Workout August 2013

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August 2013

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Enter your gym in NFAs before it is too late

By Christina Eccles

UK gyms have been urged to boost their businesses by entering this year’s National Fitness Awards, before it’s too late.

The free to enter awards – organised

by Script Events in partnership with Workout and headline sponsor Servicesport – are now in their fourth year and reward excellence and achievement across all sections of the fitness industry.

Already gyms and individuals from as far afield as Falmouth, Swansea, Burnley, Stirling and London have put themselves in the running for an award, with some great entries received so far. But with nominations closing on Friday August 23, gyms who haven’t entered yet have just weeks to send their entries in, via the dedicated website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk Event director Judith Halkerston said: “Once again, we are delighted by the response to the awards this year.

“There is a pleasing combination among the nominations of gyms who are entering for the first time and those who are coming back either to defend their title or determined to clinch the category this time round.

“Changes including a new venue, new

categories and a revamped website are all set to ensure the 2013 National Fitness Awards will be the biggest and best yet.”

Once nominations have closed, the Workout team will draw up this year’s shortlist, before travelling around the country to visit each of the shortlisted clubs – chatting to staff and members and taking a look at what makes the facility so special.

Comprehensive reports will then be compiled and passed on to an expert judging panel who will have the tough task of picking the 2013 winners.

Trophies will be handed out at a glittering awards’ ceremony on Friday December 6, taking place at The Palace Hotel in Manchester and hosted by top presenter, former TV Gladiator and fitness expert Caroline Pearce.

Last year over 600 people attended the awards evening at The Athena in Leicester and following the event, winning clubs capitalised on their achievements by publicising their win on marketing materials, with valuable local newspaper coverage and even on branded t-shirts for staff and members.

I To nominate your club visit www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk You can also keep up with the latest by following @FitnessAwards on Twitter.

No 239 £3

Awareness week hopes to tackle obesity

Strictly Come Dancing professionals Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite have teamed up with champion swimmer Mark Foster to launch new group exercise class Fitsteps. With instructors currently being trained up at workshops around the country, the class aims to offer a fun fitness session for anyone who loves to dance. This issue, Workout caught up with the trio, who revealed more about the Fitsteps concept and how gyms can get involved. *For full story see page 11.

PLANS have been announced for a National Obesity Awareness Week designed to tackle the growing public health problem of obesity.

Announced by The National Obesity Forum, the week will run from January 13 to 19 2014, and will be coordinated and promoted by the Whitehouse Consultancy.

The event will call for the public to join in a national New Year’s resolution to tackle obesity through small lifestyle changes including healthy eating and exercise.

Organisers plan to enlist leading businesses, charities, celebrities, sportspeople, nutrition experts and chefs to support a programme of activities taking place during the course of the week.

Chairman of the National Obesity Forum professor David Haslam said: “Our intention is that National Obesity Awareness Week will not be about preaching to people – rather, we want this to be a fun and informative week that will inspire action from government and educate the public on the small changes they can make that will have a profound impact on their long-term health.”

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Gym operators urged to invest in defibrillators

By Christina Eccles OPERATORS have been urged to invest in emergency equipment for their facilities after a survey revealed less than one in five gyms and sports clubs have defibrillators.

The poll by defibrillator manufacturer DOC UK claims just 19 per cent of facilities are equipped with defibrillators and out of those that do have them, 57 per cent don’t know how to use the equipment.

Managing director of DOC UK Vincent Mathieu said: “Gyms and sports clubs have a duty of care over a large number of people who are often undertaking strenuous exercise.

“As a result it is vital that gyms invest in defibrillator equipment – but also that the equipment is used in an emergency.”

The survey also highlights some misconceptions about defibrillators, which may be making operators hesitant about using them.

68 per cent of respondents said they would be worried about accidentally electrocuting someone who was in fact well, or being held liable should something go wrong – despite the fact defibrillators will only work on someone having a genuine cardiac arrest and there have been no known inci-

“It is vital that gyms invest in defibrillator equipment – but also that the equipment is used in an emergency.” dences of someone being sued for attempting to save someone’s life with a defibrillator.

Chief executive at Jubilee Hall Trust gyms and chair of the UK Fitness Network Phil Rumbelow added: “While gyms are not a high risk environment, they carry a higherthan-average risk of having a heartrelated emergency on-site.

“In the leisure industry, we constantly strive to raise standards, and I think that as a result there is a solid argument for gyms to be equipped with defibrillators. I know that a number of other leisure trusts have installed defibrillators and successfully saved a number of lives, and we have recently taken the decision to install the DOC UK so that each of our four sites is now suitably equipped.”

Workout celebrates 20 years LOOK out for the next issue of Workout where we will be celebrating the magazine’s 20th birthday.

If you’ve got a story you would like us to include in this milestone issue or would like to send us a birthday

greeting, get in touch by emailing ce@scriptmedia.co.uk You can also connect with Workout on social media. Follow us @WorkOutUK or ‘like’ us at www.facebook.com/workoutmagazine

Staff from Curves Wokingham met with Breast Cancer Care patron Geri Halliwell at The Hospital Club in London to celebrate the success of the club’s partnership with the charity.

Geri attended an event at The Hospital Club in London to thank the gym for its support and fundraising efforts. Since 2006, Curves Wokingham has raised £23,000 for the charity.

Bev Gellard from Curves Wokingham is pictured with Geri Halliwell.

www.workout-uk.co.uk

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Editor: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

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Gym pushes the boundaries with £1m worth of new kit

By Christina Eccles

Personal trainer and competitor Marina Cornwall won big at the recent European Powerlifting Masters Championships. Marina – a trainer at Fitness First in Portsmouth – won four gold medals at the event which took place in Luxembourg. In a busy few weeks for Marina she was also placed eighth in the world at another competition – the World Classic Championships in Russia.

AN independent club, which is over 30 years old, is pushing the boundaries by installing a new range of tech savvy equipment.

The Hogarth Club in Chiswick has kitted out its gym with the latest ARTIS range from Technogym, at a cost of over £1m.

The equipment includes a complete cardio line – treadmill, elliptical, vario, bike and recline – 19 strength pieces, six functional stations and Omnia, a new group functional training space.

Designed to offer members the latest technology, the kit is fully integrated with the Technogym Ecosystem, an open platform which allows clubs to connect with their customers anywhere in the world via a mywellness key, mobile phones, tablets or computers.

Managing director of The Hogarth Dan White explained: “Having a new platform in which our highly qualified team can help our members achieve a wellness lifestyle is key to our ongoing strategy.

“Like Technogym, we are championing the benefits of promoting regular physical activity, optimum nutrition and a positive mental attitude.”

As well as the popular gym, features

The new gym at The Hogarth Club in Chiswick. at the West London club include outdoor tennis courts, patio gardens, indoor pool, squash court and bar area and lounge.

The facilities attract a wide range of members, with famous faces working out there including former international rugby player and TV personality Matt Dawson.

And staff at the club told Workout members have been really impressed with the new look gym.

Operations director Ian Chaffey

added: “The technology behind the Artis gymnasium equipment allows trainers and members to track and monitor what they do in the club, at home or anywhere in the world.

“It is this additional capability that enables us to stay connected beyond the club and help us support the busy and stressful lifestyles our members often lead.

“Ultimately, we feel we have the best tools to help our members achieve their exercise and wellness goals.”

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The Blythe family show off their prizes with Trafford councillor Jonathon Coupe and leisure trust chief executive Bernie Jones.

Trust rewards 20 millionth visitor with gift bundle

By Christina Eccles TRAFFORD Community Leisure Trust has welcomed its 20 millionth visitor, who was rewarded with a bundle of prizes for being the lucky winner.

To mark the milestone, the trust organised a presentation event for winner Rita Blythe and her family at Sale Leisure Centre, where Trafford councillor Jonathon Coupe and the leisure trust’s chief executive Bernie Jones presented them with a range of gifts, including a lifetime fitness membership for the whole family, a year’s supply of swimming lessons for Rita’s four children and a course of one-to-one lessons for Rita.

She said: “We recognise how important it is for the children to swim, but with four children it’s quite expensive to fund.

“We feel so lucky to be the 20 millionth visitor and this package of gifts is fantastic and helps us so much – we are so grateful.”

Trafford Community Leisure Trust, who manages the borough’s eight leisure centres, two golf courses and Sport Trafford department, was established back in April 2003 as a charity/not for profit organisation and has gone from strength to strength over the years.

Coun Coupe added: “It’s fantastic to look at the work the leisure trust does.

It’s such a vibrant interesting company, from the bright, colourful and always interesting literature provided to the marking of fantastic milestones such as this one.

“It’s remarkable to see how far the leisure trust has come in the 10 years and I’m sure they will continue to grow over the next 10 in much the same vein.

“It’s truly important that the community recognise and support local organisations such as Trafford Community Leisure Trust and remember that their best interests are for the community of Trafford.”

Garstang Leisure Centre in Lancashire now has a brand new look, following a complete overhaul. Wyre Council and Fylde Coast YMCA jointly invested £36,000 to refurbish the club and introduce new facilities, including a purpose built weights room, new fitness equipment with built-in Nike+ interactivity, and refurbished interior complete with new lighting, mirrors and flooring. General manager Dave Sweetman said: “The introduction of the new equipment means that local people now have easy access to the latest state-of-the-art fitness training equipment and our friendly staff team are committed to working closely with each customer so they can get the most out of this high-quality facility.”

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Former managers join forces to rescue gym

By Christina Eccles TWO former gym managers have teamed up to rescue the east Manchester club they worked in from closure.

The gym – previously Klick Fitness – closed in March as part of a Company Voluntary Arrangement, which saw operator Fitness First disposing of its lowest performing sites.

Former managers Barry Cornwell and Sean Krool were so concerned about the effect of the closure on the local community they approached Fitness First to buy the business, but could not raise the £300,000 asking price. Fortunately help was at hand when Copenhagen based chartered surveyor Charles Sherratt-Davies was sent to visit the site by its Danish landlords, with a view to increasing the chances of re-letting the property.

