Weekly Workout - Issue 35

ISSUE 1 May

WEEKLY

Issue 35 - 5 February 2021

YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE

fibodo launches live stream booking to help PTs and gyms page 2 Pulse Health & Fitness Carshalton is transformed for the future page 3 Free virtual ‘couch to exercise’ programme launched by duo page 5

WORKOUT WEEKLY

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fibodo launches live stream booking to help PTs and gyms

Specialist partners with Swim England ALLIANCE Leisure has launched a strategic partnership with Swim England to encourage the development of more inspiring and sustainable pools and wetside facilities for local communities.

“Swimming pools can be underutilised and inefficient in terms of the return on investment but this does not need to be the case,” said Paul Woodford, director of marketing and partnerships at TA6 powered by Alliance Leisure.

“When thoughtfully designed, well programmed and equipped, these spaces become valuable community assets that deliver a viable return for local authorities.

“As the official national governing body for swimming in England, Swim England has the insight and experience to optimise pool environments, coupled with a strategic plan to encourage more people to swim.

“Working together under this new strategic partnership, Alliance will be able to draw on this expertise to find the best solution for local authorities and leisure trusts when developing new facilities or upgrading their existing stock.

“Swimming is an inclusive activity that creates opportunities for engagement 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

that few other facilities can match, but only with the right design, workforce programming and management.

“As the client services arm of Alliance Leisure, TA6 will work with Swim England to ensure the programming and technology implemented in pools and wet-side projects reflect the bespoke needs of the local population, delivering a financially sustainable service that delivers community value.”

The partnership went live in December.

Natalie McGuire, senior engagement manager at Swim England who has been fundamental to developing this collaborative approach, said: “Working with Alliance Leisure and TA6 to actively apply Swim England’s insight, knowledge and expertise provides leisure operators with a tested solution for commercial success.

“This partnership is built, not only as a result of complementary products and services but through the alignment of shared values and cultures.

“We are delighted to be working alongside a sector leader who shares our passion for people first thinking.

Together we look to reimagine aquatic provision both in terms of capital development and commercial delivery.”

fibodo has launched live streaming and hybrid membership capabilities via its booking management platform to help clubs, gyms and personal trainers engage their members and generate income during the prolonged closure of gyms and sports facilities.

Clubs, gyms and PTs now can maintain a local presence in their community, during current and future restrictions, and engage new and existing members who can’t meet in the same location, while continuing to charge for their services.

The fibodo platform’s updates are free for all subscribers to use at no extra charge.

Clubs, coaches and trainers can now manage and get paid for virtual and in-person bookings on a single platform.

Independent trainers and facilities can stream, record, and share their own original content to maintain momentum and engagement with their membership while physical facilities are forced to close.

Clubs and coaches can launch their own digital hybrid membership models to keep members engaged while recognising that pricing for live-streams and content needs to be different from full-access, in-person monthly memberships and packages. fibodo trainers and gyms can increase their digital presence and footprint while also monetising their unique content creating a new revenue stream following the platform update.

Anthony Franklin, CEO at fibodo, said: “The fibodo platform’s updates put the power back into the PTs and gyms hands, allowing them to engage their member bases while they can’t train in-person.

“Importantly, they are also able to generate income from their own expertise and content rather than give it away for free.

“Small and independent gyms and trainers can now compete with big fitness content providers that have flooded the market with free high-quality training videos in recent months.

“PTs and gyms have long-standing relationships with their clients and member bases and we want to help support those by allowing trainers to provide the same services, and sessions to their clients remotely, keeping local brands and well-known faces delivering motivation for their community.” fibodo trainers and gyms can increase their digital presence and footprint while also monetising their unique content creating a new revenue stream following the platform update.

Anthony added: “Flexibility is vital, and clubs, coaches and trainers can charge for individual sessions, or create a new model membership to run alongside any existing member and client offers.

“Clubs need to take the leap and engage their coaches, to deliver localised digital content, on-demand and live streamed, to meet their members’ new expectations.

“As restrictions are constantly evolving and will likely be in place for some time, trainers must act quickly and build a business that works across any tiered system or face financial ruin.

“Clubs, coaches and trainers must engage their clients and communities at four points: on-demand training videos, off premises, on-premises (when permitted), and, most importantly, via live streaming.”

“Trainers and facilities need all the help they can get currently, with Government support falling short and many fitness businesses facing permanent closure without significant help or transformation in the coming months.”

New gym set to open in North London REISS Mogilner entered the fitness industry as part of a new business venture after a long career working for Pandora Jewellery, as a franchisee of six different branches, alongside his father.

His experience with franchising and his interest in sports and fitness meant that when he started looking into F45, he felt instantly comfortable and excited to join the popular concept.

