Workout March 2012

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March 2012

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Pete aims to give owners a greater voice

By Christina Eccles INDEPENDENT gym owners have been urged to voice their biggest issues and concerns with the new FIA board member tasked with representing their interests.

Pete Todd, co owner of Lifestyle Fitness at Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club, has recently been named the FIA board’s voice of independent operators – with the aim of giving independents a stronger, collective voice and pushing the fitness industry forward.

As part of his role, Pete will be attending regular board meetings – the next one being on March 29 – and he told Workout, he’s keen to hear from fellow operators and the topics affecting other independent clubs so he can raise issues on their behalf.

He said: “It is a real privilege to be put in this position. I am very passionate about the industry and want to push and promote activity to the wider masses.

“My door is always open for everybody and other independent operators can contact me by email, on LinkedIn or ring the club direct. This is not just about me and this club, it’s about everybody’s independent club.”

Pontefract Squash and Leisure club is itself going from strength to strength, making the final shortlist for gym team of the year at the 2011 National Fitness Awards and recently running a successful campaign with Creative Fitness Marketing – the founders of the Independent Operators Unite.

And as an independent operator himself, Pete added he is well placed to understand the challenges other independents face – and how they can make a real difference to their members.

He added: “P.S.L.C. has been an independent operator for 35 years and I have lived and breathed the issues that affect this sector of the industry since leaving Her Majesty’s Prison Service as a physical training instructor in 2005.

“Knowing the issues and voicing the issues are two different things and I look forward to making sure the independents get heard when decisions are made on behalf of us all.

“I can’t wait for this year to unfold.

We are working off the back of some great momentum at the club in its 35th year but I am really looking forward to helping the independent sector as a whole.”

No 222 £3

OFT looks at gyms’ business practices

Television personality, personal trainer and independent gym owner Charlotte Ord will host the 2012 National Fitness Awards, organised by Workout. Charlotte, who has recently been seen whipping contestants into shape as a trainer on hit TV show The Biggest Loser, is also a successful club owner, running Phoenix Pro Fitness in Godalming. Her previous accolades include being named Personal Trainer of the Year 2010 at the International Fitness Showcase Awards.

Full story: Page 3.

The OFT has opened an investigation to consider whether gyms are using or recommending unfair contract terms or business practices which breach regulations.

The investigation follows an enforcement order the OFT secured from the High Court last August, which prevents Ashbourne Management Services and its directors from recommending, using or relying on certain unfair contract terms and prohibits a number of its debt collection practices which amount to unfair commercial practices.

The FIA is playing an advisory role and has recently met with the OFT case team to further understand the investigation and the process moving forward.

CEO David Stalker said: “They (the OFT) have made it clear that it should not be assumed that the parties involved have breached any consumer protection legislation and we must await its findings to draw any conclusions.”

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Nominate your gym for third fitness awards

By Christina Eccles GYMS from across the country have been invited to celebrate their achievements by entering the 2012 National Fitness Awards.

Now in their third year, the awards, organised by Workout and sponsored by major industry suppliers, reward clubs of every size – and from all corners of the UK – for their efforts.

The awards are free to enter and nominations can be made now via the dedicated website www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk With trophies up for grabs in almost 20 categories, there is something to suit everyone, from regional gym of the year to best rehabilitation, children’s and combat facilities.

Staff and members are also included – with categories for best gym based personal trainer and member achievement – as well as the coveted lifetime achievement award, recognising an individual who has really made a difference to the industry.

A new category for this year is best hotel gym, which rewards those clubs successfully balancing the needs of hotel guests and external members to deliver a top quality experience.

The judges with the tough job of having to pick the winners have also been unveiled – among them an Olympic athlete and a man with over 40 years’ industry experience.

This year’s judging panel is made up of: Olympic sprinter Joice Maduaka.

Nutritionist and TV presenter Caroline Pearce.

Fitness model Carly Thornton.

Independent gym owner Scott Horton.

Caroline Pearce Managing director of The Leisure Database Company David Minton.

Industry stalwart and 2011 lifetime achievement recipient Ken Heathcote.

Event director Judith Halkerston said: “We are really excited about how the awards are shaping up already but, as always, the key to their success are the gyms who enter and tell us about the innovative, hard work that is going on all over the UK. “It is also an excellent opportunity for them to raise their profile as previous shortlisted and winning gyms have gained invaluable publicity through local newspapers and even television reporting on their success.

“We had several hundred entries last year and we're hoping that even more gyms, health clubs and personal trainers will take part this year.”

Trophies will be handed out at what promises to be the most spectacular ceremony yet, taking place at the Athena in Leicester on Friday November 30.

The spectacular Athena in Leicester will be the venue for the National Fitness Awards.

www.workout-uk.co.uk

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Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Sales manager: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 dl@whpl.net Assistant sales manager: Danielle Hornby Tel: 07860 522 230 dlh@whpl.net Field sales executive: Chris Hartley Tel: 01226 734709 ch@whpl.net

Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jhalkerston@whpl.net Chief reporter: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@whpl.net Reporter: Helen Williams Tel: 01226 734694 helenw@scriptmedia.co. uk

Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

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The new facility at Magnolia Park Golf Club.

Chris wants to beat ‘chicken farm’ trend with his new gym

By Helen Williams A PERSONAL trainer who invested his life savings to launch a gym in Oxfordshire says he wants to beat the trend of “chicken farm fitness.”

Chris Hall, who runs One 2 One Personal Training, started the gym at Magnolia Park Golf Club near Bicester in January.

A former hair stylist who was based in Spain for five years, Chris has 20 years’ experience in the fitness and sports coaching industry in the UK and abroad, and now works with a small group of personal trainers in the gym. They also offer group fitness classes and activities such as sports performance training.

He said: “We decided that as individuals it is hard to work within some fitness facilities due to financial constraints and politics, so we took the step of launching our own fitness gym and personal training service.”

He added an article headed

‘Independent gyms are the future’ in Workout last September influenced him to launch.

A single gym membership costs £30 a month and in February the club had a special offer of a free personal training session with every membership sold. The club now has 24 members and a target of achieving 60 to 100.

Chris plans to have three private tennis courts this year and to start running children’s fitness programmes and summer tennis camps.

He has also offered local schoolteachers the chance to join the gym at a reduced monthly cost to help encourage fitness in schools.

He said: “In many gyms, even though you may be paying a lot of money for membership, you can quickly become just a number and no-one even says hello to you – it’s chicken farm fitness. Our core concept is one to one customer service and that personal touch. We want to keep our members.”

An artist’s impression of the new SportHouse leisure centre.

Cybex to kit out facility CYBEX International will soon have its largest ever UK showcase site at SportHouse, a new fitness training facility located in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

As the exclusive equipment supplier for the site, the company will be installing over 250 pieces of fitness equipment, in time for the official opening of the venue on March 27.

Included in the gym will be over 75

pieces from its cardiovascular range, equipment from the Total Access series – developed in accordance with the Inclusive Fitness Initiative programme – and a full range of strength training equipment.

The site will house the UK’s largest multi-use sports hall and 1000m of gym space, underlining the venue’s strategy for creating a long term sporting legacy.

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Change focus says Challenge organiser Sean

By Christina Eccles GYMS should be teaching their clients to focus on performance and results rather than solely on how much weight they’ve lost, it has been claimed.

Founder of World Gym Challenge, Sean Blythe, told Workout he was fed up of clubs which just used weight loss as a measure of success, when he believes this is achieved more from healthy eating than working out.

Instead he thinks instructors should be encouraging clients to train out of their comfort zones and use tools – such as gym based fitness challenges – to measure their progress.

He said: “The industry keeps talking about the legacy of the Olympics but there is nothing to indicate that performance is being credited whatsoever.

“Every gym website is all about weight loss and when you look at programmes such as ‘I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here’ the contestants lose lots of weight but are doing no exercise.

“My point is that the industry is

barking up the wrong tree. The Olympics does not have a title for the most amount of weight lost in four weeks.”

Sean believes most people join the gym in order to lose weight rather than to increase their fitness levels and although they may achieve their goal, this is probably mostly down to a change in diet – meaning their fitness levels haven’t actually increased and they soon become bored of their workouts.

