Workout - July 2021

ISSUE 327 July 2021 £3

Life Fitness and Gym Rental Company equip the 2021 Wimbledon Championships page 8

Inaugural conference and exhibition set to showcase and share latest fitness trends page 18

Are you looking for the right flooring for your fitness facility?

With strategic partners and the best manufacturers worldwide we can offer a unique range of flooring solutions to suit any sporting or fitness space! This includes: Heavy duty rubber flooring for weight lifting and functional training zones.

Vinyl, timber and polyurethane surfaces.

Artificial turf for indoor or outdoor training.

Fully customised sled tracks.

billybolton.com

Acoustic flooring solutions in noise sensitive facilities.

Contact us now: T: +44 (0) 1706 260 220 E: Sales@TVS-Group.co.uk

www.TVS-Group.co.uk

UK FITNESS SCENE

Good food and mental health: why gyms need to shift their focus to be successful post-Covid Recent research shows that UK gyms have taken a £2.3 billion hit to their revenues since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. To recover, awardwinning personal trainer David Fairlamb believes gyms need to take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, incorporating mental health, nutrition and social interaction as well as physical fitness, to attract and retain customers: THE power of an integrated approach to health and fitness is something I learned first-hand many years ago when, after quite a bad car accident, I suffered from multiple injuries.

The impact this had on my physical abilities as well as my mental wellbeing was difficult, yet it was from this that I became immersed in all aspects of mental and physical health.

More and more fitness professionals are seeing the benefits of a ‘whole of self’ approach, and people come to us because they want to feel better about themselves.

For the first time, society as a whole is starting to legitimately question the aesthetic of the carbon copy supermodel look and how this can possibly be supported by a healthy diet for a variety of body types. Fad diets are being phased out and having a fit and healthy mind and body – no matter what size – is in.

The importance of an integrated approach I have a strong belief that people will continue to prioritise health a lot more after Covid and it is essential that gyms are there to support them in achieving a better quality of life.

This includes mental wellbeing, keeping fit and good nutrition, as well as highlighting the social aspect the gym offers with inclusive communities.

An integrated approach can allow people to find their own natural and healthy body shape and love and respect themselves.

Gyms encourage this by showing images in their branding of all body shapes and types and creating plans for individual body types as opposed to a one size fits all programme.

How gyms could implement this approach to support nutrition and mental health in a fun and effective way Celebrating wins regularly and advising on healthy food choices rather than just Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia. co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia. co.uk

Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia. co.uk Sales manager: Louise BristoweHarrison Tel: 01226 734699 workout3@ scriptmedia.co.uk

Studio manager: Stewart Holt sth@scriptmedia. co.uk

www.workout-uk.co.uk

you a great review or recommendation from them.

a low-calorie diet also show you care about the whole person.

These can be promoted via newsletters with recipes or holding fun activities such as cooking classes, or even encouraging people to share their own recipes on a community board.

When it comes to nutrition, I am passionate about living a ‘sugar clean life’ which involves cutting out refined sugar from your diet. In my own cooking classes, dishes are made using all healthy ingredients and no sugar.

This is much easier than you’d think and really improves people’s quality of life – even before you’ve stepped on a treadmill.

Simple ideas like this can help you win new customers and can add extra value for existing ones.

How gyms and trainers can listen to our clients to help us to grow It goes without saying but everyone has a different idea of what they want to achieve, and you need to be sensitive to that.

The more you have on offer, the more you will engage with hard- to-reach people, or those who find gyms intimidating.

Great examples of this are walking

meditation groups or outdoor fitness away from the gyms in a local park or beach.

If people want something a bit more fast-paced, be creative with your offering. I built my dream VersaHub during lockdown and it’s the first of its kind in the country.

I loved the Versaclimber and knew many of my regulars were keen to get involved and so listened to their needs as well as my own.

Taking time to listen to your clients and understanding what it’s like to walk a day in their shoes is crucial for a trusting relationship – it’s something I always try to do, and it really helps me to build a rapport with anyone I train.

Always remember that you can’t please everyone.

You have to lead by example and trying to fit in with everyone will impact on your own wellbeing.

If you are passionate about your philosophy and convictions, then you can inspire many different people.

If someone doesn’t respond to that then it is important to help them on their way to somewhere that will work.

Don’t be shy about recommending other activities away from the gym.

It will be appreciated and may even get

Tackling challenging subjects such as mental health wellbeing A spotlight has been shone on mental health in all sectors and that is fantastic.

I would highly recommend having a mental health first aider at your gym.

This helps to create a more positive workplace culture which will filter down to your clients. People build a lot of trust with their personal trainers and might want to discuss their mental health.

For many in the fitness industry, mental health won’t be an area of your expertise. However, listening to people who need to talk can be beneficial for them.

Offering sensitive guidance as opposed to strong opinions is often the best option.

It’s always helpful to explore support networks in your local area that you can recommend.

Mindfulness and meditation offer wideranging health benefits and some people even practice mindful eating.

If you have the opportunity, I really recommend getting some training in these fields – they are fascinating and could really boost your own confidence as well as your offering as a fitness professional.

Keep doing what you love An integrated approach to health and fitness is a chance to deliver lasting benefits to clients.

My motto is that I help ordinary people do extraordinary things (that includes myself). I love watching my clients inspire each other and drive each other to do better, and this creates a friendly and supportive atmosphere that people want to be part of.

Don’t be afraid to get to know those who attend your gym – you can maintain professionalism while also noticing if they are having a bad day.

I spoke to many of my customers who were struggling in lockdown.

Just knowing they had that person on the end of the phone really boosted their mood, as well as motivated them to get out there on their own and get fit.

Always let your clients inspire you, they’ll be the secret to your success.

Trust given a clean bill of health SANDWELL Leisure Trust has been given a clean bill of health by an independent health and safety advisor following inspections of their Covid-secure procedures prior to and during lockdown re-openings.

The Health & Safety Executive conducts stringent spot checks on business re-opening to ensure they have safe and proper practices in place – and all of SLT’s nine centres across the borough have consistently attained the required levels.

Chris Williams, of independent auditor Health and Safety Services, said: “Regular Covid-secure inspections have been carried out prior to lockdown re-opening and during periods when SLT centres

have been operational – and passing these audits ensures that optimum control measures remain in place to protect customers and staff alike.”

This positive feedback was also echoed by happy new member Danni Walters, who recently joined up at SLT’s Haden Hill Leisure Centre in Cradley Heath.

She added: “I had a fantastic experience. From the moment I arrived, there was clear signage and direction around their Covid-19 regulations, plus a member of staff was on hand to help me complete my membership process with reception staff.

“Off I headed to the gym, having not set foot in one for five years and having always lacked confidence

in this environment, but personal trainers Richie Lilly and Andrea Woodward were really friendly and welcoming and took time to explain the layout, plus opportunities to have input from PT staff around structured workouts.

“They answered all my questions and really put me at ease, as well as re-introducing me to some of the equipment and how to use safely.

“The hour went in a flash and I came out on a high, really positive and confident, having been absolutely dreading it.

“I can’t thank them enough. I just wanted to say, after the difficult last year everyone has had, how good it is to see people are still intent on doing a really great job.”

3

4

UK FITNESS SCENE

Make the shift from fitness to health to increase your gym’s opportunities

By David Stalker NOW that the sector has reopened to the public, independent operators are focusing on selling memberships to inject much-needed revenue back into their businesses after successive lockdowns.

But this pressure to sell, while understandable, puts businesses owners at risk of missing out on one of the biggest opportunities for the fitness sector.

Independent clubs provide an important service for their members and communities, and now that the public understands the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle to protect against Covid-19 and future pandemics, club owners have even greater potential to impact local health and physical activity outcomes. But only if they can make the shift from fitness to health.

To do that operators must become recognised health delivery partners in their local communities and start working with people who currently have little or no inclination to visit their facilities.

They’ve got to build relationships with this new audience, earn their trust and take them on a health journey that many of them may not want to go on.

It won’t be easy, but that’s not a reason

David Stalker not to do it.

In my view, there are two ways business owners can make the transition from fitness to health.

The first is by investing in digital technology.

This will allow them to take advantage of hybridisation and go out into their communities to work with local health professionals and deliver programmes and services where people are.

The results will be available for both the customer and local health professionals to see; after all, “if it can’t be measured it can’t be managed”.

