The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazineMarch 2015 No 258 £3

Show positionedat the ‘heartbeatof UK leisure’

Nominateyour gymfor annualaccoladesEXCELLENCE and achievementin gyms around the country willonce again be recognised at the2015 National Fitness Awards,with nominations now open forthis year’s event.

The awards, organised byScript Events in partnershipwith Workout, are now in theirsixth year and see clubs of allshapes and sizes from Scotlanddown to Cornwall battle it outto be crowned the best in over20 categories.

The NFAs are free to enter andare a great chance for gyms –and individuals – to be reward-ed for the great work they do.

Entering is simple – visitwww.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk and fill in the online form.

Once nominations close laterin the year, shortlisted clubswill then get the chance toattend a glittering awards’ cere-mony, where the lucky winnerswill pick up their trophies.

The 2015 awards are shapingup to be even bigger and betterthan ever, with exciting plans inthe pipeline.

Watch out for further newscoming up in the next fewissues of Workout or visit theNFA website to make yournomination. You can also followus on Twitter @WorkOutUK

Lifting weights safely and improving bodyconfidence will be the focus of an upcomingfitness camp, organised by WBFF pros, MirellaIngamells (nee Clark) and Kitty Savai-Kalla.The Strong beats Skinny fitcamp will takeplace in May in Ibiza and will focus on fitnessand fun. Those taking part will be able toenjoy an outdoor training space, private pooland garden and a menu designed by TheIbiza Kitchen using fresh, locally grown food.

By Christina Eccles

LEISURE Industry Week 2015 will bepositioned as the ‘heartbeat of UKleisure’, according to new ownersBodyPower Ltd, who have revealedexciting plans for this year’s show,including a media partnership withWorkOut.

The show – taking place at the NECBirmingham on September 22 and 23 –will remain a dedicated trade event, witha strategy in place to create a more excit-ing and interactive environment forboth visitors and exhibitors.

Important features to watch out forinclude six distinct zones; Feature Gym,Young Fitness and Play Conference,Group Fitness, Secondary Spend, Pooland Spa and the Leisure FacilitiesConference, with changes to the floorplan also opening the show up to createmore defined areas.

Organisers have also announced a newpartnership with WorkOut, which willinclude the introduction of the WorkOutTrade Lounge at the event; a comfort-able, exclusive area for LIW visitors tonetwork with likeminded business own-ers and key industry stakeholders.

BodyPower sales director Steve Ortonsaid: “For us this seemed like a no-brain-er. We’ve enjoyed a longstanding rela-tionship with WorkOut over many years

and we’re thrilled to have them on boardfor LIW.

“The networking opportunities theywill offer delegates are fantastic and theteam consistently deliver engaging newscontent with their finger on the pulse ofthe industry.

“The magazine itself is circulatedamongst fitness industry buyers anddecision-makers, and we’ve movedquickly to capitalise on the clear syner-gies that exist between WorkOut andLIW.”

Leisure Industry Week is still the UK’sleading leisure trade expo, showcasingover 300 exhibitors each year, and newowner Nick Orton told WorkOut theevent is a great fit for the company’sportfolio.

He added: “My team have the ability,knowledge and experience to take thisprestigious expo to the next level.

“We have a rich history of developingtrade shows, and a more recent historyof success in the fitness and leisure mar-kets.

“We are excited, motivated and pas-sionate about taking on LIW –exhibitors, sponsors, partners and visi-tors can expect to see some interestingdevelopments, all geared towards grow-ing an already fantastic event, which hasbeen superbly handled by the profes-sionalism of the outgoing UBM team.”

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AdvertisingSales and marketingdirector:Tony Barry

Sales manager:Daniel LloydTel: 01226 734699dl@scriptmedia.co.uk

Assistant sales manager:Chris HartleyTel: 01226 734709ch@scriptmedia.co.uk

EditorialGroup Editor:

Judith HalkerstonTel: 01226 734639jh@scriptmedia.co.uk

Editor:Christina EcclesTel: 01226 734463ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

Reporter:Olivia Taylorot@scriptmedia.co.uk

Group production editor:Dominic MusgraveTel: 01226 734407dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

www.workout-uk.co.uk

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At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If youhave a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, inthe first instance, contact us by email: ce@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. Fordetails on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handleyour complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

‘Galaxy Games’ all set tobe biggest and best yetBy Christina Eccles

A POPULAR show organised forwomen by women is shaping up to bethe biggest and best event yet,according to organisers, who are hardat work preparing for the next instal-ment.

Billed as the ‘Galaxy Games’, thetwo-day Miss Galaxy Universe con-test, which takes place in Crawley inMay, will have a Wonderwomantheme, combining the fitness side onthe Friday with the glamorous stageshow on the Saturday.

Prizes are given out in a range ofcategories – including Bikini Diva,Beach Body and Fitness Champion –to appeal to all different shapes andsizes of women and celebrate effort,fitness levels and personalities, as wellas aesthetics.

There is also a prize for Miss MonroeInternational – a dedicated categoryfor curvy girls – an area often ignoredin other shows, according to organiserSarah Donohue, who revealed toWorkout how things are shaping upfor the event.

She said: “We have moved our fit-ness event to a track and field; the K2Athletic Track in Crawley.

“We had outgrown the tests in thetheatre and we wanted to grow it.

“It’s not essential to do the stageshow to do the fitness test, you canstill take part in the fitness element.So many girls love Galaxy but do notwant to stand on stage.”

Judges will include Alex Reid andMike Lewis, best known as Saracenfrom the original Gladiators TV series.

The girls taking part can also benefitfrom year-round support, thanks to adedicated online group and specialtraining camps where they canimprove all areas from fitness to pos-ing.

They are also encouraged to reallymake the most of the experience, withfamily and friends invited to comeand cheer them along and a glitteringafter party where they can celebratetheir achievements together post

event.Sarah added: “We’re so excited.

Every show, we try to do advance-ments and think how do we make itbetter?

“I’m not happy to just put on a showwith house lights. So much effort goes

into the lighting design, colourchanges, themes.

“We want to make it the most beau-tiful show out there. I’m so passionateabout the show and the girls.

“For me it’s more than a show – ittakes over my entire life. “

The annual two-day Miss Galaxy Universe contest will have a Wonderwoman theme.

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Heroes Gym is area’s first to beHammer Strength accreditedBy Olivia Taylor

A NEWLY opened independent gymin Spalding has become the first clubin the area to gain Hammer Strengthaccreditation.

Established by local entrepreneursScott Miller and Vernon Gay, HeroesGym, which opened late last year,occupies a brand new 500sqm siteand offers over 45 items of HammerStrength and Life Fitness equipment,with a selection of Hammer StrengthPlate Loaded and Hammer StrengthSelect machines, along with ActivateSeries Treadmills.

Life Fitness account manager JamesFerguson said: “The founders ofHeroes Gym truly believe in theHammer Strength ideology and thedurability of Life Fitness equipment.

“Both Scott and Vernon are well-regarded fitness individuals in thelocal community so establishing agym of this high calibre was a naturaladvancement to pass on their skillsand knowledge.”

As well as offering members top ofthe range equipment, the club iscommitted to having something foreveryone.

Co-owner Scott, who is a personaltrainer and has 25 years’ fitnessindustry experience, added: “We tryto cater for everyone here at HeroesGym.

“We have 60-year-old members topeople who are at a competitive level.

The gym’s an intimidating place butwe try to get away from that.

“Not one of our members will leavewithout a member of staff actuallyspeaking to them.”

Scott and Vernon are also gettinginvolved in the local community,sponsoring a local football and rugbyteam; providing them with donationsto go towards football kits and a minibus.

Vernon added: “By installing twooutstanding brands of equipment –

Life Fitness and Hammer Strength – itallows us to offer more exerciseoptions for every phase of fitness.

“We take members’ goals and aspi-rations seriously and with this superi-or apparatus we can guarantee suc-cess.”� Have you got a story for the nextissue of Workout? If so, call the news-desk on 01226 734463. Alternatively,you can email Olivia at ot@script-media.co.uk or editor Christina Ecclesat ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

Heroes Gym offers over 45 items of Hammer Strength and Life Fitness equipment.

New healthydelegatepackagesLUXURY five-star retreat LutonHoo Hotel, Golf and Spa has creat-ed a new Delegate WellnessPackage, which aims to encouragebosses and employees to opt for ahealthier lifestyle.

Luton Hoo’s new package, inpartnership with Chillisauce, hastwo options for delegates tochoose from, which focus onhealthy living and outdoor exer-cise. Both options include twoservings of blended tea and fresh-ly ground coffee throughout theday, a buffet lunch and use of oneof the hotel’s meeting rooms forfour hours.

Delegates then choose betweena five a day Superfood Smoothieworkshop, hosted by a profession-al nutritionist, or a 1000 acre chal-lenge around the hotel’s magnifi-cent estate.

General manager Matthew Longsaid: “We all know how hard it canbe to fit a healthy lifestyle into abusy work schedule, which is whylearning a few top tips to help youremain healthy is so important.

“We also know that working in acity can leave you few options toenjoy the great outdoors, so ournew 1000 challenge is the perfectway to get outside and enjoy somefresh air. ”

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A LOYAL member at Bannatyne’sHealth Club in Newport has won anew set of wheels as part of a nation-wide referral campaign.

Raimonda Juganson is now theproud owner of a brand new Audi A1after entering the Refer a Friend pro-motion at her local club.

Refer a Friend ran in all 61Bannatyne’s Health Clubs across thecountry and required members torefer a friend or family member inorder to be entered into the prizedraw.

Raimonda referred her aunt, Irena

Matikene, who joined the health club,to be eligible for the prize draw.

General manager StephanieEdwards said: “Raimonda is one ofour most dedicated members anddespite a hectic schedule, she stillaims to visit the health club at leastfive times a week.

“Out of 61 health clubs we wereproud to present Raimonda with herbrand new Audi A1. We would like tothank all of our members who‘referred a friend’ in December andwe look forward to seeing lots of newfaces in 2015.”

