Workout January 2023

Parkwood Leisure invests over £1million in fitness equipment as part of wide-scale facility upgrades

PARKWOOD Leisure has invested more than £1million over the past 12 months in new fitness equipment, as part of the operator’s plans to upgrade its leisure centres and improve its offering to members.

In partnership with Life Fitness, Parkwood Leisure has installed new gym equipment in more than 20 of its leisure centres across England and Wales.

This includes the new Tarka Leisure Centre, which opened in North Devon in June. The 110-station gym is one of the operator’s largest fitness facilities, and forms part of the new £15million site which is also home to three group exercise studios, two pools, six indoor tennis courts and outdoor sports facilities.

More than £200,000 has also been invested in the Vale of Glamorgan’s Penarth and Barry Leisure Centres, with both facilities receiving full gym equipment upgrades in December.

Group indoor cycling studios at Rushcliffe Arena, Cardiff International Pool, Hengrove Park and Sidcup Leisure Centres were all upgraded with new ICG® bikes, providing users with a unique group cycling experience through ICG®’s Coach by Color training system.

The four facilities also saw upgrades across the gym floors, with new strength equipment, as well as cardio with the latest technology and entertainment options, also installed.

Members at Bicester, Scotch Horn, and Erith Leisure Centres, alongside

Parkwood Health and Fitness in Salisbury, have also benefited from new strength training equipment, whilst further equipment upgrades have been made to the gyms at Crook Log, Crosby, and Penzance Leisure Centres. Operations director Alex Godfrey said: “The gyms are at the heart of many of our leisure centres and it’s vital that we

TMD shares positive environmental impact textiles recycling programme

IN THE period between January 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, 1,753kg of  end of use textile materials recalled from clients, including Places Leisure, was collected from the Taylor Made Designs (TMD) offices, sorted, securely shredded down and recycled.

The official Environmental Impact Statement shows that, by disposing of garments responsibly using this deconstruction and recycling process, a total of 2,980Kg of CO2 has been saved from entering the atmosphere.

Plus, an estimated 1,787,030 litres of water have been saved due to a combination of avoiding landfill and the impact saved from the recycling and re-purposing versus manufacturing from new.

James Taylor, managing director of TMD, said: “Our programme makes responsible and secure textile disposal possible for any sized organisation, single or multi-site.

“The whole recycling process is fully documented, giving clients written certification of the entire process including their own Environmental Impact Statement.

“When Places Leisure rebranded recently, we disposed of all their redundant workwear via this recycling process. Garments were shredded and repurposed into new yards, insulation and composites or turned into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). 100 per cent avoided ending up in landfill.”

In addition to its own textile recycling process, TMD also aligns itself with other suppliers that share the same ethics and

ethos towards environmental awareness.

James added: “Our UK courier DPD is working hard to offset its carbon footprint and aims to reduce energy consumption per parcel by 30 per cent by 2025.

“Initiatives include planting trees in UK woodland, funding a WWF project to plant a 1,600m² seagrass meadow in the Solent that will absorb carbon 35 times faster than a tropical rainforest and Installing energy efficient LED lighting in all depots.

“It’s extremely important every individual and every company plays its part in reducing carbon emissions. We only have one planet. We all need to work together to protect it.”

keep up to date with industry trends, and continue to evolve our offering to make sure we’re catering to our members’ needs. Fitness equipment is also only one area that we’ve invested in, and with more than £1million spent in our gyms this year alone, we’re helping to encourage even more people to get healthy and active within

the communities that we serve, with further plans underway for investment in a number of sites over the next six months.”

As well as the new facility upgrades already planned, next year will also see the launch of the new £16million Bingham Arena in Rushcliffe, which is set to open in early 2023.

Advertiser’s announcement

TMD director Ed Taylor sorting textiles for recycling.

Works begins on pavilion at new community sports hub in Barking

ALLIANCE Leisure has been appointed through the UK Leisure Framework to design and build the new pavilion as part of a £13million investment to create a community sports hub in Barking Replacing an old building deemed no longer fit for purpose, the new Pavilion will support 16 new, natural grass pitches and three full-size 3G artificial grass pitches already in place.

Housing a gym, a studio, changing and shower facilities, a food and beverage provision plus several multi-purpose meeting and education rooms, the new Pavilion will become the heartbeat of the sports hub, creating a much-needed community facility in the east London borough.

Greg Walker, business development manager at Alliance Leisure, said: “Once complete, this purpose-built sports facility will become an integral part of community life, creating a permanent home for May and Baker FC whilst also providing a first-class facility for a range

of another sports club.

“The inclusion of the Pavilion not only supports players but also provides a venue for schools and grassroots sports clubs to hold meetings and education sessions, whilst the gym and studio, along with the food and beverage facilities, present income generating opportunities to drive commercial sustainability.

The project is being funded by a £6.2million grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, supported by a £6.1million investment from Barking and Dagenham Council. Further contributions have also been donated by London Marathon Charitable Trust and Greater London Authority.

Once operational, the Sports Hub will be operated by the charity, Leisure United. All surplus income will be reinvested back into grassroots football in the borough creating a sustainable future for the sport.

38 new gym members at Oceans Health & Fitness

OCEANS Health & Fitness nailed their Black Friday dale at the end of November last year, signing up 38 new long-term members across two days, resulting in gross membership revenue of more than £33,000.

)For anyone looking for inspiration for similar results from their marketing in 2023, this article could be worth a read!

So how did Oceans do it?

The campaign was designed by Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM) who have helped hundreds of businesses in the fitness industry to cut through the clutter in their local markets.

Jonny Packard said: “When it comes to Black Friday advertising, our teams know that we need to do something special to stand out amongst the crowd.

“We steer away from the more traditional offers like ‘pay nothing until next year’ so that we can generate immediate revenue during the campaign.

“At Oceans Health & Fitness we combined a good value membership package with an exciting giveaway for everyone that joined across the two days.

“The giveaway is strategically chosen for its marketing appeal and financial return based on the overall lifetime value of the membership.

“Our marketing teams focus on building hype around the giveaway, with a strong focus on creative social media video content.