As Reiss prepared to open his first F45 studio during the second UK lockdown, he was presented with many challenges and uncertainty, but he was determined to use his wealth of experience to aid his success.

When Reiss first came across the studio space in Mill Hill, North London, he knew there was no doubt he was bringing something amazing to the local area.

Reiss Mogilner However, due to the pandemic, there had been several lease delays and roadblock issues which impacted his plans.

Like any other business owner, 2020

caused many adjustments to be made, but Reiss is confident it will all be worth it in the end.

Reiss has been working endlessly to get ready to welcome members into the studio and strengthen the F45 community in North London in early 2021.

While the circumstances continue to change daily with new pressures emerging, Reiss is so grateful for the support he continues to receive from F45, especially during the training week, which all franchisees attend prior to opening their branches to ensure they are fully prepared.

Reiss found this incredibly helpful, as he learnt a lot about the business, and it made him even more excited about being part of such a great fitness concept.

WORKOUT WEEKLY

Pulse Health & Fitness Carshalton is transformed for the future PULSE Health & Fitness Carshalton has recently undergone a complete transformation of its facilities thanks to a £425,000 investment.

The facility is now home to state-ofthe-art fitness facilities which include top of the range equipment from Pulse Fitness.

“We’re pleased to have been able to use the period of lockdown wisely and make much needed improvements to the facilities at Pulse Health & Fitness Carshalton,” said Chris Johnson, managing director of Pulse Fitness.

“This well-loved facility, which is home to 2,300 members, now has our stateof-the-art lines complete with market leading technology and we look forward to welcoming members back to enjoy the new equipment.”

The centre has undergone a complete aesthetic transformation too, with new flooring, changing rooms and interior redecoration.

The upgrades form part of the Pulse Group’s 30-year partnership with Carshalton College to design, build and operate Pulse Health & Fitness Carshalton.

Now at the 10-year mark, Pulse Fitness has completely updated the fitness facilities to incorporate the latest training trends.

Every exercise can be performed with or without additional weight plates.

The new facilities boast the latest cardio equipment from Pulse Fitness’ Premium cardio range including the curved treadmill, the Crossclimb, the Air Bike and the Stepmill.

What’s new?

In the downstairs gym, an old free weights area has been converted it into a fully immersive indoor cycling studio complete with 27 top-of-the-range Pulse Fitness bikes.

Upstairs in the main gym, the team has reconfigured the space in line with the very latest training trends, with 50 per cent of the space dedicated to functional and free-weights training.

A larger free-weights area has been created, complete with equipment and accessories such as dumbbells, benches, half racks, Olympic lifting racks and

bumper plates to recognise this trend.

Pulse Fitness has installed key pieces from its latest Premium strength line.

All the equipment has been designed for high performance and is able to withstand the rigours of a busy gym.

The team has also installed the world’s only IFI-accredited plate-loaded machine, the Limitless Free Trainer Pro. The Free Trainer Pro has a unique bearing system to allow a fluid movement which feels like a free weight.

Users can perform a wide range of exercises from a conventional bicep curl to an explosive clean and press.

Digital training The site will also be the flagship facility for Pulse Fitness’ brand new app TRAKK. A ground-breaking content platform and activity tracking tool, TRAKK allows PTs to set workouts which can be followed by members via the TRAKK app.

Members can also track their progress, devise their own workout plans and use ready-made workout plans dependent on their fitness goals.

TRAKK allows the fitness team to set personalised goals for members and keep track of how they are performing both in and outside the gym.

TRAKK will allow the team to easily manage the gym floor with its simple colour-coded system that identifies at-risk members, provides a summary of previous contact and the ability to log new interactions to improve retention.

Finally, through TRAKK, the team can send one-off, bulk and automated messages to help keep members engaged within the Pulse Health & Fitness Carshalton community.

In partnership with

Friday 26th November 2021, The Athena,Leicester NOMINATIONS WILL REMAIN OPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR CLOSING ON AUGUST 31 2021.

WWW.NATIONALFITNESSAWARDS.CO.UK

SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE Call 01226 734605 or email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk for details

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WORKOUT WEEKLY

Post-lockdown marketing: getting it right

By Jamie Owens THERE’S no denying the past 11 months have been a rollercoaster ride for the fitness industry.

Coronavirus has thrown our sector into disarray and, as I write, mid-way through lockdown 3.0, we find our doors closed and many staff furloughed once more.

As we await the much-anticipated go-ahead to reopen, now is the time for operators to take stock, re-evaluate marketing strategies and consider partners they can work alongside to best promote their facility – and speed up post-lockdown recovery in the months ahead.