The second thing operators must do is professionalise their employees. There’s no way clubs can market themselves as local health delivery partners if their team members do not have the right

skills, competencies or attitude to work with this new market.

It’s going to be hard work, but we get the biggest rewards when we put the effort in.

After what the independent fitness industry has endured during the pandemic, I don’t blame owners and operators for focusing on sales.

For many it’s about survival and some will feel making this transition to health is just not a priority. But I believe you can still drive revenue while catering for

Your all-new, free marketing channel Hussle brings gyms additional revenue via people who don’t currently engage with traditional memberships.

In the last 18 months Hussle has: • Brought 66,000 disengaged ex-members back • Encouraged 14,000 brand new customers into gyms • Turned 30,000+ try-before-you-buy customers into direct club members

S SML/EL .I C OM MY- G Y M W W W. H U S S LH E .U CO S T-

this new demographic, which is so much larger than your current market.

My concern though is that independent operators will get lost in this drive for revenue and revert to what they have always done.

And if they do that, they will lose sight of this opportunity to position themselves as local health delivery partners who can make a real impact on public health in their communities. n David Stalker is the CEO – EMEA at Myzone.

UK FITNESS SCENE

CIMSPA and Sport England launch free tools to improve sector’s digital marketing skills SPORT England is launching a Digital Marketing Hub – a free training programme to help people and organisations improve how they apply digital marketing tools and techniques to encourage more people to play sport and be active.

The hub will be delivered by CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity) and comes as a direct response to findings which highlight a significant digital skills gap within the sector, with research conducted by the Digital Marketing Institute on behalf of Sport England finding that 63 per cent said they don’t have a clear plan to attract new audiences through their digital channels.

Tara Dillon, CIMSPA CEO, said: “We are very pleased to continue our close collaboration with Sport England to deliver this project, which will directly benefit the workforce and organisations right across the sector.

“The Digital Marketing Hub is a fantastic opportunity for individuals to gain skills and knowledge from experts from across the marketing sector, as well as those specifically positioned in sport and physical activity.

“Digital marketing has an increasingly important role to play, especially for selfemployed and freelance professionals who rely on it to reach and engage their customers. In the last 18 months it has

Tara Dillon, CEO of The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity become even more important to develop these skills, with many businesses and individuals needing to rebuild as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

“A key part of the Digital Marketing Hub will be upskilling the sector with a view to reaching a more diverse and inclusive audience, and positioning sport

and physical activity as accessible to all.”

Undertaken with more than 1,000 people involved in sport and physical activity marketing and communications, this finding comes despite the fact that 81 per cent of respondents said that attracting new participants was very or extremely important.

A further 25 per cent rated their organisation as “not at all effective” at adapting to new trends and insights, while just 10 per cent measured their organisations as “very or extremely effective.”

The findings also showed that the majority of respondents rated themselves as underperforming across all core digital marketing channels when asked to compare themselves to their peers.

The new Digital Marketing Hub, which combines online learning via bite-size modules, a live webinar series and peer networking opportunities is part of Sport England’s ongoing work to help the sector recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic while supporting organisations to improve their digital capabilities and skills.

The hub is tailored to small businesses, self-employed professionals and volunteers at frontline organisations and clubs, as well as marketing and communication professionals at larger organisations.

It will specifically explore how people

and organisations can use digital marketing to boost participation and re-engage participants, while looking at themes including understanding more about their audience.

Other topics the programme will cover include: n Reaching new audiences: helping participants to reach new and more diverse audiences and drive growth for their organisation or club on small budgets. n Insight application: supporting participants to better understand and apply audience and sector insight to inform their digital marketing activities. n Measurement: supporting participants to set goals and KPIs and measure them effectively. n Channel skills: increasing understanding of the key digital marketing channels, such as social, search, websites and email, and giving them the practical skills to use them effectively.

Learning content will be provided by a consortium of partners along with bespoke workshops and webinars that will apply the learnings to a sport and physical activity context.

Sport England and CIMSPA also recently announced ReTrain to Retain, a new job retention and support package that will benefit 25,000 professionals working in the sport and physical activity sector.

5

6

UK FITNESS SCENE

Data from UK’s first open access database for exercise referral schemes published THE UK’s first open access database for exercise referral schemes has reached 40,000 records nationwide, ukactive and ReferAll has revealed as the latest data for the sector is published.

The National ReferAll Database, which records outcome data for patients participating in the schemes, has been developed by ukactive and exercise referral software specialists ReferAll, in conjunction with the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine in Sheffield, which has its research hub at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre.

Its latest data show that since launching in 2019, the NRD has grown to represent 40,000 unique persons who have been referred to one of 123 exercise referral schemes across the UK, between 2012 and 2021.

The sample has been taken from more than 600,000 exercise referral scheme records captured within ReferAll’s database.

To date, data available around exercise referral schemes has not been able to provide conclusive evidence of their effectiveness, due to its variability and the data representing only a small proportion of schemes.

By making the database an open resource and improving the quality of data captured, ukactive, ReferAll and the NCSEM in Sheffield have created a valuable resource for the wider research community, policy makers and health practitioners.

Dr Matthew Wade As it operates within the Open Science Framework – the movement for transparency and accessibility in research – it is hoped the database will grow to incorporate new pathways and schemes outside of the traditional concept of exercise referral schemes, such as weight management services and COVID recovery programmes.

Dr Matthew Wade, head of research and development at ukactive, said: “We believe the NRD holds the key to unlocking best practice and driving continuous improvement.

“This database is integral for the success of exercise referral schemes in the future, ultimately providing the guiding evidence for the improvement of schemes so that we can increase the

efficacy and consistency of our services.

“We need those in our sector delivering exercise referral schemes to work with us to maximise the potential of this database.

“Anyone delivering exercise referral schemes or other physical-activityrelated schemes should help us to build the evidence base and learn more about what works best by capturing data and feeding it into the database.”

Stuart Stokes, managing director at ReferAll, added: “This is a breakthrough moment; the NRD will ensure referral schemes can reach their full potential by facilitating a better understanding of exercise referral schemes and other physical-activity-related social prescribing pathways.

“It allows us to deepen our understanding of what makes schemes effective and so inform public health policy and practice.

“I genuinely believe this could change the way ‘exercise’ and ‘medicine’ interact. What could be more important than that?”

The founding partners have ambitions to continually update the NRD with additional data, according to Dr James Steele, Associate Professor of Sports and Exercise Science at Southampton Solent University and former Principal Investigator at ukactive’s Research Institute.

He said: “It’s been incredibly gratifying to see the hard work over many years

from all involved in this mammoth project come to fruition.

“Certainly I, and colleagues at Solent University, will be looking to utilise the data for future research and we encourage others to tap into the resource. But this is just the next step in our ambitious plans for this work.

“We want to grow the database from where it currently is and to see more schemes signing up to include their data.

“We also want to work to develop core outcome datasets that are linked to meaningful outcomes and raise the quality and standardisation of data across this area.

“As the learnings of the database are incorporated into practice and policies, and as data is fed back into the database, this will facilitate continued evaluation to support our developing understanding of exercise referral schemes.”

Prof Robert Copeland, director of the NCSEM in Sheffield and AWRC, said: “Qualitative data with users and providers underlines their importance as part of the health promotion system in terms of individual level benefit but to date research exploring a population effect has been undermined by low quality data, and inconsistency in what is measured to assess benefit.

“The NRD changes this and provides the platform upon which researchers and policy makers can explore the population benefit of exercise referral schemes with greater precision.”

Freemotion Fitness becomes ‘Freemotion from iFIT’ as parent company rebranded ICON Health & Fitness – parent company of commercial fitness equipment specialist Freemotion Fitness – has changed its corporate name to iFIT Health & Fitness Inc. (iFIT).

As part of the rebrand, Freemotion Fitness is now Freemotion from iFIT. Named after the company’s proprietary software platform, the change reflects the company’s commitment to delivering an omnichannel fitness service, through personalised, connected health and fitness experiences. Currently, iFIT’s community has more than five million members in 120 countries. iFIT members can access the platform’s content through Freemotion from iFIT equipment at clubs and studios, on the go via the iFIT app and at home via iFIT Health & Fitness’ two consumer equipment brands – NordicTrack from iFIT and ProForm from iFIT. Together, the four brands provide a world-leading omnichannel solution, designed to ensure fitness operators can reach and engage their members wherever they are.