He added fitness challenges in gyms – even just one per year – would encourage them to monitor results and the impact regular exercise has on their fitness, as well as giving them a reason to keep coming to the club.

He added: “People don’t go to the gym to get fit, they go to lose weight. I think the industry has got it wrong.

They are financially rich but results poor.”

Do you agree with Sean? How have you got your members involved in gym based fitness challenges? Let us know by emailing ce@whpl.net or contacting our editorial team on 01226 734463.

World heptathlon silver medalist Jessica Ennis has officially opened the new look gym at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. She took time out of training at EIS Sheffield, where she is based, to attend a VIP reception marking the re-launch of the Fitness Unlimited gym, which has undergone a major refurbishment project. Jessica was joined for the ribbon cutting by former Olympic silver medalist and EIS regional director, Peter Elliott, and GB wheelchair basketball players, Kevin Hayes and Ian Sagar. Improvements at the gym include state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, a new group fitness studio and refurbished changing rooms.

Excellent rating first for centre QUEST Plus assessment has awarded its first ‘excellent’ rating to a health and fitness centre in Hackney.

Clissold Leisure Centre, run by social enterprise GLL, is the first to be given the highest mark possible in the revamped assessment.

The assessor, who judged the centre over two days, said it had an embedded health and safety culture and a strong emphasis on staff training and was particularly impressed with the

standard of National Pool Lifeguard Qualification training Manager Daryl Emes said the rating was “a fantastic reflection” of staff’s hard work.

Quest Plus is a new and improved version of the traditional two-day assessment. It follows a two year cycle with a mystery visit and a two day assessment in year one, and a second mystery visit and a one day assessment in year two.

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‘Indoor cyclists being put at risk’ says Toby

By Helen Williams THE health and fitness manager of a New Forest leisure centre claims poor instruction and safety at some gyms is putting indoor cyclists at risk.

Toby White, of Totton Health and Leisure – one of the New Forest’s five council-owned sites – says some instructors encouraged standing up without holding on to handlebars, press-ups and hovers on the bike, and even completely removing bike saddles.

Toby, a Schwinn national team member, complained after seeing such practices at one gym but said the manager “didn’t seem too concerned.”

He said: “Fitness managers need to look at what their instructors are teaching. It would be good if instructors had to re-qualify every few years as the industry changes so quickly. We still have too many instructors teaching old school techniques. The principle of safe and effective teaching is to think that if you wouldn’t do it on a bike outside why do it on Spin bike?

Press-ups for example.”

Toby had also been alarmed at certain practices in the US, including people lifting free weights while on an indoor bike.

At New Forest Health and Leisure

The indoor cycle studio at Totton Health and Leisure. sites, staff are offered workshops and continued education to ensure they teach safely and effectively.

Indoor cycling was launched at Totton Health and Leisure in 2006 with 13 bikes but over the years classes have expanded. A recent refurbishment has also given the club a gym extension, new pool changing areas and purpose-built indoor cycling studio.

Toby added: “The studio now has 39 bikes making it one of the largest on the South coast and all of our classes are full with often large waiting lists.

Not bad, considering our member-

ship base of around 1,000 members.”

He said his team of instructors were all trained through Schwinn indoor cycling and offered a rolling eightweek plan ensuring every class was structured differently.

“What frustrates me is lazy instructors who just turn up and put on the same compilation CD. “Our plan ensures that customers are not overtraining via high intensity sessions day after day, but are receiving varied workouts including low and high end endurance, hill classes and interval sessions.”

Gym features latest range of equipment A NEWLY-opened budget gym in Surrey has gained a competitive edge by installing top of the range equipment – including an indoor cycle brand endorsed by Lance Armstrong.

Go Gym worked closely with Matrix Fitness to install innovative products, which would differentiate the gym from rivals, yet remain affordable.

The range includes the seven Series XECV featuring Virtual Active by Matrix, a video-based entertainment programme allowing gym users to select an iconic destination to follow.

The company was also involved in changing the site layout and project manager Jeremy Jenkins said: “We decided to divide the gym into zones due to the nature of the site.

“It is a residential building with the gym spread over two floors, so we have installed CV and strength equipment on the ground floor, and CV machines and changing rooms on the first floor, which makes best use of the space and enables users to have a more efficient workout.”

General manager Mark Rayner added: “Early feedback from members since the installation has been very positive.”

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UK FITNESS SCENE In the second part of his top tips, Dave Wright reveals how clubs can improve their marketing this year...

Staff’s skills, social media and a good website is key 6. Utilise the skill set of your staff and run events Lots of staff and personal trainers are interested in doing more than just training.

Many like to teach. Set up events to talk about nutrition, strength training, specific exercises for sports, stress management, weight loss, organic foods – anything. The wellness industry is huge, so capitalize on it. And invite the whole community.

7. Get onto social media We are moving into the information age where everyone wants information as quick as possible. Set up a club twitter account so that you (and all your staff) can ‘tweet’ all the good stories that happen in and around your facility.

Daily exercise tips, diet and nutrition tips, wellness, weightlifting, sports, success stories etc. It builds a community among your users with the staff and members and creates ‘discussion’ around your club.

8. Build (or find) a great website Don’t let this intimidate you. But if you want to succeed in any business today, you’ve got to have a passable website. Have lots of pictures, be clear on your prices, advertise any promotions and make it easy for someone to find you.

Web-surfing is just part of the buying cycle now.

9. Get involved with the community Work with local businesses, estate

agents, associations, etc. and offer special rates for their employees and patrons.

Find out who’s new in town and give them a month for free. Or a free training session. Or a free one hour massage (they probably need it after moving in). The smaller your community, the more important this is.

Make sure you’re seen as a foundational part of the area, and people will appreciate that.

10. Find out why people leave your club If someone leaves you to go to another gym see if you can somehow find out why.

Getting feedback through exit surveys (whether it’s a letter or a phone call) will give you a sometimes honest evaluation of the club – and give you a direction on what you can do to fix it.

Make sure that it’s not aggressive or a sales call, but a way to get honest feedback so that you can improve in the future. Sometimes this attention to ‘caring’ will be enough to bring the member back in!

11. Use people’s names – every single day As obvious as this may sound it is one of the most wasted opportunities in the UK fitness industry – the amount of gyms who do not use a person’s name is staggering.

Using people’s name even applies to budget clubs and it costs nothing but creates everything. You need to

Dave Wright lead by example and show how you do it when you are in the club.

Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM/MYZONE, a company with over 300 staff that have served the international fitness industry for over 21 years in 10 different countries; focussing 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 the UK’s Fitness Industry, an IHRSA presenter and the creator and global distributor of a new monitoring device used by clubs around the world called MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

Hotel chain and equipment provider to create new spaces DE Vere Group’s Village Hotels has joined forces with Jordan Fitness to create new functional spaces in all of its 25 clubs across the UK. The facilities now feature a wide range of functional training equipment, including flooring and matting, to create an up- to-date training environment.

The company also played a key role in the layout and planning of the areas – using 3D Cad drawings to create the functional zone at The Village Elstree, including flooring with sprint track and compass markings, plyometric platforms, barbells, kettlebells and medicine balls.

As part of the partnership, ongoing functional training and workshops will also be available for Village Hotels’ personal trainers and fitness instructors as part of Jordan’s Academy programme.

Sales manager Zak Pitt said: “The Village Health and Fitness Clubs

An artist’s impression of the gym at Elstree. have a great reputation for being stylish, state of the art facilities, so it’s a great compliment that each site will now feature a wide range of Jordan Fitness equipment. We are

also very much looking forward to supporting The Village going forward with our ongoing REPs accredited training packages provided by The Jordan Training Academy.”

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From teaching dance classes to running large scale fitness events and training contestants on controversial TV show The Biggest Loser, Richard Callender has enjoyed a varied career in the industry. Christina Eccles met him at his latest venture – Exclusive Training in Richmond.

The new gym at Exclusive Training in Richmond.

TV personal trainer Richard realises ambition with gym AS one of the trainers on The Biggest Loser, Richard has experienced both the praise and the criticism which comes with working on a high profile TV show – fortunately he says the good far outweighs the bad.

