FIBO USA • OCTOBER 17-19, 2019 • MIAMI BEACH
ROCK OUT LET LOOSE POUND LETS CLUBS MARCH TO THE BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUMMER
JULY 15, 2019 VOL. 1 NO. 4 WWW.FIBOUSA.COM
A REED EXHIBITIONS EVENT
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FIBO USA EXHIBITOR FOCUS: POUND
DRUM LINE
POUND OFFERS A HUMAN CONNECTION FOR PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A WORKOUT THAT ROCKS.
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onvinced that one of the best ways to get a solid, exciting and effective workout is to get lost in the music, rock out and let loose, POUND wants health clubs and their customers to march to the beat of their own drum along the way. Turning workouts into fitness concerts and music into movement is what POUND® is all about. The workout uses Ripstix® – lightly weighted exercise drumsticks – to transform drumming into a sweat-dripping, full-body workout. Participants do indeed get lost in the music as they combine cardio,
conditioning and strength training with Pilates-inspired movements. What started as two stix and an idea in Los Angeles is now a global fitness family of more than 20,000 POUND Pros in every corner of the world. These Pros are leading more than 400,000 participants per week in 94 countries — and counting. “As the world becomes increasingly hectic, we’ve noticed people around the globe are searching for workouts that do more than just help them stay in shape,” explains POUND founder and CEO Kirsten Potenza. “They’re searching for exercises that inspire, motivate and ignite a fire within them — workouts
that spark a sense of community, help them release the stress from their day and double as a sort of therapy session. “Music-driven workouts are a really big trend right now, as music stimulates a cognitive and emotional response in the body that can positively affect mood and even improve healing,” she adds. To successfully integrate group fitness classes into a schedule, clubs have to offer addictive class experiences, make sure there is consistency from class to class and build a powerful community around the program. That’s where POUND® comes in, as it brings
It started with two stix and an idea in Los Angeles and POUND ® is now a fitness family in every corner of the world.
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excitement to every venue partner because it’s a visually appealing format and an extremely effective workout — and it appeals to all ages and stages. “Our culture is based on community and we believe human connection should always be at the forefront of everything that we do,” Potenza says. “So everyone who adopts the program can look forward to over 25,000 instructors and venue partners to connect with.” The POUND DIfference As a brand, POUND® aims to inspire, motivate and change both minds and bodies through alternative fitness. The concept turns workouts into jam sessions and gives people an outlet to channel their inner rock star. But how does it work? Potenza explains. “Participants will release feel-good endorphins and improve brain-body connection through audio-physio reinforcement with their Ripstix® in each class, while the continuous arm pumping demands core engagement, improves proprioception and enhances balance. Communal drumming has also been proven to increase group happiness — so this workout truly fuses the mind, the body and the inner rock star.” In simplest terms, POUND® is described as a ”rockout workout” where, instead of listening to music, participants become the music in an exhilarating full-body workout. Using Ripstix®, POUND® 4
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transforms drumming into an effective way of working out — instead of counting reps or keeping track of the clock, POUND strategically distracts individuals from the high intensity and duration of their workout and shifts focus to rhythm and volume. This strategic distraction is responsible for the “addictiveness” of POUND®. Designed for all fitness levels, POUND® provides an atmosphere for letting loose, getting energized, toning up and rocking out. The workout is easily modifiable and the alternative vibe and welcoming philosophy appeals to men and women of all ages and abilities. The Health Club Benefit Health clubs are always searching for ways to keep their members engaged. Members are always looking for different ways to work out that keep them motivated. POUND® provides both. “This is a program for all ages and stages that meets members where they are,” Potenza says. “With an addictive nature and a community-driven culture that stands out from the crowd, this workout is driven by the cathartic release of group drumming and has been known to increase member retention and attract new group fitness lovers to venues across the globe. POUND® will build and strengthen your club’s community.” One unique factor of the POUND® program is that it has no ongoing annual, renewal or licensing fees and
JUST WHAT ARE RIPSTIX? POUND® incorporates the lightly weighted exercise drumsticks called Ripstix® and choreography is based on a series of four positions with endless techniques, cadences and advanced variations. Twice the weight of a standard drumstick (a quarterpound each) and slightly shorter in length, Ripstix® are designed to maximize a workout and get participants ripped by altering the physics of their arm movement to burn more calories, throwing the body off balance and creating contraction in the core and stabilization system. Ripstix® allow participants to experience audio-muscular connection, meaning they can hear what their muscles are doing, similar to what they might find in a boxing class when they hit the bag hard. (But louder, and more powerful!)