Loyal member wins a new carRaimonda Juganson receives the keys for her new Audi A1 from Bannatyne's managingdirector Justin Musgrove.

Education roundtable focuses onengaging youngEXPERTS from the worlds of leisureand education united for a roundtable event, hosted by industry sup-plier Precor, where they debated thechallenges and recommendationsaround engaging young people inphysical activity.

The event was chaired by ukactiveCEO David Stalker, with a panelincluding Karen Rotary from BUCS,Ellen Rowles from Skills Active andPaul Dickinson from 3D Leisure, aswell as attendees from a range ofschools, colleges and universities.

Topics ranged from the SportsActivation Fund and attracting ‘zeroactivity’ students, to Astley SportsVillage’s successful MAD programmeand the live-action game Humans vsZombies, which is sweeping throughuniversities around the world.

The group also discussed how todemonstrate a long term Return onInvestment for physical activity tosupport the call for more funding andtimetabled hours, how to encourageother stakeholders, such as parentsand teachers to recognise their roleand how to ensure students leaveHigher Education as active adults.

Director at Astley Sports VillageMark Storie said: “Both years have

been very informative but this year itbecame clear to me that, throughtheir sports departments and espe-cially their school senior leadershipteams, higher education establish-ments are engaging a lot more stu-dents in physical activity than at sec-ondary school level.

“Secondary schools appear morefocused on their academic results,which I agree is a key priority, butmore work must also be focussed onstudent engagement in physical activ-ity if we are to create a physical activi-ty pathway for students from GCSElevel through to Higher Education.This was a key discussion point at theroundtable and I have come backwith some great ideas to use at AstleySports Village.”

UK marketing manager at PrecorJonathan Griffiths added: “We allshare a common goal of getting youngpeople more active, more often, andthere is some great work alreadybeing done by the education sector.

“These round table events enable usto hear first-hand the challenges ourschools, colleges and universities arefacing, and are a fantastic platform forsharing knowledge, best practice andfurther ideas for change.”

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Military-style bootcampavailable as a franchise By Christina Eccles

EX-Royal Marine turned bootcampowner Matt Lyons is changing hisbusiness model to offer others thechance to set up their ownBootcamp.uk.com franchise.

Currently based in Kent, theBootcamp.uk.com brand has alwaysbeen built around ex-military service-men to ensure that it remains true towhat a bootcamp really is, adhering tothe rules and regulations learnt whilein active service.

But Matt feels now is the time toalso offer it as a business option tolevel two qualified personal trainers.

He said; “Personal trainers and fit-ness instructors are always on thelook out for new ways to enhancetheir business, gain new clients andearn more income and theBootcamp.uk.com brand is a fail-safeway of doing that.

“By investing in a franchise you’rebuying someone else’s knowledge andexpertise. You’re following in someoneelse’s footsteps and buying into aready-made business that has beenthrough all the highs and lows onyour behalf.

“Bootcamp.uk.com is a well-knownbrand with a strong reputation andexcellent fitness coaches so you’ll beinvesting in something that is contin-uously making money with minimalhours put in.”

Three Bootcamp.uk.com franchises

are currently running in the SouthEast of England with Matt and histeam now on the lookout to increasethis further and expand the brandinto other areas of the country.

Matt added: “The benefits of run-ning a bootcamp are plentiful and notwo training sessions are ever thesame, in terms of the workouts them-selves and the people who you’ll train.

“The benefits of exercising outdoorsalso beat indoor workouts handsdown. When training outdoors theworld really is your oyster.”

Matt Lyons

Middle East Exercise Sports Academy specialises in instructor training and development.

New distributor for MOSSAMIDDLE East Exercise SportsAcademy (MEESA) is to become thenew distributor for MOSSA in theMiddle East, FitPro has announced.

MEESA specialises in instructortraining and development, as well asproviding commercial health and fit-ness clubs with consultative servicesin operations and recruitment.

In addition, the Dubai-based com-pany assists clubs to develop theirown brand of group exercise pro-grammes.

FitPro founder and chairman Brent

Hallo said: “MEESA is an excellentpartner to enable the distribution ofMOSSA group exercise programmesto the Middle East Market.

“Their established presence as aleader in fitness training, alongsidetheir commitment to delivering excel-lence in education for fitness profes-sionals in the Middle East, provides uswith the assurance that the quality ofprogramming for which MOSSA isrenowned will continue to be hon-oured wherever fitness professionalschoose to undertake their training.”

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By Olivia Taylor

AN independent gym in Telford isgoing the extra mile to make its facili-ties more accessible – and the mem-ber journey more enjoyable.

MSF Fitness offers members a rangeof different classes and activities theycan take part in from TRX to ladies’only race teams and an ‘Evolve’ sportsand social club.

Co-owner Louise Steel explained:“Evolve is for all users of MSF andtheir families to join. It offers cycling,running, triathlons and the social sideof things, like the monthly 10kmWattbike challenge at the studio.”

As well as providing equipment andclasses to members, the gym alsogives them access to a nutritionist,physiotherapist and weight loss clinicall under one roof.

Louise added: “Our studio’s a smallbusiness, it’s very social, like a com-munity.

“It’s not a gym full of people wearingearphones. We very much encouragemembers to get to know each other.”

Some members even spent part oftheir Christmas Day in the gym, tak-ing part in an indoor cycling class.Louise added: “They are a keen bunchand they also enjoy socialising witheach other so it was a great start tothe day.

“We filled the class, which was

strange; we thought we’d get five orsix members”

The club’s following has grown somuch since its opening 18 monthsago that Louise and co-owner MarkFenn have expanded the studio, buy-ing the building next door to providemembers with more classes.

Louise added” “We also try to make

fitness accessible to all. We are cur-rently supporting a number of clientscoming back from injury and acci-dents.

“We also allow new mums to bringtheir baby to the studio while theywork out during the daytime, hope-fully making training that bit moreaccessible.”

Gym goes extra mile withits classes and activities

MSF Fitness members can take part in everything from TRX to ladies’ only race teams andan ‘Evolve’ sports and social club.

POM Wonderful pomegranate juice haslaunched a series of workouts, in partner-ship with star of The Apprentice and fitnessexpert Katie Bulmer-Cooke (picturedabove). Each workout has been designed byKatie, with an emphasis on creating a shortseries of concise exercises that can be easi-ly integrated into everyday life. The#WonderfulWorkouts can be viewed anddownloaded on Vimeo with new install-ments each week available on topics includ-ing Wonderful Mums, Wonderful Abs andWonderful Minds.

Lindsey named BoxerciseInstructor of the YearA TRAINER from the Ryland Centre inBromsgrove has been namedBoxercise Instructor of the Year.

Lindsey Allen who is one of 19,000Boxercise instructors across theworld, found out that she had beensuccessful in the competition whenshe saw she’d been tagged in a poston Facebook.

Instructors put themselves forwardfor the competition, along with a col-lection of member testimonials forthe judges to look at.

Class participant Pippa Grafton said:“From the word go Lindsey has beensupportive, motivational, knowledge-able and an all-round brilliantinstructor.

“She has a great sense of humourwhich really helps you to enjoy theclass. I like that she isn't afraid to getinvolved and will happily step in ifthere is an odd number of people.”

Lindsey tries to be motivate her stu-dents and she thinks it’s important tochange classes around so they'realways different and interesting.

She added: “It’s a fitness class, but

it’s got to be fun.“I love it when people turn up look-

ing a bit shy, scared to hit someone incase they hurt them, and within anhour they're punching as hard as theycan.”

Lindsey Allen with her award.

Pure to open new gym in GreenwichA NEW PureGym is set to open inGreenwich, as part of a new £110mbusiness park, The Movement.

Pure Gym has begun fit-out in the15,000 sqft ground and first floorunits at the foot of the develop-ment.

This will be the operator’s second

gym in Greenwich.Property director for PureGym

Angela Crawshaw said; “ThePureGym Greenwich Movementwill provide local residents with afully equipped gym that offersexceptional value for money at anaffordable price.”

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Welcome to WorkOut Weigh In – it’s your chance to have your say and share your views on industryissues. You can email us at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or you can message us on Facebook or Twitter.

IT’S been a hectic few weeks for theWorkout team, as we’ve been busydiscussing big plans this month, andfollowing on from that, we’re delight-ed to make two announcements inthis issue, which we hope you’ll be asexcited about as we are.

Firstly, we are thrilled to reveal ourmedia partnership with LeisureIndustry Week 2015, which will alsosee the introduction of the Workouttrade lounge at this year’s show.

We already have a great relationshipwith the new organisers through ourinvolvement in BodyPower and arelooking forward to building on thatwith LIW over the coming months.

We’ll also be announcing more newsabout the event over the next fewissues and can’t wait to hear howplans are shaping up for this year’sshow, so watch this space!

Secondly, it’s that time of year againwhen we encourage you to startthinking about why your gyms are thebest in the industry and put yourself

forward for a National Fitness Award.Nominations for this year’s event are

now open and entries can be madevia the website www.nationalfitnes-sawards.co.uk where you can also findout more about each individual cate-gory and take a look at all the actionfrom previous events.

The awards are free to enter and canprovide a great boost and increasedpublicity for your business, so if youhaven’t entered before, you reallyhave got nothing to lose by giving it ago.

And if you’re a past winner or final-ist, we’re looking forward to seeingyou return to defend your titles anddiscover how you’ve built on previoussuccesses.

Sponsorship opportunities are alsoavailable for the 2015 awards for sup-pliers to the fitness industry and we’rehappy to hear from anyone interestedin sponsoring a category.

We’ll also be announcing moredetails about the event in the coming

weeks, as well as plans for an excitingnew element, which could prove valu-able for gyms of all shapes and sizes.

As always, get in touch if you haveany ideas of what you would like tosee at the awards or if you’re a previ-ous winner with an exciting story totell, we’d love to hear your news.Email ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or con-tact us on Facebook or Twitter.

Editor’s Comment

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

This month’stop Tweets...

This month’s hot topic:

Plans are shaping up nicely for the 2015 National Fitness Awards. Will you be entering the awards this year?

Tell us why and what makes your club stand out and you could appear in a future issue of the magazine.

Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue.

Christina Eccles

@Kettfusion: Lovely meetingChristina and Olivia today for the@Kettfusion class review... Youare both so fit! Well done!

@ChristinaEccles: Loving the@GlamourMagSport and@ThisGirlCanUK campaigns!Proud to work with some greatwomen in fitness on@WorkOutUK and@FitnessAwards.

@lowwoodclub: @lowwoodclubinstructor Nev reading about thenew gym in this month’s@WorkOutUK

@NAhutchinson: @mylfx anyonetried foot golf a fad or is it hereto stay, fastest growing sport inthe UK? @LancashireSport@WorkOutUK @katiebulmer1

@OliviaGTaylor: Just spoke to@thefitbox about all things grouptraining, look out for them in anupcoming issue of @WorkOutUK

@L_I_W: Happy to announce@WorkOutUK as a media partnerfor LIW 2015! Watch out formore news about the Workouttrade Lounge at LIW

@fitnessgarageuk: Visit our@FitnessAwards #Winning #Gym#sheffieldissuper #Barnsleyisbrill#rotherhamiswonderful #FatLoss#ToneTuesday

@FitProLive: Check out@tribe_team in @WorkOutUK Ithas certainly been exciting timesfor FitPro and Tribe – so muchmore to come!

An inspirational member has marked his 100th birthday with a celebration at the gym heattends. Ronald Prince has been taking part in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseclasses for the last three years, at a club in Pontypool operated by Torfaen Leisure Trust, aspart of the National Exercise Referral Scheme. Torfaen national referral scheme co-ordina-tor Owen Thomas said he was an inspiration to anyone lacking motivation. He added: “It’sa great message to us all, especially for the younger generations.”

Picture of the month

HAVE you got an eye catching imagefrom your gym? Perhaps you’ve had avisit from a celebrity guest; organiseda successful charity event or have aninspirational member who hasachieved something remarkable?

Send us your pictures and a shortcaption to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk andyour image could feature as ourPicture of the Month in a future issueof the magazine.

Your eye-catchingimages wanted

Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitterpages throughout March as we’ll be reveal-ing more details about this year’s NationalFitness Awards. Like the Workout Facebookpage at www.facebook.com/workout-magazine or follow @FitnessAwards and@WorkOutUK to find out how plans arecoming along for this year’s event and whyyour club could benefit from gettinginvolved. Over the coming weeks, we’ll alsobe making big announcements about our2015 venue, date, presenters and judgingpanel so look out for some excitingupdates!

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By Christina Eccles

A GYM owned by boxing legend RickyHatton is going from strength tostrength, thanks to a strong focus onoffering a quality service, combinedwith value for money.

Billed as a place where exclusivityand affordability go hand in hand,membership at Hatton Health andFitness costs £19.95 per month, givingmembers access to the gym and threestudios offering a comprehensivegroup exercise timetable, includingboxing sessions, Zumba, KETTFusionand a dedicated Spinning room.

The club – situated in Hyde, nearManchester – opened in 2008, whenRicky decided he wanted to investsomething back into his local area,while also creating a place where hecould train himself.

General manager Jon Eadeexplained: “The idea came from Rickywanting to have his own facility totrain in.

“And he’s so popular here, he alsowanted to give something back to thecommunity.

“It’s grown as the years have goneon. We wanted to be known in thelocal area as a premium health club

but at a budget club price.”Currently the club has about 1800

members and has had a great start tothe year, signing up 150 new mem-bers in January and expecting similarfigures to come in for February andMarch.

There are also plans in the pipelinefor a major refurbishment to give thegym a refreshed look and introducethem to some of the latest kit on themarket.

Jon added: “We recently doubled thesize of the free weights area as we’veseen a trend for more girls starting tolift. Functional training is also popu-

lar and our staff are really good ateducating members.

“If you educate members with newtechniques, it helps in the long runwith retention.”

As well as the traditional gym down-stairs, the upstairs level also has dedi-cated boxing facilities where Ricky,who is a familiar face around theclub, can regularly be found trainingtoday’s up and coming boxing stars.

Jon added: “The place speaks foritself and the club gets a really goodresponse from show rounds.

“And Ricky’s a real people person –he is our brand.”

Offering quality service and valuefor money key to gym’s success

Members of Hatton Health and Fitness in Hyde get access to the gym and three studios offering a comprehensive group exercise timetable.

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A LUXURY fitness facility inBuckinghamshire, named as one ofthe ‘most beautiful gyms in the UK’by Stylist magazine, has revealed theresults of a £500,000 upgrade.

The gym at Stoke Park CountryClub, Spa and hotel has benefitedfrom a full refurbishment, completewith the installation of the latestequipment from Star Trac.

Stoke Park is now home to the latestin fitness technology, including stateof the art cardiovascular equipmentwith HD embedded televisionsscreens, integrated Fitness Coach andUSB connectivity; new resistancemachines; a cloud based bio-compo-sition tracker Boditrax andHumanSport cable range.

A new functional area has also beenintroduced, with other features

including a hot yoga studio, personaltraining and a comprehensive classtimetable.

Head of communication for StokePark Nick Downie said: “Our invest-ment into the new fitness equipmentin the health club is part of our longterm plans to have the best healthand wellbeing spa in the home coun-

ties. We pride ourselves on adoptingan innovative approach with ourfacilities which is why we have part-nered with Star Trac, Running unlim-ited and Boditrax.”

Group fitness manager Jules Bakeradded: “We are absolutely thrilledwith the new gym refit. Not only dowe have brand new Star Trac CV and

resistance machines, with a far betteruser experience for our members andguests, the interface behind the kitwill allow us to embrace the currenttechnologies that are hitting the mar-ket such as fitness apps and cloudsystems.

“To top it all off, our mezzanine areahas been redesigned to allow us to fitin more new weight equipment, whilemore space has been made availableto allow us to train with modern func-tional training techniques.

“Also our new Boditrax body com-position scales will allow us to assessand accurately track what area of thebody an individual is storing their fatin. This will allow us to refine whetherthe nutritional advice and exerciseprogramming is working for ourmembers with more precision.”

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The gym has undergone a full refurbishment, complete with the installation of the latest equipment from Star Trac, and a new functional area and hot yoga studio.

Stoke Park gym gets £500,000 upgrade

Stoke Park Country Club, Spa and hotel.

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Kettlebells plus martial arts is proving to be a winning formula for instructor Michael Ross, whose innovativeworkouts are proving popular in the North West. Now with plans in place to spread the word to fitness fansaround the country, Workout spoke to Michael – and tried out a session.

New class combines martialarts, kettlebells and musicWHAT do you get if you combine akettlebell workout with martial artsmoves and motivating music? Theanswer; KETTFusion – the latestgroup exercise class to take the indus-try by storm.

Originating from creator Michael’sbackground as a personal trainer anda professional actor, the story behindthe concept is an unusual one, whichbegan when he was offered the role ofa gladiator in a TV series.

Following his casting, the show’sproducers brought in a personaltrainer to help him get in shape forthe part – and it was here he becameintroduced to working out with ket-tlebells.

Seeing the impact that type of train-ing was having on his physique led tohim wanting to find out more and he

progressed to become an advancedKettlercise instructor. But he feltsomething was missing from theclasses, which could enhance themeven further and lead to greater fit-ness benefits.

From there, KETTFusion was born; adynamic 60-minute class whichbrings together the best of bothworlds, offering participants a wholebody workout, which focuses onbuilding strength and cardiovascularfitness in a fun environment.

Michael said: “People started hear-ing about it and I’ve been getting callsfrom Aberdeen down to Bristol aboutclasses.

“Because there aren’t enough, weare now on an instructor drive andhave five instructor courses comingup this year.”

Michael currently teaches the class-es at two gyms – Hatton Health andFitness in Hyde and Stockport SportsVillage – as well as private classes andhe told Workout, they have been wellreceived in the area, with participantsenjoying the fitness benefits and thefun element of regular themedKETTFusion classes and outdoor ses-sions when the weather allows.

The brand has also grown with theaddition of KETTFusion HRD Stuff – amore intense class – and followingtheir initial success, Michael believesthe sessions could be a perfect addi-tion for other gyms to introduce on totheir timetables.

He added: “It’s going to bring mem-bers in because it’s different anddynamic. It’s not just exercise, but theway it’s presented as well.”

BEFORE trying out the class, I’dheard of KETTFusion and wasintrigued by the concept – but hadno idea what to expect in reality.

How would the format work?Would we have to keep swappingbetween the kettlebell exercises andthe martial arts ones? Would theclass be easy to follow?

Thankfully, Michael met us before-hand and talked us through what wewould be doing – a warm up, fol-lowed by a dedicated kettlebell sec-tion, a dedicated martial arts one,some mat work and a cool down –alleviating our initial apprehensionand leaving us excited to give it a try.

The class was easier to follow thanwe expected it to be, with both of usmanaging to pick up most of themoves and keep in step with the restof the class.

The music and Michael’s words ofencouragement also helped andkept us on the right track through-out.

The fact that the moves aren’t toocomplicated is a definite plus point,as it makes it much easier to focuson the correct technique and achiev-ing a really good workout.

As well as training up moreinstructors this year and spreadingthe word at industry events,Michael’s next step is to build on theconcept with a new classKETTrhythm, which will include ket-tlebells mixed with dance, featuringmoves and music inspired by Africa,Cuba and Asian rhythms.

And we enjoyed our firstKETTFusion class so much, we’ll befirst in the queue to road test thatone too!

Enjoyable class easier to follow than expected

KETTFusion is a dynamic 60-minute class which offers participants a whole body workout and focuses on building strength and cardiovascular fitness.

WorkOut editor Christina Eccles and reporter Olivia Taylorwith KETTFusion founder Michael Ross.

KETTFusion founder Michael Ross.

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UK FITNESS SCENE20

MARKETING agency Bigwave Media,which specialises in the leisure indus-try, has restructured followingresearch to discover exactly what cus-tomers want.

