Workout Weekly March 17

WEEKLY

Issue 132 - 17 March 2023

YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE

Hybrid Fitness brings concept to Wimbledon with gold medallist

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New £13.1million Bingham Arena

Leisure Centre opens its doors

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Hybrid Fitness brings concept to Wimbledon with gold medallist

HYBRID Fitness has unveiled its newest gym at the AFC Wimbledon development at Plough Lane, Wimbledon.

The Hybrid Fitness concept combines specialist group classes with a state-ofthe-art gym all under one roof – ideal for members looking to bring multiple memberships into one.

The new gym in Wimbledon will be double Olympic gold medallist Daley Thompson’s first franchise after recently signing a multi-site agreement.

Additionally, Hybrid Fitness will also act as the official fitness partner for AFC Wimbledon.

Daley said: “I am delighted to be opening my first Hybrid Fitness in Wimbledon.

“Having worked here as a fitness coach at AFC Wimbledon it feels like a bit of a homecoming.

“The site is fantastic, and once complete will be an amazing place for members to relax, unwind and train. “I’m excited for the future of Hybrid Fitness.”

Located at Stadia 3, Plough Lane, the centre of the AFC Wimbledon development, Hybrid Fitness Wimbledon

will be opening its doors in the near future.

The gym offers 20,000 sq.ft. of thoughtfully curated fitness space over two floors, designed to provide a balance of conventional gym equipment, group classes, a strength and conditioning studio, a hot yoga studio,

squash and dedicated personal trainers.

Hybrid Fitness Wimbledon will offer a number of classes delivered by expert coaches; Strength, Metabolic Interval Training (MiT) Hot Yoga, Combat including Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga and boxing. Users of the gym will have unlimited access to the gym equipment

and classes.

Matt Payne, founder and MD of Hybrid Fitness, added: “We are delighted to officially announce Hybrid Fitness Wimbledon. This is an incredibly exciting development for Hybrid Fitness.

“The club will be our largest to date and will really highlight what Hybrid Fitness offers to members.

“We are delighted to have Daley Thompson on board as our franchisee.

“This has been a really strong start to 2023 for Hybrid Fitness.

“We now have four sites open and operating with Wimbledon and two other sites confirmed to open this year in key locations.

“Offering a state-of-the-art training environment alongside specialist, expertly coached classes has really captured the imagination of the public who are enjoying the ability to mix their own training with our classes under one roof.”

Hybrid Fitness now operates four clubs in Reigate, Sutton, Canary Wharf and Loughborough.

There are two more confirmed sites in Loughton and Putney, as well as additional sites in the pipeline.

Body composition device lands in Everlast Gyms across the UK

InBody has announced a new partnership with Everlast Gyms.

This partnership will see body composition experts InBody come together with the ambitious Everlast Gyms – which is part of Frasers Group – as they set out on a new health and fitness journey.

A big focus for Everlast Gyms this year is developing an elevated gym model which includes creating an exclusive member journey and member onboarding product.

As part of this ongoing commitment, Everlast has invested in 19 of the InBody 370s model which, within just 15 seconds, generates a comprehensive overview of an individual’s body composition

Director of Operations: Dominic Musgrave

Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Studio manager: Paul Hopkinson ph@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Assistant studio manager: Scott Firth sf@scriptmediagroup.co.uk

Sales: Tim Deighton

Tel: 01226 734605 sales@workout-uk.co.uk

www.workoutuk.co.uk

including weight, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage and body water levels.

This means fitness coaches and personal trainers can easily track, monitor and manage their clients’ results.

Martyn Oakey, head of fitness at Frasers Group, said: “We recognised the products and tools we used in our fitness set up were impersonal and lacked clinical expertise.

“The InBody 370s is quick and easy to use and with the InBody app, the member experience is seamless either with or without a fitness coach’s support.”

InBody aspires to be the goto brand for body composition

across the UK and is already well-established within the fitness industry. In fact, this partnership with Everlast is just one of the most recent relationships InBody has developed.

Francesca Cooper-Boden, InBody UK co director, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have been chosen and are really motivated with the plans the Frasers Group team have for Everlast Gyms.

“To align in partnership with them, for the right reasons, is what we are passionate about and is why we’re here. The future of fitness is health, and InBody offer both the product and service range to assist fitness champions, like Everlast, in putting that message into action.”

