Workout October 2012 by Script Media

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October 2012

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Gyms celebrate as NFA shortlist is revealed By Christina Eccles GYMS from Aberdeen down to Cornwall are celebrating after being chosen as finalists for the 2012 National Fitness Awards. The awards, which are now in their third year, reward excellence and achievement across the fitness industry and are organised by Script Events, in partnership with WorkOut and headline sponsor Servicesport. Almost 100 clubs have been shortlisted this year across 18 categories – ranging from regional gym of the year to best rehabilitation, combat and strength training facilities. Trophies are also up for grabs to reward individual achievements, with dedicated categories for best gym based personal trainer and member achievement, as well as the coveted lifetime achievement award, the winner of which is unveiled on the night. In each category, the finalists will now aim to impress a member of the Workout team, who between them will be visiting all of the clubs on the shortlist. Event director Judith Halkerston said: “We had hundreds of entries this year with the majority being of a very high standard. It was a long, difficult process

choosing the shortlists but we are confident that we have picked the right ones. “The WorkOut team has started visiting clubs and we’ve already been as far north as Inverclyde and as far south as Falmouth. “By the end of October we will have travelled thousands of miles and will be ready to send our detailed reports to our panel of six, independent judges who will have the tough task of picking the winners.” Trophies will be handed out at a glittering ceremony on Friday November 30 at The Athena in Leicester, hosted by personal trainer and TV personality Charlotte Ord – giving the entire industry the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our winners and mark the end of another successful year in business. “This year is the third National Fitness Awards and we are confident that the awards ceremony will be bigger and better than ever. “It’s an impressive venue and we are working hard to ensure that the evening will not only have all the excitement of the winners being announced but will also celebrate excellence and innovation in our industry.” Look out for the full shortlist and all the latest NFA news inside this issue.

No 229 £3

Foundation to honour success of its athletes

A Worcester gym welcomed a special guest when pop star and TV presenter Olly Murs popped in for a chat. Olly visited Worcester Pool and Fitness Centre to interview member – and X Factor contestant – Gathan Cheema, for spin off show, The Xtra Factor. Scenes were filmed in the club for the ITV2 show and during the visit, fitness fan Gathan and Olly were also put through their paces by team coach Vince McCumisky. For full story see page 20.

THE GLL Sport Foundation is honouring the success of its sponsored athletes after they picked up a total of 14 Olympic and Paralympic medals. This year, the scheme, which provides support and fundraising for sporting stars to achieve their dreams, saw over 50 athletes selected for Team GB and Paralympics GB – many of whom train at GLL operated venues across London and the South East. Success stories include champion boxers Anthony Joshua and Nicola Adams – who both picked up golds – and judo silver medallist Gemma Gibbons. GSF patron Sally Gunnell said: "It is fantastic news to have so many GSF athletes selected. It is vital that our athletes receive the support required to achieve their sporting potential and these results prove the point. “I know from personal experience that many young athletes struggle to meet the costs associated with increased training and competition to reach their sporting dreams. It is also vitally important that there are support mechanisms and legacy programmes in place for the next generation of sporting stars and our local communities; we are working hard to achieve this."

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Gyms ‘can play their part in legacy’ – Greg By Christina Eccles GYMS could play their part in the Olympic legacy by providing opportunities for the whole family to exercise and try new sports, according to Olympic rower Greg Searle. Greg, who has competed in four Olympic Games, spanning a 20 year period, most recently picked up a bronze medal at London 2012 in the men’s eight. He spoke to Workout at Leisure Industry Week, which he was visiting as part of his role as an ambassador for Precor, revealing the part he would like to see the fitness industry play in engaging more people in physical activity. He said: “The Olympics has inspired a generation to be fit and healthy. Potentially, kids want to be Jess Ennis or Laura Trott. “It’s particularly important to me as a father. I have two children, Josie who is 11 and Adam who is nine, and the sporting opportunities for Adam are much greater. “If part one of the legacy was to inspire, then part two is to provide opportunities for a generation – and that’s where gyms and leisure clubs can play a part, alongside many other places.” Greg also works with charity Access Sport, which gives young people opportunities to play sport who otherwise wouldn’t have them. And he added that as many parents want to spend leisure time with their kids, it would be good to see more health clubs introducing activities for

Personal trainer and TV personality Charlotte Ord was one of many visitors to the Workout stand during Leisure Industry Week 2012. Charlotte, who will be hosting this year’s National Fitness Awards at The Athena in Leicester on November 30, popped by the show at the NEC in Birmingham to pick up a copy of the latest issue of the magazine. Look out for the next issue of Workout when we will be including a full round up of LIW news.

Outdoor workouts preferred Greg Searle with reporter Christina Eccles. children so the whole family could visit the gym together. He added: “My kids can’t go to the gym with me, so if I go to the gym I can’t be with them. It would be great if there was something they could do there.” Now the Games are over, Greg said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family and setting some new goals to work towards. He added: “I’m now enjoying the aftermath of the Olympics, learning the lessons from them and sharing the experiences with corporate audiences, schools and other groups. “I am immensely proud that we as a nation could do it right and it felt very good to be on that giving side and providing that pride.”

A NEW report has revealed the popularity of the ‘green gym’ – with many respondents saying they prefer working out outside. Almost half of consumers questioned for the report into outdoor fitness said they prefer to exercise outdoors, with people in the 65–74 age group being the most keen. The report, commissioned by LIW and produced by Leisure-net

www.workout-uk.co.uk

Solutions, also revealed operators are embracing outdoor fitness, with 100 per cent of those questioned stating they plan to introduce outdoor fitness classes within the next year. At present, more than half (55 per cent) provide classes themselves – either directly or by working with third party providers.

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Editorial

Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry

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

Sales manager: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 dl@scriptmedia.co.uk Field sales executive: Chris Hartley Tel: 01226 734709 ch@scriptmedia.co.uk

Official media partner of the Fitness Industry Association

Chief reporter: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Helen Williams Tel: 01226 734694 helenw@scriptmedia.co. uk

Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

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Free access to facilities offered in campaign SOUTHWARK Council is offering free access to its sporting facilities throughout October and November as part of the Give it a Go campaign. The London 2012 inspired sports coaching and exercise sessions will be available at the Deaf football club, Brimmington Community Football Club, Waterloo Netball Club, Dulwich Table Tennis club, London Irish (Rugby) and London South Bank University Multi-Sports club. Abdul Wuraola, head coach of Dulwich Table Tennis Club, one of the participating sports clubs said: “We are really looking forward to offering free activities as part of Give it a Go as we feel it is a great opportunity to get people into the sport that haven’t played before or haven’t played since school.” The London wide programme is funded through the FreeSport strand of the Mayor’s Sport Legacy Programme and coordinated by PRO-ACTIVE Central London and Southwark Council.

Girl power on show at independent gym By Helen Williams WOMEN from across the country battled it out in Swindon to be named Britain’s Strongest Woman, with the final held at an independent gym in the town. The 2012 finals took place at Pro Strength and Fitness Gym and determined who would go on to compete in the world finals in Finland next year. 16 competitors from as far afield as Scotland competed against each other in events such as a van pull, farmers walk, log lift, deadlift and the famous atlas stones. The women ranged in age from 16 to late 40s, with two grandmothers even taking part. Dozens of people turned out to cheer on the competitors. Gymnastics coach Sarah Windo, of Chiseldon, was the only local competitor. She said: “I only started Strong Woman last year after my boyfriend got me into it. I used to be a swimmer, then I played hockey and then I had a baby, but I have always enjoyed lifting weights. “They have got some really good

The Britan’s Strongest Woman event attracted competitors from across the UK. girls here and the number of competitors is steadily growing each year. We do everything the men do but the weights are a little bit lighter, obviously. It’s really challenging, but in a functional way, and I am quite competitive, so I enjoy it. My best events are the carrying ones, and my worst is the deadlift.” Co-owner Richard Scott added: “We promoted the event via forums, Facebook and word of mouth and got

a really good response. “We have one of the largest ranges of strongman equipment in the country, so our good reputation helped get the interest going.” Have you held any events or competitions in your gym? Let us know how you got on by emailing ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463 and you could appear in a future issue of Workout.

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Serena turns her life around with help from centre By Christina Eccles

Ben Bloodworth (left), Fresh Fitness personal trainer, with manager Mark Belton.

Sky’s the limit for gym STAFF and members of Fresh Fitness gym in Skegness took the plunge and completed a sky dive to raise over £600 for RAF Benevolent Fund. Those taking part did a tandem jump from 15,000ft, free falling up to 120mph for 60 seconds before their parachutes were released, taking them back to 40mph where they could enjoy magnificent views on the way down. Some took the chance to guide their own parachute to the

ground. The event took place at the airfield in Hibalstow, north Lincolnshire, and was organised through a company called Skydive. Fresh Fitness congratulated all staff and members and manager Mark Belton said organisers did a great job in rallying the troops. He added: “It was an amazing experience - there couldn’t be a better way to raise money for a good cause.”