After chatting to Barry and Sean, Charlie was so impressed with their attitude and hard work he wanted in as a partner.

He also persuaded the landlords to contribute some money and they have also waived the rent to allow them to get the business established.

Together they managed to get enough to lease essential equipment – decorating the venue and handbuilding the lockers themselves – and

Sean Krool, Charlie Sherratt-Davies and Barry Cornwell. the club reopened in March as Tick Fit Gorton with 1,000 members already signed up.

Sean, who is training boxing champion Anthony Crolla for the World lightweight title, said: “This gym is an essential part of the community. We have many regular, committed members.

“We do a lot with kids. It keeps them off the streets and gives them something positive to aim for. We promote respect and manners.

“I came from a very poor community in South Africa. We were surrounded by gangsters and drugs. This country offered me a way out when I came

here 14 years ago, now I want to give something back. This is about people's lives. The gym gives them a focus, something to do and it's a way to socialise all at the same time.”

Membership numbers have now reached 1,850 – and every member of staff is paid the same, meaning Barry and Sean get equal pay with the cleaner.

Barry added: “This is not about making us rich. It's about working together for the good of the community. The staff go way beyond the call of duty because they want to see it work and the community has taken us to its heart for trying.”

Ivan Horsfall-Turner has taken up his post as the new Freedom Leisure managing director, replacing Jeff Hart who is retiring after 11 years in the role.

Ivan – previously Freedom Leisure’s business development director – will now work closely alongside Jeff until he retires on September 30. Ivan said: “I feel privileged to be selected by the board as Jeff’s successor and feel confident that the strength and reputation of Freedom Leisure will combine to bring further growth and success in the leisure industry. Under Jeff’s leadership, Freedom Leisure has established itself as a strong brand with excellent credentials and I am looking forward to leading our team to take it forward and build on his legacy.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE Dance fans can now shimmy and shake their way to fitness, thanks to the launch of hot new class Fitsteps. Christina Eccles spoke to the celebrity team behind the phenomenon and found out why operators looking for the next big thing should consider adding it to their timetables.

Celebrities’ hot new class lets you dance your way to fitness FROM working on hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, professional dancers and Fitsteps’ founders Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe realised how much the public love dance – so created a class which could bring the magic of the ballroom out of their TV screens and into gyms and community halls around the country.

Teaming up with champion swimmer and former Strictly contestant Mark Foster, Natalie and Ian have devised the content of the classes, with Mark offering support and advice in his own areas of expertise, including fitness and conditioning.

The result of their vision is a class which blends authentic ballroom and Latin dance moves into a fun, effective group workout, designed for anyone who loves dance and wants to improve their fitness levels while doing something they enjoy.

Natalie explained: “We use a few steps from a number of the popular dances that people will know from Strictly.

“They are then blended into a continuous workout, moving from one step to another, one dance style to another.

“But an ability to dance is not a necessity for class members by any means. No partners are required and nobody is going to mark you down if you get the steps wrong.

“My biggest reward with this is that it’s not just about teaching one person to dance. It’s basically something the whole demographic can do and gives people the opportunity to do something they have never done before.

“Dance can change people’s lives.

It’s very rewarding, both for the person doing the class and those teaching it.”

To spread the word about Fitsteps, Natalie and Ian have been on a nationwide tour, running a series of instructor days, alongside performing in their latest show Strictly Confidential.

The sessions have proved so popular they have already added more dates later in the year for eager fitness professionals keen to become qualified Fitsteps instructors so they can start teaching sessions themselves.

Once qualified, instructors benefit from ongoing support from the Fitsteps team to help them build their businesses, and apart from a space to hold classes in and a microphone, no specialist equipment is required – making it easy for gyms to roll out sessions to members.

Ian added: "We went from hoping

Fitsteps’ founders Ian Waite, Natalie Lowe and Mark Foster. people would come to quickly being pleasantly overwhelmed by response and having to explain that we were sold out.

“The interest and the commitment out there have been huge so, even whilst still in the middle of our first tour, we are putting together plans for another tour towards the end of the autumn.”

Interest from operators has already been high, with Everyone Active becoming the first to take on Fitsteps and planning to launch classes at selected centres following successful taster sessions.

And Mark told Workout eventually he would like to see classes taking place in clubs of all sizes around the

country – delivering the many benefits of dance to as wide an audience as possible.

He added: “Dance and Strictly have touched so many people in different ways and from my point of view from doing the show, more than anything it was great fun.

“I learned an awful lot and so many people said to me where can we do that?

“We want to see FitSteps classes going on everywhere from the biggest city gyms to small rural village and church halls.

“It is a fantastic way to get in shape.

There is variety, versatility and plenty of enjoyment to be had along with genuine total body benefits.”

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Edinburgh-based Westwoods Health Club has become the first gym in Scotland to install new Swimtag technology, celebrating with a launch attended by Commonwealth gold medallist swimmer Robbie Renwick. Swimtag users wear a wristband which tracks each swim and counts number of lengths, strokes per length, lap times and calories burned.

The information is then displayed on a website so people can see their swim and track progress. During the event, Robbie answered questions, led coaching sessions for adults and children, signed autographs and posed for photos with fans.

Picture: Gavin Dougan.

RoSPA and Parkwood Leisure work together on safety management

By Christina Eccles THE Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has partnered with leisure management company, Parkwood Leisure, to help maintain and enhance its health and safety practices.

The two-year agreement will see RoSPA deliver specialist health and safety services for Parkwood Leisure, with consultants helping to increase staff knowledge and understanding of leisure safety risks, from those in customer-facing roles up to directors and senior managers.

In a bid to ensure best practice and legislative requirements are met, RoSPA will also review Parkwood Leisure’s current policies and conduct a health and safety audit of 15 other sites.

Additionally, all of Parkwood Leisure’s 84 sites will become RoSPA leisure safety members, benefiting from expert advice via a dedicated helpline and access to the RoSPA

Infocentre – a collection of over 28,500 accident prevention resources.

The company’s centres will also be able to keep up-to-date with the most recent changes in the leisure sector by receiving a copy of RoSPA’s digital Leisure Safety journal every three months.

Head of education and leisure at RoSPA David Rushton said: “We are delighted to be working with Parkwood Leisure.

“The company is showing a genuine commitment to the safety of its customers and staff. RoSPA’s breadth of experience is unparalleled in the leisure safety sector and it is this knowledge and expertise which will help Parkwood Leisure as it seeks to invest in safety and risk management for the long term.

“With RoSPA’s help and guidance, Parkwood Leisure will strengthen the foundations of its safety management by actively involving staff in health, safety and welfare procedures and by identifying potential safety hazards.”

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The cardio and weights areas at Buzz Gym in Reading that has been recently opened by Adam Stowell.

Adam opens a second gym to claim share of budget market

By Christina Eccles INDEPENDENT gym owner Adam Stowell has opened a second club in Reading after deciding to aim for a share of the budget market before the low cost chains moved into town.

Adam launched Buzz Gym in May, following the success of his first club Advance Gym – a previous National Fitness Awards’ finalist and winner of the Reading Retail Awards’ Service With A Smile trophy.

The two clubs are very different, with Advance focusing on personal training and smaller group sessions, and Buzz aiming to deliver a premium product and levels of service, but at a recession-proof membership price of £19.99 per month, plus online joining and no contract.

Adam explained: “The reason why

we have done this club is that we knew other gyms were going to come into town.

“We felt we could do a better job but knew a certain amount of members would leave (Advance Gym) for a cheaper option.

“So we decided to do what we could to keep members.”

Adam’s prediction that the budget chains would come to Reading proved right, with two low-cost operators moving in around the same time that Buzz opened.

But after investing £1m in the club – and already attracting nearly 3,000 members – he is confident they can withstand the competition.

He added: “Within a 15-minute walk there are five gyms, three months ago there was one.

“But I would rather know what I’m

up against and be able to deal with it than be looking over my shoulder.”

Another benefit of opening up a second club, according to Adam, is that it has also helped Advance to secure its position in what has now become a crowded marketplace.

He has recently launched a new membership offer there to capitalise on the club’s reputation for top quality personal training, where members pay £39.99 a month for a PT session – and their membership is free.

That price also includes membership at Buzz, meaning those who take up this offer get the opportunity to also use the new club at no extra cost.

Adam added: “What’s been really good is that by having this club, we have really found our niche at Advance. The two clubs have to work together – we are part of the same

company. There’s enough competition without us being against each other.”

After a successful start, Adam is already thinking about expanding the Buzz model and told Workout that once they have settled in to Reading, he will be looking to secure more sites around the local area.

He added: “Advance Gym is very unique and we would find it difficult to replicate.

“With Buzz, the concept is doable again and we could go into another town.

“It’s gone much better than I expected.

“I didn’t think after a month or two we would be contemplating another site, but because of how smoothly this has gone, I can see how we could have more gyms quickly.”

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The equipment at Eirias Events Centre High Performance Gym.

Successful gym open to people of all abilities

By Christina Eccles EVERYONE from elite rugby players to community members and local school children are enjoying the facilities at a successful gym in North Wales.

Eirias Events Centre High Performance Gym opened in late 2011, thanks to a partnership between Conwy Borough Council and The Welsh Rugby Union, and is the home of the North West Development Rugby Union Team, as well as being open to members of the public.

Equipment includes a six Olympic lifting station, 30m sprint track, Keiser bikes and a range of functional kit,

including kettlebells, powerbags and medicine balls.

Membership of the club costs £45 per month, with the price also giving members access to the council’s other leisure centres, as well as a busy class timetable, which is proving to be one of its most popular draws.

Fitness instructor Martin Cormack said: “If you do the same classes each week, your body gets used to the same kind of exercise.

“Every two to three months we look at bringing in a different kind of class to offer something new.”

The gym has also been used by professional sports teams, such as the Wakefield Wildcats rugby league team

and Wrexham Football Club, as well as several international teams who utilised the facilities during an International Rugby Union Series.

