ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 15
14 August 2020
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Myzone launches Work Out to HelpOut campaign
page 3
Boutique brand unveils massive plans for Manchester site page 5
Steel going strong: new centre still on schedule
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GYMGUYZ LAND IN UK WITH FIRST TWO FRANCHISES GYMGUYZ UK has announced its first two franchisee locations in Brighton and Kingston, as the American personal training fitness franchise launches in the UK fitness market. Since 2008, GYMGUYZ has been the number one fitness provider in the at-home personal training industry in the United States, with over 230 franchises across 29 states. Named in Entrepreneur Magazine’s top 100 fastest growing franchises over the past four years, GYMGUYZ has grown to become one of the most trusted sources in fitness for thousands of clients, improving their lives no matter their age or ability. With an industry leading fitness model and unique delivery methods, GYMGUYZ offers low-cost franchise ownership combined with extensive central franchise support. Building on its international success and following the boom in at-home training over recent months, the franchise has launched in the UK, bringing mobile personal training directly to clients’ homes to help them get fit and achieve their goals on their own terms. “Owning a GYMGUYZ franchise is a job to be excited about and you can be up and running in just eight weeks,” said GYMGUYZ UK Managing Director Laike Mantori. “GYMGUYZ is taking a firm foothold in the market and with the vast number of enquiries we are having, we’re looking forward to continuing our journey across the country.” A recent study by Anglia Ruskin University found that the UK has seen a 10% increase in adults meeting the recommended levels of physical activity since the imposed lockdown in March. The figure is now around 75% of adults getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, providing further evidence that now, more than ever, people are recognising the importance of working on their fitness. Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia. co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia. co.uk
Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia. co.uk Sales manager: Louise BristoweHarrison Tel: 01226 734699 workout3@ scriptmedia.co.uk
Studio manager: Stewart Holt sth@scriptmedia. co.uk
www.workout-uk.co.uk
“As we see a growth in the popularity of people training outside and at home, GYMGUYZ is the ideal fitness provider to allow people to continue to train where they feel comfortable, we take pride in providing convenient, customised and creative workouts ” said Laike. “GYMGUYZ takes away the need to be in a gym environment, brings the equipment and provides the flexibility of training whenever and wherever clients want. This is a real USP for GYMGUYZ and following the success we’ve experienced in the US, we’re confident that GYMGUYZ will provide a compelling alternative to traditional fitness franchises, backed by its unique model and low minimum investment.” As part of the start-up process, each GYMGUYZ franchise owner is assigned a franchise support team to provide guidance throughout the start-up and launch process. This includes everything from coordinating van ordering and delivery to purchasing equipment, scheduling meetings, and guiding the franchise owner through the launch event.
Myzone launches Work Out to Help Out campaign AS THE government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme gathers pace, Myzone has launched the Work Out to Help Out campaign #WorkOutToHelpOut Just as Eat Out to Help Out is designed to rouse the public to support the hospitality sector, which has been particularly hard hit by Covid-19, so Myzone’s Work Out to Help Out initiative aims to empower people to invest in their personal health and fitness in order to fight the virus. With fears of a second wave of coronavirus looming, it’s imperative that people guard against the virus by taking control of their health. Being overweight and unfit puts people at greater risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19. The sector is uniquely placed to help individuals fight the disease by improving their physical and mental health and boosting their immune system through regular physical
activity. “We have the knowledge, skills and expertise to guide and support people at whatever of the stage of the fitness journey they may find themselves, from the novice to the elite. We have the tools and technology to allow them to engage in activity however and wherever they want to exercise, be that in our facilities, at home or in the great outdoors,” says David Stalker, CEO Myzone EMEA / APAC. “The UK has been in the grip of an obesity and inactivity crisis for years, while lockdown and the coronavirus has had a devastating impact on the nation’s mental health. With the government and health experts urging the public to lose weight and get fit to protect against Covid-19, this is our opportunity to step up and help people to make potentially life-saving changes in the face of this global pandemic.” #WorkOutToHelpOut