Club set for £1m investment A LUXURY health club and spa has invested in its fitness facilities to ensure guests receive a five star experience. Seaham Hall Hotel and Serenity Spa in County Durham has refurbished its fitness suite to include over 30 pieces of equipment from Life Fitness, as well as a dedicated break out area for free weights, core strength training and stretching. Managing director Barry Donaghey said: “Seaham Hall Hotel is the ultimate venue in the heart of the North East. It already has a fan-

tastic reputation as a leading five star hotel and spa and we are currently building on this, enhancing the already outstanding facilities with £1m of investment over the next 12 months. “One of our first investment projects has been the gym – expanding it to include a new weights room, and equipping it with the very best equipment. “It is just one part of our commitment to providing our members and guests with the very best five star facilities and we hope they enjoy it.”

A HASTINGS leisure centre has helped a member turn her life around – spurring her on to lose seven stone and qualify as a fitness instructor. 21 months ago, Serena Berrett weighed just over 20 stone, but after promising her dying friend she would stop smoking and lose weight, she was determined to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Her first step was to join the Freedom Leisure Summerfields Leisure Centre where she started to attend its Aqua Fit sessions. Alongside her Aqua Fit regime, Serena followed a Slimming World plan and her hard work, plus encouragement from Summerfields’ staff and other members, kept her motivated and on the right track. Now after losing nearly seven stone and dropping six dress sizes, she has trained as an Aqua Fit instructor – helping others to achieve their own fitness and weight loss goals. Serena explained: “I went to classes two or three times a week and gradually my confidence grew. “The team at Freedom Leisure were lovely – never judgemental or critical of my huge size: they were there to help me from day one and I still trust their advice and guidance, nearly two years later and seven stone lighter. “Aqua Fit is the ideal exercise for much larger people: the water supports much of your weight while you can submerge some of the worst bits of your body in the water. “It was my saviour and now I want to encourage others to take the plunge.” Serena now runs four Aqua Fit classes for Freedom Leisure – two

Then and now: Serena Berrett. at Summerfields and two at Bexhill Leisure Pool. She is also qualified as a gym and boxercise instructor and is now working towards a personal trainer qualification. Summerfields Leisure Centre manager Paul Wilson added: “Serena is a great success story and it turns out she’s a natural instructor. “Her experience of a great weight loss journey, gives her unique empathy with others looking to lose weight here.”

07 Northwick

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Chain offers Wii sessions to over 50s

David Lloyd launches high street studios

OPERATOR Freedom Leisure has been offering the over 50s the chance to embrace technology and get active, with a new scheme which provides training sessions on the Nintendo Wii. Freedom Leisure ran an initial block of 28 training sessions across 15 housing schemes in Sussex, showing residents how to operate the Wii and play the games. The sessions culminated with an inter-housing scheme final held at Summerfields Leisure Centre, a site managed by the not-for-profit provider. Over 50 residents attended the event and competed in Wii tennis and bowling. The sessions and the event proved so popular that a further block is now being rolled out to more housing schemes. Group sports development manager Richard Bagwell said: “As a community leisure provider we work hard to ensure we are providing opportunities to all corners of the community, especially those who may find it harder to visit one of our centres. “The Wii scheme allows us to engage a hard to reach group and offer them a fun and rewarding way to stay active and socialise. The ‘competitive final’ provides us with a way to get them into our centres and introduce them to other activity options too.”

By Christina Eccles DAVID Lloyd Leisure is targeting UK high streets with the launch of a new concept, which gives fitness fans flexible access to exercise and nutritional services. The operator is due to unveil three David Lloyd Studios this year in Putney, Winchester and central London, following a £500,000 investment. The aim is to give time-pressed customers of all fitness levels easy access to exercise with expert support as part of their daily routine. Flexible payment options will be offered, with customers able to choose from blocks of three or 10 sessions, or pay monthly. Services will include: Personal training with REPs registered instructor level three trainers. Group training. Lose and Shape Up – a 12-week specialist course, including nutritional guidance, to help clients lose weight and tone muscles via a ‘whole body’ approach. Exercise classes – high-energy circuit or TRX classes for different levels of ability. Running clubs with various routes planned to start and end at the studio.

David Lloyd will open three new Studios in Putney, Winchester and central London. Physiotherapy. A retail area with sports products for sale, such as nutritional supplements and exercise equipment. Head of sports, health and fitness Rob Beale said: “We are very proud to launch David Lloyd Studio, an exciting, innovative concept designed to offer David Lloyd Leisure’s services and expertise in a flexible, accessible format that makes it as easy as possible for clients to achieve their health and fitness goals. “With the ever-increasing demands of today's busy world, we recognise

that it can be incredibly difficult for people to make time for regular exercise, but we know how essential this is for their long-term health. “David Lloyd Studio will enable them to slot fitness into their daily routines, whether it’s during a shopping trip or on the way back from the school run, and with no membership fee required. “We are also delighted that our planned investment for David Lloyd Studio in retail locations will boost local economies and enhance the vitality and viability of town centres.”

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Something to be proud of By Matthew Januszek, Escape Fitness I HAVE loved every minute of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. I’ve cheered the successes and felt the disappointments and, in the office the excitement has been a constant murmur in the background. Now it’s all over, I have been thinking about how the legacy of the Games is going to affect the health and fitness industry, how we can keep the excitement bubbling and how we can use that excitement to get more people to engage in sports and activities. Part of the organising committee’s vision was to ensure people were inspired to get more involved and to encourage people to continue to be involved in sports for many years to come. Is this vision realistic? Some of our customers have seen an increase in membership and member engagement but, what else can we do as an industry to keep people inspired? One idea that caught my attention was School Games (www.yourschoolgames.com). This is an initiative to maximise on the inspiration of the Games in schools and motivate young people across the country to take part in more competitive school sport with inter-school sporting competitions – maybe even creating future Olympians. Is this an idea that could be used in gyms across the country? A

little healthy, friendly competition between members and gyms could be a good thing. The UK has a passion for sport already and part of the plan from the Government’s point of view was to ‘harness the United Kingdom’s passion for sport to increase grass roots participation, particularly in young people – and to encourage the whole nation to be more physically active.’ This new inspiration is great and every gym and PT will be clamouring to capitalise on the Olympic Legacy – so how can you make sure you get your piece of the action? W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne’s book, Blue Ocean Strategy, talks about how some companies follow the same strategies as their competitors – Red Ocean Strategies, similar to bloody, shark infested waters. What they recommend to help your business grow and make the competition irrelevant is to make your company different in some way and create your own ‘blue ocean’. How can you utilise the Olympic Legacy to create your blue ocean? Community sport is getting a funding boost announced by the Sports Minister recently with a new initiative called ‘Places People Play’ to help bring the sporting legacy to life in our communities. The new funding will upgrade thousands of local sports and facilities as well as protecting and

Matthew Januszek improving hundreds of playing fields across the country. Imagine how many hundreds of people enjoy using those playing fields and use them for entertainment, taking part in weekend sports like rugby and football, but don’t use a gym for training because it doesn’t interest them. These people could be a brand new audience for you, you just need to work out how to capture them and capitalise on the UK’s sporting passion. You could spend weekend after weekend promoting your gym by standing in a shopping centre and handing out leaflets. But how about getting out into those fields and offering a group session at a low cost or for

free so that whole new audience can get a taste of what you can do for them? A TRX Suspension or Rip course on the goal posts, a functional Move It course at the side of the pitch – partner yourself with a local school, football team, rugby team or just decide to take your TRX on tour round your local fields. How can you provide a unique, fun environment for them to work out in and improve their skills for their chosen sport and create a blue ocean for you? The CrossFit programme lends itself to this kind of activity too. CrossFit sessions are designed to encourage people to compete against themselves, each other and the clock, just like the athletes who took part in the Olympic Games, and the intensity can be scaled up or down depending on the client. You could take this out to the local university or college and show the students how much fun proper, functional training can be – a whole new resource for new members. However we make the most of the Olympic Legacy, making sure we ride the crest of the wave right now is essential. How do you think we can help the fitness industry get faster, higher, stronger? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please email me at marketing@escapefitness.com

Members and staff in the swim for charity

Budget chain The Gym Group has become the only group operator in the fitness sector to currently be accredited by Investors in People, following a rigorous assessment process. To achieve the Kitemark, the company had to demonstrate the implementation, management and practice of processes and procedures that fully support staff training needs and career development. The Gym Group was especially commended for high motivation and energy levels displayed by the staff team.

