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The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine
‘Don’t panic’, company boss tells operators By Christina Eccles CORPORATE gyms are booming as employers look for a cost effective way to help staff improve their wellbeing in the workplace, according to an expert, who has urged traditional operators not to panic. Consultancy motiv8 – and sister company motiv8 North – specialise in the design of health and fitness facilities and have worked on both residential and corporate gym projects around the country. According to managing director Nick Sadler, the company has recently seen ‘rapid growth’ in firms wanting to add gyms into their offices – both as a way of helping staff to get fitter and provide them with an additional employee benefit. One of the company’s most successful installations was the addition of a gym to the offices of a Leeds based financial services company, which included a range of equipment, a dedicated area for stretching and space for core workouts. The gym also offers personal training, a weight loss programme and is looking at utilising unused office space for fitness classes and setting up a lunchtime
outdoor running club. Nick believes employees at the company are really enjoying having fitness facilities on site, with workplace clubs in general also helping to introduce people into a gym environment who previously may never have thought about going. He said: “The company wanted to look after their employees and give an incentive to staff. It’s a good way to add value, which isn’t an enormous cost to them. “This is one of the most successful ones we have done – staff have really embraced it. The PT side of things has also taken off really well there.” But although Nick claims workplace gyms are on the rise, he says traditional gyms should not panic about losing members as there is room for both types of club in the marketplace. He added: “You don’t really see wetside facilities in the workplace and people still like to swim. The bigger threat to the main chains is budget gyms.” Where do you think corporate gyms fit into the market? Are they taking business away from traditional clubs? Send your views to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or tweet us @WorkOutUK
No 225 £3
Ceremony recognises confidence campaigns
Over 30,000 people have signed a petition calling for the government to scrap plans which would see VAT added on to some previously exempt sports nutrition drinks. Former TV Gladiators and fitness professionals Jenny Pacey and Caroline Pearce (pictured) joined instructor Olly Foster to deliver the petition, organised by the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance. The alliance claims the proposals are a ‘health tax’ which penalise consumers with an interest in nutrition and healthy lifestyles. For full story see our supplementation and nutrition section starting on page 39.
GYM operators Virgin Active and Curves were among companies recognised at an awards ceremony, celebrating schemes which promote body confidence. The Body Confidence Awards looked at industries including advertising and retail to find campaigns which promoted diversity and the acceptance of broader beauty ideals. Winners included Virgin Active for its ‘oomph’ marketing campaign, which used a range of shapes, ages and ethnic diversity to push the benefits of exercise. MP and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image Jo Swinson said: “Virgin Active’s “oomph” campaign is a brilliant example of how to tackle this by using real people and promoting the intrinsic benefits of exercise.” To win the award, the operator beat off competition from shortlisted entries including ladies only gym chain Curves and Dance UK’s Healthier Dance Programme. TV presenter Davina McCall was named celebrity ambassador of the year.
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Award success convinces Wil to push business to next level By Christina Eccles SUCCESS in a prestigious awards scheme has inspired an independent gym owner to push his business to the next level. Clwb 21 in Anglesey took home the trophy for Midlands and Wales Gym of the Year at the National Fitness Awards last November – beating off strong competition from five other shortlisted clubs in that area. Since then, the club has gone from strength to strength, with recent successes including driving membership figures up by 10 per cent, extending links with other local businesses and creating a slimming club which has been franchised to other gyms around the country. A new functional training studio has also been developed – complete with laminated workout cards and a TV screen showing instructional videos – and the club has employed a full time personal trainer to offer more options
The new functional fitness studio at Clwb 21.
to members who want to vary their exercise sessions. The club has already entered the 2012 awards to hopefully emulate last year’s success and gym owner Wil Lovelock told Workout he was really pleased with what they have achieved since the win. He said: “It’s been fantastic. We put a huge banner out front when we won and haven’t really had to do a great deal of advertising. “We definitely got new members off the back of it. Our membership is up by about 10 per cent and the award really has helped. “If you have a title like that, it also encourages you to keep standards really high, so it has given us a kick to try and do even better.” One of the gym’s biggest successes is its C-Slim programme – a weight loss club which is included in the price of membership. Following its success at Clwb 21, the programme has also been rolled out as a franchise, with clubs as far afield as Scotland and Yorkshire trying it out with their members. Will added: “The slimming club is going from strength to strength. We were getting asked the same questions about how to lose weight and what to eat and I needed to make things easier for myself. We started a weekly drop in session where I could answer everyone’s questions and found people were joining because they had heard about it – so we decided to develop it. It’s been a great way to attract members. “Some were already paying to go to a slimming club but for the same amount of money, here they can get full gym membership as well.”
Wil and Nia Lovelock at the 2011 National Fitness Awards with host Katherine Kelly and Rick Fowler from category sponsor Service Sport.
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Operators invited to take part in exercise study By Christina Eccles
SkillsActive has appointed Olympic gold medallist Ian Taylor as its new CEO. Ian, who was part of Great Britain’s gold medal-winning hockey team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, has 25 years’ of commercial experience, as well as his 12 year career as an elite athlete. He takes over from interim CEO Suki Kalirai, who has been holding the position for the past six months. Chair Elaine Clowes said: “In this Olympic year, Ian’s sporting credentials and entrepreneurial expertise will make an invaluable contribution to the organisation. Under his leadership, SkillsActive will further enhance its reputation as one of the most innovative, focused and respected sector skills councils in the UK.”
OPERATORS have been asked to put themselves forward for a new exercise study, conducted by the FIA Research Institute and University of Greenwich. The 2012 UK Fitness Centre Health and Wellbeing Investigation will be conducted in 25 clubs and leisure centres across the UK and will compare the effectiveness of structured exercise programmes against unstructured exercise and physical activity counselling amongst 3,000 participants. Participating facilities will receive an evidence based programme which if followed will deliver results, training for staff, academic recognition, and scientific equipment. Two staff members in every participating facility will receive a training programme by the University of Greenwich, upskilling them to deliver academic level research. The nationwide programme is based upon the successful pilot study completed in 2011 with Impulse Leisure, which achieved a 92 per cent retention rate amongst participants, improved physiological outcomes amongst all three participating
groups, and 99 per cent of participants rated the programme as a positive experience. FIA CEO David Stalker said: “An investigation of this scale has never been attempted before, making the operators selected for the study leaders in delivery evidence based programmes. “We all know that exercise is good for us however that is often where our knowledge ends. There is surprisingly little academic evidence for what is delivered on the centre floor every day because we have never taken the steps to properly evidence our impact – this project will change that.” The Institute’s academic lead, Prof. Alfonso Jimenez added: “The pilot study provides us with a fantastic platform from which to base this nationwide project. I am looking forward to reading submissions from ambitious operators who want to take the next step and deliver evidence based programmes.” Operators who wish to participate in the study must complete an application form before June 6 – both the application form and guidance notes are available on the FIA website.
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Owner hopes new areas will help to shrug off old image By Christina Eccles A LADIES’ only area and new functional fitness studio are helping a Dorset gym shake off its ‘spit and sawdust’ reputation and attract a wider cross section of people through the doors. Physiques and Shapes in Dorchester has been in business for about 15 years and is owned by bodybuilding champion Sean Ferguson. In the past, it has been seen by some as a place geared more towards bodybuilders, but introducing a separate area for female members to work out – and more recently investing in new kit to revamp its studio space – has made the gym more accessible to other parts of the community. The new functional fitness studio includes some of the latest kit on the market – such as kettlebells, VIPRs and TRX – and according to general manager Chris Weeks it has made a huge difference to the club. He said: “The club has a bit of a stigma as being a bodybuilding gym but now with the ladies’ only gym
upstairs and the functional training area, we are moving away from that. The studio is another step towards broadening our horizons and getting more people in.” The club spent about £7000 on revamping the room and is already reaping the rewards – with a full diary of clients wanting to use it and great feedback from members and trainers. To introduce more people into PT, the gym is also offering small, group, high intensity training sessions so people can give it a try. A referral system where members get a session for half price if they bring one person and for free if they bring two, is also encouraging people who enjoy the classes to tell their friends. Chris added: “There is a council gym about half a mile up the road and they announced they’re having a massive amount of funding for a new building, so we realised we had to do something. “We wanted to use the room to offer a service and encourage more personal training sessions and more members seeing results.”
The new functional area at Physiques and Shapes. Other improvements at the club include extending the car park area to more than double its original size and creating a turning area so members who park there won’t have to reverse out on to a busy main road. The gym is also looking at ordering some new equipment and re-upholstering its existing kit to give it a
fresh look. “I’m aware that when the council gym opens up, we will probably lose a bit of membership. But for me, I would rather keep our prices as they are and have 500 members, than have 1000 people paying half the price and getting a lower quality service.”
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Look East for a new challenge, report suggests By Christina Eccles FEMALE instructors looking for a new, financially rewarding challenge could benefit from the Middle East’s increased interest in fitness, according to an expert. International recruitment specialist Leisureforce has been in the industry for 26 years and says Arabic women have become much more fitness orientated, with many now looking to work out in a gym or employ a personal trainer. But due to cultural differences in countries such as Saudi Arabia, ladies’ fitness clubs must be staffed by women only – creating a great opportunity for female instructors from the UK to work abroad. Leisureforce’s Simon Windsor said: “Due to long term strong trading links with the UK, Saudi Arabia respects the educational system here in our country so they often look to the UK for well trained and experienced fitness and sports staff to run these clubs for them. “The big benefits and attractions of working in Arabia are that salaries are tax free and accommodation, annual return flights, medical care and visas are all paid.
“Arabia is now seen by thousands of British trained professionals as the best place to relocate and hide away for a few years, earning tax free money and live for free with no money worries, while letting the UK recession pass.” To advise women who are thinking of making the move abroad, the company has organised a series of free seminars to answer queries and allow delegates to hear from instructors who have experienced working in the Middle East for themselves. Simon added: “Leisureforce recognises that British ladies who have never worked in Arabia before have some reservations about working and living there. “The seminars will have lady guest speakers coming in to talk about their experiences working in Arabia through Leisureforce. “They will also be available for question and answer sessions with all delegates so this will be a great opportunity to find out what working in Arabia as an expatriate in health and fitness is really like.” The seminars take place on June 7 in Southampton and June 11 in Bristol, with a third in Manchester in July.
David Lloyd Leisure has signed a contract with Keiser UK, which will see 1,200 new Keiser M3 Bikes installed in over 40 of its clubs. The installations began earlier this year and will continue throughout 2013 and 2014. Head of sports health and fitness Rob Beale said: "We have worked with Keiser UK for over a decade and have always been impressed by the M3 Bike because of its quality engineering and excellent performance. Indoor cycling is one of our most popular classes so it is vital that we can offer our members and instructors a well designed and quality bike.”
