Work Out October 2010

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October 2010

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Members go on the run to help Russ

Independents merging as owner retires

By Emma Spencer TWO independent gyms in WestonSuper-Mare have merged.

Sweat FA run by martial arts expert Stuart Davies will take over Gym Central after owner Robin O’Neill announced his retirement.

Gym Central closes for business on October 1.

It launched in March 2007 as a no frills gym with 250 members but now has 2,000 members who will be transferred to Sweat FA at no extra cost and on the same terms and conditions.

Members who don’t want to can opt out and both firms already use the same collection service and database software.

Robin stressed the takeover is not for financial reasons – Gym Central is being sold as a going concern and turnover has doubled since the launch.

Gym Central’s two trainers Richard Burchell and Gino Fiori will keep their jobs and move over to Sweat FA. Robin said he was keen to do busi-

ness with Sweat FA because he wanted to sell out to an independent because other gyms nearby were chains or hardcore strength gyms which wouldn’t have appealed to his customers.

To help with the transition Sweat FA has arranged a free open weekend so members can try the facilities without any obligation.

Robin told WorkOut: “Sweat FA made us an offer we couldn’t refuse so effectively it is a take over.

“The gym is very well set up, impressive and more than double our size and we wanted to look after our members.

“Other gyms in Weston-Super-Mare are a hard-core bodybuilding gym and some chains.

“The future is for the independent if they can get together.

“I know the name of nearly everybody in the gym and that personal touch makes all the difference.

“To make a profit in a gym is quite difficult in this economic climate so we are very happy it is going to a good home.”

No 205 £3

MEMBERS of a gym in North Wales have formed a running club as part of their training for a 10k race to fundraise for a member with a terminal illness.

A 20-strong team from the Slaughterhouse Gym in Mold take to the streets twice a week in preparation for the race in October.

They have set a target of raising over £2000 for Russ Jones who has Motor Neurone disease and the local Motor Neurone disease organisation based in Flintshire.

Russ, in his 50’s, has been a member of Slaughterhouse for almost 20 years but is currently unable to work out because of the severity of his condition.

The gym has raised funds for him before and owner Chris Watson said it was sad to see how quickly a previously strong and healthy man had deteriorated.

Yoga and pilates expert Mila Lazar has won a competition to show off her teaching expertise in Antigua. She has worked for Fitness First for six years and is the studio and events manager at the Covent Garden Club. Mila, 33, saw off competition from Fitness First experts from around the country to win the trip.

He added: “We are doing all we can for one of our own. He has supported us with his membership subscription over the years so it is the least we can do by giving him something back in some way.”

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Alien campaign pays off as gym gains members

By Christina Eccles A MARKETING campaign which sparked controversy as far away as Africa has paid off for an independent club in Bristol.

The Club at Cadbury House displayed a banner as part of its new year recruitment drive showing a green alien with the slogan “When the aliens come, they will eat the fatties first”.

It generated interest from national newspapers including the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail, as well as radio stations, local papers, Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff and even a sci-fi magazine.

Jason received some complaints from people saying the banner was offensive because they had fat friends, but on the other hand he says it brought publicity money couldn’t buy.

He said: “We wanted to do something a little bit controversial for the new year and something that would stick out in the market place.

“Obviously it did, but it was not meant to offend anyone, but the publicity we

got went further afield than we ever thought.

“I couldn’t guess how many publications it went in but it had to be close to hundreds.

“We had a member who went to Botswana on holiday and saw a newspaper article about it while they were there.”

Despite the controversy surrounding the campaign thought up by staff at Cadbury House and their marketing team Hattrick it had the desired effect on membership figures.

Since the alien campaign up to 300 new members have joined the club, taking the total to around 4,200.

Jason added: “It definitely helped sales and awareness of the club. People liked us because we are different and the club has gone from strength to strength.”

The Club which charges £64 per month for its top-rate membership already has its thinking cap on to see what marketing campaign it can come up with for next year.

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Julie Flynn, lifestyles manager for Coventry Sports Foundation and Hollyoaks actress Melissa Walton

Pole fitness classes attract actress to centre A COVENTRY leisure centre has added a famous face to its membership list thanks to its innovative fitness classes.

Former Hollyoaks actress Melissa Walton has become the latest member to join the Alan Higgs Centre after hearing about its pole fitness classes.

Another session proving popular with members is the Latin inspired dance-fitness Zumba, which has seen over 3,000 people take part since it was launched in December.

Melissa said: “I live locally with my boyfriend and he has

been coming to the Alan Higgs Centre for the circuit training for a long time and I decided to come along and have a look at the centre.

“I was pleasantly surprised they had pole fitness classes here as not many gyms do it, which is a shame because it is a really good workout, and a nice break from the standard classes gyms tend to offer.

“I also can’t wait to try the Zumba class, I have lots of friends who go and they have been telling me how good it is, plus I love dancing.”

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Lisa turns to social media to promote gym

By Emma Spencer

Why Gordon feels like part of the family at centre OVER 20 years ago Gordon Smith, pictured above, was giving life-saving lessons at his local leisure centre.

Now at the age of 88 he is the oldest member at Royston Leisure Centre in Barnsley and still works out in the gym five times a week.

He then jumps in the pool after his gym session where he swims several lengths.

One of his old pupils on his life-saving courses is now the manager at the centre run by Barnsley Premier Leisure.

Neil Mills said: “I still remember the way Gordon taught me on the life-saving course and have used many of the same phrases and methods when teaching it myself.

“He’s a real inspiration to other people of all ages that keeping fit and healthy is important at any age.

We hope he will be a member here for many years to come.”

Gordon added: “Although I don’t coach much anymore, I still really enjoy coming to the gym and using the pool several times a week.

“It keeps me fit and healthy and it’s a good chance to meet new people, everyone knows me here and I feel like part of the family!”

A FIRST FLOOR gym in Northumberland is rebranding and exploring modern ways of marketing in a bid to drum up more trade.

No Limits Health and Fitness is situated on one of the main streets in Hexham town centre but because it is above a shop and accessed by a stairwell not many people know it is there.

The other problem owner Lisa Thompson has is spreading the word it is no longer a male only gym.

She is setting about re-branding the business with a new logo and signage, axing monthly memberships and launching the business on social networking site Facebook.

She attended a social media workshop where she met other gym operators and swapped ideas.

Lisa said: “Because we are such a small business and upstairs it is hard to advertise even though we are in the middle of the town centre.

“We struggle from where we are. We do advertise in the windows but people don’t look up so it comes down to being out there and using all the different social media.

“You can do it from your mobile phone and it does work.”

Instead of handing out leaflets and with newspaper adverts being too expensive the signs will tell potential customers where they can get the information they need by directing them to the website where clients can join the gym and set up their own direct debits.

‘Because we are such a small business and upstairs it is hard to advertise even though we are in the middle of the town centre’

Lisa Thompson Joining on-line also forms part of the process to change the way club memberships work.

Lisa found that offering too many pay as you go or one month only contracts wasn’t working as it didn’t encourage people to keep coming and with clients coming and going it was difficult to work out what the gym’s actual membership base was.

She added: “We have realised you can give away too many options and short term memberships. We did one, two and three month options but people would come for a month, go away for a month and then come back.

“We were still getting income but we weren’t getting the commitment from people so we are going to do six, nine, 12 and 24 months. Once you get people on direct debits they usually carry on.”

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Social events and charity fundraisers at a club near Barnsley are key to keeping members interested. Emma Spencer has a look at Burntwood Court Club and Spa.

Reputation is the key at village health club A HEALTH club in a rural village has told how it keeps its membership which has surpassed the 2,000 mark in less than four years.

Burntwood Court Club and Spa opened in October 2006 as an addition to a privately-owned hotel which had opened around six years earlier.

Gym manager Stuart Prentice was taken on before the club opened and has seen it develop from day one.

Various things like a bar area, nightclub and kids’ play area have been added on over the years which attract people to the complex.

Because it is a family-run venture overseen by managing director John Saul standards have to be high to maintain his reputation.

Stuart said: “It starts from the top. It is the managing director’s name above the complex and his reputation – that is passed to the staff. I am the manager of the club and so that is my reputation too.”

The reputation is also how new people hear about Burntwood because the firm doesn’t tend to pay for advertising campaigns.

And while memberships at £38 per

month may seem higher than budget clubs or chains the use of a personal trainer, nutritional assessment or specialist advice for GP referrals is included in that price unlike some places which charge extra.

Stuart said: “We have got some great staff, every club manager up and down the land will say that but it is about the level of service we offer.

“We have instructors in their 30’s, 20’s and 40’s. When you are working with people you need that balance of ages, gender and experience so there is something for all.

“And it’s not a case of pay your money and off you go. New members have three appointments with the team in the first three weeks.

“We get a lot of people in here that haven’t set foot in a gym since they left school and that would have been under duress.

“With a lot of chains and public sector gyms you have an induction and that tends to be it. I don’t understand the mentality of that. For myself with a sports degree background and teaching I would want to manage a club the way that we are.”

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Pair get on their bikes to raise charity cycle cash THE manager of a health club and one of his members raised £2,000 for charity after cycling almost 200 miles from London to Paris in just three days.

Stuart Prentice from Burntwood Court Club and Spa near Barnsley and one of his members Ben Jones took to the saddle during the last weekend of July to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer.

