ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 44 - 9 April 2021
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Bury Council join forces with Matrix Fitness to boost digital experience page 2
Staying safe when gyms reopen page 3
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Bury Council join forces with Matrix Fitness to boost digital experience BURY Council, who manage Castle Leisure Centre, Radcliffe Leisure Centre and Ramsbottom Pool and Fitness Centre, have partnered with Matrix Fitness on a £500,000 upgrade to improve the digital experience of their thousands of visitors. Councillor Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We needed to modernise our facilities to provide something for everyone, of all different abilities and fitness levels. “This gave us the opportunity to really consider the needs of our members and create something new to give them the best experience possible. “Digitalisation of the leisure industry has been rapid, and has been sped up by the various Covid-19 lockdowns. “People now expect a wraparound, digital service to complement what they get within the four walls of a traditional leisure centre. “We chose to partner with Matrix Fitness to enhance our current fitness offer but to help future-proof our business in the digital age.” The install included new equipment across CV, resistance and functional training areas in all three sites, totalling 135 of the latest machines from Matrix Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia. co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia. co.uk
Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia. co.uk Sales manager: Louise BristoweHarrison Tel: 01226 734699 workout3@ scriptmedia.co.uk
Studio manager: Stewart Holt sth@scriptmedia. co.uk
www.workout-uk.co.uk
Fitness including the 7Xi RFID cardio range, Versa Plus Selectorised strength equipment, S-Drive and S-Force Performance Trainers, as well as the Connexus MX4 Small Group Training area. The council also opted to integrate Matrix Fitness Connected Solutions, including a portal which helps trainers connect and engage directly with
members through a branded app, and a workout tracking network which brings all members’ fitness data together, both inside and outside the gym. With 3,500 members across the three leisure centres, the council hopes the improvements will attract even more customers. Chris Porrino, Matrix fitness area manager North, added: “The past year
has brought many changes, but one positive is the renewed focus on the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. “Bury Council is working to provide state-of-the-art health and fitness solutions so that people in the local area have access to the latest the fitness industry has to offer in order to help them lead healthier lifestyles for the long term. “We like to take on partnerships, providing guidance and expertise in any aspect we can, from the initial design to the day the doors are open to the public. “Our partnerships extend far beyond just the purchase of equipment and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this renovation will have for the members, staff and the wider community.” Julian Taylor, commercial director at Matrix Fitness and Bury local, added: “It’s fantastic to see Bury Council investing in better provision of health and fitness facilities for the whole community. “Public health is top of our agenda at Matrix Fitness, we want to help get more people, more active, more often and I’m proud that my local council is leading the way with this innovative installation at all three leisure centres.”
New disability awareness training LEX Leisure, operator of more than 30 leisure venues across England and Wales, has introduced a new e-Learning course aimed at improving the service and experience for disabled customers at its facilities. The course, which is being funded by Lex Leisure, will be delivered in partnership by national charity Activity Alliance, the leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity who exists to reduce the fairness gap between disabled and non-disabled people’s activity levels. Kim Arrenberg, chair of Lex Leisure, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our commitment to supporting the communities in which we operate and we’ve already spent a lot of time with our sites to improve accessibility and inclusivity. “This course will not only seek to
build on that, but it will give staff the tools and information that they need to ensure that we are delivering a positive and engaging experience for all our visitors and that this is consistent across every Lex Leisure facility.” The course is mandatory for all senior managers, duty managers and heads of departments across Lex Leisure sites, with more than 300 staff set to complete the training. Learners will cover six topics including perceptions of disability and delivering inclusive customer service, legislation, effective communication techniques and practical advice for serving people with specific impairments. As a Community Interest Company, Lex Leisure is already highly active in providing opportunities for disabled people to engage with sport and physical activity.
The organisation invests surplus revenue generated by its leisure facilities to support those with physical and/or mental disabilities, or those who require bespoke care to stay physically active. Lex Leisure is also part of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme, which aims to encourage employers to identify workplace opportunities for disabled people and to improve retention and development of staff with impairments and health conditions. Ray Ashley, Activity Alliance’s strategic lead – partnerships, added: “We all have a role to play in achieving fairness for disabled people in sport and activity and we cannot do this alone. “Now more than ever it is important to put accessibility and inclusion at the heart of reopening plans.”