Kids encouraged to join classes OLDHAM Community Leisure is encouraging children to get more active by inviting them to join their parents in a range of fitness classes. The classes, including Zumba, Tai Chi, aerobics and Pilates, will be open to children from age 11, attending with an adult who is participating in the class. Classes will be free for children who are junior members and available to pay as you go for non-members.
Fitness manager Alex Knibbs said: “We believe that giving families the opportunity to exercise together makes it easier to adopt a healthier lifestyle. “Unlike many family outings, this one is healthy, low cost and fun. On a serious note, with the escalating obesity problems in this country, there has never been a better time to encourage young people to get more active, more often.”
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Spa adds features ahead of re-launch THE Bannatyne Group has relaunched the spa at its health club in Chepstow Street, Manchester – with new features including a dual treatment room to allow couples and friends to share their spa experiences. There is also a new reception area, specialist nail station and range of skincare products. Managing director of The Bannatyne Group Nigel Armstrong said: “We are in a very competitive market so it’s important to deliver a strong and comprehensive offering to help protect our position in the marketplace. The re-introduction of the spa at Chepstow Street is part of our belief that, especially in the current climate, members need an all-round wellbeing experience from Bannatyne’s. “In line with all our health clubs and spas, the Bannatyne Spa in Chepstow Street will provide a high quality service and experience for every visitor offering the latest treatments and using leading luxury product ranges.”
Owners create a buzz by combining their two gyms By Christina Eccles THE owner of an Edinburgh Power Plate studio has revealed why combining her two clubs into one has strengthened the business. Studio EH1 is owned by Helen Maclennan and partner Ian Gray, who opened their first site in the city five years ago, followed by a second one 18 months later. But last year, the pair decided to close both smaller studios, combining them into new, bigger premises.And since making the move, they have never looked back. Helen said: “It’s been great having two sets of clients and trainers together – and we’ve saved on overheads. There’s a really good buzz around the place.” The decision to specialise in Power Plate classes is ensuring the studio stands out from the crowd and by keeping membership numbers fairly small, trainers can concentrate on delivering top quality service to everyone who comes to a class. Helen added: “We have no competition with regard to actual Power Plate studios. Competition comes from other places such as Pilates classes, gyms and any other forms of exercise. “We are priced a level higher than
The studio at EH1. going to a class or gym membership. But when talking about personal training, our price of £295 per month for unlimited PT, is very good value.” Despite a difficult economic climate, the studio is doing well, and Helen hopes to continue this success over the coming months. “We have still got a lot of capacity here and are still building in Edinburgh. For now, we are focusing on this studio and not looking to
expand into other cities. “We left London to get away from the rat race and love what we are doing here. We work far harder than we have ever done but it’s different when it’s your own business. We have such a lovely club and it’s a real pleasure to work here. “Hopefully, we seem to be doing OK in the recession. People are still coming and our figures are going in the right direction.”
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City scheme numbers hit record level A RECORD number of people are taking part in physical activity in Sheffield, according to figures from Sheffield International Venues. More than 17,000 people have now signed up to SIV’s popular Fitness Unlimited scheme – the highest total since launching 12 years ago. The figure marks a 26 per cent increase in membership over the last two years, showing a return on major investment programmes, where in excess of £1m was spent on new equipment and facilities. Chief executive Steve Brailey said: “The figures demonstrate how the value-for-money and range of activities offered by Fitness Unlimited is playing a key role in increasing participation across the city. Despite the challenging economic climate, we have continued to invest in new equipment and facilities, the most recent being a major expansion of our gym at EIS Sheffield, and this is clearly encouraging more people than ever to invest in their health with SIV.” Fitness Unlimited venues include Ponds Forge, Don Valley Stadium and EIS Sheffield.
Instructor creates new workout for ‘real people’ By Lorraine Howard A PIONEERING Scottish fitness instructor has created a new, intensive workout, which he describes as ‘real fitness for real people.’ Cardio40 is the brainchild of instructor Louie Fecou who has almost 30 years’ experience in the fitness industry. He explained: “In all the years I have been teaching this is by far the most exciting class I have taught. “It’s a 40 minute cardio workout taught in 32 count phrasing, to up tempo music with steps you can follow. It’s not the same old workout – it’s real fitness for real people. “Some clients have said it’s the hardest workout of their lives and they mean both mentally and physically – they not only have to follow the steps but their brains are working overtime as they remember what movement coincides with the number I am shouting. “But they all leave with a smile on their face knowing they have worked hard. You can see the concentration on their faces as they wait for the next number, take a breath and get ready to go for it.” Louie, who is known in Ayrshire as a pioneering teacher, was the first male Zumba instructor in his area.
A Cardio40 class in action. His Zumba classes are still going strong and last year he brought Bokwa to the area too, becoming one of only five Scottish instructors of that exercise. He added: “I have been teaching aerobics for almost 30 years and believe me I have tried lots of new workouts and classes. “But I realised clients were craving intense workouts that incorporated simple routines and Cardio40 came to me. “My hope is to roll it out with other instructors and hopefully develop a
national and international network of C40 classes.” A typical Cardio40 class involves a warm up and stretching before 40 minutes of aerobic moves. After the 40 minutes, clients take to the floor for abs work and stretching. Louie added: “It offers a complete workout and taking time to do floor work is all part of the Cardio40 experience. “It’s exciting and I’m loving every minute of it, it certainly is raising pulses in Scotland.”
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Former Coronation Street star launches bootcamp business By Christina Eccles
The gym at Aquilla Health and Fitness in Knightsbridge.
Successful London club appeals to all A LONDON health club has revealed how it has kept its luxury loving members happy for the last 30 years. With Harrods and Harvey Nichols just 10 minutes away, Aquilla Health and Fitness in Knightsbridge serves the adjacent four-star, 193-bedroom Rembrandt Hotel and is opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum. With 300 members, it appeals to a wide cross-section of people and offers family and corporate packages. The gym is separated into two areas and has equipment from treadmills, cross-trainers and free weights to stretch mats. Equipment brands include Concept and Cybex and all cardio machines have a 15-inch screen to entertain members while they work out. Each changing area has an individual steam room and sauna. A 15-metre pool accommodates aquacise classes
and swimming lessons and the studio has weekly classes with ballet, Pilaerobics and ‘Pole People’ among the most recent. Operations manager Layaan Almenoar said: “Our personal trainers offer services from dietetic consultations to osteopathic physiology and anatomy assessments, as well as gaining confidence in the gym, weight loss programmes and sports specific training. We even have a clinic with treatments such as reflexology and acupuncture.” Therapy rooms offer services from facials to specialised therapeutic massages, and a brand new Jessica GELeration Nail Bar. Members and hotel guests receive a 10 per cent discount on treatments and members can make a single annual payment and get one month free.
FORMER Coronation Street star and successful personal trainer Scott Wright has launched his own bootcamp business, designed to give people results – without the hefty price tag. Scott has chosen two locations in the North West – Crowden and Castleshaw – for the camps, with participants able to choose from three day kick start or seven day camps, plus residential or non residential options. The camps cost £199 for three days and £499 for seven days residential, which according to Scott make them some of the most affordable on the market. And he told Workout, this was one of the key points he considered when planning the venture. He explained: “I wanted to set something up but there are lots of bootcamps out there. I wanted them to be different so thought of making them less expensive. “I want it to be as inexpensive as possible. I’ve been pitching it by saying if you are at the camp and not spending money on petrol, junk food and alcohol, you may even save
Scott training celebrity client Kerry Katona
Scott Wright money.” The ‘no frills’ approach to bootcamps will include a mixture of training techniques – such as circuit style exercises, yoga and long walks – with all levels of fitness catered for. Healthy eating will also play a big part, with participants given nutritious meals and snacks throughout their stay. Scott added: “The camps are aimed at absolutely everyone. I have experience of training people up to the age of 80, so can cater for anyone.” Joining Scott to deliver training sessions will be another actor turned personal trainer Danny Tennant – who has previously appeared in Hollyoaks and Emmerdale – and bookings have already started coming in for bootcamp dates in June and July. Scott added he is waiting to see how things go but if the project takes off well, he would like to add more dates, building up to running a camp per month.
Fun day to mark link with Olympics £8m site to create 70 jobs DAVID Lloyd Leisure has unveiled plans for a new £8m club in Worcester, due to open in December. The club will be located next to Sixways Stadium – home to Worcester Warriors rugby team – and will include extensive indoor and outdoor tennis facilities, indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness area and a dedicated zone for children’s activities. Regional director Jason Andrews said: “We are very excited about
coming to Worcester and providing the community with what will be a fantastic club offering excellent facilities, classes, programmes and expertise. “The Sixways Stadium site is a fabulous location for our racquets, health and fitness facilities and we are very much looking forward to working in partnership with the Worcester Warriors, a first-class rugby team.” The new site is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs.
LEISURE facilities in Roehampton are celebrating their links with the men’s Olympic cycle race by organising a family fun day. Roehampton Club and Rosslyn Park Rugby Club are staging the event on July 28 to coincide with the Olympic event passing through their local area. The rugby club – which looks down on the cyclists' outward and return route along Upper Richmond Road – is opening its gates to the public all day, and along with the neighbouring Roehampton Club will be providing attractions and activities for all ages. As well as being able to watch the
race from a safe vantage point, visitors will be able to join in with mini football, fitness and cycling demos, as well as being able to enjoy a beer and Pimms tent, BBQ and hog roast, music and live DJ. Nearby Putney Leisure Centre will also be supporting the event and will be there on the day to offer taster sessions in different activities. General manager Tracy McNeela said: "This is such a great opportunity for families to experience the real Olympic excitement live, something the children will remember all their lives.”
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With research showing school PE puts many girls off exercise and as the UK continues to wage the war on obesity, it’s more important than ever for the fitness industry to engage with young people. In a special feature, Workout takes a look at how your club can help to develop the fitness fans of the future.
Alternative activities such as dance and martial arts could encourage more girls to enjoy exercise.