MEMBERS and staff from Guildford leisure facilities were among the swimmers taking part in a charity swim to raise funds and awareness for the town’s homeless community. The group’s initial aim was to swim the length of the Channel at the Guildford Lido, which would be 676 lengths. But on the morning, 56 swimmers gathered to smash that target and cover 1,801 lengths – equivalent to crossing the Channel more than twice. Freedom Leisure season ticket

holders and members at the Lido and Spectrum also dived in to help the cause. Freedom Leisure area manager for the Guildford region Steve May said: “There was a great sense of community spirit and I’m proud to have taken part as one of the swimmers. “We were only too pleased to help by providing the Lido facilities: it was a great event to host.” The money raised will go to the Guildford Action charity, several of whose employees swam and supported the event.

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Using your Personal trainers advised to ensure knowledge clients warm up to improve experience By Helen Williams

By Dave Wright ALTHOUGH people are beginning to think that the fitness industry is in the business of renting out highquality equipment... our greatest asset is not the equipment, but our knowledge and we must realise the fact that we are in the business of motivating people. However, it is very hard to motivate people if you actually don't even know who your members are. Tracking and capturing data allows a company to have relevant conversations with its customers to help them achieve the calls that they want. As I have mentioned in previous articles, customer experience has four elements: The tangible, the intangible, affiliation, and information. Our industry has done a good job with the tangible. Many clubs have lovely locker rooms and wonderful, well maintained equipment. We know what to do with respect to the intangible – the ‘front desk smile', remembering members’ names etc. Some clubs have also mastered affiliation. Members want to be associated with Genesis Gym in Wembley so much that they attend trade shows sporting the famous ‘Bulldog’ T-shirt. And then there is information. We live in a universe of smartphones and tablets, but the fitness industry is still using old remote controls. Using an airline as an example, by and large, clubs pay attention to their First Class (personal training) members, and their Business Class (group exercise) members, and let two thirds of their membership (their economy class) members wander around on their own. And we wonder why we have such atrocious attrition rates... What if you, the club operator, knew how many times your members exercised? How many calories that they expended during each workout? What exactly do they eat and at what time of the day? This information can’t be collected face to face because labour is expensive and monthly membership fees haven’t risen in the same proportion. So how can we give members the right advice and increase motivation if we don't have good data? More than just tracking visits or sessions, capturing and analysing data enables you

Dave Wright to dig deeper and look at ‘effort’. For instance, one member might go through the motions four times a week and expend 400 calories per visit, another might come to the club just three times a week but burn 900 calories each time. 1,600 calories versus 2,700, which is something that number of visits might not suggest. We need to provide immediate feedback to members for effort expended – a “high-five” for burning 900 calories towards their monthly goal. That good feeling, that sense of satisfaction, allows the release of dopamine after exercise. It quickly becomes habitforming, which leads to retention, which, in turn, produces more referrals. We need to break down the war – to attract, serve, satisfy, and hold onto members into battles and then break down those battles into skirmishes. That’s how members stay motivated across all fronts so that they keep on keeping on... and therefore our clubs make more money. Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM/MYZONE, a company with over 300 staff that have served the international fitness industry for over 21 years in 10 different countries; focussing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of the UK’s Fitness Industry, founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite), an IHRSA presenter and the creator and global distributor of a new monitoring device used by clubs around the world called MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

FITNESS professionals have been urged to ensure their clients prepare properly before going running, after the Olympics sparked a fresh interest in the sport. Just a month after the Games, a top physiotherapist has reported that Greater Manchester was suffering a growing injury legacy – as new runners fell foul of poor preparation and bad technique. David Roberts Physiotheraphy, which has six clinics in Greater Manchester, reported a 45 per cent increase in running injuries since the Olympics finished. Incidents of muscle tears, pulled hamstrings and ankle sprains have boomed as the achievements of Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis inspired people to pound the streets near where they live. David Roberts, managing director, whose clients include Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff, Ian Botham and Lawrence Dallaglio, said: “The Olympics inspired and motivated lots of people to put on their trainers and get active. However, many people are forgetting to warm up, cool down and stretch before attempting a run.” Dave reminded fitness professionals to help clients prepare properly before exercising. He added: “Warm up and gently stretch for five to 10 minutes, focusing on lower leg muscles. Every workout should begin slowly, as this allows the body to warm up further and decreases the chance of muscle strain.” He added that runners should focus on keeping their feet and entire body relaxed, avoid tensing or cramping

David Roberts toes, and run at a pace that feels most natural. “Whether it be hamstrings, quads, calves or any other muscle, strains may occur from not being flexible and/or over exerting specific muscles. “To prevent hamstring pulls, ask clients to place one foot up on a chair, straighten their knee and lean forwards at the hip. Hold for 20-30 seconds. For acute injuries, ice and antiinflammatory medication can be helpful but always seek the advice of a qualified physio.” Dave said a sports massage before or after exercise could help speed up muscle recovery, relax tight muscles and help prevent overuse injuries. He added: “Advise clients to view this as an essential part of preparation or recovery, rather than a treat.” David Roberts Physiotherapy specialises in physiotherapy, massage therapy, strength and conditioning coaching, Pilates, personal training and acupuncture.

Fit4less by énergie has launched its smallest gym to date, situated in Maidstone. The 3,000 sqft gym features all the latest technology and equipment including TRX, Precor cardio equipment, resistance machines, free weights, changing facilities and showers. Brand and marketing director David Beattie said: “Fit4less gyms are adaptable to the space and the ‘small box’ concept is becoming increasingly popular for franchise investors as well as the end user looking for a convenience and ‘on the doorstep’ venue to work out.”

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Operator adds gym to group of studios By Helen Williams

Professional bikini and fitness model Michelle Brannan has revealed why she includes the Versaclimber as part of her training regime. Michelle, the first UK athlete to earn IFBB Professional status through competing in the bikini class, uses a home model every day. She said: “I think the Versaclimber is sometimes associated with hardcore fitness regimes. But, really, it depends how you use it – it’s not just for bodybuilders and athletes. The Versaclimber is really important in my training because it’s a complete body workout.”

Gym turns space into Power Plate studio AN independent gym has turned an unused space into a successful Power Plate studio after spotting a gap in the market for members who wanted a time efficient and effective exercise class. Fitness Factory in Stourbridge offered traditional gym facilities until the owner’s daughter, Rebecca Webster, used a Power Plate machine at a local studio and saw its potential. Rebecca created the Fitness Factory Two Studio with three machines and runs half hour classes throughout the day and in the evenings, open to members and non members. She said: “The Power Plate machine not only helps clients to

achieve results, but it also helps us to achieve our business goals. “Clients have grown steadily since the studio opened, although we rely purely on word-of-mouth, so the results definitely have to speak for themselves. “Seeing how sessions have a positive impact on a client’s life is really satisfying. “One of my clients is a runner who is consistently improving her personal best and another client has lost an amazing five stone. I am so proud to be a part of this achievement.” The gym and studio are proving so popular that there are plans to move sites to have a more spacious facility.

THE Core Fitness and Wellbeing Centre in Falmouth has opened a new gym to complement its group exercise studios. Owners Helen and Tony Tite have expanded their operation over two floors of The Old Post Office building and given the interior a major facelift and re-brand. Helen, who was instrumental in bringing Zumba and Booiaka to the south west, said: “We see this as a natural expansion and the missing complement to our existing facilities. A great workout is the sum of many parts and we are dedicated to providing flexibility to clients to help them hit their individual goals.” The new gym is supplied by Precor and Escape Fitness and includes strength training and aerial suspension equipment. The kit includes two Concept 2 rowers, upright bikes, treadmills, adaptive motion trainers and two VibroGyms. The functional training area has Free Form, ViPR, Kettlebells, powerbags and Bosu, while the aerial

suspension studio offers four TRX, two Human Trainers, four silks for aerial Pilates, and aerial yoga. Helen added: “We will expand the suspension work into the main studio by Christmas where we plan to have 10 TRXs.” The main centre already has a pole fitness studio, Les Mills classes and bootcamps. There are three therapy rooms offering acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, cupping, sports massage, and osteopath clinics. Helen is a qualified personal trainer and exercise therapist and is known in group fitness for her ‘Baggy Tee Class,’ which stipulates large T-shirts in the classes ensuring everyone is equal. She also has a fitness consultancy strand to the business which involves working with NHS clinical commissioning groups. “We help develop and deliver fitness services in falls prevention, long term chronic health and neurological conditions. I liaise with Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust, with the mission to draw health and fitness closer together.”

Ambassador’s role for Dani MATRIX Fitness has announced a new brand ambassador – Olympic cycling champion Dani King. After previously riding for the Vision One and Horizon Fitness-Prendas teams, also sponsored by Johnson Health Tech UK, Dani is currently part of the Matrix Fitness-Prendas cycling team. She will now become an individual ambassador, working closely with the company and its customers to encourage people to participate in an active lifestyle. The brand’s other ambassadors include Dr Tim Brabants, James Cracknell and Sally Gunnell.

Dani King

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UK FITNESS SCENE If you’re fed up of reading about what the competition is up to, then it’s time to ramp up your own PR machine. In the second part of a series, Cheryl Hersey reveals her tips for gym owners looking to gain news coverage for their clubs.

