Workout June 2019

June 2019

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Admin tasks cost trainers £8,136 a year UK personal trainers sacrifice £8,136 in annual income due to time spent on admin tasks, according to a new research report.

The study, compiled by booking management platform fibodo, found that admin was amongst the top challenges for fitness professionals when running a profitable business.

The average trainer spends 15.2 hours every month on admin such as managing client bookings, liaising with clients, taking payments, organising refunds and more. This means they are unable to deliver client sessions during this time – at an average of £40 per hour – and miss out on a significant chunk of income, or working during unsociable hours, as a result.

Anthony Franklin, CEO and founder of fibodo, said: “These figures are highly concerning for the industry.

Clearly, PTs are wasting a significant chunk of time and budget in undertaking admin tasks, all of which are linked to an inefficient method for managing their bookings.

“In many cases, fitness professionals do not outsource or find a better means to complete admin – possibly because they imagine they could save a few pounds by doing it all themselves.

“But the reality is far different.

That’s money and time that would be better spent elsewhere – such as working with clients, effectively promoting services to generate new custom or protecting their worklife balance. A simple solution for PTs could be to use a dedicated, automated system for recording their bookings and revenue.”

The report also found that more than three in four (76 per cent) personal trainers say they don’t make enough money from their businesses.

27 per cent of personal trainers also say they consider finding time for admin amongst their biggest challenges – with half stating that admin management is the most boring part of their week. A further 29 per cent of trainers said they can let admin get on top of them and nearly a fifth (18 per cent) say they have highlighted this as a personal weakness.

However, this could be ostensibly due to personal trainers not managing their client booking admin in the most efficient way.

Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) of trainers say they use digital calendars, while a third still manage bookings via pen and paper. Meanwhile, 47 per cent even say they do it in their heads.

No 309 £3

Nominations flooding in for annual accolades

Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams (pictured) and Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson are to lead a debate detailing how we overcome the participation gap for women and girls in sport and physical activity, drawn from their experiences in top-level sport and leadership. They are joined on the Active Uprising 2019 agenda by sports psychologist and former England cricketer Jeremy Snape, who will draw on insights garnered from in-depth interviews with sporting leaders such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson, exploring how to build and instil resilience in one’s self and others.

Active Uprising takes place at Manchester Central on June 6.

NOMINATIONS are flooding in for this year’s National Fitness Awards, which have been revamped with new categories for 2019.

The event, organised by Script Events in partnership with Workout and headline sponsor ServiceSport, is now in its 10th year and recognises excellence throughout the fitness industry.

New categories for this year include Innovation in Fitness Nutrition and Armed Forces’ physical training instructor.

The NFAs are free to enter and nominations are open now via the website www. nationalfitnessawards.co.uk Entries can be made online until August when a shortlist will be drawn up in each category. All finalists will then receive a site visit from a member of the Workout team who will take a look around the club and chat to members and staff before an expert panel choose the lucky winners.

These will be announced at a glittering ceremony at The Athena in Leicester on Friday, November 29. n To find out about sponsorship opportunities call Tony Barry on 01226 734605.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Mum thanks personal trainer who helped her son with cancer battle THE mother of a teenager who died last year due to a rare form of cancer has thanked the personal trainer who helped him.

Bailey Hedingham-Jones was just four years old when he was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma – a deadly form of cancer that most children don’t survive for more than two years.

But Bailey, who won the Member Achievement Award at the 2014 National Fitness Awards, beat the odds and went seven years before relapsing.

Bailey’s mum, Becki Jones, said: “This cancer is deadly and most children don’t survive the first two years. My incredible little boy beat all the odds, time after time.

“The chances of making it five years without relapse are rare. Those that do may just have beaten this horrendous disease. Bailey made it seven years, and we actually thought he may have done it.

“But sadly no. Years we spent at Great Ormond Street. There is no cure for Neuroblastoma, and for relapse there isn’t even a protocol.

“They told us Bailey was unlikely to survive. He could try more chemotherapy, but it would only give him time and not clear the disease.

“Bailey had already undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery (11 hours to remove the tumour) bone marrow transplant, MIBG therapy and so much more.”

Bailey told his mum he wanted to join a gym, which led Becki to calling Everyone Active Westminster Lodge in St Albans.

She added: “Personal trainer Tom Gregory changed Bailey’s life. He was amazing and I instantly trusted him.

“Bailey went from a shy, timid little soul to someone who believed he could achieve anything. Tom taught him that it wasn’t how much weight you could lift that made you strong, it was how strong your heart was.

“Winning the award was the making of my son. He was so thrilled, so confident. Bailey was just 15 years old. He went on to start and complete two years doing performing arts at college, he passed his driving test and he was truly amazing at magic.

“He was aiming for Hollywood so the third relapse of this vile disease was like our world imploded. He couldn’t understand why him?

“Neither could I. I knew he couldn’t possibly do it again – not the treatment. He was 17 years old in aged 9-10 clothes. But again he said

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

Bailey with personal trainer Tom Gregory, presenters Caroline Pearce and Ricky Hatton and Script Media sales and marketing director Tony Barry at the 2014 NFAs. ourselves to tell him he wouldn’t.”

“Mum, don’t worry, I’m going to live, Bailey was 19 and weighed less than I’m going to have a long and happy two stone when he died in Becki’s life. arms at home on November 6.

“Oral chemo allowed him to still “Tom was devastated and cried on attended college, but the pain as the hearing the news,” she added. “He cancer ate through his bones was did an amazing reading at Bailey’s sometimes unbearable. funeral. It began “I was told I changed “Still he rarely missed a day. He Bailey’s life, but In fact he changed often said “Mum, you have to push mine”. through the pain to get better”.

“Tom still works at the gym and He passed level three with Merit. remains a wonderful friend to me. He He believed with all his heart he is a very special person.” would get better. We couldn’t bring Advertising

Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia.co.uk

National sales executive Nadine Wrightson Tel: 01226 734709 Workout2@workout-uk. co.uk

Editorial

Assistant product manager Louise BristoweHarrison Tel: 01226 734699 Workout3@workout-uk. co.uk

Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

Sales manager: Danielle Hornby Tel: 01226 734709 dlh@scriptmedia.co.uk

www.workout-uk.co.uk

Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk

Graphic designer: Scott Firth sf@scriptmedia.co.uk

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UK FITNESS SCENE

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OCL recognised for best practice nationally in Parliamentary Review OLDHAM Community Leisure has been highlighted as a community business that is leading the way by breaking down barriers to healthy lifestyles in the 2019 Parliamentary Review.

The Review, an independent political journal published annually, allows private and public sector organisations to share and promote their best practice, with the goal of raising standards.

The article focuses on how OCL has tackled Oldham’s health challenges and raised participation levels by offering community-based activities and health intervention programmes, such as the Falls Prevention and Exercise Referral services.

It highlights how, as a charitable organisation, OCL reinvests every penny of surpluses back into the local community, allowing it to offer, for example, free adult lessons for nonswimmers at each of its pools.

Chief executive and chair of Community Leisure UK, Stuart Lockwood, said: “We are honoured to feature in this year’s Parliamentary Review, showcasing our ongoing commitment to improving health and wellbeing in and around Oldham.

“Our article demonstrates strategies we’ve successfully employed to make

sure Oldham residents, particularly in more deprived areas, have access to the tools to build healthier lifestyles.

“Last year, for example, we donated £2,000 towards the set-up costs of a junior parkrun in Oldham. Around 40 runners now take part and this number grows weekly.

“We’re working together with Oldham Council to improve health and wellbeing among those who need it the most generate a positive wider impact for the town. I strongly believe the trust model is the best vehicle for tackling health problems and inequalities, and hope our story is read widely and inspires others.”

In an exclusive foreword to The Review, the prime minister Theresa May focuses on four ‘grand challenges’, which include leading in changes to the future of mobility and meeting the challenges of our ageing society.

Director of The Parliamentary Review, Craig Wilmann, added: “By bringing together leaders in all fields, this year’s Review, with its customary candid language and intelligent thought, is uniquely placed to offer insight and ideas for politicians and industry leaders, and indeed every type of organisation in modern Britain.”

PureGym invest in premium Jordan Fitness free weights THE PureGym difference can now be seen in its investment in Jordan Fitness free weights, which is part of a new contract to support their expansion plans over the next three years.

With the ability to fully customise Jordan Dumbbells, Barbells, Studio Barbell Plates and Olympic Competition Plates, PureGym has chosen to brand its entire free weight collection, enhancing its friendly, supportive values and epitomise its ‘Everybody Welcome’ message.

Richard Annetts, model and equipment manager at PureGym, said: “Through a rigorous tender process conducted during 2018, Jordan stood out as the clear front runner to supply fitness accessories across all our new and existing gyms.

“Jordan’s product innovation and quality, attention to detail and

competitive pricing makes them a perfect long-term partner for our business.”

Now with 250 gyms across the UK, and an expansion plan of a further 250 gyms over the course of the contract, PureGym will benefit from Jordan’s new five-year warranty on its Urethane free weights, a unique offering from them.

Zak Pitt, managing director of Jordan Fitness, added: “Our attention to detail, when it comes to customisation is what gives us the edge.

“Offering PureGym the option to enhance its brand by adding its logo and brand colours to its Dumbbells, Barbells and Competition Plates, as well as Studio Barbells, provides a premium look and feel while enriching a sense of belonging within its fitness community.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

Smart Fit growing bigger and better SMART FIT has come a long way since Andy Dee and Gaynor Duckworth first started the company three years ago at a local park in Preston with six clients.

After building up their business and moving to a 1,200sqft training centre and then to a 4,000sqft site for a year, Smart Fit has now moved to a new 22,000sqft studio that opened to the public on March 18 of this year with an estimated spend of £150,000.00.

The driving forces behind the Smart Fit brand, Andy and Gaynor, first decided to get into the fitness industry to help and motivate people by creating a fun and positive environment to work out.

When they moved to their new facility on Campbell Street in Preston, Smart Fit held a reduced membership scheme for the first four weeks that let newcomers sign up to their gym for only £5 in the first month.

This worked well for them as it converted more than 50 per cent to sign up completely for monthly packages, which vary in prices.

There is also a discount for students who wish to join and a £5 pay-as-yougo on the day session.

With their 22,000sqft facility, Smart Fit use half for classes and the other half for more than 100 pieces of cardio, strength and resistance machines.

They also have a cafe full of healthy food, a supplement store, a sunbed, a sports therapy suite, a body

composition room, showers and private changing rooms with lockers, and a private secured car park.

The equipment that we at Fitness Systems supplied and installed at the Preston gym include a huge variety of branded equipment specifically selected by the team at Smart Fit featuring: Pulse, FORCE, ENERGYFIT, Stairmaster, and this is just a few of many displayed on-site.

Smart Fit has revealed they wanted to use Fitness Systems for our established reputation, the quality of our equipment and services we offer.

In a single week, Smart Fit host more than 40 classes and these

include a six-week Challenge, Abs and Core, Body Blast, Boxfit, Bootcamp, HIIT Circuits, Tabata, and more.

They have also done local work in the community, such as inviting children and young adults with special educational needs and disabilities from Aurora Brambles School to their gym for some boxing and functional fun.

Since they have been open, Smart Fit has had more than 2,000 people complete their six-week training and change their lifestyle.

The additional benefits of joining the Preston gym’s six-week challenge includes: a personalised nutrition

program, seven challenge classes a week, before and after photos, weekly weigh and measures, six weeks’ free gym membership, and 140 free classes per month.

Over the next year Smart Fit want to keep progressing into a profitable company while their ultimate goal is to expand the brand and open up numerous sites across the United Kingdom within the next two years.

Smart Fit has received plenty of fantastic feedback from the community, with more than 100 positive reviews about the environment created at their gym, their very popular six-week challenge, and the quality of their personal training sessions.

A member of the facility by the name of Stuart had the following review to post on Facebook: “Did a six-week challenge, dropped around 15lb while gaining inches on chest, arms and legs. Yet now back in my 32” jeans and slim fit shirts! The journey doesn’t end here, I’m hitting the classes and following a new diet now as a PT client. These guys are the business at sorting your nutrition and training and with your hard work and dedication, they will help you get great results in less time than you think! Do a six-week challenge, it really isn’t a long time and you’ll soon be looking great for your hols/big day or whatever! Now the new training centre is open there are classes on all day with all the equipment you need.”

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Matrix Fitness partners with Virtuagym VIRTUAGYM, provider of coaching and management software for fitness entrepreneurs, has revealed a new partnership and integration with Matrix Fitness.

The partnership includes a deep technical integration between Virtuagym and the Matrix cardio equipment.

Club members can connect with Matrix equipment with RFID cards or wristbands, after which completed workouts will be automatically logged in their Virtuagym profile.

With the integration, club operators are one step closer to offering a member journey that seamlessly combines the physical and the digital.

The partnership with Matrix forms the latest addition to Virtuagym’s growing list of integrations.

Andrew Kolman, senior director, technology and business development at Matrix Fitness, added: “In the fitness industry, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to technology implementation.

“Our customers want options and flexibility.

“With a partnership like Virtuagym, we’re able to offer connected digital solutions and third-party integrations that work together seamlessly and meet their unique needs.”

Gym-goers increase their meal size by a quarter when planning food in advance GYM-goers who pre-plan their meals in advance of aerobic exercise increase their portion size by a quarter on days they exercise, a new study has found.

Researchers at Loughborough University wanted to know why many chronic exercise intervention studies – which investigate the effect of exercise training on weight management – were not seeing the expected amounts of weight loss.

And whether anticipation of exercise altered people’s planned food intake.