The independent health club based in a familyowned hotel and bar complex has done plenty of fundraising before for Cancer Research and breast cancer but decided to do something for the fellas.

On the first day they rode 60 miles, 51 the following day and a gruelling 70 miles for the last stint.

Stuart and Ben were in training for eight weeks beforehand going out on the road for four hours at a time as well as doing sessions in the gym on

exercise bikes and in spinning classes.

They got their sponsorship money from members, set up a Just Giving website so non-members could donate, held a coffee morning in a local church hall to raise extra money and put on a race night.

Stuart said: “If we hadn’t done the training beforehand we could have quite easily pulled out but I loved it and would recommend it to anybody, it was a great experience.”

Unfortunately other members were unable to join them because of the training required and the summer holidays but the event had brought the club together.

Stuart added: “It was a good event and win-win for everybody. Me and Ben thoroughly enjoyed it even though it was a challenge and we raised £2,000 for a good cause and brought members together with the race night and it was good for the profile of the place.”

Gym works out a busy social life BEING a member of the gym and spa at Burntwood Court in South Yorkshire is as much about the social scene as it is the work out.

The most recent get together of members outside of the gym was a race night to raise funds for manager Stuart Prentice and member Ben Jones’ charity cycle to Paris.

But since the club opened events have been held for Cancer Research and Breast Cancer

Care to name but a few.

They are held on site in the Burntwood complex’s restaurant, hotel and bar facilities which helps generate extra income for the company.

One of the most successful events was a summer ball last year attended by 300 members.

The Club and Spa laid on the party with guests in penguin suits and cocktail dresses enjoying a champagne reception – for free.

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Owner Scott Horton and wife Lindsay, the Mayor of Colchester Sonia Lewis, Karl Borowiec manager of the new gym and Amy Hickey who is part of the Hercules team.

Hardcore gym owner goes for a softer option THE OWNER of a body-building gym has opened another business to try and attract a wider range of clients who might be intimidated by his strength gym.

Scott Horton says some people are put off by the stereotypical image of hardcore bodybuilding gyms like Hercules in Colchester.

So at the beginning of September he opened Hercules School of Physical Training over the river focusing on old school techniques.

It has an indoor assault course, rings, ropes, monkey bars, mats and medicine balls.

The idea is a personal trainer can rent the space for their own clients and people from beginners to Olympic champions can train there.

Scott has grown up with the fitness industry – he was an army physical training instructor, his dad was a bodybuilder and his grandfather a strength athlete.

He is using knowledge gained from 35 years in the game to get his new venture off the ground.

Scott said: “Hercules gym is what it is – hardcore strength which specialises in bodybuilding, powerlifting

and strongman.

“Joe public has always been intimidated by Hercules, it has a reputation for the guys being massive and people create an image in their mind.

“The other place is completely different. It has a Greek spartan theme and appeals to a wide range of people and is geared around body weight to strength ratios.

“It used to be a boxing club and I thought it had the potential to be more than it was. I thought I could do something special here.”

Rather than be in competition with Hercules strength gym whose reputation precedes it it is hoped the two businesses will complement each other and once people progress in the new gym they might be attracted to the original Hercules.

The Mayoress of Colchester borough council officially opened the new Hercules and alongside articles in the local gazette Scott’s Facebook page is the main source of generating publicity.

He has 5,000 followers from all over the world and always attracts comments when he posts news and pictures.

Barefoot running ‘increases performance’ NEW research has shown running barefoot can increase energy levels and performance.

Eight male runners who normally run in trainers performed a six-minute moderate to hard running task both in shoes and barefoot.

Oxygen uptake during the runs was measured revealing 7.2 per cent less

oxygen was used during barefoot running, participants took shorter strides at a higher rate and had shorter ground contact and flight times.

Patrick Fordham from Northumbria University presented his findings at the British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences Annual Conference in Glasgow in September.

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Will beats off forklift truck, crow attacks and illness to open gym OPENING up a new gym straight after Christmas and New Year is stressful enough but even more so when a forklift truck and a nest of crows put a spanner in the works.

Clwb 21 run by Will Lovelock and wife Nia opened in Anglesey on January 4 and already has over 500 members but the couple admit it wasn’t plain sailing in the beginning.

Will said: “When we were opening we both had laryngitis and I got run over by a forklift truck. It was ok in the end thank god but it was a very stressful time.”

He had been in the leisure industry for almost 20 years and was working for a local leisure centre when he decided to work for himself.

Will runs the fitness side of things and Nia takes care of the business side.

He said: “I had increased their revenue by 15 and 25 per cent year on year for the last three years by doing different things such as putting on different classes and giving

good service.

“I thought if I can do it for them I can do it for myself. We looked for gaps in the market, what people weren’t doing right and concentrated on that.”

Will and Nia handed out leaflets, generated publicity with articles in the local paper and after a few months drafted in Creative Fitness Marketing who got 200 more members.

Clwb 21 found itself in the papers a few months after opening for different reasons.

Will and Nia have tried to create an environmentally friendly gym so had a specially made film put on the windows which cut out 80 per cent of heat and glare from the sun.

It means that in summer the gym is cool and reduces the need for air conditioning and in winter it retains warmth cutting costs on heating but not everyone saw the benefit.

Crows nesting nearby were seeing their own reflections in the glass and started attacking the windows

hurting themselves and causing a lot of mess.

Prior to opening each day Will had to clean up the gym frontage and tried to ward off the brazen birds with scarecrows and toy windmills.

He added: “Economically, the windows are fantastic but as a byproduct we had crows attacking the windows but it got us lots of publicity.”

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Pole-dancing gym owner shows cast how to wiggle ...

By Louise Cordell THE OWNER of a ladies-only gym has been signed up as the choreographer for a touring theatre show.

Pole dancing expert Michele Elizabeth has been teaching the cast of the Naked Truth their moves and routines for their fifth run of the comedy.

The line-up includes former Emmerdale actress Claire King, former Hollyoaks actress Julie Buckfield and Maureen Nolan.

Michele first choreographed the Naked Truth in 2006 but has been too busy to do it since setting up her own business Felines.

She got involved with the show after writing the first nationally-recognised training course for pole dancing and started her own pole dancing class ‘Wiggle and Giggle With Me’.

It was on the back of that she was asked to choreograph the production.

Some of the training for this year’s tour has been in the Felines studio in Burton-onTrent or at the rehearsal venue in Derby.

Michele said: “Some of them were absolute complete novices and one had been on the tour for three years so I just twisted the technique and gave her some style points.

“Leanne Jones from Hairspray and Michelle Heaton from Liberty X had had some lessons but the trick was to find moves and routines which fit in with their characters so it wasn’t just teaching technique.

“We had to make them comfortable with the choreography they were performing on stage for a six-month tour.

“It was really interesting work.”

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easy new gym chain set to open

Mike shuts ‘too successful’ gym

By Emma Spencer A PERSONAL trainer based in Edinburgh had some tough decisions to make when his gym became too successful.

Fitness expert Mike Heatlie set up his own personal training business in Edinburgh in March 2009 and a gym to run alongside.

There were quickly 70 paying members crammed into the 2,000 square feet premises and more wanting to join.

It was compromising the quality of the personal training sessions Mike was able to give so he bit the bullet and closed the gym, making two members of staff redundant.

He said: “Because we are in the city centre everyone was coming at peak times between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

“When you were doing personal training if you wanted a certain piece of equipment someone would be on them and you couldn’t get near a treadmill.

“The gym was just meant to complement the personal training but it was hindering it and it was a big source of income.

“It was a very hard decision to make and I did wonder if it was a big mistake. I had to make two staff members who had been here since the beginning redundant and tell 70 members who I worked closely with, were getting results and loved the atmosphere we were closing.”

It turned out to be the right decision and ended up cutting Mike’s expenditure on things like wages, national insurance contributions (which were £300 per month), main-

tenance and utility bills by 35 per cent.

Despite leaving school with no qualifications and entering the fitness industry at the very bottom Mike now has five other trainers working under the brand Mike Heatlie personal training, two selfemployed personal trainers using his premises and plans to do deals on lease terms for off peak times.

He has a degree in sport and exercise science, two Masters degrees and plans to do a third one on public health and nutrition.

If that wasn’t enough he will be the personal trainer to American singer Gwen Stefani and her band on their next world tour.

He has been training Gwen for years after being introduced through a friend.

A NEW gym chain is set to hit the UK next year. easyGroup is to start a new venture, easyGym, in partnership with Fore Fitness an entrepreneurial firm which identifies investment opportunities and raises equity and management teams.

A spokeswoman for the venture said it is in the early stages but the intention is to offer quality gym facilities at affordable prices. easyGym will capitalise on the strength of the ‘easy’ brand which brought easyjet, coach travel and car rental among other services.

Sir Stelios, founder of the ‘easy’ brand, said: “I am thrilled that in the midst of one of the most difficult economic environments in living memory there are still fellow entrepreneurs willing to set up businesses and have a go at shaking up yet another industry.

“As a gym user, admittedly perhaps not as often as I should, I have noticed many inefficiencies in the system and believe there is a simpler and more efficient way to cater for the needs of the consumer. Together with Fore Fitness and their investors we aim to offer value for money in this sector. My own resolution following this deal is to go to the gym at least three to four times per week.”

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Blaze-hit club bounces back even better ...

By Emma Spencer WHEN part of a fitness club in Birmingham was ravaged by fire bosses used it as an opportunity to re-launch the club.