There are numerous important considerations around choosing marketing strategies and partners.

Firstly, it’s important to select partners that have powerful reach.

Working in partnership with specialists opens up opportunities to access valuable marketing reach and resource, at no extra cost to you.

Hussle connects with potential members by investing in two main marketing channels – direct to consumer

Jamie Owens

through big-brand marketing and commercial partnerships with the likes of Premier Inn and Vodafone, as well as via big-name employers providing fitnessas-a-benefit to their staff, such as CBRE, Facebook and the NHS. Thanks to the national marketing partnerships we attract, plus the corporate members we generate, Hussle can offer operators a national ‘network scale effect’.

Secondly, avoiding exclusivity is vital – never choose just one marketing partner.

Aside from being anti-competitive, it reduces leverage with any single marketing channel and leaves you open to becoming dependent.

A healthy partnership, as I learned from my time as an operator at Nuffield Health, Virgin and LA Fitness, is one that keeps options open and doesn’t see that operator becoming a hostage to a single marketing partner.

Lastly, I’d advise operators to make sure the customers a marketing partnership brings to your door can be converted directly into your own joiners. This is crucial.

Most models provide operators with revenue, but the customers will never become their own members.

Whether it’s ‘try-before-you-buy’ customers or occasional users, your chosen partner should offer ways to convert this footfall to memberships.

This was a key point for me in working with Hussle. Since joining the business, I’ve focused on helping operators improve membership conversion tactics

and led the development of Hussle’s new Member Conversion Service.

This service identifies customers that would be best served by a direct gym membership and so provides a new joiner channel for operators.

We proactively encourage users to join clubs they attend regularly; in the last 18 months Hussle has upsold more than 30,000 try-before-you-buy customers into direct club members.

On average, 26 per cent* of customers go on to become exclusive members of gyms they visit via Hussle.

In the coming months, as we emerge from lockdown, making informed marketing decisions and choosing partners who work with you to create additional revenue streams, will be crucial to success. https://www.hussle.com * As evidenced through the independently audited White Paper ‘Aggregation in Fitness’ (https://issuu. com/husslehq/docs/aggregation_in_ fitness) n Jamie Owens is the director of fitness partnerships at Hussle.

Advertiser’s announcement

Reach Wellness with IDIAG P100 – the World’s first all-in-one respiratory training device REACH Wellness is delighted to announce a UK partnership with IDIAG a leading Swiss Manufacturer of Health, Wellness & Performance Equipment.

Reach Wellness now proudly presents The IDIAG P100 – the World’s First Allin-One Respiratory Training Device that launches to the UK Market on 01/02/21.

The ergonomically designed IDIAG P100 device was developed in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the University Zurich (UZH).

IDIAG P100 offers individualised respiratory muscle training for strength, endurance and interval training.

The consistent use of IDIAG P100 promises a dramatic improvement in respiratory muscle strength and overall physical performance capacity.

The IDIAG P100 provides the user with respiratory feedback, allowing them to complete controlled bouts of exercise.

The device measures airflow, pressure and end-tidal CO2 concentration.

This allows ventilation and CO2 concentrations to be regulated, thereby preventing the occurrence of hyper and hypo-ventilation and/or dizziness.

The IDIAG P100 gives athletes and individuals endeavouring to improve their performance an additional tool for optimising their performance limits by selectively training their respiratory muscles.

“We have access to equipment to train all the muscles of the body but tend to overlook the importance of directly training our respiratory muscles,” said Jeff Davis, managing director of Reach Wellness.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has given a greater focus on taking personal responsibility for respiratory wellness and the IDIAG P100 is a Swiss engineered device that can provide resilience and potentially assist in recovery.

“The timing of our UK Launch of IDIAG P100 is perfect as we hopefully begin to emerge from the global pandemic and people and trainers emphasise the importance of breath training.”

He added: “If we ask ourselves ‘when did I consciously take a full /deep breath and fully exhale’?

“There will be very few that will be able to answer in the affirmative. We don’t necessarily breath to our full potential.”

Demands in the performance sports sector are constantly increasing.

Modern athletes cannot afford any weaknesses. Maximising sporting performance also involves systematic training of the respiratory muscles.

This has a positive effect on overall physical performance capacity and delivers the decisive edge when it comes to competitive and popular sports.

The IDIAG P100 UK launch price is

£895+ VAT with the personal user kit (includes Air-guide, Respiratory Bag, Mouthpiece and Nose-clip) available at £180 + VAT. It is envisaged the IDIAG P100 to be purchased by individuals that want to improve their respiratory wellness.

In addition, personal trainers can buy IDIAG P100 to use with their clients either in a gym/wellness facility setting or in 1:1 sessions performed indoors or outdoors.

