Workout October 2019 by Script Media

October 2019

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Facilities celebrate reaching shortlist

Kids are behind their parents in the fitness race A WORRYING number of British children are less active than their parents, new research has revealed. A survey of more than 7,600 UK adults published in the Decathlon Activity Index 2019 shows that kids are the least active family members when it comes to monthly exercise levels. When describing their families’ monthly activity levels, almost two thirds (64 per cent) of parents said they believe they are fitter than their child, with 77 per cent saying that they exercise more than their child does, even with regular PE lessons factored in. This is something that worsens as children age, as 93 per cent of parents said they feel they are fitter than their adult children – with both sexes being in agreement on this. Chris Allen, market manager at Decathlon, said: “It’s really concerning to see how unfit kids are and just how few families are exercising together. “The research also looks into the activity levels of adult children, revealing how they too are less active than their parents – suggesting that learned habits from childhood are affecting activity levels in their adult lives. “Children today are pursuing

less active and exercise-based past-times; the key is to make it fun for them by finding a sport or form of exercise they genuinely enjoy. “Making exercise a more social occasion, by getting friends or the whole family involved is a great way to introduce an active lifestyle to kids.” Over three quarters (79 per cent) of parents surveyed said that their family makes no effort to exercise. Furthermore, only 11 per cent said they exercise together with their family. The findings that kids are the least active family members complements recent research published by NHS Digital which showed obesity levels in children aged Year 6 has increased to 20.1 per cent in the past year – which is more than one in five children. Only 31 per cent of children hit or exceed the daily recommended 10,000 steps walked per day. This was something even fewer grown up children managed to do -– with just 27 per cent of adult children managing to regularly walk 10,000 steps daily. The Decathlon Activity Index tracks rates of participation in sport and other physical activities across the year through a national survey repeated every month throughout the year.

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A man who was told he was on his way to an early grave when he reached 40 stone has completed the Great North Run. Darren ‘Dibsy’ McClintock, 28, lost 19 stone in a year to take part in the half marathon, completing the course in two hours and 43 minutes. Mike Hind, CEO of MAS Body gym, has helped him throughout the weight loss. He said: “I told him if he listened, trusted and believed I would lose him 20 stone and make him do things in life he never thought were possible. Over the last 11 months his life has flipped upside down and together we have achieved some amazing challenges – one of them being climbing the Ben Nevis. 11 months into our journey we have dropped 19 stone, taking his current weight to 21 stone 2lbs. I hope this can inspire other coaches to help their clients who feel they have nowhere to turn, and for clients to believe in themselves and realise that with the right support and guidance what once may have seemed impossible can become reality.”

EXCITING plans are well underway for the 10th National Fitness Awards, as gyms around the UK celebrate making this year’s shortlist. The awards evening will celebrate excellence throughout the industry, with trophies in over 20 categories up for grabs on the night of November 29. More entries than ever before from gyms as far afield as Aberdeen and Tavistock have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process; a visit from a member of the Workout team to take a look around their facilities and chat to members and staff. Following the visits, comprehensive reports will be complied to then be passed on to an expert judging panel. This year’s judges include fitness entrepreneur Katie Bulmer-Cooke and Steve Johnson – co-owner of the multi award winning Tops Fitness and Rehabilitation. Completing the line-up is Ragdale Hall Spa senior manager Dean Hodgkin and Barnsley Premier Leisure chief executive Tim Wilson. See page 6 for more.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Trust provides respite for abuse victims SLT has given people who are seeking refuge from modern day slavery three-months full and free use of its facilities across the borough – and in addition everyone in BCWA’s care a free one-year individual or family concessionary pass to enable them to use the facilities at half price. Deborah Slater, the Regional Fundraising Officer for BCWA, said: “‘We’re very thankful as the people in our care very often feel trapped and are facing very challenging times in their life. “We approached SLT as we know that exercise and physical activity plays a vital role in maintaining both a healthy mind and body. “It’s a long process finding new homes, schools and building the coping skills they need to live on their own. “We are delighted SLT can help with passes to the gym and pool, as that will really help our ladies to be healthier and happier. “It’s what they asked me for as they are putting on weight being in refuge day and night and it will be so good for their soul too. “We currently have 38 women and 52 children staying with us in our refuges at the moment and most of these families are with us for up to a year while we try to help them overcome acute trauma and rebuild their lives – so some enjoyable and relaxing leisure time will really work wonders.” John Harling, centre manager at SLT’s Portway Lifestyle Centre

Deborah Slater and John Harling in the gym at Portway Lifestyle Centre in Oldbury.

in Oldbury, added: “BCWA works really hard improving the lives of local people and thankfully we are in a position to further support their highly commendable efforts. “As a charitable trust ourselves we take our role in the community very seriously, plus everyone should have the chance to access affordable physical activity – so we’re proud to be able to help and make a difference.” Black Country Women’s Aid (formerly known as Sandwell Women’s Aid) is an independent charity which supports survivors of sexual abuse, domestic violence and exploitation from across the West Midlands.

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It was formed over 30 years ago by a few women from the West Bromwich area when they opened a small safe house. Today they have six refuges – one of which is for survivors of modern day slavery and human trafficking. Last year BCWA supported more than 9,000 adults [10 per cent male] and their children and they receive on average 25 calls an hour, which are answered day and night.

180 Wattbikes have been placed at all Rugby World Cup training venues and stadiums. Suitable for all players, regardless of position, the Wattbikes will play an important role in keeping the teams fit, aid recovery, as well as sustain performance throughout the tournament. Graham Rowntree, former England player and forwards coach, now forwards coach for Georgia, said: “The Wattbike is such an important fitness tool and an essential one for us to have access to during the tournament. I believe that for elite players, it is one of the most influential pieces of training equipment out there. Rugby is all about repeat power outputs, and being able to hold that intensity right through to the last minutes of the game, and the most effective way of training for this is using the Wattbike.” Advertising

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Editorial

Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio manager: Stewart Holt sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Graphic designer: Scott Firth sf@scriptmedia.co.uk

UK FITNESS SCENE

Everyone Active and Macmillan Cancer Support announce new partnership A SPORTS and leisure operator is supporting a national charity to achieve its ambition of being ‘right there with everyone effected by cancer’. Everyone Active has started a new two-year partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support. It has pledged to raise £140,000 for the charity during this time, which would be enough to fund two Macmillan professionals for the whole year, enabling them to provide support to more than 500 patients. The partnership officially launched recently. To mark the occasion, Everyone Active’s 190 leisure centres swapped their traditional red, white and black brand colours in favour of Macmillan’s green to raise funds and awareness for the charity. Everyone Active’s associate director Ben Beevers also undertook a challenge to bike the height of Mount Everest, 8,848metres, in 24 hours. He covered more than 200 miles up and down Box Hill in Surrey, raising more than £4,000 to kick start the fundraising efforts. Ben’s connection with Macmillan goes beyond Everyone Active’s partnership. In September 2014 he was diagnosed with Mantel Cell Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. Having already progressed to stage

Everyone Active associate director Ben Beevers during his challenge. him confined to medical isolation for four, the cancer had spread to various parts of Ben’s body, including his three weeks. spine and lungs. Four years on and Ben is now in remission. During the year that followed, he He is enjoying life to the full with endured six months of chemotherapy his family but is faced with the and a stem cell transplant, which saw

knowledge that his cancer is likely to return at some point in the future. Macmillan stepped in to offer Ben vital support in dealing with this prognosis. He was given free counselling to help him develop a healthier outlook, and the charity also funded a specialist liaison nurse that support him with ongoing health concerns. To Ben, this support has been essential in helping him to cope with the challenges that cancer has thrown his way. He said: “Waiting for cancer to come back is not a very healthy state to be in mentally. I know firsthand how vital these services are in supporting people through all stages of their journeys with cancer, and I’m delighted that as a business, Everyone Active has chosen to support Macmillan. “With 190 leisure and cultural facilities across the country, we have the capability to raise a phenomenal amount of money and make a real difference to those effected by cancer.” Macmillan states that almost one in two people will get cancer at some point in their lives. Everyone Active aims to support the causes that impact its colleagues and customers, which is why it has chosen to team up with Macmillan Cancer Support.

