Workout september 2014

September 2014

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Industry value on the rise – new report

By Christina Eccles THE value of the UK’s health club and leisure centre industry is on the rise, according to a new report, which is forecasting further growth over the next five years; particularly for budget operators and high-end gyms.

Research from business intelligence provider Key Note has predicted that the value of the market will increase by 15 per cent from £4.24bn in 2014 to £4.87bn in 2018, with clubs at opposite ends of the price spectrum set to benefit the most during this period, and mid range clubs urged to get on board with the latest trends to avoid missing out.

The report said: “With new fitness trends constantly entering the market, the UK health clubs and leisure centre market is expected to continue to increase in value over the next five years, with the market potentially polarising at either the budget or the luxury, boutique end.”

The report also examines future trends; naming intensive cardio fitness classes, ballet inspired barre workouts and pole fitness classes all as ones to watch out for over the

coming months, as well as predicting a sustained interest in outdoor fitness.

It added: “A generation of outdoor bootcamps and other outdoor workouts such as Zumba is taking the indoor fitness class craze out of the gym and into the field.

“The movement of these services outdoors is providing an alternative form of competition to the health clubs and leisure centres marketplace through the growth of independent freelance fitness instructors and coaches.

“New opportunities in fitness are constantly being developed to appeal to the various preferences of the population, as sport and fitness types rise in and out of popularity, thus health clubs and leisure centres must constantly invest in innovation and research in order to stay ahead of these trends and offer the latest crazes to their members.”

Other trends to watch out for, according to the report, include tech savvy innovations such as David Lloyd’s tennis themed apps and Reebok and Les Mills’ futuristic, immersive fitness class experience.

No 252 £3

Book your seat for glittering awards night

Television personality and fitness fan Mark Wright has joined the Bio-Synergy team as an ambassador for the Super7 nutrition range. The range, which includes pre and post workout products, harnesses the power of seven key ingredients to give users the tools to get the body they want.

More supplementation and nutrition news, Page 68

TABLE bookings are now open for the 2014 National Fitness Awards, as clubs around the country eagerly wait to discover if they have made the shortlist.

The glittering awards evening takes place on Friday November 28 at The Athena in Leicester and will be hosted by boxing legend Ricky Hatton and top TV presenter Caroline Pearce.

The event, organised by Script Events in partnership with Workout and headline sponsor Servicesport, will see trophies handed out in a range of categories.

It is also the perfect chance for the industry to celebrate another successful year, with many gyms using it as their staff Christmas party.

Event director Judith Halkerston said: “The standard of entries has been higher than ever this year and we’re really looking forward to seeing everyone on the night.

“Tables for the event can be booked via our website www.nationalfitnessawards.co. uk and look out for the next issue of Workout where we will be revealing the full list of clubs who have made the shortlist for 2014.”

80-Page LIW special issue

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Victoria hoping success will spur on her clients

By Christina Eccles YORKSHIRE-BASED personal trainer Victoria Hudson is celebrating success in her first competition – and is now hoping to spur her own clients on to do the same.

Victoria, who works at Lifestyle Fitness in Barnsley and is also the co-creator of women only bootcamp business, Barno Bootcamp, won the Fitness Champion category at the recent Miss Galaxy Universe – as well as coming runner up in the Beach Body category.

To win the fitness category, Victoria had to take part in a tough challenge, completing exercises including a standing long jump, sit ups, tricep dips and push ups.

She also took on a strict training regime to help get her in the best possible shape to compete, increasing the intensity of her weight training, using twice weekly outdoor bootcamp ses-

‘Even though I am a personal trainer, I still feel it’s important to have personal training. Taking part has helped me grow as a trainer’ sions for cardio and following a comprehensive diet plan.

She explained: “I wanted to take things to the next level but didn’t really know how.

“When I looked around at typical bodybuilding shows, some of them looked a bit intimidating, but the fitness side of Miss Galaxy Universe I was really keen on.”

To prepare for the competition, Victoria was coached by fellow local PT Katie Ford and told Workout that although she’s a fitness professional herself, she still feels it’s important to take advice from other trainers – and train in a variety of gyms – in order to get a different perspective on how she’s progressing and advice on areas where she can improve.

Trust raises £130k for charity NOT-for-profit trust Freedom Leisure has raised over £130,000 for the British Heart Foundation in the last year through a series of sponsored events and collections at its centres in Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

Key fundraising events included the Surrey Half Marathon, ‘Ramp up the Red’ day – in which staff and members were asked to wear something red and donate what they could – and a number of indoor cycling

marathons.

Guildford Spectrum was named the top performing site in the group, raising a total of £3,573.12.

Group sports development manager Richard Bagwell said: “Now that the money is in, I can honestly say that every person and penny counted: to raise over £130,000 in one year for charity is a terrific achievement for the Freedom Leisure group.”

She added: “Even though I am a personal trainer, I still feel it’s important to have personal training. Taking part has helped me grow as a trainer.

“I really enjoyed the experience.

It was harder than I thought it would be but I’d definitely do it again.”

Victoria is also planning to enter the competition again next June – where she will be joined by a few more familiar faces.

She added: “About five of my clients are going to do it.

The competition is great for confidence building and for giving people a purpose to train.

“I also like the fact it focuses on women being fit and healthy and not just what they look like.”

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Editorial Group Editor:

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Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Editor: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Olivia Taylor ot@scriptmedia.co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

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Weights push gives gym a lift

By Christina Eccles A GYM in Stockport is aiming to get more people into weight training, with a recent gym expansion and partnership with British Weight Lifting helping to increase awareness of the discipline in the wider community.

Life Leisure Houldsworth Village has become a Regional Training and Development Centre for British Weight Lifting and as part of the agreement has benefited from the arrival of a dedicated regional development officer, Andreas Michaelas, who is now based at the club.

As well as a large extension to the gym, other changes have included the addition of equipment used at

the London 2012 Olympic Games and the relocation of a specialist club – Arnies Power Lifting and Weight Lifting Club – for disabled athletes to the site.

Investment in kit has also been substantial, with the facility benefiting from the introduction of four Olympic platforms, functional training equipment, additional cardio machines and the Life Fitness Synergy 360 system.

And so far interest has been high from local people, with athletics club Stockport Harriers already using the facility for its junior strength and conditioning programme and enquiries regularly coming in from other groups as the word spreads.

General manager at Houldsworth Village Chris Scott said: “We have had lots of interest from clubs looking to do strength and conditioning here. This showcases what we are trying to do and how the facility is good for sports specific training.”

One of the facility’s unique selling points is its inclusiveness, with people from all backgrounds training side by side.

The club is also working hard to push the message that weight lifting can be beneficial for everyone and isn’t just geared towards elite athletes.

Special projects manager at Life Leisure Seb Rowe added: “One of the biggest challenges was Arnie’s coming from their own exclusive

facility into the gym, but so far the feedback has been good and it’s working well. What we’ve now got is completely different – it’s not just a gym.”

According to Chris, one of the main reasons for the partnership’s initial success is that everyone involved has fully embraced the concept – and are already talking about how the relationship has potential to grow even further.

He added: “One of British Weight Lifting’s main aims is to raise awareness and increase participation. The buy in from the guys on the gym floor has been great to make sure people are aware.

Everyone is really passionate about what’s going on.”

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Club gets members into winning ways ...

By Christina Eccles A GYM in the North West is leading the way when it comes to member engagement, having successfully encouraged customers to take part – and go on to win – two club competitions.

USN Bolton Arena recently won the Champions Train with Technogym UK challenge, which was set up by the supplier to encourage facilities and their members to get active while supporting the athletes taking part in the Commonwealth Games.

The club came first achieving almost 2.4m MOVEs – Technogym’s unit of measurement for movement – with the success coming just months after it was crowned first in the UK and ninth best in the world in a similar campaign, Let’s Move for a Better World.

Gym manager Glenn Carroll said: “Initially with the first one it was difficult to know if members would take it up but we actively encouraged them to join up and the gym team pushed it.

“We got some friendly rivalry going which then filtered down to other members. Some were competing with other members while others were looking at how the arena was doing as a whole compared to other facilities.”

After refurbishing the club late last year and installing a range of equipment from Technogym, the club has built up a strong partnership with the supplier, as well as with arena sponsor USN. And Glenn told Workout having high quality fitness industry brands on board with the club helps them deliver a better experience to members.

He added: “We’ve built up a really good relationship with Technogym and want to be the number one gym they think of first to work with.

“USN have been with us about a year. They come in and do promotions and their athletes give out samples.

“From a members’ perspective, working with companies like these, means they can get more from their membership without us having to spend money.”

Future plans at the club include a drive throughout September to boost membership numbers, as well as looking at other challenges members

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Baths make a splash with new facilities SCISSETT Baths and Fitness Centre has revealed its new facilities, funded in partnership with Kirklees Council, Clayton Swimming Bath and Recreation Centre Trust and Sport England.

Members can now benefit from a new gym, fitness studio, dry side changing rooms and class timetable, with improvements intended to offer customers a greater opportunity to get more active, more often.

Kirklees Active Leisure chair of trustees David Heddon said: “The Scissett development is yet another fantastic local leisure facility that will, I’m sure, encourage many more local people to take part in healthy activity.”

New workout

Gym manager Glenn Carroll and commercial manager Gwyn Hughes can take part in using a dedicated app, which allows them to join in with any wider competitions Technogym organise, or set up their own.

A HOT new workout has hit the industry, thanks to a partnership between Tabata and the Indoor Cycling Group.

The TabataCycle – Powered By ICG workout is a 20-minute exercise regime and extension of the famous four-minute Tabata concept.

Each session will warm up the muscles and raise the heart rate in preparation for a high intensity fourminute burst of cycling. This will then be followed by a sequence of strength and recovery movements to bring the heart rate back down again.

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Four out of five Premier students ‘finding work within a month’ OVER 80 per cent of Premier Training International’s fitness graduates are able to find work within a month of completing their course, a survey has found.

The study looked at a sample of fitness professionals who completed their course in June and July this year – discovering that 84 per cent of these have already gained employment.

Global marketing director for Premier Training International Victoria Branch said: “Finding employment after education can always be a worry and by conducting this survey, we wanted to show people the accessibility of a health and fitness career pathway.

“There are numerous different career options on offer in the health and fitness industry, including that of a personal trainer, a nutritionist, a gym instructor or a wellbeing expert.

“Many of our courses can be completed in as little as six weeks, and at Premier, we give graduates 12 months of career support and advice as well as guaranteeing interviews with many of the leading employers in the industry, meaning finding employment doesn’t have to be a distant dream, it can happen a lot sooner than people think.”

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New course offering dedicated training for fitness managers training. They have good intuitive management skills but there are some who lack confidence, even though they have a lot of ability.

By Christina Eccles GYM managers will soon be able to expand their knowledge base and build confidence by completing the only ILM certified course tailored specifically for the health and fitness industry.

The ILM Level Three Certificate in Effective Management has been created by Lifetime Training to address the need for dedicated training for managers in the sector.

The course is a combination of workshops, webinars and live conversations and modules cover some of the most important issues managers have to deal with, including problem solving and commercial understanding; helping candidates – particularly those who are new to management – increase their confidence in operating at that level.

Client services director at Lifetime Training Nigel Wallace explained: “We are linked with multiple operators across the sector – from single sites to

“It’s often so evident that the best clubs have the best managers. There is a direct correlation, therefore, it just makes sense. If you improve the level of support you give to general managers, they will have better businesses.”

Nigel Wallace multi site leisure centres – and have noticed management has become more of a focus over the last 18 months than ever before.

“Many managers in the sector have been promoted through the ranks with good operational qualities but with very limited management

The course is suitable for those managing all types of clubs from large leisure centres to independent operators and Nigel told Workout there has already been lots of positive feedback about the idea from potential candidates interested in finding out more.

He added: “We felt there was a need in the market and a high demand, so we are hoping it will be very successful.

“We are plugging a much needed gap, which will benefit individuals and the businesses they serve.”

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International Ben ready to tackle ambassador role ENGLAND international rugby union player Ben Morgan has become the newest Team Matrix ambassador.

Ben joins other ambassadors including Sally Gunnell, Colin Jackson, and Dani King, who work in collaboration with Matrix Fitness and its other sporting partnerships to inspire and motivate people to participate and achieve their goals.

Head of marketing for Matrix

Fitness Gemma Bonnett said: “We’re very excited to welcome Ben as part of our ambassador programme.

“His journey through the ranks from a junior player to representing his country with the potential for a starring role in the World Cup team in 2015 demonstrates our brand values perfectly, and I’m confident that he will be a fantastic addition to the team.”

Get on Le Tour trail – at a cycle pace to suit you

By Christina Eccles CYCLING fans in Yorkshire have been encouraged to participate in a new Tour de France inspired trail, which allows people to enjoy local sights – and get fitter – at a pace which suits them.

The Slow Tour of Yorkshire has been created by Sustrans – a charity whose aim is to encourage the public to use more sustainable forms of transport such as walking and cycling.

The trail builds on the success of the Tour de France Grand Depart, which recently took place in the county, and is a guide to 21 of the best Yorkshire based cycle routes on the National Cycle Network.