Smarten up to PR and raise awareness of your club PAID for advertising is one way to raise your profile but it is often heavily relied upon by clubs as the primary way to generate new sales leads. Doing your own PR is the smart way to generate awareness of your club and it allows you to go into more depth about what you’re offering and communicate your key messages. All you need to learn to get started is the difference between a ‘news’ story and a ‘snooze’ story. Look at your marketing plan and divide your promotions into two categories. The first is for activities with a straight sales message. These are ‘snooze’ stories because they won’t be interesting enough to grab a news editor’s attention. They can’t be used for PR so you should continue to allocate advertising budget to promote them. The second is for activities that have a wider community message – such as a free open day, the grand opening of a redeveloped space, the launch of a new and exciting class or session, a fitness-based charity event, a visit by a well known personality, or a link up with an NGB. It doesn’t matter if you’re holding the event with a view to generating leads as long as it will be of genuine interest to the community. These activities can, and should be turned into ‘news’ stories and used for PR. Start by working out who can help you promote your event, create your own media list of local magazines, newspapers, radio stations and even local organisations with a large fan base on Twitter and Facebook.

Cheryl Hersey (centre) with the rest of the Action PR team. Next, collate the key facts of the story. Focus on the community messages rather than the sales ones, for example, talk about how there are free badminton taster sessions for all, rather than how much it costs to take out a rackets membership. Always include the correct contact details so your media contacts can access further information if they need it. Put all the details on your own website and publicise it on your social media pages directing journalists there for more information. Now, send your fact sheet or news story to your media list giving them plenty of notice – weeks not days! – to do something with the information. If you have photos depicting your story,

send them with the information as this will often boost your chances of securing coverage. If your story talks about an upcoming event make sure you arrange for photos to be taken by someone who is handy with a camera. Local dignitaries, mascots, local kids having fun, all make great subjects for photos. Send your photos to your media list straight after the event and include any key post event details such as who attended and how much money was raised for charity. Cheryl Hersey is a founding partner of Action PR, a specialist agency supporting the health and fitness industry. For more information visit www.actionpr.co.uk

Local people will benefit from a £1m investment into council owned sport and leisure facilities after Fusion Lifestyle was appointed to manage all five of Braintree District Council’s centres. Fusion now manages Bramston Sports Centre, Bramston Sports Ground, Braintree Swimming Centre, Braintree Leisure Centre and Halstead Leisure Centre and will take over the management of the new Witham Leisure Centre when it opens. Over the coming months, Fusion, alongside Braintree District Council, will begin work on a £1m investment programme into new and existing facilities throughout the district. Fitness manager John Bull is pictured with Coun Joanne Beavis, Tim Mills and senior fitness instructor Gareth Herd.

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UK FITNESS SCENE With the spotlight focusing on the latest workout and diet trends, the industry could be overlooking a vital key in the quest for clients’ lasting results. Here personal trainer Katie Bulmer-Cooke explains why weight loss mindset is so important.

It’s all in your head THE media and fitness industry are flooded with diets, and ‘the latest’ workout trends, all making colossal claims to transform your body dramatically in minimal time, sending the consumer into a state of confusion and false hope. They are led to believe that achieving spectacular results is as simple as embracing new nutritional and exercise habits, and success is guaranteed. However, the harsh reality is that while many will make changes, they are unable to see them through, and pleasing results will remain a pipe dream. Post Olympics, the nation has been inspired to reclaim their health and fitness, and we sit on the cusp of a potentially dramatic shift. Is this not the time for the media to stop thrusting fad diets and quick fixes into the faces of the public? By teaming up with fitness professionals and nutrition experts we can establish a sustainable health and weight loss campaign that results in long term health rather than a succession of disappointment and failure. Weight loss defeat is not necessarily the fault of the prescribed plan itself. There is a missing link, the number one reason why we fall off the wagon and continue to live our lives as serial yo yo dieters. We have over-indulged and mistreated our bodies for far too long, and as we move forward in 2012 we must start with the very foundation of triumphant weight loss, and consider our mind. Mindset is the key element in any victorious weight loss journey and to overlook it from the outset will prove detrimental to the results achieved by the consumer. We have all experienced phases in life where we feel completely ‘in the zone’ and no form of temptation can lead us off track. But this feeling is often short lived, and we find ourselves back at the weight loss start line. In order to stay goal focused, make avoiding temptation easy, and be unwavering in our positive outlook, it is essential that we practice mindset techniques as often as we dip carrot in humus and perform press ups. While goal setting is a great way to stay on track and a positive outlook

ing, ‘this is too hard, I can’t do it anymore.’ When we hear these words, they become our belief, so in order to create a positive belief and therefore outcome, we must create positive self talk; telling ourselves that we can do one more rep, we can run an extra mile, we can survive without a diet coke.

Katie Bulmer-Cooke on life are cited by the masses as the key to success; alone they are not enough. We must implement strategies on a daily basis and begin to live in the present, as opposed to constantly looking ahead. During my own weight loss journey, I applied three vital strategies that enabled me to lose almost three stones in just 10 weeks; seeing me regain my pre-baby figure and slip back into my skinny jeans. While my pre-baby jeans were my goal, without embracing three vital mindset techniques, I am confident that my success would have been questionable. Technique one: SAT– Stop and Think It is imperative to live in the moment, take each decision one by one, and most importantly make conscious decisions. Almost like stopping time, when asked a question such as, ‘would you like a biscuit’ by a work colleague, rather than allowing the easiest, most natural answer to roll off the tongue – stop – and think about the answer you are about to give. Technique two: PST– Positive Self talk Employ the art of positive self talk. This is a very simple technique that involves talking to oneself internally. For example, while working out, we will often find our internal voice say-

Technique three: Be Inspired We must seek to be inspired by a role model; someone like us, who has achieved the success we aspire to, who has over come the barriers we face, such as child care, lack of time, full time work, and who appears relentless in their pursuit. We should observe our role model’s lifestyle, regimes and ethos and use their success as a road map for our own. Questioning ourselves regularly will reduce deviation from the road, for example, ‘would my role model do this? what would my role model do in this situation?’ As fitness professionals it is essential that we spend time working with our clients to establish their goals and coach them through mindset techniques and how to apply them within their own personal circumstance, and realise that the strategies we employ must not be generic and instead hone in on the specific struggles each individual client faces. Consumers should seek out advice from an expert in this field and identify them as someone who has helped previous clients achieve their goals, not just in the short term, but established positive habits that have become permanent. Consistent questioning, conscious decision making and positive self talk will all focus us in on the present moment, fuel our positivity fire and create the foundations for successful fat loss. Practicing such techniques on a daily basis will create habitual lifelong changes to enable the weight loss journey to no longer be an uphill battle. Katie Bulmer-Cooke was named UK personal trainer of the year 2012 and is creator of small group training programme, The Little Black Dress Club, which can now be found in 21 locations in the UK and overseas. www.katiebulmer.com

Tennis surge predicted after Murray’s win OPERATOR David Lloyd Leisure has predicted a surge in children wanting to take up tennis as a result of being inspired by Andy Murray’s US Open Championship victory. The group already runs a successful Tennis All Stars junior coaching programme where 12,500 kids play the sport each week. It now expects to see more children – and parents – on court. Head of sports, health and fitness for children at David Lloyd Leisure Sarah Hobbs said: “A high-profile victory of a home-grown hero like Murray is a wonderful way to create more interest in tennis, particularly

among children who aspire to be like their sporting heroes, and whose participation today is key to tennis’s future development and success. “We know that introducing children to tennis at an early age in an interactive, fun and rewarding way is absolutely key in securing continued uptake of the sport and maintaining their commitment. “This is vital if we are to nurture their talent and, in the process, discover some future stars of the game. Most importantly, we want to show youngsters of all ages and abilities that tennis is a fun and sociable game.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Pop star Olly has a work out at Worcester centre By Helen Williams

POP singer and Xtra Factor host Olly Murs popped into Worcester Pool and Fitness Centre to interview an X Factor contestant. The Dance With Me Tonight singer – also a former X Factor contestant – caused a stir when he turned up with a film crew at the centre’s Harpers Gym to interview singer and dancer Gathan Cheema for the ITV2 show. Gathan had told Twitter followers that he was due to appear on the X Factor on September 15. He revealed he had made it to boot camp and was down to the last 23 boys. Clips filmed at the gym were scheduled to follow on the spin-off show. Fitness fan Gathan, a member of Harpers for about a year, and presenter Olly were put through their paces by team coach Vince McCumisky. Health and fitness manager at Harpers Steve Taylor said: “Olly is a friendly, down to earth guy, and he and Gathan spent some time working out in the gym and fitness studio whilst the film crew were setting up. We managed to keep the visit reasonably quiet, but it did get out on Facebook that Olly was coming.” Olly tweeted to his 2,800,000-plus followers “More Xtra factor filming in the morning...this time near

Olly Murs with health and fitness manager Steve Taylor (left) and in a workout with Gathan Cheema (right). Worcester!” Gathan tweeted in reply: “Looking forward to meeting you dude... kettle’s boiling!” while other fans asked him to reveal where he would be filming. Worcester Pool and Fitness Centre has a sister site, Perdiswell Leisure

Centre and Golf Course. Both are run by Leisure Connection for Worcester City Council and offer extensive fitness and leisure facilities, including a 60-piece gym and over 25 classes a week at Perdiswell.