Opening his own studio has extended his brand even further – also ticking a box on the list of things he has always wanted to do.

Juggling his TV commitments with setting up a new business was never going to be easy, but Richard told Workout putting trust in his team has made it work.

He explained: “I really trusted the guys. I worked with them over the summer to get everything ready and then left them while I went to work on The Biggest Loser.

Richard Callender

“It was slow at first, but then we hit January and it went boom. The show and social media have helped as they have given people an access point to me.”

Richard also defended the programme from criticism it has received from fellow fitness professionals who claim the trainers’ approach and intensive workouts could put people off going to the gym.

He added: “We do not do shortcuts or faddy diets. The people who lose the most are the ones who make the right decisions.

“We do five hours of training every day. A lot of people in the industry make assumptions, but each day is different.

“It is a TV show but there’s a lot

more going on behind the scenes.

When it comes to training, we are given full license and call the shots.

Any PT who says they do not want that control is lying.”

Situated in the affluent area of Richmond, the clients who come to Exclusive Training are looking for the best – both in terms of the service they receive and the range of equipment on offer.

Maximising space in the studio is also paramount, with Richard using functional equipment such as the Gravity Training System – which he says he likes so much he would take one home – and TRX, both of which take up a minimal amount of room, while offering clients a variety of training options.

Thanks to sponsorship from Escape Fitness, Richard can also get access to the latest in the company’s range of products, with popular kit including Steel Bells – a cross between a sandbag and a kettlebell.

Although the studio has only been open a few months, he is already looking to the future – discussing ideas on expansion and how to further improve the business in the long term.

“When I opened the studio, I felt I had ticked a box. Our biggest USPs are the location, the Gravity equipment and our Project:You programme.

“My dream is for it to become more of a functional training and weight loss centre. I don’t just want to be typecast as the guy who makes fat people thin.”

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Situated in the heart of London’s Canary Wharf, the Reebok Club is where the Capital’s business brains work out. Christina Eccles took a look around.

The Reebok Club in the heart of London’s Canary Wharf and managing director John Penny.

London club always striving to stay ahead of competition KEEPING up with the competition has never been a problem for the Reebok Club. In fact, the question is more likely to be, how does the competition keep up with them?

As the largest gym in Europe, the club is situated over three floors, with a range of facilities – including the UK’s largest Spinning studio – on offer to its 8,000 members.

Backed by private investors, and with sponsorship support from the Reebok brand, the club is run by a team including executive chairman Ian Mahoney and managing director John Penny, who told Workout he is always looking at how they can strive to do even better.

He explained: “I look everywhere for inspiration and at clubs all over the world. I also talk to friends who are not in the fitness industry about what appeals to them and tap into as much information as I can.

“If you don’t, you have no chance of keeping ahead of the game.”

The Reebok Club opened in 2002 and after a rocky start, which saw it go into administration the following year, was bought by new investors and turned around by the management team.

It is now gearing up to celebrate its 10th birthday later in the year and Ian said although things haven’t always been easy, having confidence

in the product and building strong relationships has helped them through tough economic times.

He added: “We didn’t panic and discount (membership prices) because we didn’t want to jeopardise the club’s reputation for quality.

“Instead we tried as much as possible to bring costs down – key was strong relationships with suppliers.”

Currently popular with members is Zumba, boxing and combat sports and functional training, as well as the ‘bread and butter’ classes such as yoga and step.

And with such a large core membership base, the club is never short of new suggestions and ideas.

Ian added: “Customer feedback and ideas are gold dust. Anyone who does not embrace that is doomed for the future.”

However, he added the secret of the club’s lasting success is not just down to innovation. Instead, he believes it is also due to them doing the basics really well and adding the ‘sparkle’ on top – not the other way round.

“Day in day out, look at whether the equipment works, if it’s well maintained, that the club is clean and at the welcome members get. If you don’t you are missing a trick. If you do it right, you will be copied.

But we take it as a compliment.”

The Reebok Club fast facts: The club has about 8,000 members – roughly 80 per cent are corporate.

Membership costs £110 per month for an individual – with discounts for corporate members, couples, seniors or weekend membership.

Members can also benefit from additional extras such as health screening and fitness testing to make sure they get the best out of their workouts.

Unusual features at the club include a 13m high climbing wall, suitable for beginners and advanced climbers.

One of the most popular classes on the timetable is Zumba – with a weekly Saturday morning session in the sports hall regularly attracting 60-70 people.

The club’s lounge area acts as an ideal venue for lunches and business meetings – about 60 per cent of people using it are non members.

Its position in London’s Canary Wharf means the gym is just a stone’s throw away from where all the Olympic action will be happening.

After three months, members are given a wallet containing vouchers and guest passes to reward loyalty and give them the chance to explore different features.

One of the most recent additions is a new boxing zone, complete with competition sized ring, purpose built rig frame with chin up bars and count down boxing clock.

Due to the transient nature of their jobs in the city, the majority of members are on a rolling one month membership – yet the average stay is over 15 months.

The club will celebrate its 10th birthday later this year and plans are already underway to organise a celebratory event for members and staff.

After a rocky start, the Reebok is celebrating its 10th birthday this year.

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My mate Trev the butcher – a lesson in customer service

By Chevy Kelly I AM lucky enough to have worked with many clubs around this shrinking world of ours and so begins a series of articles based on successes that I witness when I am out and about seeing health clubs.

Hopefully operators like yourselves can add to your armoury of ideas as a result. For this one though I didn’t get further than my local butcher!

I have heard many times that in order to improve our own industry we have to look at other industries for ideas – I found inspirational lessons on customer service in my mate Trev’s shop in Brighton.

Trev first opened Westdene Butchers about five years ago. He took over a going concern which didn’t have a great customer base nor reputation in the area.

It was on it knees. With the big chain supermarkets dotted everywhere around Brighton, he had to accept that he doesn’t have the same buying power so, therefore, will be selling meat at a higher price.

His Unique Selling Points have become his knowledge, sourcing of local produce and genuine customer service. Five years later he is running at a very healthy profit and three months ago he opened a second shop in the city centre which has kicked off amazingly.

I was there for half-an-hour for a chat and I saw a real sense of why he is so successful.

“Meat and Greet” – The moment

a customer walks through the door conversation with staff stops and customer becomes God. A repeat customer gets spoken to by name and asked something specific about their life, remembered from last time – they also get a free laugh thrown in.

Passion and knowledge – He is the local expert in meat. He is the link between the primary producer and the customer. It is his ability to pass this knowledge on with enthusiasm which gets the customer excited about the product and gives him credibility.

Presentation – The presentation of the meat and the cleanliness of the shop shows how much Trev has pride in his products and in the atmosphere he has created.

Naturally this instills consumer confidence.

When a customer walked in looking grumpy, he started the usual wintertime conversation “Gosh it is miserable out there” as quick as a flash he said “Well tell me how I can put a smile on your face today sir?”.

Reframing that person’s mind set into a positive one instantly disarmed him and he left the store feeling 100 per cent better than when he walked in.

Trev has the same challenges as any business owner. Finding staff that share the vision and passion that he has. He feels however it is his responsibility to lead by example so that the staff can see first hand what the expectations are.

Trev sells meat. He is fighting for one third of Brighton’s dinner

Chevy Kelly plates. He is not competing just against other butchers and supermarkets, but against every possible meal option out there.

So too in the fitness industry. We are not just competing against other health clubs or PTs we are fighting for a slice of someone’s time and how they choose to spend it.

We battle everyone from diet clubs to cosmetic surgeons because after all most members are looking for a similar result. To look and feel better.

Arguably we promote the hardest (but most rewarding) route to achieving this outcome.

If our simple goal was to make someone feel twice as good when they left our club as when they entered, is there any reason they would ever go anywhere else?

Chevy Kelly is managing director of CFM.

Joint bid given contract Success leads GLL and Halo Leisure have won a 15 year contract to operate eight of Bridgend County Borough’s leisure centres, following a successful joint bid.

The decision will mean the centres are managed by the partnership on behalf of the Council and will lead to improvements in the existing services and investment worth

almost £4.2m. Managing director of GLL Mark Sesnan said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to deliver leisure services on behalf Bridgend County Borough Council.