Sports teams looking for their players to achieve peak performance will also appreciate the benefits of training with IDIAG P100.

IDIAG P100 can function as a hand held device or can be mounted on a stationary exercise bike (using an optional stem attachment) in the home or gym for training under stress / load.

Depth of respiration, tidal volume, airway resistance and threshold strength are individually variable so that

it is possible to use IDIAG P100 in various modes including for free, strength and interval training.

IDIAG P100 is ideal to exercise breathing muscles and is intuitive to use with the in-built training guide or with assistance via an optional App. The IDIAG P100 is fitted with unique flow, pressure and CO2 sensors.

Users can complete a performance test to measure actual condition and subsequently monitor training progress.

The training protocol is automatically personalised to the IDIAG P100 user.

“The IDIAG P100 is a ‘game changer’ and raises your performance to a completely new level,” concluded Jeff.

“With the world’s first all-in-one respiratory muscle trainer you can improve the strength of your respiratory muscles and boost your endurance and performance capacity.”

For further details contact Jeff Davis on 01777 711798 or visit www.reach-wellness.com

WORKOUT WEEKLY

Free virtual ‘couch to exercise’ programme launched by duo “We plan to promote RISE through the use of celebrity endorsements and promotions, which will help inspire the inactive population to give it a go.

“We are hopeful one million people will complete the 18-week programme, which will ultimately funnel participants in to more mainstream physical activity.”

Lee Booth, founder and CEO of Venueserve Fitness, which offers a white-labelled virtual exercise platform to health club operators, added: “We are passionate about physical activity being used for social good, and were inspired by the RISE initiative to design, build and film the bespoke training programme on our whitelabel online platform.”

Kevin said: “One of our motivations for RISE is that the Covid-19 pandemic has and will continue to cause havoc to the wellbeing of our society.

“We will be feeling the aftermath of Covid, in the form of mental as well as physical health problems, for a long time.

“Exercise, as we know, can help with the wellbeing of both our mind and body, and an accessible programme needs to be in place to support these people.

“RISE removes walls to participation by being free and keeping the format simple. RISE will help people feel more centred and to feel better about themselves.”

Jon Williams, CEO, Marlow Club, added: “It was great to see Greg and the team create such meaningful and worthwhile content at our club.

“We are proud to be associated with this non for-profit campaign and will continue to support and promote RISE.”

Your all-new, free marketing channel.

Hussle brings gyms additional revenue via people who don’t currently engage with traditional memberships.

‘Try-before-you-buy’ customers, occasional users and customers requiring multi-venue workout options no single operator can provide.

In the last 18 months Hussle has:

66,000 14,000 30,000 DISENGAGED E X- M E M B E R S BROUGHT BACK

N E W C U STO M E R S ENCOURAGED I N TO GY M S

T R Y- B E F O R E -YO U - B U Y C U STO M E R S C O N V E RT E D I N TO D I R EC T M E M B E R S

Professor Greg Whyte OBE

W W W . H U S S L E . C O M / L I S T- M Y- G Y M

PROFESSOR Greg Whyte OBE and Kevin Cahill CBE, the former CEO and honorary life president of Sport Relief, have joined forces again to launch a new, free, not-forprofit, online ‘couch to exercise’ initiative in a bid to combat inactivity in the UK. RISE will use bespoke training programmes created by duo to connect with the UK’s 11.3 million inactive population via an online platform, donated by virtual exercise hosting specialist, Venueserve Fitness.

RISE consists of three six-week programmes offering gentle and targeted progression throughout each stage.

Block one is chair based exercise. Block two is very low intensity interval activity, and stage three is low intensity interval activity.

It also has a yoga-based programme, focussing on agility, and a mindfulness programme.

The programme includes a variety of expert personal trainers, including Greg, and was filmed at the studios of the Marlow Club.

He said: “Having previously worked closely on the ‘couch to 5k’ initiative, I realised even this programme assumes a level of confidence and physical literacy to take the steps to exercise.

“RISE is different. Our approach is ‘couch to the front door’.

“RISE doesn’t assume its users have any preconditioning, any self-confidence or even self-esteem related to exercise.

“It really is taking a step back in order to move forward.

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14-15 SEPTEMBER

2021

THE FITNESS EVENT OF THE YEAR Visit Tomorrow’s Workout 2021 at Bolton’s Macron Stadium and you could find all that you need in one place - in one day • Over 50 key exhibitors with the latest equipment and services • 8 great seminars packed with ideas for your business • New products to improve your spend per member

Register before 31st July for FREE at:

www.tomorrowsworkout.co.uk Brought to you by

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