The Dudley branch of Top Notch now has better facilities and more members than before.

In August 2007 an electrical fault in the sauna sparked the blaze which due to the heat quickly spread to the steam room and the rest of the pool area which was completely destroyed.

Russell Ribeiro, business manager, said: “That is a date I don’t like to remember. At about 2am the maintenance man was living next

door and heard a crackling sound.

“He looked out of the window and saw flames coming through the ceiling. Fortunately it didn’t get into the changing rooms or any other part of the club.”

It meant part of the club was out of action for three months while it was being refurbished and inevitably membership numbers took a nose dive with around 200 leaving.

Members were given free time back as compensation and Top Notch tried to arrange for members to use other pools in the area but Russell says nobody wanted to know.

They also needed to do further damage limitation when it came to gossip as rumours were going around that all the club had been totally destroyed.

Russell said: “We did some cosmetic work to the rest of the club and made it feel as though it fitted in with the completely new pool area. We thought we would relaunch the club.

“Memberships had taken a bit of a dip but we managed to get that back within the first few months. We had a grand opening weekend and had 75 sales in two days.”

The fire had generated plenty of publicity with articles in local

newspapers and the re-opening with the then Mayor of Dudley also attracted press attention.

Now membership figures are around 2,300 – statistics show less then three per cent leave each month – and two members of staff specifically deal with attracting and retaining members.

Russell said: “We do speak with people who leave to make sure there is nothing we have done wrong.

“We have specific staff for that.

Fitness consultants and personal trainers want to focus on what they enjoy the most and not everyone feels comfortable with sales.”

Brothers introduce competition into workouts INTRODUCING the element of competition to workouts could increase results, participation and retention according to two brothers.

Phil and Ian Worthington from Preston have created the Konkura concept which is now live on the web.

It includes a variety of fitness challenges created by Cheshire-based fitness instructor Steve Hoyles who has a sports science degree from

Swansea University.

He said: “Fitness instructors are always seeking new ways to keep their clients focused and motivated in between sessions.

“By using Konkura to create challenges, they can achieve this but also attract more clients along the way.”

Challenges set could include a range of activities from running to swimming to cycling and to enter

members post their score, comments, photos or videos creating a competition against other members.

The idea is that gyms and health clubs can create challenges for members based around particular fitness goals or exercise classes and personal trainers can create challenges for clients.

Phil and Ian have been spreading the word about Konkura on Facebook attracting interest from

California.

Phil said: “We’d love to get more local competitors so we can show the Americans that Britain is the best when it comes to being competitive.

“After that, it’s time to tackle the big one and take on the Aussies.”

Steve Hoyles is now planning a series of expert challenges with a focus on weight loss.

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IFI Mark for new £750k facility A £750,000 new sports facility in the centre of London is the first in the city to be recognised for creating opportunities for people with disabilities.

Paddington Recreation Ground has been awarded the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) Mark.

Equipment includes accredited treadmills, bikes and an upper body hand cycle as well as adaptive resistance equipment.

The new building also has an exercise and dance studio, meeting area, consultation rooms and changing rooms.

Coun Steve Summers, Westminster's cabinet member for community services, said: "I'm delighted that Westminster is able to lead the way in offering disabled and non-disabled people equal opportunities to be active together in an inclusive environment.

"We are very proud of our sports facilities and remain committed to providing opportunities to all of our residents to get fit and develop healthy lifestyles."

Westminster Council has partly funded the scheme, along with £120,000 from London Marathon Trust and £120,000 from NHS Westminster.

Award for GLL LONDON's largest operator of public leisure facilities is one of the first leisure trusts to be awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.

GLL has taken action on climate change by measuring, managing and reducing its carbon emissions by two per cent between January 2007 and December 2009.

By the end of this year GLL will have invested more than £800,000 in energy saving technologies such as automatic pool covers, low energy lighting, variable speed drives for pool and air handling motors across the 70 leisure centres it operates.

Emma and Neil Godly with the local Mayor Anthony Finn at the official opening

Neil sets up in direct competition to health club chain

By Christina Eccles A NEW gym owner has set up his business in direct competition with one of the large health club chains.

Oxygen Fit run by Neil Godly and wife Emma opened last month in the small community of East Barnet in north London.

They set a target of getting 100 members within the first month but achieved half of that in less than a week.

Neil says he has a potential membership base of 500 people and that setting up on the back of a recession has actually had financial benefits.

He told Workout: “It seemed to me a lot of people were members of one particular club and it was their only option.

“It is £95 a month there and is not going to be long before it is touching £100.

“This area is very community based and if we had a gym in the middle of the community it would

be a lot easier for people to access.

“I can’t offer what the big chains are but we can offer a customer service that is sometimes missing in the industry.

“When people see the management team is a husband and wife I think they like that.”

Neil did his homework about whether the market was there.

At the back of his gym is a train station and another is not far away.

He noticed people were getting off one train hopping on another to go to the other gym and then coming back.

He has also set up next to a swimming pool with 3,000 members and a lot of parents with time on their hands while the kids are having lessons.

Neil advertised his new gym at a local festival which attracted 20,000 people, put 6,500 flyers out in the local area as well as putting up banners.

It generated interest from 500

people whose details Neil has on a database and plans to follow up as well as visiting schools, parks and high street shops.

The database allows him to monitor who has read his e-shots, who didn’t open them and who forwarded them on to someone else so he knows where to focus his recruitment efforts.

While some businesses have struggled in the current economic climate Neil found there were good deals to be had when it came to aquiring equipment.

He added: “When I first started looking into this is April last year people were throwing money at you but between then and November it all seized up affecting all the big companies that provided equipment.

“It has worked out quite well because I managed to get a good deal on buying the equipment outright.”

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Membership grows as class link pays off

By Dominic Musgrave A GYM which agreed to hold fitness sessions with a local school and problem kids has sold more memberships as a result.

For about eight years Fitness 500 in St. Helen’s in Merseyside has been inviting kids from Sutton High School to work out in the gym as part of their PE and games lessons.

Fitness 500 has around 450 regular members and on top of that the school buys a hundred six-month memberships for the year which is at a reduced rate.

Four or five times a week 16 teenagers from the local school turn up in a minibus for their fitness session in the main gym.

Following on from that Fitness 500 has since been asked to work with problem kids from a local inclusion unit who have fallen out with mainstream school – some of them bought their own memberships when the arranged scheme finished.

On the back of his work with the school, gym owner John Tatlock ran a

summer fitness camp during the school holidays for mums and daughters.

Forty young girls aged around 13 and 14 took part with their mums training for three sessions a week.

When the six-week camp came to an end some of the mums and daughters were inspired to carry on with their training and joined as full members.

John said: “They needed the exercise, they were overweight and unfit.

We did fitness sessions, body composition, blood pressure, cholesterol tests and collated all the information, did a report and gave it back to the school.

“We did three sessions per week with myself and a colleague doing personal training. They were seeing results after three weeks and then after six weeks.

“We finished it after six weeks but they were happy to see an improvement and obviously it has worked because people have joined through it. We are also getting mums and dads joining through their kids.”

Gym launches campaign to support injured soldier A SOLDIER injured by a roadside bomb in Helmand Province has been given a free lifetime membership at a gym in Doncaster.

Doncaster Dome has launched a campaign of support for Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, 26, who lost both legs four years ago and also suffered two collapsed lungs, a broken back and brain injuries causing limited speech and memory loss.

Michael Hart, general manager said: “When someone with such tremendous courage can recover from an event as traumatic as the one Ben went through, it’s truly awe-inspiring when they train with

the dedication he does.”

Ben visits the Fitness Village a few times a week with stepfather Andy to exercise his core muscles while he learns to walk again with his mechanical legs.

He said: “I always wanted to be in the army, since I was four years old and I’m still in my regiment which is the 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery unit in Colchester and have been since I was 17.

“At first no one thought I would walk again, but my advice to anyone else going through something similar is never give up. You will get there in the end.”

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Power-lifting show first for Essex’s Michelle

By Emma Spencer

£145k upgrade for gym GYM-GOING students from Newcastle University will benefit from a £145, 000 upgrade to their gym.

In total 57 pieces of kit from treadmills, upright and recumbent bikes, elliptical crosstrainers and five Adaptive Motion Trainers® (AMT’s) from the Precor range have been installed in time for students returning from their summer break.

The university carried out research among students and

who said they liked the equipment and didn’t want it to change. So the university decided to fulfill current user demand while providing up to date equipment for current and future students.

Nick Beall, facilities services manager at Newcastle University said: “As the students really like the existing Precor equipment it was a straight forward decision to retain the account and replace the pieces with new models.”

ONE of the owners of an Essex gym will be the first woman to host two of the country’s top powerlifting shows.

Michelle Meade’s gym, Ripped, was given the go-ahead by the British Powerlifting Organisation (BPO) to hold the England Championships in March next year and the British Record breakers in December, 2011.

Two of her customers Sebastian Wajncetel and Dominic Fazzini are members of the BPO and Ripped got involved with the organisation through sponsoring them.

When she heard the BPO were looking for alternative venues to hold events she had no hesitation in putting Ripped forward.

Michelle is now working her way through the strict guidelines and must do’s when it comes to hosting such a big event and has had to pay out for specialist equipment.

She said: “All the equipment has to be accredited like the weights, bars, benches and projectors and we have to supply our own staff. There are A4 sheets of paper with lists of must do’s.

