the Year Northern Ireland: Flamingo Fitness, Ballymena n Regional Gym of the Year Midlands and Wales: Rigs Fitness, Kings Heath, Birmingham n Regional Gym of the Year North: 3-1-5 Health Club, Lancaster n Regional Gym of the Year Scotland: Aberdeen Sports Village, Aberdeen n Regional Gym of the Year South: The Strength and Conditioning Institute, Tonbridge n Newcomer of the Year: Primal Gym, Leeds n Combat Zone Gym of the Year: Charles Martin Martial Arts Academy, Doncaster n Functional Training Gym of the Year: FSI Gym, North Shields n Member Achievement: Luisa Pearce, David Lloyd King’s Hill n Gym Team of the Year: The Strength and Conditioning Institute, Tonbridge

n Group Exercise Gym of the Year: YMCA Club, London n Strength Training Gym of the Year: Strength Asylum, Stoke-on-Trent n Gym Based Personal Trainer: Scott McGarry, Scott McGarry Health and Fitness n Local Authority/Leisure Trust Gym of the Year: St Peter’s Leisure Centre, Burnley n Customer Service Award: The Strength and Conditioning Institute, Tonbridge n Best Rehab Facility of the Year: Westway Trust Sports and Fitness, London n Community Involvement: Fraserburgh Fitness Centre, Aberdeenshire n Ladies Only Gym of the Year: Fit Femmes Ladies Only Gym, Chesterfield n Health Club of the Year: The Laboratory Spa and Health Club, Muswell Hill n Best Hotel Facility: The Spa at Rockliffe Hall, County Durham n Budget Gym of the Year: i-Motion Gym, Rotherham

PRODUCT NEWS

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Functional training specialist TRX has launched a new line of equipment to expand the TRX training experience. The new tools include medicine balls, slam balls, kettlebells, strength bands, plyo boxes, conditioning ropes, training mats and foam roller. Many of the products are also available in various weights, sizes and resistances to benefit all users and all training goals, while fitting any size training space, be it home, outdoors or in the gym. TRX president Paul Zadoff said: “The development of this line of functional training tools is a natural progression for TRX. We have long incorporated them in classes and they play key roles in our professional education curriculum, namely in our Functional Training Course.”

Features for our February issue include: n Refurbishment, servicing and maintenance n Bootcamps and outdoor fitness n Mind/body To advertise in one of these features call Dan Lloyd on 01226 734699 or Danielle Hornby on 01226 734709.

Strength and conditioning is key to crew claiming award THE Williams Racing pit crew has been awarded the 2016 DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award, following an impressive season which saw the team secure the fastest pit stops in 14 out of 21 races in the 2016 F1 season. And it’s the work that the team puts in at the gym that has been central to their success: Human performance specialist at Williams Racing Gemma Fisher said: “To ensure that the crew can complete successful pit stops in split seconds under pressure, hours of practice is required to fine tune the skills required. This includes job rolespecific training using the range of strength and functional equipment

we have at our facility.” As an official supplier to the F1 team, Cybex have equipped the Williams Cybex Gym which is used by Williams’ 700 staff, including the team’s pit crew and drivers when onsite at the team’s headquarters in Grove, Oxfordshire. Gemma added: “The adaptive mechanisms and well-researched design of the Cybex kit is able to meet our unique training requirements, enabling us to work on all components of fitness including explosive strength, speed and accuracy.” For more information visit www.cybexintl.com

Exercisers challenged to conquer the PowerMill LIFE Fitness is inviting exercisers to challenge themselves with one of 2017’s gym trends and conquer the dynamic PowerMill, which is leading the way for a new generation of steppers. The motor-power climber uses proven Life Fitness technology to create a powerhouse that addresses the growing trend towards highintensity, low-impact interval training and total-body cardio. The innovative PowerMill, available in both the Elevation and Integrity Series, is equipped with a first-in-theindustry SureStepSystem technology. The system’s pinnacle feature is the AC motor, which provides the widest interval training range available in

a step climber. From 12 steps per minute on the low end up to 185 steps per minute at highest speed, the motor’s broad speed options provide applications for all exercisers, whether they are engaging in reconditioning or interval training. The SureStepSystem also features a patented MaxBlox system to eliminate toe-pinch and a stable platform for starting and ending workouts. Even with the largest step surface available, the PowerMill Climber still boasts the smallest footprint of any climber in the industry, giving facilities a reliable, versatile option for their cardio layout. For more information visit www.lifefitness.com

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