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of existing tracks and teaching techniques, a print center, marketing and business materials, industry discounts through PRO Perks, and a learning center with education content such as vlogs. There is also a youth-oriented program called Generation POUND® for the little rockers, which any POUND Pro can become certified to teach.
POUND ® has an exciting and surprising 2020 planned. it allows clubs to launch quickly and easily with low overhead. POUND® HQ is available to customize each partner’s experience and answer any questions along the way and all new venues gain free access to an online Business Center with downloadable marketing and promotional materials that include videos, posters and banners, as well as tips on launching and growing POUND® classes. 5
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When a partner is ready to elevate the rock stars on staff and send them through POUND Pro training, private sessions are available and there are always continuing education opportunities along the way. All instructors also have access to The Label, its online instructor network, a curated resource with new choreography released each month, an archive
The FIBO USA Effort POUND® has been involved with FIBO in Germany for a number of years and plans to make a big splash at FIBO USA this October after taking part in the debut of FIBO USA last year. “We can’t wait to see the organic growth and exciting impact it will have in 2019,” says Potenza. “We plan to utilize the show to make connections with the community, help people experience the format and make noise in the USA.” FIBO USA is important for the industry because, Potenza feels, there are more people in the game than ever and group fitness is one of the reasons for any growth. “We’re seeing a lot of exciting formats pop up, some fading away quicker than others, and also a big trend with online workouts that include downloadable and live streaming apps,” she says.
“Even though we’re in the technology age, we’re seeing firsthand in our interactions with students worldwide that people want to connect, that they want to turn their phones off and enjoy an hour with other humans,” Potenza adds. “For many, a daily fitness class might be the only time they are truly tuned in to themselves and not worrying about checking their phone or email. We think this is so important and we feel that it’s our duty now more than ever to try to keep human connection alive.” POUND® will be featuring live demos during FIBO USA and there will be limited time discounts available for its one-day, eight-hour instructor training courses. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to meet and greet members of POUND® HQ and the POUND ICON team. Of course, there will be a ton of POUND® merchandise available for purchase. This all leads into what Potenza is promising to be an exciting and surprising 2020, but that’s all she is saying about future plans for now. “We can’t give away the surprise, but we have a lot up our sleeve in 2020,” she promises. “So get excited about new ways for POUND Pros to connect with each other, continuous quality improvement on absolutely everything we offer and continued growth of the program.” Rock on! n www.fibousa.com
FIBO FOCUS • July 15, 2019
One-on-One with ...
DEBORAH GOLDBERG
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eborah Goldberg has been extremely active in the global fitness industry for more than a decade. Chief among her accomplishments was bringing Zumba Fitness and Piloxing to the industry as a
leading distributor and marketer in the region. This spawned tens of thousands of jobs in the APAC region and increased memberships in all major big-box gyms. Her focus for 2019 is to bring to market her new fit-tech platforms — morfus (morfus.fit), a global online platform that connects consumers with fitness professionals, and Subaclass (subaclass.com), an app and SaaS that facilities instructors and facilities to find the right substitute instructors for their classes. 6
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How did you end up in such a position in the fitness business? My passion for fitness has made me aware of all the opportunities that exist in the industry. Being active has been part of my life since I was very young. I was always involved in athletics and volleyball. When did you get into fitness? I joined my first gym when I was 15. Lifting weights was always very attractive to me. So I believe that by living, breathing and really knowing fitness as a consumer you can then be involved in products that will enhance and improve the lives of others. How would you characterize the state of the fitness business in 2019? According to a recent IHRSA report, only 21 percent of the population in the USA has a gym membership — and that figure has declined one percent since 2017. A full 40 percent of the U.S. population is obese, which is a huge weakness for the industry. What are its strengths? That there is enough opportunity to www.fibousa.com
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understand how to run a business, how to retain customers and how to train their clients safely. Same for the club owners — investing in their staff needs to be one of their top priorities, not simply an afterthought.