“This contract win is part of GLL’s growth strategy which sees us partnering with local leisure providers as we extend our reach throughout the UK.”

Big names heading to Olympia SCI-MX Nutrition, IsoStar, Clif Bar, Fitness Pharma UK and Natural Balance Foods are just some of the big name exhibitors heading to London’s Olympia on April 1-2 for this year’s Natural and Organic Products Europe trade event.

With innovation flourishing within the sports nutrition market, the show offers the best opportunity of the year for fitness industry buyers to source all the latest natural health and nutrition brands – including new functional food, drink and snacks, vitamins, supplements and organic spa products – from over 600 leading manufacturers.

2012 exhibitors include Pukka Herbs, Interhealth Laboratories (Tibet

Trim), Good Health Naturally, James White Drinks, Lamberts Healthcare, Now International, Pulsin’, Chi Drinks, CherryActive, Crazy Jane and Viridian Nutrition.

Keynote highlights include sessions from leading nutritionist Patrick Holford, plus performance nutrition expert (and Marathon Des Sables participant) Dr Justin Roberts.

To register for your free trade pass, visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk quoting priority code NPE12071.

to opening of second gym FITNESS club franchise Anytime Fitness has opened a second club in Bristol following the success of its first club in Clifton.

Former tennis professional Robin Drysdale opened the new 5,000 sq ft gym at the Willow Brook Centre in Bradley Stoke. On the first floor of a large retail park, it has capacity for 1,400 members and offers free parking and 24-hour access.

Changing rooms and offices have been installed and the club is equipped with Precor fitness equipment, including treadmills, cross trainers and strength pieces and has already attracted over 400 members.

Franchisee Robin Drysdale said: “The Anytime Fitness gym at Clifton achieved targets set for its first year, and it was always our intention to open additional clubs.

“The previously unused space at Willow Brook provided the perfect location due to its proximity to a Tesco Superstore and the fact that it was unsuitable for retail or office use.”

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Praise for kids’ fitness and rugby project

By Helen Williams A FITNESS project for children involving a school, an independent gym owner and the Scottish Rugby Union is winning praise from parents.

The School of Rugby pilot scheme at Hawick High School in the Scottish Borders is a three-year rolling programme funded by the SRU and Scottish Borders Council.

It started in October last year and is using the sport to develop young people through physical fitness and positive behaviour.

The school has 46 boys and girls aged 12 and 13 taking part. Each week they have five different sessions from core values about rules and respect to nutrition lessons with the home economics department.

Greg Dalgleish – who owns Think Fitness in Hawick with business partner Stuart Oliver – runs fitness and conditioning sessions at the school as part of the programme.

He has already been campaigning with the Scottish Executive to push for initiatives that get young people active.

He said: “The sessions are designed

to boost the pupils’ cardiovascular fitness and show them good techniques and posture. The enthusiasm and commitment they have shown in attending does them credit, especially when we start at 8am on cold dark mornings.

“What’s different about this project is that it’s long-term, and will carry on with the children into their second and third year of high school.”

He added that being part of the School of Rugby programme was good for his gym’s reputation as well as the young people Deputy head Ally Little said Hawick school had beaten off fierce competition from other Borders schools to host the rugby programme.

She added: “We have had some great comments from pupils and parents about the benefits of working in a team as well as keeping fit. It just goes to show that not all kids are more interested in their X Boxes.”

Similar projects in other areas throughout Scotland have resulted in better attendance, behaviour and attitude towards school from pupils involved. Participation and performance in rugby has also improved.

Slim Gum: first of its kind A BRAND new chewing gum enriched with proven weight-loss boosting ingredients is now available.

SlimGum is the first gum of its kind, offering a discreet, convenient solution to weight management on the go and starts to work from the very first piece.

The product is specially formulated with a selection of key active ingredients shown to help reduce appetite and increase weight loss.

Several studies suggest that certain active ingredients are absorbed faster through simply chewing gum, rather than swallowing pills or capsules.

Each piece of SlimGum contains: Green Coffee Bean extract – proven to burn fat and reduce bodyweight by up to 2.5kg over 60 days.

Chromium – shown to reduce food intake, appetite and cravings for fatty foods. Thiamin, Biotin and LCarnitine – all play an important role in aiding metabolism, particularly of carbohydrates, and L-Carnitine is

renowned as a fat burner.

Green Tea extract – repeatedly found to aid weight loss via fat burning and reducing the body’s absorption of fats.

Furthermore, the action of chewing gum has frequently been shown in studies to suppress appetite, hunger and the desire for snacks.

Recommended intake of one to four pieces per day. As seen on the Active Channel Sky 281.

For more information visit www.slimgum.co.uk

Star Trac has promoted two of its staff members – Terry Woods (left) and Jeff Dilts. Terry has taken on the new role of vice president of global sales, while Jeff has been promoted to senior director of marketing and product management. The pair have worked for the company for 17 and seven years respectively.

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POWRX’s new G-Plate to be shown at FIBO POWRX will be among the exhibitors at this year’s FIBO – launching its revolutionary GPlate with adjustable air suspension.

Due to its adjustable air suspension system, the company has not only engineered a vibration plate that has an almost zero noise and vibration transmission level but also enables the user to fine tune the vibration intensity to a most tolerable level, making it a fantastic vibration training experience.

The G-Plate by POWRX is primarily designed for commercial use to meet the individual needs of each gym or club member.

POWRX only launched its UK distribution one and half years ago and has already supplied a number of gyms and sports centres nationwide. Visit POWRX on stand C 58 at the show.

Innovation award one of the show’s highlights THIS year’s FIBO is gearing up to be the biggest and best show yet, according to its organisers.

The trade show, which is dedicated to fitness, health and wellbeing, takes place in Essen, Germany from April 19 to 22, with 60,000 visitors from more than 100 countries expected to attend.

Plans have already been unveiled to give visitors an idea of what to expect, with highlights including the presentation of the 13th FIBO Innovation Award, as well as details on the expansion of the show’s ambassador concept, where prominent industry figures – including Iberian fitness star Jessica Exposito – promote the show across Europe.

A range of experts will also be on hand throughout the show to speak about the latest industry trends and developments, with topics up for discussion including the growing popularity of functional training.

And event director Olaf Tomscheit said there is much more still to be revealed.

He added: “There will be many interesting innovative products. Of course, we must not give away any secrets at this stage.”

To generate additional interest around the event, organisers have also launched a new online project – FIBO 360°.

Visitors from more than 100 countries are expected to attend this year’s FIBO. This includes a new website and Facebook account, meaning visitors and exhibitors can engage with the show all year round.

Olaf added: “We want to keep in contact with FIBO visitors and exhibitors all year round. Over more than 25 years, FIBO has become much more than just a trade show – it is not without reason that people talk about a FIBO Community – and we want to maintain closer and more long-term contact with this community to supplement the four trade

show days.”

FIBO is also supporting the large number of international visitors who come to the show by providing a shuttlebus service from Düsseldorf Airport to help them with travel arrangements and hosting a reception on the roof terrace at the Hotel Atlantic to encourage networking opportunities.

Next year the show plans to continue its expansion by moving to Cologne.

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Free swimming sessions proved successful at Worthing Aquarena.

Open day generates 400 new members

By Helen Williams

A WEST Sussex leisure centre made a splash when an open day offering free swimming generated almost 400 new members.

Worthing Aquarena, part of Worthing’s council-run leisure centre, offered free swimming and a no joining fee offer for those who signed up on the day to its FIT4 fitness package.

The offer ran from 10am to 5pm and a team of 10 membership advisors and receptionists kept busy, selling on average one membership every minute and, in total, 367 on the day.

General manager Duncan Anderson said: “We have held these days in the past with great success, selling over 200 memberships on the best days but have never seen anything near

the interest we had at the end of January. It was a 60 per cent increase in sales on last year’s open day.”

Duncan put the achievement down to a combination of factors including influential, yet cost-effective, marketing, careful monitoring of what users wanted, cleanliness, and having a great product.

It was also important to invest in equipment to stop facilities looking ‘tired’ – the centre has installed new Spinning bikes – and to ensure effective business targets, benchmarking and monitoring was in place.