The remodelling, which involved thepurchase of a creative agency, has ledto an influx of new business, includ-ing contract wins with ActiveNorthumberland, Inverclyde Leisureand The LC Swansea.

Operations director Tom Gozna said:“We undertook the research to helpimprove our overall customer experi-ence. Ensuring the results were actedupon we went in search of a creativedirector and acquired an entire cre-ative agency. This led to a completeremodelling of the company and, inturn, the growth of Bigwave Media.”

The new creative director, LeePotter, has over 20 years’ experiencein both graphic and web design. Hewill head up the creative element ofBigwave, working closely with thedesign studio to drive client brandsand communications.

Debbi Moore, who has been withBigwave since its inception in 2007, isnow head of client experience. LukeSimpson has a new role as head ofoperations, looking after the accountmanagement team, while also over-seeing the day to day management ofthe office and Kelly Pritchard has alsojoined the team as a senior accountmanager.

Bigwave’s digital team, led by digitaldirector Simon Beer, has alsoincreased from three to eight.

Lee Potter

Customer research leads tocreative agency purchase

FITNESS clothing brand Be AnAthlete has launched a campaign tofind new ambassadors.

Over 200 applicants put themselvesforward for the positions in just overa week, with the aim of the scheme tofind like minded individuals in thefitness industry to represent the

brand.The winners will be chosen for their

abilities, drive and dedication to testout Be An Athlete prototypes andtake part in campaigns, as well ascontribute their ideas to monthlymeetings discussing new productsand collections.

Clothing brand seeks ambassadors

THE organisers of SIBEC have teamedup with LFX founder Graeme Hindeas part of their plans for this year’sevent.

Graeme will be working with theteam to ensure SIBEC UK remains animportant business networking eventfor UK leisure operators, providing aunique opportunity for them to infor-mally meet face-to-face with a widevariety of suppliers from the sector.

Graeme said: “I was very pleased tobe approached by SIBEC to workalongside their team this year. Theformula for SIBEC clearly works and

fits perfectly with the LFX network.“I was particularly drawn to the

partnership as the SIBEC event hasbeen successfully running in the UKfor 12 years and it’s great to be associ-ated with such a consistently success-ful team. I look forward to introduc-ing many of our partners to SIBECand witnessing the business relation-ships that develop.”

This year’s event will again takeplace at The Belfry, on May 20-21,where delegates will also have theopportunity to enjoy a round of golfat the prestigious venue.

SIBEC joins with LFXand Graeme Hinde

LFX founder Graeme Hinde.

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By Olivia Taylor

LIFESTYLE Fitness in Barnsley is liv-ing up to its award winning reputa-tion, with 2015 getting off to a suc-cessful start for the low cost club,whose staff are promising to make itsfounder proud.

The gym, which was recentlycrowned Budget Club of the Year atthe 2014 National Fitness Awards, hasseen a storm of 720 new members inDecember and January alone.

And following the sad news of thesudden death of the chain’s founderCarl Gripenstedt, the club is promis-ing that 2015 will be a big year.

Regional manager, East MidlandsShane Williams said: “Everything hasgone brilliant, I’ve seen a real boost,probably down to hard work and the

Fitness Awards. “There’s a lot planned for Lifestyle

Fitness this year; it’s time to makeCarl proud.”

One of the chain’s recent initiativesis offering members the opportunityto earn while they burn with a ‘sell usyour wobbly bits’ scheme, where theycan earn money for every kilogramthey burn.

So far, members across LifestyleFitness sites have lost four tonnes offat and gained £20,000; earning £1 forevery 2kg that they lose. Members canbe paid by cheque or by vouchers forthe online store or cafe bar.

Shane added: “It’s all been done pro-fessionally, we don’t want membersstarving themselves for 20 quid. Werecommend a weight loss is twopounds per week.”

Gym’s staff promise tomake founder proud

The Lifestyle Fitness Barnsley team celebrating their NFA win.

AFTER three years of hugely suc-cessful trading, H3 Performance isreally excited to announce thelaunch of its new franchise arm.

After being part of the fitnesslandscape in Nottingham for thelast 31 years, the concept for H3Performance was conceived in 2011and launched in 2012 by JezKearney to bring energy back intothe fitness industry.

Jez said: “It is all about providingmembers with the ultimate trainingexperience.

“The aim of the H3 Performancefranchise is to give prospective andcurrent gym owners the ultimateplatform to not only compete in thisindustry, but thrive.”

With revenue growth of over 45per cent year on year, who canargue with H3 Performance’sapproach of quality over quantity?Focusing on small group coachingand mentoring over mass member-

ship has enabled the company tostand out amongst its competitors.

Head coach Toby Liddiard added:“H3 Performance is not just a fan-tastic training facility; it is muchmore than that.”

With such progress, the time isright to expand, with franchisingproviding the platform to developnationwide.

With ready to use systems thatyield outstanding results in a veryshort time, the franchise package isideal not only as a new businessstart-up, but also as an extension toan existing health club or gym.

Franchisees can also expect 24/7support and advice from the H3team should they need it, to ensuresuccess.

If you feel you are ready to take yourbusiness to the next level, then get into

contact with the H3 Performance team athttp://www.h3performance.co.uk/

page/h3-franchising

H3 Performance launchesits new franchise arm

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UK FITNESS SCENE24The recently revamped health and fitness centre at King’s College London is helpingstudents and locals keep fit, while enhancing the university’s overall offering.Christina Eccles took a look around.

STUDENTS, staff and the wider com-munity can now work out in style atthe new gym, which has been trans-formed into a state-of-the-art – yetaffordable – fitness suite right in theheart of the capital at the university’sWaterloo campus.

Investing £250,000 into the project,the university partnered with PulseFitness to give the club a completeoverhaul including the installation ofnew equipment, flooring and decor;allowing it to better compete withother local gyms and provide the per-fect place for students to switch offfrom exam stress or train to competewith one of King’s College’s manysports teams.

As part of the redevelopment, kitfrom Pulse’s Evolve Strength andSeries Three Fusion Cardio lines havebeen installed, along with a function-al training zone and indoor cyclingstudio.

The club’s cardio equipment nowalso includes the new Cirrus Console,an 18.5” android tablet touch screenwhich uses technology to allow mem-bers to personalise workout optionsand experience digital TV, radio andinternet browsing with social mediaaccess while they exercise.

The kit also includes SmartCentre,Pulse’s intelligent gym management

system, which can store personalisedgym workout programmes and giveuser feedback.

National sales manager at PulseRichard Sheen said: “Our equipmentharnesses the latest technology andas such is very well suited to thedemographic at King’s Health andFitness Centre.

“As well as providing equipment,we offer design and build servicesand operate leisure facilities our-selves, including some fitness suites

at other higher education facilitiessuch as Goldsmiths, University ofLondon, so we really understandwhat works for private members andstudents alike and the importance ofseeing a return on investment.”

The work was completed in timefor the new academic year inSeptember 2014 and the university isalready reaping the rewards of itsinvestment

Club manager Greg Hanmer added:“It’s been really positive; usage hasgrown by over 30 per cent.

“The students are really engaged;we now have the ability to put onmore classes and our coaching staffcan deliver a lot more. It’s been fan-tastic.”

Future projects include hostingmore gym-based challenges andevents within the club, allowing it toforge closer links with the universi-ty’s health and wellbeing initiatives.

There are also plans in the pipelineto install similar fitness facilities atKing’s College’s other campuses, withthis one acting as the blueprint.

Greg added: “Students come toKing’s because of the world classacademia, but we now might addthat extra appeal as something whichimproves their overall student expe-rience.”

King’s College partnered with Pulse Fitness to give the club a complete overhaul.

Plans are in the pipeline to install similar facilities at King’s College’s other campuses.

University gym transformed intoa state-of-the-art fitness suite

Speedflexlaunches a‘Newlife’in ScotlandSPEEDFLEX, the fast-growing highintensity health and fitness con-cept, part owned by Alan Shearer,has continued its UK expansionwith the announcement it is toopen in Aberdeenshire.

It will be the first Speedflex cen-tre in the UK to be hosted withinan ‘existing gym’ environment –Newlife Fitness in Laurencekirk.

The building is already operatingas a leisure facility and Speedflexis aiming for a quick fit out to getthe site open and operating assoon as possible, so they can begindelivering the sessions and com-prehensive health assessments.

Speedflex Europe’s chairmanGraham Wylie said: “We aredelighted to team up with NewlifeFitness and are excited toannounce our new venture inScotland. We are very much look-ing forward to offering the localcommunity of Aberdeenshire theopportunity to try some highintensity interval training with adifference. We believe we have cre-ated one of the best small trainingconcepts in the world and withgrowing popularity and member-ship base, and we are nowexpanding further. Speedflex is avery effective way for many peopleto transform their health in a safe,enjoyable and unique environ-ment.”

The concept isn’t short of famousfans either, both Match of the Daypundit Alan Shearer and GoodMorning Britain presenter BenShephard have become ambassa-dors for the brand.

The Speedflex health and fitnessconcept features unique Speedflexmachines which automaticallyrespond to and create resistancelevels based on the force you putin. People of all ages and abilitiescan train together in small groups,led by personal trainers.

The high intensity 30 or 45minute group sessions enablepeople to work out with little or noimpact, burning high numbers ofcalories whilst linked to a heartrate monitor.

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UK FITNESS SCENE26A Stockport leisure centre has drastically turned around its fortunes, thanks to an innovative approach to obesityand a drive to engage with hard-to-reach members of the community. Workout found out more.

AVONDALE Health Hub is not yourtypical gym. In fact, when redesigningthe centre, operator Life Leisure con-sidered everything they knew aboutcreating a gym – and did the opposite.

The result; a welcoming environ-ment catering for people who maypreviously not have set foot throughthe door; a successful rehabilitationprogramme and a growth in member-ship from 500 members to over 1700.

But the centre wasn’t always thissuccessful. Back in 2010, it was losingabout £170,000 per year and wasunder threat from closure, until anoutcry from the local community ledto a rethink.

To secure its long term future, some-thing drastic had to be done. And inLife Leisure CEO Malcolm McPhail’swords, they had ‘nothing to lose.’