And according to Martin, although use by elite athletes is an important part of what the club has to offer, it’s also vital, local people realise the facilities are there for them to use too.

He added: “The gym has been done for everyone. A lot of people thought it was just for rugby players so we offered free taster sessions so they could try the facilities out.

“We want to offer as much as we can to the public and we are always looking at different classes or challenges to introduce.”

The UK’s largest tennis operator David Lloyd Leisure has launched a nationwide campaign to get more children into tennis, following Andy Murray’s historic Wimbledon win. As part of this, the operator hosted a Family Festival of Tennis in its racquets clubs open and plans to launch an ambitious outreach project to take its expertise to schools in the community. Chief executive Scott Lloyd said: “Murray’s victory is the biggest boost yet for grassroots participation in tennis in the UK and provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to harness this inspiring achievement to encourage future generations to play.”

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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.

The Metrodome Leisure Complex Tweeted us to say how much they are looking forward to this year’s National Fitness Awards.

Editor’s Comment IT’S hard to believe it was 12 months ago since Olympic fever swept the nation and all eyes were on our Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they made us proud in London.

At the time, it was great to hear how gyms around the country had capitalised on the buzz around the Games, launching special membership offers and in club events to help get more people, more active and leave a lasting legacy.

But a year down the line, has the industry managed to follow through on the public’s initial post Games excitement around fitness and physical activity?

If London 2012 really did make a difference in your club – and is continuing to do so – we would love to hear from you. Similarly, if you think the event had no impact on your membership base or local community, tell us why.

One club which experienced Games’ fever was Surrey Sports Park in Guildford, which provided a training base last year for several teams in the run up to the Olympics and Paralympics. Find out more about how the club is providing world class facilities to all sections of the community in this month’s industry spotlight feature on page 20.

Continuing with the Olympic theme, we also take a look at The Hogarth Club in Chiswick, which has recently invested over £1m in the latest equipment from Technogym – the company which kitted out the Olympic Village gym in Stratford used by the athletes during their stay.

In other news, this month, we have also been gearing up for our bumper September issue, which will not only contain our Leisure Industry Week preview for 2013, but will also celebrate Workout’s 20th anniversary.

Get in touch via email, Facebook or Twitter if you have a story you would like to put forward for this milestone edition and over the next few weeks, look out for one or two special birthday surprises on our social media sites...

Christina Eccles

This month’s big questions put to our followers on Facebook and Twitter ...

Making women aware of the benefits of resistance training review on my mentorship programme #revamped”

Many women aren't aware of resistance training benefits, a survey claims. What can gyms and personal trainers do to change this?

Christina Eccles: “Can't believe @WorkOutUK is almost 20 years old!

Look out for our special birthday issue in September.”

DJ Sweeting: “Tell them the best way to get rid of cellulite is squats and reassurance that resistance training won't make you massive.”

Carly Thornton: “Shouting out to all Gyms!!! If you haven’t entered The National Fitness Awards, get entering, it’s an AWESOME event.”

Laura Sherriff: “Educate and share our knowledge but most of the time it's the media to blame!”

Project:me: “Good question. We find it comes down to trust in our trainers.

Once that is established the results speak for themselves.”

National Fitness Awards: “Time is running out to enter this year’s NFAs... read more about how winning can boost your club in @WorkOutUK or nominate via our website.”

Here’s what our followers have been Tweeting @WorkOutUK this month...

Janice Starkey: “Just read the article about @piloxing in this month's issue, thanks so much for a fabulous, positive write up about the class!”

TheFitnessFactory: “Front door of the gym open and the sun’s shining whilst doing some light reading! @WorkOutUK #greatstarttotheweek” Brendan Chaplin: “Check out @WorkOutUK this month for a cool

BPL Metrodome: “We’re starting to look ahead to this year's @FitnessAwards after a great win last year for the Metrodome! Should be a fab night!”

This month, we asked our social media followers how gyms can promote weight training to women.

Hannah Bryant: “@FitnessAwards @winners2000tqy @Winners2000Pgn @Winners2000Nwt. We will be entering to hold onto our National & Regional Titles!”

This month’s question: The Workout team is looking forward to the forthcoming Lesiure Industry Week. We would like to know what you are looking forward to seeing at this year’s show.

Email your views to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or message us on Facebook or Twitter

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

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James Cracknell OBE, Robert Bray, chief executive Edgbaston Priory Club, Jon Johnston, managing director Johnson Health Tech. (Matrix), Sally Gunnell OBE and Richard Westwood, fitness manager at Edgbaston Priory Club.

Olympic duo open new suite OLYMPIANS and Matrix ambassadors Sally Gunnell and James Cracknell have opened the new fitness suite at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, following a dramatic transformation.

The fitness suite, which includes a gym and exercise studio, features the latest strength and cardiovascular equipment from Matrix and offers those working out panoramic views over the grounds.

It is part of a multi-million pound redevelopment, which also includes a six court indoor tennis centre, new squash courts and a refurbished clubhouse.

Chief executive of Edgbaston

Priory Club Robert Bray said: “The range and quality of the Matrix equipment on offer, combined with the panoramic views over the grounds, provides a very special environment for members to work out in, whilst our dedicated fitness coaches will ensure anyone who walks through our doors will receive a tailored programme to help them achieve their personal goals.

“We are looking forward to working with Matrix in the future to trial new technologies and fitness equipment to ensure Edgbaston Priory Club remains at the forefront of fitness training.”

Gymophobics’ owner Zoe Cooke with TV presenter Suzanne Virdee at the gymothon event

Annual gymothon raises more than £2,000 for charity

By Christina Eccles REDDITCH-based ladies only club Gymophobics has held its third annual annual Circuit for Life event, raising over £2,000 for Cancer Research UK. The 24-hour gymothon was supported by television presenter Suzanne Virdee, who officially opened the event at midday on the Saturday.

17 cancer survivors, both men and women, then completed the gym circuit and were presented with a goodie bag, a glass of champagne and a specially made Survivor Cup Cake.

The event was then opened to the public, with gym members, their family and friends taking part to keep the circuit going for the full 24 hours.

The money raised included proceeds from a tombola, cake and plant sale, book stalls, craft stalls and a variety of competitions.

Area volunteer manager for Cancer Research UK Susan White presented Gymophobics owner Zoë Cooke with a certificate, praising the club for its commitment to fundraising over the

past three years.

Susan said: “I would like to thank The Fundraising Committee of Gymophobics and everyone who attended and took part in the 24 hour circuit for life event, for making the weekend such a huge success and so enjoyable.

“Gymophobics Fundraising Committee are an absolute inspiration and we cannot thank them enough for their continued support and dedication to Cancer Research UK.” Zoë added: “I recently lost a close friend to cancer so this year’s event was especially poignant. The committee, members and staff did an amazing job of organising everything and despite the hard work we all had a lot of fun.”

In total the club has donated over £60,000 to the charity.

Zoe and the team have also been recognised for their charity work at The National Fitness Awards, scooping the trophy for Community Involvement in 2011.

OCL appoints manager and brings sales and membership in-house OLDHAM Community Leisure has brought its sales and membership teams in-house for the first time and recruited a new membership manager, Andy Bryan.

Andy previously worked for Impact Sales, the external sales company used by OCL. In his new role he will be responsible for overseeing the management of employees and resources within the sales team, to ensure OCL meets and exceeds the needs of its

customers.

Andy said: “I’ve been sub-contracted to OCL for almost three years now and have always felt part of the ‘family’.

“Seeing the transformations some people go through after they’ve joined always puts a smile on my face and I’m looking forward to helping facilitate the changes that are planned over the next few years and to help Oldham Community Leisure reach its goals.”

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With a successful, large-scale fitness event and an awards’ shortlisting under their belt, the team at Surrey Sports Park have seen 2013 get off to a flying start – and with more ambitious plans in the pipeline, this momentum shows no sign of slowing down. Christina Eccles took a look around.

An aerial view of Surrey Sports Park which has many world class facilities including a 50m indoor swimming pool, a two-lane 60m sprint trackand a climbing centre (right).

Multi-million pound facilities cater for whole community TOP squads including the Harlequins rugby team, netball Superleague club Surrey Storm and UK top five swimming club Guildford City have all chosen Surrey Sports Park to be their permanent training base, meaning you never know who you might bump into in the gym.

Owned by the University of Surrey, the multi-million pound facility is designed to cater for all sections of the community and by offering a range of top quality facilities, manages to successfully meet the needs of the university’s students and staff, local people and elite athletes, who all happily train alongside each other.

Health and fitness manager Joanne

Wade said: “Having teams like Harlequins here adds to the atmosphere.

“Every day is different – you never know who is going to be in.

“I like that variety and also the mix of sport and fitness together. And from a team perspective, everyone gets on really well. One of the things I really love about working here is the people.”

The facility opened in 2010, replacing the university’s existing sports facilities, which although popular, needed to be bigger to cater to growing demand.

Previously, the university’s sporting activities available were also split over

two sites, so expansion had the added bonus of being able to bring everything together into one place.

Head of operations Richard Bean added: “The university had had a lot of success with participation from students and with community use, so there was a need to expand.

“We went for a new build as we had the land available and the old facilities weren’t DDA compliant.

“The original plan was to replicate the existing facility but our vice chairman’s dream was to also have a pool.

“From there, the vision sort of exploded and it went from being a university centre to much more of a community facility.”

Having such an impressive facility on its Guildford-based campus, also acts as a great selling point for the university and Surrey Sports Park has become an important focal point on tours for prospective students.

Richard added: “It has given us the opportunity to use sport to raise the profile of the university. In all of the open days, the Sports Park is a big driver and focus of the university tours.

“One of our success stories is that we manage to be a multi-use facility for every level of sport.

“All our facility is designed to cater for elite athletes but also for use by everyone else.”

Surrey Sports Park in short...

One of the busiest periods in the club’s year is September to October when the students return to the university for the start of the new term.