The team devised two hypothetical scenarios for participants to plan meals for – one where they were resting and one where they were exercising.

They found that in the exercise scenario, participants increased their planned energy intake by about 24 per cent, on average, compared to the rest scenario.

This means that instead of burning an extra 500 calories from this exercise, it would be as if they burnt 350 calories, as they consumed 150 calories in anticipation already.

Lead author Asya Barutcu said: “The overall purpose of this project was to try and find some answers to the reason behind why the chronic exercise intervention studies are not seeing the expected amounts of weight reduction.

“Most of the research that investigated the effects of exercise on

energy intake and appetite, focussed in the post-exercise period.

“But when findings from the acute studies are applied to the chronic studies, researchers or participants are not seeing the expected results.

“So, this meant there has to be a compensatory behaviour taking place.

“Our findings suggest that, when people know they have an exercise session coming up, they will plan to eat more food for afterwards, if they are planning this meal beforehand.”

Forty regular exercisers took part in the ‘Anticipation of aerobic exercise increases planned energy intake for a post-exercise meal’ study.

For each scenario, subjects had to plan their lunch by serving themselves cheesy tomato pasta and chocolate buttons.

Exercise increased the total amount of food served by an average of 24 per cent – which was 25 per cent more

pasta and 20 per cent more chocolate.

Asya added: “Our purpose was to understand any compensatory behaviour related to meal planning that takes place in anticipation of exercise.

“Planning of meals and snacks is an important component of energy intake that has not been explored in the context of exercise.

“If we know how exercise might influence this behaviour, we may be able to help those seeking to lose weight eliminate it by consciously reducing energy intake or making different food choices.

“From a weight loss point of view, increasing awareness of this behaviour might go a long way.

“It should also be noted that this is just one study, and although we have a couple more studies ongoing on this subject, care should be taken when applying these findings for the whole population.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

Lancaster University vicechancellor Professor Mark E. Smith in the new gym.

Dream of working abroard?

Vice-Chancellor opens elite sports facilities LANCASTER University vicechancellor Professor Mark E. Smith has officially opened new sports facilities as part of a 400 square metre extension to the sports centre on campus.

The new enhanced facilities include a strength and conditioning room and human performance laboratory which together create space for highperformance training as well as a facility to serve the University’s first academic sports course launched this year.

Mark said: “I am very pleased to be opening this project which sends out a very clear message about our commitment to sport. Not only does it service the first academic sports course here at Lancaster but it is also a valuable training facility that will

serve the local community and also enhance the performances of our competitive teams.”

At the opening, players from Morecambe Football Club underwent fitness assessments in the human performance laboratory, which contains technology used by elite athletes and now available for the public.

Human performance is a core topic of the University’s new Sports and Exercise Science degree and the new laboratory provides an opportunity for students on the programme to develop the necessary practical skills.

The extension features equipment including: GHD bench, Ski ergs, Watt bikes, Assault bikes and Technogym’s skillmills, skillruns, skillbikes and skillrows.

FINDING full-time sports and fitness jobs in warm and sunny parts of the world where you can almost live for free and earn a tax free salary sounds like everyone’s dream!

But it is possible and LeisureForce and Sportsjobs4women can make your dream come true, like we have done for hundreds of other sports and fitness professionals for more than 30 years.

Finding full-time work overseas is not possible anywhere in the world as the governments in most countries will make sure local nationals get the jobs if they have them there.

The USA is a typical example of that strict control with full-time employment.

LeisureForce was started in 1987 and became the first-ever dedicated sports agency in the world when its general manager returned to the UK after working for more than 10 years in the Middle East.

As he had all that international and

cultural experience he considered it would be very helpful and valuable to those also interested in developing their career internationally.

Since then we have placed so many candidates in the Arabian Gulf and many are happily still there after 25-plus years, becoming managers, getting married, taking exotic holidays every year and never looking back!

The internationally modernised and stable countries in Arabia love their sport and fitness, plus many thousands of Westerners also live there working in other industries and they miss their own UK clubs back home.

So the demand is constant and if you want to be part of this action, go to page 47 of this issue of WorkOut magazine to find our latest tax-free jobs.

Enquiries: See jobs for women at www.sportsjobs4women.net and jobs for men at www.sportsjobs.net or call 01590 676379.

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Workout reporter Katie Walters visited a recently opened gym in Altrincham that offers a science-backed, technology-tracked, coach-inspired group workout designed to produce results from the inside out.

A captivating and challenging session in a futuristic facility

INTRIGUED, inquisitive and a little uneasy I entered into the futuristic fitness space, that is Orangetheory fitness studio in Altrincham.

Welcomed by a very friendly and helpful representative of the company, Jamie, I was put at ease instantly.

Jamie was great at explaining the science behind each workout.

Orangetheory is a science-backed and coach inspired programme with technology at the forefront.

However, there is a twist........ although the session is ruled as group exercise, the independent journey you take has a massive impact on final results. Personal training within a group environment, I soon realised, this was more than just a gym.

As it was my first session, Jamie took five minutes to run through personal details regarding physical fitness and health.

He asked about my BMI, any sports I partook, which areas I focussed on in the gym and any targets I would like to attain in the near future. This information can help a fitness coach tailor exercises to you as an individual and support you with current goals.

So what is Orangetheory Fitness and how does it work I asked myself?

Jamie had all the answers – based on the science of EPOC (excess post – exercise oxygen consumption), Orangetheory believe in challenging your body at the right intensity.

In turn your body will work harder to recover the oxygen which is lost during exercise; which then ignites your metabolism and therefore continues to burn calories hours after your workout is complete. Clever and convenient, but the stats don’t stop there....

Introduction to the ‘Orange Zone’ was a vital aspect to the session: The programme itself is composed of five different heart rate zones,

based on each individual’s heart rate. OT workouts are specifically designed so that the participant spends 12 minutes or more in the ‘Orange Zone’, making the heart work between 84 – 91 per cent of the athlete’s heart rate.

The ‘Orange Zone’ is considered to be the optimum range your body should be working at for a successful training lesson and to reach peak body performance; training at this level regularly will result in real improvements within your personal health and fitness regime.

Each level corresponds to the amount of energy your body is exerting during a specific exercise.

Different colour zones denote varying exercise levels: n Grey 1 – Light activity. n Blue 2 – Warm up. n Green 3 – Challenging but doable. n Orange 4 – Orange effect – Uncomfortable. n Red 5 – All out effort.

Exercise levels are monitored from an advanced heart rate armband or waistband that you wear for the full 60 minutes of every lesson.

Data is presented on a screen above your head which you can check as you train.

The aim of each session is to gain 12 ‘splat points’, these are achieved by keeping your heart rate fixed in the orange zone.

Eventually it was time to enter the studio along with my fellow gym enthusiasts.

Each session consists of three elements of training. I was included in the Endurance Workout.

Workouts are different each time you attend and staff do not inform you which type of workout you will partake until your session begins, consequently there is an element of surprise and you cannot pick and choose an easier workout over a more

challenging one.

We were introduced to our motivator Cal, who guided us through each section of the workout.

Starting with light warm up using the water-based rowing boats to get the heart pumping – my stats on screen fluctuated from the grey to blue zone.

The main workout began. Cal split us into two groups and we alternated the routine within 60 minutes of the workout.

My team started with 600m on rowing boat, followed by active rest using resistance bands between our wrists.

Then we stretched our arms and lifted them 12 times before returning to the rowing machine and rowing for 400 metres.

Active rest was repeated and we rowed for another 200m before moving onto the second part of the programme.

As I checked my progress on the screen above, I noticed my heart rate moved into the orange and red sections as I rowed, and slowed down to green during active rest.

Section 2 focussed mainly on strength and muscle training, completing a circuit of crunches, weightlifts and a combination of planks and weight transfer.

This was repeated until we reached the half hour mark, whilst the opposing team finished their half hour cardio on the treadmills.

Cal was very supportive and showed great enthusiasm and positivity; after half an hour we alternated equipment, moving onto the treadmills.

Again, similar to the rowing machine, we picked which level we would like to run – this differed from Power Walker, Jogger and Runner, all set to a different speed.

Being a power walker, my running

grade was set to an incline of 3.5 – 4.5, with a low to medium speed.

However, specifications changed depending on the instructions from our personal trainer.

Cal informed us to change speeds and incline every couple of minutes, from a challenging setting to an active rest setting, being constantly on the move.

Again, my colour zones would vary from green to orange to red.

Continuing our work on the treadmills for half an hour we then performed some easy cool down exercises, bringing the workout to a close. Our heart rates slowed down to a rested position in the grey and blue zones.

Personal data accumulated from the 60-minute workout is sent to your email address. Results can be monitored and you can track your progress for future reference.

Overall, I was really pleased with my results – I earned a whopping 34 splat points, burned 661 calories, with an average heart rate of 160 beats per minute, leading to an average percentage of 83 per cent of my maximum heart rate.

Besides their extensive knowledge of health and fitness and articulate, detailed exercise programmes, the facilities are second to none.

The interior design and layout of the studio is modern and spacious, changing rooms and exercise equipment are first class.

Not only are the staff fully educated and enthusiastic about the service they provide, they show passion and drive, through helping others. Cal and Jamie were fantastic, making me feel calm and comfortable.

Orangetheory offer free classes to first timers and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for something captivating albeit challenging.

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UK’s fitness and wellness booking habits revealed

3d Leisure opens fitness and wellbeing facility 3D LEISURE has opened a new fitness and wellbeing facility on behalf of a global retail giant.

After a comprehensive tender process 3d Leisure was appointed to work on the design, installation and management of this fantastic fitness and wellbeing facility.

Four months after the official appointment, 3d Leisure opened the facilities on time, within budget and with active members.

Paul Ramsay, 3d Leisure managing director, said: “This has been a challenging project with a limited timeline. The 3d team has done a fantastic job of understanding the exact requirements of the client and

adopted the culture and ethos of the associates to ensure this facility provides the best in class fitness and wellbeing services.”

The new gym features industry leading equipment and technology including 40 Technogym fitness stations, a Queenax functional training rig, Stages flight cycling studio and a Fitness on Demand virtual class platform.

The fitness offering is further enhanced through additional services including physiotherapy, pre and post-natal exercise programming, reflexology, mindfulness, postural analysis, sports massage and beauty treatments

HEALTH and wellness booking app, MINDBODY has analysed internal booking data of up to 800 million bookings to unveil key stats about the UK’s habits.

The top 10 class bookings of 2018 (based on the percentage of bookings in total): 1. Yoga (25 per cent) 2. Barre (six per cent) 3. Pilates (six per cent) 4. Cycling (four per cent) 5. Bootcamp (three per cent) 6. Circuit training (three per cent) 7. Dance (two per cent) 8. Interval training (two per cent) 9. Gym classes (two per cent) 10. Weight training (one per cent) The top three class start times of 2018: 1. 9.30am 2. 5.30pm 3. 6pm The top three most popular class durations of 2018: 1. One hour 2. 45 minutes 3. One hour and 15 minutes Charlotte Newton, senior manager of EMEA Marketing at MINDBODY, said: “According to our data, Yoga is continuing to lead the way; however, we’re now seeing an increase in people booking Barre and Pilates classes, perhaps because accessibility to these classes has increased thanks to technology, like booking apps.

“We also know from previous research that Pilates fans are 23 per cent more likely to use tech to gain access to facilities and Yoga fans 22 per cent respectively.

“Cycling and bootcamps make up the top five, which is not surprising given the increase in experiential rides that studios are offering to engage members using software like FitMetrix, and the social side of wellness with friendly competition that comes with a typical bootcamp class.

“Not long ago, we saw a rise in HIIT classes and people opting for a quick 30-minute session, but the increase in longer classes being booked could be attributed to the popularity of Yoga where a practice typically last longer than a cardio-based class.

“Or it could suggest that people are simply more willing to invest more time in their wellbeing, today, more than ever.

“What’s more, the findings also reveal that people are still enjoying their pre/post-work class times, something gym and studio owners should factor in when planning upcoming schedules and pricing structures for peak and off-peak periods.

“With that said, it could be interesting to see how or if this changes alongside the rise in flexible or dynamic working hours.”

Advertiser’s announcement

First CBD snack bar is fastest selling snack product line Amy’s Marathon effort launch in Planet Organic Fitness instructor Amy Kitson with her daughter Emily.

START up brand Nooro has launched the UK’s first CBD snack bar and it is flying off the shelves.

CBD is an ancient remedy for modern lives.

It is a cannabinoid, which is naturally found in the cannabis plant.

Oh, and our brain.

It has a huge range of health benefits and doesn’t get you high.

It can reduce stress, increase focus and give all round balanced happiness.

It can be difficult to find the balance when your life is moving at 100mph.

So, Nooro has created a snack bar that fuels your mind, allowing you to re-discover your natural rhythm and flow.

Clarity, balance and focus in a raw, vegan, oat snack bar containing 25mg of organic CBD from UK growers which equates to your ‘daily dose’.

“We wanted a compostable pack but had a very short turnaround, said founder John David.

“National Flexible is a new supplier to us but they turned the job around very quickly, enabling us to meet the launch date, and is now a trusted partner.

“They are extremely professional and flexible.”

Based on the success more flavours are to follow.

Enquiries: Call 01274 685566, email Carol Burdett at carol@nationalflexible.net or visit www.nationalflexible.co.uk

A FITNESS instructor who ran the London Marathon has raised nearly £7,000 for charity that helps support her daughter.

Amy Kitson, of Carlton, Barnsley, has raised £6,943 for RETT UK as her daughter, Emily, seven, was diagnosed with the syndrome at the age of three and requires 24-hour care.