Taking in some of Yorkshire’s best scenery, the routes are designed to be suitable for most abilities from novices to experienced cyclists; be safe and family friendly and have starting points which are easily accessible via bus and train routes.

Speaking at ukactive’s Moving More, Living More regional forum in Leeds, Sustrans Yorkshire’s smarter choices

coordinator Sheridan Piggott said: “The Slow Tour of Yorkshire is directly inspired by the Tour de France.

“We thought about what can we do to make sure cycling appeals to everyone from women to families to people with low to moderate fitness.

“We came up with the slow tour and the idea that you don’t have to be fit to get on your bike.”

The routes, which are between 10 and 20 miles in length, include Harrogate to Ripley, York to Beningbrough Hall and Hull to Hornsea.

Cyclists who complete three or more routes can also enter a prize draw competition to win £500 to spend with the cycling retailer of their choice by completing a record card and including photos of where they have been.

Sheridan added: “We want the routes to be enjoyable so they also take in things like cafes, picnic spots, playgrounds and tourist attractions.

“All people need to do is go online, find a route and get on a bike.”

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Tara checks up on workers

By Olivia Taylor WELSH fitness guru Tara Hammett has revisited a group of office workers to discover their health and fitness progress – one year after she pushed them to overhaul their lifestyles.

Last year Tara approached the DVLA office workers with her TV show “Is My Job Killing Me?”, inspiring and motivating the six participants to change their lifestyle and get fit in just four weeks for part of the BBC Wales Live Longer season.

A year later, Tara returned to check on their progress – discovering that one of the group had made such dramatic changes to his life, he had gone on to complete a personal training course.

She said: “More and more people are finding it confusing doing short term fix diets – we need to take responsibility for our health.

“It’s not easy but with the right choices it can be made simple. We need to move that grey cloud lurking over us when it comes to diet and exercise.”

Not only did most of the group decide to change their lifestyle because of Tara, viewers watching at home also took inspiration from what she was doing.

Tara Hammett and, right, with some of the DVLA office workers who featured in the series.

Tara – who for the last two years has been shortlisted for Best Gym Based Personal Trainer at the National Fitness Awards – added: “It’s been fantastic. People are telling me I’ve motivated them to do something about their lifestyle too, which is amazing.”

Following the success of her TV appearances, Tara is now gearing up to tackle the obesity issue with

younger people, planning to go into local schools to chat to children about healthy living.

Mystery shoppers targeting more leisure facilities A GROUP of industry experts have joined forces to launch a company which specialises in mystery shopping and consumer research within the leisure sector.

According to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, about 50,000 mystery shopping trips are carried out every month in the UK – with more and more happening in health clubs and leisure businesses.

Now David Hopkins, partner at

sport and leisure consultancy Proleisure, and Andy Kay and Mhairi FitzPatrick, founders of Socius Investing and 37° health clubs, have created ProInsight, which uses technology to deliver results on a client facing online platform which supports digital voice recording and HD film.

A benchmarking service is available telling clients how they are performing against industry standards

regionally and UK wide.

David explained: “Better insight always leads to improved commercial outcomes. “ Customers leave if a brand doesn’t deliver on its promises and money spent on marketing to attract new customers is wasted if your sales people and front line staff are not handling enquiries and customer interactions in an effective way.”

Proinsight is a member of the

Market Research Society and Mystery Shopping Provider Association and already works with over 350 UK leisure centres.

David added: “We want our clients to see a rapid return on investment.

“This is a very affordable service and the insight it provides is in real time, giving our clients the opportunity to make immediate interventions and assess any future training gaps.”

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The entrepreneur behind a successful fitness clothing brand is celebrating after scooping a top award.

Rebecca Goodchild, creator and managing director of Skinny Chimp, won Best UK Online store in the UK Fashion and Beauty awards 2014.

She said: “It’s fantastic to win such a prestigious award after just 14 months in business.

“This is the third party endorsement we needed that confirms our position within the fashion industry – the Skinny Chimp brand will now go from strength to strength – look out for myself and the chimps in the future.”

Holiday park gym works out well ...

By Christina Eccles THE gym at a Devon holiday park is going from strength to strength; with a range of activities keeping both regular members and holidaymakers active.

An outdoor bootcamp, swim school and kids’ personal training sessions are just some of the fitness options that visitors can choose from at Finlake Holiday Park in Newton Abbot, as well as being able to work out in the gym, take part in a fitness class or take a dip in the pool.

The bootcamps take place once a week in six-week blocks and, as well as helping to get people fit, taking part also allows them to enjoy the woodland surroundings of the park and wider area.

Go Active health and leisure manager Michelle Pinnock said: “The bootcamp has been a massive success – one lady lost 22kg in two bootcamps.

“And because we are a holiday park, we are now also looking at residential

Partnership offers UK training first THE Training Room has announced a partnership with the world’s largest professional freerunning organisation.

The business has teamed up with Parkour Generations to become the UK’s first fitness training provider to partner with a Parkour expert, working together to offer the internationally recognised Parkour Fitness Specialist programme to UK fitness enthusiasts.

The four-day certified course is being delivered by Parkour experts and is open to anybody who has an interest in fitness, with no previous experience required. It also offers a development opportunity for personal trainers looking to up-skill. Upon completion, students will have earned a Parkour UK CYQ Level Two qualification in instructing Parkour/freerunning fitness training.

bootcamps and learn to swim courses.”

The club was also shortlisted in the Regional Gym of the Year South category at the 2013 National Fitness Awards and Michelle told Workout that her and the team really enjoyed the experience of being a part of the awards and attending the evening at the Palace Hotel in Manchester.

She added: “It really opened my eyes as to how we can step our game up – it was a brilliant night.

“For now we are focusing on gym retention and making sure we are looking after the members we have got.

“If we don’t want to grow too much bigger, then we need to look after what we have already.”

How are things going at your gym?

If you want to share your news with Workout readers, email our editorial team at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us on Facebook or Twitter.

A member at Curves in Wokingham has achieved her 1,000th workout at the gym.

Sharon Curling joined the club just a week after it opened in February 2006 and has completed an average of 10 workouts a month to reach the milestone.

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Andrea enjoying the 2012 National Fitness Awards in Leicester.

NFAs let us shout about our amazing little family ...

By Christina Eccles A PERSONAL trainer at a Wigan ladies only gym has revealed why the team love taking part in the National Fitness Awards – and that they are hoping to be there again this year.

Ladybird Fitness has entered the NFAs since the event started back in 2010 and has twice scooped the trophy for Gym Team of the Year, each time beating off competition from clubs around the country.

Staff member Andrea Cooper said: “As a team and a club we enter the awards to shout about our amazing little family here at Ladybird.

“The members are just not a number to us but a face, name and a story about why they want to lose weight or get fitter.

“We pride ourselves on being just six staff members who are here week in and week out to bring reassurance to each member that we are here to support them.

“We have fought off so many new budget gyms over the past few years and we are proud to be still

going strong so the awards is a great way to celebrate another year in the fitness industry.”

Andrea also said that the whole team enjoy taking part in the event, with the gym’s loyal members lending their support each time they make the shortlist.

She added: “We have entered the awards each year, and we get prouder and prouder each year when we are short-listed. So to win two awards for 'Gym Team of the Year' is just amazing for us. And it’s great to know all the ladies here at Ladybird are backing us all the way.

“We love the awards night and the build up here at Ladybird is amazing, from shouting out about it to the people of Wigan in the press to picking the right outfit for the night. Our favourite venue was in Leicester and we are pleased it will be there again this year.

“We are finishing our eighth year in the fitness industry and we couldn't be prouder about it, so finishing our year at the fifth Fitness Awards seems only right and well deserved.”

Charity bid to turn runway red at Manchester airport RUNNERS, joggers and walkers are being given a unique opportunity to turn the runway red at Manchester Airport to raise funds for charity.

Manchester Airport and British Airways are hosting a celebrity event on September 21, which will see fun runners follow a 4km route around the perimeter of the UK’s third largest airport.

The event is in aid of Flying Start, British Airways’ global charity

partnership with Comic Relief UK, and Medcare, Manchester Airport’s supported charity at the Wellspring Children’s Medical Centre in Kamutuuza, Uganda.

Participants are being asked to wear something red and raise a minimum of £25 in order to take part.

They will be joined at the start line and during the run by a number of famous faces, with the full celebrity line up to be revealed at a later date.

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www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk

Welcome to WorkOut Weigh In – it’s your chance to have your say and share your views on industry issues. You can email us at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or you can message us on Facebook or Twitter.

This month’s top Tweets... @lesmillsUK: Who's entering the @WorkOutUK @FitnessAwards this year? We can't wait to attend!

Do selfies get you angry?

Over on our social media pages we asked our fans the following question: “People taking selfies is the number one annoyance for gymgoers, according to a survey.

What do you think? Does this happen in your club?” Here’s what they had to say on the issue...

winning Gambaru Fitness ...

I would rather they do it in my gym with my logo /equipment in the background than in the street or another gym! Free publicity.

Toby White: It's 2014, just roll with it. Personally couldn't care less either way. Could be doing a lot worse.

@L_I_W: Dont forget you can find out more about LIW and what to watch out for in the September issue of @WorkOutUK #LIW14

MSF Fitness: No and it never will, training is our own personal time, unless on call then no phone required :-)

@EdenFitness: Great article in @WorkOutUK Thank you!

Jonathan Walker: It's great advertising for my award

@MyLFX: Did you see us in Workout magazine? Great to have support from Christina and the team...

Put us in the picture ...

WORKOUT’S Weigh In page is the perfect place for our readers to share views and have their say on important industry issues.

Now as well as including some of our top tweets and Facebook posts each issue, we are introducing a new picture of the month feature – and would love you to get involved.

If you have a great image from an event you've run at your club; some impressive new kit you've installed at

@Andy_BWL: @WorkOutUK came to visit our new centre @lifeleisureUK and @GBWeightLifting at Houldsworth today, thanks for coming! @OliviaGTaylor: Spoke to @Tarahammett today about 'The Great Welsh Diet Experiment'. Look out for the next issue of @WorkOutUK to find out more! @ChristinaEccles: Thanks to @TheDanWhiston for a fab Zumba class last night @RibbyFitness.

Read all about it in the next @WorkOutUK. @kimingleby: So lucky to be asked to be judge, can't wait to see short list :-) Enter! @FitnessAwards @KenHeathcote @Stetops @FitnessCarlyT @DeanHodgkin @MoorsideFriends: Nomination submitted for @FitnessAwards for our amazing community fitness sessions @pioneerfitness7 #CommunityInvolvement

Graeme Hinde : 1. Sweaty people without sweat towels in group cycling classes.

2. People texting etc between sets.

your gym; details of a member who has achieved something special or an important milestone; a cute club mascot you want to tell us about or anything else you think deserves to take that slot, let us know.

Upload your pictures to www.facebook.com/workoutmagazine; Tweet us @WorkOutUK or email our editorial team at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk – we'll print the best one every month.

Editor’s Comment WELCOME to the September issue – and also Happy Birthday to us, as Workout is celebrating 21 years in the fitness industry this month!

This edition is always one of our busiest of the year, as the sector gears up for another Leisure Industry Week, which is now just weeks away, and as a team we prepare for the next phase of the National Fitness Awards.

As Workout goes to press, we are currently drawing up the shortlist for this year and I’m pleased to say that the standard for 2014 is stronger than ever.

When reading through the entries, it’s been great to see a mix of clubs entering for the first time, alongside winners from previous years looking to defend their titles and past finalists who are aiming to go one better and pick up a trophy this year.

Over the next few weeks, we will be notifying everyone who has made the shortlist and arranging the next phase of the judging process, which is a visit to your club by a member of the Workout team.

This is one of the parts of the event we love the most, as this is our opportunity to see first hand the amazing work going on in gyms from the top of Scotland down to Cornwall – and everywhere

inbetween.

It’s also your chance to showcase to us the best your facility has to offer. And wherever we visit in the country, we always get a warm welcome, so are looking forward to seeing how many thousands of miles we can cover this year!

In other news this month, if you are preparing for your visit to LIW, our preview on page ... should help you get the most out of your trip to the event.

We’ll be exhibiting there too, so come and say hi, and if you’re doing something at the show you think we should know about, get in touch and tell us more.

Workout reporter Olivia and I have also been in the North West visiting clubs over the last few weeks and enjoyed our trips to Ribby Hall Village, Life Leisure Houldsworth Village and USN Bolton Arena. You can find out more about what we saw there in this issue, as well as seeing how much we enjoyed taking part in Dancing on Ice star Dan Whiston’s Zumba class for our challenge feature on Page 52.

If you’ve entered the NFAs this year, stand by your phones for those all important calls to say you’ve made the finals – and we’ll look forward to catching up with many of you at upcoming Christina Eccles industry events.

This month’s hot topic:

The industry’s appetite for functional fitness is showing no sign of slowing down.

What are you doing in your club to tap into this trend.

Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue.