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SelbyGYM Unit 29 Fitness, Washington Synergy Group Fitness, Edinburgh Body Design FIT, Pontefract Lone Wolf High Performance Training, Falkirk The Academy Group Transformation Centre, Macclesﬁeld

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Outstanding Achievement David Rowe, Lifestyle Fitness Gym Ltd, Canvey Island Silvio Simac, Olympian Fitness, Hayes Sion Ridgeway, Zumba with Sion, Swansea Brett Jenkins, Sense Wellness Centre & Spa, Yateley Claire Adams, Claire Adams Total Health Ltd, Edinburgh Tom Gregory, Everyone Active, Westminster Lodge

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Rehab

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Move4ward, Elgin Healthy Life, Water Meadows Swimming and Fitness Complex, Mansﬁeld Basingstoke Aquadrome, Basingstoke Westway Portobello Fitness Club, London Senses Wellness Centre & Spa

Fawsley Hall Health Club & Spa Spa at Ramside, Durham Foxhills Club & Resort, Ottershaw, Surrey Brandshatch Place Health Club and Spa, Fawkham (Kent) Low Wood Bay Health Club & Spa, Windermere • The Leisure Club at Whittlebury Park, Towcester

Personal Trainer Kevin Poole, Fitness For All Daniel Harrod, Everyone Active Harrow Leisure Centre Leanne Bierton, Winners 2000 Fitness, Torquay Jake Wood PT, Nottingham Mike Hind, MAS Body Gym, Middlesbrough Jamie Kirk, Diamond Fitness, Edinburgh

UK FITNESS SCENE

Trust tells real member stories for campaign include a charity fund raiser who became an ultra-marathon runner, a breast cancer survivor who has regained her self-confidence and discovered a love of dance and a woman who overcame extreme social anxiety to discover her love of group exercise classes and lost five stone. One of the campaign stars, Tina Vedrine, member at the South Charnwood centre in Leicester, said: “I was delighted to get the chance to appear in the campaign. “Exercise has now become part of

By Dominic Musgrave LEISURE Trust Fusion Lifestyle has unveiled the nine new stars of its new Autumn campaign, who are all real life members from their centres across the UK. The ‘Return to Fitness’ campaign tells the inspirational stories of Fusion members and aims to inspire and encourage others to tackle their own fitness goals. The nine inspirational members range from 27 to 60 years of age and

CHoice is king

my lifestyle and I’ve achieved more than I could have ever hoped for. “Over the time that I’ve been active I’ve lost five stone and I’ve managed to build so much strength and feel the happiest I’ve ever been.” The members’ stories will appear throughout the multi-channel campaign including across the charity’s social media platforms, posters in and around centres across the Fusion estate, on all centre websites and on flyers which will be seen throughout local communities.

Kenna Sugrue from Fusion Lifestyle added: ‘‘We are on a mission to help our members reach their goals. “We are all about overcoming the big and little hurdles life throws at us, rediscovering abilities we thought we had lost and empowering people to recover from injuries so they can become fitness stars, once again. “These are the stories that we want to tell this autumn through our new campaign and what better way to do this than to put our members front and centre of our new campaign.”

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Advertiser’s announcement

University partners with Technogym to create an active wellness campus UNIVERSITY of Warwick has selected Technogym to be their official supplier of fitness and wellness solutions for the new world-class sports facility. Set in a beautiful, tranquil woodland area of the university campus, the Sports and Wellness Hub is part of a £49million investment into the new centre, associated sports and physical activity facilities across the campus. The centre will feature 230 fitness stations in a modern, light and spacious gym environment, catering for users of all ages and abilities. The fitness suite has been equipped with the latest state-of-the-art Technogym solutions, including the signature Artis line, the first fully connected range of strength and cardio equipment which provides users with a completely personalised training experience.

Thanks to the innovation of the Unity platform, members can engage in digital experiences and access their own personal content at any time during their workout. The Hub also has dedicated zones to Technogym’s Skill Line, a dynamic range of products designed with performance athletes in mind. Skill Line focuses on speed, power, agility and stamina training and the University of Warwick has invested in the full range, including the newest addition, Skillrun 7000. Lisa Dodd-Mayne, director of sport and active communities at the University of Warwick, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with a world-leading brand in Technogym and to be able to deliver such an exceptional experience to our members. “Technogym have supported

us throughout the process of designing and developing the Sports and Wellness Hub, ensuring that innovation is at the heart of the project and delivering state-of-the-art equipment throughout.” The objective of the facility is not only meet the needs of the university’s students and staff, but also to support the local community and area. By using Technogym’s mywellness cloud ecosystem, the University of Warwick will be able to engage the whole campus and raise awareness of wellness and activity tracking. Plans to make the campus even more active both in and out of the Sports and Wellness Hub include the introduction of running tracks, wellness walks and active meetings. “Our facility is for everyone – from students and staff to the local

community, we cater for everyone with no exception and Technogym’s world class equipment helps us to deliver on this promise,” added Lisa. “The University of Warwick is a leading institution, and we are excited to support them in their amazing vision of an active campus,” said Nerio Alessandri, Technogym president and CEO. “Warwick’s vision aligns perfectly with Technogym’s brand and wellness values, and their innovative approach is something that we are proud to support with our unique Technogym Digital Ecosystem, able to offer each single user a fully personal training experience.” Memberships are now on sale for the University of Warwick Sports and Wellness Hub with a range of packages available for students, staff and the local community.

Ladies’ only gym celebrates a leap of success AN independent women’s gym is celebrating a triple-whammy of success this summer. Believe and Archive UK in Hackenthorpe has been included in the 2019 ‘Small Biz 100’ list, which highlights small business success and encourages people to shop local. Each year 100 businesses that contribute to their communities are selected out of thousands to take part. Believe and Achieve will be placed in the campaign’s spotlight on Monday, October 28 when it will be offering free taster sessions to the public. Gym founder Claire Moore said: “We are thrilled to be part of this year’s Small Biz 100, it is such a positive campaign for small businesses across the UK and a great opportunity for us to shout about what we do so we can hopefully help even more ladies across Sheffield and South Yorkshire.” Claire opened the gym in November 2013 after struggling to find her own way to health and happiness. Now, she inspires women from every background to challenge the way they view fitness and help them on a journey to not only feel healthier but to be happier, more confident and comfortable during workouts. The gym now joins a list of other stand-out businesses that have made it onto the list, which is now in its seventh year. Believe and Achieve was even mentioned by Forbes in its Small Biz 100 launch article – ‘One hundred reasons to be optimistic about small businesses in the UK’.

It isn’t the only good news the gym has received this year, as it has also been announced as one of only a handful of UK businesses to take part in the Cambridge University Social Ventures Programme. The business will now be able to take part in monthly training days at the University learning from leading entrepreneurs developing Believe and Achieve to have maximum social impact on the local community and beyond. It will be offered support in becoming

investment-ready, including access to finance such as loans and angel investment, as well as gaining new business connections and a co-working space in the city. To top it off Believe and Achieve is also shortlisted in the National Fitness Awards 2019 in three categories. Claire added: “It is such an honour to make the final stages again, we are so proud we get to share our message and our work across the country and can’t wait to attend in November.”

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F45 to open at Everyone Active site

GLOBAL fitness franchise F45 is set to open a new site within Everyone Active’s Little Venice Sports Centre in Maida Vale, London. The site is operated in partnership with Westminster City Council. The facility will be operated under the usual F45 franchise model by franchisee holder, Annie Edmonds. F45 is the world’s fastest growing functional training community, with more than 1,700 sites globally and close to 75 in the UK. Recognising an opportunity to capitalise on prime space and locations, F45 will work closely with Everyone Active, to place further franchisees within its centres. Duncan Jefford, regional director for Everyone Active, said: “We are space-rich but also recognise that it’s not always better to create your own products. By forming alliances with the right brands we can elevate our proposition and create the most exciting facilities in the country. We’re incredibly excited to be moving forward with F45. “Their product complements, rather than competes with our own and we share the same values around getting people active.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

It’s never too late to start exercising, research shows OLDER people who have never taken part in sustained exercise programmes have the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained master athletes of a similar age, according to new research at the University of Birmingham. The research shows that even those who are entirely unaccustomed to exercise can benefit from resistance exercises such as weight training. “Our study clearly shows that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t been a regular exerciser throughout your life, you can still derive benefit from exercise whenever you start,” said lead researcher, Dr Leigh Breen. “Obviously a long term commitment to good health and exercise is the best approach to achieve whole-body health, but even starting later on in life will help delay age-related frailty and muscle weakness. “Current public health advice on strength training for older people is often quite vague. What’s needed is more specific guidance on how individuals can improve their muscle strength, even outside of a gymsetting through activities undertaken in their homes – activities such as gardening, walking up and down stairs, or lifting up a shopping bag can all help if undertaken as part of a regular exercise regime.” In the study, published in Frontiers in Physiology, researchers in the

University of Birmingham’s School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Science compared muscle-building ability in two groups of older men. The first group were classed as ‘master athletes’ – people in their 70s and 80s who are lifelong exercisers and still competing at top levels in their sport. In the second were healthy individuals of a similar age, who had never participated in structured exercise programmes. Each participant was given an isotope tracer, in the form of a drink of ‘heavy’ water, and then took part in a single bout of exercise, involving weight training on an exercise

machine. The researchers took muscle biopsies from participants in the 48-hour periods just before and just after the exercise, and examined these to look for signs of how the muscles were responding to the exercise. The isotope tracer showed how proteins were developing within the muscle. The researchers had expected that the master athletes would have an increased ability to build muscle due to their superior levels of fitness over a prolonged period of time. In fact, the results showed that both groups had an equal capacity to build muscle in response to exercise.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

State-of-the-art studio unveiled at Devon centre

Clair Rounding

Head of compliance is added to senior management team TOTAL Fitness has continued to expand its senior management team with the appointment of a new head of compliance, to oversee the organisation’s processes including health and safety, financial, HR, IT, and membership compliance. Clair Rounding has filled the position at Total Fitness and will be working closely with CEO Sophie Lawler to bring about cultural change across the brand’s 17 health clubs, located in the North of England and Wales. Her responsibilities will include overseeing and revising Total Fitness’ health and safety policies, incorporating elements of the personal leadership programmes which all staff are now undertaking, in line with the brand’s transformational leadership strategy. She will also be conducting risk assessments across the brand’s sites, as well as working to improve communications between staff and senior management to streamline problem reporting. Clair holds a degree in Business Management, with NEBOSH and IOSH qualifications, and brings 28 years of experience to the role with 24 of those in management roles across a number of private, public and trust based leisure organisations. During her five years at Fitness First she progressed from general manager to senior general manager, before being appointed as national business compliance manager. This was then followed by two-and-

a-half years as group quality manager at Everyone Active. Having taken the role of group retail manager at Total Fitness in 2005, Clair’s career came full circle this year, with her appointment to head up the compliance team. She said: “It’s great to be back. Having taken my career down south for a few years it’s wonderful to be back in the north and heading up compliance at Total Fitness, almost 15 years after I first joined the team. “Total Fitness has undergone some huge cultural changes over the last year putting a real emphasis on listening to and developing its staff. “I’m looking forward to taking that one step further by making Total Fitness one of the safest places to work in the north. “It’s a privilege to be working with a team that is genuinely passionate about its brand and strives to make Total Fitness a better place for both customers and staff on a daily basis.” Her ambitions for the next five years include overhauling all financial procedures, producing a new training manual for all levels of basic health and safety throughout the organisation and kickstarting a Total Fitness compliance academy to train up the next generation of department heads. The appointment comes as the health club continues to implement a successful people-powered business turnaround strategy which has seen membership figures increase by 8,000 since the beginning of 2019.