“We leverage club staff in our photos

and videos as opposed to paid models as these guys are relatable to the local audience and are the face of the business. Subsequently, this helps with trust when the prospect visits the club and recognises one of the staff members from the advertising.”

Katie, who is group manager of Oceans, added: “I highly recommend CFM as they always bring in a significant number of members, are very professional and have a great presence on site and on social media.”

This Black Friday offer was one small part of a seven-week marketing campaign which in total resulted in 375 new members joining.

CFM also assist clubs with creative marketing campaigns throughout the year and are unique in the industry with their short, high impact campaigns designed to attract new joiners quickly.

Many clubs use them in addition to their regular marketing efforts for an annual injection of new members.

To find out more about CFM check out their website www.cfm.net or call Jonny or Harry on 0115 777 3333.

How to maximise your club’s revenue in the new year

By Wayne Heath

2023 is right around the corner and it’s time to start gearing up for a busy January; what’s often the busiest period for gym owners out of the whole year.

While it’s a fantastic time to increase revenue and grow your membership base, it can easily become an overwhelming period due to increased admin and membership sales kicking into overdrive.

In preparation for the new year we are sharing three ways that you can get ahead of the game and give your club the best chance of success in January.

Boost revenue with early renewals We’re living through some tricky

financial times at the moment, so you want to make sure you leave little to chance when it comes to revenue.

One way to give your business a lastminute cash injection ahead of the new year is to encourage early renewals for any members that are coming to the end of their contracted membership period.

You can offer a discount, reward or some other benefit that enhances your customers’ experience in exchange for renewing their contract earlier. Plus, taking a proactive approach and inviting your members to renew means you stand a better chance of achieving higher renewal rates; which is good news for your cash flow.

If you’re stuck on how to run your early renewals campaign, we recommend

contacting your customers and letting them know you’re running a one-time offer for members that renew their contract early.

Gym owners that use ClubRight have the option of standard email comms, text messages or - most recently - push notifications so you can capture your members’ attention right away and bulksend messages at the click of a button.

There’s even the option for your customers to renew their memberships themselves, so the heavy admin burden of renewals is lifted from you and your staff.

Don’t wait until January to start your marketing campaigns

According to the IHRSA, 12 per cent of all gym membership sign-ups happen in January – but that doesn’t mean you should wait until then to capitalise on the number of people with fitnessrelated New Year’s resolutions.

Starting your new year campaign in December allows you to get ahead of the competition and tap into people’s intentions.

Naturally, the language used will be slightly different and it’s wise to be sensitive to everyone’s financial circumstances, which is why it’s better to focus on awareness and education instead of converting.

It’s a great opportunity to discuss habitbuilding and educate your audience on the importance of a consistent workout routine so that when January rolls around, you’ll have a pool of leads at the top of your sales funnel ready to join your club. It’s also proven that educated leads make for loyal customers, so it’s always worth putting in the work.

Make sure your internal processes are ready for a rush

There are few things more stressful for a business owner than when something

goes awry in the middle of a busy spell, so take the time to make sure your internal processes and systems can handle an influx of leads and new signups.

That goes for staff organisation, equipment maintenance and anything else that might hinder your ability to provide a five-star service.

Have your online joining live and ready to go so that new customers can join on their own time and aren’t limited to your opening hours to make a telephone enquiry. Ideally, it should take no longer than five minutes for someone to browse your memberships and make a purchase.

Set up automated workflows to follow up with anyone that doesn’t complete their purchase so that you don’t have to worry about doing it manually.

Make sure your sales funnel is optimised so you can track every customer from being a lead through to when they’re a member.

Overall, you want to give your club the best chance of success in 2023 and refining your internal processes is the best way to do that.

Don’t be afraid to test your sign-up process as if you were a member and consider if there’s anything that can be improved.

Catch those renewals early for a quick cash boost and kick the New Year off with a bang.

If you’re overwhelmed by the prospect of managing a surge in new leads, ClubRight can help.

We’ve built the best value gym software on the market, designed to save you hours on club admin so that you can focus on running your business.

Get your systems ready for the new year and book a free online demo to see ClubRight in action– we can get your account set up within the hour.

Our product experts are on hand to answer any questions you might have on 0203 884 9777.

#DoingOurBit launches new platform to future-proof free fitness for the NHS

#DoingOurBit – a bespoke, free online fitness platform for NHS and social care staff – has launched a new website to future-proof the platform that initially launched in June 2020.

Born out of necessity during the first lockdown, the new platform paves the way for even more NHS and social care staff across the UK to be more active.

#DoingOurBit is the largest free platform supporting the wellbeing of frontline workers in the UK.

With fitness sessions added every month and a new mental wellbeing hub now added, the #DoingOurBit platform has grown significantly since its launch two years ago, currently offering over 50 fitness sessions and programmes from leading instructors across fitness and wellness.

#DoingOurBit started as a passion project for Julie Davis who works as the deputy chief operating officer at the Clinical Research Network West Midlands. Seeing the toll Covid-19 took on her colleagues, she set about sourcing some free workouts and relaxation sessions to help them cope.

The initiative caught the eye of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust which wanted to offer the workouts to its staff of nearly 10,000.

Suddenly, Julie needed a bigger

platform and professional support. Training provider Study Active, awarding organisation Active IQ and fitness platform hosting company fibodo joined forces to bring Julie’s ambitious idea to life.

Today, the #DoingOurBit initiative is having an impact across 130 NHS and social care organisations with a reach of 750,000 staff, answering a need that has been around for a long time but was perpetuated by the pandemic.

“The dedication, focus and

commitment of the collaborating partners – Active IQ, fibodo and Study Active – is as strong today as it was in March 2020 when we first came together,” said Julie.

“With staff doing shift work and many on lower incomes, a free fitness service that can be accessed 24/7 is a blessing.

“The new platform shows that #DoingOurBit is going from strength-tostrength and the continued commitment of each partner to develop and futureproof the platform is simply wonderful.”

The collaboration between Active IQ, fibodo and Study Active took Julie’s idea and turned it into reality. The team continues to generously donate their time to the project meeting regularly to add new workouts, features and updates.

Recently, David Monkhouse, director of Leisure-Net Solutions, joined the #DoingOurBit steering committee to lend his expertise to the initiative.