He added: “We use retention management software and Leisure-net once a quarter to test and score all aspects of our telephone handling.

Good customer care is very important, especially when I have new

members who complain they received an impersonal approach elsewhere.”

FIT4 now has a total of 5,200 members who are entitled to use the council’s four fully equipped sites and over 170 exercise classes such as deep water aquafit, Latin aerobics and body combat. The classes are all 70 per cent full.

Worthing Leisure is also promoting activities via Facebook and its website where it is running a competition to name its new pool complex scheduled to open next spring.

Duncan added: “So far I have had about 180 suggestions including ‘The Amelia Centre.’ The name comes from George III’s daughter Princess Amelia, who visited Worthing for her health in the 18th century.”

Budget gym chain unveils 14 new sites

Peter Roberts outside one of the Pure Gym facilities.

BUDGET operator Pure Gym has revealed details of 14 new sites which will open in 2012, as part of the company’s overall plan to open 45 clubs by the end of the year.

The new clubs will be opening up all around the country in locations including Northampton, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Stockport.

Chief executive Peter Roberts said: “We have achieved significant growth across the estate over the past two years and these new gyms will kick start our dynamic roll out for 2012.

“With the economic climate affecting people’s disposable income, affordable fitness with no contract and 24 hour use gives our members freedom of choice and accessibility.

We also include up to 80 free classes and health workshops per week in each of our gyms all for only £17.99 per month.”

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Are you neglecting mobile internet users?

By Richard Stevenson, 1&1 Internet Ltd. BRITISH businesses are working hard to create visibility for themselves on the internet and adapt to the needs of the online consumer.

While fitness professionals will always be most concerned with the standards of their exercise regimes and service, no personal trainer these days can afford to neglect their business development.

There is clear evidence that more people are browsing the web on the go with devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or Android phone.

For example, IDC, a global provider of market intelligence, saw that in the final quarter of 2010, Smartphones surpassed global PC shipments for the first time in history (100.9 vs. 92.1m units).

Research shows that a worrying number of UK firms – including fitness instructors – may be at risk of losing the audience they worked hard to acquire as consumers now switch to browsing the Internet from a mobile device.

Despite 64 per cent of small business owners having used a mobile device to surf the web in their private lives, more than half (53 per cent) have not yet checked the appearance or functionality of their own business website using this method.

The smaller screen and touch functionality of mobile devices can often make it necessary to adapt the design of websites.

Furthermore, a significantly higher number of operating systems and browsers have to be supported as compared to local hardware like PCs. From businesses that have examined their web presence from a

tures are still not common place.

Remarkably, only one in four firms have a location map on their website, or have location listings on popular search engines such as Google. Interestingly, the level of optimisation for mobile devices varies on an international scale.

Spanish business owners are most likely to have checked their website for mobile usage (58 per cent), while German firms are the least likely (31 per cent). French companies have made the most efforts to optimise the design of their websites (13 per cent).

The data shows that many UK websites have not yet reached the Smartphone age. Fitness professionals must ensure that when their website is viewed on a mobile, it loads promptly, functions correctly and comprises an attractive and fitting representation of them.

Richard Stevenson mobile, 41 per cent admit their website has a reduced appearance from a mobile device, and 36 per cent know of reduced functionality.

Worryingly, only seven per cent of firms were confident they have optimised their websites for mobile usage, whilst 65 per cent have no plans to do so.

It appears that many UK business owners today place a low importance upon whether their website can be used comfortably from a mobile device.

Only the minority of owners (18 per cent) believe that a mobile-

friendly website would positively impact sales revenue, 23 per cent recognise a link to brand enhancement, and 31 per cent feel it could provide access to a broader range of customers. Some 43 per cent of owners agree that an optimised website could make a difference to the overall visibility of a business.

The figures suggest that complacency on the issue has the potential to place firms at risk of losing website visitors and failing to engage with consumers.

Thus, it is perhaps unsurprising that mobile-friendly website fea-

Tools for the mobile web Today there are website packages aimed specifically at helping small businesses such as personal trainers launch a compelling and effective website in minutes.

In particular, there are packages from around £10 a month that provide a choice of industry-specific templates and content, such as those for fitness instructors and gyms that deliver a website automatically optimised for display on popular smartphones.

All fitness professionals and firms must ensure they are online whenever and wherever their customers need them.

By accommodating the mobility of their online audience, customer loyalty and spend can be enhanced.

On-the-go web access is a trend that can be used to a business’s advantage.

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GROUP EXERCISE

Wattbike helps members Operator launches train like elite athletes judo inspired class POWER Cycling from Wattbike is backed by the governing body for cycling, British Cycling, and offers gyms and their members a unique opportunity to train utilising the same training methods and equipment as elite athletes.

Each class member trains at their own optimal level for maximum benefits using a combination of heart rate and power, all in a group environment. Being able to show live and archived fitness improvements via the Power Cycling Software is great for

motivation and member retention.

Power Cycling is delivered on the Wattbike, the only indoor bike to be endorsed by British Cycling. The Wattbike provides the feeling of riding a real bike, helps riders improve technique and delivers performance data to an unrivalled level of accuracy.

With a full support package on offer to gyms, Power Cycling is the key to unlocking the legacy potential in 2012 for the health and fitness industry.

To find out more visit wattbike.com/powercycling

FREEDOM Leisure has teamed up with British Judo to launch a new exercise class, Judofit.

The studio based class sets judo inspired fitness moves to music and it is hoped it will help to widen interest in the sport.

Prior to the launch, Freedom Leisure sent six instructors on the one-day training course with master trainer Richard Collins from the British Judo Association. The operator has now rolled the class out in five sites with more to come on

board over the next three months.

Group sports development manager Richard Bagwell said: ‘We are excited to be the first operator in the UK to be able to offer this groundbreaking new class.

“It’s been an honour to get involved from the development stage and to have the opportunity to share our knowledge and experience with a national governing body, in order to end up with an excellent new product that we hope will be hugely popular in 2012.”

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Fit2Fite to showcase at events

The indoor cycling revolution has begun THE Keiser M3 Indoor Cycle combines exceptional engineering with stylish good looks.

It is the only studio cycle with an onboard computer which provides heart rate, calorie and resistance level monitoring.

This means that everyone from athletes to beginners can enjoy a truly effective workout.

At Keiser, we believe in putting comfort first which is why we offer multiple adjustments including the seat position, handlebar height and even the pedals.

Unlike other bikes, our magnetic ‘braking’ system assures the smoothest ride.

For an enhanced exercise experience, the M3’s whisper quiet perform-

ance means that class participants only hear the motivational music and the instructor, without any ‘equipment soundtrack.’

Offering operators a bike that is virtually maintenance free via an innovative non-wear magnetic resistance system and an anti-slip belt that requires no adjustment, the M3 is the ultimate studio cycle.

The hallmark of the M3 Indoor Cycle is its durability. The M3 is made of corrosive resistant materials and is backed up by a two year warranty as standard.

The additional functionality, combined with exquisite aesthetics and value for money, mean that the M3 is also ideal as a warm up bike on the gym floor.

FIT2FITE, which combines fighting moves with funky grooves, is continuing to grow in strength.

After a demonstration at the B-Fit Health and Fitness Expo at Excel, London in January, the demonstration team has been invited to showcase the class at the Vitality Show, Earls Court and the SENI ‘Show of Strength Expo’ at Excel in May. Founder Greg Francis said: “The emphasis on toning through tension, technique, timing and strategic intensity alongside fluid fighting moves and funky music has reignited group exercise timetables.”

At the recent 3NESS luxury fitness weekender, FIT2FITE classes had over 100 people attending each session and was again the most popular class.

FIT2FITE's approach to combat based aerobics is unique, fun and productive and can be seen on Fitness TV, Sky 282, the Vitality Hour episode nine every week.

With new classes started in Kent, Essex, Wales and London, the fitness industry is gradually waking up to this new phenomenon.

The next course is scheduled in London later this month with others pending across the country.

Classes help you get more from rowers ALMOST every gym in the UK has Concept2 rowers, but most could be better utilised.

Enter the Crew Class, the group rowing class from Concept2, which is specifically designed to help you engage your members in doing a rowing workout together.