Follow us on Twitter @WorkOutUK or contact us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/workoutmagazine

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Centre to expand as development hits capacity in less than three years AN £8m redevelopment project at Waterlane Leisure Centre has proved so successful membership has reached capacity in less than three years, with plans now in place for further expansion.

The centre – operated by Sentinel Leisure Trust in partnership with Waveney District Council – reopened in January 2012 following the original redevelopment.

Pulse carried out the design, build, fit out and installation of their own fitness equipment solutions, as well as being responsible for sales and marketing for the club.

Now due to the success of the concept, in order to continue to service the current membership and to allow capacity to be increased, a second expansion project has been agreed.

Managing director of Pulse Chris Johnson said: “Managing multiple aspects of the original redevelopment allowed us to create a fantastic facility which was easy to market to the local community.

“We are delighted that our experience with sales and marketing has taken membership to capacity so quickly and are equally thrilled that our recommendation to further extend the centre has been embraced by WDC and

Sentinel Leisure Trust.

“We expect the expansion to generate an increase in membership revenue which will more than cover the investment.”

Pulse will carry out all aspects of this further work, which will see the club benefit from improvements including a bigger gym, new functional training area and extended free weights section,

enabling it to increase the membership capacity by 30 per cent and taking the maximum number of members from 2,500 to 3,250.

Managing director of Sentinel Leisure Trust Stuart Everett added: “The success of the facility development has seen us reach capacity in our gym much more quickly than we expected.

“Demand for equipment at peak

times has been high and has prompted the decision to increase capacity and equipment. It will also allow us to create space for up to date training methods such as functional training. The extra space and equipment will ensure that our existing members continue to enjoy their experience and it will further enhance our excellent reputation in the local area.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Team rolling out boxing workout with live DJs ...

By Christina Eccles THE team behind an innovative group exercise class, which combines a boxing workout with the fun atmosphere of a nightclub environment, is branching out – and looking for gyms and personal trainers to take on a franchise.

Funky Pump Fitness began life in a Swansea nightclub in 2006 and has rapidly grown, with the team behind the concept having set up three clubs themselves to deliver the classes, as well as offering it as a franchise to several other gyms in Wales.

The class; a high intensity boxing workout, complete with live DJs and a nightclub theme, aims to offer something different for gyms which want to shake up their group exercise timetable.

And after working on honing the product over the last few years, director Jason Hole told Workout the business is now in a position to expand and offer the concept as a comprehensive franchise package to even more clubs around the country.

He explained: “A lot of independent gyms have been hit hard by the budget clubs but we haven’t really been affected because we offer a specialist class.

“In the clubs we have gone into, we have changed a room – including strobe lighting and a DJ box – and their class timetable changes with it.

“What we have done is driven new

clients into the gym and everyone has seen an uptake in membership and secondary spend.”

One of Funky Pump Fitness’ most successful venues is The Warehouse in Swansea, which attracts anything from 30 to 120 people of all ages to classes, which run six days a week.

Other locations include Ammanford, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Llantrisant and Port Talbot, as well as a club further afield in Cornwall.

The class is also suitable for freelance PTs to take on and run in various venues, with the company also creating a bespoke franchise option for them, as well as one for gyms.

Jason added: “In the last year we have expanded our franchise offering – including a full operational manual and marketing support – and are opening it up to gyms to take on a full franchise or an ‘out of the box’ version for personal trainers who can then approach local venues.

“The Funky Pump Fitness family also includes additional classes such as Funky Pump Lite, Bag Circuits, morning bootcamps and specialist TRX and Kettlebell training with a unique Funky Pump twist.

“We can go into any existing gym which has a room that can be used for classes and bring in a fresh, new clientele. It’s a concept that works.

People are bored with the run of the mill stuff that’s out there. We are offering something different.”

New faces in One Tribe LES Mills UK has strengthened its team with three new appointments.

Natalie Prescott has joined as head of product sales; Becca Douglas will be heading up PR and social media and Lena Sereda has become the new customer experience manager for Russia.

CEO of Les Mills UK Keith Burnet said: “We refer to ourselves as One Tribe, which means we’re all working

together towards the same goal – to make the world a fitter planet.

“It’s great to welcome these new faces to the tribe as behind the achievements of the company is our people. We are building a strong team in the UK and it’s a seriously exciting time for the company as we further expand our programmes, our instructor base and the clubs and facilities we work with.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

With gymgoers becoming more style conscious than ever, active clothing brands are getting increasingly savvy when it comes to connecting with their customers. Christina Eccles spoke to some of those successfully bridging the gap between fitness and fashion.

Uniting fitness and fashion FROM lending support and marketing power to gyms and studios to holding pop up classes in their own stores, fitness clothing brands are finding new ways to get their products in front of potential customers, while also helping to encourage new people into exercise.

One of these is Canadian brand LIJA, which arrived in the UK earlier this year and has been well received by women who want to combine comfort – and most importantly functionality – with style.

President and creative director Linda Hipp said: “It has always been our goal to encourage women to lead an active lifestyle so we have always supported local clubs and gyms

wherever possible in their goal to encourage more activity.

“Since introducing LIJA into the UK earlier this year we have been looking to support local fitness studios and clubs in running sponsored charity events and classes, community events and more to help engage with the local community and raise encourage more participants.

“We recently supported a charity ride at BOOM! Cycle for Breakthrough Breast Cancer which was a great success. As well as raising money for the charity each individual who attended the class received some LIJA goodies including a co-branded LIJA workout top, sports bottle and discount voucher.

“We are always looking to work with other clubs to help raise awareness within the local community and help to entice new memberships.”

The increasing trend for gymgoers to look good during their exercise sessions has also led to fitness professionals trying their hand at creating workout clothing themselves.

Earlier in the year, Workout reported on personal trainer Charli Cohen, who has been receiving acclaim with her own fashion line after successfully raising money to expand the business through a crowdfunding scheme.

And also tapping into this trend is top PT and strength and conditioning coach, Phil Learney, with his luxury sportswear range BAA, standing for Be an Athlete.

BAA was founded in 2012 by Phil and business partner Andrew Xeni after the pair struck up a friendship when Andrew approached Phil for nutrition and training advice.

Phil added: “I've worked in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years now and Andrew came to me several years ago to achieve one of his own personal goals, to lose weight.

During this process he lost nine stone, turning not only his body around but changing positively many aspects of his life. This was something we had common grounds on as I also went through something similar as a teenager.

“This was the point we wished to create something, a platform in which people could represent something, life changing experiences and points in their lives when they went up against the odds or normality to achieve something special. Through the BAA community and the range of clothing we wanted to create something that would represent that.

“BAA is aimed at the discerning gymgoer, the weekend warriors, the travellers and those who wish to look good in sports inspired fashion.

“We like to sit ourselves between the luxury brands in our quality, presentation and representation whilst bettering the standard of garment we see from the more commercial sports brands.”

Owner of independent gym NIX Health and Fitness, Nick Jelley, is also branching out into the fashion world with his XINX range.

The products are currently being sold both online and within his gym, but Nick told Workout he is now look-

ing for more retailers to stock the products, including other operators who are interested in the secondary spend opportunities which this could bring.

He added: “Alongside my passion for training, I am also interested in fashion, and being able to create a gym brand is really exciting.

“My experience of running a gym enabled us to identify key trends in the marketplace that our members typically wear when training and knowing the brands/products available to them gave us an insight into exactly what members are looking for in their gym-wear.

“My background within health and fitness allows me to experience the up-to-date trends on the gym floor, and as a gym owner I have already dealt with the challenges of setting up a businesses, which has proved extremely useful in developing my new sportswear brand.

“Our future plans involve growing XINX and becoming a market leader in the fitness-clothing sector worldwide and also expanding NIX Health and Fitness with the potential of opening new clubs in different regions across the UK.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

How LGB friendly is your gym?

By Luise Usiskin THERE are a number of reasons that fitness companies could and should be working on LGB equality – not least that it makes good business sense.

The latest study by Sport England has shown that people identifying as lesbian and gay are up to 40 per cent more likely to take part in individual fitness activity than their straight peers – meaning that most, if not all gyms, will already be looking after LGB customers.

Good equality and diversity training improves the customer experience – fitness workers need to deal with all types of people in the gym and it is important that staff are trained to act appropriately in order to avoid causing offence or illegal discrimination.

It’s particularly important that customer facing staff are trained not to make assumptions about a client’s relationships. It is equally important that managers are empowered to challenge damaging homophobic attitudes among the staff they look after.

If a lesbian, gay or bisexual customer feels that they are not welcome in a gym – or if they witness homophobic behaviour by staff – they are very likely to take their business elsewhere.

A strong equality and diversity programme also offers a distinct business advantage – good performance on inclusivity enhances brand reputation and increases productivity. A business with a great reputation for equality and diversity will find it easier to gain customers and recruit top talent.

The best performing organisations recognise that an inclusive atmosphere in the workplace aids staff performance and retention.

For workers in the fitness industry who may be on the receiving end of homophobia, sexism, racism, and other discriminatory behaviour, the day-to-day experience may be so bad

Luise Usiskin as to make them leave their jobs and move into another industry.

This was my personal experience, working as a personal trainer in a central London gym. The homophobia I experienced there from staff and managers was enough to make me leave both my job and the fitness industry entirely.

Even in this day and age, there are still major challenges for people coming out in the workplace, especially for those at organisations without good awareness training or support from senior management.

While some fitness organisations have started to work on this issue – notably Nuffield Health – much of the industry has a lot of catching up to do.

The release of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index 2014 showed that there is not a single gym, fitness company or sports organisation in the nation’s top 100 employers for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) staff. There are lesbian, gay and bisexual staff and customers in most gyms already – but their needs are often not being taken into account.

Luise Usiskin is client account manager at Stonewall.

Health club deal boosts Nuffield membership

By Christina Eccles OPERATOR Nuffield Health has acquired nine health clubs from Virgin Active, including sites in Birmingham, Manchester and Milton Keynes.

The deal raises Nuffield Health's overall membership to over 325,000, across a total of 74 consumer gyms and 202 corporate fitness and wellbeing sites.

Managing director, wellbeing at Nuffield Health Dr Andrew Jones said: “These acquisitions are an important step towards achieving Nuffield Health’s ambition of a national net-

work of fitness and wellbeing facilities.

“The locations of the gyms allow us to either reach parts of the country that we do not have a presence in, or to complement our current offering in the area, whether that be a hospital or corporate wellbeing facility.

“This will enable us to deliver healthcare across the UK and by combining services and experts at our co-located facilities, support more local people with an integrated health and wellbeing proposition.”

Nuffield Health was assisted on the acquisition by law firm Thomas Eggar.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Speeches: give it to them straight

By Christina Eccles IDENTIFYING key communication techniques – and ensuring your talk is more engaging than the distractions of modern technology – could help speakers further connect with their audience and deliver stronger presentations, according to an expert.

Communications consultant Graham Davies spoke to delegates at the ukactive Flame Conference in Telford; focusing on the importance of straight talking when it comes to getting your point across to an audience.

Graham told attendees there are four different types of communicator – directors, interactors, relators and thinkers – plus two types of message – macro and micro and explained the importance of including a strong micro message in your speech.

He said: “Technology can get in the way of genuine human interaction.

Assume that most people you talk to have a short attention span – so get to the point as quickly as you can.

“There are two types of message.

The first type is macro messaging, which can be defined as a sequence of words which quickly and capably captures the essence of your product and what you are trying to get across.

The micro message is then the word-

ing which is specifically tailored to that particular audience at that particular time.

“It’s worth spending more time on your micro message than on any

other part of the process. Everything should support the micro message and if it’s not, it shouldn’t be in the presentation.”

Graham suggested that a brand’s

micro message should always be clear and ideally recommending a bold course of action.

And that the key principles of addressing an audience can be applied to a crowd of any size, whether that’s on a one to one basis with a member on the gym floor or managers addressing a large number of staff.

He added: “Think about the concept of the starting position and finishing position.

“The starting position is what the audience knows, thinks and feels before you start speaking. The finishing position is what you want them to know, think and feel. Work out at the start who they are, why they are there and what they expect to hear.

“Start the presentation with a ‘spike’; something which is sharp enough to turn an audience on but not so sharp it turns them off.”

He also advised the audience to be mindful about how much time they devoted to creating slides and Powerpoint presentations, suggesting that too many slides can be distracting to delegates and actually detract from what you are saying, rather than add value.

He added: “See your primary weapon as the spoken word. What you say will always have more capacity than what you show.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Inspirational keynote speaker Katie Piper and athlete Dwain Chambers were among the familiar faces at the newly christened FitPro Live event, which saw 2,500 delegates gather at ExCel London. Workout takes a look at some of the show highlights.

‘Extraordinary energy’ at first FitPro Live ...

PREVIOUSLY known as FitPro Convention, organiser FitPro chose 2014 to change the name and the location of the event for its 24th year.

This time round visitors were treated to a diverse range of sessions, including everything from personal training to nutrition, mind and body, group fitness and business advice from 70 top name presenters such as John Berardi, Todd Durkin, Mike Fitch, Paul Bedford, Rachel Holmes and Rodney Corn.