“As we begin our next chapter of leadership in the health and wellness industry, we are elevating the name of our operating system to become our global corporate name,” said Scott Watterson, founder, chairman, and

CEO of iFIT Health & Fitness.

“This name change reflects our focus on providing state-of-the-art fitness technology solutions to as many people as possible.” iFIT’s branded technology offers subscribers a seamless solution, providing live and on-demand experiential content and interactive hardware.

The company offers the industry’s broadest range of connected fitness products including treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, rowers, climbers, strength equipment, fitness mirrors, yoga equipment and accessories.

In 2020, Freemotion from iFIT launched its 22 SERIES cardio line, which features interactive, autoadjusting technology that controls the speed, incline/decline, and/or resistance in perfect sync with the

on-screen iFIT content.

The 22 SERIES offers fitness centres’ operators the opportunity to change the way they think about – and deliver – fitness content to truly engage members.

“Freemotion has been breaking boundaries since its launch in 1999 and that’s why this next chapter in our story is so exciting – we set the trends again for others to follow,” added Dan Toigo, senior vice president of IFIT Health & Fitness and managing director of Freemotion.

“With iFIT now available wherever consumers want to exercise – at the gym, at home or on the go – we have created a genuine omnichannel experience which keeps members engaged.

“This will be a huge asset to our commercial customers, who will be

safe in the knowledge that members will remain connected to their clubs and studios even when they aren’t within the four walls of the facility.

“We already offer some of the most innovative equipment available for clubs and studios.

“Matching the market-leading hardware with iFIT’s ever-growing library of thousands of engaging, interactive and immersive, coachled workouts means facility owners and operators can form even deeper relationships with members.

“With Freemotion from iFIT, operators can be confident they have a solution that ensures they’ll never again lose connection to a member. iFIT will be available anywhere, anytime.” iFIT creates live and on-demand content that automatically adjusts the speed, incline, and resistance on fitness equipment, creating experiential workouts. iFIT’s live studio workouts are available every day on treadmills and bikes. iFIT global workouts are shot on location, and lets members use their fitness equipment to trek to Mt. Everest base camp, run the Boston Marathon, cycle in the Alps, row the River Thames, and experience thousands of additional workout series shot in more than 50 countries and on all seven continents.

“We gained an extra £4,000 per month in direct debits” Wave Spa, Crowne Plaza, Gerrards Cross.

Need new new members? members?

Need

CFM can helpMarketing your club Creative Fitness increase monthly revenue can help your club increase by getting youby200+ new monthly revenue getting you 200+ new in 6-8 members in members 6 – 8 weeks, weeks, without any financial without any financial outlay outlay We provide from from you.you.We provide the expertise, the marketing the expertise, the marketing and sales staff so all you need and sales staff so all you to do is look after your new need to Having do is worked look after members. with your new members. hundreds of clubs in the UK Having worked with we understand the importance of protectingofyour brandin& the hundreds clubs building relationship UK wea trusting understand the with our clients. importance of Protecting your brand & building a trusting relationship with our clients.

CREATIVE FITNESS MARKETING

To find out more, request a free information pack at www.cfm.net, call us on 0115 777 3333 or scan the QR code with your camera app.

UK FITNESS SCENE

8

Life Fitness and Gym Rental Company equip the 2021 Wimbledon Championships GLOBAL fitness equipment supplier Life Fitness has been chosen to equip two gyms at the All England Lawn Tennis Club for The 2021 Wimbledon Championships.

The equipment, which has been provided by Life Fitness in partnership with the Gym Rental Company, was selected by the Championships to support the training and conditioning of the athletes during the two-week competition.

Life Fitness and the Gym Rental Company first partnered with the event in 2019.

Following the cancellation of last year’s

competition as a result of the pandemic, 2021 sees a return to the All England Lawn Tennis Club where the competition will form part of the Government’s pilot events, with maximum capacity crowds expected to return for the Finals weekend.

The onsite gyms, purpose-built for the competition, include treadmills and cross trainers from Life Fitness’ Integrity Series - all fitted with Discover SE3 HD consoles – ICG® IC6 indoor cycles and Hammer Strength dumbbells.

The Life Fitness cardio equipment used by the players also features Halo Fitness Cloud, Life Fitness’ cloud-based

digital platform designed to enhance the user experience and improve asset management.

“We pride ourselves on choosing the right suppliers to ensure the players’ experience is the best that it can be, and our warm-up and cool-down facilities are central to this,” said Andrew Ambrose, general manager of the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

“Having worked with Life Fitness and the Gym Rental Company for the 2019 Championships, we had no hesitation in re-engaging with them for this year.

“The equipment is best-in-class, and whilst Covid has inevitably caused us

Daniel Jones equipment servicing tendering platform and asset management system via our platform WeServiceGymEquipment.

Gym operators need to look closely at the standards of their incumbent service provider and ensure downtime of equipment is at a minimum.

“Through us they can now call upon quality data to analyse service standards and ultimately know they are getting excellent value from their service

contract.

“These factors can help or hinder your business.”

WeServiceGymEquipment facilitates the tendering process for annual service contracts within the fitness equipment space.

Daniel added: “We even offer an upgrade service so gym operators have the option to raise service call-outs via our intuitive mobile app. In turn,

some operational challenges, nothing has been too much trouble for the team, and their support throughout has been invaluable.”

Craig Cocking, country manager for Life Fitness UK, added: “We are proud to be able to extend our partnership with the Wimbledon Championships for this year’s event.

“The feedback from 2019 was very positive and the onsite gyms are an essential part of the players’ preparation and recovery during the competition; this partnership is another great example of how we can support elite athletes with the quality and range of our equipment.”

Is broken gym equipment killing your business potential?

YOU’RE pumped and ready for your work out.

Then you see it, the dreaded ‘out of order’ signs hanging from treadmills, weight machines or cross trainers.

It’s not the kind of weight you want to bear as a gym member … or owner.

Broken equipment isn’t just a source of disappointment.

A cross-trainer standing unattended for a few hours, without any power or function, is going to bring your whole club’s standards down.

Members want to feel important and respected. Even one day of downtime is enough to puncture that feeling.

When days go by, and nothing is done, this intensifies. Word will soon spread that your equipment isn’t good enough to keep up with demand.

Daniel Jones, CEO of fitness equipment ecosystem Orbit4, experienced this kind of frustration first hand in his previous job as a gym manager.

“A long term maintenance sign suggests more than just a problem with the equipment, it indicates that the gym isn’t investing in a quality service provider to fix and maintain equipment,” he said.

“It looks sloppy and your members will be the first to pick up on that and vote with their feet by walking out the door.

“This is why I came up with a gym

the system aggregates service data to help analyse performance during the contract.”

Gym member retention is one of the primary concerns of most gym operators. A well-maintained machine will not only extend the equipment’s life but provide the safest workout possible to a customer.

Find out more and sign up now at bid.weservicegymequipment.com/register

01844 348 300

Club Management Made Easy Simplify Streamline your club operation through digitisation, including staff and diary management, booking and scheduling and prospect and member management.

Deliver An Enhanced Member Experience Empower, motivate and engage your members with your club’s own branded member app

Save Time

Easy & Intuitive

Reduce administration and save a heap of

Get up and running in no time. ClubWise is an

time through automation of manual

internet-based service which is quick, simple

processes, from membership billing right

and secure for you and your staff to use.

through to marketing and communications.

Your Brand, Your Members, Your Member App With the latest update to our fully integrated member app, your members can enjoy a seamless brand experience! Our new advanced customisation feature allows you to completely customise your member app to align with your brand, including adding your logo, brand colours and images!

Find out how ClubWise can free you up to focus on your members.

Book a no obligation demonstration today!

sales@clubwise.com

01844 348 300

www.clubwise.com

10

UK FITNESS SCENE

Active IQ first to market with Level 4 Sports Coach End-point Assessment ACTIVE IQ is the first to market with the launch of its End-point Assessment for the new Level 4 Sports Coach standard.

At the same time, its End-point Assessment for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist has also been approved, bringing Active IQ’s growing EPA portfolio to 17 apprenticeship standards.

“Both standards demonstrate real progression in their respective fields by including a high level of specialism and professionalism in both the training and assessment,” said Tad Chapman, Active IQ head of EPA. “People aspire to Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeships which are held in high regard by employers. We are delighted to have added these two to our portfolio and especially to be the first to market with the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA.” The Level 4 Sports Coach standard trains learners to use extensive technical and tactical sports knowledge and skills to design and deliver coaching programmes that engage, motivate and evolve participants’ skills and performance.