educate the next generation so we can decrease this percentage and avoid the obesity epidemic spiraling out of control. And where are the opportunities? The opportunity lies in finding ways to make our facilities and our services more accessible, less intimidating and more encouraging of ‘fitness for life.’ The facilities that are doing this really well are the ones that have the ability to reach the untapped potential of the areas of the market that others aren’t reaching, as well as the power to create the biggest position impact on the health of the USA overall. How about the unique challenges the club owners and trainers face in this environment? Continuing education is definitely one of the biggest challenges. Some trainers believe that just by attending a six-to-eight week course they
You are big on the technology aspects of the fitness business. Please explain that interest. Implementing technology is a huge challenge. The fitness industry is one of the slowest industries to adopt and embrace technology. Club owners must be able to offer technologyfriendly equipment, HRM and CRM to their members. Trainers should also be accessible, not only face-to-face but via apps, including online training, webinars and other digital touch points. What one piece of advice would you give to the typical club owner or trainer on how to be better – and make more money – in the fitness business? The most relevant piece of advice I could give someone today is to expand your network. Assess who is in your current network and see who they are connected to that could help you find the right opportunity to increase your income and accelerate your success. Finally, where is the potential for the fitness industry to expand in 2020 and beyond? Where are the growth opportunities? The potential for the fitness industry is to give more focus to the Millennial generation. Build more gyms with more technology in them. Provide data, provide amazing content programs and create products that are accessible for everyone in the community. n
WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE FIBO USA PLAYING IN THE U.S. FITNESS BUSINESS? FIBO USA brings a new approach to the U.S. fitness business. Their education committee is curating the best and most influential fitness presenters and entrepreneurs globally to offer the most up-to-date trends and education. FIBO USA is also set to be the trade show with the most current, must-have products.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN TO FOCUS ON AT FIBO USA? I’m planning to focus on sharing my business experience within the APAC region and to also learn more about the differences between the U.S. East Coast market and the Asian markets.
WHAT SHOULD FIBO USA ATTENDEES LOOK TO GET OUT OF THE MIAMI EVENT? To get an overview of the current state of
Deborah Goldberg can be reached at deborah@airfitness.fit; www.linkedin.com/in/ deborah-goldberg/ 7
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the industry from experts across the field.
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EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AT YOUR CLUB
The top five ways to incorporate smart technology at your fitness center. By Yvan Miklin
President and CEO at Aquila/On-Site Health & Fitness Management
Trends in technology may come and go, but it’s those with staying power that require the fitness industry to sit up and take notice. Smart technology is here to stay, so embrace the movement and stay on-trend starting with this five-step implementation strategy. Step 1: Stay mobile-responsive Your web page is the information gateway for your fitness center and more than 50 percent of web page views are on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Check with your web design company to make sure you’re employing the latest mobile-responsive technology and plug-ins. Test the rendering of your web page on various devices regularly and offer short URLs and visually appealing content that’s not text-heavy. Step 2: Use geofencing for social engagement Snapchat is popular among fitness enthusiasts. Among social media platforms, it’s the best way to target nearly 40 percent of Millennials. Use your Snapchat account
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to post video and stories, but also offer customized photo frames based on location using a geofilter. You set up your frame, identify the area in which it can be used and then invite members to use the frame with a push notification when they enter your geofence. Step 3: Encourage engagement via wearables The fascination with Orangetheory is that it’s a fitness center that displays participants’ heart rates on a monitor. While fitness trackers improve by leaps and bounds each year, there’s some gym functionality that hasn’t yet been addressed. Personalize your members’ workouts by setting up custom in-app challenges using Fitbit or Garminconnected apps and sharing leader boards on regularly updated screens throughout your facility. Step 4: Offer smart equipment Peloton is hiring in New York City as the company prepares to launch its new Tred smart HIIT treadmill. Consider incorporating equipment that offers customizable workouts via streaming or propriety apps. Some machines allow progression tracking so your members
can see real progress toward their goals. Interactive workouts are better than standard television, so invest in some modern equipment that offers a bit of gaming to make workouts more fun. Step 5: Use apps to your advantage Fitness tracker apps offer one way to engage members in small-group challenges, but they also integrate with apps like MyFitnessPal or the Nike+Run Club App. Those app communities are active and full of support and encouragement. Set up your own groups and encourage in-app member interaction to maximize community-building opportunities. You’ll be amazed what a little connectedness can do for member retention. n
Yvan Miklin can be reached at yvan.miklin@aquilaltd.com
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OCTOBER 2019 EXHIBIT HALL: OCT 17-19 EDUCATION: OCT 16-20
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