Tottenham fitness space is revitalised

HARINGEY Council has commissioned Escape Fitness to create a vibrant functional training space at River Sport and Fitness on White Hart Lane in London in a move to modernise its fitness provision and encourage a higher percentage of the diverse community to get active.

The project revolved around a reinvention of the fitness environment, placing a large functional training playground at the heart of the design.

“Every piece of functional kit has been selected to add versatility and adaptability, empowering trainers to unleash their creativity and prescribe highly personalised, progressive workouts and training plans that match the needs of every member,” said Ollie Bode, territory manager south, Escape Fitness.

“To support the gym floor team we have also installed our MAR 2.0 digital coaching solution to provide alwayson personalised coaching, exercise demonstrations and equipment education.”

The function training centrepiece is

supported by a range of cardiovascular and modular strength equipment to provide an environment that supports a wide array of needs and ambitions.

New lighting, flooring and wall graphics have also been installed throughout to improve the ambience and to create a workout space that inspires movement and a want to return.

Will Holmes, general manager at New River Sport and Fitness, added: “Employing the creative expertise of Escape Fitness has enabled us to transform a tired, underutilised space into a vibrant, engaging training hub. “From design through to install, the service provided by Escape has been second to none. I am looking forward to working with our trainers and members to really bring this area to life.”

New £13.1million Bingham Arena Leisure Centre opens its doors

BINGHAM Arena, a new state-of-the-art 5,500m² leisure centre, has opened in the Nottinghamshire town.

Replacing the existing Bingham Leisure Centre, the new £13.1million facility is owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council and forms part of a long-standing partnership with leisure operator Parkwood Leisure, which dates back to 2007.

The facility will be operated by Parkwood Leisure’s partners, Lex Leisure.   Glen Hall, Parkwood Leisure’s managing director, said: “The new Bingham Arena is a fantastic addition to the borough’s leisure facilities, and further enhances the leisure, health and fitness provision for the community of Bingham and the surrounding area.

“It’s also a great showcase for what can be done to improve the energy efficiency of leisure facilities, which is something that we’re working hard to do across all our sites.”

The new site includes an 80-station state-of-the-art fitness studio with two group exercise studios and an indoor cycling studio, a 25m six-lane swimming pool and teaching pool, café, and therapy suite.

Bingham Arena will also become the first facility to welcome swimming galas/

competitions and events thanks to a 330-seater swimming pool spectating area. The venue is also home to the Jubilee events hall, which can host a range of events for audiences up to 300. Members of Bingham Arena will also have access to the region’s four other leisure facilities operated by Lex Leisure: Cotgrave, Keyworth and Bingham

Leisure Centres, and Rushcliffe Arena.

Central to the plans for the new leisure centre was a drive towards delivering a greener and more carbon efficient facility. Through the installation of air source heat pumps, combined heat and power technology, water efficiency measures, LED lighting and energy efficient building materials, Bingham

Arena will see a 78 per cent carbon emission reduction compared to other leisure centres in the borough.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Councillor Simon Robinson, added: “This is a wonderful new facility for the people of Bingham and Rushcliffe at a time when investment in our growing communities is so important.

“This site has something for everybody, from swimming to an 80-station fitness studio with two group exercise studios and an indoor cycling studio – and then there’s Bingham Jubilee Community Hall also providing a great space for events.

“The six-lane swimming pool looks terrific and features really good spectator seating for galas and competitions.

“It will attract a lot of talented athletes to practise and compete here.

“We’ve invested in a carbon-clever and energy efficient site, setting an example for others to follow in investing in new infrastructure in the right way.”

Construction consultants Henry Riley and main contractor Willmott Dixon have delivered the £13.1 million arena, with part funding from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and support from Bingham Town Council for Jubilee Community Hall.

Operator partners with Community Leisure Trust to boost scheme

REGISTERED charity Fusion Lifestyle has been successful in bidding for support from the Sport England funded ‘Active Kindness’ programme, in partnership with the Community Leisure Trust – one of only 10 trusts to benefit from this grant.

The ‘Active Kindness’ scheme is

designed to re-energise volunteering opportunities in the leisure industry and will enable Fusion to increase its nationwide volunteer programme through 2023.

Anthony Cawley, CEO of Fusion, said: “We are hugely proud of our volunteer programme, which we

know delivers huge benefits to both the participants and to our leisure centres. We are delighted to be able to extend our volunteer programme and look forward to welcoming new volunteers into our business.”