What can gyms do to get young people active? ACCORDING to a new report by the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation and the Institute of Sport at Loughborough University, girls in the UK are not getting enough exercise. The research found there are several reasons for their lack of enthusiasm when it comes to PE – with those surveyed citing issues including a lack of choice of activities on offer, a feeling that sport is too competitive and more suited to boys, and that getting sweaty during PE lessons is not seen as feminine. And experts have claimed that with young people’s engagement in physical activity worryingly low, schools – and gyms – should be taking charge to reverse this trend. WSFF chief executive Sue Tibballs said: “It is well-known that school children are less active than they should be. This problem is particularly severe for girls. Our research shows
that PE and school sport is actually putting the majority of girls off being active, even though three quarters of girls are keen to do more exercise. “We need schools and the Government to urgently address this issue, and create policies that will keep our children fit and healthy. The priority needs to be getting all children active not just focusing on the sporty ones.” The FIA claims the fitness industry can play an important role in getting young people active – and keeping them engaged in physical activity as adults – with the organisation launching a number of initiatives to help operators who want to work with children and teenagers. CEO David Stalker added: “Although concerning, these statistics are not breaking news, we have known for some time that a person’s perception of sport and activity (particularly women) is shaped by their early expe-
riences, and being turned off by school PE often leads to a lifetime of inactivity. “That is why the FIA launched Go in 2004, linking schools with FIA members to help 15/16 year old teenage girls to develop a positive attitude towards physical activity, as well as a lifelong appreciation for being active. “The programme continues to be successfully delivered, giving girls access to exciting activities beyond the school gates.” The organisation has also urged its members to get involved and welcome young people into their gyms. David added: “Earlier this year we launched a new set of guidelines for children taking part in gym-based activity, and we would encourage our members to open their doors to this age group to offer them a chance to re-engage with physical activity outside of the educational environment. “We also work closely with FIA
members who provide the facilities at universities and schools/colleges and continue to seek further partnerships with local authorities and education providers through which we can work to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to enjoy sport and physical activity.” The use of technology and social media could also be key to reversing this trend – as well as offering a wider range of activities from the traditional girls’ options of hockey and netball. Leisure consultant James Foley joined the debate on Twitter, adding: “I don't think we listen enough... we'd say Zumba, Bokwa and everything in between but we need to understand why they don't?!” And personal trainer Rob Lunn said the industry should show young people fitness is fun and ‘not all netball, hockey and bibs.’
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Enter your gym for biggest free awards
Bob Horne with CFM marketing supervisor James Campbell.
Drive attracts members A SUCCESSFUL marketing campaign has helped a Hampshire gym generate over 225 new members in just six weeks. The Woodlands Gym at the Hurst Community College, part of Hampshire County Council, completed a new member drive with CFM. As national partners of the Department of Health’s Change4Life, the company was able to help non active populations in the market get started on an exercise programme with the club by promoting the benefits of exercise to the wider community.
Community manager Bob Horne said: “Even though we are a not for profit organisation we still need to be commercially minded and provide a facility that helps the local community get involved with exercise. “CFM had the manpower and the resources to run a huge multiple exposure campaign that we never would have been able to afford ourselves.” The college now plans to capitalise on this success by generating both referrals from the new members and utilising community relationships built by CFM staff.
GYM owners up and down the country have been encouraged to shout about their achievements by taking part in the industry’s biggest free to enter awards scheme. The National Fitness Awards recognise excellence throughout the health and fitness sector, with categories catering for all sizes and types of gym. The awards – now in their third successful year – are organised by Script Events, in association with Workout and nominations have already been flooding in from gyms looking to celebrate the achievements of their staff and members and generate priceless, positive publicity for their clubs. A range of categories are up for grabs including best regional gym, member achievement, gym based personal trainer of the year and best hotel facility – a new award for 2012. And some of the industry’s biggest names have already signed up to support the awards – with category sponsors including Service Sport, Jordan Fitness, Harlands group and SportsArt Fitness. Once nominations have closed later in the year, entries will be narrowed down to a shortlist of six in each category with the eventual winners chosen by a panel of industry experts including leading fitness model Carly Thornton, nutritionist and former Gladiator Caroline Pearce and
Judge Carly Thornton. Olympic sprinter Joice Maduaka. Then in November, a glittering awards evening will take place where trophies will be handed out to the lucky recipients and the whole of the fitness industry will come together for a spectacular end of year party. The 2012 National Fitness Awards are on Friday November 30 at the Athena in Leicester, hosted by top personal trainer and television personality Charlotte Ord, who has most recently been seen whipping contestants into shape on hit ITV programme The Biggest Loser. Clubs can enter the awards and find out more information by visiting the dedicated website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk or keep up to date with the latest NFA news by following @FitnessAwards on Twitter.
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Customer service key to attracting members and retention rates Last year’s Spartan Race.
Studios’ Olympic challenges raise money for charity By Helen Williams BAWTRY Health and Fitness Studios in South Yorkshire is warming up for the Olympics with its own set of challenges. The ‘Bawtry Olympic Challenge 2012’ aims to get as many residents as possible involved in physical activity while raising money for charity. People have already taken part in the Rossington Gallop, a 10km offroad trail run with Grand National style obstacles like Beeches Brook. Swimmers have also dived into a Swimathon/Big Splash at Maltby Leisure Centre, and a Doncaster 10km run is imminent, where runners will tackle a flat and fast route past the famous race course. Upcoming events also include a Yorkshire Spartan Race (5km) on August 12 and a five mile Bawtry Forest Walk on September 16. Last year, a muddy Spartan race alone
raised over £2,000. Director Luke Walker, who is also lead exercise therapist at Rotherham Institute for Obesity, said the challenge was great fun but also a reminder of the nation’s ‘obesity epidemic.’ Luke presented at the Associated Studies for Obesity national conference in March in London, and in May at the European Congress for Obesity. He has also discussed obesity issues with the Fitness Industry Association. He said: “There is a massive cratersized gap between the NHS and the challenge of trying to deal with the obesity epidemic. Everything on the ‘medical’ side is about reducing calories or talking therapies, why are we only dealing with this aspect and not the exercise side?” Luke ultimately wants to launch Europe’s first gym especially for weight issues. People would have to have a BMI of 30 and above to join.
Torch honour for Simon ULTRA fitness fan Simon Boguszewski will carry the Olympic torch through Armthorpe near Doncaster on June 26. A member of Bawtry Health and Fitness Studios, Simon has been fundraising for Yorkshire Kidney Research Fund after his young daughter Jasmine suffered acute kidney failure. Although her prognosis was not good, she has made a full recovery. Simon has now raised over £22,800. In April 2011, he completed the Virgin London Marathon while carrying a 40lb rucksack and has also set records for navigating the Great North Run carrying 80lb and 100lb rucksacks. In 2009 Simon set a new ultra fitness endurance world record by running a half marathon with a 50lb rucksack, cross training a full marathon, rowing a half marathon, and cycling 200km. He also lifted over 130 tonnes using
Simon Boguszewski six recognised weightlifting techniques, did 1,200 weighted step ups, speed walked 10km and completed 1,000 press-ups - all in 23 hours, 5 minutes.
Jackie Balboni, Life Gym, Swansea
Gym thum sector g custo bs down ets mer servi for ce
FURTHER to the article in the May 2012 issue of WorkOut – Gym secUK F ITNE tor gets thumbs down for customer SS S CE service – we wanted to write in to demonstrate how customer service is core to our membership attraction and retention rates. Life is an independent gym based in Swansea in South Wales. Since we opened our doors in January 2006 we can report the following numbers for sources of members: Word of mouth: 903. Refer a Friend: 628. Friend/Family Bud Member: 382. get club That’s nearly 2,000 sem inar members who have date joined our facility through direct referrals. The feedback we get continuously is that our customer service levels are second to Last month’s none. For example: page 3 article. Our members are treated as individuals and not numbers by front of house staff as well as our scheme whereby a member who dedicated gym instructors. refers a friend and the referral each get a reward. Personal training sessions and training reviews are an integral We continuously ask for feedpart of our membership package back to improve our facilities and and our instructors actively we also run an annual members’ approach members with recomsurvey and act on as many of the mendations to help them get the recommendations as possible. most out of their sessions at no A low cost gym opened around extra charge together with nutrithe corner from us just over a year tional advice and diet sheets if ago. This naturally had a huge required. impact on our membership as people couldn’t resist the £9.99 a We regularly run rewards and incentives for existing members month offer, particularly in the (such as free water or fruit) as a current economic climate. small way of saying thank you. More than 50 per cent of those We have a large noticeboard members who left us last year have before the entrance to the gym now signed up to return once their where we regularly post informa12 month contract at the low cost tion about our members’ success venue is over. such as weight loss achievements The main reason: customer servas well as other achievements outice and recognition of the individside of the gym such as fundraising ual and their requirements. or sporting success. We also proSadly, as highlighted in your artiduce posters of members’ achievecle, a drop in recommendations ments including before and after due to poor customer service is on photos and details of how they the increase. trained, their diet etc... Our own case study shows that the growth in low cost gyms which We actively promote our members’ achievements outside of the is all about numbers and not indigym to the local media. viduals is a contributing factor We run a Refer a Friend towards this trend. By Chri stin a
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If you would like to comment on a story you have read in Workout or a wider fitness industry issue, we would love to hear from you. Send your views to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk and we will print the best in our next issue.
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Knowing your local area and forging strong partnerships are among the keys to running a successful GP referral scheme, according to a Sheffield based instructor. Workout found out more.
Jo helps to strengthen referral offer further JO Strong works as an exercise referral officer at Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre in the south of the city. She currently runs eight classes a week focusing on cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation and maintenance sessions for those who have successfully completed the rehab schemes. The centre, which comes under the Sheffield International Venues’ portfolio, has been recognised for its success in this field, with accolades including making the final shortlist in the rehabilitation category at the 2011 National Fitness Awards. And with the scheme going from strength to strength Jo offered tips for other operators thinking about setting up something similar. Her top tips include: Know your local area and research what conditions are prevalent there. Communicate closely with GPs, particularly practice managers. Make sure you explain to them what you have to offer and what patients are going to get out of taking part. Think about how accessible your location is to people. If you target areas with poor transport links, it’s going to be hard for people to get to you. Don’t try and start off too big. Begin with a couple of classes and increase with demand. Utilise space in the best way you
can – Jo uses half of the club’s tennis court for some of her sessions as well as using studio and gym space where possible. Think about your timetables – don’t put classes on during your busiest gym times. Use traditionally quieter times and make the best of the space you have available. If you find a class is getting big, consider running two back to back sessions. This enables you to keep your classes to a manageable size – running them straight after each other also means you don’t have to pack equipment away and set it out again at a later date. Reassure patients on their first visit, who might feel intimidated, that they will be working with people in a similar position to themselves. Take the time to talk to patients and discover what activities they like or are familiar with – some will prefer the support of a class environment rather than exercising in the gym. Give patients a pathway – most people who have taken part in the centre’s pulmonary or cardiac rehab classes will continue exercising by attending one of its maintenance classes, known as ‘silver circuits.’ Last year, Graves Tennis and Leisure centre was taken over by Sheffield International Venues, which Jo said has allowed it to strengthen its offering even further.