Meanwhile, The Live Zone offered them the opportunity to discover exciting new fitness trends in the industry, with classes and demonstrations of ViPR Group Fitness, Dynamax and MOSSA group exercise programmes, among others, hosted in the MyGroupFit Arena, FitPro Arena, TRX Zone, PTA Global Interactive Zone and Schwinn Arena.

British 100m champion Dwain Chambers also chose FitPro Live to launch T3 Sprint, a 30-minute highintensity conditioning session devised from, and inspired by, his own Olympic track sprint training.

He explained: “Fitness events such as FitPro Live are important to showcase new initiatives and ideas, bringing them to the attention of people within the fitness and conditioning industry to benefit personal trainers, professional sport and, ultimately, the public. I look forward to attending in the future.”

FitPro Live also successfully hosted the REPs South East Convention.

Head of membership at REPs Greg Small added: “The REPs South East Convention, in association with FitPro Live, offered a great chance for exercise and fitness professionals to continue their learning and education in what is an ever-developing industry.

“To combine the event with an exhibition offered our delegates an additional opportunity to engage with a range of leading brands across fitness.

The Live Zone offered demonstrations of exciting fitness trends including MOSSA group exercise and ViPR group fitness.

‘FitPro Live was a celebration of everything that makes the fitness industry great’ Director of commercial operations (Europe) Fergus Ahern “At REPs we will continue to offer learning opportunities that are combined with the intensity and energy that many professionals in our industry crave.”

The winners of the Fitness Professional Awards 2014 were also announced at an awards dinner, taking place as part of FitPro Live.

John Shehan, a group fitness management consultant, instructor and international presenter, was named as Fitness Professional of the Year, while the winner of the Cyril Cooper Award of Excellence was Dr Joanna Helcké, who created the first ever week-by-week online pregnancy and postnatal fitness system.

Keynote speaker Katie Piper embraced the event’s theme of ‘Breaking the Rules’ by asking the audience to challenge the rules that dictate whether people are attractive.

After surviving an acid attack in 2008, Katie decided to make her own rules and be a survivor, not a victim.

FitPro’s director of commercial operations (Europe) Fergus Ahern added: “The energy at the first FitPro Live was extraordinary. With over 2,500 delegates, 70 speakers and more than 100 sessions and presentations, FitPro Live was a celebration of everything that makes the fitness industry great.

“We not only showcased new group exercise concepts to industry professionals but we also offered them the opportunity to expand their knowledge base via some of the top industry educators from around the world.

By increasing the size of the venue and the event, FitPro Live saw an increase in delegates by over 150 per cent from 2013 as it was made more accessible than ever before.”

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UK first for Loughton cycle studio AN Essex-based indoor cycling studio has become the first facility in the UK to feature the new Keiser M3i Bike.

Cycle Rhythm in Loughton was created by local entrepreneur Steve Mucklow, who saw an opportunity to create a space for cycling beneath his yoga studio.

The facility cost about £350,000 to create and features a nightclub quality sound and lighting system to transform and inspire class participants’ workouts.

Project manager at Cycle Rhythm Lucy Edwards said: “As the first facility in the UK to install the new M3i, it has been exciting for our instructors to teach on Keiser’s bikes.

“Many of them had used Keiser’s M3 bikes before so they already knew that they were easy to adjust and to help customers to set up, as well as being smooth to ride.

“Our customers are thoroughly enjoying working out on the bikes and everyone loves the connection with the performance IQ board, as they are able to see their exercise outcomes.”

‘We don’t do boring’ say fitness event organisers

By Christina Eccles

LFX founder Graeme Hinde with GB swimming coach Sean Kelly who spoke at the most recent LFX event.

AMBITIOUS operators have been encouraged to join a growing network for fitness professionals, which delivers unique events for both managers and those working on the gym floor.

According to founder Graeme Hinde, Leisure and Fitness Exchange events are designed to inspire members to go back to their workplace and put new ideas into action.

The most recent event including speaker presentations from the likes of swimming coach Sean Kelly and a ViPR training session for those on the fitness stream.

Graeme explained: “The one we held in June at Stockport Sports Village attracted a wide range of people including CEOs and personal trainers.

“The strength of LFX is that we are able to offer a management event alongside a fitness event, not

something that anybody else does on such a regular basis.

“We have one important word when we plan our sessions and that word is inspire.

“We look for speakers, presenters and topics that are likely to leave something memorable with our members. We don’t do boring.”

The new LFX Season starts on September 25 and will focus on world class recruitment and selection.

Graeme added: “We already have some great presenters lined up and we have an exciting fitness itinerary planned too.

“Anyone from any sector can join the LFX movement as we have a range of affordable memberships available.

“Our ability to offer such value comes from the support we get from our sponsors and we are truly grateful for their support.”

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As Workout celebrates 21 years in the fitness industry, we take a closer look at a Guildford leisure centre also marking the same milestone birthday. In the first of a two-part feature, this month we discover how things have changed at Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex in the past two decades – and the secrets of the club’s enduring success.

Looking back over 21 years ...

THE glass-roofed building of the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex is synonymous with the town and just as eye-catching and impressive as the day it opened 21 years ago.

Set in 26 acres of parkland on the outskirts of Guildford, the facility cost £28m and took two years to build. It opened to great acclaim on February 23 1993 when the ‘key’ to the door was dropped into the hands of the Mayor of Guildford Anthony Page by a team of daredevil parachutists who jumped from a plane circling above the building.

Two local athletes, Tom Pilsbury and Steve Curzon-Hope, had earlier been handed the ‘key’ at the old sports centre and they ran across the town to the new Spectrum site. They presented it to the Mayor who pretended he had lost it.

To the delight of the expectant crowd, the parachute team ‘saved the day’ by delivering the replacement key, flags were raised and Spectrum, which is owned by Guildford Borough Council and now managed

by Freedom Leisure, was declared open for business.

Freedom Leisure area manager Steve May said: “Spectrum was considered an ambitious project when it was built as it combined swimming,

bowling and leisure facilities with a sports arena, athletics stadium and Olympic-sized ice rink all on one site.

“Its success relied upon attracting tourists and day visitors while making its comprehensive range of family and leisure facilities accessible to the local population.”

On its opening day, Spectrum declared it needed 2,600 visitors a day to be viable. In fact, the site took over £1m in the first 11 weeks – £51,743 more than anticipated – and by 1997 had 1.8m visitors. Today, over 50,000 people a week come through

its doors.

Spectrum also hosts a number of sport and leisure events at its football/athletics stadium and 1600m2 indoor sports arena. As home to the Guildford Flames ice hockey team and other local sports clubs, it offers a variety of county and national level spectator sports.

It is also a major events venue and has hosted a wide variety of highprofile sporting and entertainment events from the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, International Basketball and British

Gymnastics Championships to music events including The Backstreet Boys, the Everly Brothers, Peter Andre and Ant and Dec. Other facilities include four swimming pools – including a beach-style family leisure pool complete with slides, bubble beds and water sprays.

There is also a comprehensive group exercise programme, three sports halls, state-of-the-art gym, squash courts and ROCKBOX climbing wall.

Children are entertained on board Specky’s Pirate Ship – four storeys of soft play including ball pools, a trampoline, tube slide, cargo net and sky glide. There’s even a giant Scalextric track for the young and young at heart.

Steve added: “Spectrum is one of the jewels in the Freedom Leisure crown and we were delighted to be appointed to manage it in 2011.

“Its success lies in offering a high level of service for members of the local community while attracting people from further afield who consider Spectrum as a ‘destination venue’.”

Look out for the next issue of Workout, where we will be finding out how the centre celebrated its 21st birthday – and what the future has in store.

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Partnership offers true GRIT series Work has started on building a new extended fitness suite, health suite and cafe at Impulse Leisure’s Chanctonbury Sport and Leisure Centre in Storrington, West Sussex. The £660,000 redevelopment will also include full centre redecoration and the club will remaining open throughout, with temporary facilities set up in the main hall. The work is expected to take a maximum of 16 weeks, with the new facilities available for use in late November. A grand reopening is then scheduled for January 2015.

Key operators sign up for SIBEC A NUMBER of key operators have been confirmed to attend SIBEC Europe, which takes place from November 19 to 22 at the Pestana Casino Park Hotel on Madeira.

More than 150 operators and suppliers have already signed up to attend the networking event, including representatives from The Gym Group, David Lloyd Leisure and Virgin Active.

Highlights will include the popular panel debate compered by ukactive CEO David Stalker, pictured right, where four of the industry’s most experienced operators will discuss and share insights into the key issues facing the sector.

By Christina Eccles LES Mills has partnered with operator Nuffield Health to offer members its latest group exercise innovation; the GRIT series.

The 30-minute GRIT workouts have been designed to help health and fitness clubs increase the attendance levels of their existing members, while also attracting new members who want results fast.

It includes three workouts: GRIT Strength – using barbell, weight plate and body weight exercises.

GRIT Plyo – a plyometric-based workout that delivers fast results through a combination of plyometrics and power agility training.

GRIT Cardio – a high-impact cardio workout, designed to burn fat and rapidly improve athletic capability, which only uses bodyweight exercises.

National group exercise manager at Nuffield Health Sean McBurney said: “Being the leading UK not for profit health charity we are always looking at new ways to bring fitness and wellbeing to our members.

“The Les Mills GRIT Series is an innovative program which fits in with our current fitness class program, giving members the opportunity to experience HIIT training and gaining the added health benefits which are associated with it.

“So far we’ve had excellent feedback and we are very excited to the first national operator to launch this across the UK.” Les Mills is also working with Nuffield Health and Loughborough University to look at the science behind RPM, its indoor cycling programme.

Results of the study are expected later this year.

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Lifting the bar on member retention

By Christina Eccles MEMBERS at Anytime Fitness in Basingstoke have been rewarded for their feedback after the gym trialled innovative technology, which has provided them with valuable customer comments.

TRX has announced a six-month exclusive partnership with training provider, Lifetime Training. The collaboration will allow Lifetime to offer the complete TRX Education range, which includes the TRX Trainer Basics Digital Course, as well as the full range of live training programmes. UK sales and education manager Matt Gleed said: “A partnership with such a well trusted and established training provider as Lifetime Training enables us to deliver our digital and live education courses to a much wider audience, helping more fitness professionals learn correct TRX training techniques and understand the full diversity of the product.”

Check out Matrix contract MATRIX Fitness has won the contract to supply fitness equipment to three Holiday Inn properties.

Having already supplied and installed cardiovascular and strength equipment to The Holiday Inn, Telford and The Holiday Inn Nottingham earlier this year, the supplier has now been awarded the contract – worth in excess of £300k – to

refurbish sites in Leeds Garforth; Norwich North (Airport), and East Kilbride.

Working closely with the management company responsible for the venues – Kew Green Hotels – Matrix has had input to the complete redesign and product selection process, in addition to the supply and installation of equipment.

The club has been using RatingsPlus; a system which rewards members for the time taken to answer two quick questions and offer comments and suggestions in real time.

The system provides Anytime Fitness Basingstoke with new insights daily and has resulted in a two-point increase on the initial RatingsPlus score, which indicates a positive impact on customer experience.

Club owner Tom Norbury said: “The RatingsPlus tablet installation has enabled us to get much closer to our members and capture genuine insights into the running of our business and how to improve it.

“The results have been so valuable I plan to introduce RatingsPlus into my next club.

“For the most part the feedback has been great. We have been able to address a number of small issues, such as locker space and additional equipment, highlighted on RatingsPlus that may have otherwise gone unsaid.

“This has helped us to improve our members’ experience.

“In a customer facing business people will often avoid the confrontation of face-to-face complaints or suggestions, and will go back and tell 10 friends about a bad experience.

“Through RatingsPlus, we are able to gauge and respond to our members’ needs, and then make them feel valued by rewarding feedback via the platform’s inbuilt loyalty system.

“The platform’s ‘close the loop’ process also lets us keep members informed of any changes within the club.”

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Facebook PT group keeps aiming higher A FACEBOOK group where personal trainers from all over the world can share ideas and best practice has reached over 4,000 members – and has plans to grow even bigger.

Personal Trainers Unite was set up by founder of World Gym Challenge Sean Blyth, alongside fellow fitness professionals Nathan Hague, Christopher Laing and Ben Walsh.

All new members to the group have to be approved by the admin team, with the intention of creating a proactive, encouraging environment where industry professionals can go with queries, for debate or to discuss ideas.

Sean explained: “It’s becoming quite popular with personal trainers starting out who are wondering what to do and a go-to place for PTs. “We don’t allow any selling so everyone is purely there because they work in the fitness industry.”

The group can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pt uwall/ and Sean told Workout it is growing all the time, with members from as far afield as the USA and Australia.

Sean added: “If someone wants to know something or is just starting out, they can get a lot of support on here and someone will usually reply straight away.

“We hopefully plan to hit 5,000 members by the middle of September and eventually grow to 10,000.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Pulse creates hotel gym – right on Q ...

QHOTELS has chosen Pulse Fitness to create a gym at The Park Royal Hotel in Warrington, as part of a £300k investment.