“I am really pleased to be able to offer some of my time to the #DoingOurBit steering group,” he said.

“I was really impressed by Julie’s vision and her achievement at the ukactive awards of 2021.

“The progress to date is impressive, more importantly the opportunity to enhance the wellbeing of the NHS workforce cannot be overlooked. The scalability of this project is immense.

“This, together with the opportunity for fitness and health professionals to demonstrate directly to healthcare workers the value of moving more and being more active, made it an opportunity I could not turn down.”

NHS and social care staff simply register on the site using their work email address to access the library of free workouts and mental wellbeing hub resources.

Sport England announces partnerships with charities

SPORT England has announced new long-term partnerships with disability charities Sense, Mencap and Special Olympics GB.

The three charities join more than 120 organisations that Sport England has partnered with this year, chosen for their unique influence and ability to level up access to sport and physical activity across England and create system-wide change.

Physical activity is proven to help physical and mental health, with people described as active reporting lower levels of anxiety and loneliness.

But Sport England’s Active Lives survey shows that more than half of disabled people are inactive – compared to a third

Director of Operations: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Studio manager: Paul Hopkinson ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Assistant studio manager: Scott Firth sf@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Sales: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

www.workout-uk.co.uk

of people without a disability.

Furthermore, Sport England’s research shows almost half (40 per cent) of those living with a disability or long-term health condition currently feel they have experienced a negative impact on their ability to get active, due to the cost-ofliving crisis.

Tackling inequalities in activity levels is at the heart of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy, and the new partnerships (totalling £6.5million of National Lottery and government funding) have been announced at a particularly challenging time for disabled people.

The pandemic disproportionately affected disabled people, and the cost-

of-living crisis is likely to as well.

Mencap is a UK charity for people with learning disabilities. Services they provide range from around-the-clock care, to helping someone engage with local leisure activities for the benefit of their physical and mental wellbeing.

They have been awarded £2.7million, with the funding award helping the organisation improve access to physical activity and their presence in multiple locations across England. They will also create resources and networks, to showcase learning, develop best practices, and advocate for change.

Special Olympics GB is a sporting organisation which uses sport to empower children and adults with an

intellectual disability. Sport England has awarded the charity £1.5million to help ensure that it continues to deliver innovation and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. This funding will help to ensure that the organisation develops its specialist expertise in this area of work.

Sense is a leading charity that supports children and adults living with complex disabilities in the UK. Services range from round-the-clock care to support in the community through its short-breaks, arts, sports and wellbeing programmes.

£2.2million has been awarded to Sense, to enable them to help more people with complex disabilities to become active in their local communities. This

BHOUT unveils world’s first AI boxing bag

PORTUGUESE -based start-up BHOUT has developed the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) enabled punching bag, which is due to launch in the UK during 2023 (and US) in a bid to capitalise on the consumers who find traditional physical fitness concepts outdated.

Six years in design and development, the AI solution is predicted to take the UK market by storm.

Benefiting from machine learning, BHOUT opens up entirely new opportunities for boxing training.

The sleek, modern, attractive bag comes fully fitted with smart technology and biometric sensors.

It’s the world’s first heavy bag with a brain; capable of studying the Bhouter’s strikes and strength and tracking data through the BHOUT app.

Using data, BHOUT can continuously

challenge and motivate; as well as teach the sweet science of boxing. What’s more it can even match your fight intensity to your mood.

In addition to its tech capabilities, the bag’s body is multi-layered and boasts life-like tactility, with the core

composed of 85 per cent water to avoid the risk of injury.

Inspired by video games, the bag has an integrated nudging system, made up of colours and music aimed at each type of training and intensity, which helps to improve the player’s motivation.

ukactive and Sport England report charts sector’s progress on digital maturity

FITNESS and leisure operators are set to accelerate their digital strategies in 2023, after participation in the Digital Futures consultation doubled, ukactive and Sport England have revealed.

The Digital Futures 2022 report is based on consultation with 93 public and private operators (up from 44 in 2021), representing more than 1,800 sites across the UK (up from 1,300 in 2021) and serving an estimated 4.5 million members nationwide.

The report provides an updated review of the digital maturity and effectiveness of the UK’s fitness and leisure sector, with operators using ukactive’s free Digital Maturity and Effectiveness Index Tool to obtain their score and advice about the next steps to take.

Using more than 6,700 data points, experts from digital consultancy Rewrite Digital are able to provide a year-onyear measure of progress for the sector, benchmarked against other sectors.

Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “We are hugely encouraged to see more operators engaged in our Digital Futures consultation and taking advantage of our free index tool to help improve their businesses.

“Our latest findings present the most comprehensive case yet for investment in digital strategies by fitness and leisure operators, providing them with the evidence and recommendations needed to drive improvements.

Huw Edwards

performance.

n Operators who participated in both the 2021 and 2022 consultations scored higher on average than last year, indicating a positive impact on performance.

n Three operators reached Digital Leader status, scoring 80 per cent or more, compared to just one in 2021. n 24 per cent of operators scored less than 40 per cent, compared to just 11 per cent in 2021.

n As with last year, private operators score higher than public operators for all areas of digital, with university operators scoring lower still.

ukactive strategic partners Gladstone, Myzone, EGYM, Les Mills, Technogym and Xplor. It forms part of ukactive’s Digital Futures strategy, as well as Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy.

The aim of the strategy is to help improve the application of digital by all fitness and leisure operators, with the ultimate objective of creating a sector that can meet the needs and demands of everyone in the community, ensuring full digital accessibility and inclusivity.

“Digital transformation will play a fundamental role in creating a first-class, inclusive fitness experience for every customer in the UK, helping us to get more people active than ever.

“With the support of Sport England and our strategic partners, we will continue to engage and support organisations from every level on each step their journey.”

Key findings of Digital Futures 2022: n The overall score for the sector’s digital maturity and effectiveness is 51 per cent in 2022 (down from 55 per cent in 2021). The index describes this level (40-59 per cent) as ‘Digital Experimenter’, typically meaning that operators are making great strides forward but missing the investment, goal alignment and rapid advances to yield a strong

The decline in the overall scores is attributed in part to higher participation among smaller operators this year, which commonly achieve lower scores, as well as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic – with the reopening of facilities reducing dependency on digital.