Jo with two of the ladies she has helped on the scheme, Sadie Shaw and Margaret Brammer. Being part of the SIV brand has helped the club to forge partnerships with local and regional organisations, as well as assisting the centre to promote its own scheme and share ideas with instructors running programmes at other SIV centres around the city. She added: “Coming on board with SIV has been very good for us. We have five schemes now over the whole
company so are able to trade good practice and get a lot more support. “There is also now a lot more awareness of the scheme. And it’s good from a patient’s point of view as they can transfer across to other centres.” Future plans for the scheme include working on a respiratory disease project with the Sheffield and Rotherham Asbestos Group.
Rela thanks Workout for helping to sell her club The énergie Group is on target to operate 27 Fit4less gyms by the end of 2012, following the opening of its newest club in Bromley. The club opening marks the 17th Fit4less in the énergie estate and had secured over 1000 pre-sales before the doors had even opened – a record number within the group. This is the second franchise for owner Tom Burke who was first introduced to Fit4less in 2010. He said: “I opened Fit4less, Milton Keynes in 2011 and after the untold success of the club, Bromley was an obvious choice for me. The number of pre-sales has been overwhelming.”
Facilities to get upgrade ST Peter’s Leisure Centre in Burnley is to benefit from a £275,000 investment to upgrade its gym facilities. The work, due to be completed by September, will include replacing over 75 fitness stations. Burnley Council’s leisure facilities manager Neil Hutchinson said: “Last year we were finalists in the Local Authority Gym of The Year awards and to ensure we continue to pro-
vide a top quality service for our existing members, whilst continuing to grow our membership, we are investing a significant amount money upgrading our current fitness equipment. The council is keen to ensure that the new equipment will be innovative, easy to use and a high quality offering that will provide high quality fitness facilities in the area at an affordable price.”
A FORMER gym owner has thanked Workout for helping her sell her club. Rela Charlton managed Revelation in Telford, Shropshire, a women’s only club which was established in 2006 and aimed to help local women get the most out of a half hour workout. The gym, which had a growing membership and particularly attracted employees from local business parks before and after they started work, had a 20-station hydraulic fitness studio, personal trainers and an on-site beautician. It also offered ‘weekend warrior’ and Zumba-in-thecircuit classes. In November 2010 Rela was approaching retirement and wished to sell the club. She said: “Naturally I wanted to get the best price and I put it into the hands of a business sales company. Unfortunately that was a mistake – it cost a fortune and didn’t achieve a thing. I didn’t have a single expression of interest for a year, so I decided to try and sell it myself.” Rela advertised in Workout, aiming to coincide with LIW, and titled her
Former gym owner Rela Charlton (centre). advert “Live the dream, own your own gym.” She invited an “enthusiastic, highly motivated person to pick up the baton and grow the business.” She quickly got two interested parties, one of whom bought the gym. She added: “Without the professionalism, help and pleasantly affordable advertising cost from Workout I just would not have made the sale. Instead of enjoying retirement I would still have been doing a full week at the gym. Mind you, I would be 6lbs lighter – the price you pay for not working out so regularly.”
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‘Inspirational’ Jonti takes over running of gym By Helen Williams A BODYBUILDER who was born without a right leg because of spina bifida has taken over the running of his local gym in Cumbria. Jonti Wilson, of Aspatria, has renamed the former Presice Fitness Jonti’s Gym. He has become wellknown within the bodybuilding fraternity and now wants to help others achieve their fitness goals. He said: “The hardest muscle to train is the mind. If you can do that then you are halfway there. We have a motto here: ‘Never say never; there is always a way’. No excuses. If I can do it with one leg, then you can certainly do it with two.” His plans include redecorating the gym, moving the reception area and opening an in-house supplements and clothing store. Brands supporting him include Dinosaur Nutrition, ProSupplements and Beyond Failure gymwear. Jonti also wants to transform unused space into a women only weights area and to support various charity events including Sport Relief. Exercise classes including kettlercise, tone and sculpt and circuits will be
run from the gym. When Jonti started training three years ago, he had a beer belly, low self-esteem and got out of breath easily. Now in the best shape of his life, he is competing and making guest appearances at various bodybuilding shows including the two-day Hercules Olympia in Essex, a major event in the bodybuilding calendar. Jonti won the UKBBF Championship in 2010 in the wheelchair section and has not ruled out competing in future events if they introduce more suitable categories. When he made his debut at the South Lakes Classic in Ulverston two years ago, cheers and applause broke out from the crowd as soon as he threw down his crutches. Some have called him ‘inspirational’ but Jonti rejects the term. “People do see me like that but I’m just doing my thing”, he added. He previously worked as a duty control manager for the ambulance service and more recently has been working for the company Trauma FX which simulates emergencies to help train army and medical personnel.
The Club and Spa team taking part in the gruelling challenge.
Team preparing for march A TEAM of five from a Birmingham gym are preparing for a gruelling 40 hour high speed march in aid of Help for Heroes. The team from Club and Spa – led by head personal trainer at theclubandspa Jay Wheeler – will begin a 145 mile trek in London on September 13 and end in Birmingham two days later, with each man wearing a 45lb backpack. Jay is a former section leader who served with the Irish Guards for five years, including a spell in Iraq, during which he lost several comrades and friends. Joining him on the run will be Matt James, Tom O’Loughlin and two of his colleagues from theclubandspa,
fitness coaches Richard Broomhall and Luke Lincoln. He said: “It’s very arduous on your body, a big ask. The problem is you can’t really train for something like this, other than just be as fit as you possibly can. To put it into perspective, I’ve done one marathon and two half marathons in the last week. “The distance is a reference to how far the Parachute Regiment marched in the Falklands War, which is 30 years old this year; it’s a fast walk and then you run when you can.” The challenge will end at Birmingham’s War Memorial, where Jay will lay a wreath in memory of his fallen comrades.
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Programme proves successful for Andy By Christina Eccles A PROGRAMME which includes exercise, nutritional advice and ultrasonic liposuction treatments is proving a winning combination for a successful independent gym owner. Andy Peacock first set up the Lipo Lounge in his club – Warehouse Gym near Huddersfield – trialling it with a package of six sessions, six week gym membership and weekly nutritional advice for £350 per person. The package made him £10,000 of additional revenue in just six hours and took off so well that he and partner Martine Harney decided to expand the idea into a franchise business model, which is being rolled out across the country. Sound Physique is available as three options – a mobile franchise, a concession franchise within a gym or a stand alone high street retail clinic – with everyone who decides to open a site also benefiting from a detailed package of services and advice to help them get the business off the ground. Benefits to gyms which include a clinic in their clubs include increased secondary spend opportunities and at Warehouse Gym, about 10 per cent of people who have bought a package also converted to gym membership –
Martine Harney allowing the club to tap into an audience who may have never previously considered going into the club. For anyone who takes on the option of a retail clinic, Andy and Martine also work closely with them, offering expertise in areas such as marketing and how to throw a successful launch party. The service also includes helping franchisees to find local gyms to partner with, enabling them to offer a full package of ultrasonic liposuction sessions, plus gym passes to help partici-
Refuel and refresh with new shake DAIONIC Pro Nutrition Shake is a new post-exercise body booster that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. High in protein – 36g per 330ml bottle – to support lean muscle growth, Daionic is made with organic milk with added whey protein, and is the only sports nutrition product of its kind. Already an essential part of training for sporting stars such as Wales international rugby players Sam Warburton and Jamie Roberts and WBO World Light-Heavyweight Champion Nathan Cleverly; Daionic was launched at BodyPower by Olympic medal winning sprinter Darren Campbell. Low in glycaemic carbs it contains only 15g of carbohydrate per bottle. There is no added sugar or aspartame, and each bottle of Daionic contains 3.7g of Leucine for muscle protein synthesis. The protein and carbohydrate ratio also makes Daionic a perfect – and tasty – meal replacement shake too. Ready to drink, Daionic comes in two fabulous flavours – Strawberry and Chocolate. It is wonderfully refreshing when chilled, but it doesn’t required refrigeration and has a long shelf life. Daionic is the result of an exciting partnership between pioneering Welsh dairy company, Trioni Ltd, and sports nutrition experts Pro Athlete Supplementation (PAS).
“We are delighted to be launching Daionic,” said dairy farmer, Laurence Harris, founder and managing director of Trioni. “A number of studies have shown milk to be the most effective rehydration drink, and coupled with extra nutrients we believe we have created a refreshing and replenishing product, which is ideal for those who enjoy a wide range of sporting activity.” PAS’ Jon Williams added: “Daionic has been formulated to meet the needs of today’s athletes in terms of providing the appropriate intake of protein (36g) and carbohydrates. “It is this ratio which makes Daionic perfect to use any time of day to meet protein requirements for hard training athletes.” For more information and sales enquiries contact Laurence Harris on 01239 682572 or 0781 6607597 or email laurence@trioni.com
pants kickstart an exercise and healthy eating regime. Martine said: “This gets people into the mindset of changing to a healthier lifestyle and helps them to see that the gym isn’t as daunting as they think. “It’s an amazing way to get people into the gym and helps clubs to get people outside of their normal catchment area joining.” Andy and Martine have also just opened their first stand alone clinic in Beverley, where they are partnering with gyms under the umbrella of the East Riding Council, as well as nearby golf and country club, Cave Castle. The Beverley launch event helped them secure £10,000 worth of business in four hours, while also helping them to introduce the clinic to local people. Andy added: “It’s been very positive. At the gym we took £10,000 in six hours at the launch event but this time we took £10,000 in four. This shows we can repeat the same success again.” So far, there are six Sound Physique franchises around the country – three mobile, two retail units and the one at the gym – with the next franchise set to launch in Horsforth later this month.
The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity has appointed Sean Holt as chief executive officer. Sean (pictured above) has been acting as interim CEO since the launch of the new institute in April 2011, during which time he has guided CIMSPA through a merger, secured Royal Privy Council approval for chartership, leveraged the backing of leading sector figureheads such as Lord Sebastian Coe, overseen the appointment of 12 new regional and national management boards and the appointment of Miles Templeman as chairman. He will be taking up his post with immediate effect, heading up the central CIMSPA team, which is based at Sport Park in Loughborough.