Following recent research by the Community Leisure Trust, the

programme seeks to promote new ways of thinking about the volunteering model that is more reflective of our current lifestyles: focussing on new roles, maximising flexibility and visibility, embracing diversity and maximum volunteer satisfaction.

Personal trainer Jake delivers knock-out business

BELFAST Lord Mayor Councillor Tina Black met with personal trainer and mental health advocate Jake McBride who has turned his passion for fitness into a ‘knock-out’ business with the launch of his very own boutique boxing gym, Hooked Belfast, thanks to help from the Go For It programme in association with Belfast City Council. The project is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) programme.

Jake launched Hooked Belfast at the beginning of January. Inspired by different gyms and their styles on a trip to London, he identified a gap in the market for a boutique boxing gym.

Having faced his own mental health struggles, Jake realised that when he was boxing, he felt happy and noticed a significant improvement in his mental health and overall wellbeing as a result. He added: “I wanted to share my knowledge and passion for boxing by providing a service, so others could also experience the positive mental and physical health benefits that have helped me massively.

“Since launching Hooked Belfast I’ve

enjoyed the freedom of being able to make my own decisions while creating a community of people who want to try something a little bit different from existing gyms across the city.”

The Go For It programme is delivered free of charge by a team of experienced business mentors through Northern Ireland’s wide network of enterprise agencies.

It provides expert advice and support to develop a business plan that helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into

commercial businesses.

After seeing a Go For It social media post, Jake got in touch with the programme online and from there, began the process through in-person meetings.

Jake added: “The Go For It programme was amazing. I was matched with a business advisor and their attention to detail and overall professionalism was top notch.

“My business advisor was so knowledgeable and gave me so many

tips on how to run a business.

“My business advisor also helped me to better understand business and its different aspects such as marketing and to develop a business plan.

“The plan helped me to work through all the ideas I had in my head and put them on paper.

“This gave me the strategic direction and focus I needed to transform my concept into a viable business.”

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Christina Black, said: “It’s fantastic to see Hooked Belfast successfully up and running after getting our support through the Go For It programme.

“It’s so vital that Belfast based entrepreneurs continue to take that leap of faith and turn their dreams into a reality.

“New and innovative small businesses continue to be an integral aspect of our local economy.

“Jake should be very proud indeed of his achievements so far. He’s worked to create not only a business, but a positive community of like-minded people who are working to improve their physical and mental health.

“That’s something that should be commended and I wish him all the best in the future.”

Bingham Arena will be operated by Lex Leisure.

Online fitness – is it for you?

By James Staring

ONLINE training can be pre-recorded or live.

Pre-recorded videos involve following a trainer as they exercise on screen; live one-to-one (or one-to-group) virtual training sessions will see you log in at a pre-agreed time and join your live trainer via video link.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

PRO: fits your schedule

If you travel regularly, work long hours or shift work, establishing a regular routine can be challenging.

Online fitness videos and workout sessions offer flexibility to work out when time and energy is available.

Pre-recorded videos offer the most flexibility, but even live virtual training can be more flexible than meeting your trainer at the gym.

CON: too easy to skip workouts

Perhaps the biggest drawback to recorded workout videos is that you don’t have the accountability of an appointment.

Scheduling the workout in your calendar is one thing, but knowing someone is expecting to see you is another matter entirely.

It’s the accountability of the physical appointment that makes live exercise so much more powerful, and this is where online fitness videos can let you down.

PRO: saves money and time

If you need to travel out of your way to get to a fitness facility, then online training can be an excellent choice.

The key to achieving fitness results is to find a convenient option that can be repeated week in week out.

If travelling to a location is inconvenient or takes up too much, then you’re unlikely to stick with it. And this is where online can really help.

CON: Lack of equipment and/or space

When training at home online, if you lack suitable fitness equipment for your needs and goals, it can be limiting.

For example, if you don’t have weights heavy enough to challenge you for resistance training, you won’t progress.

A balanced fitness programme will require you to move in different directions: forward and backward and side to side.

If you don’t have enough space to move in these directions freely, your movement is limited.

Therefore, your results will be limited.

PRO: pre-recorded means more control

If the workout is too challenging for your energy level, just hit ‘pause’, take a breath and continue when ready.