RETT UK support families that live with the syndrome - which is a severe and lifelong neurological disorder, which results in mental and physical disability.

Amy said she wanted to fundraise for the charity so they can help other families and because she is ‘very grateful to them for their guidance’.

Speaking about her daughter and her struggle with RETT, Amy said: “She has the smile of an angel and

we strive to make her life as full and enriched as possible. There may be some very tough times ahead - she could lose the ability to walk and develop seizures amongst other complications associated with the disease.”

Amy is a fitness instructor at Royston Leisure Centre, which is operated by Barnsley Premier Leisure.

Kevan Riggett-Barrett, facility manager at Royston Leisure Centre, said he is impressed by Amy’s dedication to raising awareness of RETT Syndrome.

“She is a passionate and vibrant part of our team who is enthusiastic about raising funds for charities,” he said.

“As part of BPL’s commitment to our strategic priorities, we are happy to support Amy to raise as much as possible for RETT UK.

UK FITNESS SCENE

18

UK fitness industry healthier than ever

Elevate uses global platform to engage with attendees ...

BEHAVIOURAL and environmental understanding, engagement approaches and technology were some of the consistent themes which emerged at Elevate 2019, with thousands of professionals in attendance.

At this year’s event, Elevate ran alongside Elite Sport Expo and COPA, giving attendees access to even more content and exhibitors and bringing together more sectors than ever before.

Max Quittenton, founder and director of Elevate, added: “As Elevate grows year on year, as does the variety of incredible speakers, exhibitors, seminars and attendees.

“It’s crucial we continue to celebrate innovation in this sector, highlighting the vital role everyone plays in tackling physical inactivity.

“We look forward to welcoming you next year at Elevate 2020.”

The UK’s leading trade show for physical activity, health and performance further cemented its position as a global exhibition by attracting thousands of senior decision makers from leisure centres, health clubs, independent and multi-site gyms, hotels, sports clubs, schools and universities.

Attendees were able to source the latest products and services from over 350 exhibitors, while learning more about best practice from over 300 thought-leading speakers.

Building off its 2018 success and further establishing its position at Elevate, the Thought Leaders Conference featured outstanding keynote talks from leading industry names such as Mims Davies, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, Professor Dame Sally Davies, UK Government’s chief medical officer and Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England chief executive officer.

Critically delving into physical inactivity’s constructs was a key trend at Elevate and was highlighted through physical activity and health professionals needing to better understand inactive individuals and groups’ behavioural and

environmental associations.

Alongside the Thought Leaders Conference, Elevate operated an extensive free education programme including nine dedicated programmes to specific areas of the industry.

This ranged from Neil Randall, director of sales and marketing at Anytime Fitness, providing a comprehensive presentation on ‘Fitness and franchising’ in The Business of Physical Activity stream, to ‘How do you get a nation talking about swimming?’ in the Pool and Spa stream, where Mike Thompson, chief marketing and commercial officer at Swim England, chaired a session that showcased how collaborative working from a number of key partners in the sport and leisure industry could deliver massive reach, engagement and action.

Elevate once again boasted an impressive range of more than 350 exhibitors who showcased their latest products aimed at positively contributing towards decreasing physical inactivity levels across exhibition floor areas.

Exhibitors included Matrix, eGym, DFC, MyZone, Origin Fitness, Jordan Fitness, Hutchison’s Technologies, Xn Leisure, Octane Fitness, FitQuest, Miha Bodytec and Perform Better.

The Elevate Innovation Awards returned after building upon its success in 2018.

After an intense judging process consisting of over 60 entrants, seven products and services emerged victorious and were awarded the Gold standard.

Winners were Moving Medicine, Wattbike’s AtomX, Poolview Plus – Blended Lifeguarding, Gait and Motion Techology’s Phits 3D Printed Orthotics, Desmotec – Pininfarina: Isoinertial Training System from HaB International, Coach Ai and PhysioLab. n A full round-up of this year’s Elevate and FIBO events starts on page 32.

THE 2019 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is healthier than it has ever been.

It has more gyms, more members and a greater market value than ever before. Several key milestones have been achieved over the last 12 months.

The total UK membership has broken the 10 million mark and the industry is now worth more than £5billion for the first time.

The elusive 15 per cent penetration rate has not only been reached but exceeded with it now standing at 15.6 per cent.

In the UK, one in every seven people is a member of a gym.

The 2019 report highlights that the industry, over the 12-month period to the end of March 2019, has seen increases of 2.9 per cent in the number of fitness facilities, 4.7 per cent in the number of members and 4.2 per cent in market value.

The rate of growth for members and market value is higher than last year across the public and private sectors.

David Minton, director of LeisureDB, said: “As seen in the record-breaking figures from this

David Minton

report, the UK is enjoying a golden period of growth and exciting development across the fitness sector.

“It’s a great time to be working and reporting on the industry. As operators compete against the at-home fitness revolution, boutique studios and tech-enabled fitness, they must continue to provide more than just gyms; experiences are essential to hold customers attention.

“The last year has seen continued investment into ‘fitness-tainment’ and there is still plenty of opportunity for creativity and growth.”

Thousands of fitness industry professionals attend IHRSA FITNESS industry professionals from nearly 80 countries were in San Diego, California in March for IHRSA 2019, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s 38th annual international convention and trade show.

Attendees experienced the cutting edge of fitness industry equipment and technology during the twoday trade show featuring nearly 400 exhibitors and early morning workouts, attended education sessions given by industry experts, worked out and power walked, networked and socialised.

Highlights included: n Keynote presentations from Chris Riddell (sponsored by Myzone), Mel Robbins (sponsored by Technogym), Rohit Bhagarva (sponsored by Matrix Fitness), and Denise Lee Yohn (sponsored by Gympass). n The 10th annual IHRSA Women’s Leadership Summit headlined by Sarah Moshman (sponsored by Club

Automation + CSI Spectrum), awardwinning filmmaker and director of “The Empowerment Project: Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things”. n The standing-room only 23rd annual IHRSA Financial Panel moderated by Rick Caro. n The 22nd annual IHRSA ILC Industry Leadership Summit (sponsored by ABC Financial) and reception. n Jason Reinhardt of Go M.A.D. Fitness was elected as IHRSA Board chair for the 2019/2020 year. n Four new members were welcomed to the IHRSA Board: Chris Smith, Chris Stevenson, Frank Lawrence and Greta Wagner. Missy Moss, Ray O’Connor, Larry Conner and ex-officio Derek Gallup were thanked for their service as they leave after this term.

Registration is already open at ihrsa. org/convention for IHRSA 2020, taking place from March 18-21 in San Diego.

Unrivalled Fitness Measurement

“The FitQuest machine is a tool to help members on their fitness journey...

With an engaging and easy-touse interface, combined with the comprehensive body composition analysis, the machines provide sophisticated fitness measurements for our members. The FitQuest machines provide a key benefit for our members, providing them with the tools and information they need to track their progress.”

John Treharne, Founder Director, The Gym Group.

FitQuest brings full biomechanical technology and body composition analysis to your facility with an easy to use interface to enhance member engagement and goal achievement.

Be part of the measurement revolution!

Learn more at www.miefitquest.com or contact us at infowo@miefitquest.com

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@MieFitQuest

@MieFitQuest

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TECHNOLOGY

Refurbished club is first to install Advagym from Sony BEECHDOWN Health and Fitness Club in Basingstoke is the first gym in the world to pilot and install technology giant Sony’s Advagym app, providing members with a digital exercise tracking system and motivational tool.

Sony’s Advagym uses a sensor on strength machines to record reps and sets. Members simply touch their phone to the sensor ‘puck’ to start tracking their workout in real-time, with stats automatically uploaded to the Advagym app.

Pucks in free weight areas enable exercisers to select from a list of exercises or create their own, while pucks on Precor’s Queenax™ functional training units link to videos and step-by-step instructions of suggested workouts.

In the app, members can log favourite workouts and preferred machine settings, add free weight workouts, set up their own training plan and view their complete workout history.

Ed Lindley-Hare, club manager at Beechdown, said: “This technology is so exciting, and our members are thrilled to be the first club to give it a test drive.

“Being intrigued, within two hours of its installation some were already

using it; no training was necessary.

“There’s a huge prestige that comes with being the first in the world to have Advagym. We specifically didn’t want a wired tracking system, Advagym provides the perfect digitalised solution to help motivate our members; what’s more, it’s easy to use and very slick.

“Keeping track of resistance workouts can be difficult, but with this app members can monitor weights used and the number of

repetitions achieved, enabling them to see why they are getting results or what they need to do to achieve their goals.

“It’s encouraging for them to know what they have achieved and can do – it helps motivate them even more.

In the short time since installing Advagym, 75 per cent of our members taking personal training sessions are already using the app.

Advagym also links with Preva, Precor’s networked fitness solution

for cardio machines, which enables members to set goals, track workouts and earn badges and milestones to help keep them motivated and on target.

Members’ data is all pulled across into the Advagym app, so they can see their entire workout journey at a glance. They can even add short notes for each exercise, such as, if they did more reps, if it was easy, or if they were sore.

Ed added: “Beechdown’s PT’s and gym staff are fully onboard and using Advagym for digitalising workouts, with more than 80 per cent opting to use it as their preferred method to train and track during personal training sessions.

“The team claim it has already helped increase interaction with members and boost motivation as they have been able to create bespoke training programmes and provide feedback on progress.

“As we’re piloting the app, both Sony and Precor are taking on board our ideas, such as our suggestion of weekly workout summary emails for members, outlining the sessions they’ve completed. This was immediately implemented, and members are finding it very motivating and useful.”

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TECHNOLOGY

Anna Langridge, founder of content creation company 1FitLife, considers whether the flourishing on-demand and live streaming market, which is allowing members to workout when and where they like, can complement smaller gym and boutique studio offerings.

Anytime, anywhere…

ALTHOUGH still a relative newcomer to the sector, the virtual fitness market is growing at pace and gaining impressive user numbers.

It’s convenient, it offers a huge choice of workouts at low consumer costs, it provides social connection, it’s competitive and it’s exciting.

On-demand fitness won’t be a niche offering, reserved for bigger operators and industry Goliaths like Peleton or Flywheel, for much longer – by 2020, it’s estimated the majority of fitness clubs will have incorporated virtual fitness in some form.

It’s easy to perceive digital fitness as a competitor to traditional gym offerings, but developing an at-home presence can help your bricks and mortar business, too. It’s a natural next step; one supports the other.

Being successful in the on-demand sector doesn’t depend on the square footage of your club, or competitors in your local area or the number of members you have – your on-demand market is global.

As long as you have a great proposition, offering value for money, and you’re willing invest in digital marketing, any boutique or smaller gym can successfully compete with

the bigger guys.

The main financial benefit is developing a secondary flow, through additional subscription revenue for your business.

Research shows people who use on-demand fitness spend 37 per cent of their total fitness budget on these services.

Yes, members can experience your brand at home, which can improve retention, but that shouldn’t be your main motivator.

Extending your brand’s reach from a five-mile drive time around your club is almost impossible unless you open another site; whereas the digital fitness world offers limitless in opportunity. Why can’t your brand be as well known in Thailand as it is in Twickenham?

In the past, product diversification was high risk and took time. Today, if you hope to grow a sustainable business that can survive market competition, it’s a must. Just look at Apple’s foray into credit cards – they’ve defined themselves not as a computer or phone manufacturer, but as a trusted symbol of innovation.

With this trust, they can diversify into any market they choose, as

long as it is innovative. Fitness is no different. You can’t expect to survive as just a ‘gym brand’ any longer; at some stage all successful gyms must diversify.

Crucially, it’s quality content that will make the leap a successful one.

Great workouts keep people coming back, but to create them you need presenters with excellent form who are comfortable in front of a camera.

Then once you have content, how do you take it to market? What content management system should you choose? How do you set up the subscription process? Don’t forget when forecasting revenue that app stores charge 30 per cent of the total revenue taken via app subscriptions.

It’s painful to find this out later in your journey.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking any video production house will do. Producing and directing fitness content takes experience and patience – creating good content isn’t a quick process. A great in-club fitness presenter can freeze on screen and lose confidence when a camera is on them. It takes practice to be excellent on screen, and practice while filming is a costly exercise.

Make sure you organise a test shoot first, which also allows you to ensure lighting is right and the set looks perfect.

At 1FitLife we produce a wide range of virtual fitness content, both live and on-demand. Everyone on our team, from our models to those writing, producing and directing the videos, knows fitness inside out, so you can be confident your content will be accurate and safe.

There are a number of other digital fitness solutions out there, which offer ‘off-the-shelf’ white label capabilities, so you don’t have to develop your own platform. Most of these will offer a simple commercial partnership that shares the revenue you make. While partnering with a white label tech partner, you can expect to share around 15-20 per cent of your revenue. n Anna Langridge is director ofproduction at 1FitLife, a qualified Master Personal Trainer (with the AIF in Sydney, Australia) and a Pilates instructor. Having worked with EastWest International (Warner Music Group) she has extensive production and promotions experience.

TECHNOLOGY

23

Advertiser’s announcement

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

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

It’s completely understandable that they, and you, are tentative about switching providers. Switching software can be a daunting undertaking – but it doesn’t have to be.

There is always a learning curve when starting anything new – hey, we’re just being honest – but the EZFacility team is here to get you up and running quickly. Getting started quickly though doesn’t mean we sprint through set up.

During implementation, our team works with you and your team to ensure everyone is comfortable and confident running your business with our software. Because we work together to get you up to speed, you won’t break stride with current gym operations.

How do we do this you may ask?