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Provider kits out refurbished suite LIFE Fitness and the University of Bath have collaborated in a quest to create one of the very best sport environments in the world for student, elite and recreation-level sport. In an aim to produce medal winning athletes of the future, they teamed up to complete a full refurbishment of the fitness suite at the university’s specialist Sports Training Village. The fitness suite boasts a broad offering of the very latest, innovative Life Fitness gym equipment to help athletes train and compete at the very highest level. Home to ‘Team Bath’, the university’s sports brand, the fitness facility is designed to provide an array of services including general fitness, coaching, training and studying. Some of the country’s top athletes train in the gym, which is also open to members of the public as well as University of Bath staff and students. University of Bath sales and marketing manager Miles Peyton said: “Life Fitness were instrumental in the design and layout of the refurbishment programme in 2011 of the gym at the Sports Training Village. “Some of the country’s top athletes train at our facilities and we’re also fully open to the public, so it was important that we created the very best training environment with the very best equipment available for them in the best environment.
Some of the country’s top athletes train at Bath University’s Sports Training Village. “Life Fitness was able to provide us with a large choice of solutions and equipment and I feel that through their expertise in strategic product selection and positioning, the most productive environment has been achieved.”
Leisure centre staff at a Best Western hotel have been helping the company’s deputy chairman get in shape for a once in a lifetime honour. Angela Burns has been working out with fitness instructors at Best Western Premier Moor Hall Hotel after she was chosen as an official torchbearer for the Olympic torch relay. Angela, who has been honoured in recognition of her dedication to the scouts, has been put on a programme of training including running at the right speed, lifting weights and a special diet to ensure she is ready for her run on June 30. Angela is pictured with fitness instructors Ashley Day and Victoria Crandon.
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Finalists revealed for annual Flame awards By Christina Eccles THE finalists have been announced for this year’s FIA and Matrix Flame awards, which take place later this month. The award recognise excellence and best practice across the sector, with the winners announced at the Ball of Fire at Ponds Forge in Sheffield on June 27. The shortlisted clubs are: Club of the year (under 1,000 members): LivingWell Health Club, Maidstone. Rockliffe Hall. Spirit Health Club, Oxford. The Valley Health and Fitness. Club of the year (1,000-3,000 members): Castle Royle Golf and Country Club. Chartham Park Golf and Country Club. LA fitness, Oxford. Worsley Park, a Marriott hotel and country club. Club of the year (over 3,000 mem-
bers): Benton Hall Golf and Country Club. Central YMCA Club. LA fitness, Marylebone. Lichfield Golf and Country Club. Nizels Golf and Country Club. The Warwickshire Golf and Country Club. Centre of the year: Downham Leisure Centre. Eltham Leisure Centre. Fareham Leisure Centre. Hartham Leisure Centre. Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre. Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. Rainbow Leisure Centre. Educational club of the year – universities: Ethos Sports Centre. Hertfordshire Sports Village. The Edge. Educational club of the year – schools and colleges: Abbs Cross Health and Fitness. Featherstone Sports Centre.
Corporate club of the year: 3d leisure Tesco Healthy Living Zone. HSBC Fitness and Wellbeing Centre. RBS Fitness and Wellbeing Centre. FIA CEO David Stalker said: “I would like to offer my personal congratulations to all of this year’s Flame finalists; the Flame process is tough-going and they have all done extremely well to get to this stage. “These award categories recognise the health and leisure facilities which are operating to the highest industry standards, and once again the standard of entrants was very high. “The finalists encapsulate the theme of this year’s FIA Flame Conference: ‘In Search of Excellence’, and should be applauded for leading the way in continually improving the quality and reputation of service delivery in our sector. “I look forward to presenting the winners with their award at the Ball of Fire and I hope you will join us to celebrate their achievements.”
Over 40 women took to the stage for the first Miss Galaxy Universe competition, which took place at Birmingham’s NEC. The competition included fitness tests and a stage show, with competitors judged by an expert panel including Steps star and personal trainer Lee Latchford Evans and TV Gladiators Saracen and Destroyer. Emma Burrows was crowned Miss Galaxy Universe supreme champion and Julia Hubbard came second – also winning the fitness champion title. Organiser Sarah Donohue said: “For a first show, it was remarkable. All the girls were really supportive of each other and we had some inspirational women taking part.” Sarah is now gearing up to stage her next competition in October, where she hopes up to 80 women will take part.
Attendance challenges proving successful GYM challenges based on attendance rather than just ability have been working well at an independent club in Northumberland Changes Health and Fitness Club in Cramlington has organised two challenges so far, designed to engage every member – not just elite athletes. One of the most popular was a ‘sweetheart challenge’, which paired members drawn out of a hat and their combined attendance was logged on hearts around the gym. Over 240 members took part, with the challenge narrowly won by two members that missed only one day between them.
Another 21 couples also completed the 30 visits between them in order to finish the challenge. Owner Rob Gow said: “The very visual display created the competition amongst the members and created a real talking point. Members started talking to people they had never met before and there is now a real buzz around the club for the next challenge.” According to the club’s instructors, running fitness challenges such as this are also helping to aid retention and give members new fitness goals, as well as encouraging them to interact with each other.
Senior fitness instructor Alex Hanvey added: “By increasing a member’s number of visits over a sustained period we believe that we will retain members when their contract renewal is due. The gym challenges are simply one of a number of initiatives that we have implemented to achieve our aim. This is now echoed by the fact that current membership levels are now higher than they have been for the last four years.” Have you run any successful fitness challenges in your gym? Tell us more by contacting Workout on 01226 734463 or email ce@scriptmedia.co.uk
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A Kent independent gym is looking to reap the rewards of a recent investment by attracting more female members through its doors. Christina Eccles visited the club to find out how.
The cardio equipment and weights areas at Crayford Weights and Fitness Centre in Kent.
Famous faces lend their support at open event IN less than two years, Crayford Weights and Fitness Centre has built up a reputation as one of the area’s best gyms. The brainchild of three directors with a background in the construction industry, the club can be found on the site of a busy retail park where it benefits from a large footfall, as well as extensive parking facilities – something which other town centre gyms
can struggle with. During its first year in business, the gym gained an impressive 1000 members and counts professional bodybuilders such as Kimberley-Anne Jones and fitness model and healthy eating ambassador Carly Thornton as some of its biggest fans Following its initial success, expansion was the natural next step and the ambitious project was thought about
The new exercise studio where most of the classes will be held.
largely with a female clientele in mind. New features include an upstairs exercise studio, indoor cycling studio, refurbished changing rooms and showers – all with a high quality finish designed to attract more women to the club. The gym has also created a new class timetable and hopes sessions including aerobics, Zumba, yoga, pole fitness and a Saturday bootcamp, will also prove popular with new and existing members. To showcase the new facilities, the gym recently held a successful open day, with famous faces including Carly popping by to show their support. And gym manager Sarah Howard told Workout, it was a great way to introduce the improved offering to local people. She added: “We got 1,000 members in the first year and have been slowly building. We have about 250 to 300 female members, but now with the expansion we are hoping to get more women in. “At the open day, we had taster sessions, which went really well. As well as new people, we had existing members bringing friends and trying something else, such as a new class.
“Things are going really well. There’s such a good atmosphere and everyone here is so friendly and helps each other out.” Since opening, the gym has had a strong relationship with Life Fitness, choosing equipment from its Integrity CV, Signature strength and Hammer Strength lines to kit out the new extension, alongside products from other suppliers including Jordan Fitness, Keiser and Concept II. According to Life Fitness’ territory manager Marcus Pestell, the equipment and layout was chosen to create a ‘softer feel’, which would help members, particularly women, to feel comfortable working out there and help the gym to attract a more even split of male to female members – while also improving the offering for existing members. Even though business is already booming, the club is still hoping to push things further by introducing more new concepts. It already successfully delivers fitness instructor training courses and future plans include opening a new protein bar area – selling a range of supplements and nutritional products – as well as looking into eventually opening a second site.
Trust backs summer campaign Dynamic appoint James NOT for profit trust Freedom Leisure is aiming to get kids healthy this summer by encouraging them to take part in a programme running across its 34 sites. The Freedom Junior Summer Fitness Challenge encourages children to increase their levels of physical activity during the summer school holidays and runs from July 20 to September 2. Each child participating in the free challenge receives a fitness diary in which they record all their activities and, for every 10 they complete, their
local Freedom Leisure centre will give them a reward. The aim is to complete 30 physical activities over the summer, collecting rewards as they go and being presented with a certificate at the end. Children are encouraged to try a variety of activities – anything from cycling, walking the dog, swimming or tennis. The scheme has already been successfully running for seven years at Guildford Spectrum, which Freedom manages on behalf of the local council.
JAMES Mair has joined Dynamic Activity to handle the company’s international distribution for the bodycore functional training platform and the Mixed Martial Arts Nexersys iPower Trainer. James, who has worked in the health and fitness industry for 23 years, has joined the company from Matrix, where he was responsible for launching a new company division called Inner Balance, which supplied wellness and relaxation furniture to consumers.
As business development international director for Dynamic Activity, James’ role will include appointing new distributors across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He said: “I was drawn to Dynamic Activity because of the specialist products it supplies, that all have genuine USPs. Take Nexersys and bodycore for example. Bodycore has already made great progress in the UK, and we have a great story to tell to the international markets.”
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People can now sign up without having to go into the gym.
Online scheme launched GLADSTONE Health and Leisure has launched an innovative scheme which allows people to sign up for gym membership online without having to go into the facility. Join@Home is the first addition to Gladstone’s @Home series of products, which will represent the company’s self-service offering in the future. The software offers operators a quick and easy to manage process for their customers to purchase memberships paid for up front or sign up to a direct debit. Customers can also register their details for pay as you go so they can benefit from online bookings. Head of sales and business development Tom Withers said: “Join@Home
is designed to allow customers to sign up to memberships outside of the health club or leisure centre. “It revolutionises the member journey and, like many of our other software products, is designed to take pressure away from reception.” The product was designed following consultation with Gladstone customers. Tom added: “The internet is now so prevalent in our everyday lives and many people expect to be able to run their lives online, 24/7. “With this in mind it’s imperative that we offer our clients technologically advanced products and services, like Join@Home, that allow their clients to do just this.”
Software trusted worldwide OVER 18,000 business owners trust our software, worldwide. You trusted your intuition, followed your heart, and realised your business dream. Our web-based software strengthens that dream and boosts your revenues by integrating all your business needs in one place. Our renowned customer service will delight you. Our transformative MINDBODY University will help you enjoy the journey. Our business management software is designed to tackle all of your business needs, all online. With appointment scheduling, staff and customer management, marketing tools and eCommerce solutions, our products help you cut administrative overheads and turn your website
into a profit centre. All training and support is included. With online booking for classes and appointments, membership management, marketing tools and AutoPay services, MINDBODY software is a routine that gets results—even from your iPhone. All for about the price of a training appointment. The software is designed to manage your appointments, your group and fitness classes and your memberships, all online. We make it easy to generate payroll, track trainers’ schedules, track inventory, attract new members, retain existing ones, and sell products and services online. For more information visit www.mindbodyonline.com
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Taking the hassle out of websites
Pulse SmartCentre has been installed at Craven Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre.