The hotel is the first facility to receive the Console Six, an 18.5” android tablet touch screen which comes attached to the Fusion Cardiovascular range.

The CV kit also includes SmartCentre, an interactive system which provides motivation, stores personalised workout pro-

grammes and gives users feedback and guidance.

It will also be the first site to use smartcentre.com, a web based platform that auto connects members’ personal fitness data inside and outside the gym environment.

The facility will also benefit from Pulse’s Evolve strength equipment.

Pulse’s account manager for the hotel sector Kenny Wattam said:

“We are thrilled to be creating such a fantastic facility which reflects the high standards of the Park Royal Hotel.

“We’re very proud of the Console Six and can’t think of a better venue at which to launch this equipment.

“Both leisure and business travellers will benefit from the world class technology which dramatically enhances their workout experience.”

Dunfermline club Gym 64 has held a successful strongman event, which also raised over £3,000 for charity.

Eight people took part in the contest, with the day also including fun for all the family activities such as fairground rides, bouncy castle, pony rides and face painting.

Members could also get their own back on staff and instructors with the addition of a wet sponge throwing stall.

The event was officially opened by Jim Leishman the Lord Provost of Fife, along with performance by a piper and drummer from Dunfermline Pipe Band.

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Batchwood Sports Centre in St Albans.

Meadowlands in Tavistock.

1Life: a rebrand for the future ...

With a successful rebrand and Flame Award win already under their belts, 2014 is shaping up to be an exciting year for operator 1Life. Managing director Neil King spoke to Workout.

Can you tell us more about the rebrand and why it was carried out?

The re-brand to 1Life started in January 2014 after much careful consideration by the board.

We wanted to position ourselves for success with a brand that could capture all the different elements of business we were involved with and in a market that is evolving, which is why the name 1Life was chosen.

Our customers engage with us through a variety of different activities that take in sport, culture, arts and health and wellbeing so we needed to have a brand that reflected this. After launching the vision for the brand we had to set about giving it a life in our centres. This has meant rebranding the way our centres look and feel. This is everything from the colours we use on the walls to material we hand out to customers. We have also introduced the 1Life card – a way of monitoring footfall in our centres and collecting our membership data across the centres we manage.

How is it different from the old brand?

1Life has been designed to be a customer facing brand that interacts with the people who use the facilities we manage. It is a brand that can have a relationship both with its public and clients without the need to switch branding or messaging. This is very different to the way Leisure Connection was set up. We also have an entirely new

and highly experienced management team in place at 1Life that puts customers first and is committed to doing things brilliantly. We are building on an enthusiasm to deliver excellence to both our clients and our customers in all areas of business operation, from how we run our centres to how we interact with our publics on a daily basis – a visible demonstration of true teamwork.

What difference has it made to the business and how have the changes been received so far?

The business has a new vision and mission that sit behind the new brand. There is a clear set of values that go with 1Life that all of our 2000 staff have bought into. There is a clear business plan for the next three years which we have shared with our clients and has been well received.

From a customers’ point of view they have seen physical changes in our centres with the rebrand but also the introduction of a new website, our 1Life card which includes benefits and a range of new services and partnerships that are being launched. We also held our first 1Life Festival in June and had over 10,000 people active in our centres on one day.

How are things going with the business generally?

We have recently secured four new contract extensions which is a great endorsement of the rebrand. Our clients understand the changes we

are making and the positive impact this is having on daily service delivery. With Andy Haworth now heading up our new business team we have a great opportunity to build on these early successes. Andy has a huge amount of experience in the leisure industry and this is an invaluable resource for 1Life.

To enable 1Life to reposition the business efficiently we have established a number of key partnerships to help us deliver our aims on a daily basis. These include a quality management and health and safety programme which has been designed in association with Right Directions, a Lifeguarding Academy School of Excellence recognised by the Royal Life Saving Society, Active Camps delivered in partnership with Fit For Sport and the introduction of a Les Mills group exercise programme.

Any current or upcoming campaigns you can tell us about or success stories from particular sites?

We recently relaunched Batchwood Sports Centre in St Albans following a £6.6m investment by St Albans City and District Council, the LTA and Sport England.

The centre was devastated by a fire just over two years ago but now is one of our flagship centres.

Batchwood is a Lawn Tennis Association high performance centre for tennis and coaching education and we were lucky enough to secure the services of Judy Murray

Neil King to re-open the centre for us.

At the ukactive Flame Awards we were awarded the inaugural Go Green Award for our commitment to sustainability and environmental management across all our centres.

We use the savings we make from our environmental policies to help us fund local initiatives that support local communities.

Any plans for the coming months to watch out for?

There will be a strategic change for 1Life in the delivery of health and wellbeing, sport and activity and learning and the arts services.

We will be taking pilot projects that have been road tested in our centres and rolling them out across the business in health and wellbeing. Projects such as GP referrals and public health courses including our Vitality programme.

The goal with all of these is the complete integration of our services across health, sport and culture to help communities live more and live well.

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Leadership theme chosen for active-net THE theme for active-net 2015 will be leadership and governance, organisers have announced.

Delegates will be invited to attend seminars focused on strategic leadership and transformational change to help them develop their management skills, knowledge and experience and use this to influence policy and decision-making across the wider sport and physical activity sector.

Leisure-net joint director and activenet organiser David Monkhouse said: “The active leisure sector already has an established culture of good governance, but there’s always more that leaders and their organisations can do. active-net 2015’s educational seminars will bring together experts in the field of leadership and governance to help delegates share best practice, learn different leadership style and behaviours, and plan their own leadership development.

“We will also be considering the potential impact of social media, and how this can be used for positive change.”

The event will take place at Imago Burleigh Court and Holywell Park, Loughborough on April 29 and 30.

Ryan’s boxing clever to boost confidence in Edinburgh kids

By Olivia Taylor FITNESS instructor Ryan Faichney is on a mission to get the children of Edinburgh more confident and fit with his popular boxing classes.

The classes, which take place at Ryan’s city centre gym UFit, teach kids the basics of pad work and punching – and above all how to be more confident.

Each class holds a maximum of five children and Ryan, who started teaching in local schools and boxing clubs before opening his own gym six months ago, told Workout that keeping groups small means each participant benefits from his full attention to ensure

they get the most out of sessions.

He explained: “It’s something I started doing in school PE classes to try and get kids down to the boxing club I worked in.

“One of the young lads was very quiet before he started training, but now he's changed. He’s so much more confident.”

25 per cent of the money made from children's classes is donated to Disability Sports Scotland, with Ryan passionate about getting more young people involved in physical activity.

He added: “Nobody is getting punched in the face here. It’s predominantly pad work, confidence

building and most importantly improving fitness.”

UFit also offers a range of different adult classes including Taekwondo and personal training sessions.

He added: “It's the same training as the boxers get only no contact, although some of the guys progress to sparring if they like and feel safe. For most it is an outlet to let some stress and anger out.”

Is your club working hard to promote kids’ fitness? Let us know and you could appear in our special feature next issue. Email ot@scriptmedia.co.uk or Tweet us @WorkOutUK

LEISURE INDUSTRY WEEK PREVIEW

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Standing out EXHIBITOR stands at the show are set to be buzzing with excitement as some of the industry’s biggest brands reveal their latest innovations to visitors. Key features to watch out for include: Matrix Fitness (stand H140) will be launching a number of products to the UK market. These include the Magnum Double Power Rack, the IC7 bike endorsed by Dani King MBE and the ZIVA Functional Trainer.

Reebok Professional (stand H410) will be showcasing products from The Professional Range. These cover strength, aerobic, yoga, balance and recovery needs.

Precor (stand H310) will showcase the Next-Generation Experience Series Treadmill, which incorporates a new motor drive system and brand new Active Status Light.

Cybex (stand H100) will launch the new Cybex Eagle NX, a 12-piece line of strength equipment which has evolved from the Eagle line.

Life Fitness (stand W500) will be launching SYNRGY BlueSky, their first small group training system designed for outdoor use with up to 12 body weight training stations.

Star Trac (stand H180) will launch the Turbo Trainer bike, which delivers both an upper and lower body workout through isokinetic resistance and the Spinner BlackBelt, the first belt driven Spinner bike.

SportsArt (stand H290) are a new addition to the show this year and are committed to leading the industry in ECO-friendly action through design, research and education of fitness equipment. Their Green System units harness the power generated by users on cardio equipment and turn it into usable electrical energy for the facility.

Pulse Fitness (stand H120) will be showcasing the new cloud-based solution, SmartCentre. com. A web based platform, free to clients using SmartCentre, enables users to view, access, track and update their fitness data, in or out of the gym.

Performance Health Systems (stand H610) will be launching The Power Plate® pro6+ and the new Integrated Fitness concept that integrates Power Plate with existing training modalities.

Keiser UK (stand H495) will be launching the M3i, the brand’s most advanced indoor cycle yet, featuring a Bluetooth wireless.

Physical Company (stand H200) will be launching the Total Gym Elevate Line, their range of bodyweight resistance, single station machines, as well as the new SandRope from Hyperwear.

Running Unlimited (stand H470) is bringing ‘business class’ running to the show this year with the launch of their all new ZONE dome. The ZONE dome’s surround vision technology immerses the user in HD films, through iconic cities and landscapes.

Meet the Workout team (stand H707) to find out more about the magazine, tell us your news or discover how plans are going for the 2014 National Fitness Awards.

In the run up to the show, you will also be able to keep up to date with the latest exhibitor news on the Workout website. Visit www.workoutuk.co.uk for more information.

Early morning workouts, a dedicated day for independent operators and the hottest products to hit the market will all be on offer to visitors at Leisure Industry Week 2014. Here Workout rounds up some of the key things to watch out for at this year’s show.

LIW ready to roll out packed programme ACCORDING to event director James Samuel, this year’s LIW is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever, with a packed programme on offer over the three days of the event.

The Keynote Theatre – sponsored

by Life Fitness – will host the annual ukactive keynote from CEO David Stalker, as well as a keynote from Young Pioneers, who will be presenting their latest research.

Other seminar sessions will include talks from RoSPA, Premier Global and TRX, who will have commercial director Ryan Damon across from the States to talk about small group training.

James explained: "LIW is set to be bigger and better this year and together with an amazing education and interactive feature programme it will continue to be the leading event for the leisure industry, launching new innovations to the UK market and hosting the latest research and hottest topics of debate

within our education programme.”

The Thursday of LIW will be named ‘ Independents Day’ this year, a new show feature which will deliver a dedicated day of activity and education aimed at tackling the challenges faced by independent operators.

The keynote for this day will be delivered by Thomas Plummer, a fitness business guru with 30 years of experience in the sector and renowned in the US for coaching independent operators to success.

Also new to the show will be morning workouts – taking place on the Wednesday and Thursday from 7.30am to 9.30am – and starring some of the biggest names in the industry including TRX, Matrix and Cybex.

James added: “We have a great schedule of live demonstrations across all of our demo areas and are looking forward to introducing our

new 'Morning Workouts' feature.

“Based on feedback from past visitors about what they most value from attending the show we've also introduced even more networking opportunities to accommodate this, including the option to pre-schedule one-to-one meetings new to this year's show.

“We're very excited ahead of LIW 2014 but equally we are already working hard to shape the 2015 event and some very exciting news will be announced very soon."

Many famous sporting faces will also be visiting the show this year.

Matrix Fitness will be bringing a host of ambassadors including Dani King, Sally Gunnell, Gloucester and International Rugby player Ben Morgan, the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team, the Wigan Warriors Rugby League Team – who will be hosting their ‘Train like a warrior’ event – plus a display from acrobat, Doug Edwards.

Venue: Hall One, NEC, Birmingham, Dates: Tuesday September 30-Thursday October 2 Opening Times: Tuesday/Wednesday: 10.00–17.00; Thursday: 10.00–16.00 Registration: Pre-register for the show for free at www.liw.co.uk Get involved using: #LIW2014 and following: @L_I_W

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Gym ladies lift charity total to over £78k

By Christina Eccles STAFF and members at an awardwinning ladies only gym are giving back to the wider community in a big way – having raised over £78,000 for Cancer Research since 2010.

Employees at Gymophobics Redditch have taken part in a range of fundraising events; from entering teams into the Race for Life; to posing for a ‘Calendar Girls’ style calendar and hosting a 24 hour gymathon, all with the intention of raising as much money as possible, while having fun and interacting with members who also take part.

Getting on board with charity projects, which have also included sponsoring a child in Zambia, also helps to create a friendly, united club where members – many of whom have been attending regularly since Gymophobics Redditch opened – and staff feel part of a team.

Director Zoe Cooke said: “We opened in 2007 and have a huge amount of members who have been

with us since the start. That atmosphere makes us quite special – we’re different to a normal gym.”

The club is also a double National Fitness Awards winner, having scooped the trophy for Community involvement in 2011 and for Ladies Only Gym of The Year in 2013.

And so far 2014 is shaping up to be another successful year, with Zoe hoping to again make the shortlist for the awards – and discussing plans to host further member events.

She added: “It’s going really well. We hold an open weekend three to four times a year and are tapping into other different markets, such as mothers and daughters, which other gyms are not going for.