He explained: “The leisure centrewas losing about £170,000 per year

My view was that it was irretrievableand there was nothing we could do.

“Basically, we had nothing to lose. Iwent in one day and spoke to somepeople about what annoys them ingyms. The fundamental thing washow big a step it is to get people intothe gym environment.

“It’s not just about money – it’sabout the physical environment andprogramming. People were saying, asa sector, we don’t promote anythingto them.

“We decided we weren’t going tohave any mirrors or posters of beauti-ful people in Lycra and focus on sim-ple programming. We wanted to getpeople who didn’t exercise into exer-cising.”

£250,000 was invested in revampingthe centre – including the installationof a state-of-the-art Alter G AntiGravity treadmill – and the introduc-

tion of initiatives based around walk-ing to encourage activity in the com-munity outside of the gym environ-ment.

Since the changes, local people havebeen wholeheartedly embracing theconcept, as has the industry. Amongits accolades, the club picked up aNational Fitness Award for BestRehabilitation Facility in 2013 and itssuccess story has also generated posi-tive press coverage nationwide, bothfrom a human interest angle andfrom a business point of view.

Malcolm added: “It has been phe-nomenal. 68 per cent of people whojoined had never had gym member-ship before – these are the realcelebrities. It’s great to not just betalking about it but physically doingsomething.”

Plans are already underway to buildon the success of Avondale by intro-

ducing smaller ‘micro health hubs’into the local community.

Malcolm believes there is potentialto franchise the business model,while the trust as a whole is also look-ing at winning new contracts aroundthe UK over the coming months.

And he told Workout, that althoughcreating a centre so drastically differ-ent to a mainstream gym could haveput off some regular gymgoers, it wasimportant to try something whichwould engage the majority of peoplewho were not currently exercising orvisiting a gym.

He added: “There was a risk of alien-ating people but you have to bebrave. It’s important to do differentthings.

“Sometimes I get accused of beingtoo commercial but you have to havethat to be able to do good with themoney.”

‘Nothing to lose’ gym’s fortunes transformed£250,000 was invested in revamping Avondale Health Club (above left) and Life Leisure CEO Malcolm McPhail (above right) believes there is potential to franchise the business model.

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UK FITNESS SCENE28

Neath Sports Centre has expanded its group exercise offering with the launch of MOSSA’sGroup Power programme. New to South Wales, Group Power is a results-driven strengthtraining workout which uses an adjustable barbell, weight plates and bodyweight.Sales, marketing and customer services manager at operator Celtic Leisure Lisa Thomassaid: “We felt there was a gap in the market for a new and exciting pre choreographedgroup exercise programme in South Wales. Something which would match our customers’expectations. MOSSA’s Group Power is a highly engaging programme. The programme isdifferent with every release creating a new challenge for our customers each time.”

By Olivia Taylor

A PAIR of Sheffield-based fitnessenthusiasts recently took to themountains to give the Three PeaksChallenge their best shot.

Personal trainer Adam Copley andclient Ricky Staniforth first met in2012 at Tankersley gym FIT4IT whereAdam helped guide Ricky through hisnine-stone weight loss journey.

Ricky said: “I was extremely over-weight at well over 23 stone. Adamhelped me gain more strength, fitnessand confidence.”

The pair set off at 4am, with the aimto climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike andSnowdon within 48 hours to raisemoney for a local charity, HallamFM’s Cash for Kids.

This is the second time the duo havebattled the Three Peaks, but this timethe main idea was to do it in the dark.

Ricky added: “Adam had a bee in hisbonnet about the National ThreePeaks event, and asked if I'd like to dothe tough version. His suggestion wasto do it at night and in the depths ofwinter. Madman.”

The training process included a lotof cardio endurance work.

Adam added: “I hate cardio so I hadto do it in as many ways as possible,just to keep it interesting.”

The pair gave the challenge theirutmost but unfortunately were beaten

on the last lap of Mount Snowdon,just a few hundred metres from thepeak of the mountain.

Ricky added: “All in all the challengewith Adam was an amazing experi-ence, made so much better for it hav-ing such treacherous conditions. Eventhough we didn't complete it, we stillfelt accomplished because we gave itmuch more than our best shot.”

Adam experienced a few near disas-ters while climbing Ben Nevis, slip-ping and falling 15m, but that hasn’tput the pair off thinking about theirnext challenge, with future ambitionsof climbing Mont Blanc.

Ricky added: “We have discussedmany more potential adventures. I'mcertain Adam and I will do a lot moreto push our knowledge and experi-ence in this area.”

Pair take on ThreePeaks for charity

Personal trainer Adam Copley and clientRicky Staniforth.

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UK FITNESS SCENE30

ALMOST 200 young women from theManchester area have gathered for afun filled two hours of dance andexercise aimed at encouraging thecity’s student population to try outnew activities.

GreaterSport, in partnership withThis Girl Can, Us Girls Rocks and theExercise Dance and MovementPartnership hosted the free Shake itOff event at The Sugden SportsCentre, which was packed with par-

ticipants enjoying taster sessions ineverything from Zumba and a glow inthe dark rave to netball, badmintonand table tennis.

The event inspired so many youngwomen to get involved in more sportand physical activity thatGreaterSport has put on six weeks offree Sportivate Dance Rave andStreetFit funded sessions to cater todemand for classes.

Event coordinator Anna Ducie said:

“The atmosphere and energy in theroom on the day was phenomenal.GreaterSport are aiming to drivewomen’s participation in sport andevents like Shake it Off are a great wayto do this. The feedback we havereceived has been extremely positiveand partners are already keen to getinvolved in the next event.”

The next event will take place onSunday March 8, which also coincideswith International Women’s Day.

Participants enjoyed taster sessions in everything from Zumba and a glow in the dark rave at The Sugden Sports Centre.

Hundreds of girls gather to ‘Shake it Off’

MERIDIAN Leisure Centre in Louthhas celebrated its fifth birthday.

The centre, operated by MagnaVitae, a partner to East LindseyDistrict Council, includes an 80 piecefitness suite, 25m eight lane swim-ming pool with floating floor; sauna

and steam room and sports hall, aswell as a weekly programme of 55classes.

District council portfolio holder forleisure, coun Adam Grist, who wel-comed the very first person throughthe doors in 2010, said: “The Meridian

Leisure Centre was built in responseto a real need for good quality fitnessprovision in Louth. I am delighted ithas fulfilled all our expectations andI’m sure it will continue to be a much-used and well-loved facility for manyyears to come.”

Louth leisure centre celebrates fifth birthday

INDUSTRY veterans Mark Davis,a Sussex County Cricket Clubcoach, and David Monkhouse,director of Leisure-net Solutions,have graduated fromLoughborough University's inau-gural International SportsManagement MBA programme.

The qualification was created in2012 to help blend the sportinghistory of LoughboroughUniversity with the managementeducation at the School ofBusiness and Economics.

The programme, which is set tobe re-launched later this year atLoughborough's new LondonOlympic Park campus, covers thetraditional MBA topics of finance,marketing and operations man-agement, but in a sports context.There are also sports industry-specific modules.

The ISM MBA is directed byAndy Reed OBE, chairman of theSport and Recreation Alliance.

He said: “We wanted an MBAthat would create the qualifiedpeople we need to manage andlead the industry into the future,taking on board the changingnature of the workplace and theincreased leadership and man-agement skills we’ve come toexpect.”

Industryveteransgraduate

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UK FITNESS SCENE 35Nominations are now being accepted for this year’sNational Fitness Awards, giving gyms the opportunity toshout about what they can do well. Olivia Taylor spoketo some past NFA winners to find out what winning atrophy means to them.

Nominations openfor annual awardsTHE National Fitness Awards givesgyms and personal trainers from theScottish Highlands down to Cornwall– and everywhere inbetween – thechance to receive hard earned recog-nition for their achievements andcontributions to the fitness industry.

Instead of being limited to one cate-gory, the NFAs gives competitors theopportunity to enter specialist cate-gories tailored towards theirstrengths; whether that’s strengthtraining, group exercise or communi-ty involvement.

Winners and shortlisted clubsreceive a press pack which they canuse to their advantage – contactingtheir local press to promote the factthat they’ve won an industry awardand using the ‘NFA Award Winner’logo on their website or social mediaaccounts, around the gym and insome cases on the gym’s uniform.

Charmaine Heard, gym manager atthe customer service award winningStringers Gym in Truro said: “TheFitness Awards allows us to dabble inother categories and see how we do,which is great.

“We have the NFA logo proudly plas-tered on our website.”

Receiving hundreds of nominationsper year, the National Fitness Awardsis proving to be a popular boost forbusinesses and with no entry fee,gyms who are thinking about enteringhave nothing to lose.

Don McDuff, owner of 2013 StrengthTraining Gym of the Year PhysiqueWarehouse added: “The NFAs havegot us to the forefront of a lot of peo-ple’s attention.

“We get people travelling a long wayto train with us because we’re anaward winning gym.”

St Peter’s Leisure Centre in Burnleywas the proud recipient of two NFAs –for Functional Training Gym of theYear 2013 and Gym Team of the Year2014.

Leisure facilities manager at opera-tor Burnley Leisure Neil Hutchinsonadded: “The NFAs give us somethingto work towards and drive our stan-dards, pitching ourselves against thebest in the business.

“I make a point of looking at all lastyear’s winners to see what they weredoing to make them winners. I thenuse this to help us move forwards andset goals.”

Once all nomination forms are sub-mitted, the shortlist in each categoryis drawn up.

If you’re successful in making theshortlist, your gym will be visited by amember of the WorkOut team, beforethe winners are decided by an expertjudging panel and revealed on theglittering awards night.

Over the years, the awards havebeen hosted by a collection of leadingindustry figures such as Ricky Hatton,Caroline Pearce, Katherine Kelly andSharron Davies, providing shortlistedclubs with the chance to celebrate ata spectacular end of year party.