EXE Valley Leisure Centre has unveiled a refurbishment of its indoor cycle studio. Building on the previous studio, the new training space has undergone a modern redesign, which features a better layout to assist trainers in leading improved cycling classes, and thereby engaging a wider range of users. The upgrades include a dedicated instructor’s stage and theatre-style levels for unobstructed viewing of the instructor. The studio also features improved imagery, LED mood lighting, high quality surround sound and air conditioning. Corinne Parnall, leisure manager for health and fitness, said: “The feedback we’ve received from our members so far has been very positive. “We had a direct hand in the redesign of the studio and worked closely with contractors and our Property Services team (who undertook most of the work), to ensure the finished spec would, given the popularity of this type of exercise, provide the progression in cycling classes our customers have come to expect. “We also hope to get even more use from the studio by hiring it out to cycle clubs and other sports clubs.” The equipment selected for the new studio was done in association with Mid Devon Leisure’s long-term strategic partner and equipment provider, Matrix, and consists of 20 top-of-the-range CXP Target Training Cycles. Each cycle unit features Bluetoothcompatible intuitive touchscreen displays which provide personalised

metrics, including; precision tracking during workouts, target watts, heart rate, RPMs, distance and calories burnt. The new studio will offer 33 classes a week (previously 13), consisting of traditional instructor-led cycle classes; 20-minute fitness tests for personal benchmarking, and; Les Mills virtual RPM and Sprint programmes via a three-metre wide projection screen. The quantity and variety of classes will help to ensure the studio is more accessible and remains open for longer to cope with demand. The number of users attending cycling classes in 2018/19 was just under 7,600. Exe Valley Leisure staff hope to increase this to 10,000 in 2019/20. The refurbishment took six weeks to complete and was planned to follow the recent facilities expansion in January 2017. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new studio was recently held. In attendance was the leader of Mid Devon District Council, Councillor Bob Deed, who cut the ribbon; along with the chairman, Les Cruwys; the Mayor of Tiverton, Councillor Colin Slade; and Councillors Dennis Knowles and Andrew Moore. Also in attendance were staff from Mid Devon Leisure and Mid Devon District Council including contracts and services manager Keith Ashton and director of operations Andrew Pritchard. Exe Valley is the last of Mid Devon’s three Leisure Centres to receive the new CXP Target Training Cycles from Matrix.

Active Tameside shortlisted for two Business Awards ACTIVE Tameside has been shortlisted for two Pride of Tameside Business Awards – Tourism and Leisure or Sport Business of the Year and Health and Care Business of the Year. The Pride of Tameside Business Awards celebrates the outstanding work of businesses from different sectors and inspirational individuals from across the region. There are 23 categories in total, including awards for food and drink, health, digital, tourism and e-commerce businesses. Active Tameside is leading in the transformation of conventional support services, leisure opportunities and physical activity into a vehicle to address the inactivity in Tameside, through co-production and engagement with neighbourhood and stakeholder partners, to meet the needs of all Tameside residents through their life course.

Shaun Higgins, director of health and social outcomes for Active Tameside, said: “‘We have gone from just being a standard leisure provider, to a health and social care provider that delivers opportunities to Tameside residents, through the life course.” Active Tameside enjoyed success earlier this year, having won the ‘Inclusion and Disability Award’ at the ukactive Awards. Last year, the organisation was awarded Pride of Tameside ‘Tourism and Leisure Business of the Year’, so fingers are crossed for further success at this year’s Business Awards. This year, Active Tameside is also sponsoring the ‘Apprentice of the Year’ award. Winners will be revealed at the awards ceremony, which will take place on October 24 at Dukinfield Town Hall.

UK FITNESS SCENE

14 Advertiser’s announcement

In this final installment of a three-part series on fitness equipment, Ben Steadman, business development director for Pulse Fitness explores the best strategies for creating and building demand for new equipment within your facility.

Five strategies to build interest and demand for new equipment SO, you’ve made a significant investment in new kit at your club. Perhaps it’s a dedicated functional training zone with a rig or you’ve bought the latest innovations in cardio. How do you ensure your members are actually going to use it? Instead of thinking about your typical ROI, think about it in terms of engagement. How are you going to excite and engage members in what you’re offering and ensure that your new bit of kit is being used to its full potential? As an operator, there are a number of ways you can do this. Here are a few tips I’ve learnt over the years: 1) Engage your staff – Its vital that all members of your team are fully onboard with any new piece of equipment. Make sure your PTs and gym instructors are fully trained and know exactly how to operate the new piece of equipment and how best to use it with members. If they are onboard, they are far more likely to encourage members to get involved too. 2) Think about kit placement – Make sure your new equipment is placed front and centre of the facility. There’s no point having a shiny new functional training rig if its hidden in a corner, you want to create some buzz about the new kit so that members stop and take a look. 3) Create bespoke workouts – Creating a bespoke workout that specifically uses any new equipment is another great way to engage members. This is could be done either digitally if your club has an app or perhaps you have instructions next to the equipment with workout plans. Depending on

Ben Steadman what new equipment you installed, you could even create a whole new small group training class that incorporates some of the very best pieces of kit. Also, consider offering a workout of the day that members can do in their own time. 4) Set up a small demo area – if you’re club is going through a major equipment upgrade its well worth speaking to your equipment provider and seeing if you could have one or two pieces of equipment set up in the reception area. Having a small demo area can be a great way to peak members interests before the equipment event arrives. 5) Organise member induction evenings – Finally, having specific sessions delivered by your PTs to run through your new equipment can be a great way to engage members too. This is particularly great for older members or for those new to fitness who might feel unsure on how best to use certain products. Visit www.thepulsegroup.co.uk for more information.

Gym reopens after £220,000 refurb CUSTOMERS were greeted by a new-look gym at Yate Active Lifestyle Centre following a £220,000 refurbishment project that was completed in just four days. An official opening took place at the end of August, with partners, staff and contractors involved in the project gathering to watch local resident and regular gym user Stephen Ludwell, cut the ribbon. He said: “I have a long history with this centre and its staff, stretching back almost 15 years, so I was absolutely thrilled to cut the ribbon on the newly refurbished gym. “Years ago, I was originally put off of visiting a gym – thinking it was largely for those that were fit and athletic. “However, after accessing the facilities through the Exercise on Prescription scheme, I soon realised that this is a centre run for all members of the community, regardless of their shape, size and ability or disability. “It’s wonderful to see the gym refurbished to such a high standard, and I look forward to using the facilities very soon.” The investment, which was the second phase of a £300,000 reinvestment plan, included the complete redecoration of the gym area, installation of a larger functional fitness area, brand new ‘cable jungle’ and top-of-the-range fitness

equipment – including resistance, cardiovascular and Technogym’s® SKILLBIKE and SKILLRUN machines. This refurbishment project follows the opening of BIOCIRCUIT™ at the beginning of July. The BIOCIRCUIT™ studio is home to specialist equipment, which adapts to individual body types and goals, enabling anyone who wants to get active or become more physically active, but is time poor with regards to exercise. Andy Robinson, centre manager at Yate Active Lifestyle Centre, added: “We’re committed to offering the best facilities to our customers – and our gym area is extremely popular, so carrying out these refurbishment works was absolutely essential. “Now it’s complete, we’re thrilled with the end result and can’t believe what has been achieved in such a short timescale. “It’s an exciting time for Yate. BIOCIRCUIT has been a great hit, and it’s fantastic to see an increase in customers who are new to exercise. I would like to thank our customers for being patient while work has been carried out and hope they enjoy the new look gym.” Yate Active Lifestyle Centre is one of five Active Lifestyle Centres operated across South Gloucestershire by the not-for-profit organisation Circadian Trust.

Everybody Sport and Recreation’s new facility ‘Everybody @ Alderley Park’ – opening in November – has unveiled an exciting new arrival. Les Mills’ THE TRIP is a fully immersive group cycling workout experience that combines a 40-minute multi-peak cycling workout with a journey through digitally-created worlds. Paul Winrow, director of sport and operations at Everybody Sport and Recreation, said: “We are delighted to be offering THE TRIP to our members joining us at Everybody @ Alderley Park. The introduction of THE TRIP is new and exciting and we are elated to be offering new and innovative fitness technology to our members.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Gyms not catering for disabled people, new research finds MILLIONS of disabled people are not being catered for in UK gyms, according to a new survey. Personal trainers not being equipped to work with disabled people, fitness professionals not recognising disabilities, and employers being unsure of how many of their gym members have a disability were some of the key points concluded from the survey. The survey results, highlighted in the report, Raising the Bar, from Future Fit Training, showed that 86 per cent of fitness employees think that current training does not equip gym professionals to work with disabled people. The report showed that more than half (61 per cent) of UK fitness professionals are unsure of what proportion of their customer base have a disability. Many were also unaware of the breadth of conditions that constitute a disability, including physical and mental impairments. The Raising the Bar report collected data by surveying the UK’s largest leisure operators, representing more than 45,000 fitness employees. Rob Johnson, founder and MD of Future Fit Training, said: “The results of this survey are a wake-up call to the fitness industry that more needs

to be done to cater for and engage disabled people. “They reveal the scale of the challenge that lies ahead to ensure that disabled people’s needs are recognised, understood and addressed in gyms and fitness establishments across the UK.” Other results in the report showed that only 18 per cent of respondents thought qualifications related to engaging disabled people were important when recruiting new staff.