Each session is designed to allow participants to row at the same stroke rate, but at the intensity suitable for their own ability. The sessions are fun, and include an element of rowing technique which will help your members get the most out of the equipment that you already have. The classes can be tailored for fat burning, general fitness or improving performance.

To find out more about the Crew Class instructor courses visit concept2.co.uk/crew_class

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UK FITNESS SCENE

In part two of her column for Workout, Evolve Leisure founder Nichola Curran reveals the rest of her top tips for trainers wanting to tap into the exercise referral market.

Group sessions best for member results and retention rates 4. Be clear on exactly what the service is they will receive. My experience has shown offering group sessions brings about the best results for both those taking part and your retention rates.

Being with like-minded people (put this in your message too) who share similar fears and goals can be very powerful. If you are a solo PT then this also means the attendees get to share the cost between them so it’s more financially viable for them and you still earn your money – it’s a win win scenario.

I also strongly urge you to include some interactive educational sessions into the programme wherever possible as this ticks the boxes for potential funders.

If you are a members only club, getting involved in exercise referrals should not be a no go area for you.

Keep this service separate, surely

members would not object to you doing your bit to help the health of the local community?

Whether you opt for group sessions or 1:1 you must of course ensure you, or your staff, have the relevant qualifications to do so. Level three Exercise Referrals is the minimum requirement to work with a range of medical conditions such as those mentioned so far.

5. Measure and evaluate. This step is crucial and is often not taken as seriously as it should be. You need to record starting data (clinical biomarkers) on all those taking part and this will depend upon which condition you are going to work with.

Examples are weight, waist circumference, blood pressure or even blood glucose or cholesterol levels? You should still record other softer data, such as their personal goals and how taking part has impacted upon their

daily living. Whatever you decide on, the process needs to be standardised and correct protocols followed.

Depending upon what time frame the programme is over, decide whether you will measure again half way through or just at the end? It is so important to show and prove how the programme has had a positive impact.

This data can be used to promote the programme in the press, to others and in particular to healthcare professionals. Cold hard facts tend to make people take notice.

In any event and however you decide to do things, the benefits to you as an individual or as a gym owner will be worth it. Offering exercise referral programmes is a way of reaching potential members/clients who you would not have engaged with otherwise.

Of course, new business also means

Nichola Curran increased revenue. It helps with staff retention as it gives those involved something to get their teeth stuck into. Everyone involved gets to give something back to their local community and help others achieve serious life changing results.

Leg warmers ready for aerobics’ return

Virgin Active has joined forces with Puma to launch a group exercise class inspired by the training regimes of some of the world’s top athletes. The Puma Faas Class is a 30 minute studio workout that comprises a series of exercise drills focusing on speed, agility and quickness. Utilising plyometrics, the class is set to a fast paced Jamaican soundtrack to get members’ hearts pumping and feet moving. National group exercise manager Gillian Reeves said: “Traditionally group exercise classes last between 45-60 minutes but this class will fit into people’s busy schedules while providing them with a high intensity workout.

The Puma Fass Class will help to maximise fat and calorie burning as participants are put through their paces, like an athlete.”

Pictured above is co-creator of the Puma Faas class Brett Kilka.

A SCOTTISH fitness instructor says ‘Jane Fonda’ style aerobics – complete with 1980s music and leg warmers – is the latest craze to sweep her club.

Shama Rafiq, who runs Firm ‘n’ Tone in Bathgate, West Lothian, organised a fun 1980s aerobics class and found her members loved it so much she decided to make it a regular thing.

She now has over 20 people attending the class every week aged from 21 to 60.

Shama said: “It started out as a one-off to raise money for charity but my customers enjoyed it so much they asked if they could do it every week instead of salsa.”

She added the fun of the classes appealed to her members who ‘love the music and legwarmers’. They work out to classic tracks by Wham, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna and Bonnie Tyler.

Firm n Tone’s ethos is fitness for all and innovation – Shama says her club was the first in the area to offer pole dance fitness classes and pole parties.

The gym is also sponsoring Shama’s son Kasim, who is travelling to the South Pole in November to raise money for Comic Relief, as well as attempting to break a British record and become the youngest Briton to reach the South Pole unassisted.

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PTs wanted to give Ben’s firm extra Oomph

By Helen Williams A YOUNG entrepreneur, whose exercise therapy initiative for elderly people is scooping prestigious awards, is looking for more personal trainers to join his business.

Ben Allen, from Scarborough, started Oomph Wellness, a national business which runs a wide range of classes for residents in nursing and residential homes in May 2011.

Classes include chair-based exercise such as chairobics and cheerobics, dance classes like ‘Strictly Fun Dancing’ and personal training for individuals.

Sessions aim to be physically beneficial while giving residents the opportunity to socialise and have fun.

Oomph, which stands for ‘Our Organisation Makes People Happy,’ now runs about 300 sessions each month in North Yorkshire, East Riding, West Yorkshire and Lancashire, reaching 6,000 people.

Now with the business growing rapidly, Ben is looking for class instructors with REPS Level two qualifications to join his 17 staff.

He said: “I realised that people in care homes are often under-stimulated and in need of social interaction and creative expression. In fact, 68 per cent of elderly people living in social care do not perform any kind of voluntary movement and 30 per cent do not get any visitors.

“The business has been a runaway success so far and I’m looking for more personal trainers. We carry out in-house training with our instructors who come to us in either a sub-contracted role or as employees. We reinvent classes every three months but at

Ben Allen their core is fun, laughter, and of course safety.”

Oomph Wellness, which also works with young adults with range of disabilities, recently won £15,000 in the UnLtd 2012 Awards for individuals with innovative entrepreneurial projects – beating off 378 other established businesses.

Ben also won £1,000 in the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards and is using the money to create new marketing materials for a national care conference.

He is now in the running for the £10,000 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Matthew Evans, Darren Frost and David Roberts.

Three new recruits for Precor FITNESS solutions supplier Precor has three new recruits within its sales team.

Matthew Evans has joined as senior sales consultant for the southern region, Darren Frost becomes sales consultant – also for the southern region – and David Roberts joins as sales consultant for the central

division.

UK sales director Jez Whitling said: “The experience and enthusiasm the new team members bring, coupled with the knowledge of the existing sales force means that as we continue to win new business we can offer customers a first class service led by highly experienced individuals.”

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Gyms can play a key part in Olympic legacy

By Matthew Januszek, Escape Fitness DRIVING participation in sport as a lasting legacy of the Olympics was one of the key promises that helped the UK to win the bid to host the Games.

The pledge was for 1m more people aged 16+ to be playing sport at least three times a week by 2013.

This was pretty ambitious, perhaps overly ambitious; no other host city has ever managed to increase sports participation as a result of staging the Games.

Whilst this sector has grown by 632,000 more than when we won the bid in 2005 that is still not on target and the most frustrating part of this equation is that within that picture, the gym sector has remained static – in 2010-2011 gym visits showed only a marginal increase from 10.71 to 10.74 per cent of UK adults.

Even the fitness industry’s own figures suggest we're stuck around 12 per cent population penetration. So what now for the legacy?

We need to up our game for 2012 and there are a few ways gym owners around the UK can do that...

Functional spaces Is your gym floor space working as hard as it should be?

Every gym needs a 'free-style' area, but does the thought of giving up your precious floor area to some EasyTone Steps and Bulgarian Bags bring you out in a sweat?

You need to ensure that the equipment you have in your gym is maximising your ROI every single day of the year, and not only that, but is engaging with your members like never before and ensuring retention is taken to a whole new level.

Flooring I’m sure you're probably thinking 'it's just flooring right?' but flooring is the 'skin' of your gym, you do everything on it. So shouldn't you consider it an important topic when allocating your spend?

There are so many different types of flooring to suit different budgets and different needs out there that you can find something that will work perfectly for your gym.

Education What's the point in having a great gym, with strong equipment if not

even your staff are 100 per cent confident in using it?