“If we were to replace all our equipment with what they use we would have gone out of business. It cost £2,700 to buy 300 kilos of weights. In our gym we have six tonnes of free weights.

“These will be locked away in the office and only the people competing will use them. Then they go back in the office and won’t be used until the next event.”

However, she says the money Ripped has laid out will pay for itself when it comes to raising the profile of the gym.

Michelle added: “We have travelled to quite a few places when we have been members of other organisations and I thought we could do a better job.

“We could advertise our gym but it doesn’t give you the atmosphere if you came in when we were having one of these events.

“Members will absolutely love it and people will come from all over to watch.

Even if people don’t know about this gym if they are interested in power lifting they will come and watch. It gets them through the doors and shows them what we have got.

“We were over the moon when BPO said we had a fantastic gym – it means all the hard work has paid off.”

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Oasis for working and working out WHEN people aren’t working out at a Mansfield health club they are working.

Members at the Oasis Health Club don’t just use the club to get in shape they use the facilities to socialise, entertain business clients and carry out their day job.

In addition to the fitness facilities at the club there is a creche, hairdressers and licensed cafe.

Because use of the gym, pool and classes is included in the £35 monthly membership (£30 if on a 12-month contract) the 2,500 clients make full

use of the club.

Rob Douthwaite, general manager, said: “We have a lot of business people coming here. The cafe area is licensed and has Wi-fi. People come with lap tops when they are not coming for a work out, they have come to work. It is their club, they can relax, bring clients, look out over the pool area have a drink and a meal. We have a really large car park but sometimes not even that is enough.”

Oasis has also inadvertently become popular with families as well because of links the business has

with ten pin bowling.

The Oasis brand started in a ten pin bowling hall in Rotherham years ago.

It added a gym to the business which took off and health clubs in Grimsby, Wakefield and then Mansfield followed.

Rob is also manager of nearby Mansfield SuperBowl and thought of capitalising on quiet times to cash in at the gym.

“I thought how can we throw a bit of business forward and reward members. We had spare capacity in the lanes at quiet times between 4pm

and 7pm.

“Anybody that joins on a 12 month contract can go bowling and hire a lane for free. They just pay for shoe hire which is a pound each.

“As a parent myself I know when you take the kids out it can cost an absolute fortune so this works really well for us.

“It has brought a lot of families through to use the club. We have the creche and family swim times.

Families weren’t the target audience but it seems to have evolved that way.”

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How to maximise free publicity for your club ...

By Dave Wright Creative Fitness Marketing HAVING a good public relations plan of attack for your club is an essential way to create more members at absolutely no cost to you.

It’s all about being ‘in’ the news for the great things that you do for your community so that when a potential member is contemplating joining a gym your club is top of mind.

Here are a few ideas on how your club can be ‘newsworthy’ in your town.

1. Do an annual food donation For one month per year (such as December) instead of having a joining/ registration fee, allow new members to donate food or clothes to the value of the joining fee to the club to the charity of your choice.

The spin for the clothing would be that the new member won’t need that anymore as they will lose weight and it won’t fit (highlighting your club’s generosity whilst subtly promoting its ability to get results).

2. Run a contest for charity Your members can get people to pledge money for the amount of exercise that they do such as a pound for every mile that they walk on a treadmill or a pound for every

1,000 metres that they row. You want to be creative so that you can put some good news into the public domain about what your club and its members do for your community.

3. Run a contest with a local radio station You can run a contest amongst the listeners of the radio station to see who can lose the most weight in an eight to 12-week period. Give the DJs free memberships to your health club and have them promote the contest, get lots of people to apply to be in the contest, and provide you contact information for all applicants. If there are two DJs it can be a lot of fun for them to form two separate teams and compete as well. It makes for an exciting contest for listeners of the radio station and great free marketing for your health club.

4. Promote one of your members as a local hero Give the media what they want…positive stories! Ask your members to submit applications to be in the ‘Local Hero’ contest. They can discuss how your health club has provided the support to help them reach their goals and be a

local hero. Once a winner is selected, write a press release and send it to all local media groups. It can say ‘Local citizen earns hero recognition’, or something similar. Don't forget to give a prize to all applicants, and maybe even put their success stories on a ‘Wall of Fame’ to show prospects when they visit your health club.

5. Offer to write articles for your local newspaper If your town's newspaper doesn't have a weekly fitness write up, volunteer to write one for them. Send a selection of articles in and also some questions and answers that you often get in your club to let the paper know what you are capable of. By having questions and answers, you’ll know the questions that most of the public (and the newspaper staff) are wanting answers for and will be able to engage more with the reader.

Newspapers need constant stories and will only be too accommodating.

The one thing to bear in mind with any PR is that it has to be ‘newsworthy’ so that you have to think that the community would want to read about it. If it’s just a

Dave Wright new treadmill or a cross trainer that you want to promote, the newspaper will see right through it. Read your local paper and see what stories are currently ‘making’ it.

One final point to consider: money does talk … so if you are seen supporting the press avenue with your own advertising and/or giving generously to charities, then your potential reporter is going to be far more generous in giving you your story the free plug that it deserves.

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First for training academy THE training academy TenPilates has been officially recognised by the Register of Exercise Professionals – a first for the category of ‘Dynamic Reformer Pilates’.

To qualify, every TenPilates trainer must spend over 180 hours at the training academy, mastering the Dynamic Pilates programme under the supervision of master trainers David Higgins and Luke Meessmann.

Any trainer working through the academy can also earn 16 CPD points by completing the course.

The course modules cover every detail of the Dynamic Pilates exercise, from philosophy of the TenPilates technique to an overview of current research into areas such as muscle imbalance, back and neck pain, ante and post natal exercise and core stabilisation techniques and rehabilitation.

As well as this, the course covers six modules instructing the trainer on correct use of the Reformer, and the different exercises which make up the TenPilates training system.

How stroke put life in perspective for gym owner Shaun

By Louise Cordell GYM owner Shaun Charters puts the cause of a major stroke at the age of 43 down to the stress of running his own business.

Now on the road to recovery he says it has made him reassess his approach to the business he started in Morpeth, Northumberland four years ago in a purpose built unit.

In 2008 the former army physical training instructor woke up one day paralysed down his right hand side and couldn’t speak or walk properly.

Advice suggests getting treatment within the first three hours of having a stroke is essential but it was 14 hours before Shaun saw a doctor.

Shaun said: “I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I knew I had to go to the doctors but didn’t want to bother them.

“I couldn’t believe it when they said it was a stroke, there is no history in the family and I assumed it was the stress of running my own business.

“I have been doing this all my life, I was working ten-hour days, doing

Shaun Charters personal training, running the classes and doing the paperwork.”

Shaun, now 45, had to have an operation in September to repair a miniscule hole in his heart which may have contributed to the stroke but being self-employed there wasn’t much time for recovery.

Luckily, he took most of his clients to BodyMechanix from his previous gym, the Punchbowl, and relied on some of his military mates to take over the classes yet he was still back to work a month after the stroke.

He has been shocked at how long it is taking him to regain full fitness.

For example, prior to the stroke he could run two miles in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, now that time is 15 minutes.

But his army background, the business and personal pride is spurring him on even though the stroke has made him put life in to perspective.

Shaun added: “It is a personal pride that comes from being in the army, I am fit and that is why I was good at my job and I am determined to help clients lose weight and get fit.

“But I now take the business as it comes. With the recession I am losing and before I would have been gutted but what can I do.

“The most important thing in life is health but I will sort the business, get back in the black and expand.”

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Retention work works for Martin

By Christina Eccles RETAINING existing members and maximising what they spend is as important as attracting new ones, according to one successful gym owner.

Martin Greene owns Fountain Ladies Health Studio in Nottingham and over the last year has managed to increase turnover by about 11 per cent.

He told Workout that the key to success has been placing as much emphasis on retention as on getting new people through the doors – and he has been working hard to encourage existing members to stay longer and spend more.

When joining up, members can choose from several different price packages depending on what facilities they want to use and the days and times when they will be in the gym.

And many members in lower bands have been successfully talked into upgrading – meaning they pay slightly more in order to be able to visit at weekends and early mornings and use extra facilities such as vibration training – and the gym benefits from the extra revenue.

Martin explained: “For people on lower membership packages, we have encouraged them to upgrade.

Instead of trying to increase our customer base we have been maximising

our existing memberships and increase members’ spend.

“In the region of 15 to 18 per cent of members have been talked up in price, which has increased our turnover by around 11 per cent.

“You have to work hard at it but we have found that by spending a little bit more time with members and giving them that support, you can maximise their spend. And speaking to someone rather than just putting up posters carries a lot of weight.”

The gym has also had success with a recent advertising campaign, which generated a large number of new members at the start of the year.

Martin added: “We hadn’t done a lot of advertising but in January we launched a campaign – ‘no joining fee, no contract, no excuses’ – and we found a lot of people could identify with that. We put a sign outside and delivered 20,000 leaflets and managed to increase our membership by about 25 per cent from January to March.

“We are now ready to push on again and do a similar campaign for September and October.”

The gym currently has about 500 members and future plans include building an extension – for which it already has planning permission in place.

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Judges look for winners in hundreds of entries

By Emma Spencer WORKOUT magazine’s first National Fitness Awards have proved popular with gyms and clubs across the country with hundreds of entries coming in.