“We have about 560 members, which we are really pleased with, but about another 50 to 75 would be great.

“Anymore than that and it would be difficult to give everyone individual attention.”

Staff and members from Gymophobics Redditch have taken part in several local Race for Life events to raise money for charity, including races in Stratford upon Avon and Solihull.

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www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk

Dancing on Ice star Dan Whiston has taken on a new challenge now the show has ended – teaching Zumba at venues around the North West. Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor spoke to him – and tried out his class at Ribby Hall Village Health Club.

Dan swaps the ice life for ‘exercise in disguise’ classes ‘EXERCISE in disguise’ is how Dan describes Zumba – meaning participants have so much fun during a class, they don’t actually realise how hard they are working.

His hour-long sessions take place at fitness venues around the Fylde Coast; with other sites including Wendy Hollands Fitness, Velocity Health and Fitness at the DeVere Village Urban Resort in Blackpool and FX Leisure, Poulton-LeFylde, as well as the popular class at Ribby Hall.

Despite only starting the sessions in July, Dan’s high profile and loyal following of fans has helped the venture get off to a flying start.

So much so, that he’s already teaching six classes per week, which he says is an ideal number to fit in with his other work commitments and TV appearances.

He explained: “I’ve wanted to be a Zumba instructor for years but never had the opportunity to do it before as Dancing on Ice took up so much of the year.

“Now it’s the perfect time.”

His classes are Zumba with a twist, incorporating traditional Zumba routines with some of the moves he’s most famous for as an ice skating star.

These include the famous ‘Jai Ho’ dance routine skated on Dancing on Ice with

partner, Coronation Street actress Hayley Tamaddon, who has also been along to take part in his classes, as have other celebrity friends, including show judge Karen Barber.

He added: “It’s been great meeting people who supported me on Dancing on Ice and I’ve tried to incorporate some of those moves from the show into my Zumba routines, really targeting those parts of the bodies which ladies want to improve.

“People are really enjoying it and I think that’s the key to fitness. I didn’t expect it to be so busy, so soon but I’m really pleased it has been.”

Why we loved this Zumba with a twist WITH music from the likes of Cheryl Cole and The Pussycat Dolls, combined with moves more often seen on an ice rink, this was not your average Zumba class – but that’s exactly why we loved it.

The mix of traditional Zumba choreography – but with Dan’s own twist on the concept – led to a workout which was effective, energetic and, most importantly, fun.

This energy and enthusiasm was maintained throughout the hour long class and although we had already taken part in a personal training session that afternoon – and were worried two sessions in one day may prove too challenging – the beauty of Zumba is that everyone can go at their own pace and get a lot out of attending.

Regardless of ability, it’s the taking part – and enjoying doing so – that counts.

The class was full of

moves which were simple to pick up and routines were varied in intensity and choreography, meaning each participant benefited from an all over workout, without even realising how hard they were working.

It was clear throughout the session that Dan really enjoys teaching Zumba and that passion for dance is infectious, with everyone who took part appearing to leave with a smile on their faces – including the two of us – and plans to return to the next class.

When we spoke to Dan, he also told us about a charity Zumbathon he’s hosting next month at Blackpool’s iconic Tower Ballroom with fellow local instructors and we’ve already been talking about how much we’d like to go along.

It’s safe to say we’ve been bitten by the Zumba bug and will definitely be back for more!

Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor with Dan Whiston. And, below, a group shot from the class.

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Chris, centre, after one of his charity challenges.

WorkOut’s Chris toughs it out!

WORKOUT’S Chris Hartley has taken on two tough charity challenges, raising money in the process for Help for Heroes.

Chris initially took part in a Total Warrior event at Bramham Park in Leeds as part of a team of fitness industry professionals.

And having enjoyed the event so much, he decided to take part in a second race in the Lake District – with plans now to do more.

He explained: “With an ever increasing number of mud-obstacle races on offer and after some persuasion, I decided to get involved and enter Total Warrior. It was with much apprehension I started the 12.5k run with 30 plus obstacles, and to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed it and also the beer that I was presented with at the end!

“Having enjoyed the event so much, I decided to contact Adam

Dickinson, the race organiser, and after a good chat decided to also enter the 10k in the Lake District.

“I then thought this would be a good opportunity to raise some money for a charity. Having a military background I decided to raise money for Help for Heroes and thanks to many kind donations managed to raise £215, which I am hugely grateful for.

“The Lake District was again great

fun, although hampered somewhat by the torrential rain, more hills and mud. Having completed both these challenges I will now be doing more and would recommend anyone to have a go.

“And having seen the large amount of gym-based teams that entered would recommend other gyms to enter teams of their own.”

More information can be found at www.totalwarrior.co.uk

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Operators of all shapes and sizes have been urged to get behind National Fitness Day 2014, which this year is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. Workout spoke to ukactive CEO Dave Stalker who explained why the industry should be getting involved – and the benefits to clubs who do so.

National Fitness Day: uniting the country by the fun of exercising ...

What is National Fitness Day all about?

National Fitness Day, taking place on September 26, is about building a countrywide community of people who are united by the fun of exercising together and to encourage first timers to get started. Some might be sold on the idea that it’s also going to be good for them, but that isn’t necessarily the primary push.

We know that a lot of people find exercise a long, lonely slog – and we don’t think that’s right. Research shows that you’re much more likely to stick at an exercise programme if you don’t feel you have to “go it alone.”

If the whole nation was just one per cent more active each year, we could save the NHS £1.2b within five years – and we’d all enjoy a better quality of life. National Fitness Day is about creating a social movement that offers everyone an opportunity to get involved in physical activity, for free, through a ‘Power Half Hour’ event on their doorstep. And it’s about kick-

starting the journey into regular exercise for thousands of people across the country, so that we have a healthier, happier nation.

We’re also running ‘National Fitness Day Live’ – a series of mass participation exercise events public spaces in Central London, Bristol and Birmingham. This will be a showcase celebration of physical activity, designed to create the impact that inspires people to move.

Why are national ‘festival style’ events like this good for the sector?

National Fitness Day gives our sector a unique opportunity to build a relationship with new customers and connect with existing members through an impactful, visible national platform that taps into the fitness ‘mood of the moment’. The great thing about our sector is that it’s full of people who really believe in what they do, and are excited by the opportunity to contribute to increasing someone’s wellbeing. But at the end of the day, we’re running busi-

nesses and an initiative like National Fitness Day enables savvy operators to increase footfall traffic, increase membership sales, gives a reason to engage with the media and an opportunity to develop favourable business and community relations.

On a wider scale, individual clubs can play a vital role in creating a collective legacy through creating memorable experiences that fuel a customer’s appetite for exercise has them considering physical activity as an enjoyable lifestyle choice.

Many of our readers are small, independent clubs. How can they play a part in National Fitness Day, alongside the larger multi-site operators?

Whether you’re a large or small operator, an independent or a chain, the ‘Power Half Hour’ is the lifeblood of National Fitness Day and we want everyone to be involved. Operators are hosting free ‘Power Half Hour’ events for members and non-members. Events range from Spin and Body Combat to circuits and swim

relays. To make it extra attractive, we’re helping to market these by giving a template marketing toolkit of banners, posters, leaflets and press releases to all operators who register events. The website, www.nationalfitnessday.com has a digital event finder, so joe-public can find the ‘Power Half Hour’ closest to them. Easy!

What effect do you think National Fitness Day has in terms of the way the sector is viewed externally?

It’s an exciting prospect as a positioning piece for the sector long term, because it gives us the fuel and the platform to be to be seen as increasingly relevant and commercially valuable to the business and investment community. Alongside that, it gives us a reason to engage directly with members of the public as a collective – and that’s always a powerful vehicle for driving positive messages about the benefits of physical activity. Our ambition is that this becomes as big as Sport Relief – we’re just getting started.

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The correct sauce makes all the difference ...

By Mark Laws, Jordan Fitness I AM no Jamie Oliver (much to the relief of everyone who spends time in my company) but even I know the importance of which sauce goes best with which meals – this is something we all learn quite quickly, but oh how we love to experiment. We try exotic new sauces from far-away lands hoping they won't ruin our meal but instead enhance the enjoyment and satisfaction we desire.

But what happens if the flavours just don't work? No matter how hard you try the combination just doesn't work for you – and it's back to the drawing board.

Well you need to make sure you are using the most ‘appropriate’ sauce... or for the sake of this analo gy – a more appropriate SOURCE! I have worked full time in the fitness industry for almost exactly 10 years, which puts me way above the ‘average’ life expectancy for a fitness professional. I surround myself with the best of the best and I absorb information from them

like Sponge Bob cramming for his exams. Yet the more I learn and the more I develop ... the more I realise how little I know – or more accurately, how much more there is to learn.

As a self-confessed workaholic I NEVER switch off. I am constantly watching YouTube videos, reading articles, attending courses, chatting to 'experts' or trawling through social media sites trying to expand my knowledge. Even now I am writing this on a so called ‘day off’.

On my never ending journey through the archives of fitness related information I have come to several conclusions.

1) There is SO much information out there.

2) There is SO much terrible information out there.

3) You need to be very careful not to take someone's word as gospel just because they have good cleavage or forgot to put on a T-shirt before making their video!!

I have come across videos with over 600,000 views which are absolutely appalling. It's scary that

so many people might be thinking that just because they are so popular that the information is so good.

I would urge everyone to become well-read, and to identify which is the best source for the information they require. Attend Expos and identify who are the best presenters.

Who are the experts in each field?

Where do they get their information from? What books do they read? Who do they associate themselves with? And so on and so forth.

Don't just accept the opinion of someone who has managed to build an army of followers without first comparing the content to that of an 'actual' expert.

For all of the potential pitfalls of having so much information available to us on the internet, at least we can use it positively to find out who the real experts are and who they recommend is worth listening to – we just need to put in the effort to find out which source is best!!!

After all, if you put the wrong sauce on your dinner and ruined

Mark Laws it... would you have the same sauce again tomorrow?

Albert Einstein said the definition of stupidity is “to do the same thing repeatedly but expect a different outcome”. If your source isn't working for you, then change it.

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Selfish selfies ruining our workouts?

By Christina Eccles Members and staff from a Burnley independent gym have taken part in a tough fitness challenge to raise money for charity. A team from The Fitness Factory completed a Tough Mudder event, having spent six months training hard to compete. About £1000 was raised by the group, with the money going to cancer charity, Clic Sargent.

Film offers PPL pointers AN EDUCATIONAL film has been released by PPL to highlight the value of original artist music to the fitness sector.

The company met with industry representatives including operators, instructors and gymgoers to ask why music by original artists is considered by most to be an important aspect of any workout.

Filmed at FitPro Live, the video follows recent research undertaken by PPL with YouGov into the value of original artist music to British gymgoers and also aims to help operators and instructors who want to use music in their classes understand why it needs to be licensed.

In the video, Mark Steel, tariff devel-

opment executive at PPL, explains that after negotiating with the industry, PPL modified its Exercise to Music tariff, which is now based on a per class method.

He said: “PPL licenses the fitness industry for the use of music in two ways; firstly and importantly, for the use of music in fitness classes, and also as background music for use in fitness centres.

“People recognise that it is important that they purchase a PPL licence because then the performers and record companies are paid fairly, but also it means that those instructors and centres can gain the benefit of using original artist music in their classes.”

VAIN members who take selfies pre, post and even during workouts are the number one annoyance for other gymgoers, according to a survey.

A poll of 2,400 adults by Velocity Health and Fitness, part of Village Urban Resorts, revealed that 76 per cent of gym users are most annoyed by fellow fitness enthusiasts taking endless photos of themselves while working out, with 70 per cent of those asked saying they found men to be the most vain in the gym.

According to the study, the top 10 gym pet peeves are: 1. People constantly taking gym selfies 2. People dressed inappropriately 3. Leaving the changing room showers dirty 4. Not cleaning equipment after use 5. Hogging equipment for long periods of time in busy periods 6. Being late to a fitness class 7. People playing music too loudly

from personal devices 8. Taking up too much space in the changing room 9. Over the top nakedness in the changing room 10. Staring at a neighbour’s workout screen To combat the most common gripes, Village Urban Resorts is now looking to introduce gym marshals to ensure everyone in a Velocity Health and Fitness club can exercise without distraction.

Health and fitness director for Village Urban Resorts Chris Southall said: “For our guests, the gym is a place to get away from it all, release some endorphins and work up a sweat.

“That’s why at our Village Urban Resort Health and Fitness Clubs – including the three new properties set to open shortly in Scotland – we’re looking to introduce gym marshals to ensure energy is exhausted on the equipment and not on other gymgoers bad habits.”

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Cool down your referral campaign New chair appointed THE Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity has appointed David Stalker as chair of CIMSPA. David, pictured above, will be in post for a year, during which time he will continue to support the transition of the organisation in line with its landmark business plan approved by members in November 2013.

He will also lead the recruitment of a full time CEO to build upon the work of the transitional team currently in place and headed up by Tara Dillon, interim COO. Carl Bennett, who following a successful period as interim chair, has been appointed as vice chair and will support David and the transitional team.