Education is often overlooked because, let's be honest, we're all qualified in the PT industry because we have to be to be allowed to work in it. But as the world moves forward and brand new courses and pieces of equipment are available, are you investing in your staff? Are you confident that they're ensuring your members know exactly what they’re doing and can maximise their workouts to the fullest? We work with a number of partners that are bringing brand new courses to the UK and abroad every single month. All courses are REPs accredited and incredibly varied, from one day to one week, there's a course for every PT to take no matter the budget or time constraints, so it’s worth doing your homework and investigating how you can equip your staff with the right tools.

Design We talk about this last because often it is the part that gym owners find the least important, but it really should be as important as everything else you consider for your gym. Did you know it takes a person four seconds

Matthew Januszek to make their mind up about someone when meeting them for the first time? So basically, when your staff are walking round prospective customers, they've got four seconds to make that initial first impression, to make them think, ‘right I want to keep looking.’ How many times does this happen in your gym? With the right messaging and images on the walls, plus a layout in your gym that is in balance with your customers’ workout you will be ensuring that your members want to come and workout in your gym, and after seeing the facts and figures above, that's not always the case is it? We’re now in a crucial year for fitness – don’t waste it.

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COMBAT

The new Fight Science gym has proved so successful its owner is already considering opening another.

‘Headhunter’s’ new gym offers scientific approach to training

By Christina Eccles A NEW gym owned by MMA champion Nick ‘Headhunter’ Chapman has got off to a flying start – signing up over 150 members in just six weeks.

Fight Science in Aldershot provides a bespoke service for combat athletes, spanning all training principles from strength and conditioning to nutrition and physiotherapy.

Features at the gym include equipment from Life Fitness’ cardio and Hammer Strength ranges and Nick has also been collaborating with top Harley Street sports scientists – including professor Greg White – to deliver the best service possible to clients.

He said: “I’ve been training for most of my life and have spent years in college studying sport and exercise science and health and fitness.

“I have two passions. One is for learning and a thirst for knowledge and I have always liked fighting. As I’ve grown older, I’ve also realised I don’t like working for other people, so decided to set my own gym up which combined those things together.”

In just six weeks, the club had reached its six month target and Nick said his partnership with Life Fitness and the fact he has a large fanbase from his training days has helped to

spread the word.

He added: “As a fighter, I had sponsorship through Life Fitness and they have been amazing.

“I also have a massive following as an MMA fighter and a large active fanbase – when we opened people swarmed through the door.”

Nick also told Workout he believes his club stands out from the crowd because of its scientific approach to training.

He added: “We are completely different. Nobody in the country has got what we have got.

“I have studied the science behind training and apply proven scientific methods. We also work with specialists from Harley Street. It’s all science – and you can’t argue with science.”

Although Fight Science has only been open a few weeks, a great early response has already got Nick thinking about the future and possibly opening another site as early as next year.

“I want to take it right across the country and in the next 10 years be a national company. We are going to develop a few more sites of our own and then a franchise model.”

Would you like your gym to feature in this section of Workout?

Contact Christina Eccles on 01226 734463 or email ce@whpl.net

The cage at Fight Science.

The gym features Life Fitness cardio and Hammer Strength ranges.

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SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Jon offers PTs advice on generating extra spend

By Christina Eccles ELITE personal trainer Jon Denoris has joined forces with Kinetica Sports Nutrition to advise trainers on how to generate useful secondary spend through the sale of supplements and nutritional advice.

Jon, who owns PT studio Club 51 in London’s fashionable Marylebone, has over 15 years’ experience in the exercise and sports science industry and has sculpted the bodies of famous faces including singers Rachel Stevens and Estelle and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

He has also recently become a brand ambassador for Kinetica – attracted by the flavour of the products and the way they were developed in conjunction with expert performance nutritionist Matt Lovell.

As part of this relationship, he will also be helping the company to deliver a series of workshops for clubs and trainers, which will focus on the technical components of the products and how they can be used to increase revenue and provide another income stream, as well as gain great results for members.

He said: “There is a definite need for good quality education in this area and Kinetica is very different to other supplement manufacturers I’ve seen. They are an exciting, dynamic company and as a trainer, that’s really appealing to me.

“The products have given my organisation about a 20 per cent lift in secondary spend profits and have got some fantastic results for clients.

“Some clients will probably go and buy a multi-vitamin from somewhere

Jon Denoris, elite personal trainer and brand ambassador for Kinetica Sports Nutrition. anyway. I would much rather they get it from us so I know where it’s sourced from.”

According to Jon, one of the most important things trainers can do to improve the eating habits of their clients is make them keep a food diary.

When someone first signs up to work with him, before they even have their first session, he sends them a diary template and tells them not to come back until they have filled it in.

He believes writing down everything they eat makes someone more accountable for their habits and he

Carly Thornton promotes USN’s 12-week body challenge at B-Fit Expo.

Carly offers nutrition tips HEALTHY eating ambassador and top fitness model Carly Thornton was among the famous faces at the recent B-Fit Expo, advising visitors about good nutritional habits.

During the show, Carly was also promoting the new USN 12-week body and lifestyle challenge, which she told Workout received a lot of positive interest.

She added: “I was on the Ask the Expert stand, where everyone came to ask fitness and nutritional related questions.

“I was overwhelmed with how fantastic the first B-Fit went. I met so many fitness enthusiasts and helped with all questions and of course the statutory photo taking, which I always love!”

told Workout, the diary acts as a great tool to change behaviour.

He added: “Diet and nutrition is absolutely key. I won’t work with clients unless they let us look after their diet.

“It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress. But that’s what people need help with.”

Jon also gave Workout his top tips to help clients in this area.

These include: Encourage them to treat supplements as just that – something which supports a healthy eating plan, not replaces it.

Keep things simple – use measurements for controlling portion sizes such as ‘it should be the same size as your palm.’

Ask clients to write down when they eat as well as what they are eating.

Talk to them about the importance of forward planning – encourage them to put appointments in their diary for exercise and tasks such as doing food shopping and cooking batches of healthy meals.

At each session spend 10 minutes with clients reflecting – five minutes looking back at the week and five minutes looking forward.

He added: “I have deliberately put my studio in the heart of the medical community – there is an opportunity for trainers to really help people.

“I position myself as a wellness coach rather than a personal trainer.

This says to clients I can help them in more areas and build complete solutions which are bespoke to their lifestyles.”

Supplement company Maxitone’s fitness and nutrition experts have been touring the UK to educate women on how to be fit and healthy. A panel of experts including Colleen Rooney’s personal trainer Elise Lindsey, top nutritionists and real women with weight loss success stories visited venues including LA Fitness gyms and Holland and Barrett health food stores to answer questions and give advice.

Anyone who signed up to be involved could also be entered into a competition to win a dance class with Strictly Come Dancing’s Flavia Cacace (above).

Picture: Featureflash/Shutterstock.com

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Kinetica helps athletes reach peak performance KINETICA Sports Nutrition produce a comprehensive range designed for athletes to achieve their best performance.

The company has a unique positioning and heritage, owning both the production of best quality Whey Protein, a key part of many products, and the manufacture of the natural flavourings.

Kinetica have created the highest quality, best tasting, expert driven product available. These are fully drug tested and batches of all product are certified drug free by HFL Sport Science, the world’s premiere independent surveillance laboratories.

The company sponsors leading brand ambassadors Ben Youngs (Leicester and England) Tommy Bowe (Ospreys, Ireland and British Lions), Stephen Ferris (Ulster and Ireland), Matt Lovell (elite rugby sports nutritionist/UK Athletics Association)and Fraser Cartmell (UK Iron Man champion).

Kinetica is also official sports nutrition suppliers to London Irish and Leicester Tigers rugby clubs.

Product is available across four categories: protein, power and strength, endurance and recovery and health.

For more details visit www.kineticasports.com

New area takes the inside out

Optimistic start for LIW LEISURE Industry Week will return this September with a new look, new faces and a promised line up of industry-leading health and fitness exhibitors, speakers and association partners.

The 2012 show enters into a new era with a new event manager, David Sanvoisin, and fresh branding.

David brings with him a wealth of knowledge, having worked in the leisure and events industry for 14 years, including as show manager on LIW between 2003 and 2008.

He said: “We are committed to providing the best exhibition possible to our wide range of visitors. Therefore, expect to see bigger and better stands, even more free education and plenty of networking opportunities at the show in September.”