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South West’s first Staying safe when eco-powered gym gyms reopen ... to open its doors WITH it being less than a week before gyms are allowed to reopen once again, the experts at www.Biofreeze.co.uk have offered the below tips on how to stay safe when you go back to the gym, both in regard to Covid-19 and physically.
FROM fashion brand to fitness studio, it’s all going on for Ellie Crawley, and even better, it’s all sustainable and eco-powered, meaning it’s as good for people as it is for the environment. She’s taking her brand, Feel Fit, which makes gym and leisure wear in an eco-conscious way, and taking it one step further. Determined to help people feel and look fit, by improving their mental and physical health. That gave Ellie the idea for a fitness studio, having already qualified as a personal trainer and nutrition coach, and having extensive experience in the industry, it was now time to take the next step. In order to stay true to the her brand, Ellie decided to use the latest in ECO-POWR ™ G516 Indoor Cycles to power and energise the space, provided by SA Green Fitness and Johnson Reed Fitness Finance. The cycles convert and capture
energy created during a workout, with 74 per cent of the electricity generated instantly used to power the space, therefore lowering the number of watts needed from the utility company and reducing carbon footprint. “I want to help people reach their full potential, to feel the strongest, most confident version of themselves, in a sustainable way that suits their lifestyle,” she said. “I highly recommend JR, they are patient, informative and extremely supportive. “I am excited to be working with them and will continue to do so.” “It’s so great to see what Ellie has done with her brand, sticking to the values that define it, and we were so excited to be a part of it. “We’re glad we could be a part of the South West’s first eco-powered fitness studio,” added Mark Johnson from Johnson Reed.
Change and get showered at home Not only will changing and showering at home reduce the time you’re in the gym, it will also reduce any chances of crosscontamination. Be sure to jump in the shower as soon as you get home and pop your workout clothing straight in the washing. Get to know the new gym layout It is likely that some equipment will still be missing from the gym to allow for enough space between those working out. Be sure to have a look around as soon as you arrive to get to know where everything now is to prevent wandering around aimlessly. Also, be sure to locate all cleaning products upon entering the gym so you know where to go, what’s available and what to use. If you’re not sure, the staff within the gym will be more than happy to help.
Keep your towel for your face and body only Everyone is sweating and panting in the gym, and many carry their own towels – both to wipe themselves down and to wipe equipment down with. Your towel should only be used on your person. Be sure to use separate items to clean down any equipment and machinery after use such as anti-bac wipes or towel. And, of course, be sure to dispose of them after each and every use. Pay attention to your breathing As we said before, everyone sweats and pants within the gym, that’s a given – but now is the best time to learn to get your breathing under control. Not only will it help to reduce contamination within the air, it will also allow you to have a more targeted and controlled workout. In through your nose, out through your mouth. Make deep, small breaths so that you don’t open your mouth wide when breathing out and aim your face downwards, where safe to do so, instead
of out into the rest of the gym.
Keep your distance It’s not uncommon to have people standing nearby while you’re working out in the gym, by way of saying they’re next in line for the equipment that you’re working on. This isn’t going to be possible for the foreseeable, with social distancing guidelines recommending a distance of between one to two metres. Instead of lingering, waiting for a machine or piece of equipment to become free, look around and see what else might be free that you can work with.
Take care of your body Be sure to properly stretch before and after a workout. Yes, they take time, but they’re imperative to a good and safe workout. Accept the setback No matter how physically active you were before Covid-19, it’s likely that you’ve found motivation may have been lacking or just that you’re unable to do your usual workouts and therefore have had to reduce your physical output. With this in mind, you’re going to have taken a setback and it’s important to accept this. Don’t go back to the gym and assume you can lift the weights you were once lifting, or that you can run on the treadmill for quite as long as you could beforehand. Start small and build yourself back up. If not, there’s a very good chance that you will pick up an injury. Listen to your body You will likely feel sore for the first few days or weeks after returning to the gym, so listen to your body. Yes, in many instances you’re advised to push through DOMS and get back into the gym, but you will know better than anyone what your body can and can’t take. Listen to it in order to avoid and injury. Cold-therapy products, such as Biofreeze, are great to keep on hand in case you do pick up small injuries, assisting with the pain that go hand in hand with them, such as sprains, strains and muscle pulls.
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