Completed in four recommended, one-hour training sessions (some clients feel comfortable with less training sessions, and some with more) our training process is one that has been designed with a “Train-theTrainer” approach in mind.

The “Train-the-trainer” methodology will grant your gym the opportunity to have a “go-to” in house EZExpert to help current

and future employees become comfortable using EZFacility.

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

Book a demo to learn more about EZFacility and see why switching your gym management software provider doesn’t have to be stressful. http://www.ezfacility.co.uk/ request-more-information

Davina McCall is sharing her exercise and lifestyle secrets in a completely new online fitness programme, www.ownyourgoalsdavina.com The subscription-service offers tailored workouts, nutrition guides and wellbeing advice to help people reach their personal goals, all in one place.

Members will get access to personalised fitness plans, tailored to their own lifestyle goals, access to tasty and nutritious recipes and exciting new video content and articles from Davina, updated every week. The programme will also include simple recipes and articles on wellbeing such as how to get started with meditation and mindfulness – and those looking to mix it up are able to use the workout bank to build their own bespoke workouts to reach their goals. Own Your Goals is accessible anywhere with internet access and content can be viewed on a smartphone, iPad or via smart TV.

TECHNOLOGY

24

Advertiser’s announcement

Advertiser’s announcement

Ensure you give your Firstbeat data used by members the best elite sports teams and fitness experience

By Wayne Heath SOMETIMES your members will leave for reasons beyond your control.

This could be because of injury, personal reasons or attending the gym every other day just isn’t convenient for them anymore.

However, you need to make sure that you’re providing your existing members with the best fitness experience possible.

So here are my top three member retention wins that I used to follow when I owned my gym. n Firstly, creating a positive atmosphere in your club is crucial to keeping your members motivated and on their way to achieving their goals.

Even something as simple as greeting your members when they walk through the door can create a real sense of community and help them to feel like they are a part of something. n The next is to use free stuff – people love free stuff! Now listen, I’m not talking about giving away t-shirts or free memberships.

What I mean is free exercise programme reviews, weigh-ins, workout programme flyers on the front desk etc.

Add something of value to your

members’ experience that enhances your level of service in a cost-effective way. n Finally, focus on offering as much of a personalised fitness experience as you can, and automating member communications based on activity is an easy way to do this.

For example, if your member has just finished a class, send them a text to ask them how it went!

At ClubRight we offer ProRight – a package that hosts all of the benefits of ClubRight, plus sophisticated member automation and customisable templates to make your members feel like they belong to a club that genuinely cares about them.

To find out more about how ProRight can help you retain your members, give us a call on (+44)203 884 9777 or visit our website at www. clubright.co.uk.

When Wayne owned his gym, there was no software on the market that did everything that he wanted it to do – so he founded ClubRight: a membership management system that allows you to save time doing boring admin stuff, and focus on spending more time growing your business. ClubRight really is built by gym owners, for gym owners.

wellness professionals FIRSTBEAT is the leading provider of physiological analytics for sports and wellbeing.

Originating in Finland, the company transforms heartbeat data into personalised information on exercise, stress and recovery.

Firstbeat’s two decades of research enables people to reach their health and performance potential with science-backed confidence.

More than a thousand elite sports teams, hundreds of wellness professionals, and millions of consumers worldwide use Firstbeat to enhance their performance and well-being using their dedicated lifestyle assessment and advanced performance analytics.

The Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment uses a discreet heart rate variability monitoring device to take a snapshot of stress reactions, physical activity levels, daytime recovery and sleep patterns over a three-day period.

Once complete, results are displayed in a visual report, helping users to see first-hand their daily stress-recovery balance and put in place measures, and adapt their

training, to improve their overall wellbeing.

The Firstbeat Lifestyle Assessment is offered by multiple fitness operators, including Pure Sports Medicine and SP&CO, providing clients with a personalised service above any other.

Each report is unique, based on the individual’s daily activities and heart rate data, giving trainers the ability to create bespoke plans, pin-point key areas of focus and set specific goals based on their client’s results.

Trainers conduct the assessment every three to six months, allowing them to monitor improvements over time, update client goals and bring in incremental revenue through an ongoing service.

Overall, clients know they are getting a completely tailored and results driven approach to fitness, which keeps them returning to the facility.

TECHNOLOGY

25

Advertiser’s announcement

London club signs up tech partner to manage PT INDEPENDENT fitness and MMA club Stars Gym in Battersea, South London, has joined forces with startup fitness technology partner, Go:Do Fitness.

The bespoke Stars Gym version of the Go:Do Apps helps to improve the revenues and management of the 15 personal trainers in the business.

All Stars Gym PTs – and their clients – now use the Apps provided

by Go:Do for bookings, payments and reporting. The Go:Do platform improves the customer experience by offering two-click booking and payment of their preferred personal trainer.

More importantly for the PTs, the App manages payments and automatically enforces cancellation policies, ensuring that trainers can spend more time working and less time on admin of their businesses.

Stars Gym director Tom MasonSmith said: “We needed to be able to understand more about our PT business so we could help the PTs gain more clients and more easily manage revenues for them, and for the business as a whole.

“The Go:Do App offers such a

Styku Phoenix leads revolution in health and fitness tracking Stars Gym director Tom Mason-Smith. simple to use and effective tool for both our customers and our PTs. Everyone gets paid and the clients find it easier to book their sessions.

“Also, the fact that Go:Do made it bespoke to Stars Gym by using our logo and brand colours helps us punch above our weight with members too; in what is a very competitive local market.”

Founder of Go:Do Fitness, Steve Chapman, added: “Stars Gym is a perfect fit for us. I’m glad we are able to streamline the business and improve things for management, trainers and end clients alike.”

WITH the launch of its pioneering Styku Phoenix Artificial Intelligence software, Styku has become the world’s first 3D body scanner to provide comprehensive DEXA-quality body composition analysis, which is set to have a game-changing effect on the way health and fitness goals are tracked across the industry.

With this breakthrough technology, Styku can consistently and precisely predict fat mass, bone mass, lean mass, visceral fat, and subcutaneous fat, using only measurements on the surface of the body, while still being accurately aligned with DEXA – a type of X-ray that is widely considered the gold standard for measuring body composition.

Styku founder and CEO, Raj Sareen, said: “Before now, 3D body scanners had only gone as far as estimating fat mass and fat-free mass, so we believe

this is a groundbreaking development for the industry, which greatly benefits both trainer and member.”

A 300-participant study, funded

by America’s National Institute of Health and conducted by several leading universities, proved that the predictive ability of Styku Phoenix’s AI technology strongly correlated with DEXA; meaning Styku can provide an unmatched level of accuracy compared to similar devices available on the market today.

“Using DEXA’s data and our AI engine, we found that we could predict important body composition statistics, linked to health risk analysis, with very high precision. As a result, this study is receiving a great amount of interest, not just in the health and fitness sector, but in the academic community as well,” added Raj.

TECHNOLOGY

26

Advertiser’s announcement

The role of technology in member retention RESEARCH shows that gym members who set goals and see progress towards them are more engaged and stay members longer.

But how can you keep members engaged if the positive gains of regular exercise are not always visible?

This is exactly why operators across the world are turning to FitQuest to help provide their members with details about their overall fitness and body composition in a way that was previously only available in a biomechanical lab.

The result is members who are more engaged and motivated, helping to drive retention and business growth.

Developed by medical research company MIE Medical ResearchLTD, FitQuest is a state-of-the-art concept in fitness measurement and body composition analysis providing data-

driven digital solutions for leisure centres, gym operators, personal trainers and gym goers.

In just four minutes, FitQuest offers gym members a fun way to measure their overall fitness by assessing performance across five tasks: balance, press ups, jump, steps and recovery.

The FitQuest software measures balance, upper and lower body strength and endurance, power, cardiovascular speed and heart rate recovery to help users understand their strengths and weaknesses to improve their fitness levels and help them stay motivated towards their long-term goals.

How does FitQuest support the member journey? n FitQuest provides the perfect pre-sales tool by offering a unique selling point within your facilities that

provides not only body composition analysis but a comprehensive overview of a user’s fitness levels helping members stay motivated throughout their membership. n FitQuest helps to signpost members to workouts which can help them improve their scores and fitness. This is an ideal support for exercise programming and provides an additional engagement tool to support members. n FitQuest helps drive personal trainer client acquisition by providing proof of how effective personal training and fitness programmes can be and offering a unique selling point in your facilities. n FitQuest can provide an additional revenue stream through on machine payments or with free testing included in premium memberships, or with personal training packages.

n FitQuest allows gyms to identify members whose results are stagnating, or commitment is waning.

With software that integrates with existing membership systems, operators have greater insight into their members to support personalised communications.

“Gym members want to understand how to train more efficiently by choosing exercises that are best suited to meeting their goals,” said Brian Firth, FitQuest CEO. “FitQuest solves this challenge by allowing operators to get a better understanding of their members’ needs and ensuring members can track their progress throughout that journey. In turn, members stay more engaged helping you retain them for longer.”

For more information email infowo@miefitquest.com

Advertiser’s announcement

Sports Booker attends Elevate ONLINE booking system Sports Booker was pleased to be able to attend Elevate and take the opportunity to showcase its booking and resource management service.

David Pepper, spokesperson for Sports Booker, said: “It was a real pleasure to take part in Elevate. 2019 is a pivotal year for the company as we embark on a new journey with our focus on delivery of our new booking app.

“The event gave us the opportunity to meet key decision makers and allowed for some intriguing discussions which has led to several new relationships for Sports Booker.

“We look forward to engaging with these prospective venues over the

coming weeks.”

Online booking, membership and customer management systems are at the core of every Sports Booker product.

The company is dedicated to providing clients with reliable, low cost, easy to use online booking and membership management systems for the leisure, sports, entertainment and retail sectors.

Features include online scheduling, integrated payment options and online registration.

Subscription packs for Sports Booker are unlimited so you can have as many administrators, operators, customers, bookings and bookable resources as you wish.

MARTIN NUGENT MARTIN NUGENT ELITE ELITE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE

A CUTTING EDGEEDGE FACILITY IN AINCONVERTED A CUTTING FACILITY A CONVERTED SPORTS HALLHALL SPORTS

Respected strength and conditioning coachcoach MartinMartin Nugent had his sights set on Respected strength and conditioning Nugent had his sights set on creatingcreating a world-class trainingtraining facilityfacility in the North East of England.

It would involve a world-class in the North East of England.

It would involve transforming an existing sports sports hall in the of Sunderland College into ainto unique transforming an existing hall grounds in the grounds of Sunderland College a unique centre for sports elite athletes, and the public. centre for students, sports students, elite athletes, and the public.

THE THE SPACE FORFOR DEVELOPING SPACE DEVELOPING ATHLETES ATHLETES idea of ‘space’ was crucial. wanted people be to able to move freely within The ideaThe of ‘space’ was crucial.

MartinMartin wanted people to be to able move freely within the so facility, so our design to incorporate theequipment right equipment without overloading the facility, our design had to had incorporate the right without overloading the area. also created specific for targeted strength and conditioning the area.

We alsoWe created specific zones zones for targeted strength and conditioning training.training.

1 1 33 5 5

AP Heavyweight 40 rubber floor tiles AP Heavyweight 40 rubber floor tiles Lifting area featuring six, MNEP-branded Lifting area featuring six, MNEP-branded Legend Fitness half Racks Legend Fitness half Racks

MNEP-branded Werksan Olympic Training MNEP-branded Werksan Olympic Training Plates,Plates, and plyo boxes. benches,benches, and plyo boxes.

22 44

Central 2m-wide artificial track, a central MNEP logo Central 2m-wide artificial track, withwith a central MNEP logo Dumbbells, benches, cable machines Blocks® Dumbbells, benches, cable machines andand DCDC Blocks®

GYM DESIGN & STRENGTH EQUIPMENT.

WWW.APERFORMANCE.CO.UK

@APERFORMANCELTD

UK FITNESS SCENE

30

Advertiser’s announcement

Body Alive aims to give customers the best kit BODY Alive was formed in 1995, and was an old school gym until 2005.

We then started to manufacture some equipment for friends and, little by little, we began to produce equipment based on our experience and experience from real bodybuilders and top level athletes.

Keep the good angles and the best sensations or feeling on each movement is the priority.

We don’t have a complete range of equipment, but we have very good equipment.

Based in Luxembourg, all the equipment is made in our little factory with high quality components to give the customer the best.

We manufacture the best fitness equipment for your gym, creating new machines like the Blade, the Squat Blaster, the multi-functional trainer or the new 360* handles and many more We know how to train and how to focus on muscle with good movement. We have learned to avoid joint pain or injuries due to bad equipment. We start to study how to take the best of each machine and try to manufacture our own line.

We have travelled all around the world, visited a lot of factories and met a lot of engineers from every country, and we still think that nothing can replace knowhow and feeling.

Now with more than 20 years of experience in fitness and help from

many athletes, we can provide fitness equipment with the best movement and very competitive price.

We started to develop and produce our own products in 2014 and we have now customers all over the world and continue to work with all the major brands THE ROWER is by far the best body workout and the most complete At the gym, connect THE BLADE to our app to access workout. Beginners, confirmed, HIIT, race, strength...

The virtual training will help you to improve your technique and skills, following the best trainer exercises on THE BLADE and combine the total body workout to gain power, resistance, speed or loose fat.

Create the best catch on indoor rower. THE BLADE has the highest resistance in indoor rowing that’s mean the most possibilities.

Indoor rowing is an activity that allows you to train your whole body, from shoulder, back, arms, chest to legs and core. THE BLADE is the solution for a complete workout.

Rower enhances the neuromuscular system of coordination and develops the predisposition to all other sports.