Designed to give the smaller and independent operator a voice it has certainly done that with entries coming from established and new businesses as well as bootcamps, pole-dancing teachers and personal trainers.

With the closing date now past our panel of expert judges has the arduous task of sifting through the nominations and trying to pick a worthy winner for each of the 12 categories.

For example in the category for best membership recruitment campaign is the Club and Spa at Hoole Hall in Cheshire.

The fitness facilities there are part of a £6 million refurbishment project and six months before the re-opening staff were selling memberships from a portable cabin in the car park with just a drawing to show potential customers – yet sold 1,200.

One of the most popular categories has been for strength training gym of the year.

Ministry of Muscle gym in Kent was nominated by a member.

It was opened in 2006 by Steve Winter, a former winner of Britain’s strongest man.

He has coached members to gold medals in the World Powerlifting Championships and two of his clients were the only two English strongmen invited to take part in the Amateur Arnolds in America.

Ministry of Muscle is unique because it has a complete indoor strongman training facility including a fire engine for truck pulling.

And in the category for innovation or product of the year entries range from an outdoor fitness bootcamp in Gateshead, a recumbent stepper machine which can be used by both disabled and able bodied people and a Lancashire based company providing a mobile upholstery repair service.

The winners will finally be announced at a ceremony and dinner at the National Railway Museum in York on Thursday November 25.

It will be hosted by former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies.

Sharron Davies

Trusts are set to merge TWO leading leisure trusts have announced their intention to merge in a move that will see the new group operate more than 100 centres across south east England.

If the deal goes ahead, Nexus Community will become a trading division of GLL, but will continue to operate under its own brand and maintain its own head office.

It has also been confirmed that jobs at both charitable organisations will remain secure and that, at an operational level, business will continue as usual.

The aim is that the deal will benefit both parties, as well as customers and staff, by allowing increased investment into capital projects, business expansion and better career opportunities for employees.

Mark Sesnan, GLL MD, said: “This merger offers a fantastic opportunity for GLL and Nexus to take our businesses forward, share resources and build on our strengths.

“Having worked in partnership for a number of years, the similarities between the two organisations have become evident and the advantage of working together obvious.”

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COMBAT SPORTS

Boost your gym’s revenue FIGHT Fit has developed, tested and successfully delivered a unique training model to boost revenue in gyms of all sizes and demographics and helped health clubs across the UK raise member retention, levels of secondary spend and generate new class and personal training sales.

With over seven years of experience in professionally training gym staff to deliver the fun Fight Fit pre-paid, six week boxing courses in their venues, Fight Fit continues to support gyms, from exclusive health clubs in Central

Nicola fights her way to top COMBAT training in a Paisley gym helped a model scoop the Miss Scotland title.

Nicola Mimnagh revealed how tough regimes at Pro-Life Gym helped her deliver a knock out blow to the judges. She had to get in shape yet try not to build up too much muscle as it would hamper her modelling jobs, so took part in regular body combat and body attack workouts.

Nicola, 24, who has been a member of Pro-Life for years said: “Sessions help keep me toned for my modelling work and, although they are quite intense, there is no contact when we go through our training classes.

“It is all about going through the

moves of punching and kicking and keeps you really fit. But I also do cardio workouts plus the spinning classes. But I don't do any weights because if I built up my upper muscles it would not go down well for my modelling jobs.”

Pro-Life manager Gayle Brannigan said: “We are all delighted for her and I am really pleased to see one of our members doing so well. Nicola has been here for years and has always looked after herself. She is self motivated and determined. We put up posters in the gym during the competition to enlist the help of our members to vote for Nicola and they were only too pleased to do that.”

London to smaller gyms in mediumsized towns, in adding an additional annual profit of at least £65,000 per venue by giving gyms the opportunity to offer the popular Fight Fit training to members and potential members.

If you want to find out how to offer prepaid courses to your clients as a way of driving sales and gaining secondary revenue and get information on up-skilling your staff with Fight Fit and benefit from joint promotions with our boxing champions call us on: 020 7788 7825 or visit: www.fightfit.co.uk/fight-fit-license.html.

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How to choose a good Kettlebell?

By Allan Collins KETTLEBELL training has become very popular over the last few years as a tool to improve conditioning, strength and fat loss. When investing in new Kettlebells, it is important to know what things you should look for when choosing a particular type or brand. So given all the different shapes, sizes and gimmicks available on the market, what should you really be looking for? Two things can make all the difference…

The Handle You don't want the handle to be too long, since this will make it very difficult and uncomfortable when performing cleans and snatches.

Although it may not make as big a difference on exercises like the two handed swing, you don't want to

choose a bell that is only good for a few drills, you want to be able to perform lots of different exercises.

Some manufacturers make handles with knurling, which again will be quite limiting; fine for presses and Turkish get ups, but not for drills where the handle has to rotate and spin within the gripped hand. If you perform a snatch or clean with a knurled handled KB it will just rip the skin. Although you can perform a snatch or clean with a knurled handle Olympic bar, the difference is that the bar doesn't spin within the grip, but on the bearings instead.

Horn Length The horns connect the handle to the bell, and will dictate the gap between the two. This is quite important since if this gap is too small it makes it virtually impossi-

ble to achieve correct technique with many common drills – snatch, press, Turkish get up and the clean.

This is because when holding a bell with a short horn in these drills the bell will end up sitting between or near the condyles of wrist. This is quite uncomfortable and sometimes painful, and so people will subconsciously cock their wrist into an extended or hyperextended position so that the bell sits lower on the forearm with more muscle 'cushioning'.

Whether you choose a competition Kettlebell, or a fitness-style bell, whether it’s cast iron, neoprene or rubber coated, or steel, I would recommend considering the above, to ensure you get the most from your investment.

Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness

The long-term benefits of using specialists ONE of the most important and difficult choices a person can make is deciding on whether to go ahead with owning their own gym.

This can all fall into what stage you are in with the research you have undertaken to get to this point.

When you have made the final decision you will need to consider how many members are you going to target, what size gym, how much equipment, lounge and refreshment area,

clean and bright changing facilities, branding of your corporate identity, whether you will have spa facilities, additional up sells, will it be welcomed by your neighbours, parking, competition and market research.

Many of the above points are overlooked when designing and building a gym as they are usually thought of as too expensive.

If you are working with specialists you will be guided on how you can

spend minimum money and get maximum return.

Often is the case you will have architect’s fees, planning permission, change of use and building regulations to consider.

The long term benefits far outweigh the investment for the short term and you can also look to the government for grants if you wanted to add facilities for exercise for pregnant mothers, or children.

Quite frankly the possibilities are endless. You should be looking at a two to five year programme for major profit, but in the current climate you can expect to be in profit sometimes as soon as 12 months.

The idea is when you have made your decision, you need to move quickly as time is money.

Total Leisure Solutions is a specialist design and build contractor. Visit them at www.totalleisureltd.co.uk

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How Chris sold his timeshare gym concept

By Louise Cordell A BUSINESSMAN who established a unique timeshare gym has told how he overcame problems with people not understanding the concept.

Chris Burnard turned a former office in the centre of town at Diss in Norfolk into Heywood Fitness Lounge earlier this year when he couldn’t let the office to another tenant due to the recession.

It costs £60 a month but clients get the whole gym area to themselves for one hour each week and up to four people a time can use it.

There are minimal overheads to pay out because the gym isn’t manned (access to the building is by a special key) and air conditioning and lights are activated by sensors so only work when people are in the room.

When Heywood Fitness Lounge first opened there was a burst of customers but business then dropped off for a while.

Chris said: “Although we had that

initial burst it dropped off because people had a problem trying to grasp a different concept.”

To try and combat this he ran a series of adverts in the local press explaining the whole process of how Heywood Fitness Lounge worked rather than just having a few punch lines.

An open day also took place allowing people to have a look around and ask questions.

The business has now picked up and has 20 regular clients a month and circuit classes will be starting soon led by an instructor for a maximum of four people.

Chris added: “It has become really popular now especially with the tail end of the summer. It has also encouraged people who would not normally be gym users because they feel intimidated. People can join up and do their own session. We didn’t expect it to be an overnight success but it is still early days and there is a steady build.”

Joanne working hard with Phil at Ponds Forge

Gym creates tailor-made programme for MS sufferer A SHEFFIELD gym has been helping a multiple sclerosis sufferer manage the symptoms of her condition by working out.

Staff at Fitness Unlimited based in the Ponds Forge international sports centre have tailor-made a fitness programme for Joanne Hamill taking into account what she wanted to achieve and the limitations caused by MS. Diagnosed with the neurological condition in 2000 Joanne, 38, had to stop exercising for a while but is now in the gym three and four times a week.

She said: “I was looking for something that could offer me a good workout routine whilst taking into account the limitations I have.

“MS affects the nerve cells in the brain which has led to my mobility

being impaired, some days having falls, sight loss or even loss of sensation. At one point it got so bad I couldn’t do any exercise for a while.”

Lifestyle consultant Phil Kay designed a programme recognising when she needed to push herself and when to do something less strenuous.

Helen Broadbent, Ponds Forge general manager, said: “Joanne’s story is a fantastic example to illustrate the way exercise and activity can be tailored to consider individual conditions.

“Anyone can use the gym and a personal programme can be designed to fit around an illness.

“A good level of fitness and activity can really help a person’s general health and sense of wellbeing, especially when managing a condition such as MS.”