Active IQ works closely with training providers and employers to support their apprentices by providing a comprehensive set of resources in a toolkit form, setting and managing the EPA timeline and helping apprentices prepare for their project, presentation and observation assessments.

The new Level 4 Sports Coach standard is in high demand from employers and apprentices. As the first EPA organisation to be approved by IFATE, Active IQ effectively triggered the opening of the application process for the apprenticeship that should take around 18 months to complete.

“We put the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA front and centre in our 2021 plan in response to industry demand,” added Tad. “We understand that many community sports clubs, NGBs and schools are keen to have more sports coaches available to help rebuild their provision postpandemic.

“With apprentices signing up now, this new standard is literally putting boots on the ground to help facilitate growth and advancement in coaching.”

The Level 4 Sports Coach standard has three pathways: Community Coach; School Coach and High Performance Coach.

Active IQ has End-point assessors with expertise in all three areas and is therefore offering a full complement of options to apprentices and employers.

Alongside this, Active IQ is also approved as an EPA provider for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist standard. This cross-sector apprenticeship is equally relevant to transport, logistics and manufacturing as it is for the leisure sector.

With transferable skills, it is much sought-after by apprentices, particularly attracting people who are currently working in a customer service role or department.

The ‘specialist’ element of this Level 3 standard combines a range of higherlevel professional skills when managing direct customer support including acting as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints and queries.

As with all Active IQ EPA packages, this comes with a comprehensive toolkit

for learners, support in managing their EPA timeline and specific eLearning programmes to help apprentices prepare for their practical assessments and interview.

“This standard is the ideal progression route for people currently working in their organisations as leaders, managers, supervisors of customer service teams or functions,” said Tad. “It transcends every sector, with the knowledge, skills and behaviour involved in dealing with customers and coping with conflict being highly transferable.”

Apprenticeships are increasingly favoured as a means of vocational training, believes Tad. “Apprenticeships are all about the journey and give learners an unprecedented chance to gain valuable work experience as they develop their skills,” he added.

“There really is no substitute for being absorbed in the work environment and engaging in an employer-focused setting and apprentices emerge considerably more experienced and skilled at the point of exit compared to their point of entry.”

As a fully approved EPAO since 2017, Active IQ offers employers a guarantee that any apprentice assessed and certified by its team will fully meet the required standard specified within an apprenticeship assessment plan.

To ensure consistency, Active IQ has been working closely with trailblazer groups and employers to ensure that apprentices are fully equipped and ready to achieve a strong foundation on which to build their career.

To find out more visit https://www.activeiq.co.uk/end-pointassessment-for-apprenticeship-standards

Club increases its monthly direct debits by £5,000 per month in seven weeks RUNNING a health club is not an easy task and it requires a large team and budget to co-ordinate.

With numerous areas to juggle including HR, admin, members, health and safety, websites, accounting and more, it’s no surprise that many clubs outsource their marketing and sales.

Rena Health and Leisure, London has just completed a successful promotion with marketing agency Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM), which resulted in doubling its existing membership base and boosting monthly direct debits by £5,000 per month.

Club manager Diana said: “Even though we have substantially increased our membership base and are currently operating at a reduced capacity there has not been a single occasion we have had to introduce any booking systems and the spa does not feel too busy or overcrowded.

“In what is an extremely difficult

market for our location CFM has given us exceptional results and I personally would welcome Mike and Chris back in the future.

“We found they worked well as a part of our team, they always kept within the Covid guidelines we have in place and managed their diary well to ensure there were no occasions

where we could not adhere to social distancing.”

So how did they boost the direct debits in such a short time?

CFM is a niche marketing agency who specialise in marketing for leisure clubs and have been in the industry for more than 30 years.

Director of operations Dean Godfrey

added: “As part of our marketing strategy, we use a combination of direct mail, corporate outreach, in-club events and targeted digital media including Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads. “This multi-faceted approach is the key to driving significant member numbers and income in a short period of time.

“Our approach is designed to attract the deconditioned market that may not normally think about joining a leisure club.

‘This works well for our clients as it doesn’t cannibalise their existing sales.

“Our clients also find that typically these are low-usage members as opposed to those fitness fanatics that use the club frequently, something that is important in these times with Government restrictions on numbers indoors.”

To find out more about how a CFM campaign works you can check out www.cfm.net or call 0115 777 3333.

EMBRACE OPPORTUNITY Talk to us today about boosting your business with Myzone.

Let’s work together to keep your members moving with you for longer. We’d love to work with you. If you feel the same, email info@myzone.org

Scan QR code to find out more

TECHNOLOGY COMPANY OF THE YEAR WINNER 2021

myzone.org

12

UK FITNESS SCENE

Sport for Confidence founder awarded BEM in Queen’s Birthday Honours List SPORT for Confidence founder Lyndsey Barrett has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

This recommendation has been made by the Prime Minister on the advice of the independent Main Honours Committee following an independent assessment process.

Recognised for her work supporting disabled people to be more active, Lyndsey will receive her British Empire Medal from the Lord-Lieutenant at a Royal Garden Party.

This event will be arranged once social distancing restrictions allow.

“To receive this recognition and to be able to celebrate with my family, the team and all our participants is truly amazing,” said Lyndsey.

“When I left my role as senior occupational therapist at the NHS back in 2015 and began to deliver occupational therapy services to one person at Basildon Sporting Village, I had no idea that Sport for Confidence would grow into an established brand, creating opportunities for more than 2,500 individuals who face barriers to participation to enjoy the many benefits of sport on a monthly basis.

“Sport for Confidence now operates at multiple leisure centres across Essex and London, bringing occupational therapists together with sports coaches to deliver goal oriented, personcentred sporting experiences that delivers positive outcomes that extend way beyond the field of play.

“Today, I am incredibly proud to receive this award. I never set out to gain personal accolades but I have to admit this one is very special.

“I get my motivation and drive from the positive impact Sport for Confidence delivers on a daily

Sport for Confidence founder Lyndsey Barrett . basis and I intend to continue to work hard to stamp out inequalities that exist in sport and to strengthen collaboration between physical activity and health professionals. Sport delivers so many health and social benefits, it should be the undisputed right of everybody to be able to access

opportunities and get involved.

“I will continue to push for this through the work of Sport for Confidence and our partner network.”

Speaking of Lyndsey’s achievement, Stephen Mitchell, co founder and director of Sport For Confidence, added: “I couldn’t be prouder of Lyndsey and on behalf of the Sport for Confidence family would like to congratulate her on this incredible recognition.

“She is an extremely humble individual and shies away from celebrating her own personal success, but now she has received this British Empire Medal, this is the public recognition she deserves for all of her achievements to date.

“For an individual who consistently puts other people’s needs above hers, particularly clients and participants of our programmes, this goes some way to acknowledge her incredible journey through sport, occupational therapy and building a social enterprise.

“Whilst there is still a great deal of work to be done tackling inequalities in sport, the work of Lyndsey and the broader team is shining a light on the issues and evidencing the success of Allied Health Professionals and physical activity professionals working together to deliver life changing health and social outcomes on a community wide scale.

“Lyndsey is absolutely relentless in her ambition to see an occupational therapist located at every leisure centre in the country, moving the profession from a purely clinical environment out into the community. What Lyndsey has achieved to date is amazing. Imagine what she can achieve moving forwards, using this as a springboard for delivering more impact.”

Know your CAC from your LTV for bounce back success Advertiser’s announcement

By Jamie Owens

UK health clubs lost between 20 and 50 per cent of members during the forced closures brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, and operators now find themselves needing to drive growth to bounce back.

Historically, this would have meant hefty marketing campaigns, but the reality is few gyms have scope to throw money at the challenge.

Successful post-lockdown marketing spend must be led by two crucial figures – Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC); how much it costs, on average, to get one new customer to join, versus Lifetime Value (LTV); the money that single customer generates during their membership.

The maths In a recent survey of 600 gyms, more than half admitted they didn’t know their CAC. A simple way to work it out is to list all business costs related to winning new customers then divide that by the number of members signed up in the same period, for example a calendar month.