Last year, staff held about 1,200 inductions in two weeks, but created a separate area for student membership sign up to make the process easier and minimise disruption for existing members.

In the gym, classes are proving really popular, with favourite sessions among members including Zumba and Body Pump.

Last year, the club was used as a pre-Games training camp for several Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Teams which utilised the facilities ahead of London 2012 included the GB Basketball squad, US Triathlon competitors and the Chinese Synchronised Swimming team.

Members of the team recently attended the ukactive and Matrix Flame Awards in Telford where Surrey Sports Park successfully made the shortlist in the Educational Club of the Year – Universities category.

Functional training is also a big

More than 700 people attended the UK’s first Fitness Festival.

The gym’s cardio area. hit with members and to encourage them to try new things, the gym has introduced a large matted area for functional exercises and fast, small group classes.

Plans are already in place to make Surrey Sports Park even bigger and better. A further three football pitches will be ready in about 18 months, with planning consent in place for two more. Eventually, phase two of the site will see another centre of a similar size built alongside it, expanding the offering even further.

Fitness festival a success SURREY Sports Park recently held the UK’s first Fitness Festival, which was such as success, plans are now being discussed to make it an annual event.

Over 700 fitness fans flocked to the venue for the festival, enjoying a day of fitness classes, seminars and workshops across four different arenas and stages.

Sessions on offer included Zumba, Bokwa, Spinning and Les Mills classes, with top instructors and presenters – including UK master Zumba trainer Caroline Parsons – on hand to put participants through their paces.

A dedicated retail village also gave attendees a chance to grab some unique fitness bargains before BBC’s So You Think You Can Dance? finalist Lizzie Gough closed the festival with a street dance master class.

Surrey Sports Park events manager Rob Mitchell added: “People enjoyed a great party atmosphere throughout the day and despite the hot weather everyone got involved and enjoyed a real good workout with some of the industry’s leading names.

“We’re already planning for next year.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Operators wanted to make survey most comprehensive

The refurbished Fitness Factory in Coventry.

Ambitious plans result in gym’s space doubled

By Christina Eccles GYM owner Ray Allison has completed an ambitious expansion project – almost doubling the floor space at his Coventry club by adding a second storey.

Former competitive powerlifter Ray, who runs Fitness Factory with his two sons, has increased the size of the gym to 11,000 sqft, after noticing the club was getting busier and busier and expansion was necessary to keep existing members happy – and attract new ones.

Expanding the club has allowed him to create a dedicated cardio and boxing area upstairs and a vast weights section downstairs, which includes over 30 pieces of Hammer Strength equipment.

And he is already noticing a difference, with membership up since the work took place.

He said: “We haven’t had a tremendous increase because we haven’t really advertised it yet, but I’ve

noticed numbers are up by about 10 per cent. I’ve still got a few bits and pieces to do and then I’m planning to do an advertising campaign later in the year. When that’s done, I’m hoping it will be up to about 20 per cent.”

Ray added current members are also really happy with the changes because they can now get on the equipment more easily.

The refit has also helped the club to attract a wider female audience, who prefer that the cardio equipment is in a separate area to the weights section, giving them more privacy.

Ray added: “My customers travel past other gyms to get here and they only do that because the equipment we have is second to none.

“I’ve now got the gym somewhere near to how I want it. But I’ll never stop spending money and keep freshening it up.

“I’m really pleased with the way it’s turned out. It’s the best gym I’ve ever been in – and I’m not just saying that because it’s my gym.”

LEISURE-net Solutions has launched the 11th Health and Fitness Omnibus Survey – and is looking for operators to get involved by handing out the questionnaire in their areas.

In a bid to make HAFOS 2013 the most comprehensive street-based survey carried out to date, Leisure-net is hoping to question more than 1000 consumers during September and is looking for clubs to help with the task.

Operators taking part will benefit from a community survey at a significant discount on the usual market price, as well as getting their results benchmarked against the national benchmarks that HAFOS establishes.

Leisure-net managing director Mike Hill said: “Last year’s HAFOS revealed a dramatic shift in consumers’ perceptions towards this industry – for the first time, the majority of the pub-

lic said they want to do more exercise.

But our research also seemed to suggest we’re still not harnessing this desire or using it to its full potential.

“HAFOS 2013 will enable us to further examine exactly what incentivises people to exercise and so help us understand how we can attract more members through the door.

“One of the areas that this year’s HAFOS will focus on will be the attraction of low-cost or budget gyms to non exercisers; looking at whether a low entry point for joining gyms is going to bring in a whole new group of members.”

Operators taking part in HAFOS 2013 will receive up to 40 per cent off the normal charges for a community survey.

Results will be released in November.

A member at The Triangle Leisure Centre has been inspired to train as a fitness instructor after losing 12 stone working out at the club. Tim Best joined the GP referral programme at the centre – operated by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Mid Sussex District Council – in March 2010. His programme worked so well that not only did he lose the weight, he was inspired to join the industry himself to help others. In February, he qualified as an Aqua fit instructor and is now working towards becoming a gym instructor, with plans to do an indoor cycling qualification later in the year.

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Nuffield to undertake MoD tests NUFFIELD Health has partnered with the Ministry of Defence to undertake fitness tests of prospective new recruits for the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force.

About 13,300 tests will be run per year, with 36 of Nuffield Health’s Fitness and Wellbeing Centres, hospitals and medical centres taking part.

The testing is administered by Nuffield Health wellbeing advisers and physiologists who assess candidates for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines by asking them to complete a 2.4km treadmill run.

Candidates for the Royal Air Force also undergo a body strength test of press ups and sit ups.

Unsuccessful candidates will be offered the chance to increase their fitness and will be given guest passes and a training programme to use the centres before a possible re-test.

New gym approved PLANS for a two-storey gym at Shaw Lane Rugby Club in Barnsley have been approved by planners.

Agent Peter Thompson applied for the development on behalf of David Clayton in April.

The idea is to provide somewhere for user groups, consisting mainly of vulnerable people, to take part in activities to improve their health, self-esteem and well being.

The plans show the gym will house a fitness area together with a multi-purpose social, learning and activity area and a community cafe.

Michael Vaughan with children at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Picture: Getty Images.

Ex-England captain wants people to join him on cycle challenge

By Christina Eccles FORMER England cricketer Michael Vaughan is urging fitness professionals – and their clients – to join him on an epic charity challenge.

Michael will be leading a team of riders on a charity bike ride during the One Day Internationals between England and Australia later this summer.

The team will travel 462 miles in 12 days to raise money to improve children's lives through the power of sport, with funds supporting the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and Chance to Shine campaign.

Michael explained: “I’m an ambassador for Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and I also support The Cricket Foundation and both organisations provide sporting opportuni-

ties for children in the UK. “I have undertaken a number of charity bike rides for Laureus over the past few years so it made sense to arrange an event around the One Day Internationals between England and Australia.”

Michael has also enlisted some of his celebrity friends to join him along the way and added he would love to see gym owners or personal trainers, plus their members, taking part or lining the route to cheer the team along.

He added: “We all have a passion for sport and keeping fit so it would be great to have some fitness professionals join us.

“I’m training hard to get fit ahead of the bike ride but fitness professionals are already prepared. The ride isn’t going to be easy but we’re raising

money for a good cause and that will make all the hard work worth it.

“Workout readers can sign up for the ride by visiting www.chancetoride.co.uk and registering. We’re hoping to encourage at least 50 fundraisers per stage to join me and some of my friends such as Andrew Strauss and Victoria Pendleton as we cycle through England and Wales and we would be delighted if Workout readers signed up.

“It would be great if gyms could promote the ride by including the website link on notice boards or in their emails to members.

“The exact route and schedule for the ride is on the website so if members want to come out and cheer or even fundraise along the route, that would be fantastic. All the proceeds are going to great causes.”

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How do we get more adults to become gym members?

By Matthew Januszek, Escape Fitness ACCORDING to the recent IHRSA Global Report, the UK currently has 7.6m people who are members of health clubs, the third highest member rate in the world, behind only USA (50.2) and Germany (7.9).

Third place in the league table is a commendable effort but, with a population of roughly 63m, that means some 55m people are not walking through the doors of UK clubs.

So, why is this? Is the product and service being offered varied enough?

Does it appeal to all or is it a case of those in the know excel, while those out of the loop simply pass by with no one reaching out? Does that mean that the marketing is incorrect? Is the will of those not involved simply not there?

It would be a dangerous business assumption to agree with the last of those questions. Looking back 12 months and the Olympics took the UK by storm, quickly followed by the Paralympics which demonstrated that disability is no barrier to getting, and staying, fit. I have spoken before in this column about the evolving landscape of the industry and how it’s vital to stay competitive by not fighting the competition on the grounds of price, how it’s more important to give people what they want: results and a good time.

Sections of society such as the elderly, or children, want to have a good time and are as in need of engaging fitness and workout opportunities as anyone else out there.

The IHRSA Annual Health Club Consumer Report from last year found that the average age of a health club member, who uses a club a minimum of 100 days, is 42.9 years, while a House of Commons report on Population Aging from last year stated there are over 10m people in the UK over the age of 65, an 80 percent increase since 1951. It would be unwise to think that those over the age of 65 are frail and housebound,

Matthew Januszek more likely they have an active life and have deposable income.

This again comes back to fighting the competition on the grounds of price; don’t be afraid to charge for a premium service. Be proud of your club, the equipment you have, the experience you offer and the level of education and knowledge your trainers have. And market that accordingly.

Think about the services you provide and open them up to all, welcome everyone.

Think about how you name certain sections of your club, for example.

Don’t give your free weight area an overly aggressive name because that may have a negative effect on beginners and alienate certain sections of your membership. Removing barriers such as this opens the door for everyone to get involved.

With the barriers gone, creating that all important sense of community within your facility becomes a little easier. Think back to when you were a child and how you made friends with virtually everyone. Creating that environment for children to socialise means you become the centre of their playtime. If you get them involved in fitness now then that mindset will

stick with them for years to come.