The results showed that 36 per cent thought they were neither important nor unimportant, despite there currently being 13.9 million disabled people in the UK. Working with disabled people isn’t currently included in standard PT qualifications. However, 95 per cent of fitness professionals surveyed that this should be included on courses. Future Fit Training, which is the leading training provider for personal trainers, nutrition advisers and pilates

instructors in the UK, aims to raise standards within the industry. Rob said, of the standard of the fitness industry in relation to disabled people: “Research in this field has indicated that health, fitness and sporting environments are areas of life in which people with disabilities arguably have less favourable experiences than their non-disabled peers. “There is a lack of opportunities and programmes for training instructors to work with people with a variety of disabilities. “There are also limitations regarding accessible equipment within facilities, due to physical barriers and limited information on, and access to, resources to aid health and fitness. This needs to change.” Phil Rumbelow of the Jubilee Hall Trust, said in the report: “There needs to be a change in what we think about disability. “We’ve got an ageing population that wants to be active for longer, and we need to be able to adapt and engage everyone who walks through our door.” Raising the Bar is an annual review of the physical activity workforce, training and development landscape, undertaken by Future Fit Training and supported by ukactive.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Operator now offering sustainable swimwear

Mayor opens new leisure facility NEW Barnet Leisure Centre was officially opened by Mayor Councillor Caroline Stock along with local athletes and councillors. The facility is a partnership between Barnet Council and social enterprise leisure operator GLL. The new centre marks an exciting time for Barnet as part of a wider £150m investment programme which includes enhancement of community leisure, education, and opportunity assets across the borough. The two-storey leisure centre includes a fully equipped Technogym health and fitness suite, a 24m sixlane pool plus learner pool, changing rooms, two studios, a library and a modern café. Cassie Bridger assistant director of greenspaces and leisure at Barnet Council, said: “The council has developed a strategic vision for the role of sport and physical activity in Barnet, and the investment in new leisure facilities transforms the opportunity available for residents. “New Barnet Leisure Centre is in the heart of the community and we hope that everyone can enjoy this new facility. Thank you to all the partners involved in making this happen.” The official launch was also

attended by Team GB Beach Volleyball player and GLL Sports Foundation athlete Jake Sheaf and two players from Saracens Rugby Academy. GLL’s partnership manager for Barnet, Gillan Kelly, added: “It’s a very exciting time for leisure in Barnet with the biggest investment in a generation. All our staff are looking forward to extending our remit to get more people more active more often in some of the best public leisure facilities in the capital. “The complex projects have seen GLL work with multiple providers – including Technogym – to secure the highest standards of customer experience.” The new fitness suite is centred on community engagement by using Technogym Excite Unity cardio equipment which offers the best in digital entertainment as well as Inclusive Fitness Initiative Element strength equipment. Coupled with a multi-functional studio featuring Group Cycle where members track their workout data while enjoying an immersive experience. New Barnet offers a whole host of workout options for the community.

SWIMMERS at Active Lifestyle Centres in South Gloucestershire could be splashing about in swimwear made from old fishing nets and other industrial waste recovered from the ocean and landfill. The sustainable swimwear has arrived thanks to a partnership with Australian swimwear brand Zoggs whose Ecolast™ swimwear and accessories are made from a range of recycled materials. Around 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear is left in the oceans each year – and if it isn’t recovered and recycled, it can remain in the marine ecosystem for up to 600 years before it decomposes. The waste is rescued from the oceans and saved from landfill through different initiatives and projects such as The ECONYL Reclaiming Program, The Healthy Seas initiative, and Net-Works. Once the nets are cleaned and shredded, the prepared waste returns to a raw material where it is transformed into Nylon 6 polymers used to produce the ECONYL yarn. Made from 100 per cent regenerated waste material, the yarn performs as well as any other nylon yarn manufactured using crude oil. Jo Bond, head of Sphere Leisure at Circadian Trust, said: “As an organisation, Circadian is committed to reducing its environmental footprint in whatever way we can, so we are very pleased to be able to offer our customers a range of sustainable swimwear. “It seems very appropriate that our swimmers are actively helping to clean up water as well as enjoying swimming in it.” Forty per cent of Zoggs’ spring-

summer 2019 swimwear has been made from waste recovered from the ocean and landfill, and the plastic in the brand’s goggle packaging has been reduced by 57 per cent – with all packaging to be 100 per cent sustainable by 2020. In addition, 80 per cent of all packaging will include disposal or recovery labels and 10 per cent of profits will be donated by Zoggs to the Healthy Seas Initiative. The partnership is the latest move by Circadian Trust, the not-for profit organisation that operates Active Lifestyle Centres, to maximise the company’s environmental credentials and follows several other green initiatives, including rainwater harvesting, the use of solar voltaic cells, and LED lighting. The Trust also hold the ISO14001 accreditation in Environmental Management Systems.

Four functions of technology in your club By Dave Wright LOVE it or loath it, technology is an essential ingredient in running a successful health club. However, operators need to make sure that if they are embarking on a new technology, they need to make sure they understand the problem that it’s due to solve and focus on the benefit that it’s set to achieve. To narrow it down, here are four key functions that technology should meet to be successful for you and your facility: 1. Operational efficiency. Can you imagine a member entering your club and presenting their name, at which the receptionist has to stop, go to a member folder and then cross reference that list with the report from the billing company to make sure the member is not delinquent in their membership payments before you let them use the club. Now that may seem silly, but it was only 20 years ago that clubs were doing that. Not very efficient is it? That is why the use of membership management systems linked up with the membership collection agencies

Dave Wright are the first bit of tech that should be used in all facilities. 2. Amplify member engagement. This is one function of tech that operators confuse with replacing club/member engagement. Some clubs think that member tech removes the ‘human touch’ of people. The opposite is the case. The issue lies when the operators think tech will do all the work – so

if the tech can display the name and the effort on a screen – this presents a perfect opportunity for the operator to use that information and then engage in a conversation or a motivational boost comment. If you imagine it to a driving instructor who is coaching a student with or without the dashboard. A good coach will use that to their advantage, a bad coach won’t even reference it. 3. Reduce member friction. Customers stay with you not because of price, but because they get what they want with minimal effort. So, if you engage with tech, it should make the lives of your members easier. The app check in and booking system through Myzone allows members the ease of booking into their desired group ex classes without having to call the club to reserve a spot. In a way, this is operational efficiency for the member, enforcing why they should stay with you longer. 4. Serve on scale. Technology has another function of enabling the operator to serve their membership base on a higher staff to member ratio without detracting from the service that the member receives.

If programmes can be digitised and deployed at scale or the weight scales stored in an app (like they do in Myzone), it saves the club/member having to book individually into the diary for their bodyfat scores. So, the tech should remove many of the mundane human tasks enabling the staff member to spend quality human interaction time with the appropriate customers. No matter the reason that you employ tech in your facility, you need to be patient and open minded to its delivery and deployment. With all things new, sometimes it’s like taking one step backwards to move 10+ forwards. And once you do, you’ll never look back. 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 30 different countries, encouraging people to be more and stay more physically active. He may be contacted on Dave@myzone.org

UK FITNESS SCENE

OCL wins funding to help reduce social isolation

Emily Berry has started a new career in fitness.

Hairdresser swaps scissors for scissor jumps following illness WHEN March-based hairdresser and carer Emily Berry was diagnosed with a giant cell tumour in her left arm, far from being a setback it was the start of a new career in physical fitness. She said: “I never would have thought in a million years that I’d become a personal trainer. But after my illness, I was no longer able to do my other two jobs. “So I knew I needed a fresh goal and a different focus in my life. I’d also put on some weight, as the treatment and being ill had forced me to be sedentary.” With that in mind, Emily began working out at a local gym – and found that she loved it. After around a year, she realised that just exercising for herself was not enough. She wanted to help others, especially those in her situation facing disability or illness, to feel better

about themselves, and she wanted to help them achieve their goals. She built on that passion to qualify as a personal trainer. Emily is now the owner of Emily Berry Fitness. She has qualified as an advanced personal trainer with an NVQ at Level 3 in fitness. She is also qualified to work with pregnant women and new mums, and to teach boot camp and circuits, and is qualified as a sports massage therapist with an NVQ Level 3. She added: “My aim is to help others become healthier in their daily lives, in personal training or boot camps, and all sessions are individually tailored. “Together with my clients, I work on their cardiovascular fitness, endurance stamina and weight management. “I absolutely love it.”