THE BLADE includes a wide selection of customised rowing and strength exercises. Rowing is the ideal activity to involve all the muscles and minimise the risk of injury.

It will increase benefits on strength, endurance and performance because your entire body is in continuous

action, rowing keeps your heartbeats high, improve your cardiovascular efficiency.

The key to improvement is to gradually increase the magnetic resistance by simply adjusting the handlebar from cardio to power.

THE BLADE is the first rower with an adjustable length system to allow the user to row or exercise in simple operation.

Very compact, quiet, smooth, easy to store, THE BLADE is the perfect multi-function rower designed for intensive training.

The BLADE has the most powerful magnetic resistance that brings you the best workout.

Easy to use and learn, avoid all injuries and pain on joints, back, knees. You can burn more than 600cal/h on this rower having fun in following the group less on tablet or phone anytime you want.

You can access thousands of classes from beginner to pro from our app, from cardio to HIIT training or just row. The squat is far from the best exercise to build perfect legs and glutes, burn more fat, increase flexibility, build core, strength...

Doing a correct squat is 100 per cent beneficial for your all body BUT most of people are making bad movement and get more pain than profit.

We made the SQUAT BLASTER to avoid any injuries but keep the benefits of the real squat made with a bar. The double articulation gives you

the real squat movement all the time, you can focus on your muscle and feel them working with 100 per cent safety and comfort.

A complete range of motion on squat, lunges or calves no pain on back, knees, ankles, only benefits for your legs and butt.

Add an extra value to your gym and enjoy the best squat machine probably ever made.

THE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TRAINER We created a complete gym of 2sqm for gym owners who need to get free weight equipment with real dumbbells sensations and good feeling but have no space.

We study all the angles to maximise the benefits of convergent and divergent movement, when you train you focus on muscles not on joint pain! No matter whether you work chest, incline chest or delt, you will have a complete range and natural path of motion.

The divergent pulldown targets the lat exactly where it has to be and separate arms give you the perfect symmetry.

Our system has been tested and developed by real athletes and therapists. We make a perfect combination for a complete workout that will give your club a great value.

THE MULTI FUNCTIONAL TRAINER is a real good quality piece of kit at the right price including the adjustable bench. https://www.body-alive.com/

THE SQUAT BLASTER The squat is probably the best exercise to build perfect legs and glutes, burn fat, increase flexibility and build core strength.

Doing a correct squat can benefit all the body, BUT most people are making bad movement and get more pain than profit.

We made the SQUAT BLASTER to avoid injuries but keep the benefits of the real squat made with a bar.

The double articulation gives you the real squat movement, you can focus on working out, while feeling 100% safe and comfortable.

BODY ALIVE www.body-alive.com info@body-alive.com Tel: +32 467 198 385

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

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Advertiser’s announcement

Boogie Bounce (left) and Stages Cycling (right) demonstrations generated a lot of crowd interest in Hutchison Technologies’ The Studio.

Highlights from Hutchison Technologies THE Studio, presented by Hutchison Technologies provided a highoctane stage for a variety of GroupX performances including Les Mills, Myzone, Stages Cycling, Boogie Bounce and Hatton Boxing.

Hutchison Technologies showcased the leading edge in audio visual including Evoson speakers, feature and effect lighting.

The Studio also highlighted the company’s creative custom builds including an LED pixel disc wall and LED plasma tubes, while the

latest LED pixel wall from partners Samsung created a fantastic backdrop.

Hutchison Technologies received some fantastic feedback from customer, partners and visitors to The Studio: “The set up looked AMAZING!” “I felt so proud speaking to other vendors that we had worked with yourselves to create our latest project.”

“Your stand is the best here.”

“We didn’t realise how much you did, wow!”

“We really love the tech this year, great vibe guys.”

Hutchison Technologies design health and fitness solutions for multi-national clubs to boutiques and charitable trusts, helping them discover ways to create outstanding experiences across audio visual, lighting, essential instructor accessories, access control, smart

cards and data and telecoms solutions.

Today, the company’s unrivalled solutions also enhance the brand stories of health and fitness, leisure, retail, hospitality and corporate spaces.

Why not check out the company’s new website where you can discover ways to create that complete member experience?

Enquiries: Call 0333 240 7369, email Info@hutchison-t.com or visit www.hutchison-t.com

WE DO MORE than just collect your subscriptions £ £

£

more Compliance

more Credit Control

more Reporting

more Billing

more Customer Service

more Analytics

more Integrations

Get in touch today www.debitfinance.co.uk

sales@debitfinance.co.uk

01908 422 000

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW Advertiser’s announcement

PowerWave and DFC: a typical example of progressive growth REVOLUTIONARY cross trainer manufacturer and franchise PowerWave is experiencing the dizzying heights of success, having launched its new online platform – XPS Virtual Coach – just five weeks ago.

It’s a milestone moment in the company’s short four-year history, but they could not have reached it without the support of partners like revenue management providers, DFC. PowerWave joined forces with DFC on the advice of a fellow leisure professional as a way of easing the burden of direct debit collection on its busy staff.

With fitness classes filling up, PowerWave needed an easy way to collect payments from its members and maintain robust collection rates.

However, DFC’s unique process has also driven retention and helped build long-lasting relationships between PowerWave and its members.

DFC’s handy online joining portal provides easy-access sign-ups for new members, while its expert credit control team has taken the uncomfortable task of chasing payments off PowerWave’s busy staff.

Jay Laville, founder and CEO of PowerWave, said: “DFC makes our lives so much easier. For PowerWave it’s all about membership growth.

“Not only do DFC give us fantastic

advice on how to build and retain our membership base, their services are key to driving up revenue.

“On top of this, they act as a mediator, so we don’t have to have awkward conversations with our clients about payments. As experts in the field, they know how to handle situations calmly and effectively, and they know a lot of the terminology that our own staff don’t. They also handle queries that we simply don’t have time to deal with.”

DFC manages the direct debit collection process end-to-end for health clubs across the UK, providing convenient solutions for members and transparent payment reports for clients.

Acting on what we learn THE growing appetite for insight and information regarding mental health within the leisure sector was shown beyond doubt at last month’s Elevate conference with standing room only at the seminar on ‘Ending the stigma of mental ill-health and the role of physical activity in promoting positive mental wellbeing.’

Chaired and led by Dr Dane Vishnubala, Active IQ chief medical advisor, the session set out to explain the significant and measurable impact physical activity can have on managing and preventing mental illhealth.

Dane was joined by Lorna Tweed from Loughborough University who shared excellent insight and research findings on the topic.

Alongside then, Rob Stephenson from InsideOut gave a compelling personal account of living with bipolar disorder that challenged the audience perception.

“Mental health awareness is high within the leisure sector and the uptake of our Level 2 Mental Health Awareness Award shows the industry is wanting to learn more,” said Dane.

“I applaud Elevate for including this seminar and also honoured to chair the session. On the day, the audience was absolutely engaged in what we were discussing.

“However, in order to improve our level of mental health awareness to the point we can support our members and colleagues, people must act on what they have learned.”

It’s this hands-on, communicative approach that enables DFC to maintain enduring relationships with clients like PowerWave.

DFC’s online joining portal acts as a 24/7 sales aid, enabling members to sign up quickly and easily.

For existing members, failed payments can also be rectified online quickly and easily, saving any embarrassing face-to-face conversations. DFC’s directdebit solutions can be integrated into websites and apps with no hassle, as well as with all leading industry CMS’s.

For more information on DFC, head to debitfinance.co.uk To learn more about PoweWave, visit powerwave.tv

33 Advertiser’s announcement

sportsbehaviour team connects at Elevate INDUSTRY professionals had the chance to connect to sportsbehaviour at Elevate, learning how sports science can easily be used to generate income and attract new and engage existing customers. sportsbehaviour provides the fitness industry with the resources to assess and produce individual sports science reports for customers.

The reports identify how the mind and body work so customers can train happy and workout better.

Tony Lewis, founder and director of sportsbehaviour, said “The system allows the company’s own staff to assess how individual customers develop and interact with the social environment, how their body carries out physical functions and how their body responds to conditions of training and competition.

“This helps in creating the best environment for the customer, choosing the right type of activities, exercise and training plans to make their experience more enjoyable and fulfilling.”

If you missed the sportsbehaviour team at Elevate, get in contact with Tony at hello@sportsbehaviour.com or www.sportsbehaviour.com

FIBO REVIEW

34

Advertiser’s announcement

Personalised and engaging training experiences designed around people’s passions and goals allowing industry operators to develop innovative business models ...

Technogym presents Club 4.0 at FIBO 2019

TECHNOGYM, the world leading producer of design and technologydriven fitness smart connected equipment and the official equipment provider of the past seven Olympic Games, announced new engaging training experiences and products at FIBO 2019.

Innovative equipment, revolutionary digital innovation and immersive training experiences set the stage for the new Club 4.0 concept developed by Technogym.

Club 4.0, enables operators to innovate their business model by offering different experiences to different people based on their personal goals and passion within the one location.

The layout and design of the IHRSA Technogym booth was inspired by the new Club 4.0 concept.

Visitors were immersed in different areas offering complete training programs and formats across diverse sport experiences catering to different end users and communities.

Using specific APPs, trainers can easily and seamlessly set up fun and motivating classes and manage all aspects of a workout, from scheduling classes to music selection.

Trainers can also choose specific training sessions from the library and pre-set parameters for participants to follow.

The Club 4.0 training formats offers: n Skillrun class and Bootcamp. n Skillrow class. n Skillathletic class. n Skillbike class. n Skillmill (HIIT) class. n Biocircuit class.

Club 4.0 leverages the Mywellness digital platform and the Technogym Ecosystem that connects all Technogym products and programs.

This means users can collect and access all their personal data in the same profile via a mobile

app, whether they are working out during a class, on their own or on Technogym equipment in the facility, as well as outdoors.

Biocircuit is the new circuit training solution and method offering a personalised workout to help users to achieve their goals in a short amount of time.

This guided program delivers an engaging experience that requires no adjustments or wait time, since exercises, workload, work/rest ratio and pace have been defined and integrated into personalised programs.

Biocircuit offers quick and effective training that is always ready when the user is and includes everything users need for the best muscle activation.

Moreover, the Biodrive patent, Biocircuit is the first training line offering a personalised workout in a safe, guided and effective way.

Based on revolutionary aerospace

technology, Biodrive is a motor controller that delivers a tailored workout to help users to achieve the best results in a short amount of time.

Biodrive is the only system on the market connected with the native software of the circuit; it requires only one login and is totally customisable to the users’ needs.

Skillrun – the first treadmill to combine cardio and power training in a single solution designed to meet the training requirements of both elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Due to MULTIDRIVE TECHNOLOGY (patent pending), Skillrun offers both cardio training and resistance workouts to enhance power.

The interactive Unity console allows users to access a completely customised workout experience, engaging and motivating them through digital content, personalised training programs and data tracking.

Skillrun offers the opportunity to organise engaging classes by simply selecting an existing profile from the library and monitoring each member’s performance data and compliance to class profile.

In addition, for the most adventurous users, operators can plan a Skillrun Bootcamp, a dynamic format that combines cardio and power training and other advanced features to enable the class to enjoy high intensity workouts that also optimise heart rate training with a wide variety of sled and parachute exercises, sprints, and acceleration and gradient changes.

Skillrow offers the opportunity to create an immersive rowing class experience that offers participants the possibility to row either against each other or together in total synchronisation like an actual crew, following the set pace and monitoring biometrics on a large screen for a

truly immersive experience.

Members of high-energy fitness clubs can also experience engaging performance-oriented classes on Skillmill – the only non-motorised treadmill developed by Technogym for athletic performance training.

Club operators can create high intensity workouts (HIIT) on Skillmill offering participants a completely new way to accomplish professional sport training in a motivating environment that will turn members into peak performers.

Skillbike is the revolutionary stationary bike designed by Technogym that enables cyclists, triathletes and cycling enthusiasts to live the emotion and challenge of outdoor experiences in an indoor environment.

Within fitness clubs, Skillbike is also ideal for small group training sessions on the gym floor or in a studio environment.

With Skillbike trainers can offer two different yet equally engaging class experiences: Race and Performance.

The Skillbike professional app allows trainers to prepare the class in advance and enables seamless class management.

Skillathletic Training is the new training experience developed by Technogym after its long-standing experience as Official Supplier to the last seven Olympic Games.

The format – developed by Technogym’s scientific researchers with the help of top coaches and sports trainers – aims at improving athletic performance and offers a wide range of workouts based on the four Skillathletic Training key abilities – POWER, AGILITY, SPEED, STAMINA – that can be performed at different levels of difficulty allowing people with varied levels of physical preparation to participate in the same training class.

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

36

Advertiser’s announcement

Evolve and innovate to stay at the forefront of fitness AS Physical Company celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, managing director John Halls extends his thanks to supplier partners and clients who have supported the company over the years.

He also reflects on how the evolution of the company has kept it at the forefront of fitness trends, helping gym owners and studio operators in their quest to deliver innovative, engaging workout spaces.

“We have come a long way in 30 years. We started as a small family business and have grown into one of the leading equipment providers in the UK,” John said.

“We couldn’t have done this without the full support of our growing, global supplier network.

“Through an extended partnership with Merrithew™, global leader in mind-body equipment, we have bolstered our offer to include a range of Pilates reformers.

“Add this to our comprehensive selection of studio accessories and we now have a complete mind body solution.

John Halls

“We have also been appointed exclusive UK distribution partner for Reaxing, the first company in the world to develop a training methodology and product range that utilises unpredictability and water-based loaded movement training.