Better health and choices with Club Corona THE government’s recent announcement on its new obesity strategy linking it to “beating coronavirus” includes plans on banning TV and online adverts, ending “buy one get one free” promotion deals for high salt, sugar and fat foods, plus calorie labelling on restaurant menus. Tailored to suit the varying needs of the general population, The Fit Box was quick off the mark to set up online hub ‘Club Corona’, specifically for members to stay fit and connected throughout lockdown. Starting with a free live exercise schedule which ran from March to July, Club Corona continues to offer a lifeline to many people in terms of supporting mental and physical health. Education provider and small group training club, The Fit Box, has con-
tinued serving its members and the wider community during the global pandemic via a series of online exercise classes and live workouts. For the past 10 years, The Fit Box has coached members from its studio gym in Bracknell. Now, the team has shifted its focus to helping people as much as possible using the digital tools available. Paul Russell, founder The Fit Box says: “Over the last five months, our workouts have reached tens of thousands of people around the globe. We are forever grateful for the generosity and commitment shown by all of our supporters during this time and we are now ready to move into the next phase of Club Corona, in line with the UK government’s Better Health Campaign.” Paul has pledged his time, every
day, for the next 12 weeks to guide and educate anyone who is serious about achieving sustainable weight loss. Throughout July, Russell has been eating and drinking high sugar and fat content to reach physical obesity himself, in order to fully empathise with those taking part. For their own benefit and to keep track of results, participants will be guided throughout a series of videos to write down the following information for future reference only: Weight, height and waist circumference, Realistic and achievable fitness goals, To do list / action plan. Measurement reviews will be taken on August 24, September 24 and October 22 and participants can choose if they wish to share their results with the group.
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Alfie and Freddie ready to step up
Laura with Wendy at the end of her run
Amazing effort saves vital scheme NEUROKINEX, a specialist spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation charity and a past winner of the National Fitness Awards’ Best Rehab Facility category, has successfully raised £52,850.49 to safeguard its scheme that supports people with a newly acquired spinal cord injury. The Newly Injured Scheme awards six free sessions to newly injured or diagnosed clients. A lifeline for many, it gives them access to the unique Neurokinex services that can have lifechanging results. However, it costs the Neurokinex Charitable Trust £420 per person to fulfil and loss of income during lockdown put the scheme at serious risk of closure. In a bid to protect its Newly Injured Scheme, Neurokinex launched a twomonth Step Up Appeal on June 1, 2020 to raise £25,000. By doubling that target, Neurokinex has saved its Newly Injured Scheme ensuring newly injured people can access its services now lockdown has lifted. A mighty £28,322.56 was raised by six Neurokinex clients aged two to 49 who set themselves a range of personal challenges to help protect the service that helped them.
Two homemade devices, incredible support and solidarity and not a little ingenuity came into play! Toddler Ralph, aged two, completed 100 leg presses on a contraption built by his grandfather while Rob, 26, rowed 16.25 miles on a customized rowing machine devised from an upside down bicycle, curtain pole and pulley despite being paralysed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator to breathe. Laura walked 10K using her crutches which inspired her friend Wendy to then run 68km to boost the fund raising. Damian completed a ‘sprint triathlon’ by lifting weights to ‘swim’, cycling on an exercise bike and walking laps of his local park on the one-year anniversary of his cycling accident. Alfie, aged five, dressed as a superhero to cover over 30km self-propelling his wheelchair round (and round!) his garden and along nearby country lanes (ably supported by his two-year-old brother Freddie running alongside). Finally, six-year-old Oscar covered a similar distance by pushing his wheelchair, using his walking frame and cycling on his trike. The other funds were raised through
a combination of individual donations and a charity auction that ended the two-month campaign on July 31, 2020. “I am absolutely astounded and delighted by the response we had to our Step Up Appeal, especially from our clients who set themselves incredible challenges to give back to a service that means so much to them,” says Harvey Sihota, Neurokinex founder and director. “The sheer generosity of their spirit and the donations from 100s of sponsors has blown me away – especially considering the difficult times everyone is facing physically and financially. “It was a massive team effort by my colleagues, clients, friends of the charity and our PR agency whose collaboration and dedication made this possible. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am that our Newly Injured Scheme is secured for another 12 months: we have already welcomed new clients who waited patiently during lockdown in the hope we could help them. “Thank you to everyone involved.” To find out more about the Neurokinex Step Up Appeal and Client Challenges visit: https://neurokinex. org/step-up-appeal/