OLDHAM Community Leisure in partnership with a number of local community groups has been awarded Social Action Funding from Oldham Cares, the town’s recently formed health and social care service. The £272,957 will be used for the newly created Oldham Active Communities Project, which aims to use physical activity to reduce levels of social isolation within the community. The three-year Oldham Active Communities Project is being delivered by Wellbeing Leisure, which is part of Oldham Community Leisure. It will see the trust partner with community groups to provide physical activity, health and wellbeing opportunities, as well as the chance to learn skills and gain health and fitness qualifications. Jackie Hanley, Wellbeing Leisure’s health and wellbeing manager, who is leading on the project, said: “We’re very pleased to be working alongside the community to encourage more people to take up exercise. “Social isolation and loneliness is a national priority and it’s no different here in Oldham; 10 per cent of residents identify as being lonely, which has a detrimental impact on health, quality of life and life expectancy. “We hope to break down barriers, support individuals to live more active lives and, in doing so, reduce loneliness and isolation. “What’s really exciting is we’ll be recruiting volunteers to help run the programmes, offering them funded training to deliver quality interventions and ultimately acting

as a ‘match-maker’ to pair new volunteers with areas of identified need, so they can deliver sustainable community activity.” Wellbeing Leisure staff will deliver group consultation sessions within community centres, to people who have either been referred from local GPs or self-referred on the basis of a diagnosed medical condition. These sessions will offer advice and signpost people to appropriate activities nearby, including twice weekly social wellbeing sessions such as The Friday Club, run by the trust at Oldham Leisure Centre. The club is for those looking to make new friends and become more active with like-minded people. It offers a variety of different activities for Oldhamers to try, along with informative talks and a light lunch. Wellbeing Leisure has recruited two new staff members, Phil Brooke and Mark Woodcock, as part-time Health and Wellbeing Advisors to support and develop the project. Phil has managed the Slimmin’ Without Women project in Oldham, delivered falls prevention classes and was previously a volunteer for Age UK Oldham. He currently works part time at Saddleworth Leisure Centre as a gym instructor and has just been shortlisted for the Changing Lifestyles Award as part of the Oldham Sports Awards. Mark was previously managing director of Diffikicks Toddler Football franchise and is also a personal trainer, with experience in community settings throughout Manchester. He is currently studying for his Level 4 Exercise Referral qualification.

Advertiser’s announcement

PT revenue driver: thinking outside of the box By Phil Horton ELECTRO-muscle-stimulation continues to gain in popularity around the world. It’s easy to see why people get hooked on it as a training method. Using electrical impulses to contract your muscles, a series of sessions has the potential aid in weight loss, strength training, body toning and skin tightening. And the best part is, it only takes 20 minutes. But what about personal trainers delivering the sessions? They’re on to something too. Personal trainers who add EMS into their offering are seeing significant returns: more clients, more revenue and more opportunity. Increased client base Right away, offering EMS can help you break into new categories of clients that you would otherwise struggle to target. EMS can work for everyone from athletes to the over-50 market, increasing your scope as a trainer. Do you want to focus on high performing athletes to help give them

portable suitcase perfect for delivering sessions at a client’s home or workplace.

Phil Horton an edge in their training? Perhaps you prefer to focus on active ageing, helping an older demographic avoid a sedentary lifestyle? With EMS, you can do both. Also, EMS equipment is completely portable, allowing you to train clients wherever and whenever is convenient for them. All the kit packs up into a compact,

Increased revenue An average PT session is one-on-one and between 45 minutes to an hour. A PT offering EMS sessions can train two clients at the same time, training up to four people in an hour without affecting the quality of their session. Trainers typically start with one machine, easily doubling their hourly income. Also consider that a PT can charge an average price of £60 for an EMS session. Imagine that you see 20 clients, once per week over a four-week period. For less than seven hours of work per week, your net income can be as high as £4,800/month. While the equipment does require an investment, miha bodytec, leading manufacturers of EMS training equipment, offer a very affordable leasing partnership for as little as £300 per month (subject to credit status).

Increased opportunity According to the European Health and Fitness Market report from Europe Active, there are over 26,310 registered personal trainers in the UK. As a result, differentiating yourself can prove to be a real challenge. But, if you offer something new, innovative and highly effective, you immediately stand out from the crowd. EMS Training is a high-tech form of fitness. It also has the backing of hundreds of athletes, celebrities and fashion models, giving it immediate prestige and credibility. Also, gaining your official EMS certification gives you another string to your bow. Glucker College, the international EMS training body, regularly deliver a two-day training course in the UK, mainland Europe and across the globe. If you’re a PT who wants to learn more about how EMS can give you an edge, come and see us for a free demonstration. www.be-a-first-mover.com n Phil Horton is the country director for the UK at miha bodytec.

Digital Experience

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INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Advertiser’s announcement

Improving your business starts and ends with your members By Ivan Stevenson TECHNOLOGY has revolutionised almost every part of our lives, from dating to working, from eating to sleeping. New forms of technology have also done incredible things for the fitness industry, such as encouraging those who with a serious sofa habit to get fit and active. For those in the fitness industry, this presents quite a challenge: how do we appeal to tech-savvy customers? More to the point, how do we make those tech-savvy customers come to our health club, and not just make do with one of the literally hundreds of fitness apps that can be downloaded for free straight to their phones? The truth is, it needn’t be seen as a challenge. In fact, the tech zeitgeist is far more of an exciting opportunity. I’m sure many of us remember with (absolutely no) fondness the hassle of membership payment administration. Just an example: the long set up processes with endless forms to fill in is hardly the most enticing prospect for those who are just dusting off their gym kit. But the great thing about technology nowadays is that it’s attracting and

retaining customers, not putting them off. A good example of this is online memberships. If you can get people signing up to your memberships outside of gym opening hours, then your memberships will skyrocket. The best part? Far less paperwork. Being able to manage memberships online – both as a fitness provider and as a customer – makes life a lot easier.

These days, people need convenience and flexibility. We should be able to extend this to fitness routines too, with easy to track payments, membership statuses, classes, and a whole host of other activities trackable online. Whilst this isn’t a new concept, it’s one that some health clubs have been slow to adopt. And I don’t mean online marketing here. I mean

interactive, online services that allow health providers to take back admin hours whilst putting some control in the hands of their members. The fear tends to be that online services are expensive, or that it’s too much of hassle to migrate everything over. This couldn’t be further from the case – especially if you use a revenue management solution. Our leisure management platform, DFC+, acts as a one-stop shop for gyms and health clubs looking to organise and grow existing operational needs. This includes online class and personal trainer bookings, online member check-in, comprehensive reporting, and retail management. Finally, imagine how much healthier your bottom line could be if your members could pay defaulted and payments online through an automated email or SMS prompt. “The future is digital” is wrong. The present is digital. It’s high time we all embrace technology to deliver the best service to members. It might just improve your business. For more information on Debit Finance Collections, visit debitfinance.co.uk. n Ivan Stevenson is a director at DFC.

INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Advertiser’s announcement

The Emperor’s new yoga pants? The rise of the ‘sweat nomad’ BOUTIQUE gyms and the rising trend of the pay as you go (PAYG) model is fantastic for the hectic city lifestyle. Today’s gym users can test-drive gyms and classes like they do their morning smoothies. But is it a race to the bottom for the gym owner? Robin Karn, of Harlands Group, discusses the pros and cons of the PAYG model, and suggests how both boutique gym owners and traditional subscription gyms can prosper in the future by potentially working together. Boutique gyms are springing-up in most major UK cities, offering niche workouts (often a single type of class) and charging as much as £30 per session. Like all PAYG models, it definitely appeals to the segment of the market that doesn’t like to be tied down to a contract. The notion of being able to try a multitude of different classes until finding one that works, and the ability to be a ‘sweat nomad’ is also appealing. Location, time and activity can be chosen to suit your mood and commute. However, just like the PAYG versus contract decision in other sectors, there are pros and cons for the customer. Signing up for a contract usually carries a financial advantage that’s cheaper in the long run (especially against £30 per class). Plus, it often carries additional benefits and deals in addition to enjoying ‘all you can eat’ work outs – at The Gym Group you can workout every day for only £14.99 per month. The Guardian reported that one in

seven adults in the UK are members of a gym, an industry worth a staggering £4.9bn. An estimated 8m gym membership direct debits are processed every month in the UK alone, (25 per cent of which are managed by Harlands, more than any other system or operator). You might think that without the use of formal contracts or direct debit payments, boutique gyms would suffer from a lack of loyalty and sense of membership. In actuality, members of boutique studios enjoy the same strong sense of community and pride as belonging to a luxury gym. For example, Framers (members of Frame – one of the first boutique studios to thrive in London) have a deep affinity with the gym’s brand and the prestige of surviving its gruelling, expert-level sessions. Disruption in any industry is inevitable and should be welcomed. Whilst boutique gyms will absolutely find a customer base, especially in cities where a transient population numbers in the millions, it isn’t going to kill off the traditional gym membership or recurring contracts. Airbnb is fantastic, and I’ve used it many times for short city breaks. However, I’m not going to boycott hotels and spas when the occasion is more appropriate. Choice is only ever a good thing for the consumer. And like fine cuisine, there is genuinely something for everyone. Boutique gyms have become the elite equivalent of a hipster coffee shop,