By Dave Wright AS I write this article, my cousin in Australia has just orchestrated and successfully achieved the world record in the amount of participants doing the ‘ice-bucket challenge’ at one time.

It got national press along with the ‘media time’ about his wife who is suffering from the terrible Motor Neuron Disease (MND) or ALS as it is known in America.

What has been absolutely fascinating about the global phenomenon (apart from raising millions for this incurable disease) is the marketing brilliance of gaining ‘members’ through two simple principles of referrals and urgency… two terms that are evident in health clubs today.

Firstly, you acknowledge the person who ‘referred’ you and then nominate three ‘friends’ to participate in the challenge within the next 24 hours.

With Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, linkedin, youtube and the internet, it’s staggering how connected we all are and how easy it is to ‘spread’ the word. However, referrals are possibly the most underutilized activity in

Dave Wright generating new business for clubs …

Asking for referrals at the point when someone joins is when they have made the most positive step towards your club (parting with their money) so asking them for a referral or three is when they are most likely going to provide it.

Secondly is the incentive of urgency.

Providing some time scale for benefits of referrals elicits action… as they say, time kills most sales, so if you can whip up some form of campaign around the referrals then you could have the perpetual movement towards more referrals in a very short period of time. With the ice bucket challenge there is a clear 24 hours that has pushed the ‘referrals’ global creating a complete ‘buzz’ around the challenge.

So there’s two simple actions that you can use to boost sales…. and if all that doesn’t work, tip a bucket of ice on your head.

Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM, a global company with offices in the UK, Australia and North America that has served the international fitness community for over 24 years; focusing 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 UK Active, founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite) and the creator of the revolutionary industry tracking tool MYZONE®. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

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INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

Ribby Hall Village is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, with its multi-award winning Health Club proving to be an integral part of the business. Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor paid a visit to discover the secrets of its lasting success – and hear more about plans in the pipeline designed to improve the offering even further.

The secret of Ribby’s success

The members’ pool.

SITUATED between Preston and Blackpool, Ribby Hall Village is an independent, family owned, five star holiday village set in more than 100 acres of landscape grounds; providing the perfect retreat for visitors looking to get away from it all, whether that be relaxing in its luxury spa or getting a taste of the surroundings by walking the outdoor woodland trail.

There’s also plenty to cater to fitness fans, both those on holiday and locals, with its health club boasting a membership base of 3,800 members – plus a string of top industry awards.

And over the last two decades it has seen many changes, the most recent being an investment of more than £1m to install a new gym, complete with the latest kit from industry supplier Technogym, and a high end, design-led feel.

Senior manager Mark Leech explained: “Over the years we have changed everything – more than once. I’ve seen four or five refurbishments of the gym and studios, as well as the addition of Starbucks and Papa Johns.

“Starbucks has been an integral part of the club. We really push the social side of things – we want people to think of us as their ‘third place’.”

Mark has been at the club for 15 years, having worked his way up to senior management after starting as a gym and poolside assistant while studying at university.

Most senior staff have also been there a long time – and feel a real sense of pride and ownership in their workplace – which Mark believes forms part of the club’s ongoing success.

He added: “We have a unique offering but the challenge is to juggle all the different customer bases.

“But our duty management team have over 100 years of Ribby experience and staff retention is really strong.”

According to Mark, gym membership has more than doubled in the past 10 years or so and as the appetite for the facilities grows, so does the team’s desire to constantly improve and keep up with the times.

He added: “It’s quite a transient area and since 2005/2006 we’ve seen a lot more competition. But The Spa Hotel

The club’s Spinning bikes.

Senior manager at The Health Club Mark Leech has raised the bar for us as a village and we’re on track for our best ever year.

“We’re really proud of the new gym and when Roger Black came to open it, he said it was a world class facility, so it’s great to have that recognition.

“We’ve had a really good uplift in membership off the back of it – about 12 per cent – and referrals have also been really strong.”

This continuous investment and reinvention is ensuring the health club is firmly up there with some of the country’s best gyms; something which is evident by the trophies on display in Mark’s office He added: “We won a Flame award last year and to then follow that up with a National Fitness Award was brilliant.

“We are marketing ourselves as the number one club in the area and are continuing to raise the bar – we’re not resting on our laurels.”

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The Health Club at Ribby Hall Village fast facts: The club has recently benefited from massive investment including £1.2m into the gym, which was opened last November by Olympian Roger Black.

Adult members’ changing rooms were also completely refurbished in July – an investment of £150,000.

Over 100 group fitness classes a week are available to health club members. Recent additions to the timetable include Zumba taught by Dancing on Ice star Dan Whiston.

There are seven types of health club membership available, ranging from £30-£42 a month, or for a family membership from £111 per month.

Hotel lifts excellence certificate A KEY part of the overall offering is The Spa Hotel, which has recently been awarded a 2014 Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor for the second year running.

The hotel opened its doors in August 2011 and is a £6m development, comprising 42

rooms including two penthouses and 11 suites, a Brasserie and Champagne Bar and state-of-theart gym, as well as full spa facilities.

The hotel is managed by Andrew Scott and the spa by Lorna Macleod, employing more than 100 full and part-time staff.

Guests can choose from over 90 treatments on offer, as well as the popular Aqua Thermal Journey, which provides seven different heat experiences including an indoor hydrotherapy pool with bubble jet loungers, an outdoor terrace hot tub, herbal sauna and the mud rasul chamber.

Recent successes at the club include winning a ukactive Flame award in 2013 and being shortlisted again this year. The club is also a 2013 National Fitness Award winner for Health Club of the Year and is hoping for success in the 2014 awards.

The health club also holds Gold Investor in People status and a Gold Green Tourism accreditation.

On the fitness trail ... via Segway ONE of the latest success stories at Ribby Hall Village is its woodland trail, where visitors can walk, run, cycle or even hop on a Segway to take a tour of the grounds.

Exercising outdoors and making the most of its natural surroundings ties in well with the village’s overall ethos of wellbeing; a concept which is being spearheaded by senior manager of estate maintenance, safety and wellbeing John McIlwham and other key members of staff.

The trail is also being utilised by the health club, with staff organising running clubs, and maps and route markers are in place for visitors who want to get out and explore independently.

Future plans include making the trail more accessible to wider groups including families with prams and pushchairs and wheelchair users.

Visitors can enjoy Segway rallies around the Woodland Trail.

Marketing paying dividends CLEVER marketing ensures local people – and holidaymakers – know what’s available to them at the Health Club, while a strong focus on retention and an impressive range of activities keeps people coming back through the doors on return visits.

Sales and marketing manager Ellen Hunter told Workout that leaflet drops, customer referrals and social media are all useful ways of spreading the word about what’s on offer and new features such as the Activate sports store are also valuable additions to the club’s overall package.

She added: “Our key times are January and September and we launched the new gym last November,

so January was about focusing on new joiners.

“Leaflet drops built awareness and we also texted members on our prospect database.”

A July one-month offer has recently been taken up by 165 people and Ellen is aiming to convert 40 per cent of those into members.

A traffic light system has also been proving popular for class bookings; those marked green means 20 plus participants and a busy class, amber is between 10 and 30 people, while red is less than 10, so ideal for those new to group exercise who want to build confidence before participating in a busier session.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Harrogate’s oldest gym invests in the future SUCCESSFUL independent gym The Academy Health Club has benefited from an extensive refurbishment, designed to place it among the best facilities in the country.

The refurbishment included installing Technogym’s premium ARTIS line of equipment, including the new Omnia functional training solution for small group training.

Managing director Philippa Shackleton said: “We are proud to be the oldest, most established and most

experienced club in Harrogate.

“We have a constant commitment to offer members the best experience from start to finish, whatever their choice of activity.

“We are delighted to be one of the first ARTIS installations in the North of England. With this, our fourth gym refurbishment over the years, we can safely say that this exclusive installation puts us amongst the most up-todate and technically advanced gyms in the country.”

Knowledge is power for two operators INCREASED usage, a rise in member numbers and improved customer satisfaction are just some of the benefits two operators are experiencing after working with GYMetrix.

Both Sheffield International Venues and the University of Dundee wanted a clearer insight into their members’ usage patterns and equipment preferences before investing in new facilities to ensure they met customer demand.

The University of Dundee’s 450sqm Institute of Sport and Exercise gym is one of the largest in the region, with some 6,200 members comprising students, staff and the general public.

Guided by the results of the GYMetrix research, ISE increased the number of treadmills from 17 to 23 and its cross-trainers from 15 to 21 to meet member demand. It also removed the equipment found to have very low usage.

The changes resulted in an increase in membership, a 12 per cent rise in gym usage and a dramatic improve-

ment in customer satisfaction with the facility now reporting a Net Promoter Score of 53.

Sheffield International Venues had similar success at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, after following the recommendations of GYMetrix.

The operator appointed GYMetrix to establish the optimum mix of equipment for its new three storey gym.

The results of the research were surprising and acting on the findings, SIV created a dedicated free weights gym, one of the largest in Sheffield.

For more information visit www.gymetrix.co.uk or email rory@gymetrix.co.uk

RAF contract for Pulse PULSE has been named the exclusive supplier of leased fitness equipment to the Royal Air Force for the next four and a half years, following a tender process.

The contract will see Pulse lease physical training equipment to RAF military bases in the UK, Cyprus, Falkland Islands and Ascension Islands to help keep troops and civilian personnel in peak physical condition.

Since the contract was awarded in July, kit requests have been placed by RAF Valley, RAF Coningsby, RAF Waddington, RNAS Culdrose, RAF Shawbury and RAF High Wycombe.

Equipment chosen includes Pulse’s Fusion cardiovascular machines, Evolve strength kit, free weights and plate loaded machines.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

‘Feel fuller’ choc chip cookies prove popular

Bannatyne’s Health Club in Ingleby Barwick has appointed a new food and beverage manager to head up its café. Helen Ford has more than seven years’ experience in the food and drink industry and brings with her lots of new ideas to improve on the health club dining experience.

A CHOCOLATE chip cookie which leaves you feeling fuller for longer is proving a popular choice with customers using online retailer MuscleFood.com The protein enriched chocolate treat has sold out three times in just over three weeks, with more than 17,420 purchases made.

The cookie, which is freshly baked in a family run Welsh bakery, is lower in saturated fats and carbohydrates than the average high street brand.

It also contains less sugar and is high in protein with 40g per serving.

Darren Beale from MuscleFood.com said: “We’re a nation of biscuit lovers but have become far more conscious about what we put into our bodies, particularly when it comes to protein, fat and now, sugar.

“Yet despite that, consumers do still want a tasty snack which is lower in fat and sugars but doesn’t compromise on taste.

“The cookie is great if you’re trying to lose weight as the high level of protein makes you feel fuller for longer, and is good for gym enthusiasts and athletes looking to bulk up.”

Emma becomes nutrition supplier’s latest ambassador FITNESS competitor and model Emma Paveley has become sports nutrition supplier Bodybuilding Warehouse’s latest ambassador.

Emma, pictured right, is the latest addition to the ambassador line up which also includes BodyPower USN Classic Short Class Bikini Champion Elly Hudson, MMA fighter Jason Law and NABBA competitor Kris Miles.

Founder and managing director of www.bodybuildingwarehouse. co.uk, Kieran Fisher said: “We are over the moon about all of our new ambassadors, and myself and the

team are happy that we are in a great position to invest back into the fitness industry.

“The rate of growth at Bodybuilding Warehouse is enabling us to promote the fitness industry in many ways, and aiding us to inspire others to get involved in exercise and working out.

“We have ambitious plans to continue expanding and we are looking forward to working with such promising industry ambassadors.

“These are exciting times for Bodybuilding Warehouse.”

On-the-go ‘pod’ range launched A NEW on the go ‘pod’ has launched, which contains just three ingredients.

The Chia Pod, devised by The Chia Co, includes one full serving of Chia seeds mixed with coconut milk and fruit.

Dairy-free and vegan, Chia

Pods are available in four flavours – banana, mango, blueberry and vanilla bean extract.

Founder and CEO of The Chia Co John Foss said: “We worked to create a product that fits with people’s fast and busy lifestyles.

“The name Chia Pod was an

obvious choice when you consider that chia seeds can be eaten straight from the seed pod.

“We are really proud to be launching the range with just three ingredients and no added sugar.”

PRODUCT NEWS

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Try KETTfusion for free ...

LOOKING for a dynamic, explosive and fun class to add to your current timetable?

Then look no further than KETTfusion, a 55minute fitness class that fuses a kettlebell workout with mixed martial arts exercises.

Created by advanced Kettlercise instructor and second Dan Shotokan martial artist, Michael Ross, this class delivers a fat burning workout that focuses on strength, conditioning and cardiovascular work to help clients achieve the body they’ve

always wanted.

You can even try a 30minute taster class for free at the first ever Health and Fitness Expo at Event City in Manchester on October 11 and 12.

It's free entry if you register online and you can join in with one of the KETTfusion taster classes that will be running every half an hour throughout the show.

Simply visit stand H25 to see and experience how this class will keep members coming back for more.