At the other end of the spectrum, the elderly often venture to community centres for that feeling of companionship. Embracing that and providing workout classes for this age group can result in your classes providing that same service, creating friendships and ensuring they’re having a good time around a common focus.

Creating a playground for both young and old means that working out and staying fit is all about having fun with a smile on your face. Put simply, if people in your club are laughing and smiling then they’ll keep coming back for more.

The more targeted your marketing is, the wider cross section of society you’ll be able to reach. The ‘one size fits all approach’ doesn’t really wash, it’s important to be savvy and channel your energies in the right direction.

Specific marketing for specific social groups will result in a better outcome and ultimately open your club up to a wider demographic.

The best way to do this is to think about what you’re saying. The term ‘fitness’ is a broad one, maybe too broad. The correct wording is a great way to differentiate your offering from that of the competition. Don’t run the risk of being grouped into a generic ‘fitness’ club if what you’re offering is genuinely specific and specialist as you’ll end up being automatically compared to others on the grounds of price.

If your message is then supported by high quality, inclusive equipment with trainers whose knowledge means that no piece of equipment in your club is seen as intimidating then you’ll have the tools in place to ensure that when an individual walks through the doors of your club they’ll be on to a winner. They’ll also be smiling when they eventually leave.

It would be interesting to know your thoughts on the issue of creating a community for all in your club, let me know what you think at marketing@escapefitness.com

Council in free offer

A group of top Team GB athletes have joined forces with operator Virgin Active, as part of a drive to encourage people to try new sports. 2012 Olympic silver medalist gymnast Louis Smith, boxing gold medalist Nicola Adams, taekwondo gold medalist Jade Jones and Paralympic sprinter Sophia Warner make up Team VA. Throughout this year, each athlete will try a new sport as they take part in high profile events including Prudential RideLondon and Bloomberg Square Mile Relay.

HARROW Council is offering free fitness training this summer in its outdoor gyms.

The council has recruited a team of Outdoor Gym Activators – volunteer sports trainers who will be helping the community use the outdoor gyms – to encourage people to become more active and make use of the area’s outdoor spaces.

The Harrow Community Sport and Physical Activity Network project has been funded by Harrow Council and delivered in partnership with Harrow Public Health, Harrow Sports Development and Stanmore College.

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Learning from the franchise model

By Dave Wright IN the best selling business book, “EMyth: Why Most Small Businesses Fail and What To Do About It,” Michael E Gerber talks about how individual small businesses need to set up their business as if they were to become a franchise.

Franchise businesses are businesses that have well developed clear systems and processes that enable a competent franchisee to pick up the “business in a box,” follow the instructions and provide the same consistent product, service or experience to customers as another franchisee would provide at a different location. Subway, Starbucks and McDonald’s are perfect examples of how a slick franchise looks and operates – no matter where you go in the country you can expect and receive the exact same product and service – every time.

The problem many independent clubs face is the success of the business relies on excellent people (usually themselves) rather than excellent systems. As a result if the owner/manager goes on holiday or is away for a period of time, the systems fall apart or are less effective in producing the same results or experience if the owner/manager was present. If this relates to you, perhaps it is time to consider how to turn your business into a franchise model business.

ness. Then provide this in a contact book for your manager and team so they know who they should talk to when sourcing quotes or information for a particular item.

Here are seven simple tips to set your club up like a franchise: 1) The instruction manual The manual should cover everything, from how to open the doors through to where to source the toilet paper from. The more it explains the less you need to be involved. Your manuals will need to include the guidelines and processes for all customer service elements – from answering the phone through to dealing with cancelling members.

2) Mission, Vision and Core Services Have a clear vision of what your business is and where it is heading. Are you a high or low service facility, a functional training or general training facility, a high cost or low cost facility.

Make your vision clear for your customers and staff, so they know what they are a part of and what they are working towards.

Dave Wright

3) The values In line with your vision are the above the line and below the line values that the business and staff represent.

Something as simple as being ‘clean, safe and friendly’ is an easy process and character for your club to stand by.

5) Job descriptions From reception staff through to the manager, a specific description of what the job involves and how their performance will be reviewed. Having clear expectations makes it easy to manage, evaluate and identify possible those that perform above or below what is required and expected.

4) The numbers Set out and identify your KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) so that you know what you are looking at and Sportsart Fitness has appointed Alan Ellis as managing director for its UK business. Alan joins after seven years at fitness equipment manufacturer Cybex International UK, in which time he was promoted to national key accounts manager and was central to the sustained growth of Cybex in the UK. Alan said: “We have a great chance of creating a major new player in the fitness equipment market in SportsArt Fitness, building on the company’s existing position with a focus on delivering the same success in the UK that its other international territories have achieved.

Alan Ellis is pictured left.

what you’re looking for. To identify the numbers that are important to you, imagine you are on a desert island and are only allowed one postcard per week… the information that would be on that postcard to give you all the information about your business is a starting point.

6) The key suppliers Work out a short list of suppliers from each different element of your busi-

7) The marketing One thing that most franchise businesses do well is the representation and consistency of their brand through their marketing and advertising. Everything from name tags to logos should be consistent and identifiable to their brand. You know when you have created a brand when you can drop your logo and club address from an advert and your market knows that it’s your club.

Setting up systems in your club in a ‘franchise like’ manner will not only allow you to create a professional organization, but it can allow you to go on holidays to ‘smell the roses’ with absolute comfort that your club is in good hands. That is in the hands of a system.

Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM and creator of MYZONE, a global company with over 300 staff that have served the international fitness community for over 23 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 ukactive and founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite). He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

Cybex installs at centre CYBEX International UK has installed a range of cardiovascular and strength training equipment at Waitrose Regional Distribution Centre in Leyland, Lancashire.

This is the second Waitrose facility to be equipped by Cybex, following an install in Bracknell in 2011, and is an extension of Cybex’s partnership with Nuffield Health, who will manage the on-site gym.

Equipment installed includes treadmills, total body Arc Trainers and upright bikes from the 625 series, Bravo functional trainer and strength equipment from the VR1 range. The gym is the latest addition to a growing number of corporate sites the company has installed with Nuffield Health, which includes facilities at Network Rail, Deutsche Bank, and Lloyds Banking Group.

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challengechristina

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Described as the world’s first virtual bootcamp, OSP Bootcamps are attracting people from all over the world to take part in dedicated fitness and nutrition ‘missions’, designed to get them in peak condition. Christina Eccles found out more – and joined the quest for the perfect beach body.

Bootcamps are centred around specific goals FOUNDER Liam Sartorius, originally created the first mission – Operation Six Pack – for his own personal training clients.

An eight-week plan, it included detailed workouts and nutritional advice to help participants get that all important six-pack, plus daily motivational tips and advice, via an invite only Facebook group.

Feedback from the mission showed people enjoyed the challenge – and were delighted with the results – encouraging Liam to think about how the concept could work long-term and benefit those in other areas, which he couldn’t reach out to with personal training sessions.

He explained: “I’ve been a freelance personal trainer since 2003 and the majority of what I was doing was focused around nutrition and weight management.

“In March 2012, I launched Operation Six Pack for my clients – the goal was to get a six-pack in eight weeks.

“I had no intention when I started, to run regular bootcamps but everyone loved it. Since then I’ve done one every month, each focusing on a different challenge to keep people interested.”

Each mission is centred around achieving a specific goal and, thanks to the different levels of workout provided, are suitable for anyone from complete beginners right up to those who are already physically active.

Founder Liam Sartorius and typical meals you can eat on one of his challenges.

The nutrition plans are also devised to deliver fat loss, with people encouraged to make healthy food choices and try out new recipes, many of which are shared with fellow participants via the Facebook group.

Liam added: “All the plans I design are based on clean nutrition, as most

people who do them want to lose weight.

“I’ve had some people who have been doing them from the start. Some are really committed and have seen amazing results.”

Thanks to the power of social media and recommendations, the word has

now spread far beyond Liam’s own client base, with people signing up from all over the world to take part in his missions.

His most recent project was Operation Beach Bum, a 28-day plan created to help participants achieve the perfect beach body.

He added: “Most people say they are very much alone when they do other plans. If I see my clients once a week for one hour, what happens for the rest of the week? The Facebook group means I can keep an eye on them, keep them motivated and also answer any questions they have. They also benefit from social support from like minded people.”

When Liam spoke to Workout, he was gearing up to start his next mission, Operation Summer Strip, with another in the pipeline focusing on endurance and one introducing people to the Paleo diet.

On average about 80 people take part in each mission – the most he’s had being 130 – but he said his ultimate goal would be to have 200.

He added: “It has grown bigger than I expected it would and it’s also been a big boost to my income, as I run them alongside my existing personal trainer business.

“For me now, it’s about letting more people know about it and getting lots of referrals. I’ve got no intention of making the business huge but if I can get up to 200 on a mission, that would be perfect.”

Experience has boosted my confidence WHEN Liam invited me to take part in his last plan, Operation Beach Bum, I was slightly apprehensive...

What if the exercises were too difficult? What if I couldn’t follow the nutrition plan? How easy would it be to keep motivated without actually meeting my trainer face-to-face?

The mission of this 28-day group challenge was to sculpt the perfect beach body, achieved through a combination of smart nutritional choices and workouts focusing on toning and shaping the bum and thighs – ideal to help us all get in shape for summer.

The plan started on a Monday and the Friday before, Liam emailed over everything I would need, so I could use the weekend to prepare and read up on what I could expect for the duration of the challenge.

My pack included a useful list of food options, recipe ideas, a food diary – which I needed to fill in each day – and a workout plan, split into

three levels – beginner, advanced and elite.

As it was my first mission, I decided to play it safe and go for beginner, which meant my task by the end of the 28 days was to be able to do 70 squats in 10 minutes (for elite level participants, this rose to 150).

Foods were also split into three categories: Lean, Green, Marine; High Energy Clean and Dirty and we were told to eat 35 blocks per week – equalling three meals and two snacks each day.