or the cereal restaurant in Shoreditch charging £5 for a bowl of Lucky Charms. In the US, Planet Fitness famously offers ‘judgement free zones’ for patrons who feel intimidated in the weights room and even hosts a pizza night in the gym. I believe that just like the airline industry, there is absolutely room for both traditional, budget operators and premium, boutique offerings. Gyms and leisure centres that can’t differentiate between these markets, and sit somewhere in the middle, will struggle to survive in the long run. I also feel that eventually, boutique gyms will want to nurture the (commercial) loyalty and recurring income enjoyed by traditional subscription gyms. Of course, they won’t all be tying customers into 12-month contracts very often. But should one set-up a direct debit plan, they will enjoy a reduced fee (perhaps £25 per session rather than £30) and queue hopping privileges for the most popular classes, V1BE in Manchester are already doing this successfully and more will follow. It will become the equivalent of being a casual football fan versus a season ticket holder. Are you a genuine Framer, or a fair-weather Framer? Where’s your loyalty card? Even in large cities, where the stream of new joiners feels endless and loyalty and retention is secondary to acquisition, boutique gyms will eventually come around to the concept of recurring payments. The fitness

industry only needs to look at dominant PAYG/contract sectors such as Telco for the blueprint. In the mobile phone world, PAYG is considered a gateway product to the far more lucrative contract where the client is hooked-in and the barriers to switch are high. Framers will shudder at the thought. It’s everything a boutique gym is NOT about. But there is an opportunity to still hold to the antidisestablishmentarian and revolutionary ethos of the brand AND make it profitable for the gym and advantageous to the customer. If boutique gyms genuinely want to support choice and foster a sense of community, they may want to consider partnering with the more traditional gyms. You could find the perfect MMA studio with world-class Jiu Jitsu instructors, then want to switch your work-outs to a decent weight room with a jump in the steam room after your session. If your MMA studio partnered with the local leisure centre to give you this type of access, exclusively as a subscribed member, everyone wins. Boutique gyms are fantastic for niche markets and are not the death of traditional gyms. There’s a massive opportunity to explore the benefits of recurring payments for gyms and gym-goers alike by continuing to deliver diversity and choice in the industry.

www.harlandsgroup.co.uk

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INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS Advertiser’s announcement

Competition in the fitness industry higher than ever IF YOU are an independent health club owner in the UK you will know that competition in the industry is at an all-time high. The harsh reality is that big box clubs like Pure Gym and The Gym Group are opening in droves and filling up towns in the UK at record rates. And if the USA is any indicator of what is to come, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of this slowing down. Gone are the days of overly excited prospects knocking on your club door, eagerly signing on the dotted line and adding dollar figures to your bottom line. Moreton Hall has been in operation for more than 25 years and, like many independent clubs, has experienced highs and lows. Operating in the early days as solely a squash club, Moreton Hall has grown into what is now a vibrant club with a fully equipped gym, two swimming pools, tennis courts, a fitness studio and more. Despite the great facilities, they inevitably suffered a hit when two new budget clubs opened down the road, offering cheap no contract memberships to every man and his dog. Peter Alexander, owner of Moreton Hall Health Club, decided to engage Creative Fitness Marketing to undertake a marketing campaign in an effort to rapidly increase his membership numbers and combat the heavy competition in the area. The campaign at Moreton Hall ended up being the largest ever member promotion CFM has completed, with 859 new members signed up in

only eight weeks. And what’s more, these results came only 12 months after the first campaign at Moreton Hall where they signed up 748 members. Creative Fitness Marketing has been providing membership solutions for health clubs in the UK and Ireland, USA and Australasia since 1990 and over this time have developed the magic formula to help over 5,000 clubs compete in a highly saturated market. Peter said: “I chose CFM because there were no upfront costs, no risk and the promotion was paid for by the people that joined up. “So there were no real costs from my point of view”. He went on to say that he only wished he had used CFM years ago because they are very good.

In speaking about the results Peter said it does make him wonder where all the people came from, a valid point that a lot of CFM clients make. Director of operations Dean Godfrey added: “CFM’s marketing approach isn’t designed to pull in members clubs could find themselves, but instead attract the deconditioned market that may not normally think about joining a health club. “We use a multi-faceted approach when it comes to marketing. Deploying more than 20 different advertising methods in any one campaign, including digital media (social media and paid search), print marketing, tele-marketing (yes despite popular beliefs, this is still an effective medium if done by professionals) local signage, events and guerrilla marketing.” In conjunction with its central marketing team, CFM send a highly skilled marketing manager and sales consultant directly to the clubs to run the promotions on site. This is a key factor in the success of the campaigns as the two consultants are highly trained in sales and marketing. CFM use a soft sales approach, focusing on building rapport with their prospective members and guiding them through the sales process. With an average close rate of 82 per cent, the marketing efforts used to in bringing people through the door are fully maximised. To find out if your club qualifies for a CFM campaign you can visit www.cfm.net to download an information pack or call 0115 777 3333.

Facilities under DFCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management

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Advertiser’s announcement

Create a personalised fitness experience with FitMetrix MINDBODY, the experts in business management software for the fitness and wellness industries, recently joined forces with FitMetrix to deliver technology that makes it possible for businesses to integrate custombranded performance tracking with gym equipment and wearables. FixMetrix by MINDBODY allows gym and studio owners to create a personalised fitness experience that allows clients to measure their results in real time, compete within the community, and adopt new exercise techniques. What’s more, the software also provides clients with an effortless booking experience that allows them to view the schedule and book and reserve their favourite spot in class from anywhere. With the branded mobile app, owners can communicate upcoming events, promos and referral rewards more effectively with this unique marketing channel. Businesses using the software have reported improved client retention due to higher levels of engagement, a streamlined front desk and even better staff retention. The portal reduces admin time spent managing teacher substitutions, schedules and tracking client results on paper with streamlined teacher substitutions and progress tracking. Faye Walton, founder of CYC:D in Haslemere, Surrey, said: “We have been on board with FitMetrix at CYC:D since we opened our doors in November 2016. “The software is fully integrated with our website and has been invaluable in streamlining our class booking procedures and giving us a competitive edge with the use of leaderboard technology. “Our clients love receiving their statistics back at the end of each class as it really allows them to monitor their progress, identify any areas of weakness and tangibly see themselves getting fitter and stronger. “When our leaderboard classes run, they really engender a sense of

customers to leave instructor reviews after each class, making it easy to monitor which classes and instructors are performing best. With MINDBODY research showing that one in five (20 per cent) gymgoers believe finding the right instructor is the most important factor when it comes to attending a gym or studio, the ability to manage and monitor is a hugely valuable tool for businesses.

healthy competition and community. We find clients push themselves that little bit more in these classes and really enjoy the feeling that they have worked that harder. “There are so many benefits, some of which we are still learning about. “We love the widget that enables our clients to manually check in on our front of house tablet which frees up our front of house team to welcome new clients and assist with bike set up etc, the different options available to us in a leaderboard class eg team challenges and FTP testing which keeps things fresh and the statistical data we receive which helps with the running of the business. “There is so much capability above and beyond how we currently utilise the software and we are excited to explore these in the future and give our clients an experience that is second to none. “One of the reasons we opted for FitMetrix was the ability to brand the software with our own branding so no one else will have exactly the same product in terms of aesthetics. “It’s very instinctive and easy to use and we are provided with a fantastic level of support which makes the entire experience an enjoyable one.” Some of the key features reported to be helping businesses engage with

their customers include: Studio performance tracking When clients wear heart rate monitors or ride bikes with equipment trackers, they can see how hard they are training with real-time data on calories burned, heart rate zones, watts, RPMS, distance and more. By viewing their stats on live leaderboards, clients can compete against their classmates and push themselves towards their fitness goals. Group X management First impressions are everything and with FitMetrix front desk solutions you can ensure that clients are going to have a positive experience from the start, such as allowing them to self check-in to class to avoid horrible queues. No one ever prepares you for how hard it is to run a club and something like a trainer calling in sick can have a big impact on your day, but with the group class and management features in the software it needn’t be an issue. If a trainer is unable to take a certain class, the software makes it simple to quickly find a replacement to avoid disappointment. What’s more, the tool allows

Trainer portal The online trainer portal eliminates the need for paper files and makes it easy to enhance ongoing relationships between trainers and their clients. The portal offers a dashboard that showcases the client’s performance, to ensure the personal trainer is doing everything in their power to keep them on track and help them achieve their goals. Furthermore, the trainer can schedule sessions, perform fitness tests and send results to their clients all from within the portal too. Visual workout builder The visual workout builder provides clients with a personal workout experience by enabling instructors to focus on them – not the workout plan. Instructors can create, schedule and display custom exercise sequences for clients to watch and follow along in class. This way, instructors can walk around the studio during class, to interact with clients. John Lloyd, founder of Fitmetrix, added: “Technology is driving the future of fitness, and we are always working to provide innovative ways for our clients to engage with their target customers, both inside and outside of the gym. “We continue to strive to be at the forefront of (wearable) technology, providing the most state-of-the-art user experiences as we hope this allows gym members to utilise the benefits of technology to reach their fitness goals.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Freemotion appoints UK manager in growth drive FREEMOTION Fitness, one of the world’s leading innovators in fitness equipment, is continuing to progress its global growth strategy with the appointment of Tony Ali as country manager UK. Tony, who has an impressive track record of more than12 years in strategic sales management, joins Freemotion from Matrix Fitness where he was the head of sales UK – education sector. He said: “I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to join this great company, which has proven itself as an industry leader in innovation and service, and I look forward to playing an instrumental role in devising a powerful strategy for Freemotion in the UK.” In his previous role, Tony developed and grew a team that demonstrated a strong ability to secure new accounts and grow existing business while maintaining and enhancing relationships with key accounts. With a degree in Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, and a diverse experience encompassing leisure, education, manufacturing and industrial, Freemotion identified Tony as the perfect addition to its global sales team at this pivotal time in the company’s journey. Chris McGill, vice president of global sales, added: “I am very excited with the addition of Tony to our international team.