Don added: “We’re all so busy run-ning around looking after the gymand doing every day stuff; the NFAshelps us focus.”� To find out more or enter your gymfor an award, visit www.nationalfit-nessawards.co.uk

Stourbidge fitness instructor Gemma Calvert is looking forward to bringing a new kind ofdance class to her area after winning a place on a Clubbercise training course. Workoutrecently teamed up with Clubbercise to offer one lucky winner, chosen at random via acompetition on Facebook, a free place on their instructor training day in Pontefract – andGemma scooped the prize. She said: “Thanks to Workout Magazine for my free place onthe Clubbercise course. I had a fantastic time and enjoyed every minute of it. This class willdefinitely be coming to Stourbridge very soon.”

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FIBO PREVIEW36FIBO; the world’s largest trade show for fitness, wellness and health will be held in Cologne from April 9 to 122015. With preparations for the event now well underway, Workout rounds up what to watch out for this year.

FROM seeing the latest innovations tofinding inspiration for your own busi-ness: there are plenty of reasons tovisit FIBO 2015.

The show, which in Germany hasbeen the industry’s most importantannual meeting place for manydecades, is now also steadily gainingin relevance for international gymoperators, with about a quarter of vis-itors hailing from abroad.

Once again this year, the trade showis subdivided by themes into severalsegments and three clearly definedpillars structure the products andservices presented to visitors: FIBO

Expert, FIBO Passion and FIBOPOWER. Across the show, exhibitorswill be showcasing innovations infields such as training equipment,sports nutrition, wellness and beautyand group fitness.

The topic of corporate fitness willalso be given more attention, with adedicated section designed to pro-mote health in the workplace.

This area will accommodateexhibitors such as company sportsclubs, industrial health managementconsultants, digital health coaches,companies offering products andservices in the fields of ergonomics,

nutrition or training concepts, teambuilding and incentives, fitness asso-ciations and health insuranceproviders.

The focus in the wellness and beau-ty segment in Hall Eight will be onthemes such as sun-tanning con-cepts, saunas and steam baths, relax-ation, medical wellness, equipment,body care products and training andcontinuing education. By way of fur-ther development, FIBO is planningan extensive supporting programmefor 2015, consisting of lectures, guid-ed tours and a VIP programme.

Visitors to the FIBO Passion seg-

ment will be able to get specialistadvice and even get active themselvesand the shopping segment, in partic-ular, will be strengthened, and newtrends and special discount offersfrom the major sports brands will bewaiting for visitors.

In 2015, FIBO POWER is strongerthan ever, with its exhibition areasFIBO POWER Supplements, FIBOPOWER Fashion, FIBO POWERMartial Arts and FIBO POWER Eventsall on offer to visitors.

For tickets to FIBO 2015 or to findout more, visit the show website atwww.fibo.de

Plenty of reasons to visit FIBO 2015FIBO is subdivided by themes into several segments, and three clearly defined pillars structure the products and services presented to visitors.

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Following its successful launch at FIBO 2014, the FIBO Functional Training Forum will return this year. Presenting the hottest industrytrends, the forum – covering an area of 300 sqm – will provide a grand stage for the sector’s top experts to present the theory and practi-cal applications of the latest in functional training equipment and concepts. Among the experts taking part in this area will be celebritytrainer Karsten Schellenberg, who’ll present his new mentorship concept; Eberhard Schlömmer, who’ll report on the correct use of theFunctional Movement Screen and Olympic lifting expert Björn Schinke, who’ll speak about Olympic weightlifting and how to incorporateit into CrossFit.

Exhibitors to battle it out for awardsINNOVATIVE products and originaltraining approaches will receive spe-cial attention at the show, with allexhibitors having been eligible toput themselves forward for the FIBOInnovation Award.

Nominated products will be intro-duced to the fitness industry at the

trade fair and the best innovations infour categories – TrainingEquipment for Fitness,Rehabilitation and Prevention,Health Promotion, Interior andDesign and Training Concepts – willbe rewarded.

Submitted products must represent

an innovative advancement for theentire sector and products musthave been launched no longer thanone year before the FIBO 2015 tradefair. This year marks the 16th timethe award will be presented, incooperation with TÜV RheinlandGroup and Fit For Fun magazine.

ABOUT 350 representatives gatheredtogether in major European citiesahead of the show for the FIBOInnovation Tour, in conjunction withEuropeActive.

CEOs, managers, buyers and strate-gists from major national fitnesschains and associations attendedevents in London, Madrid, Paris andCopenhagen for a series of exclusiveone-day seminars aimed at exploringopportunities for studio operators toenhance their positioning in the mar-ket.

FIBO event director Ralph Scholzsaid: “An exclusive setting, cutting-edge presentations and the key play-ers of the national studio market: theingredients were once again right forthe second FIBO Innovation Tour.

“We loved visiting London, Madrid,Paris and Copenhagen and we toohad lots of interesting discussionsand took home impressions from thenational markets.

“We already look forward to nextyear’s tour.”

FIBO international ambassador and

EuropeActive board member HermanRutgers added: “The quantity andquality of both the company presen-tations and the attendees was verygood this year.

“The inclusion of key note speakersin the programme (Dr Paul Bedfordand Deloitte) was very well receivedby the participants.

“In all cities the programme provid-ed for a lot of innovation ideas for theclub owners and managers. Overall itwas a great success and this bodeswell for next year.”

Seminars explore opportunities for operatorsThe FIBO Innovation Tour visited London, Madrid, Paris and Copenhagen for a series of exclusive one-day seminars.

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Physical Company will be showcasing the newest products from the Competition Range –Pro Olympic Bars, PU Bumper Plates and Competition Kettlebells – to international cus-tomers at the show. They will also have new products on display for UK visitors includingthe brand new RMT Clubs; weighted clubs which use the principles of RotationalMovement Training to improve power, range of movement, strength, coordination, balanceand athletic movement. Physical Company’s popular own brand equipment will also be onshow, including Medicine Balls, Strength Bars, Neo-Hex Dumbbells and Exercise mats.

WITH nearly 700 exhibitors – morethan 160 of them providers of train-ing equipment certified in accor-dance with the German MedicalDevices Act – FIBO offers theworld’s largest range of trainingequipment for use in physical ther-apy, rehabilitation exercise, preven-tion training and exercise therapy.

The trade fair combines this seg-ment’s exhibitors in a concentratedarea under the FIBO MED headingin Hall Seven.

FIBO MED visitors cover theentire healthcare industry, withmore than one in six trade visitorsworking in healthcare professions.

FIBO’s enhanced alignment withhealth topics isn’t just important forthe healthcare sector, it also pointsthe way to the future for traditionalgym operators, according to organ-isers.

Managing partner of Just Fit andINTERFIT Frank Böhme added: “Anorientation toward more health isbecoming more and more impor-tant, and it’s something I’mfocussing on.

“Exchanging views with my col-leagues during the trade fair is amust for me and my second com-pany ‘BGM mit Interfit’.”

Largest range of trainingequipment in one hall

38 24/2/15 14:55 Page 1

39 Code locks 20/2/15 10:33 Page 1

FIBO PREVIEW40

Barcelona’s premier gym chainpartners with Exigo UKEXIGO has teamed up with Barcelonagym chain DIR.

The UK manufacturer will be sup-plying state-of-the-art functionalequipment from their ever popularModular Functional Series.

DIR has 17 different locationsthroughout the city and within eachfacility you will find roof terraces withpools to relax, huge fitness roomswith all the equipment you can imag-ine, indoor and outdoor racket sportcourts and endless classes takingplace.

Craig Young, business developmentmanager at Exigo UK, said: “All of thelocations are state-of-the-art with thevery best equipment and facilities.

“Each site is completely different,and by working closely with the indi-vidual club managers we were able tocreate unique custom made function-al apparatus to suit the specific needsof each particular gym.

“We have now successfully installedequipment in 11 different locationsand we look forward to working withthe remaining clubs throughout2015.”

Co-director Jordi Forns added:“Following initial discussions withExigo at FIBO 2014, DIR opted to

include within our facilities multi-functional stations to remain in linewith the latest trends and fitnesstraining.

“We opted for Exigo UK due to theirinnovative designs and quality func-tional accessory range.

“After months of hard work and theacquisition of the MFS range foralmost every club, we can confirmthat the satisfaction with the chosenproduct is very high, both for thequality and service they have provid-ed for us.

“The DIR club member has highexpectations of our equipment andservices offered, and following therecent installations there has been areal sense of excitement within theclubs.

“We are delighted to have partneredwith Exigo UK and look forward tothe ongoing partnership.”

“We are delighted to havepartnered with Exigo UKand look forward to theongoing partnership.”

40 26/2/15 15:42 Page 1

FIBO PREVIEW 41

MIE Medical Researchto showcase FitQuestMIE Medical Research will be show-casing FitQuest at FIBO for the sec-ond year running, demonstrating howyou can offer an accurate and non-invasive fitness tool to your members,keeping them motivated and comingback for more.

Using sport science and advancedmeasurement technology to measurehuman performance, FitQuest meas-ures seven parameters: upper bodystrength, upper body endurance, car-diovascular strength, leg strength, legendurance, leg speed, explosivepower and balance.

It’s the perfect tool to help membersset a benchmark when starting a newfitness programme, but it also acts asa motivational tool, encouragingthem to push themselves harder dur-ing training, as it tracks even thesmallest changes in performance.

Within four minutes members cansee how fit they really are, giving themvital feedback on the effectiveness oftheir exercise regime.

If used as part of a personal trainingpackage then staff can also use theresults to adapt each training pro-gramme accordingly.

Results are stored in the machinebut are easily downloadable, enablingusers to track their progress and com-pare results at a time that suits them,whether that’s in the gym, at home oron the move.

This simple to use measurementtool can be incorporated into yourexisting membership fee, used toupsell personal training sessions orcharged as an added extra to boostsecondary spend income.

Visit the team in Hall Seven, StandB17 and see how effective this meas-urement tool really is.

Codelocks introduces new compactdigital locker lock at FIBO AT this year’s FIBO exhibition,Codelocks will unveil the latest prod-uct in its KitLock range of digital lock-er locks.

The new Nano90 is a compact ver-sion of its popular KitLock 1000 cabi-net lock.