The aim was to eat LGM foods for 25 blocks, HEC foods for seven blocks and Dirty foods for just three blocks each week in order to maximise fat loss.

We were also sent an invitation to join the Facebook group, which would prove a useful tool for us all as the weeks progressed.

I thought the Facebook group worked really well, with many participants actively using it to post

recipe ideas, workout videos and encouraging words of support.

Liam also ran a popular weekly Hall of Fame where each Sunday, he asked people to vote for those who deserved a mention for their hard work during the week – another good motivational tool.

Being in the middle of a busy few weeks myself and with weekends filling up with weddings, hen parties and birthday celebrations, at times it was difficult to stick 100 per cent to the plan. But the workouts were broken down into manageable chunks, which made them easier to fit in and support from the group proved invaluable on ‘dip days’ when energy levels were low and it would have been easy to give into temptation.

The most useful part of the experience for me was increasing my knowledge about nutrition.

Although, I would consider myself to be a fairly healthy eater, I found I learned a lot over the course of the

month, picking up some useful recipe ideas to make my meal times more varied and gaining inspiration from what other people were posting online.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of taking part and, collectively, feedback from the group was that people had achieved some Christina put to the test... great results with this plan.

Along with my fellow bootcampers, I’m now looking forward to hitting the beach more confidently this summer!

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group exercise A-Z part two

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In the second part of Workout’s group exercise A-Z feature, this month we focus on letters I - Q...

The A to Z of group exercise

I

– Indoor Cycling

FITNESS First has launched a new group cycling class based on the training techniques used by Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton.

Victoria Pendleton Pro Cycling is broken down into three varying classes; Individual Sprint focusing on speed, Team Sprint to test power and Keirin to increase endurance.

Each 30 minute class has been created with Victoria and Fitness First instructors to ensure the content is truly reflective of her training and cycling technique and sessions are set to some of her favourite tunes.

Victoria said: “I’ve worked very closely with the Fitness First team to create this class which is a great representation of both my training techniques and the performance intensity when racing. I am passionate about getting more people fit and healthy so this class is definitely a great way of achieving this.”

K

– Kettlebells

INSPIRED by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood films, Just Jhoom! classes are proving popular at Freedom Leisure clubs.

The sessions incorporate Indian dance moves and Bollywood music to provide a fun and effective workout which capitalises on the popularity of dance fitness sessions.

Just Jhoom! which literally translates to ‘Just Dance,’ draws on a range of

L

FITNESS instructor Karen Casadei came out of retirement to teach kettlebell classes because she liked the product so much.

She currently leads a weekly session at Penistone Leisure Centre in South Yorkshire and also incorporates kettlebell training into the bootcamp workouts she delivers with fellow fitness professional, Alex Seckham.

She added: “I believe in it 100 per cent as a great tool to mix cardio and weights into a single workout.”

M

J

Just Jhoom!

dance styles from classical Indian to Bhangra with some jive and jazz thrown in to mix it up.

Group exercise co-ordinator at Freedom Leisure, Yvette Meredith, said: “Dance fitness fans love Just Jhoom!

“It’s seriously energetic, loads of fun and very tongue-in-cheek. It focuses on raising the heart rate and burning fat.”

– Les Mills

– Metafit

GROUP workout Metafit is going down a storm on Jersey where fitness professionals Andy Glover and Cat Boyle have teamed up to deliver the workouts.

Created by a former Royal Marine Commando and a national gymnast, Metafit combines traditional bodyweight exercises with the latest interval and Tabata techniques.

Cat and Andy started teaching in May with two sessions per week, which has now grown to 13, with more in the pipeline.

Cat explained: “What appealed to me about Metafit was the practical

and time efficient whole body work out that accommodates and challenges all fitness levels and abilities.

“Andy and I felt very passionate that we wanted to give our customers access to the quickest workout session in the Islands, without having to join a gym, use equipment or be subject to choreography and dance sessions. Our session numbers are kept limited to 24 with both of us coaching because we wanted the sessions to feel like group coaching, ensuring our clients are continually improving technique and we are there to regress or progress moves.”

NEW technology from group exercise specialists Les Mills has been introduced into two Sheffield gyms.

Les Mills’ Smartbar improves the use of barbell weight systems by allowing fast and seamless plate changeovers.

The new equipment was launched at specially run classes at SIV’s Hillsborough Leisure Centre and Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, where 150 people tried them out.

Corporate health and fitness manager Peter Clark said: “Since the launch,

attendance at Fitness Unlimited Body Pump classes has increased by almost 15 per cent.

“Everyone enjoyed the specially run launch classes and now customers are really eager to use Les Mills’ Smartbar technology in their workouts.

“The simplicity and effectiveness of Smartbar’s design allow users to handle heavier weights and fatigue their target muscles, which will maximise their workouts.

“It is a superb addition for our members and instructors.”

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group exercise A-Z part two

N

– Netball

SINCE 2010, over 30,000 women have started playing netball again through England Netball’s award winning Back to Netball programme.

Sessions provide a gentle reintroduction to the game for women over 16 and are led by qualified coaches. Anyone interested can just turn up, sessions are pay and play, and cover basic skills like passing and footwork, plus the chance to play in a fun match.

Gyms interested in setting up their own sessions can get involved by contacting their County Netball Development Officer, via the England Netball website, who will identify a coach to help to promote the scheme.

Fitness professionals can also consider undertaking their netball coaching qualifications to enable them to deliver the sessions themselves.

P

Q

– Qualifications

A MERSEYSIDE gym manager is running successful outdoor bootcamps, which are proving popular with both members and non members.

David Melling, who manages Klick Fitness Aintree, runs hour-long bootcamps twice a week at nearby Aintree Racecourse – aimed at encouraging participants to try different types of exercise and make working out fun.

He said: “The camp is designed to

– Primal Move

TO meet the demand for functional fitness classes, Freedom Leisure is now offering Primal Move.

The class encompasses fundamental and functional movements which mimic and support natural everyday moves like bending, twisting, stretching, turning, sitting down and standing up.

Participants learn to move freely, with ease, strength, resilience and speed. The class is set to music but the instructor says very little, if anything. The warm up is done with no verbal instruction allowing partici-

O

– Outdoor bootcamps

pants to be fully in the present moment.

Fitness manager at Freedom Leisure Steve Collins said: “Primal Move brings together a range of natural movements, many of which we did effortlessly as children such as crawling, squatting and rolling.

“The class combines elements of yoga, martial arts and gymnastics in a range of easy-to-follow, free-flowing movements.

“This not only benefits everyday movements, it also enhances ability in other sports.”

EXCELLENT qualifications are necessary to keep the group exercise industry regulated, safe and effective, according to the experts at The Training Room.

Instructors must keep up their professional development by continuing their learning through CPD courses – and recognising trustworthy and responsible training providers has never been more important.

Head of training at The Training

train every body part using some of the famous sections of the racecourse.

“I use the Princess Royal stand for stair climbs and assault course obstacles. I use the Tatterstall Mound for hill sprints, tyre pushes and walking lunges.

“We have two sections of open grass where I operate team games, core circuits and upper body circuits with kettlebells or weighted plates.”

Room Lucy Jackson said: “Top qualifications result in top quality personal trainers and class instructors.

“Top quality instructors will deliver the best possible group exercise sessions that will keep customers coming back for more.

“We immerse students in a professional environment from the outset, helping them develop their employability while they enhance their knowledge and experience.”

Look out for next month’s Workout when we will be revealing part three of our group exercise A-Z, focusing on letters R – Z. If you have an idea for any of those letters, email details to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook.

Advertising opportunities are also available – contact dl@scriptmedia.co.uk or 01226 734699.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

What’s your difference?

By Allan Collins WHEN it comes to business and products, what sets your product or business apart from the rest of the crowd?

Some may say the best products or the new innovative method of training. Some may say staff. But, unless you have exclusivity, then products, methods, and education courses for fitness professionals are available to your competitors as well.

Sometimes it can be the little things that make the difference between good and amazing, in relation to how your new class, service or product is perceived by your customers.

For example, on a recent trip to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, I walked through the park in the very centre of the financial district and spotted a great example of this exact thing: how paying attention to the small details can really pay dividends.

Practically in the shadow of the Petronas twin towers, this park is a perfect opportunity for financial high flyers to relax with a walk in nature or maybe a run.

So what small detail would a forward-thinking developer do to make a park more accessible and specific for runners or walkers? Well as the image shown clearly displays, Kuala Lumpur stands apart from every other park that I have been to with a couple of innovative modifications: distance markings and specialised flooring.

The distance markings mean that runners can run laps and know exactly how far they have gone without GPS, Nike+ or any other electronic gadgets. Simple, low cost and just a small consideration which makes the life of active users just that little bit easier.

Allan Collins As you can also see from the image, they have also laid a different surface to run on, rather than the brick pavement to the side of it. Not only will it designate this “lane” as being designed for walkers/runners, more importantly, it provides significant bio-mechanical benefits. This surface is designed to absorb stress, thus decreasing the potential for stressrelated injuries like shin splits which are very common with runners. What a difference this could make over five to 10 years to the active users of this park.

That was the first thing I thought when I saw this – these two small things, that make this park stand out from the parks that I use for doing my sprint work in Bristol. Someone had taken a little bit of time to really think how some small attentions to detail may not only help the active users of this facility, but also maybe attract others to use it for this purpose as

Kuala Lumpur Park. well. So, when you next implement your new functional training area, or class, or product or service, just take a walk in the park for an hour and really think what small attention to details may make for their success.

Allan Collins is director of education at Jordan Fitness and author of the Complete Guides to Kettlebell Training, Functional Training and Exercise Physiology.

Winners of ukactive and Matrix Flame awards announced

By Christina Eccles THE winners of the 2013 ukactive and Matrix Flame Awards have been announced at the Ball of Fire ceremony in Telford.

The ball is the finale of the annual Flame Conference and attracted about 800 people to The International Centre in Telford.