Improvements in an organisation’s understanding of digital can also lead to lower scores, as the self-assessments become more advanced and critical.

The report provides a series of strategic and practical recommendations for operators of all sizes to improve their approach, from developing a digital strategy, to personalisation, gaining consumer insights, customer experiences, and digital inclusion.

The publication is the second annual report of its kind and is supported by

As such, it also forms part of ukactive’s proposed shared ambition for growth with the Government and partners –helping gyms, pools and leisure facilities to reach more than five million new members by 2030.

ukactive and Sport England will run the consultation for a third year in 2023, in order to further calibrate the measurement of the sector’s digital maturity.

A broader approach will also see the partners engage and support National Governing Bodies, the Active Partnership Network, and other organisations in the physical activity ecosystem, while continuing to provide practical resources on a number of subjects.

Plans are also underway to benchmark the sector with territories outside of the UK in order to achieve a wider perspective and to learn from global leaders.

The Matrix IC3 Indoor Cycle is a remanufactured commercial machine which gives you a high level of performance during your workout. This Matrix IC3 Indoor Cycle has three main elements; 1. Dual sided pedals allow your feet, knee and hip stay in position which helps improves your workout experience. 2. Ergonomic Handle bar is designed to prevent you from strains on your wrists 3 Advanced Geometry is created to help you improve on your cycling The IC3 Indoor Cycle is perfect to use if you are working on your muscles groups, focusing on your heart health or reducing your body weight.

Chain announces £1.1m investment into its clubs to improve member experience

TOTAL Fitness has made a series of investments into the refurbishment of four of its clubs – Prenton, Chester, Altrincham, and Teesside.

The refurbishment works are all due to be completed by early 2023, with a total investment of £1.1m across all four health clubs.

Paul McNicholas, operations director at Total Fitness, said: “We’ve always been passionate about ensuring our members have a supportive and motivational place to workout with the best facilities and equipment.

“Following the successful refurbishment of our Whitefield club and the positive impact this has had on our members, it’s been fantastic to be able to refurbish additional clubs and improve our offering further.

“We want to ensure every club has usable and effective fitness spaces where our members enjoy spending time and working out. Providing these four clubs with a fresh new look and feel and investing in new equipment has enabled us to do this.”

The first two clubs to be completed, Prenton and Chester, have each seen investments made to improve the look, feel and overall experience of their gym

and studio spaces.

This includes new equipment, including newer strength and functional kit, as well as an upgraded spin studio with state of the art bikes which have been installed as part of their new spin experience.

Paul added: “We’re also extremely excited about the launch of our new spin

studios with upgraded equipment which allows us to bring our members a new explosive, power-based spin experience.

“The new bikes give members the power to personalise their intensity and track progress so they can own their workout– and we’re excited to support them on every step of their journey.”

As well as the investments made

in new equipment, Total Fitness has transformed the interior look of each club, making it an enticing space for members to work out and improve their fitness.

The refurbishment work at both the Altrincham and Teesside clubs is underway, and will see similar improvements to the other clubs, designed to support Total Fitness’ ongoing commitment to offering their members the best fitness and health experience each time they visit.

The estimated completion date for the refurbishments will be early January.

The individual investments made towards each club include Chester and Prenton receiving a £350,000 refurbishment and £300,000 investment at Teesside, whilst £100,000 will be spent on refurbishments to the Altrincham club following the previous investment of £500,000 in 2019.

Total Fitness champions the importance of the middle market health club sector by offering a variety of ways to workout and access to more diverse facilities.

The continued investment into their clubs is to ensure all members have the best fitness experience possible.

Team swells at Right Directions to support demand

RIGHT Directions, which manages Sport England’s quality mark, Quest, has grown its team to support demand.

The health and safety and quality management company has created five new roles to cover all aspects of the business, from managing Quest accreditations and mystery visits to looking after client contracts and handling day to day administration.

Phil Lown joins as a senior Quest assessor, having spent the previous five years working in public health.

Dave Chivers joins Right Directions as operations manager (South), having come from Serco UK and Europe where he was suitably head of quality, health, safety, security and environment for the Citizen Services business unit.

Health, safety and quality support manager Jack Bernard will be working on the newly won Lee Valley Regional Park

Authority contract as part of its dedicated health and safety team.

With a background in both local authority leisure and private health clubs, Michelle Dorsett was self employed offering first aid training to businesses, parents, schools and individuals before also joining Right Directions as a health and safety and quality support manager.

And newly appointed health and safety and quality support manager Gary Milne has enjoyed a long career in private, public and trust-run leisure, from the basket room to the board room and from single site facilities to multi-site contracts including events and hospitality, as well as running his own spa business for 13 years.

Day to day Gary will carry out health and safety auditing, mystery visits and Quest assessments, as well as delivering a range of IOSH safety management training courses.

Why now is the perfect time to switch your gym management software

THERE are plenty of reasons you are looking to change your gym management software provider – ‘it’s too complicated’, ‘there are too many hidden fees’, ‘they don’t have the features you need’, ‘their support team has you on hold for hours’, etc.

Many EZFacility clients who have switched from other gym software providers were running into the same issues yet, though they were fed up with the runaround, were still hesitant to make the switch because they thought it would disrupt their day-to-day business too much.

Let’s address some common concerns we have heard from clients when considering making the switch to EZFacility.

The transition process is too difficult That’s what we’re here for! During the transition process, you’ll have a dedicated customer success specialist performing one-on-one training to guide you through utilising our software to its fullest.

They will be there every step of the way to help set up your EZFacility account to your gym facility’s specific needs.

Our training team has facilitated transitions from almost every other gym management software company out there, so they are experts when it comes to ensuring a painless transition.

Learning a new gym management software will take too long

There is always a learning curve when starting anything new – hey, we’re just being honest – but the EZFacility team is here to get you up and running quickly.

Getting started quickly though doesn’t mean we sprint through set up. During implementation, our team works with you and your team to ensure everyone is comfortable and confident running your business with our software.