The product can either be flush orsurface mounted and, with a foot-print of just 30 by 90mm, it’s perfectfor the smaller wallet or personaleffects lockers found in many ‘pay-as-you-go’ or ‘pop up’ style gyms.

KitLock digital locker locks aredesigned specifically for securinglockers without using keys or fobs.

To access a locker, gym memberssimply pop in their mobile phone,wallet and keys, enter their own four-digit code on the keypad, then ‘lockand go’.

Free to work out without having tocarry anything around.

The lock remains secure until thegym member returns and enters thecode to reopen the locker.

The locker is then free for the nextperson to use.

If a member forgets their code,employees can open the locker usinga ‘technician code’.

This simple management processcuts down the time employees spendsorting out issues with lockers.

The Nano90 provides an almost ‘fitand forget’ solution – performingapproximately 100,000 operationsfrom just one coin-cell battery.

For a product demonstration, visitCodelocks at FIBO on stand D50, hall eight

or for more information on KitLock visitwww.kitlock.co.uk

WorkOut magazine will be visiting FIBO. To arrange a meeting with one of ourrepresentatives email Dan Lloyd at dl@scriptmedia.co.uk or call 01226 734699.

41 26/2/15 15:56 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE42

Advertiser’s announcement

After analysing hundreds of gyms across the country, GYMetrix has made a profound discovery that has far-reaching implications for operators, as its founder Rory McGown reveals.

GYMetrix discovery has far-reachingimplications for operatorsQ. What do you do?Over the last four years, GYMetrixhas conducted detailed, bespokeresearch into hundreds of gymsacross the UK by attaching wirelesssensors to all of the equipment inthe gyms to measure customerdemand for it, whilst simultaneouslydoing face to face surveys with cus-tomers.

We now have over six million hoursof usage data and over 50,000 sur-veys, having helped hundreds ofgyms improve customer service andalso reduce their spend on equip-ment that would be underutilised.

Simply put, we enable operators tounderstand their customers better,giving customers the equipmentthey want in the quantities theyneed, and not giving them equip-ment they won’t use and don’t value.

Most importantly, we have donemany before and after studies, lead-ing to some powerful insights anddiscoveries.

Q. So, what’s this big discovery?It is as simple as it is profound, andit’s that there is a direct relationshipbetween customer growth and theamount of equipment on the gymfloor.

Using all of our data accumulatedover the last few years, we have been able to plot this relationship ona graph, which we’ve called theGYMetrix Curve.

Q. What is the GYMetrix Curve?The GYMetrix Curve shows how theamount of equipment in a gymimpacts membership growth.

Looking at the graph above right(see figure 1), we can see that thereare three key points along the curve,indicated by three stars. *1 – The first star makes that obviouspoint that if you have no equipmentin your gym, you will have no cus-tomers. What’s interesting is the firstarc of the curve, between the first

and second star, which shows that ifyou introduce more equipment atthis stage, you will attract more cus-tomers and therefore increase yourrevenue.*2 – However, the next arc of thecurve, between star two and starthree, flattens out. This means thatthe rate of customer growth starts toslow. So, while adding more equip-ment to the gym will attract morecustomers, it won’t attract as manyas initially. *3 – The third and most interestingpoint on the graph is star three,where the curve becomes horizon-tal. And this means that investing inmore equipment beyond this stageproduces no customer growth; allcustomer demand has been alreadymet with the existing equipment.

Q. How does this help operators?The GYMetrix Curve shows that youcan’t grow membership beyond acertain amount of equipment.

Obviously, that amount is differentfor each operator and depends on anumber of factors.

We have worked with operators inthe first phase, who doubled theamount of equipment and doubled

their customers in a matter ofmonths. However, half of all thegyms we have worked with are at thethird phase of the curve – they havemore equipment than they need.

These operators have substantiallyreduced their amount of equipment,and costs, and it has not reducedtheir number of customers.

Operators need to know wheretheir gyms sit on the curve and ifthey should be expanding, contract-ing or have the right overall amount

of equipment in their gym.Q. How does this relate to individualequipment types?Exactly the same curve applies tothe relationship between individualequipment types and customerdemand (defined as hours ofdemand).

The graphs below (figures 2 and 3),allow operators to see exactly howmany cross trainers and benchesthey need to service customerdemand.

In figure 3, we can see that with 16cross trainers the operator is meet-ing demand.

There are no benefits to having anymore cross trainers than this,because as the graph shows,demand doesn’t increase, so theoperator is only adding to their costswith more than 16.

Benches on the other hand areusually under provided, stranglingcustomer growth.

When more benches are providedwe normally see total demand forthem rise, and this draws more cus-tomers into the gym.

Understanding where they sit onthese curves will help operators tooptimise their customer growthwhilst preventing unnecessary costs.

For more information contactRory@gymetrix.co.uk on 07880 647836

or visit www.gymetrix.co.uk

Rory McGown

“Operators need to know wheretheir Gyms sit on the curve”

“Less Crosstrainers can reduce costs,not customers”

“Increasing Benches can lead to an increasein customers”

Relationship between change to equipment types and customers

Relationship between gym’s amountof equipment and customer growth

42 26/2/15 15:43 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE 43A new series of 30-minute, small group training workouts are being enjoyed by members on the gym floor at LAFitness clubs, thanks to an innovative partnership between the operator and supplier Physical Company. ChristinaEccles spoke to two of the key people involved.

LA Fitness members looking to mixup their workouts have been given ahelping hand with the launch of thenew Primal Series classes, imple-mented by the chain to refresh itsgroup exercise offering and introducecustomers to the wide range of func-tional kit available in their clubs.

The classes, which launched lastOctober at selected London clubs,before being rolled out over a twomonth period to all 44 LA Fitnesssites, combine challenging, highintensity, small group circuit sessionswith the latest functional kit fromPhysical Company including kettle-bells, BOSU, Powerbags andSandRopes.

There are five classes to choose fromin the series – Perform, Strength,Condition, Core and Renew – andnew releases are issued every six toeight weeks to keep sessions chal-lenging and interesting.

The Primal Series concept originat-ed with LA Fitness but was developedby Physical Company master trainersusing its wide range of training kit, ina partnership, which according toboth parties, has potential to groweven further.

Sales and marketing director atPhysical Company John Halls said:“We were delighted to win the con-tract to supply the kit and know-how

for the Primal Series.“Our master trainers were able to

develop the programmes and teachthe LA Fitness instructors how todeliver them effectively. We also pro-vided videos, circuit cards andinstruction manuals both as hardcopies and online to support them.”

Physical Company was chosen asthe preferred partner for LA Fitnessafter proving they could deliver onthree key points; quality of products,price and added value in the form ofeducation, training, programmingand support.

John added: “It was a really closepartnership because of the scale ofthe project. We have been saying weare a complete solution provider forquite some time; it feels like we’vearrived now.”

LA Fitness’ national head of fitnessSam Theyers is also pleased with thepartnership – and how classes havebeen received by members – with allof the series doing well, particularlyStrength and Perform sessions.

He added: “Primal Series came at achangeable time for LA Fitness andwas a key part of our renewed com-mitment to improve our offering forevery member and every club.

“It is proving very successful inengaging our members and revitalis-ing interest in functional training on

the gym floor.”The classes are also proving popular

with both male and female members,according to Sam, who says the oper-ator has seen a fairly even split interms of audience.

He added: “We’ve tried to make itnot choreographed to a beat toengage guys to take part and bridgethat gap to get more males into groupfitness, as well as the traditionalfemale audience.

“We’re really pleased. It’s been ourmost successful product launch in along time. We’re all about getting peo-ple fitter, so we can’t ask for morethan that.

“The success of our Primal Seriescomes down to the combination ofgood kit and passionate people deliv-ering a product they believe andPhysical Company has proved to bean excellent partner in helping usachieve this.”

Classes help members mix up their workouts

LA Fitness has introduced Primal Series classes to refresh its group exercise offering.

43 26/2/15 15:44 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE44The team behind an innovative small group training programme is looking forward to rolling out the concept tothe UK fitness industry, thanks to a new relationship with FitPro. Christina Eccles met with them in London.

OFFERING a valuable new revenuestream for clubs – and giving mem-bers the chance to mix up their work-outs – TRIBE Team Training allowsoperators to bridge the potentiallylucrative gap between studio-basedgroup exercise and personal training.

Sessions bring together a smallgroup of between seven to 10 partici-pants for 50-minute workouts, whichrun in blocks of six weeks.

Three key programmes are on offer:TribeFIT, a high intensity functionalfitness workout; TribeCORE; anabdominal workout focused on ton-ing, strength, stability and power andTribeLIFE; a low impact workout thatimproves total body strength, fitnessand toning.

In addition, two other programmesare also available: TribePUNCH; apowerful boxing and kickboxingworkout and TribeKIDS; a dedicatedclass for young people.

Throughout each block, participantsare measured on their fitness to trackprogress. They also benefit from thesupport of their ‘teammates’ and thesame instructor for the duration of

the course, building motivation andhopefully boosting a club’s retention.

Already a hit in countries includingthe USA and New Zealand, FitPro hasnow teamed up with the programme’screators to promote the concept toUK-based fitness professionals look-ing to introduce something differentinto their clubs.

Creator Haagon East, who success-fully launched TRIBE Team traininginto his own gym in New Zealand,said: “Research in the industry showsan area of growth is small group train-ing.

“TRIBE gives clubs the chance tohave world class small group trainingin their facility. It bridges that gapbetween personal training and groupexercise.”

Instructor training includes a rigor-ous two-day certification course andthose taking on TRIBE also benefitfrom marketing resources includingposters, brochures, banners, videosand logos to help promote sessions totheir members.

FitPro chairman Brent Hallo added:“TRIBE Team Training sits between

the traditional group exercise modeland the personal training model. Itrepresents an exciting proposition forclubs who are looking for a smallgroup training system and a potentialrevenue generator.

“To date, in the UK, TRIBE has beenrun in a hugely successful long termtrial at David Lloyd Leisure's club inHampton. This was crucial as weneeded to ensure the concept was fitfor purpose for the UK market.