Joey Bull

New DVD looks at workouts for back pain FOUR times UK fitness champion Joey Bull has just released her latest workout DVD less than a year after her biggest challenge of all.

She has spent days in the jungle, scaled some of the world’s greatest peaks and become a multiple fitness champion but last year lost her baby during the latter stages of delivery also suffering a ruptured womb and caesarian.

Joey said: “Because of the ruptured womb and caesarian I was incapacitated anyway, but my body still thought it had a baby to rear.

“In fact everything about my body and house suggested there was a baby to look after. Except Edward had not left the hospital with me.”

However, after three months she was back in shape, training and doing a magazine photoshoot and a few weeks after that in front of the cameras.

The DVD, “10-Minute Method Workouts for Back Pain & Posture”, looks at a series of different exercises catering for each back type and shape.

Joey added: “The problem is there are very few obvious exercises out there for our backs. People know how to work every aspect of their legs, chest, arms and shoulders in the gym, but the back – which is critical to just about all our movements – is left to its own devices and suffers.”

Four out of every five adults experience back pain in their life and is the second biggest reason for long term sickness costing the NHS £1.6 billion.

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Why not get FUNctional in your group training?

By Matthew Januszek MANY clubs are missing the boat when it comes to introducing new and innovative functional group training, resulting in them missing great opportunities to boost their business and improve their members’ experience.

Recent research carried out into benefits of functional group fitness highlights greater success and increased profitability in group training; however few UK clubs are capitalising on these great new opportunities to: 1.Increase profit and cost-effectiveness.

2.Increase efficiency.

3.Increase retention.

4.Increase motivation and accountability.

With 90 per cent of exercisers preferring to work out in a group, this fun and more cost effective option is a more profitable use of your space and your instructors’ time. Group exercise also provides a time-efficient workout. Making the sessions shorter but with a higher intensity is hugely appealing to those with busy schedules but who want maximum effectiveness.

To keep interest going in group training, and to make sure you are cashing in on its benefits, you have to

LIW launch for new products CHARTEX, the UK’s leading designer of instructional and educational charts for the fitness and health industries, has celebrated its 25th anniversary with the launch of three new products at LIW. FITNESS MATTERSC is a series of four manuals addressing five key areas of fitness which will help keep you fit and healthy throughout your lifetime Manuals are illustrated in full colour and are mounted on a wiro-bound system for easy use.

They are ideal for home use as well as the gym or any other fitness training facility.

With the manuals Chartex is launching two new charts – ‘Monitoring Heart Rate’ and ‘Exercise and Nutrition for Sport’.

They are an essential reference source for every gym, providing the trainer and member with essential information about how to monitor cardio-respiratory exercise and sustain a nutritious diet for participating in sport.

make sure you keep the sessions fun, fresh and exciting. You can do this by implementing a multifunctional fitness tool such as the TRX. The TRX offers a total body workout for anyone anywhere. Using the users’ own body weight and gravity, the TRX is perfect for every fitness level, giving them a fast and effective workout.

Stateside personal trainers are raving about the “big returns” they get from group TRX sessions as it gives every training session a new and interesting twist. Each individual taking part will experience the workout in a different way, meaning that variety and versatility become key parts of training and each workout session can be different, resulting in a higher retention rate. The TRX is not just a simple solution but is a long term

one, with over 300 possible exercises for the whole body, a huge selection of DVDs packed full of new exciting workouts and continually evolving training courses constant success with the TRX is guaranteed.

In previous issues I’ve discussed the importance of creating a stimulating exercise environment which enables your members to reach their health and fitness goals. The TRX can also help you achieve this in a number of ways: 1.Its exercise options are virtually limitless.

2. It is suitable for exercisers of all sizes and abilities.

3. It provides a highly effective work out 4. It offers progression.

5. It can be used by an individual or in a group setting.

Due to its functional versatility the TRX and its group training possibilities are continuing to evolve. As stability balls and Kettlebells have become an increasing popular and integral part of group exercising, so too will the TRX. It might look like a bit of a scary contraption at first, but its value far outweighs those first impressions. To see a TRX in action visit www.trx-fitness.com. Give it a go – you’ll be hooked too.

Matthew Januszek is the customer solutions director at Escape

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NoVAT4Gyms campaign extended Charity secures funding to replace equipment PART of a registered charity operating from a multi-use community facility in Ashington, Northumberland, the Hirst Welfare Centre offers a comprehensive programme of affordable health and fitness activities to the local community and in particular, for boys and girls of all age groups.

With over 30 pieces of gym equipment under constant use, it was decided to replace the existing treadmills due to their general poor state of repair and high maintenance costs.

Health and fitness manager Rob Story said: “We successfully received funding from ‘Awards for All’ that allowed us to review our gym equipment and decided on adding and replacing treadmills that had run their course. As a result we invited a number of companies to tender.

“Having spoken to other fellow gym users and gym facilities that have

either used or installed SportsArt treadmills, I was very encouraged by their positive response to the equipment and service.

“I was very impressed with the equipment being more sturdy and quiet than the previously installed treadmills and was very confident that they would do the job. SportsArt were very professional and the sales person was very positive and enthusiastic about the equipment and about fitness in general.

“SportsArt have helped with their experience and have provided an ideal solution for a reasonable price.

“As a charitable organisation we have to be sure that we spend our funding on the right equipment and SportArt have been excellent when it came to understanding the gym’s needs.”

THE NoVAT4Gyms campaign deadline has been extended with the final petition now being delivered on November 1.

Wayne Heath from Club Manager said: “The response to NoVAT4Gyms has been phenomenal and the number of people signing the petition is snowballing with more people signing up every day.

“It's the number of people who sign the petition that count so it simply doesn't make sense to close the door on the campaign whilst it's at its most popular.”

Several MPs including MP Steve Brine for Winchester, Anne Milton Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department of Health) and Karen Lumley, Conservative MP for Redditch are now championing the campaign for their local communities.

Some MPs have been critical that in the current climate any reduction or abolition of VAT will be unlikely, however there have been many to call for a level playing field at the very least.

“We've received many letters from gym owners who are at breaking point.

“Chains of community leisure centres are opening up near to them that are run by private companies but set up as charities.

“These companies don't pay rates or VAT and therefore can offer membership at significantly lower prices to independents and therefore nearly

putting them out of business, it simply isn't fair.”

For further information visit: www.NoVAT4Gyms.co.uk

Academy ‘an obvious move’ for Jordan JORDAN Fitness, the leading specialist in functional training equipment, has joined forces with Juice Performance, the UK’s authority in fitness related education courses.

The move follows a long and successful partnership between the two companies and an aligned belief that quality education is paramount when purchasing quality equipment.

The launch of the Jordan Training Academy sees the conception of the largest portfolio of unique education in the industry; over 60 professional development courses and diverse delivery formats ensuring that they are accessible to everyone from multi-site operators to individuals.

Neil Jordan, chairman of Jordan Fitness, said: “The Training Academy is a fundamental offering to our customers and the industry; real education is an essential area overlooked by equipment suppliers.

“We are committed to ensuring our customers fully benefit from our products, and know that in order to achieve this they need to be used properly and to their full potential. This is where the Academy fits in.”

Juice’s director Leon Rudge, who joins Jordan as the business development director, added: “It’s an obvious move for us. We have educated over 3500 UK fitness professionals in the last 12 months and with an unrivalled course offering and the full support from Jordan, The Academy is now moving into Europe and South Africa while better servicing and growing our UK customers.”

The Academy is fully endorsed in the UK by REPs and has an aggressive plan to deliver pioneering services and courses to the health, fitness and sports performance industries, as well as to the Military and the emergency services.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Jason builds his business with secondary spend income AN AWARD-WINNING gym owner is showing the rest how it’s done when it comes to making money from secondary spend.

Jason Matthews from Ultimate Physiques at Castleford is making the most of selling supplements and other products from his gym which has developed from just being a strength gym to a boxing centre and ladies only gym as well.

Instead of buying supplements and products like protein shakes from a supplier and selling them on making a profit of just a couple of pounds Jason goes directly to the company.

He told Workout: “Secondary spend is what keeps gyms going but a lot don’t look at it.

“Once a membership is paid it is giving advice on supplements and diets where you make the money.

“At a gym I know there is a supplements shop down the road. I said why don’t you sell others and he said people could go down the road.

“Why should you let your members walk out of the door when you

could be making that money. If gyms did their job right there would be no supplement shops, there would be no need.”

Jason says the game has moved on from the old school days when a van would come around and gyms would buy from out the back of it.

There is a massive supply of supplements available on the internet sold for just over trade price with a little mark up so Jason goes one step further.

He added: “If they did their homework they would go directly to companies and supply all the gyms in the area. I deal with a lot of gyms as well as customers and distribute to them. I basically do what they are doing on the internet.”

Jason won the title of City and Guilds small business learner of the year award earlier this year and last year was crowned the National Amateur Bodybuilding Association’s (NABBA) best independent gym and best supported gym.

In his competing days he won various titles and is now coaching his own members getting them

Jason Matthews from Ultimate Physiques ready for competition.

He is organising the Open Yorkshire Classic taking place later this month which is one of the first shows to have a section for amputees.

Jason added: “It might just be a one trick pony but we have got that much sponsorship we can put a cracking show on. The more competitors we get, the better it is and if it is a success there will definitely be another one.”