Because we work together to get you up to speed, you won’t break stride with current gym operations.

How do we do this you may ask?

Completed in four recommended, one-hour training sessions our training process is one that has been designed with a “train-the-trainer” approach in mind. The “train-the-trainer” methodology will grant your gym the opportunity to have a “go-to” in house EZExpert to help current and future

employees become comfortable using EZFacility. Don’t worry though, we are always available to field questions and walk you through any requests that may arise during and after the training process. Our support centre is also available 24/7 for you to access user guides, helpful product articles, and videos, along with the ability to submit a request for support.

Members will be double billed or not billed at all We know that maintaining consistent billing is vital to your gym’s livelihood.

To safeguard against members being double billed during the transition, we recommend you choose a cut-off date for billing where all transactions will be switched over to EZFacility from your current (and soon-to-be former) software provider.

On the very rare occasion payments are missed when the transfer occurs, we have plans in place to bill members once you activate billing through EZFacility.

Additionally, our customer support team is available to guarantee your billing (and gym) runs efficiently.

Data will be lost in the migration Our customer support team consists of import specialists, there to navigate you step-by-step through the data migration process to guarantee an effortless transition.

With EZFacility data migration templates ready for use, all you have to do is plug in member information from your current software provider.

From there, our knowledgeable team will review the import file with you and will work together to make sure that the data migration into our software is a successful one. It really is that simple.

My members will have a hard time adjusting to a new interface

Just like you may have a slight learning curve, so might they. To make it easier for members (and cut down questions to you) we have member directed FAQs and support articles available, with more always being created. Plus, our easy-to-use interface minimises service interruption for members and makes it easy for them to pick up.

We understand change is difficult

Let us put your worries to rest. Ditch the software that’s slowing down your growth and get started with one that was built with you in mind.

Contact us to book a demo and learn more about EZFacility and see why switching your software provider doesn’t have to be stressful.

Call 0203 3270480, email sales@ezfacility.co.uk or visit http://www.ezfacility.co.uk/ request-more-information

Panatta – Rowing Machine Circular

The Panatta Circular Rowing Machine is ideal for training the back muscles, with particular focus on the mid-upper part; the circular trajectory on the transverse plane determines a high activation of the mid trapezius, rhomboids and rear deltoids, without leaving behind the work of the latissumus dorsi and biceps brachii.

The machine is equipped with gas-assisted height adjustment of the seat and depth adjustment of the chest rest to adapt to the size of any user; the two independent levers allow the load to be distributed symmetrically and balanced on both limbs, making it possible to work bilaterally or unilaterally, in the latter case also exploiting the fixed central handle.

The standard configuration of the Rowing Machine Circular includes fixed double handles that allow for a prone or neutral grip; as an option, the machine can be equipped with special jointed and rotating handles that allow the hands to be positioned at any angle. Using these handles, the grip can also be varied during the exercise in order to customise and vary the movement, excluding any forcing on the joint structures.

n Prone grip

The movement occurs in a near transverse plane, with the humerus performing an almost pure abduction; muscle activation is concentrated on the upper back with a strong activation of the rear deltoid, together with the rhomboid and middle trapezius. The prone grip also limits the intervention of the elbow flexors (brachial and biceps brachii) by concentrating the work on the back.

n Neutral grip

The movement shifts to an intermediate plane between the transverse and sagittal planes, combining abduction and extension of the humerus; in addition to the rhomboid and middle trapezius, the extensor muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and great round muscles are activated. The neutral grip implies a greater, although not yet optimal, intervention of the elbow flexors.

n Supine grip

Orly possible with optional rotating grips, the movement takes place close to the sagittal plane, the humerus extends over with a strong contribution of the latissimus dorsi and teres major; in this condition, moreover, the elbow flexors are in the best condition to express their potential.

Reach Wellness with FIVE Concept at Third Space Moorgate

REACH Wellness has recently installed innovative fitness and wellness solutions at the new Third Space Moorgate Club.

“We are delighted that Third Space Clubs London continue to return to Reach Wellness to procure cutting edge technology for their UK clubs,” said Jeff Davis, managing director of Reach Wellness.

Third Space Canary Wharf was the first UK Club to install a comprehensive line of FIVE Concept Equipment six years ago, subsequently adding multiple Fascial Stimulator Machines at their other clubs located at London Bridge, Soho, City, Islington and Mayfair.

In a first for the UK, Reach Wellness has also installed the Mescan by Cardioscan (Germany).

“Mescan has a stunning design that

intrinsically demands attention and is a perfect fit for Third Space Clubs,” added Jeff.

The Mescan is the “self check of the future” combining BIA – Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and PPG –Photoplethysmyography to measure body composition, heart rate variability, oxygen saturation levels and stress levels.

When used in conjunction with the Vicoach App, and after an initial consultation with a personal trainer, members can determine their recovery status, fitness status, survey their nutritional parameters and manage their fitness/ training plan.

“Recovery and Regeneration are becoming an increasingly important part of a member’s training plan,” added Jeff.

In addition to FIVE Concept and Mescan, Third Space Moorgate has a dedicated recovery room that includes compression sleeves, percussive therapy guns and recumbent relaxation chairs.

“We are delighted to include Reach Wellness products at our latest site to open at Third Space Moorgate, “ said fitness director Rob Beale.

“A key brand value at Third Space is innovation. We continue to include FIVE Concept in our product offering including two Fascial Stimulator Machines.

“In addition we are delighted to include the Mescan (by Cardioscan); providing a state-of-the-art solution on the gym floor with a 360 degree view of members wellness and readiness to train.”

Third Space CEO Colin Wagget said: “As

Advance in technology

ServiceSport UK has invested significantly in technology over the years and will continue to do so in order to enhance the level of service that we provide to our customers.

You may not think that technology plays such a major part in the service and repair of gym equipment, however, let us offer you some insight into how we have adapted technology to make our operation more efficient and our customers even happier!

SimPro

We understand the challenges that gym operators face on a daily basis and the service, repair and maintenance of gym equipment shouldn’t be one of them.

SimPro allows gym operators to view a live record of their equipment, report a defect, view scheduled engineer visits, request a quote, view service history and much more, all at the click of a button.