Stephen Greene with the Best Large Gym of the Year award. Tony Ali “His experience, passion and understanding of the fitness industry will make Freemotion a leader in the UK market and help to enhance the brand’s presence in Europe as we continue to drive forward our global growth strategy.” Tony’s appointment follows that of Apostolos Seintis as Europe sales director. He will be attending the IHRSA European Congress in Ireland and SIBEC in Malta and is looking forward to working closely with Freemotion’s distributors, as well as the wider Freemotion family.

Gym wins top accolade IT WAS a night to remember for the team and members at Lifestyle Fitness, as their Ballymena club picked up the Best Large Gym of the Year award at the prestigious Northern Ireland Health and Fitness Awards 2019. The Awards – which were held at the Crowne Plaza in Belfast – are a celebration of excellence and achievement across the entire health and fitness industry, providing desired recognition to the individuals and organisations who are passionate about the work they do.

Stephen Greene, club manager, said: “It’s amazing to bring this award back to the club. It was an honour to become a finalist, never mind a winner. “We work as a team to ensure we provide excellent service to our members, and being recognised for it is incredible.” Lifestyle Fitness Ballymena beat competition from highly respected nominees such as Bannatyne Belfast and GymCo, and were recognised for their success in providing an exceptional health and fitness service.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Advertiser’s announcement

Marylebone’s newest boutique studio – The Engine Room – turns indoor rowing into a fitness experience. Founder and owner Chris Heron explains how Technogym supported his vision.

Gym partners with Technogym for cutting-edge rowing experience THE Engine Room is named after the middle three rowers in a boat of eight. Everything about this boutique studio is designed to deliver a high-quality indoor rowing experience. Even the building – a stunning Grade II listed church – is near the boating lake in Regent’s Park. “We offer an immersive and data-driven rowing experience,” said Chris. “Technogym’s SKILLROW was the obvious choice of equipment. Rowing is often part of a gym workout, but here it is the main focus. SKILLROW machines help our customers develop great technique, track progress, and assess useful data.” Supporting the member journey Learning rowing technique is a central part of The Engine Room’s offering. Chris and his trainers need machines they can rely on as customers get fitter, stronger, and more skilled. “Our ROW 101 class is the perfect introduction to the fundamentals, including rhythm and movement patterns,” added Chris. “Part of this involves teaching connection to the machine. SKILLROW helps people fall in love with rowing whilst learning proper technique.” Dedicated app powered by Technogym platform Smart studio owners know the power of digital for an enhanced customer experience. The Engine Room has its own app – powered by Technogym’s mywellness platform – which lets participants capture workout data and the results of their Tanita body composition tests. The app links to third-party apps, so members can keep all their lifestyle stats in one place. “We were keen to partner with innovative technology,” said Chris. “People love being able to access and track their data and see changes happen. From our point of view, this helps differentiate our offering and add even more value to the people who choose to train with us.” Signature boutique classes The Engine Room offers two signature classes after ROW 101. BEATS combines time on the SKILLROW with floor work using functional products from the Technogym SKILLTOOLS range. The class finishes with a team race for some friendly competition. BREATHE classes focuses on improving performance using different metrics. The SKILLROW machines and Technogym-powered app record user data and give individual scores. This scientifically-led approach creates a highly

individualised experience. Both signature classes and the end of class race are all programmed directly through Technogym’s professional SKILLROW app making for easy to build structured content as well as gamifying the experience and creating awareness of performance stats. Chris concluded. “The first time I got on a SKILLROW, I fell in love with it,” he says. “As I learned about the research and development behind the product, I realised what an incredible bit of kit is it. SKILLROW takes rowing to a new level – and that’s exactly what we set out to do at The Engine Room. “The future of fitness lies in empowering customers with data. SKILLROW’s digital solution helps us offer a truly cutting-edge fitness experience.” n Technogym was thrilled to partner with Engine Room in supporting the wellness festival, Sweatlife to create a dedicated rowing studio event at Tobacco Docks, London. Sweatlife is an exhilarating and energetic fitness festival weekend filled with around 6000 people ready to get their sweat on. Whether you’re an adrenalin junkie, HIIT trainer, fitness fanatic or a yoga bunny trying to find your inner ‘zen’ the event offers a variety of awesome sessions to cater to anyone’s level of activity. A two-day revitalising extravaganza Opened to the public, the ticketed festival unlocked its door to an array of motivating members who radiate a healthy body, healthy mind outlook. Sweatlife brought together consumers from

the fitness world building a community hub and connecting people together from across the UK. From meditation zones, mindful sessions and massage therapy to intense workout sessions, dancing, boxfit, Pilates and stimulating spinning classes. The list of activities was endless. If getting sweaty wasn’t enough the festival also had stalls dedicated to stylish gym wear and ecofriendly beauty treatments, tantalising smoothie and protein bars plus a variety of deliciously sumptuous and filling healthy food options. The event provided an ideal experience for beginners who were looking to try something new, experts searching for the next invigorating challenge and health gurus who needed to take a break from the outside world and learn an alternative way to flex their minds. Start your Engines with Skillrow The fitness festival saw consumers and active members sliding into Engine Room’s electrifying and body-pumping studio sessions, filled with 20 innovative Skillrows, all ready to get pulses racing. The first fully connected indoor rowing equipment that trains both cardio and power at athlete’s level, thanks to its sport-specific design, exclusive technology and performanceoriented workouts. As the awesome DJ welcomed participants into the sessions with his motivating sounds and tracks the studio was bursting with an exhilarating dynamism. Boosting energy levels out the door that stopped people on the outside in their tracks to have a look into see what the buzz was all about! The layout of the Skillrows were set up in a race format with five rows of four, all inline as if they were in a real rowing boat race. Creating a real-life virtuosity, each Skillrow was connected to the TV screen to create a virtual experience that allows participants to feel the Aquafeel motion – as if they were gliding on the waters. The TV also projected a leaderboard showing the live scores of each rower, creating healthy competition between each person. As well as single workout sessions, Engine Room also hosted a tag-team class that rotated pairs between the Skillrow and Technogym slam balls and dumbbells. Towards the end of each session users would get into position on the Skillrows to kick-start their team racing while watching the interactive screen to see which rowing boat is in the lead.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Gym putting training bag through its paces CARBON Claw fight equipment specialists in partnership with Indigo Fitness have recently launched the Technique utility training bag and is currently being put through its paces with our colleagues at the United Exercise Gym in Hinckley, Leicester. The ergonomic design allows the user to train with techniques taken from a multitude of fighting styles and weighing in at 45kgs and at 4ft 6 inches (137cms) in height it can be suspended with its extra wide double strength velcro collar and chain set for a great boxing workout allowing the user to target all areas of the bag for a compliment of head/uppercut and body shots. By removing the velcro collar with chains and taking the bag to the floor allows the bag to be used safely for Ground and Pound fist and elbow strikes and floor body movement techniques. The design also contributes to it being a great strength and conditioning tool because of its lack of handles, gripping points and smooth material it has a level of difficulty when using it for twisting, carrying and flipping movements that will challenge many skill levels. Constructed from an easy clean heavy duty PU/vinyl material the Technique utility bag has an inner layer of cross fibre bonded material re enforced with double folded seams and stitching for durability. Filled and compressed with textile

EMD UK applauds Sport England announcement

material off- cuts and sealed with a heavy duty zip closure this bag will become a great asset to your gym/ studio and PT requirements. Product code: CC-223 Product description: Carbon Claw Technique utility bag Email: sales@carbonclaw.com Web: www.carbonclaw.com

LFX memberships giveaway OUR friends at www.mylfx.com have given us five ‘Indie’ Memberships* to give to the first five readers to answer this question correctly..... ‘Where is the LFX Main Event “Entrepreneurialism” being held on November 21?’ LFX is a business network for ambitious professionals working in the health and fitness industry. Our events are attended by people from all over the UK and run in seasons which begin in September and end in the June of the following year. Our main events usually consist of interviews with experts from a variety of fields and these are delivered ‘chat show’ style. We have

unique themes for each main event and you can see these on our events page. We also host fitness events which are predominantly two to three hours long and are hosted at a variety of unique fitness venues. For the current season our focus will be on fitness theory and coaching. *Indie Membership – is for selfemployed individuals, independent owner/operators and single site operators and enables one person to attend all LFX events during the season. For more information and to enter the giveaway please contact graeme@mylfx.com

GROUP exercise is already a key element in Sport England’s strategy to ‘get the nation active’ as it is the second fastest growing fitness trend for 2019, and at their recent annual conference in London they announced that the workforce will play a major role in driving this initiative. An instructor can make or break a participant’s experience, and good customer care is a high priority as a good or bad group exercise experience can impact people’s health. Recent research by EMD UK, the national governing body for group exercise, has found that more than 4.8 million people take part in group exercise each week, but nearly one third of this figure do not do any other form of exercise. The EMD UK National Survey 2018 found that 78 per cent of group exercise takes place in a private gym or leisure centre, although the traditional gym model is changing as many people only want to take part in classes. This trend has several benefits for gym owners, as membership of boutique studios has grown by 70 per cent and members attending group exercise classes are 26 per cent less likely to cancel their gym membership. Keeping the role of the group exercise instructor relevant to this changing market, EMD UK, in conjunction with ActiveIQ, has revamped the now outdated Exercise to Music qualification and developed

two new group training options: A Level 2 Certificate in Group Training to Music or, for those who don’t need any element of choreography, a general Group Training course are now available. These updated courses enable instructors to safely plan and teach group exercise classes to a variety of participants as well as being the base qualification needed to go on to train in concepts such as HIIT or boot camps. There is also a new Group Training CPD from EMD UK which is designed to equip personal trainers with the skills needed to deliver successful group exercise classes or for group exercise instructors looking to add more styles to their repertoire. Gym/studio owners who wish to maximise the potential and profitability of their group fitness studios are also using the CPD to upskill their workforce. Why a CPD option? Because personal trainers already have the required skills to build on but need to improve how to deliver excellence in a group setting. EMD UK has recently relaunched classfinder, the UK’s largest directory of group exercise classes, making it easy for instructors and venues to upload details of all their group exercise classes and for participants to find locally available classes. For more information on how we can help support your business email training@emduk.org or info@classfinder.org.uk or call 01403 266000.