£8m development opens with new features STOCKPORT Sports village has opened following an £8m redevelopment, with new features including the latest Life Fitness equipment. Previously Woodley Sports Centre, the club, operated by Life Leisure, is

set to become a football centre of excellence for the north west and will be home to Stockport Sports Football Club. Facilities include 12 different football pitches, five tennis courts, three

fitness studios and a 5,000 sq ft fitness suite. Over 100 pieces of Life Fitness cardiovascular and strength equipment have been installed into the club, including the new Lifecycle GX group exercise bikes.

Generous gym owner helps Dean turn his life around By Lynsey Bradford

THREE months ago Dean Sanders was living behind a bus shelter in Barnsley town centre, before a local gym offered to help him turn his life around. Dean, 40, who has not had a job for 15 years, had lived rough in a recess outside the Lifestyles Fitness gym on Shambles Street, which opened last month. But instead of turfing him out, chairman Carl Gripenstedt offered to find him a house and gave him a job – and Dean has now moved into a terraced property in the town. He said: “I’m excited and nervous but it’s smashing and makes a change from where I used to live.” The rooms are light and airy, and a canvas bearing inspirational messages hangs in Dean's bedroom. About £20,000 has been spent on decorating the property, which was empty and run-down. Interior designer Laura Gibbon said she had tried to make the home simple and functional.

Dean with Lifestyles Fitness general manager Shane Williams Dean had bedded down at the side of the gym for about nine months. He had been staying at a hostel, following a fire at his home on Doncaster Road in 2008, but was barred after a drunken fight. He is hoping to conquer his drug and alcohol problems, adding: “I’m looking at some kind of rehabilitation

programme and hopefully some work at the gym.” Lifestyles general manager Shane Williams added: “The company doesn’t want anything back from Dean. He seems to think the house will be taken away from him if he doesn't follow the right path but it’s not conditional.”

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COMBAT

Gyms battle it out for national title SIX of the UK’s best combat gyms will battle it out to take home a trophy at the 2012 National Fitness Awards. Clubs in Hove, Leicester, Huddersfield, Oldham, York and Newhaven have made the final shortlist and will now be visited by a member of the awards’ team who will compile a comprehensive report on the gym, and its facilities – taking a look around and chatting to both mem-

bers and staff. The winner will be chosen by an expert panel of judges and will be unveiled at a glittering ceremony on November 30 in Leicester, where all shortlisted clubs will have the chance to celebrate their achievements. In previous years, this award has been won by SD School of Martial Arts in Colchester and Ripped Gym in Harlow.

Independent gym owner and top MMA fighter Khalid Ismail has re-opened his club in Chadwell Heath following a major refurbishment. Lions Den Gym Fitness Centre has doubled in size to become the biggest martial arts facility in London, with a new fight zone, hammer strength equipment and strength and conditioning zone. There is also a new fitness zone, additional rest and relaxation areas and a new women’s only exercise suite, with a range of classes added to the timetable including women’s boxing and Metafit. The new facilities were launched to the public at an open day, which included free classes for visitors.

New product for combat fans A NEW product has been launched into the UK market, designed for fans of combat sports. The Nexersys iPower Trainer mixes martial arts training with a high intensity interval cross training programme to provide an interactive workout. Founder and CEO Terry Jones said: “The Nexersys was invented from a desire to mix innovative software with a total body workout in a single, revolutionary piece of equipment.

“We believe this has been created by pioneering an interactive product that engages with users through tailored training content and multi-player software. “The Nexersys is just the beginning. We are continuing to innovate with an aim to combine modern technology with traditional fitness workouts.” Re:creation Fitness will distribute the product in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Combining vintage and modern weightlifting exercises By Allan Collins ONE question which seemed to be on the lips of those that watched our Olympic Weightlifting demonstrations or attended our vintage training REPs session at LIW this year was, “How do you combine vintage exercises with modern Olympic weightlifting exercises?” Vintage exercises were commonly performed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as the era of fitness and exercise was increasing in popularity with proponents like Eugene Sandow. Examples would include the one hand Barbell Snatch, Windmill, Turkish Get Up, Overhead Squat, the Side Press, the Bent Press, the Two Hands Anyhow, or the Get Up Sit Up. Many of these drills focused on lifting a barbell with one hand, and as such would require more lateral core strength, lateral hip stability, grip strength and wrist stability than similar two hand variants. Although sometimes performed with Kettlebells, it is highly unusual to see gym users performing barbell versions of the Windmill, Turkish Get Up or Snatch.

But these were the original versions and have several advantages and safety benefits over their Kettlebell derivatives. So what are the modern Olympic weightlifting exercises? Well, if you watched the action from London over the summer, you would have the athletes performing the two hand barbell Snatch and the two hand barbell Clean and Jerk. These entail lifting the weight above the head with two hands in one or two movements respectively. Because they are performed with two hands, these lifts enable significantly more weight to be lifted. These lifts have a great carryover to improved acceleration, vertical jump height, relative strength and subsequent athletic performance in many sports, which is why they form the cornerstone of strength and conditioning programmes. So we use the two hand modern lifts (the Snatch and Clean and Jerk) as a more stable way of overloading the lifting, pulling and squatting muscles, allowing more weight to be lifted, but keeping it more in the sagittal plane. The vintage single hand lifts, and

Ffittech install showcase site at Nottingham gym THE commercial fitness equipment brand Ffittech has recently hit the UK with a bang when they installed their showcase site in Nottingham. H3 Performance is fully equipped with Ffittech’s premium range of strength, cardiovascular and functional training equipment. This is owner Jez Kearney’s second gym within the city and he is extremely happy with the outcome. It has enabled him to create the perfect training facility well within his budget. Jez said: “I couldn’t quite believe the prices I received for the initial quote and had to see the equipment for myself before the order. Needless to say everything Ffittech state is true and I now have a fully equipped gym at a fraction of what I was quoted by other brands.” The Ffittech brand has been well established in the fitness industry for over three years now and was

designed to meet the growing demand for quality fitness equipment at competitive prices, inline with the decline in the global economy. Ffittech is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing brands throughout Europe supplying health clubs in Portugal, Spain, Germany, Norway and France and now they are looking to expand this success throughout the UK. Director of Ffittech UK Mark Bowker said: “We would welcome anyone looking to invest in new equipment, to come and visit the Nottingham site to see the quality that we have to offer. This combined with the affordable pricing, really makes Ffittech stand out from the crowd.” Ffittech looks to be a brand that will quickly grow across the UK. To see the full range of equipment visit www.ffittech.co.uk or for further information call 01157 529548.

presses will use much lower weights, but will allow greater single arm strength, grip and wrist strength, as well as more lateral core and hip stability to be developed. They also provide more stress in the frontal and transverse planes, allowing for development in all three planes of motion. In addition, the slow tempo vintage exercises like the barbell Windmill, Turkish Get Up, and Get Up Sit Up were the basic screening drills used in vintage times to screen and develop mobility, shoulder stability, core stability, hip stability and proprioception. Although their use has decreased over the decades, their benefits to the ‘average’ gym user cannot be underestimated. I believe that correctly understood and taught in a logical and progressive programme, all of these drills, both modern and vintage, can have an excellent carryover to improving the functional and sporting ability of the average gym user or athlete. They also provide new and interesting ways to stimulate adaptations (improvements) through unusual lifts.

Allan Collins Jordan Fitness’ new digital instructor courses on both Olympic weightlifting and vintage training will allow trainers to fully understand the correct way to coach and apply these exercises within our functional training philosophy. Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness and author of The Complete Guide to Functional Training.

James Foad at David Lloyd Hampton with Ellie Clover, 5, Thea Ballinger-Finch, 6, and Katie Clover, 6. Credit: Professional Images

Olympic medallist meets youngsters OLYMPIC medallist James Foad met youngsters at a London gym, bringing along his medal and chatting to them about his experience of the Games. James, who won a bronze as part of the Team GB men’s eight rowing crew, regularly trains at David Lloyd Hampton through the British Olympic Association’s Passport Scheme, which gives athletes access to David Lloyd clubs as part of its Team Family Initiative. He was one of 36 David Lloyd athletes selected for Team GB and Paralympics GB and used the facilities at the Hampton club in the build up

to the Games for training and rehabilitation for a back injury. He is now awaiting surgery to repair two bulging back discs. General manager Sue Moss said: “James’s visit was the icing on the cake for everyone at the club who has been caught up in the spirit of the Games – I have never seen so many excited faces! “We are incredibly proud to have James at David Lloyd Hampton – an Olympic hero who is a true inspiration to us all – and look forward to continuing to support him in his rowing achievements.”