By integrating SimPro into our business, our engineers and customer support team operate much more efficiently whilst our customers receive an unparalleled level of service.

3D printing

3D printing allows ServiceSport UK

to manufacture gym equipment parts as opposed to relying on a traditional supply chain.

Often, due to circumstances outside of our control, gym equipment parts can be delayed or ETA’s constantly pushed back.

This not only frustrates our procurement team but also the customer and, ultimately, the members of a gym that can’t use their favourite piece of gym equipment.

To complement our 3D printers is a 3D scanner that allows us to manufacture any part, and component, accurately and quickly to ensure stock of a range of replacement parts.

All gym equipment parts

manufactured using the 3D printing method are meticulously tested to ensure they perform to the same standard as the OEM equivalent.

CAD design

How often do you think about moving equipment in your gym or replacing old equipment with a new range of gym equipment?

Let’s be honest, gym equipment isn’t light so if it doesn’t fit where you want it to be relocated then it’s going to take twice the effort to move it back.

Take the stress away by handing your ideas over to the ServiceSport UK team to create floor plans and 3D video walkthroughs for you to review

well as the usual Third Space features and luxuries, we’ve aimed to create a training heaven for amateur athletes, wrapped in a cloak of luxury.

“We always strive to provide a space that suits each member’s specific needs and this club is no different.

“World first high-spec facilities and best-in-class trainers on hand for advice and support mean members can continue to enjoy the very best services from Third Space.”

Third Space plans to open further clubs at Battersea Power Stations and at Wimbledon’s Centre Court Shopping Centre next year.

The luxury fitness chain is on track to meet its target of operating an estate of 11 clubs by the end of 2023 following a capital injection from KSL in 2021.

before you have to lift a finger moving any equipment.

CNC machine

Our CNC machine allows us to manufacture popular gym equipment parts such as treadmill decks, gym upholstery backing boards, bespoke branded plyo boxes and much more.

The benefits of the CNC machine are that it’s faster, more accurate, and more productive than other manufacturing methods and accuracy ensures consistent product quality.

Another feature of CNC machining is that we can customise any part.

If you wish you can get in touch and let us deviate from the “boring” designs you are used to seeing and customise your kit, thus helping build your brand.

Once our CAD designer has set up the CNC machine with the relevant design files, they can be saved and used time and time again to provide a constant supply of stock at the push of a button, making changes to any design to enhance the product is a simple process too, all taken care of by the ServiceSport UK team.

Call 01257 264738 or email info@servicesport.co.uk for further information. www.servicesport.co.uk

Advertiser’s announcement

Quest launches Exercise Referral Standard to rubber stamp successful schemes

LEISURE operators offering exercise on referral can now have the quality and effectiveness of their schemes validated by Sport England’s Improvement Tool, Quest.

The new Exercise Referral Standard assessment can be taken standalone or as part of Sport England’s Quest assessment process, which is designed to help facilities strengthen their core operational standards, as well as demonstrate the positive impact they have on their local communities.

The Quality Standard for Exercise Referral assessment was originally developed pre-Covid by Right Directions in partnership with Suffolk Public Health, who had, in collaboration with exercise referral scheme leaders, health professionals and other key stakeholders across the county, provided a set of locally tailored operating standards for exercise referral schemes.

The first of its kind in the UK, it was developed to reassure GPs and health professionals that they can refer in the knowledge accredited facilities are successfully delivering programmes that have been rigorously tested using ‘realworld’ criteria.

Following a successful two-anda-half-year pilot, the Standard has been adapted into a module for Sport England’s Quest.

said: “The Exercise Referral Standard will allow facilities running exercise on referral schemes to challenge and check the suitability of the programmes they are running, analyse how they are using funding and demonstrate clear patient outputs. This ‘rubber stamp’ should also give

operators the confidence to apply for further funding.

“Health professionals will no longer need to find solutions to embed exercise themselves; they can simply refer patients living with a condition that would benefit from physical activity to facilities that have achieved the Exercise Referral Standard, reassured they will receive a high standard of care and a structured exercise programme

delivered in a safe environment.”

The Standard aims to ensure exercise referral schemes are operating in line with the 2014 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines for exercise referral and behaviour change, and that pathways are in place for exercise referral aligned to evidencebased principles and best practice guidelines; as well as local health and wellbeing priorities.

“The Standard isn’t limited to those offering exercise referral in a leisure centre,” added Phil. “It’s ideal for small, specialist community teams and exercise referral-specific projects, as well as specialist exercise referral teams who operate as independent teams within the community or within a leisure facility setting.”

The assessment can be carried out as a stand-alone accreditation or on day two as part of Quest Plus at no extra cost, and covers all elements of exercise referral across four key areas: scheme safety, scheme delivery (including governance), information sharing and scheme monitoring and evaluation.

It includes observation of a practical exercise referral session, which could be anything from a specialist programme review or initial consultation to an exercise class, group gym session or induction.

Customer experience enhanced as part of award win

PARKWOOD Leisure’s new datadriven, customer-focused digital strategy has seen participation numbers boom and online sales nearly triple in 2022.

The new strategy was developed to solve real-world problems with digital solutions, enabling members to easily connect with their local leisure centres through simple onboarding processes and effortless self-service bookings for a range of health and fitness activities.

Working closely with user research company Mace & Menter, who uncover valuable customer insights through rigorous research-led discoveries, a three-month research

project was conducted to generate a pathway for the company’s digitally led marketing approach.

The participants in the research covered a broad range of users; from prospective customers, to new, long standing members, swim only and pay as you go customers, helping to form an understanding of the digital needs of each of these groups was vital in the decision making behind the new approach.

The research suggested that customers wanted to easily connect with their leisure centre and its systems through a clear, simple joining and onboarding process before then going onto being able to

manage their membership through effortless self service.

Parkwood’s digital solutions centred on the launch of a new website and CRM system with the focus on a seamless onboarding process and ensuring specific, accurate information about the leisure centres was available to customers.

Since the website launch, unique page views have increased by between 25 per cent and 35 per cent whilst bounce rates have decreased between 15 per cent and 25 per cent but the largest impact has been seen in a 197 per cent increase in online sales since 2019.