If you are unclear about how to do a particular exercise, then stop, rewind and repeat the explanation.

Even if halfway through you decide to stop, you can always return to the same session when energy levels and motivation improve.

The guilt factor decreases dramatically because you haven’t actually ‘missed’ anything – only delayed it until you have more time/energy/motivation.

CON: no interaction with a pre-recorded trainer

A fitness programme is only as valuable as its ability to help you find your point ‘A’ and then get you to point ‘B’ (your goal).

This means you need a goal specific to you personally.

To do this effectively and to be held accountable, meeting with a professional on a regular basis, is the gold standard.

Think of it as expecting to rely solely on your phone notifications to encourage you to keep up a habit.

Without the accountability coming from a real live professional, notifications alone can easily get ignored and the odds of success plummet.

PRO: No thinking necessary

Pre-recorded videos will usually give plenty of instruction, making one of the greatest advantages of this type of training is that someone has already done the thinking for you.

If you ever go to a gym and struggle with knowing what to do or what not to do (and how to do it), an online fitness video can provide structure from a

professional resource. This will make the process of exercise easier because all you need to do is show up.

CON: lack of correction

A pre-recorded fitness video cannot correct you when you’re doing an exercise incorrectly.

This can result in an untargeted workout or worse, an injury.

Additionally, if you struggle with instructions and then figure it out later on in the workout, you’ll have no reassurance that this is actually a breakthrough.

You may even repeat the incorrect exercise many times over, exacerbating the problem.

So, if you are a complete beginner a pre-recorded video may not be the best option.

Better to start with a live professional. If you’ve been exercising for a long time and you are confident your technique is correct, then an online video can provide a routine without you needing to think too much about it.

In Summary

Online virtual training is great for people who want to save time or, for whatever reason, cannot get to a gym or fitness studio.

You get all the benefits of face-to-face training with a personalised programme, constant checking that exercises are being performed correctly, and therefore avoiding injury.

This can then be supplemented with online fitness videos if you want to do a bit extra.

n James Staring is the founder and lead fitness coach at Fit to Last Personal Trainers.

1FitLife partners with Parkinson’s UK

DIGITAL workout creator 1FitLife has partnered with Parkinson’s UK to create specialist activity videos as part of the charity’s ongoing work to encourage people living with Parkinson’s to become and stay as active as possible.

1FitLife has created six videos so far, with the intention to create a full series of 18.

The videos feature specialist physiotherapists, as well as people living with Parkinson’s themselves. The content and post production were all produced at 1FitLife’s studios in Bournemouth.

The teams at 1FitLife and Parkinson’s UK consulted with experts in progressive neurological conditions including Parkinson’s specialists, Neuro Heroes and Reach Your Peak, as well as NHS physiotherapists to create a series of high intensity, moderate and low impact workouts.

David Langridge, managing director at 1FitLife, said: “Being diagnosed with Parkinson’s can seem like a life sentence.

“It is a progressive condition and so far there is no known cure.

“We are passionate about creating positive exercise content that communicates with a particular community or condition, to help make

their lives better and fuller.

“These videos have been intentionally designed to be relaxed and informal.

“We included people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the filming to make them all the more relatable.”

The videos are suitable for people with mild symptoms and those for whom the disease has progressed,

as well as those with complex severe symptoms.

The workouts always include modifications and seated exercise options.

The workouts have been created to be positive, upbeat and tangible.

Tim Morton, physical activity programme manager at Parkinson’s UK, added: “Evidence shows that being active for two-and-a-half hours

a week or more can help manage Parkinson’s symptoms, and the community are increasingly telling us that physical activity, especially vigorous workouts are helping them temporarily alleviate symptoms.

“We are excited to see what future research reveals, but it is clear that physical activity has a positive impact on people living with Parkinson’s.

“During lockdown it was important that we created physical activity opportunities for the Parkinson’s community to be active at home.

“The feedback we got was so positive that we wanted to develop even more resources for people to use to reduce their barriers to exercise.

“Parkinson’s is a neurological condition and people living with Parkinson’s often experience low moods and anxiety as well as physical symptoms, which can be a huge obstacle for someone accessing new or unfamiliar activities.

If you are anxious already, attending a new class at a gym can seem impossible.

“We are also conscious that any cost of living crisis may mean people give up gym and leisure centre memberships, so we were keen to ensure these specialist videos will always remain free.”

James Staring