Software improves member interaction A NORTH Yorkshire gym has been using new management software to improve interaction with its members and help users record their workout results more easily. Craven Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre installed Pulse SmartCentre in September last year to allow members to easily give their feedback and to aid retention. The technology has been helping members at the local authority leisure facility to maximise their
exercise performance and get instant feedback and results. The centre has also said it’s helped to break down barriers to equipment some users have previously felt intimidated by. Following the success of the first SmartCentre, the council installed a secondary kiosk in the main reception hub, enabling swimmers and fitness class participators to record, track and monitor their results.
A NEW service has been created to help fitness businesses market themselves more effectively online. Manchester based online technology specialist The Startup Guys has designed the offering to provide fledgling businesses with lowcost, fully-branded websites, without the hassle of site build and management. The team has already developed websites for a number of small, independent businesses, including Infiniti Fitness 121 – a Cheshire-based personal training company established by Scott Harrison at the start of the year. Scott said: “Having decided to become self-employed, I knew it was important to increase brand awareness of my new business in order to build a solid client base. “As a personal trainer, my time is valuable and I needed a fully functioning website turning around in a short space of time. “The Startups Guys was able to take my brief and turn it into a fantastic website very quickly. “I’ve gone from a standing start to over 1,500 clients since the site went live – an absolutely astounding result.”
Portal helps sell services MOST readers of this article will already have a website which is hopefully doing a good job of showing off your company’s services to the world at large. However, would it not be a marked improvement if it could also take membership renewals and even join new members? This would not only give you a 24/7 revenue stream but also free up your staff time at reception. Add to that the capability to book classes and activities and you have an even larger revenue stream, which is also fully integrated with your inhouse point of sale and access control systems. SportSoft has developed such a sophisticated web portal to provide leisure clubs with a simple, cost-effective means to advertise and sell their services. It can easily be integrated into an existing website and for payments online, the system integrates with PayPal, Card Payments, WorldPay, WPM or the customer's account, which can be topped up online or at a till in the centre. For more information call 01423 873873 or visit http://eleisure.sportsoft.co.uk
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Go outdoors with ClubManager THE outdoors has really captured the imagination of so many fitness professionals today, with the growing market of exercise classes being taken outside. With the rising costs of starting a new business, a growing number of personal trainers are taking their product outdoors to members keen to join in. For a large number of outdoor exercise businesses, it is getting so popular they need access to ways to manage their members. The ClubManager team met with managing director of Brownes Boot Camps Angus Browne many months
ago when he was about to open up a new gym in Essex using ClubManager to manage his members. Unfortunately the local planning department thought otherwise and after many months of planning appeals, Angus decided to take the business walls down and go outdoors. He said: “I was not going to beaten by the planners so took my business outdoors. “ Using ClubManager meant that I could run the business and grow it all at the same time. Who needs premises?” To find out more contact 01245 352 000 or visit www.clubmanagercentral.com
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‘Destroyer’ presents award at London gym’s barbecue party By Helen Williams MEMBERS at a south London gym got to meet a special celebrity guest when TV Gladiator Damar Martin visited the club. Damar – otherwise known as Destroyer – turned out to a barbecue party to congratulate the winner of Steel Gym’s body transformation challenge, Timothy Bartlett. Along with 24 other members, Timothy had signed up for the gym’s three-month toning up challenge, which involved before and after photos of their physiques and was judged by a panel including bodybuilder and university lecturer Dr David Parry. Timothy’s prize was £100 cash and £100 worth of sports supplements. Steel Gym was established last year by John Steel, who knew Damar from when they used to do bodybuilding training together. Since then, John has competed and excelled in kickboxing, boxing and bodybuilding, and has gained a diploma in advanced gym instruction and personal training.
Ever since walking into the Sitnarong Thai boxing camp in Bolton, aged 14, John has been involved in health and fitness. He has trained alongside bodybuilder Doug Kelly and mixed martial artist Tom ‘Kong’ Watson, who went on to become a British Association of Mixed Martial Arts world cagefighting champion – and defeated Alex Reid. John has also racked up European Boxing Federation South London and England titles but is often remembered as the fighter that gave away all his fight purses to Great Ormond Street Hospital. He still has a strong social conscience. He said: “We work closely with the local council and run projects that encourage and educate teenagers about the benefits of regular training. Not only can it give positive goals and focus, but it can instill increased self awareness and self respect. We hope, through this, that we can in some way combat and oppress anti-social behaviour in the area.”
Damar Martin presents Timothy Bartlett with his prize.
Expert Kwoklyn promotes drive Martial arts expert Kwoklyn Wan.
MARTIAL arts expert Kwoklyn Wan is promoting a new drive to get more women participating in the sport. Kwoklyn – brother of TV style guru Gok – is a renowned martial arts guru, having started training at the age of four. Now he is campaigning for more women to get into martial arts by promoting both the fitness and self confidence benefits of taking part. He said: “Martial Arts, particularly
for women, is all about being empowered with self confidence and builds a strong self worth as well as the added bonus of fitness and self defence. “I often see a wonderful self confidence appear in the women I teach, and this is far more effective as a method of protection than any self defence move. Walking down the street with your head held high is a powerful deterrent to negative attention.”
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The trends of the fitness industry – part one By Dave Wright FOR the past six years, the American College of Sports Medicine has conducted an annual international survey to determine industry trends. As club owners, this gives us a great opportunity to capitalise on those trends to better serve our existing members and potentially attract new ones. To first define the subject, a trend is a form of behaviour adopted by a large part of the population for some period of time. A fad, however, is a fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for just a brief period of time. Here are numbers 20 – 11... 20. Physician referrals This trend is geared towards an emphasis on connecting your facility with local doctors’ surgeries so that there is an effortless referral system from doctors into the health clubs. Action: Connecting with your local surgeries by knowing the doctors or offering free memberships to physicians is an easy way to open the door and create a relationship with the medical profession in your area. 19. Wellness coaching Very similar to ‘life coaching’, wellness coaching ties in the personal trainer beyond just health and fitness but also with stress management, disease prevention and encouraging support. Action: Offering a ‘wellness’ coach as a speciality to a particular personal trainer could open up a segment of the market with little cost. 18. Worker incentive programmes This is a trend toward creating incen-
tive programmes to stimulate positive healthy behaviour change as part of employer-based health promotions programming and health care benefits. Action: Connecting your health club with the businesses in the market and providing that accurate data and outcomes for the corporate is obviously a way forward. 17. Sport-specific training This style of training for young athletes has been in the top 20 trends for the past six years but seems to have fallen out of favour of late. However it will be interesting whether the Olympic games has any impact to this trend for our clubs and for our future athletes. Action: In the year of the Olympic Games, there could be a great focus on offering sport specific training through specialists in your facility. 16. Spinning/indoor cycling The ability to cycle irrespective of the weather, combining motivating music and engaging telemetry displays continues to enhance customer engagement. Action: It appears that a strong instructor lead cycling class will continue to pay dividends to the health and fitness club operator. 15. Reaching new markets This is a trend that identifies new markets – considering we only penetrate 10-15 per cent of the population, the search for ‘new markets’ is still out there. Action: Brain storm with staff as to
12. Comprehensive health promotions programming at the worksite. As studies continue to be published on the workplace productivity and the need to ‘take fitness to the workplace’ this trend is still very popular. Action: Rather than big corporate memberships, take your expertise to the work place and offer health assessments and programme activities/ tasks for the workforce.
Dave Wright why their friends and family do/don’t go to your club and then come up with creative ideas to engage with them. 14. Outdoor activities The trend for health and fitness professionals to offer more outdoor activities to their clients. Action: Creating running groups or walking groups that meet at the front of the facility can certainly open up your doors to potential new clientele. 13. Boot camp This high-intensity structured activity gearing towards military style training and dictatorial style management is a popular avenue for people desperate to get results in a short period of time. Action: Weather permitting, running classes in the park or car park is a great way to differentiate your club from typical indoor ‘machine’ training.
11. Yoga With various types such as Bikram, Power and Sivananda on the market and all the educational courses around the topic, it has certainly kept yoga high on the agenda. Whether this ties in with whole ‘mental health’ or not is yet to be proven but a highly likely result. Action: The reason clubs can charge extra for yoga is because people are willing to pay for it. So the numbers speak for themselves. Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM/MYZONE, a company with over 300 staff that have served the international fitness industry for over 21 years in 10 different countries; focussing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of the UK’s Fitness Industry, an IHRSA presenter and the creator and global distributor of a new monitoring device used by clubs around the world called MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net Watch out for the top 10 trends in next month’s Workout.
The gym at The Club at Baltimore is split across two floors.
Cybex kits out new club Facilities at Sandwell Academy include a fitness centre for up to 70 students.
New £2m gym opens at school A SCHOOL in West Bromwich has opened a new £2m gym for use by its 1,200 students and 100 teachers. The facilities at Sandwell Academy include four changing rooms, a fitness centre that can cater for up to 70 students and a full range of specialised equipment from Technogym. IT director at Sandwell Academy
Daljeet Kangh said: “These additional facilities have significantly enhanced the curriculum and have ensured that our students and staff continue to have premium working conditions in PE. The fitness suite offers an outstanding fitness experience due to its range of machines to maximise cardiovascular and resistance workouts.”
CYBEX has completed work on London’s largest residential gym and leisure facility, installing a range of equipment into the new club. The Club at Baltimore will be used by residents of the prestigious Baltimore Wharf complex in London’s Docklands. Split across two floors, the gym will contain a range of equipment from Cybex and will be operated by Nuffield Health. Director of new business at Nuffield Health Chris Koffman said: “The Club at Baltimore is one
of the most exclusive residential fitness facilities in London; the equipment provided by Cybex not only reflects the high quality, stateof-the-art design of The Club but, through the range of cardio and strength equipment installed, also ensures that users of all fitness abilities and training interests will be able to maximise their workouts onsite.” As well as the state-of-the-art gym, The Club also includes a 25m swimming pool, basketball court, climbing apparatus and spa and sauna facilities.
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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION After three years away from the stage, fitness model and USN ambassador Carly Thornton has taken the decision to compete again. In a special feature for Workout, she tells us how her training is going and reveals the diet secrets she hopes will give her that competitive edge.