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ACCESSIBILITY – FITNESS FOR ALL

Following an inspirational summer of sport, operators have been urged to think about how their facilities can be enjoyed by as many people in the community as possible. Workout looks at clubs leading the way in this area, finds out about the latest guidelines and discovers how gyms can make fitness accessible for all.

Gyms ‘fail to cater for disabled’ THE success of Team GB and Paralympics GB at London 2012 has inspired a nation – but according to figures, disabled people are still getting left behind when it comes to being involved in sport and physical activity. Last issue, Workout reported on a number of gyms which have successfully managed to capitalise on the country’s Olympic fever – using everything from themed fitness classes to special membership offers to encourage more people to visit their clubs and increase activity levels. But despite the recent successes of Paralympics GB, according to research, the fitness industry is failing to cater for the needs of disabled people, with many saying they would like to do more exercise but are put off joining a gym by inaccessible buildings and expensive membership fees. Leonard Cheshire Disability surveyed over 800 disabled people as part of its Exercise Your Right campaign, which aims to support the UK’s sports facilities to be more accessible for disabled people. The results revealed that while 70

per cent want to be more sporty and nearly one in two were inspired by the Paralympics to get more active, only 15 per cent were gym members. When asked why, over 50 per cent of respondents said clubs are too expensive and 26 per cent said it was because the facilities were not accessible enough. Leonard Cheshire Disability campaigner Anne Taylor said: "It’s been inspiring to see disabled people on the TV as world class athletes during the Paralympics, but it means nothing if afterwards people can’t use a gym. “The true legacy of the Paralympics needs to be building a UK where everybody can take part in sport and exercise regardless of ability." As part of the campaign and to help address these issues, a copy of the report will now be sent to gyms, sports facilities and sports retailers, with the Action for Access team guiding operators on how their clubs can become more accessible. As well as clubs coming under fire for their lack of provision for disabled users, the industry has also been criticised for its online presence – with an expert claiming fit-

Seat helps disabled people exercise on indoor rower CONCEPT2 can now provide a range of products to help disabled rowers use the indoor rower, including the IFI Accredited Adapt 2 Row Seating System. Designed to replace the existing seat on the rower they allow athletes with a range of disabilities to exercise on the indoor rower. The Complementary Seat is for elderly users, individuals with learning disabilities, incomplete/low level spinal cord injury users and those who suffer from Cerebral Palsy and Dyspraxia. The Postural Seat is for people with physical and neuromuscular impairments who require a high degree of postural support, including spinal cord injuries and amputees, as well as those suffering from Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease. Both seats can be fixed in position A new platform lift has been created to allow people with restricted mobility to enter a swimming pool independently. The result of an Olympic Delivery Authority competition, Poolpod can be used by both wheelchair users and people who don’t use wheelchairs but need an alternative to a ladder.

on the monorail by the use of clamps. Lumbar and lap straps are available to restrain the rower whilst seated. Padding for pressure sore prevention is also available. To order and for more details see concept2.co.uk/shop/department/ad aptiv

ness websites are excluding the Paralympians of tomorrow. An e-accessiblity report by AbilityNet claims the country’s top five gym chains are failing to address the needs of disabled people by ignoring basic web accessibility guidelines. AbilityNet’s State of the eNation survey looked at websites from the point of view of disabled and elderly users’ experience when using a range of services online. As well as a series of manual checks, the sites are tested using the most commonly encountered access technologies, such as screen readers and voice recognition software. Only sites which meet the needs of visitors with a vision impairment, dyslexia or physical problems, such as not being able to use a mouse, attain three stars or above Four of the five sites surveyed scored the minimum one star, indicating that their sites are not accessible and do not meet minimum legal standards. Only one site managed a two star rating, suggesting it satisfies some of the legal requirements, but still fails to meet the minimum level required

by law. The report’s author, AbilityNet’s head of digital inclusion, Robin Christopherson is himself blind. He added: “Disabled people like to keep fit too and for many whose mobility is compromised (like those with a visual impairment for example) a gym provides the ideal supported environment in which to run or cycle etc. “We all run the risk of acquiring a disability, albeit temporarily and often exercise plays a vital role in our recovery. Imagine trying to join a gym online when your arm is in a sling, obliging you to complete your membership form with keystrokes only. “Perhaps you have abandoned the keyboard altogether in favour of voice recognition, but the site hasn’t catered for this technology and you are struggling to access the information you need to compare the local facilities on offer. “The law is clear on this issue. It is just as illegal to bar disabled visitors from accessing your goods and services online as it would be to keep them out of your club in the ‘real world’.”

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Gyms urged to ensure they are deaf friendly By Christina Eccles CHARITY Action on Hearing Loss has urged gyms and sports clubs to ensure they are fully accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing – and has created a set of top tips to help them. Under the Equality Act 2010, services must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to be accessible to people with disabilities, meaning operators must ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing can enjoy the same level of service as other customers. To help gyms cater for this section of members, the charity has revealed its top deaf awareness tips. These are: Ensure staff are trained in basic

deaf awareness. Install a hearing loop in reception for hearing aid wearers, regularly check that it’s working and staff are trained how to use it. Make sure you have the person’s attention before you start speaking. Places with good lighting (so that you can be lipread) and little or no background noise are best for conversations. Face the person so you can be lipread and speak clearly, using plain language, normal lip movements and facial expressions. Check whether the person understands what you are saying and, if not, try saying it in a different way. Keep your voice down as it’s uncomfortable for a hearing aid user

if you shout and it looks aggressive. Provide a registered sign language interpreter for people who communicate by British Sign Language. Chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss Paul Breckell said: “There are big hopes that the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics will leave a lasting legacy and we hope that people with hearing loss will be given a sporting chance to excel or simply enjoy getting fit or participating in tournaments at their local clubs and gyms. “It’s vital that venue managers recognise their legal responsibilities and make the simple adjustments that are needed to meet the individual needs of sports enthusiasts with hearing loss.”

One of the changing rooms at Luton Sports Village.

New village designed to meet needs OVER in Luton, a new £26m sports village is bucking the trend, having been especially designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities Facilities at Luton Sports Village, operated by Active Luton, have been specifically planned ensure they can be accessed by wheelchair users and disabled people. Features include: Free car parking and dedicated blue badge parking spaces. Level access entrance with automatic main doors.

Highly visible reception desk featuring a drop level section. Wide corridors and accessible changing rooms, toilets and showers. Wheelchair spaces in the spectators’ gallery. The accessible changing rooms are also located together for easier use by groups and include a bed and hoist, with enough room for two carers and the benches have been developed at 450mm deep to allow easy transfer from a wheelchair. Leader of Luton Borough Council

coun Hazel Simmons said: “Our goal is to encourage as many people as possible to get fit and develop healthier lifestyles. “We know that some people with disabilities find it difficult to keep active because of lack of suitable facilities or inadequate access but Inspire: Luton Sports Village has been specially designed so that people of all abilities can easily move around the building and can access all that is on offer at the centre.”

Centre introduces IFI accredited range CAMBRIDGE based Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre is working hard to cater for members’ needs by introducing a range of new IFI accredited equipment. The install will see a selection of kit from Cybex’s Total Access range made available to gym members, including the Bravo functional trainer.

Gym manager Mustafa Ustamehmetoglu said: “The decision to invest in inclusive fitness equipment is part of our long-term vision to deliver a facility that is accessible to everyone, without any exceptions. “It is an important step forward for the centre and we are proud to be the only gym in central Cambridge that

offers such equipment.” The centre offers members two gyms – the Outlooks Gym, which comprises cardio and resistance equipment, and a separate free weights gym. Members can opt to join an individual facility or purchase a joint membership, giving them access to both.

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TECHNOLOGY AND INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SERVICES In a fast moving world, technology is always changing and busy gym owners are constantly looking for the latest ways to save time and make their lives easier. In a special feature, Workout looks at the newest ways clubs can manage their memberships – and the companies helping them.

Dragons miss out on Gordon’s interactive washroom idea A COMPANY which unsuccessfully pitched its interactive media systems for washrooms to Dragon’s Den has been offered more than £500,000 in funding by professional investors. The business, Captive Media, has also sold over £100,000 worth of products in six countries in Europe. It has invented a computer game that men can play in the lavatories of pubs, restaurants and hotels, and, says its founder, in anywhere with washrooms – including gyms. Screens are installed above the urinals which have built-in control buttons and players participate by aiming at them. The business also offers digital washroom media channels for women, such as ‘Eye Candy 4 Girls’ and, now in development, ‘Loo Tube’ – a channel bringing social media into the washroom. This was perfect fodder for the Dragons, who took it in turns to ridicule Gordon MacSween, one of the co-founders of the business, before telling him he wouldn't get a penny of the £250,000 he was after for a 10 per cent stake in the company. Gordon told Workout from his stand at Leisure Industry Week at

Captive Media’s interactive computer game. Birmingham NEC: “The Dragons viewed our units as fun toys that some people might buy, rather than highly-targeted advertising platforms that enable brands to engage with a notoriously hard-to-reach demographic.