This year’s winners were: Leisure Centre of the Year: Fareham Leisure Centre.

Club of the Year (under 1,000): Spirit Health Clubs Gloucester.

Club of the Year (1,000-3,000): Chartham Park Golf and Country Club.

Club of the Year (over 3,000): Ribby Hall Village Sport and Leisure.

Corporate Club of the Year: WoodLand and Wellbeing Centre – Jaguar Land Rover.

Educational Club of the Year – Universities: Aberdeen Sports Village Educational Club of the Year – Schools: Featherstone Sports Centre.

Future of Flame: Matt Briggs, Slimming World.

Spark of Innovation – Product: GYMetrix.

Approximately 800 people attended the Ball of Fire ceremony.

Spark of Innovation – Programme: NK Outreach Team, Leisure Connection.

Health Club Operator of the Year: Spirit Health Clubs.

Leisure Centre Operator of the Year: DC Leisure. ukactive CEO David Stalker said: “I’d like to congratulate all our finalists who prove year-on-year just what our

sector is capable of.

“The standard was once again staggeringly high and every winner truly earned their award. Exceptional customer service coupled with concise operational ability were prevalent right across the board. The sector is getting better and better and I hope this year’s winners inspire others to just keep on improving.”

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Beth Tweddle and Steve Parry with partners.

Olympians help launch Legacy Games project

By Christina Eccles OLYMPIANS Beth Tweddle and Steve Parry joined representatives from Everyone Active and Fit For Sport to launch a new initiative, which has pledged to get more youngsters into physical activity.

The group visited the Everyone Active David Weir Leisure Centre in Carshalton for the first Legacy Games – inspiring 1,000 seven to 11 year olds in a day of sports and activity.

The Legacy Games aims to deliver the legacy of sport that was promised to children after London 2012. As part of this, Fit for Sport and Everyone Active have pledged to work together to engage 500,000 children across the UK in sport and activity to encourage a healthy, active lifestyle.

The event was their first joint venture and marked the start of the national initiative.

CEO of ukactive David Stalker said: “The Legacy Games is an inspiring project and I’m pleased to see two ukactive vanguard members joining forces to deliver this legacy for chil-

dren’s sport.

“There was a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm from the schools and the success of the day proves there is demand for this programme.

“I wish Fit For Sport and Everyone Active the best of luck as they roll it out across other areas in the coming months.”

Throughout the day, the youngsters tried out a range of activities, with Beth and Steve presenting medals at the end of the day in a closing ceremony.

Everyone Active South East regional director Duncan Jefford added: “It was fantastic to see so many children getting active and being engaged in sport at our David Weir Leisure Centre.

“Like everyone else I was excited by the promise of a legacy of sport for children after London 2012. But the reality is, communities, councils, leisure venues and sports providers must work together to make this happen. Projects like the Sutton Legacy Games will send out a strong and positive message.”

Personal trainer Beki Johnson has tackled a Race for Life event with a twist – Powerhooping her way around the course. Hull-based Beki completed the 5k race in 47 minutes, even managing to jog some of the way while still hooping. She added: “It was very tiring, and a struggle to keep it going towards the end, but it was a good day all in all. My next venture is performing at Hull Pride.”

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LOCKERS

Fit Interiors supplies club with luxury Italian lockers

Kitlock 1200 removes the hassle of keys WITH thousands of lockers to manage, luxury European health club chain HealthCity were spending far too much time and money sorting out issues with keys – so they asked Paul Rinket, an interior architect at Trivium Interieurontwerp, to look for a more convenient solution.

KitLock 1200 is an electronic lock designed specifically for securing changing room lockers. Fitted in place of a standard cam lock, it provides simple keypad access without the hassle of keys. Instead, access is gained by entering a four-digit code.

Members simply enter the code, lock and go, free to enjoy the gym without having to carry a key around.

Paul said: “I initially requested a

KitLock sample for HealthCity to try.

“When it arrived, the lock took about 10 minutes to install, this compared to 30 minutes for another brand we tried.

“With so many lockers to update, we also needed a lock with a sufficiently long battery life; otherwise we’d be continually changing batteries.

“The KitLock 1200 provides 50,000 openings from just two AAA batteries, so it was perfect for our requirements.

“Occasionally a club member forgets their code, but getting access to the locked locker is easy – a member of staff simply keys in a technician code, a process far easier than having to retrieve a master key, or break into the locker.”

STYLISH Italian locker manufacturer Fit Interiors adds pop icon Madonna to their growing list of prestigious clients, with an order to fit out her new Hard Candy Health Club in Rome.

The Italian locker designer is the only truly global specialist locker manufacturer in the world.

Distributing in more than 15 countries throughout Europe and the Middle East, they will shortly set up a new showroom in New York as part of their global expansion plan.

Fit Interiors export manager Giovanni Amati said: “We have been designing and manufacturing lockers for the health club industry for more than 35 years.

“We take pride in the styling and design of our lockers but also in the build quality.”

Fit Interiors, part of Gruppo P&G, have developed an enviable client list supplying major health club chains, and most recently the new Technogym Wellness Centre at the Technogym Head Quarters near Rimini, Italy.

As part of the company’s continued expansion programme Fit Interiors appointed gym equipment specialist Gymkit UK as their new UK distributor this year.

Managing director of Gymkit UK Howard Braband added: “We are delighted to represent Fit Interiors

in the UK. They bring with them a wealth of experience in locker design and changing room layout, with full 3D renders on request, and a huge range of locker designs and finishes.”

Fit Interiors also offers a bespoke design and manufacturing service for reception counters and lounge furniture, for a seamless style theme throughout – from reception and lounge to lockers.

Gymkit UK has itself secured a number of prestigious clients in the UK already, supplying Harrods boss Mohammed al Fayed’s new VIP health club in Essex, and a number of sites for luxury hotel chain DeVere.

For further details contact free phone 0808 256 2893, visit www.fitinteriors.co.uk or www.gymkituk.com

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Guru and former athlete join forces for new book

By Christina Eccles NUTRITION guru Patrick Holford and former athlete and TV Gladiator Kate Staples have teamed up to produce a new book, which focuses on fat loss and fitness gain.

Burn Fat Fast combines their expertise in nutrition and exercise to create a programme that aims to be enjoyable and achievable for even the busiest of people.

One of the central elements of the book is Patrick’s alternate day low glycemic load eating plan.

He said: “A significant misconception, and one that elements of the dieting industry has perpetuated over many years, is that weight loss, weight gain and fat build-up is all fundamentally about calorie intake.

“At the root cause of weight gain, food cravings, diabetes and heart disease is high insulin levels, which are the result of eating too much sugar and carbohydrates.

“As well as causing weight gain insulin actually switches off ‘skinny’ and anti-aging genes, turning you into a fat storer.

By eating both low GL and less every other day you can switch on your 'skinny’ genes and burn fat fast.

“The right kind of exercise – alternate day strength and cardiovascular exercise also switches on the skinny

Kate Staples and Patrick Holford. genes and lowers insulin levels which is so key to weight control.

“Kate’s exercises are so easy, powerful and effective and, together with my diet, it is a winning formula. We have many people losing a stone a month, inches off their waist, with no hunger or food cravings.”

Kate added: “It’s a fact that most

people fail to follow conventional diets for very long and give up on exercise programmes all too quickly.

But results breed enthusiasm.

“When people can see that what they are doing is working they're more likely to keep it up and derive genuine enjoyment and satisfaction.

And Burn Fat Fast is all about results.”

Awareness blamed for struggles

Award-winning brand CoYo has expanded its offering to include a new ice cream range, following the success of its dairy free coconut milk yoghurt. The ice cream is made using freshly squeezed cream from the white flesh of a coconut, with no added sugar, preservatives or additives. It is available in four flavours; vanilla and nutmeg, raw chocolate, natural and sticky date and tamarind.

Service aims to cut confusion A NEW information service has launched, which aims to cut through the confusion over dietary fats and oils.

Unilever UK has launched the Fat Information Service to help educate people about the role of fats and oils in their diet.

The service also includes a website complete with useful tips on how to make well informed dietary choices.

FIS member Dr Emma Derbyshire said: "It is widely misunderstood that fat is actually essential for good

nutrition.

“Unfortunately however, most Britons get far too much saturated fat in their diets which can contribute to raised cholesterol, obesity and other related problems. When it comes to fat intake understanding the different types of fats and getting the balance right is key.

“As an expert panel and information service we aim to provide education that will allow people to make informed dietary choices and be as healthy as possible."

LACK of awareness about calorie content could explain why dieters struggle to keep on track with their weight loss goals, according to a survey.

Research commissioned by Del Monte Naturally Light asked over 4,000 people about their dieting habits, revealing 90 per cent have no idea how many calories are in a range of everyday food and drinks and seven out of 10 do not know the recommended daily calorie intake.

Three-quarters of those surveyed admitted they are unhappy about their weight and yo-yo dieted each year – with the average amount of time spent on a diet 6.29 months of the year. Just one in four said they are happy with their current weight and only four per cent think they need to gain weight. In contrast, 70 per cent of people would like to lose weight, with a quarter of these feeling like they have a lot of weight to shift.

Nutritional therapist Juliette Grove said: “Diet fads come and go, but it seems that there is always a new way to get thinner, which is why it may come as no surprise that the average woman spends an alarming number of years on a diet. By far the best diet is a sustained combination of healthy eating and exercise.”

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Glanbia Performance joins European nutrition alliance Protein bread is in demand THE company behind a new kind of bread claims it could change the way people think about food and weight loss.

Protein Bread, which contains seven times as much protein as normal bread, is made with wholemeal flour and took almost three years to develop, with the formula going through more than 80 recipes to perfect.

It includes more than 15g of wheat and pea protein in every slice – regular breads contain only around 2g – and is also high in Omega three.

A spokesman for retailer

MuscleFood.com said: “Everyone knows that a high protein, low carbohydrate diet is ideal for losing weight and building muscle and thousands of athletes and keep fit enthusiasts try to maintain this type of diet.