James ready to weigh in with new TV bid

Singing bodybuilder James Aitchenson

A SINGING bodybuilder who impressed the Britain’s Got Talent judges with his voice but not his weight lifting is pulling out all the stops for the next show.

James Aitchenson, 40, from Glasgow appeared on the show in April this year lifting weights whilst singing Glory Days by Bruce Springsteen.

Judges Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden voted him off though saying he should have brought out bigger weights to live up to the claim of being a singing bodybuilder.

In a bid to shape up James is now hitting the gym four times a week and using PhD Whey and PhD Wired products from Affordable Supplements to help his training regime.

He said: “I have been training on and off for years but last year I was way out of shape and decided to do something about it so I entered Britain’s Got Talent 2010 “All of the judges did point out I had a good singing voice but I didn’t really live up to the title of the singing bodybuilder with the weights I brought out so I’ve been putting the effort in and training and eating right and have taken their points on board for the next show. ”

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION Green tea has long been researched for its health-giving properties but what can it do for fitness enthusiasts? Andrew Hamilton explains why sports nutritionists are getting excited …

‘Green tea could be a valuable addition to diet for the health conscious’ What is green tea?

All tea is made from the leaves of a plant called ‘Camellia Sinensis’.

Most of the tea consumed in the West is black tea (builders’ tea), where the fresh leaves are fermented before any processing. Green tea, on the other hand, is produced by drying and steaming the fresh leaves without this fermentation step. Steaming helps to prevent the breakdown (due to fermentation) of some of the key compounds in tea associated with health.

Compared to ordinary black tea, green tea contains significantly higher levels of naturally occurring antioxidants called ‘catechins, and in particular one key compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG for short.

Why use green tea?

In animal studies, green tea has been shown to help inhibit the formation of cancers of the skin, lung, mouth, esophagus, stomach, liver, kidney and prostate. There’s also evidence that green tea catechins can reduce the proliferation of breast cancer cells in the lab and decrease breast tumor growth in rodents.

More recently, studies have shown that green tea – specifically green tea extract (EGCG) – can significantly enhance fat loss in humans when taken before exercise. Scientists believe that taken before training, EGCG helps the body derive a larger percentage of its energy from fat (and less from stored carbohydrate) during exercise, thus encouraging fat loss.

Another bonus is that because muscle carbohydrate (glycogen) is conserved, EGCG can also enhance

endurance performance.

Who can benefit from green tea supplementation?

Because green tea and the main extract derived from it (EGCG) appear to provide protective health benefits by boosting antioxidant protection, green tea could be a valuable addition to the diet for anyone who is health-conscious.

However, it may be particularly suitable for those who are also seeking to lose body fat, maintain a healthy body composition or runners/cyclists etc, who wish to enhance their endurance over longer events.

How should you use green tea/EGCG? For those consuming green tea for health purposes, it can be taken daily as a supplement either as EGCG extract or as a tea drink. For enhanced fat burning however, it’s important to note that it’s EGCG that’s been shown to be the key compound, and ONLY when taken before exercise. There’s NO evidence that taking green tea or EGCG will increase fat burning without exercise.

What else should I know about green tea and green tea extract?

If you’re a regular tea drinker, you may find the taste of green tea rather bitter. If so, try a blend of green and black tea, which has a more conventional taste but with increased health benefits. For enhanced fat burning during exercise, you need a guaranteed intake of the active ingredient in green tea (EGCG), so a green tea extract supplement may be more desirable.

Most of the studies to date have

Andrew Hamilton used extracts that supply 100400mgs of EGCG, so if you’re considering purchasing a green tea extract supplement, you should ensure that it has been standardised to supply a similar level of EGCG. Andrew Hamilton BSc Hons, MRSC, ACSM is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American College of Sports Medicine and a consultant to the fitness industry, specialising in sport and performance nutrition: www.andrewmarkhamilton.co.uk

New supplement took two years to develop A BODY-BUILDING supplement which takes its inspiration from the US is on the market after two years in the making.

Bio Forge Pro Max is a natural dietary supplement developed by Biotivia Bioceuticals which increases muscle definition, reduces fat density and improves recovery times.

It is in addition to Biotivia’s existing collection Bio Forge lean mass building supplement range.

Bio Forge was two years in the making and, before the development process began, Biotivia asked several champion bodybuilders what they wanted in a supplement.

Their responses included better muscle definition, faster and better recovery after workouts, less muscular aches and fatigue, less mental fatigue, more energy and stamina, improved mental focus and reducing fat density.

The company set about testing various combinations of ingredients that could achieve the desired results, and instead of having to take several supplements, Bio Forge Pro Max combines all these elements in one.

James Betz, CEO and founder of Biotivia, said: “Our results have shown a huge improvement in overall strength, muscle mass and recovery time after training.”

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION World record breaker Chrissie Wellington MBE smashes her own records and is three times Iron Man World Champion. In the first of two installments Emma Spencer finds out how she got in shape for her success at the Challenge Roth triathlon in Germany.

‘Challenge Roth was as close to a perfect day as I think I will get’ Firstly, you must be delighted to have broken the World Ironman Distance Record having taken over 12 minutes off your previous best and beaten second place Rebecca Keat by over half an hour?

Every athlete dreams of that one special day.

Challenge Roth was as close to a perfect day as I think I will get.

I take great pride in what I achieved – to have won and broken the world record again, is something that will take weeks, months, years to truly sink in.

But this victory is not just personally gratifying. I hope women look at me, and other athletes, and realise that there are no limits, that anything truly is possible with hard work, determination and passion.

How long before the race do you start fully preparing and then tapering?

For me, it is crucial to get consistency in my training week in week out.

That means I don’t ramp up the training just because the World Championships are around the corner. I work hard for 11 months of the year, only varying the programme slightly as big races approach.

For example I might try and hit faster times for my 1km run reps on the track, or alternately hit the same times but with a reduced recovery.

In terms of the World Championships in October the hard work is done by late August.

September is about fine tuning – eating right, incorporating the necessary rest and recovery, and doing the quality training I know will make me as fast and as strong as I can possibly be on race day.

As for tapering I start to reduce the volume but retain the intensity four days out from the race.

What form does your normal weekly training regime take?

Triathlon is a 24/7 job.

I devote my life to it. Exercise, resting, sleeping and eating are all part of training. It is not just about when you are in the pool, on the bike or running.

If you forget to focus on rest and recovery then you will never fulfill your true potential.

I balance the physical training – five and six sessions of each a week with more hours devoted to biking.

So, for example, of the five or six run sessions I do one long run around 32km (around two hours and 15 minutes) with eight 1km efforts and a longer tempo run to finish off.

Then I do two interval sessions – one with 800 to 1600m faster than race pace reps with shortish recovery and the second interval session is hill repeats.

I do a brick (bike/run session) with

a three hour bike straight into a hard 10km tempo run, and one maybe two steadier, 45-50min run sessions.

In the next issue of WorkOut Chrissie tells us what diet she follows and shares her tips for keeping motivated.

SK hosts its first bodybuilding show SK SPORTS Supplies are pleased to announce that it will be hosting its first bodybuilding show, The Vyomax Classic, on October 24.

The event will be held in Wrexham and is accessible to all ages. There are six different classes for the bodybuilding competition, as well as three other fun events. These include the shirts off for dads, barbell curl and dumbbell press competition.

The bodybuilding event is the first show in Wrexham for 20 years, and is attracting people from as far as Ireland. Jason Corrick, Mr. World 2010, will attend the show as a guest poser and Vyomax athlete.

It is our first show, but if the event is a success, there will be events in the future, including a show in Manchester next year.

SK Sports Supplies managing director, Samir Kiami, and owner of the brand VyoMax Nutrition, is very excited about hosting his first bodybuilding competition.

As a former competitive bodybuilder, Samir has been passionate about bodybuilding and sports’ nutrition from the age of 16, and sees the event as a great way of encouraging athletes to enjoy what bodybuilding shows used to be like from the past.

The show has been organised, utilising the experience of three key individuals: Mike Ahearne, Steve Fong, and Roger Shelley. Mike Ahearne, Warrior from Gladiators, will be the compere for the event.

He has previously been a compere at the British Grand Prix twice, as well as in other key bodybuilding

shows. He is a competitive bodybuilder, and the owner of Pro Gym, which recently was awarded by NABBA as the North-West gym of the year. He has described the event as being a “great day out”, that is “not just a bodybuilding show, but something for all the family.”

Another of the event’s key organisers, Steve Fong, owner of Protein Plus Sports Supplies, is also very excited about the competition. He has a background in martial arts and bodybuilding and reached the British Final of NABBA. He is hoping the event will help to get the “up-and-coming generation into the game”, and that the show will become a regular event in Wrexham.

The Vyomax Classic has been further supported with the aid of Roger

Shelley, a professional freelance photographer, who has been taking bodybuilding photographs since 1974. He has a wealth of experience, having taken photographs for several British bodybuilding magazines, IFBB, and NABBA. He knows what makes a good show, and hopes it will attract a lot of independent bodybuilders who are interested in entering the bodybuilding scene.

The Vyomax Classic is open to people from the age of 16 onwards and promises to be a great family day out. Everyone who participates will receive a commemorative medallion; the top six all receive a trophy in each category; and the top three will receive cash prizes, with the overall winner receiving £250.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION At school Josie Keck was always the last to get picked at sport – now she is the UK’s strongest woman and tells Workout magazine how she got there.