“The fact is venues buy our units because they offer a unique and memorable way to communicate with customers.” The BBC’s flagship technology programme, Click, has also given the firm a ringing endorsement.

Timetable site launch

A NEW website has been launched which helps instructors to manage and promote their class timetables online. www.classfinder.org.uk lists just under 12,000 classes and over 2,000 instructors and includes additional features such as a live class timetable feature and email alerts, which are sent to participants if anything changes about their class. The site was the brainchild of gym manager Stuart Hay, who together with his wife Anna – a personal trainer and class instructor – and technical director Robert Corder developed the idea. Stuart said: “The original idea was mine and was born out of several things coming together. I was very frustrated at the pain of finding cover for classes (and the disappointed members if you didn’t manage it or got the cover wrong). “I am also a big fan of group fitness and wanted to make it easier for instructors to advertise their classes on the web (as opposed to poster on lampposts). “Rob and I have shared the investment to get the site to the stage it is now and Rob has offered a great level of technical knowledge to support my knowledge of the industry.”

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One of One Leisure’s five sites that has introduced new sales management software.

Council launches sales system to simplify process HUNTINGDONSHIRE District Council has launched a new intelligent sales system to simplify the sales process and help secure new members. One Leisure, which manages five leisure sites in Huntingdon, Ramsey, Sawtry, St. Ives and St. Neots, is the first to launch Gladstone Health and Leisure’s Contact Manager sales management software, having piloted the new system over a three-month period. The council’s leisure systems coordinator Michelle Schwick said: “The greatest thing that Contact Manager will do for us is save time. “Our system before was very laborious and so it’s a delight to open a programme and see how simple it is to use. Contact Manager will give us more time to sell more memberships and is already becoming an invalu-

able addition to the team.” One Leisure is also investing in both its sales process and sales team, gradually introducing sales staff to each facility to improve the customer experience and ensure each prospect is offered the most suitable package. The software will assist with this, enabling the sales team to manage their prospects throughout the sales cycle and sales manager Nadine Thomson to produce sales forecasts and bookings reports. Contact Manager also alerts the sales staff to new tasks that require attention, acting like a diary. Nadine added: “Outreaching is also easy. With a template, emails and text messages can be sent to multiple recipients at the touch of a button. And I can run all reports I need from one place, in real time.”

Mindbody simplifies fitness MINDBODY’S fitness studio software is designed to manage all of your appointments, group and fitness classes, all online. The largest provider of fitness management software in the world, Mindbody simplifies the business of fitness with online scheduling and payments, staff and customer management, eCommerce solutions and mobile apps that cut administrative overhead and improve customer retention. Managing trainers’ schedules, generating payroll, tracking inventory, attracting and retaining members, and selling products and services

online are made easy with software that’s scalable to the needs of a single trainer, single or multiple location studio or large club franchise. Explore more at www.mindbodyonline.com/fitness

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TECHNOLOGY AND INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

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TECHNOLOGY AND INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Rewards programme goes from strength to strength CLUBWISE has seen their member rewards programme go from strength to strength as clubs implement this easy to market and easy to manage scheme. Enabling clubs to offer members a reduction on their monthly direct debit for introducing a new member, member rewards not only increases new member sales, but also ensures that retention rates are boosted as well, as members lose the benefit if the friend they introduce leaves the club. Owners have seen as much as 30 per cent of their new member sales coming from the programme and, as Declan Ryan from Active4Less Stevenage says: “Over 20 per cent of our monthly direct debit revenue can now be attributed to Member Rewards. Brilliant!" ClubWise have also seen that prospect conversion through this scheme is at 95.5 per cent. The fully automated process developed by ClubWise also helps clubs to reduce their marketing spend as new sales in the club are generated by the members, who in turn then save money on their membership. And to help clubs get started, ClubWise provide training on how to make the most from the programme as well as a marketing pack for clubs to use to promote the scheme. For more information, please call ClubWise on 0800 072 6411

Apps are proving popular with gym members THE interest in new technologies within the fitness industry has increased dramatically over the past few years. The majority of gyms now have some form of membership/bookings management software to process payments, manage check-in, track bookings etc. However, many of them may not realise the additional advantages that their software can provide. Web based or SaaS (Software as a Service) systems are now the de-facto choice in the market. Such software is constantly evolving, adding new features and capabilities on a monthly basis. With the mobile generation now at the forefront of the target market the demand for booking and information provision has moved away from the more traditional club website and into the realm of the App. EZFacility launched its fully integrated App in early 2012. MemberMe is a mobile app that provides fitness businesses with a unique opportunity to engage members from the palm of their hand. MemberMe allows gyms to easily communicate with members on-the-go, keeping them

informed of the latest facility updates, current promotions and classes available to book, right from their phone. Having a smart phone app to complement a fitness business is game-changing and ultimately leads to higher customer satisfaction and improved retention for those that use such technology effectively. MemberMe is available to existing EZFacility clients and can also operate as a stand-alone application for facilities not currently using our scheduling and club management solution. In addition to these features, the MemberMe App also integrates with social media, allowing gym users to update their Facebook status based upon a class booking. In short, Apps are fast becoming the communication medium of choice for members to interact with their gyms on a daily basis. Those gyms that have embraced such technologies are rapidly reaping the benefits. Increased class attendance, better retention and an all round improved member experience. For more information visit www.ezfacility.co.uk

Wayne Heath

‘ClubManager has saved me thousands’ By Wayne Heath, ClubManager “CLUBMANAGER has saved me £1,000s of pounds in the first month alone!” It is amazing how often new customers say this to me. As a gym owner myself I fully appreciate how easy it is to get boggeddown with the everyday nitty-gritty of running a club and as the CEO of ClubManager we have hundreds of club owners and managers coming to us saying exactly the same thing: “We've outgrown Excel”, “Using paper is a headache” or “Our old software system is no longer up to scratch”. So if you're thinking the same thing then you're not the only one! ClubManager is constantly being updated and has everything you need to effortlessly manage your members and grow your club. Used by clubs of all sizes throughout the world it integrates with what you already have – so it will work on your existing computers, with your existing card and entry system and has full support for all the major collection methods. So there's only one thing you need to do – get started: www.clubmanagercentral.com

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Businesses are confident in the future – claim By Christina Eccles

The Newcastle Gateshead Marriott Hotel MetroCentre.

Hotel enhances offering A NORTH East leisure club is getting in shape thanks to a £500,000 refurbishment to improve its facilities. The club at the Newcastle Gateshead Marriott Hotel MetroCentre is undergoing a major facelift, which includes a new sauna and steam room and the upgrading of its dance studio, gym and swimming pool. The leisure club – which is the biggest of its kind in Marriott hotels in the north – is used by both guests and local residents and the aim is to extend the number of members once the new look is unveiled. The latest project marks the second phase of upgrades, following the

replacement last year of the gym’s cardio kit with state-of-the-art Star Trac fitness equipment, including Ipod connectivity and 15 inch high definition screens offering 20 different TV channels Hotel sales manager Lesley Johnston said: “The leisure facilities at the hotel have always been very popular. “But hopefully this substantial investment will not only improve the experience for our existing members and guests but will also bring in new visitors to see what we have to offer. “We are really confident that the new-look leisure club will be a huge asset to the hotel.”

SPA, health and beauty businesses are confident about the future of the industry, predicting higher estimated revenue for 2013, according to research by Groupon. To mark the start of National Spa Week, business owners were questioned on subjects such as current buying trends, predicted areas for growth and what companies believed to be the most effective marketing methods. The results showed over two thirds of spa owners had a positive outlook for 2013 and were clear on what they needed to do to achieve growth. Over a third cited marketing and promotions as vital, while 23 per cent said customer education was a key area that required attention. Other key findings included: Despite 57 per cent of spa owners saying they have felt no positive turn around in their business since reports of the economic recovery in 2010, 68 per cent are confident their estimated revenue for 2013 will be higher than 2012. 57 per cent of spa owners described their 2012 revenue as lower (15.9 per cent) or having changed not that much (42 per cent) compared to 2011. 34 per cent of spa owners felt the internet will have the most impact on

the future of their business. Most spa customers are worried about stress and relaxation (40.5 per cent) and back and sports injury pain (36 per cent) 35 per cent believe marketing and promotion and customer education (26.6 per cent) are the areas that need the most attention in order to improve product sales and retail management. 40 per cent would consider allowing clients a one off opportunity to try out a product or service for free in order to promote their service and increase their customer base. Managing director of Groupon UK and Ireland Roy Blanga said: “We’re already helping a lot of the UK’s spas when it comes to promoting wellnessrelated services. “Our editorial team includes a separate paragraph in all health and some wellbeing deals, to give an overview of the treatment and what might be involved during the customer’s visit. “The more the customer understands, the more confidence they will have spending money on treatments they know will be of benefit.” Does your club include a spa area? How has business been for you this year? Let us know by emailing ce@scriptmedia.co.uk and your story could appear in Workout.