Jamie Owens Be sure to include all business activities connected to customer acquisition; as well as more obvious advertising costs, posters, radio ads, print materials, staff costs etc, don’t forget any price discounts, too.

LTV is how many months, on average, one customer stays for, and how much revenue they generate in that time.

Simply multiply average revenue

generated per member (the monthly membership fee, taking in to account any discounts) by tenure to get an average LTV. Historically, average member tenure has been skewed by sleeper members, so be sure to remove any sleepers from the dataset to ensure accurate figures.

Armed with these two figures, operators can establish how long it takes to recover money spent on CAC and, therefore, how much can be spent on marketing to attract new customers.

In pretty much any sector, a CAC/ LTV ratio of 1:3 indicates a business is growing effectively.

For example, if it costs £50 to acquire a member and they pay £50 a month membership, the payback period is a month, which means you can spend £50 again next month to win another customer.

After doing the maths, especially post pandemic, many operators will conclude they need to find cheaper ways to acquire customers.

Most fitness businesses have a deep understanding of health and wellbeing, and provide amazing customer experience using that knowledge.

Skilled marketing however, especially

when resources are lean, is outside many gyms’ core competency.

This is where a marketing partner such as Hussle can prove hugely valuable for customer acquisition success.

Hussle has powerful marketing reach and resource, connecting gyms with potential members by investing in two main channels – direct to consumer through big-brand marketing and commercial partnerships with the likes of Vodafone and American Express, as well as via big-name employers providing fitness-as-a-benefit to staff, such as CBRE and Facebook.

Alongside this, Hussle’s Member Conversion Service identifies customers that would be best served by a direct gym membership and so provides a new joiner channel by proactively encouraging users to join a club they attend regularly.

In the coming months, making informed marketing decisions and choosing partners that create additional revenue streams, will be crucial to success.

Now is the time to embrace new ways of working. n Jamie Owens is the director of fitness partnerships at Hussle.

In partnership with

Friday 26th November 2021, The Athena,Leicester

NOMINATIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR CLOSING ON AUGUST 31 2021.

WWW.NATIONALFITNESSAWARDS.CO.UK SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE

Call 01226 734605 or email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk for details

UK FITNESS SCENE

Jetts 247 Fitness UK opens Brixton gym and sets new global record for pre-sale JETTS 247 Fitness opened the doors of its Brixton gym for the first time recently, taking its UK network to 10 with strong growth plans for the remainder of 2021.

In what is considered a landmark moment for the brand, Jetts Brixton welcomed its members and set a presale record for the UK with more than 1,300 members joining the gym before it opened, despite the lockdown.

Franchisees David and Kevin Barry, are the UK’s first multi-site operators following the opening of Jetts Colliers Wood in late 2018 and their recent acquisition of Jetts Portsmouth.

Kevin said: “While the lockdowns made the road a little longer to opening, the innovative marketing plan that we receive from the Jetts central team meant we were able to execute a very strong pre-sale and now we are just excited to finally open our doors to our new community of Jetts members who have been patiently waiting to get in the gym.

“The unrivalled turnkey support that we continue to receive from Jetts, and their partner suppliers is outstanding and has helped us open three really successful franchises.

“We have felt really looked after by the team. And the product that we have created together is a demonstration of their commitment to us and to every member of our gym.”

The opening of Jetts Brixton is an important moment for Jetts 247 Fitness

in the UK and the brand’s continued evolution as the site debuts Jetts’ first outdoor functional fitness area, as well as an innovative gym floor design that includes dedicated workout space to maximise the boutique HIIT class, J-SERIES. The J-SERIES is a series of bespoke 30-minute small group HIIT training sessions that provides the ultimate full-body workout for members of every fitness level and has been a key

selling point for Jetts’ most recent club openings as it continues to innovate to meet and exceed member demand.

James Garner, Jetts Fitness UK director, added: “We’re delighted to be able to finally open the doors of our 10th site after a long wait as a result of the Covid19 pandemic.

“I could not be prouder of the efforts of David, Kevin and their Brixton team who really understand and live by our core values ensuring this record-breaking

15

success.

“It is also testament to the position that we have curated since our launch into the UK fitness market and shows that despite the success of the ‘at-home workouts’ over the past year, the demand is there more than ever for high quality fitness facilities.

“As a brand we will now take the new enhancements pioneered in Brixton and use this success to springboard into the rest of 2021 with a series of new openings and a revitalised franchisee recruitment programme.

“By constantly evolving and embedding the latest technological innovations and fitness trends into our model, Jetts brings a fresh approach to the franchise fitness market, which we believe makes us one of the most exciting and relevant options for those looking to own their own gym and make a profit with real purpose.”

Since launching in the UK in 2017, the business has established a differentiated position with its push towards affordable, boutique gyms.

Matching high-quality facilities with bespoke programming, Jetts is proud of the growing community of loyal and likeminded fitness enthusiasts that continue to join its gyms.

The opening of the Brixton site follows on from the previous record-breaking opening at Jetts Farnborough in early 2020, which preceded the successful opening of Jetts Clapham.

100 95 75

25 5 0

we service half page advert 158 x 220 14 June 2021 12:32:22

16

UK FITNESS SCENE

The Panatta Belt Squat Advertiser’s announcement

The Panatta Belt Squat is a specific machine for training the lower limbs, designed to strengthen the front and rear muscles of the thigh and hip, which creates the classic squat movement in total safety.

The greatest advantage of performing the Belt Squat exercise lies in the safety of the back loading in the lower part of the body acts directly on the pelvis, thus relieving the spinal column of all compression and shearing forces.

Finally, there are no longer those difficulties in performing the squat resulting from poor joint mobility.

The Belt Squat puts numerous lower limb muscles into action, mainly: n Quadriceps – responsible for knee extension, with particular involvement of the three vastus (medialis, intermedius and lateralis ). n Gluteus Maximus – responsible for hip extension, with high activation at the beginning of the concentric phase. n Hamstrings – also responsible for hip extension.

W. Bonac – IFBB PRO

The adductor muscles (which are targeted more with a wide stance) and the triceps surae (in particular the soleus) are used as auxiliaries to complete the exercise.

The lever system makes the load progressive and always increasing throughout the ROM, while the easy entry system facilitates positioning on the machine and starting of the exercise.

The comfortable central handle can be used both as a safety handhold in case you are unable to complete the sets or repetitions, and as a support throughout the set, allowing users to keep their back more upright, thus maximising tension on the quadriceps.

W. Bonac – IFBB PRO

18

UK FITNESS SCENE

Inaugural conference and exhibition set to showcase and share latest fitness trends WORKOUT is excited to be launching a new regional conference and exhibition, “Tomorrow’s WorkOut”, which is aimed at showcasing and sharing the latest trends, equipment and innovations across the fitness industry, with the inaugural event being held this September in the North West of England.

Tomorrow’s WorkOut will take place on September 14 at the University of Bolton Stadium.

Registration will start at 8.30am, with teas and coffee being served within a fitness exhibition and networking area that will adhere to all Government guidelines on social distancing.

The conference will comprise of a morning and afternoon panel, both of which will be aimed at providing gym owners and managers with informative and practical advice and ideas that they can take straight back into their clubs.

The morning session will start at 10am and run to approximately 11.20am and will focus on sales and marketing.

The afternoon session will follow a buffet lunch and further networking and will be focused on predicting consumer behaviour; we will have experts discussing data and behaviour and its importance and relevance for memberships.

The afternoon session will run from 2pm to approximately 3.20pm and then refreshments will be served in the exhibition and networking area before the event closes at 4.30pm.

The morning session will be chaired

by Dave Wright, founder of MyZone and CFM. He will be joined by Sarah Watts from Alliance Leisure, Mike Hind MBE of Mike Hind Fitness and Macro Based Diner, Kate Landers, head of digital marketing at CFM and Jamie Cartwright, owner of Box 12, a former club operator and currently a contender on SAS Who Dares Wins.

The afternoon session will be chaired

by Graeme Hinde, founder of LFX and LFX Academy.

He will be joined by Ian Mullane, owner of Keepme and also a club operator in Liverpool, behavioural scientist Dr Chris Loxley and GM Active chair Andy King.

Tickets cost just £25 per person and the price includes attendance at the panel discussions, networking and the exhibition, a buffet lunch, parking and refreshments through the day.