Damian Riley walking 2.5 km to complete his fundraising triathlon challenge
eActiv up and running with second health club AFTER successfully renovating and turning an old, outdated gym in Egham, Surrey into a modern and welcoming health lounge promoting an effective, fun and intelligent way to get results, eActiv wanted to improve and expand, by doing the same again and opening another lounge in Wokingham, Berkshire. With over 250 members at the Egham branch, and 450 members waiting to get through the door at the new site, the business was keen to have the best gym kit, machines and equipment for their customers. The directors of eActiv Ltd (Egham) approached the team at Johnson Reed needing finance for the new equipment for Healthy Women (Wokingham) Ltd, the eActiv health lounge in Wokingham, which opened its doors at its brand new premises at the end of July. In order to maintain a positive cash flow and keep the books balanced, eActiv (Wokingham) wanted to finance their equipment, rather than parting with large sums of cash, a smart move for
small businesses. However, key issues that eActiv director Clive Burnett encountered were finding the right finance deal, and finding a business that would provide finance for Quirky Kit, otherwise known as secondhand or pre-owned equipment. “What was great about Mark and Johnson Reed, was not only the attention to detail and their customer service, but the fact that they can provide and source finance for pre-owned kit. Usually people don’t like second-hand equipment, which can make it a challenge. But this equipment is top of the range, being only a few months old, provided by eGym with warranties to match. Mark couldn’t be more helpful, emphasising the benefits of financing the kit for our brand new health lounge,” said Clive. Johnson Reed Managing Director Mark Johnson said: “We were delighted that Clive and eActiv chose our common-sense lending, a great business that is hugely popular with its members. There are multiple benefits in financing
gym equipment, whether it’s brand new or pre-owned, we’ll help finance it when others won’t, and that’s what makes us stand out. “eActiv required a full range of equipment to match the standard of their Egham health lounge. With state-ofthe-art eGym equipment and an isopod
flotation tank, with our help they have launched with great success and on schedule. By using our common-sense approach, fully supporting them from start to finish, advising on the benefits of finance, eActiv can now operate to its full potential and provide the club’s members with the best facilities.”
Boutique brand unveils massive flagship plans for Manchester BOUTIQUE fitness brand TRIB3 on Monday unveiled plans to open its new global headquarters and flagship studio in the heart of Manchester’s innovation district, Circle Square. TRIB3 will occupy more than 8,500 sq ft in one of Circle Square’s most unique spaces, the North Pavilion. Circle Square is a thriving new neighbourhood which, when complete, will boast over 1,700 new homes, 1.2 million sq ft of workspace and over 100,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, including a variety of restaurants, boutiques and bars. CEO and founder Kevin Yates said: “Circle Square is a perfect destination for TRIB3 with our new training academy and group headquarters. “Innovation and community are some of our most important brand pillars so to be in the heart of Manchester’s hub of technology and transformation is really exciting for us. Our design team are now creating something very unique for the people
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of Manchester.” The Circle Square store will feature the largest studio space that the TRIB3 community has ever had access to, with 60 spots available per session. Plus, as well as being home to the group’s new headquarters, it will be the location for the TRIB3 Academy from which the organisation will deliver expert training and content for its teams, coaches and franchise partners. The Academy will house a custom recording studio as a platform for delivery of the brand’s soon-tolaunch virtual fitness offering, TRIB3 Live, as well as being a hub for media and content creation. “Circle Square and the TRIB3 Academy will be our centre of excellence for training and content production ensuring our franchise partners and coaching team have access to the best possible support and education to deliver our world-class