Anna-Marie Evans with her husband John and two sons Towy and Gethin.

Family finally learns to swim A FAMILY who spent a combined 165 years avoiding the swimming pool, have all overcome their shyness and learnt to swim, thanks to help from a Sheffield leisure centre. Anna-Marie Evans, husband John and two sons, Towy, and Gethin, had never visited a pool together, let alone attempted to swim in one. It all began to change when Anna started to suffer from severe arthritis, which was leading to weight gain and other health issues. She visited her GP and was referred to Springs Leisure Centre. She said: “I’d seen Springs Leisure Centre and thought it looked a friendly place so when my GP referred me I thought I needed to give it a go this time. “My knees were so bad with arthritis that I couldn’t manage the gym, so they suggested I start swimming. It took me a while to learn, but soon I

was going three or four times a week and loving it. “I started making friends at the pool and was quickly seeing an improvement in my health, I was losing weight and my knees were getting stronger.” David Birds, GP referral manager for Sheffield International Venues, which operates Springs, added: “Anna is a great example of someone whose situation can be improved with simple and controlled exercise. “We can’t believe how far she has come since she was referred, losing over four stone and even swimming the length of the channel for charity – we’re all very proud of her.” Following on from Anna’s success, her husband and sons joined her in the pool for some lessons, with them now enjoying swimming sessions together as a family.

The upgraded facilities at Richmond upon Thames College.

Gym opens at college STUDENTS, staff and the local community can all now benefit from upgraded gym facilities at a club in Twickenham. Health and fitness consultancy motiv8 was asked to look at the free weight and cardio areas of the gym at Richmond upon Thames College after the club decided to improve its kit and layout to attract new members. motive8 expanded the cardiovascular equipment, adding three Star Trac treadmills, two upright bikes and two additional Octane Fitness cross trainers, which sit alongside the existing unit. Cardio theatre has also been

installed to enable users to watch one of the three large, wall-mounted, flat screen TVs while they work out. In the free weights area, the company has installed two sets of dumbbells; a chrome set of 1-10kg on an Arack, and a rubber set of 12-30kg on a three-tier rack, along with free weight bench. motiv8 MD Nick Sadler said: “Working with Richmond College was a great experience. We’re excited to see the development that’s taking place in the education sector, as schools come to realise that adding a gym means happier, more motivated pupils.”

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PRODUCT NEWS

Bag ‘a must for any functional training fan’ THE Bulgarian Bag is in a class of its own when it comes to functional fitness. Using gravity and inertia it helps improve muscular endurance, joint mobility, core strength, overall body strength and agility. This multi-angular approach to training has been dubbed ‘Variable Angular Resistance’ and really does give the body a fab all over workout. Traditionally handcrafted in leather, the Bulgarian Bag was invented by Greco-Roman wrestling coach Ivan Ivanov to help train Olympic wrestlers and improve their dynamic movements. All exercises with the Bulgarian Bag are scalable so it can be used with any client regardless of their fitness level. Extremely robust, the Bulgarian Bag is perfect for one to one PT sessions and group functional training classes. There are two ranges of Bulgarian Bag to choose from. Our Professional range, perfect as a personal bag, is made from leather to the highest quality – a very stylish looking tool. The new synthetic leather fitness bags have coloured handles, are built to last and are more hygienic, making them a great bag for use by lots of different members in clubs. Each weight increment is a different colour, making weight selection quick and easy. Durable, versatile and

FOLLOWING the launch of the first revolutionary Green System by SportsArt Fitness UK at Leisure Industry Week 2012, the first UK order has been placed for the new cardio system that turns human energy into useable power. The SportsArt ‘Green System’ uses a “pod” of elliptical trainers and cycles, attached to an inverter, that harnesses human-generated power from the exerciser and feeds this back into the power grid as useable energy. This energy then can be used to save facilities thousands of pounds in energy costs. This is claimed to be the first "plug and play" solution of its kind for health club owners who want to offset power costs by freely harnessing human energy. From seeing the equipment and listening to what was on offer with regards to the green credentials, the customer was very impressed and a decision was made to present proposals to their board to acquire the SportsArt Green System, which was ratified and initial orders placed (full

dynamic, Bulgarian Bag training is a must for any functional training fan. For more information contact Escape Fitness on 01733 313535 or visit www.escapefitness.com

Stay hydrated with coconut water FITNESS fanatic, yoga practitioner or dedicated sportsperson ... whatever your workout regime, Vita Coco, 100 per cent natural coconut water is your perfect training partner. A fast and effective way to keep hydrated, Vita Coco Coconut Water is ideal for use during physical exercise to help power through any workout and also offers excellent rehydration properties post workout, training session, match or class. The coconut water used in Vita Coco Coconut Water comes from young green coconuts and is full of naturally occurring potassium and five essential electrolytes. With no colourings, preservatives or flavourings and not produced from concen-

trate, Vita Coco Coconut Water offers a truly natural route to hydration. Vita Coco 100 per cent Natural Coconut Water is available in three sizes: 330ml, 500ml and 1l. The 500ml sports pack is available in natural and also two fruit flavours: pineapple and acai and pomegranate (produced by combining the 100 per cent Natural Coconut Water with natural fruit puree). Strength and conditioning coach and founder of Reach Richard Tidmarsh said: “Vita Coco is natural and provides a performance boost in training sessions and gruelling races – helping athletes’ muscles to power through and avoid dehydration in events where every second counts.”

Keynote speaker unveiled for IHRSA THE 12th annual IHRSA European Congress will take place on November 1-4 at the Hilton Vienna, organisers have revealed. The event features presentations delivered by executives from both inside and outside the health club industry, providing thought-provoking commentary on trends shaping business and the fitness industry. Networking icebreakers, focus group discussions, and evening and lunch

SportsArt takes first UK order for Green System

details to be finalised and released at a later date.) The customer reported: “This green equipment is one of the first stepping stones for us to introduce more traditional styles of renewable energy through energy efficient L.E.D. “Lighting, Solar PV and Biomass and this product sits with these technologies in helping us help the environment at the community we work with.” For more information contact Mark Turner on 01282 779234 or email.mark.turner@sportsartfitness.co.uk

‘Engineers are company’s greatest strength’ GYM equipment experts, Northwick are taking the fitness industry by storm with their pro-active approach to gym equipment maintenance, repair and inspection. Their pay-as-you-go and monthly contract, maintenance and inspection programmes are geared to help gym owners satisfy health and safety responsibilities, achieve maximum equipment life and retain members by maximising equipment availability. Northwick MD and chartered engineer Jon Isaacs said: “Northwick’s expert team of engineers are the company’s greatest strength. “We are all committed to creating a unique relationship with customers, built on trust, attention to detail and an ability to be a one-call service to maintain and fix all makes and types of equipment in a polite, efficient and timely manner!” Their approach is unique because

they establish why equipment problems happen, helping customers to predict failures long before they occur. Northwick offers an expert opinion as to how best to prioritise and schedule equipment repairs and help gym owners to differentiate between repair versus replacement. Gym owners gain a detailed picture of equipment condition, helping retain members, manage cash flow and plan ahead for equipment upgrades. With over 5000 plus customers, Northwick is the UK’s No.1 independent gym equipment specialist. For more information visit www.northwick.eu

Flagship club boasts top equipment

receptions will provide the opportunity to build relationships with colleagues from throughout Europe. This year’s keynote speaker will be Shaun Smith, who will reveal to delegates how to be bold in business and win. Other event highlights include a variety of focused seminars, the opportunity to meet one on one with a range of industry suppliers and a tour of some of the leading health clubs in the city.

VIRGIN Active has opened the doors to its flagship Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate in the heart of London City, boasting some of the most advanced equipment, new and innovative group exercise classes and outstanding facilities in a spacious, premium setting. UK head of fitness Alan Holl said: “Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate raises the bar for a modern day health club offering. We wanted to take our Classic brand and push the boundaries to provide something even better for our members.” The large gym floor is home to some of the most cutting-edge equipment including the Freedom Climber, a revolutionary rotating climbing wall

that provides the physical challenges and the exercise benefits of continuous climbing and traversing in a safe, low level environment. It is being used by instructors and personal trainers alike for functional climbing exercises and is also popular as a station within the exciting and stimulating circuit classes within the active functional zone. Fitness manager Craig Moores added: “It has been well received by our knowledgeable members and has been programmed into circuit classes and personal training sessions with great results.”

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