Anybody wishing to book tickets should email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk

MEET THE SPEAKERS Morning session

Dave Wright – chair Dave Wright is the creator and global CEO of Myzone, the CEO and owner of Creative Fitness Marketing and the

Kate Landers is the advertising accounts manager at Creative Fitness Marketing where she drives the digital marketing for membership drive campaigns at health clubs and spas across the UK. Prior to this she worked for a digital agency in London and Melbourne after six years managing sales and marketing campaigns on-site at more than 30 different health clubs across Australia, NZ, Ireland and the UK. Kate loves working on projects for such diverse clients from owneroperated health clubs, leisure trusts, YMCA’s, Champneys Resorts and Spa Hotels like Jury’s Inn as they all have their unique challenges to get new members through the doors.

She loves the digital marketing landscape as it’s constantly evolving and has created fantastic opportunities for small businesses to compete against the big players.

co-owner of the Voyage Fitness brand in Australia.

Not only is he the chair of UKActive’s Supplier Council but his product, Myzone, is enjoyed in more than 8,000 facilities by more than two million people in 84 countries.

A serial entrepreneur, and a Workout columnist for the past 20 years, Dave is a straight-talking Australian based in the UK who has the unique ability of being both a club operator and a supplier.

Sarah Watts Sarah Watts has worked in the leisure industry for more than 30 years both in the public and private sector.

She founded Alliance Leisure in 1999, which develops facilities on behalf of leisure operators wanting to improve or expand the leisure services they offer.

APSE and ukactive award winners for its design, build and partnership service, Alliance has completed more than 160 leisure developments and has overseen more than £175m investment in the UK leisure market, from fitness refurbishments to large-scale multiactivity new build developments.

Alliance also supports UK leisure operators with comprehensive sales, marketing and training services delivered through its TA6 brand, with its support available for any leisure operator looking to increase income, develop their staff, and improve the health of their local community.

Sarah is looking forward to sharing her thoughts, tips, and experiences, having worked with many leisure operators who are embracing the opportunity to explore new ways of working postpandemic.

Jamie Cartwright Jamie Cartwright is the co-owner of Hatton Boxing and co-founder of BOX12.

Having previously launched a multiple site fitness franchise from start-up he has significant commercial experience working with fitness operators.

Jamie is also a qualified PT, former professional footballer and Ironman, whose 20 years’ experience in the industry stems not just from delivering fitness through his own clubs but also more recently through various digital platforms.

Jamie is a seasoned, senior commercial operator with a high level of industry experience and expertise.

His latest move back into club operations as co-founder of BOX12, a boxing for fitness boutique who’s recent transition into the digital space has been recognised as the ‘best online workout’ by an independent study.

You may have also seen Jamie as Recruit #14 on the Channel 4 hit TV show, SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Kate Landers

Mike Hind MBE Mike has been training people for over 12 years, in that time he has been recognised as one of the most respected and renowned coaches in the UK being crowned ‘The Best Personal Trainer in the UK’ by the National Fitness Awards.

His work has been broadcast across the globe and he became a household name when he took on “Dibsy” the 40 stone guy, Mike offered him a FREE life saving year-long programme.

Mike was awarded the “Outstanding Achievement Award” in 2018 by the National Fitness Awards for outstanding contribution within the fitness industry.

His client list includes Premier League and international footballers, European champion boxers, professional bikini athletes and TV stars.

But with this, Mike’s main focus is always on the public…

In 2019 at The National Fitness Awards, Mike and his team won an amazing three awards.

With Mike being crowned ‘UK’s Best Personal Trainer’ for the third consecutive year which is something that has never been done.

Mike’s client Dibsy walked away winning the ‘Member Achievement’ Award and Mike’s meal prep company winning the ‘Innovation in Fitness and Nutrition’ Award.

In 2020 Mike was recognised in the Queens Birthday honours and was awarded an MBE for his services to his community.

Continued on page 19

UK FITNESS SCENE Afternoon session

managers, in 2007 Ian founded Vanda.fit – Singapore’s first boutique boxing club – and alongside this, in 2008, the social media analytics platform Locowise.

A respected thought leader, white paper author, regular industry event speaker and member of the ukactive Digital Futures Council, Ian has a singular ability to first understand the challenges faced by our sector, then demystify the ways in which technology can help neutralise them.

19 services.

Andy has previously been a director with Serco Leisure and has been CEO of two other leisure Trusts and the northern Regional Director for GLL. He was also Virgin Active’s first ever general manager in the nineties.

His early career was as a professional drummer and he is learning to play the guitar so he can try and relive his youth.

Graeme Hinde – chair Graeme is a respected industry figure who has worked at leadership level in both the public and private sectors.

He was a member of the board of directors at the Fitness Industry Association from 2007 until 2014 and has been responsible for the launch and operation of over 20 health and fitness clubs.

In 2007 Graeme founded the LFX network which enabled UK health and fitness operators to meet on a regular basis.

The network attracts managers and fitness professionals from across the UK and Europe and during the pandemic maintained its presence online.

In 2021 with the support of Matrix Fitness, Graeme created the MH1 mental wellbeing movement for fitness professionals.

Graeme also runs Unstoppable Coaching, working with individuals and teams to improve personal and business performance.

Ian Mullane When it comes to technology and its increasingly pivotal role in the fitness sector, there are few speakers more thought-provoking than AI expert and self-professed geek Ian Mullane.

As the founder and CEO of AIpowered sales and retention platform Keepme, Ian has brought together the diverse expertise of his career to date – including 12 years as an operator – in a ground-breaking business that boosts revenues for gym operators across the globe, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to drive optimisation and transform the way they interact with customers and prospects.

Diving into a little more detail, having spent 15 years working on fintech solutions for some of the world’s largest hedge funds and investment

Peter Cleaver

Andy King Andy King is the chair of GM Active, a CIC made up of the 12 leisure operators across Greater Manchester, that was formed to understand how leisure could link better with health.

He is also the CEO of ‘Your Trust’ (formerly Link4Life) a Cultural and Leisure charity that serves the GM borough of Rochdale operating leisure centres, theatres, a museum art gallery and various community development

Peter has worked in the leisure industry for more than 30 years.

On leaving the Army he had no Idea of what job he wanted to do.

He knew that he liked sport but never considered it being a career.

30 years on Peter shares some of those challenges.

Working part time in Security he transitioned over to the leisure industry initially via work experience, volunteer work and networking.

Peter will go over the benefits of NVQ and apprenticeships from a career in sports view, along with some personal tips for employers and employees.

UK FITNESS SCENE

20

Feel better for longer with Power Plate

Branding review continues through Covid-19 lockdown STAFF Fitness commenced a branding review programme just before Covid-19 arrived and lockdown kicked in in earnest.

Undeterred, the team in addition to managing increased customer demand, worked ambitiously to implement the findings of the review with the top priorities being to develop new product offers, a website and an Attack Fitness and Staffs Fitness brochure.

Work is still ongoing on the next priorities of the plan.

The first thing that Staffs Fitness did was position themselves strategically as “A World of Brands“.

This led to the implementation of various new own and distributor products with the key products being added, Prime Fitness and Attack Fitness.

Prime Fitness is a unique concept using Smart Strength a revolutionary built-in variable resistance technology.

With Smart Strength, a user has the ability to move the peak resistance throughout the range of motion of an exercise, meaning, a user can train a muscle in the shortened position (end

of the motion), medial position (middle of the motion) or lengthened position (beginning of the motion).

This manipulation of the strength curve means more muscle fibre recruitment, from origin to insertion.

A game changer in strength training.

Attack Fitness consists of a range of products with an emphasis on the colour black. The products are not only functional but cool and contemporary in their design.

From strength equipment to functional fitness and benches, cardio and studio equipment all products are designed to the highest standard.

Staffs Fitness then wanted to showcase all their products through a stylish new website and brochures.

The website and brochure have been developed to not only be current but simple for customers to use.

The branding journey is ongoing, and Staffs Fitness have some exciting initiatives planned over the next couple of years to develop their business further.

For any further information contact marketing@staffsfitness.com

ALIGNING fitness and healthcare as part of the wider health and wellbeing needs of the ageing population has never been more important.

Strengthening activities can prevent age-related natural decline in muscle mass and bone density.

When the NHS was founded in 1948, there was a 48 per cent mortality rate before the age of 65; that figure has now fallen to 14 per cent.