“This boosts training performance and forces neuromuscular reactions to respond to changeable situations and movement.

“Strengthening our flooring offer, we have a partnership with the Beaulieu International Group to distribute its market leading Turfgrass flooring solutions exclusively to the UK fitness sector.

“Add this to our existing relationship with Ecore and we are supplying some of the highest quality flooring solutions at extremely competitive prices.”

We listen to our clients’ needs then work in partnership to change concepts into reality, providing an end to end solution, from concept planning through to completion, creating inspiring spaces that encourage usage.

In the last 12 months we have delivered some incredible spaces; from the outdoor functional training space at Village Gym, Portsmouth to PilaYoga at The Marlow Club in Buckinghamshire.

Many of our clients have been working in partnership with us for many years and for this we want to give public thanks.

We operate in a highly competitive market and, whilst we trade on quality of service and product, we cannot rest on our laurels.

Our pledge to operators is that we will continue to innovate and explore the global market to ensure we provide the most on-trend products that drive engagement.

This year has also seen the launch of the new Physical App, nominated for an Innovation Award at Elevate 2019.

This product allows fingertip access to a huge array of engaging education content to help trainers deliver on-trend, inspiring workouts.

To cap it all, Physical Company has a new brand

look for 2019.

Taking on board feedback from customers we have tweaked the aesthetics of some of our core products such as kettlebells, dumbbell and Plyo boxes.

Our new logo already appears on many products and full integration will be completed over the coming months.

Physical Company exists to serve the need of our operator partners to constantly innovate and inspire.

We continually review our product portfolio and global supplier network to ensure we deliver the very latest innovations in a high quality, aesthetically pleasing format.

Our portfolio currently includes more than 1,900 products, from functional training consumables and rigs to Pilates reformers and custom products.

To find out more visit www.physicalcompany.co.uk

30 YEARS AND STILL EVOLVING PHYSICAL COMPANY WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CLIENTS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT. WITHOUT YOU WE WOULDN’T BE CELEBRATING OUR MOMENTOUS 30TH ANNIVERSARY.

THANK YOU TO ALL CLIENTS PAST AND PRESENT, INCLUDING...

P H Y S I C A L C O M PA N Y. C O . U K

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

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Advertiser’s announcement

The only two apps you need for club success ClubWise is leading the way when it comes to the complete integration of services for health and fitness clubs in the UK, by providing a harmonious ecosystem that seamlessly combines Billing, Club Management, and Access Control, along with Club facing and Member facing app solutions.

Recently, ClubWise extended their ecosystem further with the addition of in app Group Heart Rate and Body Composition Analysis, providing fully integrated, cost effective solutions for two of the most significant fitness trends in 2019.

This level of integration from ClubWise means both you and your members can enjoy a cohesive experience across all touch points, as well as the benefits and peace of mind that working with one provider brings.

At this year’s Elevate Show in May, ClubWise showcased their two hero app solutions, the FitSense Member App and ClubWise Mobile and with great success.

Since its launch in 2018, FitSense, our member facing app has been downloaded by 92k of our customers’ members and 47k are actively using FitSense to support their fitness journey.

The FitSense Member App improves the member experience by providing a fast check in solution using secure QR code, an easy way to book classes, a comprehensive workout planner and an immersive community

building social tool.

The app can be branded to your club for a personalised and seamless member experience.

“The FitSense App works perfectly!

Have been using the app since Jan 2018 and it works flawlessly, great features and overall great app” App review posted on the App Store by a Club Member FitSense also includes an integrated

member loyalty programme – FitSense Rewards, allowing your members to earn points for in club activity, which can be exchanged for exciting rewards.

This feature helps to drive member engagement by keeping members on track and motivated.

ClubWise has further enhanced FitSense by integrating a Group Heart Rate Training solution.

FitSense Group Heart Rate helps

to keep your members motivated by providing visible and accurate tracking of effort levels, utilising heart rate monitoring technology.

In addition, ClubWise developed a Body Composition Analysis product, allowing your members to measure, record and track their body composition in FitSense, using a highly accurate set of Bluetooth Tanita scales.

These integrated app-based solutions enable you to remain competitive with a diverse service offering, improving member acquisition and retention.

The second app that generated a lot of excitement was ClubWise Mobile.

ClubWise Mobile has been designed specifically for you and your staff and includes many of the great features of the ClubWise system, allowing your team to perform member management tasks on the gym floor using a tablet or smartphone.

This makes your staff visible to members and able to interact more freely, providing the flexibility required to service members more effectively.

ClubWise Mobile also provides insights on your club performance on the go through the dashboard feature.

The dashboard displays all your key KPIs for full visibility at any time.

For more information on the fully integrated ClubWise solution, book a demo today by calling 01844 348300 or email sales@clubwise.com or visit www.clubwise.com

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

Dyaco welcome attendees to sponsored lounge area THE Dyaco UK team welcome attendees to their sponsored lounge area at Elevate, offering the opportunity for an informal talk about the brand portfolio, products, services and solutions that this global commercial and medical equipment manufacturer can offer.

Dyaco also displayed two of the recently launched Johnny G Spirit Bikes – a premium indoor cycling offering, created in partnership with fitness innovator Johnny G who introduced the indoor cycling concept to the market.

UK sales director Andy Loughray said: “We decided to take a disruptive approach, concentrating on engaging with our customers and this year’s attendees.

“Our consultative approach requires

us to talk to our customers and work with them to establish their challenges and requirements.

“Not pushing them to specific equipment or trends. It’s those discussions where we base our options and where we can present products that we believe will best suit the customers’ needs.

“Having a lounge area at Elevate gave us the opportunity to talk to attendees in a relaxed environment without the perception that we might try a hard sell.”

Dyaco is inviting operators to visit the new office in Milton Keynes where the team can demonstrate new products and innovations.

The new office will also act as a central hub for the EMEA commercial and medical operations.

Advertiser’s announcement

Member retention tool utilises AI to maximise industry revenues FOLLOWING 18 months of research and development, UK based ‘Keepme’ has announced the launch of a unique AI tool, designed specifically to revolutionise member retention for the health and fitness industry.

Aptly named ‘Keepme’, it will provide gyms and health clubs with a conceptually refreshing and intelligently driven approach to proven member retention.

The ‘Keepme’ tool will see a broad spectrum of gyms, health and fitness clubs drastically change their approach to keeping valuable memberships.

Through automated AI driven analytics, which use individual member data to identify patterns conducive with membership exits, the tool will allow client users to re-engage with customers and significantly increase retention through the integrated communication suite.

In 2018 health and fitness industry body IHRSA published figures to show that the market is now worth £68billion.

With member subscriptions generating more than 80 per cent of this revenue (and annual member retention at less than 60 per cent), it

is clear that retention strategies are crucial to maintaining the lifeblood of fitness businesses and ensuring their continued success.

The unique ‘Keepme’ tool works by analysing individual member data to apply an algorithm score that is associated with a risk of leaving.

Having proven accuracy of more than 85 per cent, the tool is designed to provide clients with in-depth and actionable insights, enabling fast and effective engagement to avoid losing the customer.

Founder Ian Mullane has spent more than two decades developing enterprise business applications and has significant experience in the health and fitness sector.

He said: “We identified that membership retention is a primary factor in the continuing financial viability of a fitness business.

“It’s also one of the most resource intensive and time consuming to manage on a daily basis.

“That’s why we’ve designed the ‘Keepme’ tool – to revolutionise the approach to keeping customers and maximising revenue streams effectively.”

For further information visit the official www.keepme.ai

39

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

40

Advertiser’s announcement

With custom branding, landing pages like this one will generate new leads through your clubs social media pages and website.

New programme guaranteed to boost your club’s performance SCRAPS of paper, excel spreadsheets and outdated CRM systems – just some of the unsuitable ways that gyms and health clubs organise their leads and potential new members.

We know it’s something that you hear day in day out, but this programme will take your gyms performance to the next level by simply improving two crucial factors to your success; the way you produce new leads, and how you nurture customers before, during and after their journey to becoming a member…

As one of the leading Direct Debit collection and software companies for independent gyms and health clubs, Ashbourne Membership Management are constantly developing in order to provide a better service for our customers.

As such, clubs that use Ashbourne for their software and payment collections can now access an advanced lead and prospect management system powered by the worlds biggest CRM system, Salesforce.

Fully integrated, the system is a tool guaranteed to increase lead traffic, member acquisition numbers and dramatically improve retention within your club.

The Ashbourne Lead and Prospect Management System consists of two main features: 1. Lead Production Module 2. Prospect Management Module The modules have been developed to work in conjunction with each

Ashbourne sales director Grant Harrison. other in allowing clubs to increase their membership sales by creating a steady stream of fresh leads alongside a means of organising them.

The theory being, that by enhancing the members joining experience with regular, structured communication they will be more engaged with your club when they eventually join.

Lead Production The lead production module sees custom landing pages created for

your gym.

These pages may feature special offers such as free day passes or reduced rate memberships, and will work to capture the members data when they click through your link.

As potential customers submit their data, high quality leads will fall into your own Salesforce CRM system.

Here, your customer relations team can nurture, engage and manage your clubs prospects – ensuring they are given the appropriate attention to turn them into committed members!

Whilst developing this new module, Ashbourne have worked alongside club owners listening to the different challenges they face with not only lead generation but employing new systems in their business strategies.

Sales director Grant Harrison said: “The tools used in our lead generation module mean gyms can seamlessly integrate it into their marketing efforts, whether that be across social media marketing or linking it into an email marketing campaign, it fits in to any digital campaign”.

With custom branding, landing pages like this one will generate new leads through your clubs social media pages and website.

Prospect Management When a lead is then created where so many clubs fall short is by not having a system in place to follow up each prospect.

The gym customer journey is something that varies from person

to person, some people are ready to join immediately whereas some want a tour before and need a bit of nurturing.

Using features from Salesforce, Ashbourne has developed a system that allows club owners to make every member journey completely customised.

Alongside this, our system allows club managers to assign prospects to different members of staff.

Customising member journeys and assigning members of staff to individuals ensures they do not become disengaged and allows a ‘personal’ relationship to be built with each of your prospects, making them feel more comfortable with the member of staff and comfortable inside the club.

Once the customer has become a member, retention is the goal. The member’s journey should not stop when they join the club.

Making their experience as good as possible whilst they are a member will have positive knock on effects to your club.

It will not only increase their loyalty but make them more likely to tell their friends and family about how great your club is in comparison to all your competition.

It’s like free marketing, something that can only be a good thing!

For more information on using Ashbourne for your club’s payment collections, software and accessing the online digital marketing platform call 01564 741837 or visit www.ashbourne-memberships.com

ELEVATE/FIBO REVIEW

42

Advertiser’s announcement

Eleiko launch limited company in the UK to better serve customers

FOLLOWING two years of working directly in the UK and Ireland, Eleiko is now established as a limited company, Eleiko Sport Ltd. Since going direct in the UK in 2016, Eleiko have worked with, and built strong partnerships with, some of the top fitness facilities including Gymbox, WIT Training, Third Space and Anytime Fitness.

Not only is their emphasis and investment in the UK growing, the team will be growing as well, giving gym chains and independents the opportunity to discuss their plans with a local Eleiko colleague.

The team boasts a wealth of experience in gym design, installation and customer service, allowing Eleiko Sport Ltd. to provide support to facility owners throughout.

“We wanted to be able to better serve our customers in this region and are committed to delivering the best possible solutions and value,” said managing director Dale Beech.

“By establishing the limited company, our customers will now be able to take advantage of their equipment investment going further, while being supported by an expanding local team.”

The company’s experience lies on a 60-year heritage in strength and per-

formance.

Eleiko, a Swedish company based in Halmstad, used to manufacture waffle irons when in 1957, an idea forever changed the company’s trajectory.

Eleiko’s factory supervisor Mr Hellström, an avid weightlifter, frustrated with barbells constantly bending and breaking approached Mrs Johansson, Eleiko’s managing director, with an inspired idea – build a better barbell.

The first barbell was crafted from a specially formulated hardened steel with a waffle pattern knurling and went on to change Eleiko and the sport of weightlifting.

The Eleiko waffle pattern then became the essential knurl on all barbells and is still used to this day.

60 years later, the Swedish brand remain the industry innovators, who constantly strive for improvement.

New products out in 2019 alone include the EVO dumbbell; an antiroll dumbbell with rotating handles and Eleiko knurling, and the Seal Row; a solid and stable row bench that’s easy to adjust and manoeuvre.

Another innovation from Eleiko this year is the Öppen Deadlift Bar; a counterbalanced bar that’s not just for deadlifts.

The bar’s open design allows for

a multitude of lifts, such as walking lunges, presses, rows.

The bar also tilts smoothly from the upright loading position, to the horizonal lifting set up, thanks to an inbuilt jack, making it an ease to load and unload the bar with discs.

This bar has become a sought-out piece of equipment for many sports clubs, PT studios and general gym and fitness facilities.

WE11, a boutique shared PT space in London, have recently introduced this bar to their site, much to their clients’ delight.

“My experience with the Öppen Deadlift bar only confirms Eleiko’s best in class reputation. A few simple modifications to a standard trap bar, executed with world class engineering, allows professionals to use the bar for many exercises, with ease. Small touches go a long way.”

Tiago Ribeiro, personal trainer at WE11, owner of Common Purpose.

Eleiko’s drive to always do more, has attracted independent gyms and fitness chains alike.

Many UK facilities have begun their working partnership with Eleiko Sport Ltd and made the most of having a team based here in the UK. Starks Fitness, a small group training and PT business in Bristol, chose

to partner with Eleiko on their second facility.

The team assisted from the off, helping with floor plans, equipment design and installation schedule.