Replacing and redesigning the

app provided the ability to manage memberships more easily for members – booking classes was made easier and their membership profile was available to look at, at the touch of a button.

Tablets have also been introduced at the leisure centres to simplify and automate the in-centre sign up process. As a result of the overhauls, all new customers are now set up with online accounts.

A 27 per cent increase in class bookings via the app has resulted in a higher participation rate in classes across the centres. Users are also happier with the new experience, with the app store rating increasing to 4.5.

Gold’s Gym Northridge install ‘Escape Room’ to incorporate training box

GOLD’S Gym, Northridge, California, partnered with Escape Fitness to create a bespoke, standalone ‘Escape Room’ housing all of the latest functional equipment and providing an innovative training space for members that would inspire, motivate and engage them on their fitness journey.

The ‘Escape Room’ is a boutique, box-style fitness room that combines the modern methods of functional training with traditional free-weights and lifting platforms.

This adds a bespoke training environment, adding a new dimension to the incumbent facilities which include a Cardio Cinema®, signature turf track, boxing bag area, dry sauna and Olympic lifting platforms.

“Gold’s Gym is renowned for

attracting bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and Franco Columbo, and the team have always sought out the latest in leading functional equipment to inspire, engage and motivate future greats,” said Matthew Januszek, co-founder of Escape Fitness.

“The ‘Escape Room’ acts as more than just an atmospheric, functional training space. It’s about providing members with a zone in which they leave everything else at the door, enter an engaging and motivating environment that is jam-packed with all the latest functional training tools, providing them with a complete playground of exercise variety.

“The room is constantly in use, proving hugely popular with staff and members and our equipment

will stand the test of time, even with the heavy-duty usage it’s currently experiencing!”

The ‘Escape Room’ incorporates all manner of Escape Fitness

functional training assets including lifting platforms, battle ropes, slam balls, medicine balls and core bags through to the Strongbox benches, plyo boxes and Bulgarian bags.

Phil Lown, senior Quest assessor at Right Directions, which manages Quest on behalf of Sport England as part of Moving Communities,

Largest install of the new Precor StairClimbers in EMEA announced

MEMBERS of UAE’s largest indoor multisport centre, Wellfit in Jumeirah Village Circle, Dubai, can now stay one step ahead of the fitness game thanks to the installation of innovative new Precor StairClimbers.

The state-of-the-art club is the first in the Middle East to install Precor’s StairClimbers and has a total of eight, in the Black Pearl Colourway, to complement its other Precor kit.

The 75,000 sq ft facility – which opened in November last year – also boats a full range of Precor equipment, including 135 cardio stations, as well as Precor’s Resolute Selectorized Strength line, Discovery Plate Loaded machines and Icarian multi-stations.

The Precor StairClimber spent three years in development and testing to ensure its components withstand the test of time.

It’s designed to cater for all exercisers with easy step-on and step-off platforms that have the largest step surface area on the market.

The trademarked Dynamic Step Control™ creates a consistent step for every exerciser’s size and speed, with a range of between 20 and 165 steps per minute.

The lost item slide design feature protects both the machine and users’ personal belongings. Anything dropped through a gap in the steps falls onto the ‘lost item slide’ and is returned to

the user at the foot of the StairClimber, rather than getting lost in the machine’s workings.

The region’s largest install of the new StairClimbers has been supplied by Precor’s UAE distribution partner, Al Yousuf Sports Equipment, and is testament to the strong relationship between the two companies and Wellfit’s parent company, Arada.

Gareth Jones, chief operating officer for Wellfit Dubai, UAE, says: “The knowledge and experience of Precor and its partners

is second to none, and AYSE and Precor have worked closely with us to ensure we are the most exciting fitness hub in town in line with our aim of inspiring, motivating and enabling ‘active living’ for everyone.

“Thanks to the new Precor StairClimbers we remain a world class wellness and fitness facility, inspiring our community on its journey to health and wellness.”

Arada already operates two commercial health clubs under the

Wellfit brand, in addition to residential communities.

The company is currently building a flagship club 60,000sq ft high-tech Wellfit super club, which will be at the company’s Aljada megaproject in the popular Madar family entertainment district of Sharjah.

Opening in June 2023 and spread over two floors, the fitness centre will contain separate men’s and women’s gyms, kitted with Precor fitness equipment.

The new StairClimbers will feature alongside assessment areas, fitness studios, a Mixed Martial Arts space, yoga and indoor-cycling studios, as well as a studio dedicated for children.

Rashed Al Sayegh, managing director at Al Yousuf Sports Equipment, added: “Our partnership with Precor has allowed us to become the trusted distributor of the world’s leading fitness equipment in the UAE, driven by technology, backed by science, putting customer experience at the centre of it all.

“We are committed to provide our clientele with the right solution for their business, which makes us the unrivalled leaders in fitness equipment distribution across the UAE.

“We are very excited to see the StairClimber at one of the best commercial clubs, Wellfit, and we are confident that the members will fall in love with this unique piece of equipment.”

Introducing the Power Plate® REV™ with VibeShift ™ technology

POWER Plate® has introduced the Power Plate® REV™.

Inspired by the elite cyclists of the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, the most challenging terrain in the sport, the product is the first of its kind to be integrated into fitness training.

The concept is simple: vibration, when applied to riding, has been proven to drive significantly more muscle activation, increased oxygen uptake and greater calorie burn than traditional exercise.

VibeShift Technology (patent-pending) delivers consistent, safe, precise, and predictable effective vibration through the pedals – a press of the lever shifts the mode from standard to full-on vibration.

REV offers health and fitness clubs an

exciting vibration concept that delivers accelerated results to their members; maximum cardio, strength, and wellness benefits in a minimum amount of time while providing increased muscle activation.

real results.

“When combined with Power Plate whole body vibration, the REV will enable integrated vibration-centred programming to create unique secondary revenue opportunities through circuit training, HIIT programmes, personal training and more.”

REV’s proprietary programming meets a wide variety of needs, from better overall health to intense elite training.

This creates a community committed to the results and benefits of vibration powered training for every type of member.

REV also integrates with other training modalities on the gym floor for added variety and flexibility of use.