Lifetime launching certificate LIFETIME Training has launched the new ILM Level Three Certificate in Effective Management.

Designed to address the need for more formal management training in the sector, the new qualification targets individuals in a junior management role, first line managers or supervisors and will provide learners with the foundation knowledge and experience for their continued professional development.

The ILM award covers problem solving and decision making plus understanding performance, leading and motivating a team and budgeting and cost control within an organisational context.

The qualification helps develop core management skills and assists partic-

ipants in gaining the fundamental knowledge required to support the management of projects, budgets and small teams as learners look to develop the management skills required to enhance their experience and to enable progression in their careers.

For any enquiries please visit www.lifetimetraining.co.uk or contact commercial development manager, Sam Kenward directly on 0117 314 3034 or email Sam.Kenward@lifetimetraining.co.uk

Next generation of protein snacks ARE you looking for that perfect high protein snack, pre or post workout?

Look no further as NXT Nutrition have released their Protein Flapjacks, the next generation of protein snacks.

NXT Nutrition’s Protein Flapjacks are a new take on the traditional protein flapjack. NXT's flapjacks are half coated in a layer of chocolate, contain real chocolate chips and are oven baked just like a homemade flapjack.

The end result is a softer, great tasting, high protein, energy sustaining snack.

With over 18g of protein and a healthy serving of low GI carbs, they make an excellent pre and post workout snack. Available in two tasty varieties: Chocolate Orange and

Chocolate Chip.

NXT Nutrition’s convenience range offers a great, grab and go, option for your gym or shop counter.

To become a stockist of NXT Nutrition today, email trade@nxtnutrition.co.uk or call 01733 232 994 (opt.2).

Designed with the modern athlete in mind THE QNT so good bar is a delicious, high protein snack designed with the modern athlete in mind. Packed with a double layer of caramel and nuts, So Good is available with a tasty white chocolate or milk chocolate coating (in September two new flavours will be added i.e. chocolate/nuts and coconut/nuts).

So Good Bars contain a whopping 30 per cent muscle building whey protein per 60g bar, combine this with the superior mix of carbohydrates and essential fatty acids, the So Good bar offers you a sustained energy supply and increased amino acid levels supporting rapid recovery and increased performance during exercise.

Whether you’re an elite athlete or

fitness enthusiast, you should demand the best. So Good Bars provide a great tasting, convenient option for your nutritional regiment that are filled with high quality, functional ingredients to support your fitness and training goals.

QNT – For life and for sport.

For more information contact us at enquiries@qntuk.com

Optimum mixing – in a shake THE ShakeSphere has been specifically designed to provide optimum mixing and supplement delivery in a multi-purpose vessel. Its unique pill shape reduces supplement accumulation and creates a dynamic environment for a superior mix without the need for a ball or a grid.

99.9 per cent of the supplement mix is consumed meaning less waste for the bottle to smell after use. The aperture of the bottle is sufficiently wide for a hand to wide clean.

tle and storage come in a variety of colours so choose your style.

An oversized thread makes the lid easy to fully tighten to ensure 100 per cent leak proof. The storage can be used for anything including supplements, pills and snacks. The lid, bot-

The ShakeSphere is available on our website – www.shakerbottle.co.uk – and you’ve got the possibility to personalize your own ShakeSphere by mixing and matching the colours.

FLOWIN chooses Jordan Fitness JORDAN Fitness are excited to announce that they will be supplying FLOWIN Friction Training products and training courses.

This deal will see the Norfolk-based functional fitness supplier become the exclusive distributor of FLOWIN products in the UK. FLOWIN Friction Training is easy to use, no installation needed, can be easily transported and requires only the user’s bodyweight – which means you could be benefitting from the product immediately.

Designed by a group of elite decathletes with extensive athletic, medical and healthcare knowledge, FLOWIN utilises the principles of friction to develop strength, power, flexibility, mobility, balance and speed. By alter-

ing the amount of applied pressure on the pads, the user can control the difficulty and intensity of each movement – simply stated as “an exercise form that works with you, and for you.”

FLOWIN products and courses can be purchased through Jordan Fitness or their extensive network of trusted distributors.

Visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk or call +44 (0)1553 763285 for details.

Wattbike launches studio edition WATTBIKE, the indoor bike endorsed

by British Cycling, is launching a brand new version of its popular indoor group cycling software at LIW 2014.

Wattbike Power Cycling – Studio Edition brings accurate performance data to the big screen and delivers the most effective indoor group cycling experience available today.

Using the Wattbike’s accurate, repeatable and reliable performance data, Power Cycling – Studio Edition ensures that each member of the class is training at the right intensity based on their own fitness. Measuring a rider’s power, heart rate and cadence combined with live pedalling technique analysis and the Wattbike’s

real ride feel presents clubs with a unique offering to attract new members.

Wattbike’s commercial director Richard Baker said: “We can’t wait to showcase our new Power Cycling – Studio Edition offering at LIW 2014.

We’ve really delivered on providing the best indoor training bike, the best measurement of fitness data for the health and fitness industry and now, the best member experience when it comes to indoor group cycling.

“I’d encourage operators, clubs, managers and PTs to visit us at LIW 2014 and try Wattbike Power Cycling – Studio Edition for themselves.”

Wattbike can be found at LIW 2014 on Stand H430.

FitQuest showcasing at LIW MIE Medical Research will be showcasing FitQuest at LIW for the second year running, demonstrating how you can incorporate non-invasive fitness measurement into your clients’ training programme.

Using sport science and advanced measurement technology to measure human performance, FitQuest measures the following seven parameters: upper body strength, upper body endurance, cardiovascular strength, leg strength, leg endurance, leg speed, explosive power and balance.

It’s the perfect tool to use to help set a benchmark when clients are starting a new fitness programme, but also acts as a motivational tool to

encourage them to push themselves harder during training.

Within three minutes you can see how fit they really are and adapt their programme accordingly.

Results are stored in the machine but are easily downloadable, enabling users to track their progress and compare results at a time that suits them, whether that’s in the gym, at home or on the move.

This simple to use measurement tool can be incorporated into your existing membership fee, used to upsell personal training sessions or charged as an added extra to boost secondary spend income.

Visit the team on stand H753 and see how fit you really are.

PRODUCT NEWS

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25 ways to grow your fitness business

It’s a HIT! WE live in an ever changing, evolving world where consumers continue to want more for less and demand the very best in equipment and outcomes.

Fit4Less owner Chris Brown said: “The gym club market is a very busy competitive space and if you want to stay ahead of the game, you have to be prepared to invest in the latest technology and give your staff and clients the latest tools to deliver outstanding results.”

There is a growing trend towards high intensity interval training and a firm focus now on the quality of the training session as opposed to the quantity.

Short sharp intervention.

Chris and his team spent a considerable time researching and testing the latest equipment and trends in HIT. He added: “I personally tested the HIT Machine and was amazed at the levels of intensity that could be safely achieved. The amount of calories burned during and after each session is very impressive, but maybe the most remarkable outcome was the reduction in post exercise pain or DOMS – it really has to be tried to be believed.

“After the installation of the HIT Machines, we are delighted to be in a position to offer our clients something very new in high intensity training.”

For more information visit www.hitmachine.co.uk

GROWING a fitness business can be tough!

Your competition is at your heels, overhead expenses are breathing down your neck, there isn’t enough time in the day to train and run the business and, once you pay the bills, there’s no money left for you!

The good news is that NPE (the best in the business at teaching you how to grow your fitness business the right way) for a limited time only is offering a free download of their best clients’ secrets to success to Workout

year. Contestants are required to submit their stories, complete with supporting strategies, tactics, and data.

There’s no better way to get your business cranking than to model your success on those who have already done it.

Head over to: http://npemegatraining.com/workout to get your free gift and more information on NPE's Mega Training annual conference, taking place at the Hilton, London Gatwick on October 17 and 18.

Beware of spurious public liability claims – broker SPECIALIST gym insurance broker UKi Direct have seen many more public liability claims being accrued against health and fitness clubs in the past four years and have created a specific guide document to counter this.

Senior account executive Dominic Jervis said: “Particularly galling for some gym owners has been the increase in spurious claims, where a member has clearly changed their story of events to increase their chances of a pay-out, or even fabricated a situation.

“A classic example of this is a young member showing off and picking up a large dumbbell far too heavy for him. The weight

Strengthening solutions partner AS wearable technology and personal tracking devices become more available and affordable, there is a growing expectation amongst consumers that the gym equipment they use will integrate with their personal devices, providing real time feedback on their activity and performance.

It is this personal tracking that will drive motivations in the future and will provide members with a new and emerging form of in-club entertainment.

Through technology-assisted workouts, gym users are more empowered than ever before to take control of their fitness and in response to this, Life Fitness has strengthened its Solutions Partner programme to offer more choice and engaging experiences while helping operators maximise their return on investment.

Four new solutions partners have

Magazine readers.

This isn’t fluff. It’s not marketing slicks and hopeful online hype. It’s the down and dirty, specific ways that our clients around the globe are having massive success in their fitness businesses.

This booklet contains 25 detailed case studies outlining exactly how these businesses have beaten the odds and grown by leaps and bounds.

Their stories come from the annual “Member of the Year" contest that NPE holds each

recently teamed up with Life Fitness; bounts, a mobile app which enables the user to collect rewards for exercising and mubaloo, a company specialising in API programming including LFopen and boditrax, delivering cloud-hosted digital health technologies including medical grade body composition, movement tracking analysis and sharing of individual and group metrics.

In addition, Life Fitness is also working with Bristol based creatrix digital to help operators better communicate with members whilst they work out.

For more information visit www.lifefitness.co.uk

fell on his finger and split it open. Six months later he changed his story to tripping over weights in an untidy area.

“Our guide asks simple questions about your existing health and safety, provides practical advice on accident procedures, and gives specific advice on the main sources of liability claims in gyms and how to avoid or defend them.

“It is important to be vigilant if someone sustains an injury on site. A liability claim may not be submitted to the club until two to three years after an incident, so it is crucial to document the incident at the time, take witness statements, complete the accident report form properly etc. I

can guide you through this process.

“Particular “vulnerable” areas are changing rooms, where members hit their heads against lockers or slip in wet areas.

“Non-slip flooring, regular cleaning and checking of changing rooms are very helpful tools in ensuring accidents and incidents are kept to a minimum. I am always happy to visit sites and provide risk management advice to anyone who needs it.”

For more information on this, to obtain insurance advice or a quotation, please contact Dominic at UKi on 07939 082391 or email djervis@ukidirect.co.uk

New gym extension proving popular A NEW gym extension at Billingham Forum in the North East is proving hugely popular and key supplier TVS Sports Surfaces helped to lay the foundations for its success.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council approached sports flooring specialist TVS to recommend surfacing for two of the gym’s new areas.

Where robust flooring was required in the new section for heavy freeweights and resistance machines, TVS recommended and subsequently supplied and fitted its rugged 40mm SPORTEC Style tiles, selected with a smart Color-15 grey finish.

For the other new gym area, which features a Technogym OMNIA rig, allowing up to eight people to simultaneously use its mix of cross-training equipment, TVS supplied flooring that would offer impact resistance, noise reduction and underfoot com-

fort. The Omnia area required 36mm+4mm flooring to ensure both areas remained at the same level without ramps.

SPORTEC 4mm Purcolor Grey flooring together with 36mm SPORTEC Standard underlay was inset into the tiled floor and then line marked prior to the rig’s installation.

In addition to solving its different flooring needs for both heavy weights and functional training, the solution proved more cost-effective than other options that had been suggested.

For more information call 01706 260 220 or visit www.floors4gyms.com

Cybex HQ becomes showcase for array of suppliers PREMIUM fitness equipment manufacturer Cybex International relocated its UK headquarters to Coalville, Leicestershire, in February and six months on, the site has become a showcase for an array of suppliers to the health and fitness industry.

Home to Cybex’s UK sales and operations teams and with almost 14,000sqft of office, training and warehouse space, the facility also comprises a 4500sqft gym, used dayto-day by Cybex staff and as a showcase site for the manufacturer’s premium fitness equipment and venue for Cybex’s REPs accredited education programme.

The new facility is located alongside

that of Premier Logistics, a leading UK and European transport company whose 100 staff share the training facility with Cybex along with providing transport and storage logistics.

In addition, the gym acts as a showcase site for a number of leading industry providers.

These include functional training equipment experts Jordan Fitness, who not only have a range of equipment onsite but who also use the Midlands-based gym and its custom designed functional training studio as a venue for Jordan Training Academy workshops and courses.

Other fitness equipment suppliers include ServiceSport, who were

responsible for the installation of heavy duty flooring throughout the 4500sqft space, and Anytime Leisure who has also provided its Impulse Functional Training Zone and studio cycles, alongside fellow Leicestershire-based company Leisure Lines who supply specialist performance flooring and fitness

equipment for Cybex.

Other suppliers include interactive software solution providers Budd-e, Safe Space Lockers, who have provided a showcase changing room, MYZONE, NRG Fuel Sports Nutrition and marketing and creative agency 100AND10%, who specialise in the sport and leisure industry.

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HYGIENE

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