product,” explains chief experience officer, Matteo Cerruti. “This is such an important and critical part of the TRIB3 vision. As well as being the epicentre for all of our programming, this will be where all team members come to get trained and cultured in the TRIB3 brand. “We are excited to get the Academy live and see how it supports and empowers our franchise partners and their teams, globally.” Circle Square is a joint venture between Bruntwood SciTech and Vita Group. Tom Renn, managing director, Bruntwood SciTech – Manchester, said: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming TRIB3 to Manchester and can’t wait for them to open at Circle Square. We’re creating a vibrant, new neighbourhood that is home to some of the city’s most unique and innovative names, so with its nightclub-style gym studios TRIB3 is the perfect
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addition and we can’t wait for them to open their doors next year.” TRIB3 will also shortly announce a second location in Manchester set within the Qbic hotel development just off Deansgate offering another iconic location for people to experience the brand’s unmissable workout concept within the city. TRIB3 offers instructor-led 45-minute HIIT workouts, uniquely programmed across it’s custom TRI training system: Treadmills, Resistance & Intensity. Customers can expect to burn up to 1,000 calories per session with realtime progress tracking through heart rate monitors, in-studio displays and the brand’s bespoke SWEAT app. Underpinned by specially curated playlists from the TRIB3 DJ, signature scents and custom lighting, TRIB3 is retailing a new, unmissable workout experience in the heart of Manchester.
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Steel going strong ... PROGRESS at the new Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre is still taking shape and on schedule despite the outbreak of Covid-19. The last couple of months have seen significant progress on site, most notably with the learner and competition pools taking shape. Most impressive to the eye has been in the last couple of weeks during which the steel frame has been erected. The next big visual change will start in September, when we will see the formation of the roof. Eric Buckmaster, executive member for wellbeing, visited the site recently. He said: “The progress on site is so visible now and we are immensely proud of the team for continuing to make good progress despite the challenges of a pandemic. “The fact that you can really see the building taking shape has instigated a feeling of excitement for everyone that soon we will be able to offer a fantastic range of facilities in a beautifully designed building. “The team have done an incredible job and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the East Herts project team,
Varsity Consulting, Willmott Dixon and Everyone Active for their hard work.” Steve Kitchen, director at Willmott Dixon, said; “It was fantastic to be able to show East Herts District Council the progress that has been made on site at Grange Paddocks. “The team quickly adapted and continued to work during the lockdown period, in line with the Government and Construction Leadership Council’s recommendations. We were proud to be able to show the progress and achievements made on the project to everyone involved.” Dan Humphries, contract manager at Everyone Active, added: “This is another fantastic step towards welcoming the local community to our new centre. Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre will be pivotal in providing a wide range of facilities to the community and engaging people from all backgrounds in exercise. “This positive news is welcome after the past few months and we are continuing to work hard with East Herts District Council and Willmott Dixon to ensure that every aspect of the build is completed to the highest quality.”
Steve Kitchen and Eric Buckmaster on site at the new leisure centre.
Eddie Hall with his new product Beast Biltong
Eddie rolls out a beast of a new product NEW to 2020 and packing plenty of nutrients, Beast Biltong is Eddie Hall’s latest business venture. Mr. Hall (more commonly known as The World’s Strongest Man) has decided that it is his time to delve into the Biltong market, a typical delicacy of Southern Africa. To those who don’t know – specifically steaks of beef marinaded in rustic spices and dry-cured to enhance both texture and flavour. The Beast brand launched on June 21 with three flavours. An original recipe flavour alongside BBQ and chilli alternatives. Gym goers and fitness fanatics will be ecstatic to get their hands on the product as a portion of 35g contains less than 1g in fat and less than 1g carbs whilst packing a heavy punch in protein,
21g to be exact. The perfect replacement for protein shakes and protein bars which can contain high calories and lower amounts of protein than Beast Biltong. Not only did Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall include biltong in his diet to achieve his World’s Strongest Man title in 2017, he has continued to do so in his training ever since, stating that is is “absolutely delicious!”. It seems that the fitness community will relish this product with years to come as Eddie Hall is not only known for his strength but also for the extremely anticipated boxing match up against Game of Thrones star Hafthor Bjornsson scheduled to be September 2021. Find more on Eddie at www.eddiehallstrongman.com and more on Beast at www.beastfoods.co.uk.