Does achieving your goals affect retention? MEMBERS join a health club or fitness facility for a number of different reasons, whether it’s to lose weight, feel fitter, to improve their health and wellbeing, or for social reasons, but does achieving these goals affect whether they remain a member? As part of the TRP 10,000 research, the researchers asked whether there is a link between goals and perceived motivation, and member retention. The type of goals included a range of motivation types including social goals like making new friends, improving aspects of fitness or appearance driven motivations. Their findings demonstrated that during the seven months after the members were surveyed, for each factor members reported they have made progress on, the risk of cancellation reduced by 10 per cent. At FitQuest, we’re keen to support our partners and their users by encouraging goal setting, providing immediate feedback about achievements and encouraging regular assessments using digital

support mechanisms to help members track each element of their fitness and body composition. Dominic Morrow, head of product and proposition at the Gym Group, said: “Our core purpose is to break down barriers to fitness for all.

“We want to make fitness accessible and want to help people achieve their fitness goals, whatever those goals are. “If members have a great product and service experience, and make progress towards their goals, they will not only stay longer, but will become advocates of our brand. “FitQuest plays two vital roles for our members; it helps them to identify areas where they need to improve their fitness so they can set the right goals initially; and then gives them the data to track their progress. It is a key component for us to deliver a great member experience.” The evidence suggests understanding your members’ goals and helping them achieve them is not only beneficial to member retention but also makes the member more likely to recommend your facility to others. Get in touch to find out how FitQuest can support your member retention strategies.

PRODUCT NEWS

Active IQ appoints two new directors

Matrix makes Eden Fitness first fully connected UK site EDEN Fitness, a premium private health club in Ealing, has become the first site in the UK to install the new, fully connected Matrix Fitness equipment. The install included top of the range Matrix 7xi cardio equipment, Ultra strength equipment with the connected intelligent training consoles, two of the new CXP Target Training Cycles and two versa cable machines. Charlie Bourne, managing director at Eden Fitness, said: “Eden Fitness is a premium site and our members have come to expect connectivity in all aspects of their lives, including their fitness journey. “Through the Matrix technology, we can now engage with members outside of the four walls of the gym, integrate with third party apps and offer a more personalised service.” The Matrix 7xi series is a revolutionary way to link members to

stunning entertainment, social media, fitness tracking and brand-building communication from the club. It’s also an ingenious way to manage equipment to expedite maintenance and service, which maximises machine uptime. With the intelligent training console, the Matrix Ultra strength series provides advanced functionality with intuitive operation and the CXP Target Training Cycle has a distinctive Target Training touchscreen display that uses engaging graphics and vibrant colours to motivate riders. Equipment was also set up with the Matrix Workout Tracking Network (WTN), a digital solution allowing members to capture data from their favourite fitness apps as well as the Matrix Personal Trainer Portal app (PTP), which creates a personalised training experience through digital solutions to help trainers engage with members.

ACTIVE IQ has appointed two directors to strengthen its senior management team. James McPherson joins in a new role of commercial director with a focus on growing the business as part of its five-year growth plan including the development of its new EPA service line. In addition, Georgina Shaw joins as director of quality and standards and her primary focus is on continuing to achieve the highest quality standards across the diverse range of Active IQ approved providers as well as maintaining and ensuring compliance with the regulators. James brings a wealth of commercial and strategic expertise to his newlycreated role. His career spans experience in commercial media including work for The Times and Sunday Times. After completing his MBA, James worked on strategic projects in diverse industries including travel and tourism, security and the public sector. Georgina started her career in law and later qualified as a psychologist before moving to the education sector working in further and higher education environments where she attained an MA in Education. A published author, she has some 20 years’ experience designing and developing qualification and assessment materials from entry level to level 7 with Pearson Edexcel, AIMs and awarding organisations across a range of industries. She has also worked as a chief examiner, responsible officer and is an approved Ofqual external expert. “I am very pleased with our two new appointments who come at a time of

James McPherson

Georgina Shaw growth and development at Active IQ,” said managing director Jenny Patrickson. “James’ new role represents our commitment to drive growth and development while reinforcing our increasingly strong position within end-point assessment. “Georgie has a highly valuable skill set honed over years of working within quality educational programmes and we are very fortunate to have her join our team. “Her role is crucial to the ongoing success of our business and reputation and we are looking forward to enhancing our services in light of her fresh contributions.”

ServiceSport brings old equipment back to life Hertsmere Leisure Centres’ £5m OVER the past few years ServiceSport has grown significantly, and is now Europe’s leading independent service provider for the fitness industry. The Chorley-based firm’s in-house repairs department offers several affordable service packages designed to elongate the life of your fitness equipment, physiotherapy beds and more. Staff with dozens of years’ experience in the upholstery and electronics industries take pride in their ability to be able to bring tired equipment back to life. Whether you’re looking to replace the pads on your shoulder press or repair the console on your spin bike, ServiceSport can provide a solution to

most problems. ServiceSport also offers an embroidered branding service, ensuring that your equipment stands out from the competition. Electronic repairs are in high demand at ServiceSport, as customers strive to reduce costs by extending the life of their machines. ServiceSport’s experienced staff are fully-trained to repair a wide variety of equipment and are able to resolve many problems that other suppliers shy away from. For more information about ServiceSport’s upholstery or electronics repair services telephone 0845 402 2456, email sales@servicesport.co.uk or visit www.servicesport.co.uk

redevelopment is complete CREATEABILITY has completed a £5million refurbishment project at InspireAll’s Bushey Grove and Furzefield Leisure Centres. The nine-month redevelopments were carried out in phases and saw sports halls part converted into soft play and climbing destinations, as well as the creation of new fitness studios and functional training areas complete with running tracks and an immersive cycling studio at each site. Both centres also benefit from destination day spas boasting their own reception areas and dedicated changing, four treatments rooms,

relaxation areas, heated benches and sauna/steam experience rooms. Ian Cotgrave,managing director of Createability, said: “We were stepping on familiar ground when it came to the redevelopment of Bushey Grove’s fitness suite, as we extended the gym many years ago. “Both leisure centres are an essential part of the community and the finished facilities will no doubt strengthen the user experience, encouraging more people to immerse themselves with all they have to offer.”

Success for TVS Group is more than just floor deep THE routes to success in the health and fitness industry are many and varied. But for TVS (Total Vibration Solutions), now one of the UK’s leading suppliers of gym flooring, sports and play surfaces, it all started with two things people didn’t want – noise and vibrations. It was the company’s deep knowledge of acoustics, how sound is transmitted and, more importantly, how it can be suppressed, that initially led to its more wide-ranging involvement across gyms, sports and leisure centres as well as colleges, universities and leading football and rugby stadiums. Today, through three divisions – TVS Gym Flooring, TVS Sports Surfaces and TVS Play Surfaces, the group provides flooring solutions to many of the biggest gyms and health clubs across the UK and undertakes contracts large and small, on newbuild projects and increasingly on the refurbishment of existing premises. A fourth division, TVS Acoustics, continues to problem-solve noise and vibration issues both inside the sector and across cinemas and bowling

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alleys, commercial and residential buildings. Such has been the success of TVS that its clients now include some of the best-known names from across the health and fitness industry, as well as the sporting world. They currently include: Pure Gym, The Gym Group, Third Space, Virgin Active, Fitness First, Sports Direct Fitness, Xercise4Less, Fit4Less, Lifestyle Fitness, England RFU, Chelsea FC and Derby FC. In addition, it has conducted significant projects across the education sector for Sheffield Hallam University, Derby University, The University of Kent and Bryanston School, to name but a few. TVS Gym Flooring is best known for its high-quality sports and fitness surfaces for use in commercial health clubs, weightlifting gyms, strength and conditioning facilities, public leisure centres, personal training clubs and multi-use games areas in schools and colleges. Utilising its complementary skills in acoustic suppression, TVS also helps to overcome many unwanted noise and vibration issues in gym

environments. Examples to date include anti-vibration pads for treadmills; impact absorbing isolation rings for gym equipment; and spring jack -up floating floors for free weight areas. Conscious that gyms also need to be attractive places to work out, the company offers one of the broadest ranges of coloured rubber floor coverings in a variety of thicknesses, allowing materials to reflect corporate colours where

SOUND AND VISION

required or alternatively contrasting hues to brighten the environment. In a complementary role, TVS Sports Surfaces specialises in high performance shock-pad underlay systems and highly durable surfacing solutions for indoor or outdoor sporting requirements. TVS Play Surfaces, meanwhile, supplies and installs surfacing for playgrounds and caters for a wide variety of equipment, play and sporting requirements.

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