How UK’s strongest woman turned her life around WHEN Josie Keck turned 30 seven years ago she reckoned she hit upon a mid-life crisis but it changed her life literally beyond recognition.

She was a size 22, had 60 per cent body fat and was becoming ill through being overweight.

Despite having a high-flying job in London and an engineering degree she wasn’t happy, and decided to change her life, cancel her wedding and move to Bristol.

Josie altered her diet, started working out and wanted to explore the science of how the body works, taking courses in fitness and teaching. She also has qualifications in holistic therapies and spiritual healing.

At the gym she was training at she met now partner Barny du Plessis, and three years ago they moved to

Swindon to set up strength and conditioning academy Ironworx.

Josie entered her first bodybuilding competition in 2008 at a size eight and measuring just 15 per cent body fat.

She said: “I was running boot camp military courses and doing three sessions a week. I realised I was doing the same weights as the guys and decided to look at the science involved in a female competition.”

Taking it one step further she entered Britain’s strongest woman, participating in tyre flipping, a farmer’s walk (60kg of weight in each hand) and a log lift.

At the first attempt she came second behind Gemma Magnusson after just five weeks’ training.

Josie said: “There aren’t very many competitions so I have to

enter every one I can. There was one in Hastings but I was the only girl that turned up so they tagged me on the end of the novice men.

“There were lots of people watching and cheering. I had never had that before and kids were asking for my autograph.”

It spurred Josie on to enter UK’s Strongest woman, where her main competition was a six feet two American power lifter weighing in at 20 kilos more than Josie.

She added: “I had to be a lot fitter, that is what I had been working on not just sheer power. It was about the functional side of things.”

In preparation Josie followed a protein and fat diet consisting mainly of chicken and egg whites but, being a celiac, it narrows her options.

For protein Josie eats egg whites

How supplements help Helen recover BODY fitness athlete Helen Sharpless suffered from juvenile arthritis and says protein supplements “have made an incredible difference”.

and keeping a constant level of condition. I stick to a low fat diet, with a 50/50 ratio of proteins to carbohydrates, while making sure I eat all of the essential fats I need.”

She relies on supplements to aid recovery as much as the next athlete, but even more so because as a child she was in and out of hospital.

She has also started using CNP Professional supplements to aid energy levels using Pro MS, which has been specially formulated for women as a snack or meal supplement.

Personal trainer Helen comes from an athletic background and can suffer from aching and swelling in her joints as well as the general tiredness everyone experiences after heavy training.

So when she does train she has to be careful her condition doesn’t flare up and hamper her training.

Supplement manufacturer USN has added a slow releasing protein dessert to the range.

It is high in protein, low in carbs and fat and specially formulated to supply the body with essential amino acids during sleep hours.

It can be consumed as a late night snack but can be eaten any time during the day or night to suppress the appetite and aid effective weight loss. There are three flavours: chocolate brownie, banana toffee and strawberry condensed milk.

Along with partner Lee Williams, with whom she runs BodySynergy in Hertfordshire, they devised a nutrition plan to make sure the body gets nutrients all the time.

Helen, 32, said: “I have had over twenty operations over the years to help and repair my joints, but that hasn’t stopped me training and continuing to climb to the top of my sport.

“I take nutrition very seriously.

“It’s the key to maintaining fitness

After training Helen takes Pro Recover, a post-workout drink containing a blend of fast-acting carbohydrates and proteins to aid muscle repair and growth.

It has helped Helen reduce muscle cramps and speed recovery so she can keep up with her training rota of lifting, aerobic exercise and stretching routines.

She added: “I find it really puts back into the body everything that hard training takes out. I’ve never used anything like this before and it is helping with my muscles, ligaments and joints.”

Next for Helen is the Hercules, UKBFF competition in October and a pre-qualifier for the British Championships in 2011.

and walnuts, chicken and vegetables, and when she needs to add carbs to the system she eats rice and bananas.

To prevent dehydration Josie has a carbohydrate drink with electrolytes such as Science in Sport or Gatorade.

After a competition Josie rewards herself with a steak and jacket potato.

Josie added: “When I was 30 I would not have believed all this would have happened. The best part of the day was when a little girl asked her dad if she could take my picture and put it on Facebook.

Kids were cheering my name and girls were wanting me to sign their t-shirts. I am not a typical strong woman, I am quite girly as well and I am trying to promote you can be girly and strong.”

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Closed leisure centre ‘was no longer viable’

By Dominic Musgrave

Injured Ryan says thanks with aqua bike charity event A CHARITY event will be using the latest fitness trend to hit the UK to raise money later this year.

Ryan Graham’s company came up with the Hydrorider Aqua Bike last year, but he didn’t think he would be testing it out for himself quite so soon.

In February he had a road accident badly breaking both legs.

The muscles started to waste away and he was told he wouldn’t walk for at least six months, would probably struggle to fully regain previous fitness levels and was likely to walk with a limp.

But he started a water based rehabilitation programme with deep water walking, unaided shallow water walking.

By the end of March he was walking with crutches rather than relying on his wheelchair and then constructed his own rehabilitation

programme using the concept his company had introduced the previous year.

He said: “As a direct result of the incorporation of the Hydrorider Aqua Bike into my training programme by June, four months after my accident, I was back to full fitness walking unaided and without a limp and instructing in excess of ten sessions a week in a range of water based exercises, particularly in hydrospin.”

Now Ryan is organising a 24-hour hydro spinning event on the weekend of November 13 and 14 to raise funds for the Intensive Care Unit at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where he was treated.

It will take place at the Dukeries Leisure Centre and Rainworth Charity Swimming Pool, both in the Nottingham area, which have both introduced hydrospin aqua cycling.

Fun, fresh and effective AFTER a recent study revealed 70 per cent of those surveyed found exercise a chore, Escape Fitness believe the answer lies in the product used.

Versatile products allow for friendly competition, natural movements, use of natural balance and coordination and a full cardiovascular and complete body workout.

This means many gyms are missing a key opportunity to boost acquisition and retention rates by introducing fun, multifunctional and interactive

equipment which engages and motivates the user.

One solution is the Reaction Trainer from Escape Fitness.

It is unique in that it offers a fun, fresh and effective complete body workout to any age or ability.

Comprising of nine targets in total all you have to do is hit, kick, punch or kung fu your way to hitting as many as possible using your natural instinct to react to sound and light.

For more details contact 0800 294 2801.

A COUNCIL-run leisure centre in Walsall has been shut down because it is no longer economically viable.

Willenhall Leisure Centre closed its doors to the public on August 27 and the building is now up for sale.

The closure is part of Walsall Council’s bid to reduce expenditure, but Willenhall was the poorest performing of the authority’s five leisure centres.

Figures released by Walsall Council say it was costing taxpayers £456,700 a year to operate, but only generated an annual income of £178,725.

Attendance for the 2009/2010 period was less than 92,000.

Leisure bosses at Walsall Council had tried other measures earlier this year to save the centre, but to no avail.

They introduced a new pricing structure, a revised programme and staffing arrangements but still income and attendance continued to fall.

Sport England and Strategic Leisure also carried out studies into the leisure provision for the area and discovered there were more than twice

as many pools in the borough as needed, and the cost per head of running Willenhall were twice the amount compared to the council’s other centres.

Coun Anthony Harris, cabinet member for the council’s leisure and culture department, said: “It was a difficult decision to close Willenhall Leisure Centre, but given the pressure on the council resources, the centre’s performance and the availability of other provision there was neither a business case nor compelling service justification to keep the centre open.”

When the centre was earmarked for closure earlier in the year he had said: “Frankly, we can’t afford to keep it open. We’re in a difficult financial position and tough decisions have to be made.

“Every day we open the front door it costs us £800 per day. Although there have been improvements in its performance, attendances since the new programme was introduced in April have actually decreased by 20 per cent.”

Some staff have been redeployed and the council hopes the site will be used for leisure provision in future.

Intelligent Training Systems INTELLIGENT Training Systems™ is the only provider of Biomechanics Coaching™qualifications in the world. A Biomechanics Coach™ is an Advanced Master Personal Trainer.

You must be at least a L3 PT, a qualified therapist, pilates teacher, strength and conditioning coach or be able to demonstrate learning at a similar level.

Biomechanics Coaches™ work in elite sports helping prepare athletes for 2010, as well as the Irish Rugby Team, Malmo Ice Hockey Team and on the European Golf Tour.

In industry they help prevent the risk of work-related injuries as

well as in health clubs throughout the world.

Intelligent Training Systems™ provides technical and business mentoring for students and those already qualified with sales and marketing material, branding and stationary design.

Training is unique and includes optional anatomy sessions working on cadavers to truly help you understand the biomechanical links and anatomical detail that separates a Biomechanics Coach™ from advanced personal trainers.

For more details visit www.intelligenttrainingsystems.com

Bike boost for local hospital A TRUST which runs council leisure centres in the north has raised money for a local hospital with a sponsored bike ride.

Over the August bank holiday weekend staff from Barnsley Premier Leisure (BPL) took part in a 230 mile cycle along the Trans Pennine Trail from Southport to Hornsea, raising £1000 for Barnsley Hospital’s special care baby unit.

Head of operations at BPL Glenn Tolan planned the ride, along with fellow BPL manager Dave Redfern and fitness instructor David Batch.

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