“But avoiding carbs isn’t easy, particularly bread. So we saw a gap in the market for a new kind of bread, one with a much lower carbohydrate content than normal bread and a much higher protein content.

“We have already been amazed by the demand for the product and we really think it could lead to a revolution in weight control.”

Goprotein adds new sites GOPROTEIN is adding new sites.

Head of UK sales Nick Mills said: “We are experiencing increased demand with our factory and production lines at full capacity.

“With over 200 Go-Pro-Station installed in the UK, Ireland and Holland, I have to say a big thank you to the Goprotein team, all the gyms that have supported us, from quality independents like Roko, NMA Performance and Interim to name a few and national chains like Nuffield and Harpers (Leisure Connection).

“With another 50 installs already planned, it’s obvious gym operators are recognising the importance of profitable secondary spend opportunities.”

Nick puts the success down to a number of factors.

He added: “We listened to what the gym operators had to say and also what their customers wanted.

“Operators wanted increased secondary spend and better margins whilst their customers were telling us they wanted the convenience of a fresh shake of the highest quality that tast-

content and labelling of sports nutrition products.

Chair Dr Adam Carey said: “We are delighted that Glanbia Performance Nutrition and PhD nutrition, both of which are hugely respected, have taken the decision to join ESSNA. “This very much sends a message to other companies that we’ll be stronger together, working to make sure that as an industry we are meeting EU regulations that are designed to inform and protect consumers. We look forward to further expanding our membership to aid the incredible growth that our industry has and we hope will continue to see over the coming years.“

Level three nutrition added AWARDING organisation CYQ has added a Level three nutrition qualification to its e-learning portfolio.

The new resource has been written by experts in the field of exercise and nutrition and developed by a team of online learning specialists.

It can be used to support learners of the Level Three Award in Nutrition for Physical Activity and the Level Three Certificate in Personal Training, allowing them to

study at their own time and pace.

Senior qualifications manager Bev Williams said: “E-learning from CYQ is a fresh, inspiring and interactive way to support course delivery and we will continue to add resources so more of our learners are able to take advantage of this.

“This latest addition demonstrates CYQ’s ongoing commitment to provide high quality and innovative health and fitness qualifications.”

Ice-cream protein now available … ed great but had less sugar than bottled drinks.

“We have a great in house product development team behind us and a special thank you has to go to my colleague managing director Dr Kees de Nijs who has formulated simply the best tasting products in the market today…..at least that’s what our customers tell us.”

Goprotein is part of the Be-Well Nutritional Group who have been manufacturing and developing sports and food supplements for over 28 years for many world champions and Olympic athletes.

Contact Goprotein on 01778 560868, email trade@goprotein.com or via www.goprotein.com

Convenient meals high in protein GREAT tasting, all natural, convenient, high protein diet meals for sports and fitness.

Performance Meals are based on clinically tested research that clearly indicates high protein meals help to maintain a lean, toned body.

High protein meals are also suitable for building muscle mass and strength and are especially useful in the repair of muscle after exercise.

These are complete real food meals, containing no additives or preservatives. High in protein, with a minimum of 40g protein per serving, low fat, low salt and ready to eat.

The unique air and watertight sealed pouch ensures the ingredients are kept fresh and keeps the all-important nutrients locked in during cook-

GLANBIA Performance Nutrition and PhD Nutrition have become the latest additions to The European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance.

Glanbia Performance Nutrition, which owns Optimum Nutrition, BSN and GNUK, manufactures and sells nutritional ingredient solutions to the food and supplement industries in 130 countries worldwide, while PhD Nutrition invests in innovative sports nutrition products targeted at athletes.

The companies now join ESSNA’s 32-strong membership of manufacturers, distributors and suppliers committed to meeting and upholding European Union regulations on the

ing. Performance Meals have a shelf life of 12 months and have no special storage requirements. No fridge needed. Simply display alongside existing sports nutrition products.

Visit www.performancemeals.com Trade customers can order direct from www.performancemealstrade.com

PROTEIN First has developed a range of great tasting, functional, high performance foods with help from food industry experts and Teesside University.

MD of Protein First Graham Wood said: “Our company has one philosophy, to only produce high performance foods that taste great!”

The first products to be launched by the company are a range of great tasting high protein ice creams. The ice creams are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and will be available in three delicious flavours, French Vanilla, Wild Strawberry and Chocolate and Hazelnut.

Graham added: “The whey protein isolate in our ice cream is an excellent source of all the essential amino acids and the richest source of branched chain amino acids, which are particularly important for muscle protein

synthesis and has a BV1 of 159, ensuring it is rapidly digested and absorbed by the body, making our ice cream the ideal protein supplement post exercise.”

Protein First has developed a wide range of new products and two further ranges are planned for launch later this year. The Sports Group said it is “The perfect treat”.

For trade customers please contact Peter on 07852 811 120, email peter@proteinfirst.com or visit www.proteinfirst.com

Protein muffins launched BODYBUILDING Warehouse have launched new premium protein muffins.

Each muffin is deliciously tasty, light and fluffy. They are filled with a gigantic 20g of protein each and are available in Toffee Fudge or Spiced Apple and Raisin flavours.

Premium Protein Muffins are ideal for counter tops in gyms, shops and petrol stations for people that want a tasty protein treat on the go.

Want a quick snack – don't cheat your diet for a chocolate bar, prevent your cravings and enjoy a great hit of muscle building protein.

Contact Bodybuilding Warehouse for trade prices on 0161 236 1588 or Trade@BodybuildingWarehouse.co.uk

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PRODUCT NEWS

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Kettlebells continue to remain a firm favourite

Consultant astonished by results of programme WHEN Pam Martin-Davison took part in a local Kettlercise class she had no idea how the program would change her life in just 14 short weeks.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis that causes severe muscle wastage, 15 months ago Pam’s mobility deteriorated so much that she could only walk about 10 yards as her pain was so intense.

With the help of medication and a personal determination to improve her health Pam took the decision to lose weight to see if this would help.

Losing weight did improve the pain but her mobility wasn’t much better.

It was on a routine visit to the hospital to see her consultant that she was advised that ‘muscle toning exercise’ would help.

Having done a bit of research and

seeing a demonstration of Kettlercise, the consultant agreed with Pam that Kettlercise would be ‘perfect’ for her muscle developmentand so on his recommendation she joined a local class with local Kettlercise instructor James Hemmings.

It’s just 14 weeks since Pam took part in her first Kettlercise class and at her last appointment her consultant was astounded by the dramatic changes. Not only to her physical condition but also to the rheumatoid markers in her blood – they were practically zero – well 0.02 per cent to be exact.

Pam’s consultant believes that Kettlercise played a ‘major part’ in her amazing progress aiding the regression of the rheumatoid and redeveloping her muscle mass.

THEY may have been around for hundreds of years, but kettlebells remain a firm favourite in all clubs.

Perfect for building strength and endurance, they are the ultimate functional fitness tool with a range of exercises to keep members engaged, regardless of their fitness ability.

The fact they have been around for so long, yet still remain as popular as they do, is testament to their brilliance.

Escape Fitness Rubber Kettlebells will bring a touch of chic to any space and their heavy duty rubber makeup will ensure they stand the test of time.

The combination of an integrated stainless steel handle and permanently engraved numbers, which are painted with hard-wearing urethane

paint, they are ideally suited to a busy club and studio environment. With their enhanced grip, bold numbers for easy weight selection, textured surface and reinforced handles, the Escape Rubber Kettlebell is the must have strength tool.

Visit www.escapefitness.com or call 01733 313535.

Relay Fitness launches new EVO THE EVO Fitness Bike by Relay Fitness is being distributed in the UK

by BodyPower Sports, Northampton.

Paul Walker, Bodypower CEO, explained that the EVO was built from the ground up by innovators that realised short falls and opportunities to improve indoor cycles.

While most indoor cycles were created by outdoor cyclists trying to mimic their road bikes, the Evo Fitness Bike meets the needs of the gym user and the commercial fitness buyer. The EVO Fitness Bike's Core Active Sway Frame feature allows a 10 degree sway to either side.

This motion has been engineered to

enhance the workout by engaging core and upper body when pedalling whist also requiring more balance than a typical indoor cycle. The Orb Planetary Gear Drive System has a compact, single axis design that negates the need for a belt, chain, or external flywheel.

Telephone 01604 673030, visit http://evo-cycles.co.uk/index.html or email Tim@bodypower.co.uk

Company moves to new HQ Life Fitness kit out complex FUNCTIONAL Fitness specialist, Jordan Fitness, has moved from rural Cambridgeshire to new headquarters in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, to accommodate the success of their growing business and allow for expected future expansion.

The new premises, Jordan HQ, comprise 94,000 sqft of combined office and warehouse space, and also include a purpose-built design concept room – The Innovation Lounge – a photography studio and fully operational gym showcasing the Jordan Fitness range. They will also house the Results Based Training Academy, a range of digital and face-to-face REPs accredited courses for fitness profes-

sionals seeking to aid personal development and engage fully with clients.

Chairman Neil Jordan said: “With a location that has excellent transport links and with much larger warehousing on-site, Jordan Fitness will provide the very best service to our customers, stocking a greater range and volume of products and resulting in faster delivery times.”

Visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk

BANGOR Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex, managed by the Northern Community Leisure Trust in Northern Ireland has recently seen the installation of a new, 120+ station, £38m Leisure Complex, fully equipped by Life Fitness.

The development of the Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex includes a £15m investment from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, administered by Sport Northern Ireland.

The facility, which counts Northern Ireland's first Olympicsized pool among its many features, has also been assigned as a venue for the World Police and Fire Games.

Members will benefit from the very

latest generation of the Life Fitness Elevation Series Treadmills and Cross-Trainers with the new Discover Tablet Console.

Users can also build their personal strength through Life Fitness’ Signature Strength and Hammer Strength HD Elite ranges. Life Fitness Academy training has taken place with all staff.

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