The site at Temple Quay boasts two bespoke rigs and branded platforms, customised discs, bars, kettlebells and more.

“The partnership between Starks Fitness and Eleiko has been nothing but a positive one. The Eleiko team was with us every step of the way, from the gym floor design phase, to installation. We look forward to continuing the relationship, with scope to open more facilities and hold a number of their well-respected educational courses here. The equipment standard is far superior, and the service has been nothing but excellent.”

James Stark, Starks Fitness.

Now, a year on and Starks’ business is booming, with corporate companies signing up for regular team workouts, TV professionals having 1:1 sessions and professional rugby players making the most of the hard-wearing equipment.

If you are looking to update your facility, would like to provide clients with innovative training tools, or want to know more, you can get in touch with the Eleiko team by emailing uk@eleiko.com

ELEIKO’S PATENT PENDING ÖPPEN DEADLIFT BAR: MORE THAN JUST A DEADLIFT BAR. The open design allows for carries, rows, lunges to name a few. A unique loading system provides ample clearance between the sleeves and the platform, for unencumbered loading and unloading of discs. The counterbalanced bar moves easily between the upright storage and the horizontal lifting position; load, tilt, lift. Durable rubber feet for storage and platform protection, comfortably knurled handles and chromed sleeves are signature Eleiko distinctive details that set this bar apart.

“The Öppen Deadlift bar confirms Eleiko’s ‘best in class’ reputation” Tiago Ribeiro, Personal Trainer at WE11 For more details on this bar, or to discuss introducing one into your training, please contact uk@eleiko.com or call 02033 704204

eleiko

eleiko_uk

44

ELITE PERFORMANCE

The trend that’s transforming athletes into champions ...

By Simon Heap

“The mental is more important than the physical. You know, that voice in your head telling you to give up if it gets tough. That’s my main opponent – making sure that if your body wants to stop, your mind won’t let you.”

THOSE are the words of world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua - and they chime with my own thoughts.

All elite athletes are physically fit, it’s simply part of the job description – but how do you make sure you’re that bit more qualified than your opponent?

Simon Heap

Increasingly, elite athletes are looking for marginal gains in their training equipment and fitness routines, those extra little tweaks that will put them one step ahead of the competition.

Some recent innovations amongst the elites have included red light therapy to relieve joint pain, elevation masks that create a hypoxic environment for high altitude training simulation and cryotherapy chambers at -200˚C to improve blood flow, speed up recovery and reduce inflammation in tissues of the muscles.

Lots of these ‘quirky’ training concepts are starting to become the norm, but they’re all about improving the physical. In the latest training trend, more and more high profile athletes like Joshua, world tennis number one Novak Djokovic and pro Formula E racer Nelson Piquet Jr, are focusing on training brain as well as brawn in a bid to outstep the competition.

They’ve incorporated the Pro-X Elite into their routines. A creation of UK-based Rugged Interactive, the interactive fitness equipment has been specifically designed for HIIT training, delivering cognitive and reaction training to develop balance, stamina and speed – but it has another trick up its sleeve.

It’s based on a ‘gamification’ element, which keeps users totally

World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua. focused and in the moment.

It uses a series of light pads that users need to hit as they illuminate, challenging their agility, flexibility, focus, coordination, balance, response time and peripheral vision.

Designed for functional fitness that combines serious workouts with high-intensity gameplay, the Pro-X Elite naturally taps into that competitive psyche and motivates users to go harder, faster and more mindfully to beat their previous scores and come out on top. It’s

addictive - but in a great way.

The Pro-X Elite is taking training to the next level and pushing athletes to their limits, both physically and mentally.

With FitMakr Pro software to measure, track and analyse performance, as well as the technology to maintain 100 per cent focus, this is one fitness trend that’s transforming athletes into champions. n Simon Heap is the founder of Rugged Interactive.

Advertiser’s announcement

Wattbike: Powering elite sport teams to success THE Wattbike is the go-to indoor training tool for athletes across the globe.

Today, Wattbikes can be found in more than 50 professional football clubs in the UK including every single Premier League team, and in many top clubs globally such as Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are also avid Wattbike users, and there is no doubt that they will be preparing with complementary training on their Wattbike Pro and Trainers.

Wattbikes have also become an essential piece of kit at Sheffield

United, who recently gained promotion to the Premier League.

The team use specific programmes for every player based on their fitness test results.

This testing provides hundreds of data points to the coaches and allows for measurable and repeatable training for the players.

The Wattbikes are also favoured for off-feet conditioning sessions.

Lee McMahon, head of sport science at Sheffield United, said: “In football, we experience a high level of exercise stress in matches and training drills.

“Off-feet conditioning with the Wattbike gives us the opportunity to

use continuous training, particularly in non-specific drills, while reducing the external impact stress on joints and muscles.”

The Wattbike Performance Monitor, together with the Wattbike Hub app, provides accurate measurements of over 40 parameters. Combined with a fully customisable ride setup and Real Ride Feel, it provides the user with a highly effective and efficient powerbased training solution.

Lee added: “We believe in collecting as much information about each player as possible.

“These parameters allow us to adopt an evidence based approach

to each player in which we can make measured decisions on how to condition each player for any given outcome.”

Wattbike is the go-to indoor trainer for football, rugby and cricket teams around the world because it can do it all. From testing, training, rehabilitation, and injury prevention, to an overall improvement of the different energy systems.

Resulting in the most important results elite sports teams strive for; improving performance, scoring more points and winning titles.

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TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT SPONSORED BY

BTN Academy and Active IQ launch first Level 4 Certificate in Nutrition Coaching ACTIVE IQ has worked closely with fitness professional Ben Coomber and his company,the BTN Academy to create the industry’s first Level 4 Certificate in Nutrition Coaching.

The BTN Academy has operated for a number of years as an independent education provider.

During this time they have offered evidence based nutrition courses to fitness professionals and the general public, but they have now sought official recognition to confirm their status as a regulated Level 4 qualification, and in so doing work to increase the standards of the health and fitness industry as a whole.

The course is aimed at current or soon-to-be fitness professionals looking to enhance their skillset by offering nutrition coaching to clients.

The qualification provides learners with the knowledge and understanding necessary to help clients improve their nutritional

habits through personalised coaching, meaning that they will learn how to provide individualised, non-prescriptive and evidence-based advice to those with whom they work.

“Nutrition can be such a grey area for many fitness professionals,” said James Clack, business development manager for Active IQ. “This new qualification will give PTs and fitness professionals the right coaching skills, enabling them to support their clients and deliver sound nutritional advice with absolute confidence.”

Before enrolling on this new Level 4 qualification, it’s recommended that learners have a basic level of nutritional knowledge in the form of an accredited qualification such as the Active IQ Level 3 Award in Nutrition for Exercise and Health, the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training or non-accredited training such as the BTN Foundation

Academy.

The qualification is delivered online, and is available worldwide in any time zone.

“We really believe that proper nutrition coaching can change lives, and we want our learners to be in the absolute best position to accomplish that; that means we need to look not only at the science of nutrition, but at the art of its application in the real world,” added Ben Coomber, founder of BTN Academy.

“As such, we teach from a diverse range of disciplines including biology, psychology and the social sciences.

“It’s our aim to be a force for good in the fitness industry, arming fitness professionals with the skills they need to work ethically, effectively, and with integrity.

“We’re extremely pleased to be the first course provider to work with Active IQ to bring this kind of education to the table.”

Ben Coomber

Institute of Swimming launch training academy to solve teacher shortage THE Institute of Swimming has launched a new Swimming Teacher Recruitment Academy in a bid to solve a nationwide demand for teachers.

The Academy, which follows successful pilots with Everyone Active, Trafford Leisure and 1Life, will give those starting a career as a swimming teacher – or those looking for a change of profession – the chance to receive training of the highest level at a fraction of the usual cost, while being matched with a potential employer.

Rebecca Cox, managing director, Institute of Swimming, said: “There is a shortage of new and available swimming teachers trained to deliver the Swim England learn to swim framework across the country, which means people are missing out on swimming lessons.

“It was critical for us to address this issue.

Through our research we found the cost of the courses was one of the barriers in getting people interested and committing to the training.

“Teaching swimming is a very rewarding job with flexible hours, but the cost of qualifying can hold people back. We want this opportunity to be available to everyone.

“Feedback from our pilots have proven the reduced cost of studying broadened the catchment of people who might otherwise have not considered training to become a swimming teacher.”

The Teachers’ Academy gives people the chance to become a swimming teacher for only £79, compared to the usual £1,000, and takes them through the Swim England Level 1 Swimming Assistant (teaching) Course and Level 2 Teaching Swimming Qualification.

The Teachers’ Academy is a one stop shop for employers to source and recruit swimming teachers of the future.

The trainee teachers will work with potential future employers to gain practical experience and valuable advice from mentors, ensuring they have the necessary experience for the role.

The Institute of Swimming will manage the search and recruitment of trainee teachers while supporting them through their training on behalf of employers, ensuring leisure operators receive teachers who are trained to the highest level.

The new Teachers’ Academy follows an extensive Workforce Census by The Institute of Swimming in 2017, which discovered around 400,000 people in the United Kingdom are currently missing out on swimming lessons, with 23 per cent of primary school children unable to swim. Leisure operators often have long waiting lists for lessons and a key factor to these failings is the nationwide shortage of qualified swimming teachers.

The Institute of Swimming is looking for further leisure operator partners to join the Teachers’ Academy.

TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT SPONSORED BY Advancements in workplace technology are changing the way businesses approach health and safety, but in the world of personal training, “you still can’t beat the basics” when educating the next generation of professionals, says Darren Doak, personal trainer and national field manager for The Training Room.

Educating the next generation of PTs to be health and safety champions FOR many, the very mention of health and safety is enough to send them to sleep, but – whether we like it or not – it forms an integral part of many roles, not least, personal training.

“H&S is a big part of being a PT; you have to think about the H&S of your clients at all times and a good understanding of H&S is massively important for all PTs,” said Darren.

A recent study by personal injury solicitors, Hayward Baker, found that almost half of Brits have suffered injuries while hitting it hard in the gym, with more than one in 10 seeking medical advice for an exercise-related problem. This point simply stresses why PTs must be able to recognise potential hazards when training their clients.

When educating the next generation of PTs, Darren explains TTR focuses on three core principles – environment, diligence and people – which go hand-in-hand to ensure the highest standards of H&S can be met.

“Too often, H&S is overcomplicated,” added Darren.

“These three core principles, as simple as they sound, allow PTs

to take a common sense approach to H&S – ensuring that everything’s considered, and no stone’s left unturned, to create and maintain safe training Darren Doak spaces.”

Paramount to Darren’s principles is “respecting your environment” – which can be as simple as ensuring that weights are returned to their racks to keep the workout space clear and free of obstacles.

Darren also explained that PTs need to be aware and considerate of “all people” in a training area – not just themselves and their clients, as he explains.

“Most people think being H&S conscious is simply a case of keeping your clients safe by focusing on what they’re doing. However, if you’re not paying attention, and not being

diligent of the other people and activities going on around you, then this becomes much harder to achieve.

“It should be remembered that people pose just as many H&S risks as equipment, so people – in the widest sense – should always be at the forefront of a PT’s mind when delivering sessions.”

Alongside these more ‘traditional’ principles, which have stood the test of time, Darren also recognises the importance of embracing new methods of H&S training that are going to make future generations of PTs more effective in their roles.

This includes the ‘spot the hazard’ perception test which forms part of TTR’s updated syllabus – a concept taken from the driving theory test as a way to measure a person’s ability to identify potential risks.

What’s clear is that, while new technology will, of course, play a part in how all industries approach and manage H&S moving forward, the failure to take it seriously and complete the basic tasks, including regular risk assessments and injury report forms, can have devastating effects for a PT’s career – leading to

ATTENTION ALL FITNESS, SWIM, YOUTH LEADERS + GOLF PROS + MANAGERS!

injured clients, a damaged reputation, and loss of clients and earnings.

However, when embraced, people will recognise the importance a good PT places on H&S, which can help to build a strong profile and impressive client base.

“What I always say to our students is, you’re not going to get any repeat clients if you’re continually injuring people because you’re not paying attention to your environment, so that’s why H&S is a vital aspect of becoming a successful PT,” Darren concluded.

To become a PT, there are a number of courses you can take. At TTR, ‘health, safety and wellness in a fitness environment’ is covered in detail within its Level 3 Diploma in Gym Instructing and Personal Training. Additional Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses are also available, such as First Aid – an essential element of good H&S practice.

By educating yourself further with CPDs, Darren says this shows true regard for your clientele and the people around you – the mark of a H&S champion.

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PRODUCT NEWS

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ServiceSport provides Armed Forces with latest equipment Matrix impress with new innovations at Elevate MATRIX demonstrated a number of new innovations at Elevate this year including their Matrix Glute Trainer, on which advanced biomechanics maximises the activation of the glutes and the hamstrings, mimicking barhip thrusting without the difficulty and discomfort of free weights.

With comfortable user positioning and efficient machine layout, without the hassle of unwieldy free weights, the Matrix Glute Trainer promotes easy entry and exit.

An adjustable, floating hip pad fits all users and creates a comfortable feel while a large, angled foot platform with non-slip surface offers excellent stability to better engage glutes.

Also being showcased were two products taking HIIT training to a new level; the Matrix S-Force and S-Drive Performance Trainers and the new Target Training Cycles.

The S-Force moves users through a

defined path that fits their individual stride, with resistance automatically increasing the harder they work.

The Target Training Cycles – which includes the CXC, CXM and CXP Target Training Cycle will appeal to cycling enthusiasts and club members looking for a unique group exercise experience.