LIW takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from September 18-20 and is supported by partners including Independent Operators Unite and the Fitness Industry Association.

For more information visit www.liw.co.uk

New range of supplements IRONWORKS Trade specialise in supplying the fitness industry with an exciting new range of hardcore supplements and a massive selection of affordable clothing aimed at bodybuilders and serious athletes.

Our pricing structure and marketing is designed to ensure that retailers are guaranteed fantastic profit margins, something that many of the major brands now no longer offer the smaller, independent retailers.

We offer very low minimum orders, free next day deliveries and most importantly premium quality products that offer amazing value for money that will keep your customers coming back time after time. Our

whey proteins and mass gainers are made from the highest quality ingredients and taste totally amazing – and our tablet and capsule formulas are designed to deliver a maximum strength dose in every serving at prices you simply won’t believe.

For more information visit www.teamironworks.com

Ex-England boss receives bike LEADING fitness equipment manufacturer Cybex International has supplied a 750C upright bike to the home of ex-football player and manager Kevin Keegan.

The bike was supplied through Oneone Fitness – approved Cybex suppliers and providers of home gyms and fitness training solutions.

The former England boss is trained

by Stephen Parkes, personal trainer

and owner of Oneone Fitness.

Known for being one of the fittest players of his generation, he has maintained a keen interest in health and fitness ever since.

Working closely with Cybex, Oneone Fitness became the company’s first approved supplier which focuses exclusively on supplying home gyms.

For more information visit www.cybexintl.com

THE Marlow Club in Buckinghamshire has embraced the need for dedicated high performance, functional fitness by taking the inside out with its new outdoor workout area.

Created on a covered roof area adjacent to the main gym area, the high performance functional classes offer a new and challenging circuit training based workout, utilizing some of the latest functional training equipment.

Members wishing to attend any functional training classes must take a compulsory introductory class where they will be inducted on how to use the new and exciting pieces of kit.

This equipment includes kettlebells, punch bags, ViPR, tractor tyres for rolling and flipping, along with a

Freedom Climber.

General manager Simon Backer said: “InsideOut provides all the benefits of functional fitness and boot camp style classes to our members, who train through varying circuits dependent upon their requirement.”

For more information visit www.freedomclimber.co.uk

Why not throw this weight around THE Bulgarian Bag is quickly becoming an integral part of the repertoire of many top PTs and strength coaches.

Although it was initially designed by Ivan Ivanov, a wrestling coach, in order to improve specific aspects of the sport (namely grip-strength and shoulder strength and mobility), many other people of different disciplines have come to learn about the great crossovers the bag has to other things.

Made of leather, the Bulgarian Bag is an extremely versatile training tool that can also be extremely beneficial for fighters and fitness enthusiasts alike.

If you’re an athlete, a grappler or a fighter of any type and you want to

come to better grips with your opponents, then the Bulgarian Bag may just be what you need. The Bulgarian Bag is quite possibly the most effective combat conditioning tool developed specifically for fighters by fighters.

Check out this video interview with Ivan and learn how to use this awesome tool: http://youtu.be/CwzU1C78J_4

Owner offers diet advice to others GYM owner Wil Lovelock was looking for an easy way to give members the diet advice they were looking for.

He came up with the concept of a weekly weight loss club based on low GI and calorie controlled eating.

What surprised Wil was that not only were his members getting fantastic results, but word soon spread around the town that if you join the gym, your weight loss club is free.

He said: “We started attracting people who had never been in a gym but who had been going to the traditional slimming clubs. This transpired into additional members for our club and our retention rates massively improved also.” (Over 100 new mem-

bers joined specifically for C-Slim in the first year alone) We’ve been trialling this for the last two years and have other clubs and employers getting similar results.

Now we’re offering it to other independent clubs. The first five clubs to contact us this month will get the software, web listing, manual and enough start up consumables for free.

And we’ll support you through the set up and running process.

For more information contact C-slim@live.co.uk

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REFURBISHMENT

The new fitness facility at River Park Leisure Centre.

Facelift at Winchester gym The new gym at Deeside Leisure Centre.

Wales’ first public day spa opens at refurbished site

By Christina Eccles EXTENSIVE refurbishment work has been completed at Deeside Leisure Centre, equipping the club with new features including Wales’ first public day spa.

Flintshire County Council, which operates the centre, originally planned to demolish the almost derelict site and rebuild it at the cost of £18m.

But a partnership with Alliance Leisure helped the centre to secure funding for the project and provided the club with advice on areas such as business planning, design, marketing, training and finance.

The three phase development, which began in 2010, included: *The creation of six five-a-side 3G turf football pitches, which have attracted over 60,000 visits since opening and generate a monthly

income of £5,500. *Development of a health and fitness facility and toning suite, which attracted over 1000 members in its first three months. *Opening of the first Welsh public day spa in January 2012, funded by revenue generated by the health and fitness facility and the launch of the UK’s largest Extreme Centre.

Alliance Leisure’s business development manager Julia Goddard said: “The focus for all local authorities should be on reducing subsidy and maximising income opportunities through lateral vision and intelligent use of space.

“The redevelopment of Deeside demonstrates how a fantastic opportunity can arise from a rundown and costly facility. Through creative design the leisure centre now boasts modern facilities to engage and inspire its local community.”

DC Leisure has unveiled the new fitness and changing facilities at River Park Leisure Centre in Winchester, following a £370,000 facelift to create a more spacious and user-friendly layout.

Much of the work, carried out by Creatability, was based on feedback from customers and saw the changing areas swap sides to create a larger area for female members, who make up 60 per cent of users.

Both changing rooms now have their own sauna and include individual changing cubicles as well as an open changing area.

An extension was also added to

the existing gym to create a fitness suite with improved layout, new spinning bikes and CV equipment.

General manager Sarah Morgan said: “The last major refurbishment took place in 1998 and the increase in gym usage and membership since then meant the existing changing facilities struggled to cope.

“I am really pleased with the new changing rooms, which bring a private health club feel to the gym.

Feedback from staff and member's is very positive, especially from females, who say they will now use the saunas.”

Tadcaster Community Swimming Pool has invested in new equipment for its fitness suite, as part of an overall refurbishment. The centre, which is run by Tadcaster Swimming Pool Trust, has around 800 active members aged from 11 to 82 years old and hopes to see this rise as a result of the revamp. New equipment includes CV and strength stations from Precor, free weights and Concept Two rowing machines. Fitness manager Darren Brown said: “We had noticed that attendance figures for our fitness suite had started to drop off and the old equipment was starting to show its age, so we decided to give the entire centre a good ‘wash and brush up’. This included all new fitness stations, additional lighting in the changing rooms and new shower cubicles, as well as repainting the barn area that houses our main reception, social area and gym.”

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RECRUITMENT

AUDIO/VISUAL

FLOORING

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LOCKERS

UPHOLSTERY

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SOFTWARE

SUNBEDS

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INSURANCE

SUPPS AND NUTRITION

SUPPS & NUTRITION

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GYM TO RENT

GYM TO LET

TRAINING

MIRRORS

MARKETING

LIGHTING

FINANCE

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X-Force takes Derby by storm THE owners of a new gym in Derby have installed the latest resistance training equipment into their facility.

Eze Fitness has installed the first UK set of X-Force equipment, which has already been well received by members.

National head of operations for Eze Fitness Phil James said: “We’ve been finding that after our first week of opening people are no longer asking about the fact we’re a new company in Derby, they ask about X-Force. It’s even gone as far as large numbers of prospects physically leaving local competitors to join us simply for access to it.

“The age old response from gym mercenaries telling us they’ve been training for 20 years and there’s nothing new we can show them has evaporated after just one try of X-Force.”

Rob Thurston has been promoted from national sales manager to commercial director at Cybex UK. Rob will be responsible for the management of all the UK departments of the business, including sales, commercial and operational matters and gym installations.

Rob, who has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry and joined Cybex in 2005, has continued to play a central role in the growth and success of the business in the UK as well as overseeing the newly launched direct operations in Ireland.

MANAGEMENT

FOR SALE

BADGES

FOR SALE

WANTED

MAINTENANCE

SAUNAS

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