Active IQ to help educate firefighters in fitness THE Saudi Aramco Fire Protection Department is partnering with Active IQ to help improve the fitness programme delivery and education to its 1600-strong team of firefighters. Renowned as one of the world’s largest and most profitable companies, Saudi Aramco Fire Protection Department (FrPD) sourced Active IQ as its education provider to devise a fitness education programme to ensure it fulfils its goal to “Save lives and protect assets”. Active IQ worked closely with the FrPD’s Health and Wellness Group to create and deliver a bespoke programme of training to meet the physical and mental demands of the firefighters. The Saudi Aramco FrPD has a Health and Wellness Group (HWG) which has a number of experienced fitness professionals with various specialisms from around the world. The group is now delivering the Active IQ Level 1 Award in Fitness and Physical Activity as an introduction to fitness to 130 firefighters and 12 firefighters have now successfully obtained Level 2 Certificate in Gym Instructing. A select few will progress to the Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training in the near future. Key firefighter roles that Saudi Aramco
wishes to up-skill using Active IQ Qualifications include: Unit Shift Instructor – responsible for delivering fitness classes on their shift within their station Unit Fitness Advisor – fitness specialist dedicated to one of the 54 Saudi Aramco fire stations throughout the kingdom Divisional Fitness Advisor – responsible for one of the six divisions into which the 54 fire stations are divided The training programme seeks to improve physical fitness and support mental wellbeing to enable the firefighters to face the unique challenges in their work. With improved fitness comes better response and reaction times in the event of a fire, while greater physical and mental resilience will help firefighters recover physically and mentally from exertion and manage the high stress levels of their work. Each of the 54 fire stations has a purpose-built fitness facility where the firefighters are encouraged to exercise. Meanwhile, a high proportion of their training is performed within the truckbay using fire equipment such as hoses and ladders to emulate the physical challenges they face when fighting a fire. The programme also ensures that the
global standards for firefighter fitness are met including VO2 Max, Skills, Strength and Endurance. A unique sector-leading incorporation of MyZone heart rate technology in the programme is seeing Saudi Aramco FrPD lead the way as the first and currently still the only fire service globally to use the heart rate technology for fitness testing and performance monitoring within fire stations. “Our firefighters have specific fitness needs while training and working in extremely challenging conditions,” says Andrew Birch, Health & Wellness Group Leader at Saudi Aramco FrPD. “An ‘offthe-shelf’ product wouldn’t work for us so we needed a partner who could assist us to develop a programme that met all our specific requirements. I am pleased to say we found an excellent partner in Active IQ,” he continues. “They invested a great deal of time working with us to precisely understand our needs before developing a tailored package, resources and support materials. The result is we have an unequivocally fit-for-purpose programme that our trainers can teach across our department to ensure they are fighting fit and ready for the challenges of their daily work.” “Saudi Aramco posed some unique
challenges to us in terms of the environment, the demanding nature of their work and the scale of their training programme,” says James McPherson, Active IQ Commercial Director. “We spent six days in Saudi Arabia to audit their provision and identify the best ways to develop the education centre within their complex and unique environment,” says James. “By training cohorts to Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 respectively alongside a bespoke role-related fitness education training programme, the Saudi Aramco FrPD is future-proofing its programme. “Through high quality education programmes across all recruits, including a bespoke apprenticeships programme, the team ensures all firefighters are able to perform to the highest level and promote fitness, safety and teamwork to fulfil their aim to ‘Save lives & protect assets’. “It has been a fascinating journey working alongside the Health & Wellness Group and the firefighters,” continues James. “We are looking forward to supporting their progress as they continue to lead the world in firefighter fitness education.”
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