Intuitive touchscreen Target Training Display offers engaging graphics and an LED colour wrap the helps instructors and riders gauge intensity.

Matt Pengelly, managing director of Johnson Health Tech UK, said: “This year has already been pivotal for Matrix, with numerous new product launches and innovations.

In particular, our new Glute Trainer proved very popular, and outperforms all others on the market, providing a smarter, more stable way to build Glute power and tone.”

To find out more visit https://uk.matrixfitness.com/en/

ServiceSport work with the Armed Forces providing them with the latest fitness equipment and service support at sites across the world.

Their staff see the amazing work carried out by the military’s physical training Instructors and that’s why they will be recognising their efforts at the 10th annual National Fitness Awards later this year.

The Chorley-based firm is sponsoring an exciting new category at the event – the Armed Forces Physical Training Instructor of the Year.

Peak physical fitness is a must for members of our Armed Forces and as such the men and women who work as physical training instructors

have to be at the top of their game – encouraging, challenging and supporting servicemen and women in their charge.

They play a huge part in making our military services a force to be reckoned with, moulding personnel for us all to be proud of.

It is sure to be a keenly contested category, so make sure your nomination gives as much information about their career and achievements to date and what makes them stand-out in an area brimming with talent and dedication.

To nominate visit https://www. nationalfitnessawards.co.uk/nominations To find out more about ServiceSport visit https://www.servicesport.co.uk/

What we can learn from other industries

By Dave Wright

IF YOU want to improve your business by 10 per cent then you follow the best in your industry, but if you want to improve your business by 110 per cent, then you follow the best in another industry.

And this is no truer than the health and fitness industry, because let’s face it, we have only been an industry for a little over 50 years, whereas the history of hotels is intimately connected to that of civilisations – ie being a part of that history. So it’s safe to say that there is a lot to learn. Here are some key findings: Both hotels and gyms serve customers. Some regular and many not- but they are served with respect and politeness at all times.

For both industries, effectively a customer is in the premises for a period of time – whether renting a room or renting a treadmill, there is every opportunity during that period to connect and engage at every single human interaction.

In neither hotels nor in health clubs is uncleanliness acceptable and

Dave Wright although someone might not say it, they will definitely speak with their feet by not returning.

Customer dis-respect is also unacceptable in both hotels and gyms. Irrespective of one’s day, they realise that they are there to serve and perform for their customers.

The transaction does not end with

the room booking but in upgradable amenities such as soaps, meals and drinks.

Adding to the overall bottom line of profit but also solving a problem and fulfilling a need for the customer without them having to travel to purchase elsewhere.

At the core of hotels mind is to be looking for opportunities to impress and strive for loyalty/ repeat business.

Hotels are heading down the high-tech route, from card less transactions, apps to allow access to rooms and the ability to go paperless.

There are different types of hotels that survive, albeit expensive luxury, cheap budget and mid-market. The price is a reflection of the value that you get and the wear and tear on that facility.

During the ‘customers time’ at the facility, there are a lot of opportunities for an employee to mess up the customers journey, causing a negative experience and losing the customer for good. Hence why their staff are aligned and their service consistently great.

Filtered with competitors, the

marketing has to be constant and efficient to cut through the noise.

Hotels also have to fight with aggregators who are driving the price down and extracting money from the service providers.

The final point is that irrespective of pay, from cleaners, to receptionists, to duty managers, the hotel industry value customer service at its highest regard.

Irrespective of their qualifications, their experience or their knowledge, they treat all customers with respect and are their to serve.

Something that the fitness industry can definitely learn from. n Dave Wright is the creator and CEO of MYZONE®, CEO and owner of CFM (Creative Fitness Marketing) and owner of the Feelgood Fitness & Voyage Fitness Club Chains. With offices in Chicago (US), Nottingham (UK) and Melbourne (Oz), Dave’s companies have worked directly with over 5,000 health clubs across 65 different countries, encouraging people to be more and stay more physically active. He may be contacted on Dave@myzone.org

PRODUCT NEWS

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Full service billing in the Netherlands HENK Sariman and his partner Mirjam have been involved with Anytime Fitness since 2014.

Mirjam opened a club in Axel, and in May 2016, during the annual Anytime Fitness Benelux conference, Henk made the decision to open his own franchise in Stekene, Belgium.

He also opened a second Anytime Fitness franchise in last June in Sint Gillis Waas, Belgium.

As the UK’s leading supplier of revenue management services to the health and fitness market, Harlands already provided Anytime Fitness with a simple direct debit management solution.

An experienced businessman, Henk was delighted when Harlands began to deliver its full service to Europe.

“It is crucial to us that our members pay on time, every time,” he said.

“The main functions for our clubs is ensuring the revenue is coming in, but there is a lot of administration involved in doing this.

“The process for this needs to be disciplined and it is important that our members understand this.”

The Harlands full-service model not only collects the monthly payments for membership, it also offers a robust and proven process for ensuring the successful collection of defaulted payments and arrears.

Club staff can refer members with any queries directly to Harlands, and members can telephone in to the Dutch-speaking service centre to resolve payments and queries.

Henk Sariman This allows club staff to focus on the customer service improving the member experience.

This year Harlands will also introduce online payments and account management via Payflex.

“We’ve definitely seen a reduction in administration and more members are paying arrears,” Henk added.

“The team at Harlands is always on hand and so helpful. We are looking forward to the developments that are coming down the line that will not only improve the service to our members but generate additional income from online payments.”

Harlands will be launching its online account management platform Payflex to Europe in 2019.

Bullet & Bone steps up its offering ...

BULLET & Bone has taken the fitness industry by storm with its inaugural range which will now be distributed from an eye-catching merchandising unit that has been constructed to promote the brand at point of sale, as well as educate fitness and sports fans on the range’s unique attributes.

The merchandising ‘kit’ comprises a full colour presentation unit, brochures, information leaflets and posters.

The package is smart, slick and effective, epitomising the Bullet & Bone brand and signalling its intention to strike up partnerships with retail outlets up and down the country.

The commercial opportunity that these units offer is hard to ignore and with new products due to be released this summer, there’s never been a better time to stock Bullet & Bone.

The products have been endorsed by renowned sports scientist and former Olympian, Professor Greg Whyte OBE. He is well-known for getting celebrities up to muster for Comic Relief challenges and recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with

the likes of Dan Walker, Ed Balls and Alexander Armstrong in aid of the charity.

Greg validates the fact that topically applied lotions can sometimes be more effective in enhancing performance and recovery than oral supplements.

Bullet & Bone use natural ingredients to improve preparation, endurance, focus and recovery, and ensure the all-important marginal gains are reached during exercise.

The ‘power trio’ of maca extract, magnesium and jasmineare the base formulation for all four products and their combination is unique to Bullet & Bone, making it a world first.

The three ingredients are proven to aid endurance, concentration and recovery. The range features a Muscle Activating Rub, a Protective Moisturising Spray, a Vapour Release Balm and a Cooling Recovery Body Wash.

Co-founder and MD, Ian Murphy, said: “the response has been amazing so far, which is why we’re already investing in further NPD.” Further information can be found at www.bulletandbone.com

Key findings from Report Rig offers perfect solution FOR operators wanting to provide more exercise variety for their members but find that available space is at a premium, the Spartan Studio Rig is proving to be the perfect solution.

This aesthetically pleasing functional rig (that comes with all attachments included) will allow a multitude of exercises to be performed in either an individual or small group training environment.

The Spartan Studio Rig provides challenging and diverse workout options for exercisers of all abilities through the progression and regression of exercise.

The Spartan Studio Rig promotes seven of the American College of Sports Medicine 2019 top 10 fitness

trends – group training, HIIT, fitness programmes for older adults, bodyweight training,personal training and functional fitness training.

Simon Turner, facility manager at Bradford Metropolitan District Council, said: “We all know that group exercise is heavily linked to retention.

“Since installing our Spartan Rig, we have been able to interact with more members on the fitness suite floor that would perhaps not attend a studio class.

“We have also been able to create more diverse classes to cater for our wider demographic audience. All this has led to an unprecedented rise in retention and membership levels”, For more information call 01772 428434 or visit www.gymgear.co.uk

THE top 10 markets across the globe account for more than two out of three health club members and 71 per cent of total industry revenue.

While the US leads all markets in memberships and revenue at 62.5 million and US$32.3billion respectively, Germany was second in both metrics with 11.1 million members and US$6.3billion.

The UK was third in number of members and revenue at 9.9 billion and US$6.2billion, respectively.

Overall, roughly 64.3 million Europeans belonged to a health club or studio in 2018 as the industry generated an estimated $32.1billion in revenue at 63,955 facilities.

“A must-have resource on the health club industry, The IHRSA Global Report details performance indicators for 65 markets worldwide,” said Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive vice president of global products.

“Across the globe, the industry continues to help consumers lead

healthier lives as steady growth was recorded in key markets.

“The industry is on pace with IHRSA’s global initiative, announced last year, to reach 230 million health club members worldwide by 2030.”

Visit ihrsa.org/publications to access the new report.

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Investment in group exercise is key to getting the nation active EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, published its white paper at the Elevate conference.

‘Entitled Sweating Your Assets: The value of group exercise’, the white paper highlights the growth of this popular activity and demonstrates how it has moved inactive people into a regular physical activity habit.

Sweating Your Assets, the first white paper to be released by EMD UK, showcases the work group exercise has done in creating a healthier nation through exercise, but notes that the activity is widely undervalued as a gateway to activity, not just by the public but also by the fitness industry.

Group exercise, or group fitness classes as they are also known, are a familiar sight in gyms, leisure centres, studios, and village and community halls. Currently 4.86 million people take part every week and this number is growing rapidly with over one million more weekly participants since 2016.

With a range of classes to choose from, such as Pilates, dance fitness and boot camps, group exercise provides an accessible activity for those looking to start a regular exercise routine; one reason why it has featured heavily in Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign.

A large problem currently facing the UK is that of inactivity. The Chief Medical Officer’s physical activity guidelines state that adults should participate in 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise every week.

To be classed as inactive, a person is doing 30 minutes or less activity every week. In 2017, a study by the British Heart Foundation found that more than 20 million people in the UK were physically inactive.

With inactivity thought to be more deadly than smoking, more needs to be done to get people healthier.

Group exercise has been proven as a gateway to physical activity.

In fact, 29 per cent of current group exercise participants were inactive before starting in classes and 55 per cent of those had been inactive for three years or longer.

Aside from the physical health benefits, group exercise promotes a wealth of mental and social benefits.

There has been widespread coverage about the UK’s current loneliness epidemic and it’s not just the elderly who are prone to feelings of isolation or being alone.

Figures published in April 2018 from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed that more than five per cent of adults in England felt lonely “often” or “always” between 2016 and 2017 (that’s one in every 20 adults), with 16 per cent enduring feelings of loneliness sometimes, and 24 per cent occasionally.

Group exercise classes are more than just loud music, fast movements, and shouts of encouragement from an instructor at the front of a class. They also offer fantastic social inclusion opportunities, health benefits, and psychological support – all of which are imperative for combatting the feelings and consequences of loneliness.

The group setting really helps people develop a sense of community. Participants truly feel like they are a part of something by being surrounded by like-minded, encouraging people, many of whom will have similar ambitions and reasons for joining as their own.

Despite the merits of group exercise and the growing number of people participating, EMD UK argue more needs to be done to

promote the value of group exercise to wider society, and that health club operators have a key role to play.

Group exercise is often an afterthought in leisure centre membership promotions, where the marketing line “free classes included” frequently and instantly undervalues the activity.

Many leisure and fitness operators are under pressure to reduce costs and offer cheaper services. Cuts to local authority budgets, the rise of the budget gym chains and growing competition for leisure spend mean the fitness market place is as competitive as it’s ever been. However, group exercise can strengthen a gym’s membership retention.

A 2013 study by The Retention People found that people who attend group exercise classes are 26 per cent less likely to cancel their gym membership.

For this reason, and others outlined in Sweating Your Assets, health club operators and leisure providers must do more to promote the value of group exercise to their local communities to create healthier, more active people.

With the advent of social prescribing becoming more and more prevalent in order to lessen the burden on the NHS, leisure facilities can welcome more new customers through their doors. As an alternative solution for medical rehabilitation, these new participants have a genuine interest in attending the exercise classes on a regular basis.

Investment in group exercise and its workforce is key to promoting positive activity changes in society.

EMD UK, the national governing body behind the report, have identified that the group exercise workforce is also endemically

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undervalued.

Instructors are the second biggest influencer on group exercise attendance and the face of the activity. Despite their work in helping people to get active, many instructors have not had a pay rise in more than 10 years. Investing in instructor pay, continued professional development and understanding the value group exercise brings to their business all ways that health club operators can raise the profile of group exercise for the good of the nation.

Emma Forward, chief operating officer of EMD UK and author of the white paper, said: “As an activity, the benefits of group exercise are farreaching.

“It is not just the individual participants who profit from better physical health, but wider society; increased mental welfare, lower stress, the opportunity to meet new people, fewer sick days, a reason to leave the house – all of these culminate in a healthier, more active society who are less dependent on social care.

“As the national governing body for group exercise, we are calling on the public, local authorities, health club operators, the workforce and the industry to recognise the value of group exercise.

“With one million more people participating since 2016, many more inactive people will convert to a regular physical activity habit. With a whole-system approach, we can achieve a healthier nation through exercise and Sweating Your Assets marks the start of this challenge for EMD UK.” The white paper is now available to download from www.emduk.org/sweatingyour-assets. For more information on EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, visit www.emduk.org

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