Carly reveals diet plan ahead of stage return CARLY last competed in 2009 at the IFBB European Championships, after placing second at the UKBFF British Championships. She took time away to carry on with other ventures within the fitness and bodybuilding industry, while training hard with coach Nathan Harman to bring out what she felt were her weak areas. She is now looking forward to representing the UK at the IFBB Arnold Europe and then a week after hitting the stage at the UKBFF British Finals. Carly said: "I love everything about the fitness industry and for me competing is such an amazing achievement which requires a lot of dedication and self motivation. “I thrive on self improvement and inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle.” Carly’s diet plan changes depending on how she is looking, but she added she never completely deducts a food group. In the past, she has experimented and found she gets her leanest with carbohydrate cycling, which is a form of dieting where you have higher carbohydrate days and then some medium days, but this will not come into effect until she is nearer her show. Her present typical diet plan includes: Upon waking: USN glutamine, one scoop BCAA Punch, vitamin C and Udos Beyond Green. Meal one: Cup of oatmeal, six egg whites, two yolks and one scoop of USN 100 per cent whey. Meal two: Brown rice, one-and-ahalf chicken breast, one tbsp Udos Oil and veg.
Carly Thornton
Credit: Eric Guy.
Meal three: Sweet potato, one-anda-half chicken breast, one tbsp Udos and veg. Meal four: Brown rice, salmon and veg. Pre-workout: USN glutamine, HMB, BCAA Punch and Nitrox NO2. Post-workout USN 100 per cent whey, glutamine, HMB. Meal five: One small sweet potato, one packet of water based tuna steak,
How two of Carly’s six daily meals look when they have been prepared. one tbsp Udos Oil and veg. Meal six: Steak with veg, two scoops of USN casein with cinnamon, one tbsp all natural peanut butter. Before bed: ZMA, Glutamine and Udos Beyond Greens She added: “I have been very fortunate to have USN as a sponsor who have supported me for the past year, they are a fantastic team with amazing products.”
Andrew goes gluten free A BRITISH Olympic hopeful is aiming for glory at the Games after switching to a gluten free diet as part of his training regime. Andrew Steele finished fourth in the 400m at the Beijing Olympics, but subsequently lost his Lottery funding after suffering three years of injuries and illness. But he is back on form and receiving support from gluten free brand Genius, which he hopes will help him to qualify for the tournament. Andrew said: “It has been a long struggle, but I am running fast again
and confident I can make the Olympic team. Genius discovered that I was preparing for the Olympics without any Lottery funding and offered the support I need to fulfill my dream of competing with the best in the world in London. “I was already a fan of Genius’ products because I find I train better and get in better shape when I avoid gluten. To have the company’s backing at this critical time in my Olympic preparation is simply fantastic.”
Olympic hopeful Andrew Steele.
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Jenny Pacey, Olly Foster and Caroline Pearce took the petition to Downing Street.
People wanting to shape up for summer have been given a helping hand with the launch of a new healthy eating iPhone app. Super Diet Genius generates daily and weekly diet plans with exact portion sizes of super foods based on each user’s build, weight loss goals, and even what foods they have in their kitchen. Using the top 100 superfoods – the healthiest, antioxidant and nutrient rich foods on earth – the app customises diet based on someone’s weight, height, gender, age, activity level, rate of weight loss, and even food preferences.
Trio deliver Programme helps VAT letter to members lose weight Number 10 By Christina Eccles A TRIO of leading fitness professionals have submitted a letter to 10 Downing Street – calling for the government to drop controversial plans to introduce VAT on some sports nutrition products. Former TV Gladiators Jenny Pacey and Caroline Pearce, along with fitness instructor Olly Foster, delivered the petition, which has been signed by more than 30,000 people. The letter, which was organised by the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance, calls on the chancellor to drop the plans, claiming it sends the wrong message in an Olympic year and that the Treasury has grossly underestimated the effect of the move on both consumers and the sports nutrition industry. The campaign is also being supported by former Olympians and world champions Derek Redmond and Mark Foster and former England Rugby captain Lewis Moody. Campaign director of the UK Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance Chris Whitehouse said: “This letter is a clear demonstration of the weight of
public feeling against this health tax. “It sends completely the wrong message, especially just months from the Olympics, for the Government to be penalising consumers with an interest in health and nutrition while the likes of Jaffa Cakes, drinking chocolate and milkshakes will remain exempt from VAT. “We believe the Treasury has seriously underestimated the effect these plans will have on consumers and on the sports nutrition industry, and that they will generate little by way of revenue. “This is a flawed concept and one the chancellor would be well served by dropping.” The alliance – which is calling on consumers to write to their local MPs in opposition to the plans – has also claimed that flaws in the Treasury proposals will mean products not specifically identified and marketed as being for sports nutrition could be exempt from the introduction of VAT. And it has warned those products would also be unlikely to include guidance on usage and dosage – undermining the responsible practices of the sports nutrition industry.
A PROGRAMME which included nutritional advice and a weekly weigh in has helped David Lloyd Leisure members collectively lose 350 stone. 761 members lost 4,900 lbs between them during the group’s 12 week Lose and Shape Up course. Developed by a team of nutritionists and fitness experts, the programme included a weekly weigh-in, group support and exercise, nutritional advice and online tools. Head of sport, health and fitness Rob Beale said: “With the number of members joining our Lose and Shape Up course this year rising by a fifth, it’s great to know that more and more people are willing to get in shape the healthy way with professional advice from leading health and fitness
experts. In just three months, we have helped hundreds of members, from over 60 of our clubs, feel better about themselves. “That is astounding and congratulations goes to every single Lose and Shape Up member and our dedicated trainers who helped improve their fitness and nutrition.” Kirsty Reese, a member at David Lloyd’s Ipswich gym, won a year’s free membership for achieving the most impressive results with the support of personal trainer, Russell Turner. Since joining the club in January, she has lost four stone. The top trainer prize went to John Sheehy, at David Lloyd Leeds, for helping 21 members lose 336 lbs.
Foundation launches first module THE British Nutrition Foundation has launched the first module in a series of online training packages for health professionals, which focus on healthy eating and lifestyle. An Introduction to Healthy Eating and Nutrition is designed to be integrated as part of corporate health and wellbeing programmes, or can be used as a stand alone course for
individuals. The course includes six sections, containing tips for health, energy and nutrients, diet and health issues, dietary needs, food labelling, and applying healthy eating. BNF education programme manage Roy Ballam said: “These training modules provide a truly flexible and cost effective solution for individuals and companies.”
A new protein rich sports nutrition drink was officially launched at this year’s BodyPower Expo. Daionic Pro Nutrition Shake is a collaboration between award-winning Pembrokeshire dairy company, Trioni and leading sports nutrition experts Pro Athlete Supplementation. At 36g of protein per 330ml serving, Daionic contains more than any other sports nutrition drink, and is already used by sporting stars such as Sam Warburton, Nathan Cleverly and Jamie Roberts. Daionic is made from organic milk with added whey protein – making it the only sports nutrition product of its kind. Trioni’s Laurence Harris and PAS’ Jon Williams are pictured launching Daionic Pro Nutrition Shake.
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Gym enthusiasts’ survey provides a ‘fantastic insight’ By Christina Eccles
Dancers put on a display at BodyPower.
BodyPower ‘biggest and best yet’ claim organisers ORGANISERS of the BodyPower Expo are celebrating another successful event, claiming the 2012 show was the biggest and best yet. The event has grown substantially since its conception in 2009 and now occupies four halls at the Birmingham NEC, welcoming the biggest names the industry has to offer. Marketing director Ollie Upton said: “We are delighted with how BodyPower 2012 ran this year. “Every aspect of the event has grown and the feedback we have been receiving throughout the weekend has been unbelievable. It
gives us great hunger and drive to ensure that we further develop the expo to ensure that we are catering for all visitor types. “Our exhibition looked, and felt great. “Not only have all exhibitors improved their stand layouts, but they are also committed to delivering the best products on the market to our loyal visitors. Walking into BodyPower felt like walking into a fitness city.” Dates have already been confirmed for BodyPower 2013, which will take place on May 17-19 at the NEC, Birmingham.
One of the four packed halls at this year’s BodyPower Expo.
JUST one per cent of regular gymgoers have the stamina and strength to benchpress the equivalent weight of a tiger, according to research by Bodybuilding Warehouse. The online supplements warehouse surveyed 2,500 gym enthusiasts, also finding that 46 per cent of respondents claimed that to bulk up was their main goal when visiting the gym. And to gauge just how fanatical their customer base is about bodybuilding, the company also asked them to reveal how much weight they are able to lift in a benchpress. The results found the majority (34 per cent) were strong enough to lift somewhere between 91 and 120kg – the weight of an average full grown pig – three per cent could lift an ostrich and 16 per cent could lift a panda. General manager Caroline George
said: “This survey provides a fantastic insight into the mindset of a modern day gym enthusiast. “It’s important that we engage with our customers and find out how they train, what their goals are and what products they use to help them achieve their goals. “As well as helping us to ensure we’re stocking the products they need, it also gave us an opportunity to have a little fun with the findings and set our customers a challenge – to train hard enough and find the right products to be able to benchpress a tiger.” The company was also keen to learn which supplements respondents believe have the biggest influence on their training goals. Over half revealed that whey protein worked best for them. Items such as fat burners (five per cent) and natural test boosters (three per cent) were less commonly used as part of an effective workout programme.
Ultra distance runner Mark Allison (pictured above) has revealed how taking a natural cherry supplement has helped him achieve his fitness goals. Mark – who last September ran 3,100 miles coast to coast across America in just 100 days – took 30ml of CherryActive after each day’s run. The supplement, which is proven to significantly reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery after exercise, has also been adopted by other elite sports people including Manchester United, England Rugby, and GB Olympians training for London 2012.
A breakthrough in the way shakes are served Range launched across sites
HEALTH club operators are looking for innovative ways to increase profitable secondary spend and improve membership retention and many have found the solution with the GoPro-Station from Go Protein. The Go-Pro-Station is a new way to make and sell fresh, natural, and preservative free whey protein and diet whey shakes in your club. The £1,000 station comes with an Italian blender and is installed on loan absolutely free. Head of UK sales Nick Mills said: “The Go-Pro-Station takes away all
the hassle associated with blending protein shakes. It stores the product and allows you to blend fresh shakes in 10 seconds. The eye catching unit looks fantastic and drives incredible sales. “Many operators have told us they have doubled and even tripled their sales with the Go-Pro-Station, at margins that simply were not possible before.” For further information contact Go Protein on 01778 560868 or email nickmills@goprotein.com
DORIAN Yates Direct has successfully launched a new range of supplements across 10 Leisure Connection sites. The Dorian Yates Sports Performance range was introduced into the clubs to help them maximise secondary spend and improve retention by offering members additional support in their training. Operations director at Leisure Connection Peter Howells said: “We are committed to offering our members the best range of services and products available to support them in
their fitness and training needs and are therefore excited to partner with Dorian Yates Direct and bring the Dorian Yates range to our membership.” Owner of Dorian Yates Direct Michael Clark added: “We are thrilled to be supporting Leisure Connection in their drive for greater functional support to their members’ training regimes and with some market leading products in our range we are expecting some great feedback.”