Gareth Jones

“REV is a truly unique product”, said Lee Hillman, CEO of Performance Health Systems, manufacturer of Power Plate. “Resistance amplified by vibration delivers an outstanding experience that not only drives usage, but also delivers

Xplor Gym is raising the bar ...

XPLOR GYM is on a mission to raise the bar for gym management software in the UK.

The current reality is that many fitness facilities must compromise on software speed and performance as a result of outdated technology.

That, coupled with complex and clunky workflows and dated user interfaces make for a frustrating overall experience for staff and members alike.

Best-in-class technology

Xplor Gym has been purposefully engineered to disrupt the status quo, delivering new levels of speed, responsiveness, and simplicity to its customers.

Built with best-in-class, smart performance technology, Xplor Gym has been developed to give fitness club operators exactly what they need to improve operational efficiencies,

supercharge member engagement, and grow, all without compromise.

The key to agility – API first Xplor Gym is built with an API first approach, so our customers benefit from true flexibility, scalability, and the ability to adapt fast.

API first means Xplor Gym is an open platform that can seamlessly integrate with the market’s leading partners including Technogym, Egym, Gympass, FitQuest, and many more.

This level of ultra-customisation enables our customers to build their optimal value proposition, helping them stand out from the competition and easily implement new revenue streams through additional services.

Facilitating a superior member experience

At a time when clubs are struggling to hire and retain staff, automation plays a crucial role in keeping members engaged.

Xplor Gym includes advanced multichannel smart messaging with powerful segmentation ability.

Our intuitive campaign platform is built with usability and simplicity at the forefront and has been designed to significantly reduce the time it takes to create, schedule, and send campaigns.

Having this ability to engage members through timely, meaningful communications allows operators to deliver a wrap-around member

experience with little effort.

Pioneering a first-class integrated payments experience

Our fully integrated membership payments service leverages best-in-class technology to automate collections, facilitate a truly flexible payments calendar, and significantly reduce admin. Our expert team can deliver a fully managed and personalised service, including managing member payment queries on our customer’s behalf.

“We are a fast-growing club and needed a future proof all-in-one solution that could handle all elements of membership billing for us now and in the future. Since having Xplor Gym in place our collection success has improved considerably, and we’ve saved hours of tedious admin every week.

“

Mike Garner,director, Evolution Fitness XL

See Xplor Gym in action with a free demo

Visit www.xplorgym.co.uk

Email: sales@xplorgym.co.uk

Reset your gym around the new conditions of fitness

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

“We were lucky enough to have Medallia survey 65,000 members across 1300 clubs,” said Myzone’s Mike Leveque during the 2022 State of the Industry, What’s Next In Fitness panel discussion with ABC Fitness Solutions and other industry leaders.

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

“Of equal importance is there was a 10-point higher satisfaction with their fitness results, and a 14-point higher likelihood to stay a member for more than six months.

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

conditions of fitness.

“They’re not only listening to their members, but also to their frontline staff, the people servicing their members and the closest data point to the members.

“Leverage your vendors, and embrace technology for two reasons. Firstly, to increase and enhance that member experience. The other side of it is that, as we enter this recession, we don’t know how deep it’s going to get.

“How are we going to leverage our workforce and build efficiencies within our workforce through technologies? Those should be the two goals when you decide to jump in with technology or sign on a new technology in your business.

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

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

Advertiser’s announcement

PHOTOGRAPHY

Thanks to everyone who attended the event, it was a wonderful evening and we’d like to congratulate all our winners plus those runners up who were all worthy of being winners, there was a lot of tough decisions for our judges!

If you had your photo taken and would like to see this and purchase copies to share and remember the occassion, please visit our online photography portal: www.script-events.co.uk/photography-2

You can view a low resolution, watermarked version of your images on our online platform.

Any images purchased will be supplied as an 8x6 high resolution print, with no watermark present.

If you’d like to purchase images please visit script-events.co.uk/ photography-2/ or by scanning the QR code on the right.

Photographs purchased are £12 inc P&P each.

Packed full of the latest news and developments in the UK fitness industry, it’s an essential for all fitness professionals.

View the latest issues of the magazine and find contact information for top suppliers and companies in the industry. Visit us at: www.workoutuk.co.uk

Gym Upholstery UK

IN RECENT years we’ve seen a global rise in environmental concern.

Heightened awareness of problems such as improper waste disposal present in landfills is a major source of pollution, contributing to the climate change crisis prompting a collective push for action.

Gym Upholstery UK is proud to have been an eco-friendly business for the past 21 years, demonstrating a commitment to an environmentally sustainable future.

As companies across the world take steps to lower their environmental impact, we recognise the importance of reducing waste and contributing to the reduction of the carbon footprint.

We’re not only continually increasing our eco-friendly services, but reducing our impact as a business, ever reducing our climate impact through our re-upholstery

renew, reupholster, recycle

packed in cardboard, we continue to provide options to recycle packaging and reduce plastic wastage.

We’re offering simple, sustainable ways to help the environment and more importantly your wallet because every penny counts right now.

Become a standout, eco-friendly gym by incorporating our sustainable practices into your company to help the environment and attract potential new members.

services offering a greener and more cost-effective alternative.

In addition to re-upholstering pads, we are fully committed to reducing waste reduction by offering our customers in-house manufactured products, using only the highest-quality materials and fabrics that are flame-retardant, abrasion-resistant, and manufactured to OEM standards.

We also pride ourselves in using local suppliers for all aspects of business operations in order to support smaller businesses local to us, and to reduce the carbon emissions caused by transportation and overseas production. We have been working hard over the years to reduce our plastic packaging and offer alternatives.

With much of our upholstery pads

FLOORING

RENEW – Shop manufactured full replacement pads to fit the world’s leading brands including Gym80, Life Fitness, Technogym, Matrix, Precor, plus many more – www.gymupholstery.com/shop REUPHOLSTER – Use our online service app with ‘tap the app’ technology to obtain an instant quote for your ripped and torn gym upholstery pads – www.recopad. co.uk/gymupholstery

RECYCLE – Join our global franchise network and be your own boss by investing in our proven company brand that’s setup for success – www. gymupholstery.com/franchise