The number of people over 85 has doubled in the past three decades and by 2030, one in five people in England will be over 65. (Kings Fund) Although many people do stay healthy, happy and independent as they get older, there is mounting evidence that complex health conditions, disability and frailty will set in approaching retirement age and beyond.

The Department of Health’s physical activity guidelines recommend adults over 65 years old should aim to be active daily and achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, such as cycling or walking, in addition to strength exercises.

As a result, practitioners are turning to tools that enhance balance, promote movement and reduce the risk of falls among older patients.

Both whole body and targeted vibration offer easy to use and versatile movement solutions that can be seamlessly integrated to maintain fitness and mobility by stimulating natural reflexes, increasing muscle activation, and improving circulation.

Power Plate is being increasingly embraced by health professionals.

Its unique ability to train and stimulate the neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a significant breakthrough for individuals with chronic debilitating conditions and elderly individuals who are prone to age related concerns.

Power Plate offers numerous

solutions for the home, clinical and care environments meeting the health, fitness and wellness needs of the population regardless of age, ability or agility.

Key health benefits of Power Plate, as well as improving quality of life for the ageing population include; independence, confidence and social interaction.

Visit www.powerplate.co.uk or call 0207 317 5000.

clubs across the country and thousands of loyal members.

These are the type of operators that are “on it”, they make sure that their gym is beyond clean, all their gym equipment is in full working order and

that even the tiniest tear in their gym upholstery is dealt with immediately.

It’s also why they attract hundreds of new members each month.

In this new world where cleanliness is more important than ever, it’s not worth letting that small tear in the pad get away with another day in your gym.

Not only will the tear grow as more and more people use the equipment, the pad will also become a breeding ground for bacteria and viral contamination which can result in an infection spreading.

Plus, we can all agree that worn, torn and ripped pads just look so unsightly in any gym – a definite turn off for anyone touring your gym for the first time and looking to purchase a membership.

While you’re ensuring that your pads are repaired and free from rips and tears, it’s worth adding your seal of approval by having your logo professionally embroidered into the pad.

To ensure your gym is looking its best, contact ServiceSport UK at info@servicesport.co.uk or call 01257 264 738.

First impressions always count REMEMBER back in the day when going to the gym was all about looking good?

Posters, leaflets and banners promoting the image of perfect bodies and achieving the ultimate physique.

For many people, image was one of the main reasons for attending the gym.

As the years have rolled by, it’s proven that going to the gym is so much more than simply looking good.

The industry has done a fantastic job of communicating the range of benefits associated with working out, with mental wellbeing at the top of the agenda in recent years.

Although image may not be the number one reason for going to the gym nowadays, it’s still more important than ever that your gym looks its best all day every day.

There is nothing worse than walking into a gym, motivation sky high, ready to smash your workout, only to approach the first piece of gym equipment and notice that the cover of the pad is torn, chunks of foam missing and the last persons sweat now

absorbed into the make-up of your favourite piece of kit...not a pleasant experience.

Reputation remains a major pull in the fitness industry, it’s why there are operators out there with 50+ fitness

UK FITNESS SCENE

Active IQ first to market with Level 4 Sports Coach End-point Assessment ACTIVE IQ is the first to market with the launch of its End-point Assessment for the new Level 4 Sports Coach standard.

At the same time, its End-point Assessment for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist has also been approved, bringing Active IQ’s growing EPA portfolio to 17 apprenticeship standards.

“Both standards demonstrate real progression in their respective fields by including a high level of specialism and professionalism in both the training and assessment,” said Tad Chapman, Active IQ head of EPA. “People aspire to Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeships which are held in high regard by employers. We are delighted to have added these two to our portfolio and especially to be the first to market with the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA.” The Level 4 Sports Coach standard trains learners to use extensive technical and tactical sports knowledge and skills to design and deliver coaching programmes that engage, motivate and evolve participants’ skills and performance.

Active IQ works closely with training providers and employers to support their apprentices by providing a comprehensive set of resources in a toolkit form, setting and managing the EPA timeline and helping apprentices prepare for their project, presentation and observation assessments.

The new Level 4 Sports Coach standard is in high demand from employers and apprentices. As the first EPA organisation to be approved by IFATE, Active IQ effectively triggered the opening of the application process for the apprenticeship that should take around 18 months to complete.

“We put the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA front and centre in our 2021 plan in response to industry demand,” added Tad. “We understand that many community sports clubs, NGBs and schools are keen to have more sports coaches available to help rebuild their provision postpandemic.

“With apprentices signing up now, this new standard is literally putting boots on the ground to help facilitate growth and advancement in coaching.”

The Level 4 Sports Coach standard has three pathways: Community Coach; School Coach and High Performance Coach.

Active IQ has End-point assessors with expertise in all three areas and is therefore offering a full complement of options to apprentices and employers.

Alongside this, Active IQ is also approved as an EPA provider for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist standard. This cross-sector apprenticeship is equally relevant to transport, logistics and manufacturing as it is for the leisure sector.

With transferable skills, it is much sought-after by apprentices, particularly attracting people who are currently working in a customer service role or department.

The ‘specialist’ element of this Level 3 standard combines a range of higherlevel professional skills when managing direct customer support including acting as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints and queries.

As with all Active IQ EPA packages, this comes with a comprehensive toolkit

for learners, support in managing their EPA timeline and specific eLearning programmes to help apprentices prepare for their practical assessments and interview.

“This standard is the ideal progression route for people currently working in their organisations as leaders, managers, supervisors of customer service teams or functions,” said Tad. “It transcends every sector, with the knowledge, skills and behaviour involved in dealing with customers and coping with conflict being highly transferable.”

Apprenticeships are increasingly favoured as a means of vocational training, believes Tad. “Apprenticeships are all about the journey and give learners an unprecedented chance to gain valuable work experience as they develop their skills,” he added.

“There really is no substitute for being absorbed in the work environment and engaging in an employer-focused setting and apprentices emerge considerably more experienced and skilled at the point of exit compared to their point of entry.”

As a fully approved EPAO since 2017, Active IQ offers employers a guarantee that any apprentice assessed and certified by its team will fully meet the required standard specified within an apprenticeship assessment plan.

To ensure consistency, Active IQ has been working closely with trailblazer groups and employers to ensure that apprentices are fully equipped and ready to achieve a strong foundation on which to build their career.

To find out more visit https://www.activeiq.co.uk/end-pointassessment-for-apprenticeship-standards

Club increases its monthly direct debits by £5,000 per month in seven weeks RUNNING a health club is not an easy task and it requires a large team and budget to co-ordinate.

With numerous areas to juggle including HR, admin, members, health and safety, websites, accounting and more, it’s no surprise that many clubs outsource their marketing and sales.

Rena Health and Leisure, London has just completed a successful promotion with marketing agency Creative Fitness Marketing (CFM), which resulted in doubling its existing membership base and boosting monthly direct debits by £5,000 per month.

Club manager Diana said: “Even though we have substantially increased our membership base and are currently operating at a reduced capacity there has not been a single occasion we have had to introduce any booking systems and the spa does not feel too busy or overcrowded.

“In what is an extremely difficult

market for our location CFM has given us exceptional results and I personally would welcome Mike and Chris back in the future.

“We found they worked well as a part of our team, they always kept within the Covid guidelines we have in place and managed their diary well to ensure there were no occasions

where we could not adhere to social distancing.”

So how did they boost the direct debits in such a short time?

CFM is a niche marketing agency who specialise in marketing for leisure clubs and have been in the industry for more than 30 years.

Director of operations Dean Godfrey

added: “As part of our marketing strategy, we use a combination of direct mail, corporate outreach, in-club events and targeted digital media including Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads. “This multi-faceted approach is the key to driving significant member numbers and income in a short period of time.

“Our approach is designed to attract the deconditioned market that may not normally think about joining a leisure club.

‘This works well for our clients as it doesn’t cannibalise their existing sales.

“Our clients also find that typically these are low-usage members as opposed to those fitness fanatics that use the club frequently, something that is important in these times with Government restrictions on numbers indoors.”

To find out more about how a CFM campaign works you can check out www.cfm.net or call 0115 777 3333.

21

UK FITNESS SCENE

23

Refreshed kit gives gym wow factor IT’S always worth assessing your options when it comes to giving your gym a new lease of life, and this is exactly what Oakhill Leisure did when they were looking for a cost-effective way of enhancing the gym space.