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‘99 per cent of fitness websites don’t work’ A GOOD website can promote your club and help to attract new members through the doors. But according to the Fitness Webstore’s Scott Hodson, many gyms are getting it wrong. Here, he reveals his top 10 tips for improving your online offering. 1. A good first impression Notice the word “good” not a “bedazzling” first impression – You have three to 11 seconds to convey that you are professional and that your web visitor can find the information they are looking for. Fast loading for good usability – no silly loading pages. Clean design without distracting features/images/sound/banners or icons. 2. A shallow logo and navigation channel If your logo is too big it is taking up too much space with little buying impact – logos don’t increase sales for SME’s unless you have spent £10,000’s on brand recognition. If your navigation bar is too big it eats into the prime real estate of the website. Allow most of the screen for killer content or the promotion of your most desired response. 3. Content is king Have compelling and benefit laden
contents – Not feature rich babble. Speak directly to your target audience. Stay away from making broad sweeping statements to try and attract everyone – you will end up attracting no one. People’s eyes are drawn towards images of faces as it humanises the site. A warm and professional image of you will represent your services and gain trust from your web visitor. Use several different media types (text, audio, video, animation etc). 4. Data capture You should be able to take people’s contact details from every page not just the home page or the contact us form. The more data you can gather the better, but be aware people don’t have time to fill out massive forms. The key to unlocking your website potential would be the ability to segment your e-mail list. Then you can be focused when promoting and selling products and services. 5. Easy to use navigation titles Have an easy to find and use navigation. If people can’t find their way around your site easily they will quickly go to your competitor’s website. Make it simple and intuitive. Try navigation titles like “how we
can help you” rather than “services”. 6. Good use of the “prime real estate” The “top fold” of the website (without scrolling) is where people spend most of their time. Eye tracking studies show that people are drawn top and left so make your compelling message here. Don’t waste time welcoming people to the site – hit them with content that tells them straight away how they will benefit from the site (this is very important). 7. Offer different ways to communicate Studies have shown that having three methods of communicating through the site increases its success. Choose from telephone, email, social media, Skype, blogs or live chat. 8. Use of good headlines Engage in dialogue with your prospect through your headlines as people mostly read these first and decide whether to continue. Keep in mind what your most desired response is for that page. Create intrigue and encourage people to read, view or hear your content. 9. Offer guarantees Minimise people’s risk by offering guarantees. It’s a proven method to increase sales – so can you afford not to? If you can’t get results for people
Scott Hodson your fitness business won’t last long. Develop a system of getting results for your target audience and guarantee it. 10. Use testimonials Have a dedicated section for testimonials but also use them throughout the site – it is your most powerful selling tool – so use it. Make them believable and result driven. Don’t get your friends to write them – people can tell. Make them anecdotal and in different contexts.
Star Trac becomes a platinum partner FITNESS equipment manufacturer Star Trac has become a platinum partner with the European Health and Fitness Association. As one of the original founding supporters of the ‘new’ EHFA in 2007, the company has re-joined the organisation and increased its levels of support to engage further with facilities, training providers, instructors and teachers and ensure a consistent level of service is carried out across Europe. Managing director Star Trac Europe
Matt Pengelly said: “Setting a high standard is paramount to any business, which is why we’ve increased our level of sponsorship to the EHFA, to demonstrate our continued support for what they do at a European level. “It’s imperative to have governing bodies in place to ensure a consistently high level of quality and service, which is why the EHFA is so important. They ensure that service levels in Europe are constantly raised.”
Fareham site in UK first Premier Training launch venue Sport Central in Newcastle upon Tyne.
PREMIER Training International is launching a new venue at Sport Central in Newcastle upon Tyne later this month. The location, which is part of the University of Northumbria, will give Premier learners the opportunity to study a range of courses in a state-ofthe-art fitness facility. The centre, which opened in 2010, includes a 12m climbing wall, a 25m swimming pool, and a golf simulator – in addition to a fully equipped fitness centre
Area development manager for Premier Training International David Rayner said: “The new university venue is a fantastic move for us, and we are really excited to bring learners into what is essentially an ideal environment in which to deliver our range of health and fitness courses. “We offer some of the best courses on the market and Sport Central offers some the best facilities in the country – so I think we make a natural partnership.”
EVERYONE Active’s Fareham Leisure Centre has become the first centre in the UK to achieve ‘Quest Stretch’, the new advanced scheme open to facilities which have already achieved an excellent rating. The rating is designed to challenge excellent sites to push themselves further and is a two year cycle with a mystery visit and a two day assessment in year one, and mystery visit and one day assessment in year two. General manager Ian Cook said:
“The team is extremely passionate about providing an excellent service to our customers and we are continually looking for ways to improve. “The new Quest process is challenging and very different from the previous ‘assessment’ style. “As a ‘validation’, Quest Stretch clearly demonstrates our achievements to customers, partners and colleagues, as well as the impact it has made on the local community.”
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What’s the most functional piece of equipment? By Allan Collins I SAW someone post this question on Twitter and know that many of our customers need guidance on what equipment to select for their installations or fitness suite upgrades, particularly if they can't have all the ‘toys’ they want. The problem is, it's a bit like asking the question – who is more attractive – Jennifer or Angelina, or who is more amusing – Ant or Dec? It can just be a question of personal taste (or in regard to Ant and Dec, whether they are funny at all...) When a personal trainer or fitness manager asks me the question, particularly if they are asking the difference between sandbags or suspension systems, I always reply with two questions back to them: 1. Who is going to be using them? 2. Will they be used for any specific type of training or exercises? For example, if you want to use kettlebells for an exercise like press ups, then one with a larger base would be much more effective and safe. What about different sandbags? Well are you going to want to slam them on the ground or not – it all makes a difference on selecting different types of similar equipment. But what about comparing different equipment? Is a kettlebell MORE functional than a sandbag or a barbell or a suspension system? But how do you tell which is more functional, when marketing for each product will always tell you “product X is the revolution/pinnacle/ultimate functional training tool?” Well, don’t just be a chump for marketing and actually consider the following points: How many exercises can be performed with this kit? If you can perform 10 exercises with product A and 200 with product B, I would say product B is much more versatile and therefore functional.
DED agree deal with Evolis DED are proud to announce a new distribution agreement with French plastic card printer manufacturer Evolis. This agreement will enable DED Limited to offer the full range of Evolis plastic card printers throughout the UK market. DED will be offering products including: The Tattoo Rewrite – offering rewritable printing on plastic cards up to 500 times. The new Zenius – an entry level plastic card printer with encoding capabilities designed for ad-hoc and small runs of cards. The Pebble and Dualys – which offer high definition single and dual sided printing with outstanding
graphics and image definition. The Quantum – which offers large volume printing for card manufacturers and bureau services. The Securion – for double sided printing, encoding and laminating of secure badges. Evolis sales manager Angela PeltierCuma said: “We are very enthusiastic to team up with DED and benefit from their experience to reinforce our presence in the country and address new market segments.” For more information call 01797 320636 or email: sales@ded.co.uk
A great tasting protein dessert
Allan Collins Who can use it? A functional product should ideally be accessible for use by all ages, genders and abilities. How many human movement patterns can be performed with it? There are nine human movement patterns that we work with. Simply put, the more movements you can perform with a product, the more functional it is. Variety. As well as being “the spice of life”, variety within a training programme is critical for continued adaptations and improvements. Which is better for a lift pattern exercise? A barbell, a kettlebell or a sandbag? Well, they are all good. But, do any ALL of the time and it can limit improvements. So, vary or cycle the equipment, as much as you should reps, sets, rest and other training parameters. If you have the choice, vary your selection... Hence one day I may choose Angelina, but most days I would choose Jennifer ... ( I know fat chance with either!!) Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness.
If you would like to contribute to next month’s features – Group Exercise and Training and Recruitment – email Christina Eccles at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk
IT is very rare that a totally unique product appears on the sports supplements scene but that's exactly what North East England supplements manufacturer Genetic Supplements are claiming with their new product, Muscle Mousse. Muscle Mousse can be mixed in seconds in a regular shaker bottle and sets to a genuine, delicious tasting mousse in minutes. Its nutritional values are outstanding too. How about 31g of five hour timereleased protein, 7g of Branched Chain Amino Acids and a pre-biotic formulation to aid healthy gut and digestion properties? Low fat, low
carbs and low calories also contribute to make this the ultimate in healthy muscle building or fat loss desserts. Our favourite is the chocolate flavour. For more information contact Genetic Supplements on 01207 583033, visit www.geneticsupplements.co.uk Email: sales@geneticsupplements.co.uk
Jordan launch product FUNCTIONAL fitness specialists, Jordan Fitness, have launched a new product that will enable clubs to maximise their profits. The new LifeLine USA display unit stocks all Lifeline essentials including cables, handles, Jungle Gym XT and the Power Wheel. All items are retail packaged on a standard 1.22m x 1.52m high retail fixture with shelves and/or peg hooks for cables. Sales director Zak Pitt said: “The display unit is a great way for clubs, large and small, to add a secondary revenue stream to their business. “The LifeLine USA items on the stand have excellent profit margins available and proved extremely popular as a viable point of sale unit.
“The footprint is small, so they don’t take up much room, and the products ingeniously displayed. This gives clubs an attractive and profitable source of revenue.” For more details contact the Jordan Fitness sales team on sales@jordanfitness.co.uk
Golf club invests in latest gym OLD Thorns golf club in Surrey has just opened a stunning high end health club with elevated position overlooking the 400 acres championship golf course. GM Ashley Butterfield said: “Our aim was to offer a state of the art facility to rival the best stand alone health clubs. “We have invested in the leading innovative products to give our members the best fitness experience possible. “We are already attracting new fitness members from the surrounding area, where the new gym is creating quite an impact. “As well as the latest Matrix gym equipment we have added variety
with KrankCycles, TRX and two Freedom Climber functional climbing trainers.” For more information on Freedom Climber contact info@freedomclimber.co.uk
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