Having contemplated the idea of replacing the existing strength equipment with new equipment, Oakhill Leisure was open to alternative ways of achieving its goal.

Upon approaching ServiceSport UK to identify what options were available, it was suggested that refreshing the existing strength equipment and replacing the worn pads at the same time was a viable option.

This would not only give the gym the wow factor that Oakhill Leisure was looking for, but also save them a significant sum of money compared to buying new equipment.

With everything extracted and loaded, the equipment was transported to ServiceSport UK’s factory based in Chorley, Lancashire to be stripped down and worn parts replaced with new.

Having decided on a ‘black on black’ scheme

the frame was sandblasted to bare metal and powder coated gloss black.

The original Technogym Selection line branding remained and the pads reupholstered in black.

“The joy of dealing with ServiceSport UK is that everything is dealt with by them,” said Oakhill Leisure’s Gemma Baron.

“There is no third party contractor attending site and removing the equipment, every step of the process is carried out by ServiceSport UK. “The equipment looks like new now it has had the refresh, and the team re-installed the kit ensuring everything was in perfect working order.

“I would definitely recommend ServiceSport UK to anyone wanting to give their equipment a new lease of life”.

The final result certainly enhances the existing gym space and gives Oakhill Leisure the peace of mind that its gym equipment will continue to perform as expected for many more years to come.

For further information on prolonging the life of your existing gym equipment contact ServiceSport UK on 01257 264 738 or email info@servicesport.co.uk

New and improved Corevue app is helping to boost nation’s fitness

THE Corevue 360 kiosk by Healthcheck Services offers the very latest technology in intelligent body composition measurement.

It provides the perfect solution for public and private fitness, health and leisure operators as well as elite sports teams and universities.

It uses Multi Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, a safe and accurate way of providing insight into your customer’s health and fitness.

Among other things, it shows their body fat percentage, muscle mass, visceral fat, hydration level and metabolic age. This allows it to deliver a full body composition analysis in approximately 15 seconds.

The health kiosks and it’s new app have grown in popularity throughout 2020/2021 as the threat and effects of Covid-19 has motivated the nation to look at their health and fitness.

With the Corevue 360 you can find out exactly what you are made of, set your goals and use the new and improved Corevue App, which is free to use to help you achieve your optimal fitness level

and improve your health and wellbeing.

The innovative app’s dashboard shows both metrics, and graphs helping you to visibly monitor your health, updating the app with your results each time you use a corevue kiosk.

The app also offers the opportunity to set individual targets, making it easier to set goals and therefore achieve them.

It’s no wonder the Corevue kiosk and it’s new app is becoming a popular choice for celebrities such as Faye Brookes, who used Corevue throughout her training for ITV’s Dancing on Ice. Actress Daisy Wood-Davis was also spotted trying out the Corevue Kiosk in Manchester’s House of Evelyn.

Also, the high profile Barry’s boot camp personal trainer Joe Davis has documented on his social media how Corevue has shown that his muscle mass has depleted during lockdown and the gyms being closed.

We asked Healthcheck Services directors Eric Peake and Kevin Wood, why choose Corevue?

“We take pride in being at the forefront of innovation and are constantly

investing in research and development to ensure our customers are provided with the latest in weighing and body composition technology.

“This, in turn will naturally lead to a healthier nation, more aware and more engaged in their health.”

Healthcheck Services supply and install leading health kiosks throughout the whole of the UK and the Republic of Ireland and have been operating for more than 25 years: “We aim to provide an effective and efficient health solution.

“Whilst we believe we have eyecatching and robust health kiosks, we very much view the kiosk as just part of the package, where the additional/ wraparound services are critical to any meaningful long-term changes to health and lifestyle improvements.”

Track your health and wellbeing at more than 4,500 locations using one of our many types of health kiosks.

Download the Corevue app in the App Store.

Visit www.healthcheckservices.co.uk and www.corevuekiosk.com

Actress Faye Brookes used Corevue throughout her training for ITV’s Dancing on Ice.

CLASSIFIED

24

Operator strengthens senior team

ANYTIME Fitness UK has made a significant appointment to its senior team, with the appointment of Sue Moore as UK director of franchising.

With more than 25 years of franchising experience, Sue takes on the newly created role during an exciting time of expansion for the brand.

Now with more than 180 clubs across the UK and Ireland, Sue will oversee the strategy and performance of the Anytime Fitness UK network, supporting its franchisees’ profitability by improving retention, yield, turnover and total memberships within a club.

Instyle Clothing reaches the Summit STILL in its breakthrough year, Instyle Clothing continues to make an impression, not only within the industry, but also at the latest G7 Summit where the team’s recent work was on show in front of Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and other influential leaders from around the world.

Having received an order from The Hidden Hut for each of its staff to receive a new wardrobe of custom branded uniform, including t-shirts, pocket

aprons, gilets, sweatshirts and caps all professionally embroidered and heat transfer printed logos.

The Hidden Hut team would no doubt have left an impression on the day with their level of service and quality of food, while also looking the part just adds the cherry on the cake.

For bespoke workwear, sportswear and gym wear contact info@instyleclothing.co.uk or call 01257 447 338 to speak to the team at Instyle Clothing.

SERVICING

UPHOLSTERY

100 95 75

25 5 0

SOUND AND VISION

INSURANCE

we service 108x50 advert 18 June 2021 09:35:37

Partners&.

Specialist insurance for gyms and health clubs

Helping you bounce back safely and confidently from Covid-19.

T: 01189 875100 E: neil.adebowale@partnersand.com W: www.partnersand.com/sportsandleisure

Sue has most recently worked as an independent franchise consultant, supporting multiple business throughout a challenging period for the industry.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join Anytime Fitness UK,” said Sue. “The business has a very exciting future and I have a real passion for the benefits of physical activity and how closely its linked with coaching, community spirit and our mental wellbeing. I feel like I’m joining the right team at the right time in a role that will continue to ignite my passion for the franchise industry.”

2

CLASSIFIED WANTED

BUY BACK

FOR SALE

BUY BACK

CLOTHING & MERCHANDISE

FLOORING

WEIGHING & BODY COMPOSITION MACHINES

25

2

26

CLASSIFIED

LOGISTICS

INSTALLATION AND LOGISTICS

Here at GYM SOLUTIONS we understand an 'out of order' machine is bad news for everybody and we're here to help.

We provide an unbeatable level of service to all our clients and certify machines are safe and ready to use.

Contact us today for a service quote or repair quote

01782 868786 or 07779660257 www.gym-solutions.co.uk enquiries@gym-solutions.co.uk FITNESS EQUIPMENT

FITNESS EQUIPMENT

UNIFORMS & PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

MANAGEMENT

LOGISTICS

UPHOLSTERY

WEEKLY FREE TO YOUR INBOX EVERY FRIDAY

A VALUABLE ADDITION TO THE WORKOUT FAMILY.

Follow us @WorkOutU K

YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE ALONGSIDE THE FITNESS INDUSTRY’S NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE. For advertising opportunities please

call 01226 734605

or email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk For more information and to sign up

visit: www.workout-uk.co.uk

THE UK’s NO 1 FITNESS INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

CUSTOM WORKWEAR AND PROMOTIONAL MERCHANDISE.

YOUR BRAND, OUR SERVICE. IN-HOUSE EMBROIDERY & T-SHIRT PRINTING Our bespoke embroidery offers a tailored service which can be applied to the highest professional standard. By doing all the embroidery in-house it allows us to oversee the quality of the work being produced.

We also offer a heat transfer service where we can produce printed garments to fit your company’s needs.

WIDE RANGE OF GARMENTS Here at Instyle Clothing we offer a wide range of clothing to suit your company’s needs and requirements. We undertake the task of searching for the perfect products on your behalf.

We produce high quality embroidered or printed garments for all budgets. With 11 years of embroidery experience, our products are always of the highest standard.

HIGH END BRANDS Recently we introduced larger brand names on our site, including Under Armour and Adidas. We can embroider your very own design or logo onto these amazing brands.

Using the highest quality materials. As a gym and sportswear specialist we can translate your brand across a range of sports and gym wear.

POWERED BY

01257 447 338 info@instyleclothing.co.uk www.instyleclothing.co.uk Units 1-2 North Industrial Park, Drumhead Rd, Chorley PR6 7BX

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. @INSTYLECLOTHINGUK

@INSTYLECLOTHINGUK

INSTYLE CLOTHING