“TRIBE Team Training is truly differ-ent to other exercise concepts, so thistrial has enabled us to see if countryspecific tweaks were required.

“The Hampton club has proven thesuccess of the programme and thelevel of adherence to the programmeis extraordinary.

“Since we launched TRIBE TeamTraining in the UK in January, therehas been a great deal of early interest.We are now in the process of trainingthe first national coaches for the UK,and coaches from additional DavidLloyd Leisure clubs, as well as otherearly adopter facilities, are due to betrained in early March.”

TRIBE bridges gap between studio-basedgroup exercise and personal training

TRIBE Team training coaching director SueRichard, CEO Haagon East and creativedirector Toby Donnelly.

LEISURE-net Solutions is celebratingthe success of its customer insightplatform, which brings togethereight customer services into oneonline system.

Since its launch 12 months ago, theplatform has been successfully usedby over 100 companies across morethan 250 public and private leisuresites.

It includes feedback-Focus, anonline comments and complaints

system that enables operators to eas-ily keep on top of all forms of cus-tomer feedback, whether it comes invia the web, email, phone or face-to-face.

Other services include staff-Recog,which allows customers to select astaff member they feel has goneabove and beyond their role; web-based telephone mystery shop serv-ice, call-Focus and e-Focus, Leisure-net’s own web-based surveying and

reporting software.Director of Leisure-net Mike Hill

said: “We now have more than 20clients regularly using our CustomerInsight Platform and more than20,000 surveys have been completedby their customers in the last 12months.

“Initial industry benchmarks showthat, when using our system, com-ments are resolved first time in 90.7per cent of cases and 78.7 per cent

are responded to within three days. “We found the key areas causing

customers to comment were fitness(28 per cent) and the pool (21 percent), while 24 per cent gave feed-back on customer service.”

The company also recently held itsfirst ever client development work-shop for the Customer InsightPlatform and will use our clients’views to grow and develop the plat-form going forwards.

Focusing on feedback leads to success

44 20/2/15 10:26 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE 45Industry veteran Ken Heathcote’s latest book focuses onlow cost marketing and advertising – revealing tips forgyms on how to promote their businesses successfully.Christina Eccles took a closer look.

Industry veteran Ken Heathcote.

Ken shares advertisingand marketing tips forgyms in his new bookAFTER running his own gym for over40 years – and with several lifetimeachievement awards under his belt –Ken is ideally placed to pass on themany valuable lessons he has learnedalong the way to other operators.

His latest publication – Low CostMarketing and Advertising; How ToPromote Your Business Successfully –delivers exactly what the title promis-es: easy and effective ways for gyms toget members through their doors –and crucially keep them – withoutspending a fortune.

Started by Ken over 30 years ago asan aid to help him with his company’smarketing and training courses, hehas reinvented the book to bring it upto date for the 21st century.

But the important lessons remainthe same – make your club an attrac-tive, welcoming place where mem-bers can get results, yet also benefitfrom more than simply a place towork out, and you won’t go far wrong.

Broken down into useful sections,the book is packaged in a bright, easyto read format, making it easy forbusy fitness professionals to dip inand out of.

And with plenty of space for notes tobe added by the reader when theyfind an idea which could work forthem, it provides a great startingpoint for any gym owner looking tosuccessfully spread the word abouttheir business.

According to Ken, any successfulmarketing strategy should considerthe three Rs – recruitment, retentionand referral – and this book coversthem all, plus numerous more usefultips.

Billed as “A book about ‘what to do’and equally ‘how to do it’”, this is amust read for any gym owner lookingto stay ahead of the game – withoutbreaking the bank.� For details of how to purchase acopy of Ken’s book turn to page 50.

ACTIVITY tracker Fitbug has part-nered with Cancer Research UK tobecome the official fitness partner forRace for Life 2015.

The partnership will see Fitbug pro-vide customised Race for Life 5k and10k Kiqplans, designed to helpwomen get physically and mentallyprepared for race day.

The Kiqplan features include:� Personal activity, nutrition andsleep targets, set weekly based on thechosen plan and adapted to the indi-vidual’s rate of progress.� Weekly personalised workouts fea-

turing “how-to” video instructions toensure exercises are completed withaccurate form to maximise results.� Activity and nutrition tracking,enabling users to import data fromother apps or devices or log their ownbehaviour.

Founder and CEO Paul Landau said:“Race for Life is a really importantfundraising event and we are veryproud to be its official fitness partner.It is a great opportunity to promoteFitbug and Kiqplan products to anamazing community of women doingtheir bit to fight cancer.”

Fitbug partners Race for Life

45 26/2/15 15:45 Page 1

FINANCE AND INSURANCE46

Getting music licensing rightBy Gemma Wallis

ALMOST two years after a tariff forthe public performance of originalartist sound recordings in fitnessclasses took effect, on a fee per classbasis, many facilities are still strug-gling to understand what they actual-ly ‘need’ to pay.

Many have no strategy to get bestvalue from the music being played intheir classes.

The tariff, introduced byPhonographic Performance Ltd (PPL)in 2013, ensures that a licensingmethod is in place so that the per-formers and companies who createand invest in recording original artistmusic are paid for their work.

The fee is currently £1.25 per class,moving to £1.45 per class in April, andis paid when music repertoire con-trolled by PPL on behalf of recordcompanies and the artists they repre-sent is used in a class. This is general-ly, if a little loosely, defined as ‘originalartist’ music.

If the decision within the facility isthat original artist music will be usedto accompany all fitness classes thenthe licensing model is relatively sim-ple: predicted total number of classesper annum multiplied by the fee perclass.

How the fees are paid internally isthen a decision that the facility man-agement need to make with theirinstructors. At the moment the indus-try is split into two camps, with somefacilities choosing to pay and othersrequiring instructors to pay the fee for

usage of original artist music. FitPro has been a licensed provider

of original artist compilations to thefitness industry for 20 years and wewelcome the continued usage of orig-inal artist music, recognising thatpolls have strongly (up to 87 per cent)suggested that class participants pre-fer to listen to music by originalartists.

There are, however, more decisionsto be made to facilitate the best musiclicensing strategy. Often facility man-agers haven’t consulted internally or

with instructors in order to move for-ward with a particular level of com-mitment to original artist musicusage, or to even understand whatmusic is actually being used by theirinstructors in classes.

It is highly unlikely, for example,that every current class uses musicthat requires a PPL licence, so veryoften facilities are inadvertently over-paying for their licensing require-ments.

Many are also unaware that thereare alternatives available. Thesecould reduce, or even eliminate, theneed to pay PPL fees if other strategicchoices like using non-PPL licensedmusic compilations were made.

We strongly urge facility managersto take the time to create a sensiblemusic strategy to gain best value fromfuture music usage, whilst recognis-ing the legalities of licensing require-ments.

We are currently helping hundredsof facilities to do exactly this: decidewhat level of original artist musicusage exists currently and, with guid-ance and consultation, how thismight look for the future.

Work with providers to explore whatmusic packages, both original artistand non-PPL licensed music, areavailable.

Finally, work with your instructorsto develop a robust and fair structurethat delivers the best possible classproduct and value for your facility,staff and class members.� Gemma Wallis directs music plat-forms and resourcing at FitPro.

Gemma Wallis

ONE of thedevelopmentsin the fitnessindustry overthe past coupleof years hasbeen personaltrainers whohave previously worked in largegyms setting up their own person-al training studios.

Finding yourself in this positionyou will need to ask questions ofyour current insurance.

Does it cover the increasedturnover, liability in respect ofpremises occupied and employeesor sub-contractors?

If you rent out space to otherpersonal trainers do they haveadequate insurance in place and isa record kept?

Cover for damage to propertywill become necessary and whilstyou may remember to insure fit-ness equipment what aboutimprovements to the premisessuch as flooring, partitions, show-ers or mirrors along with loss ofincome if the new premises aredamaged and cannot be used forsome time?

Make sure your insurance is asfit your customers want to be.

For more information contact Craig Smith on 020 7251 7474

or visit www.ansell.co.uk

Are youinsured?

46 24/2/15 14:57 Page 1

47 DFC 20/2/15 10:43 Page 1

FINANCE AND INSURANCE48

Take control of yourstock and go cashlessASHBOURNE offers a highlyaffordable EPOS or till sys-tem – the software is freeand you can purchase addi-tional integrated hardware:receipt printer, cash drawerand touch screen.

The till enables you to takepayment by cash, cheque ordebit/credit card, giverefunds, perform stock con-trol, record sales on a day-by-day basis in both paperand digital form, and muchmore.

Epos+ also allows paymentto be taken by direct debitfor any purchases in yourclub, i.e drinks, supplementsor class fees.

You can therefore offer aconvenient, cashless serviceto your members.

They opt to have moneytaken by DD, in addition totheir membership fees, andthis money is then used ascredit for your products orservices. A member simply swipestheir membership card and the tillautomatically deducts the correctamount from their credit balance.

When this balance reaches a lowerlimit it triggers a DD to top up thecredit, so your members never have tostop spending.

Epos+ also incorporates a number ofsecurity features. You can set up indi-vidual staff logins, to monitor the

sales generated by each member ofyour team and log any actions per-formed on the system such as chang-ing members’ expiry dates.

It allows a tight control on stock lev-els and stock movements, allowingyou to offer a better service whilekeeping stock to a minimum.

To find out more about the epos+ system,call Ashbourne on 0871 271 2088 or visit

www.ashbourne-memberships.co.uk/epos

Direct debit collectionservices: How todifferentiateTHERE is no doubt that DirectDebit has fast become the mostconvenient way to collect yourmembers’ fees.

However, with all the administra-tion involved, club owners andmanagers are increasingly turningto outsourced Direct Debit collec-tion services.

In today's harsh financial land-scape, it's important to haveabsolute trust in the company youchoose to undertake your DDadministration, but where to start?

FlexibilityIt’s important for your DD collec-tions to work for both you and yourmembers.

Do the collection agency supportyour cashflow needs?

Do they provide the option foryour member to pay on a date con-venient to them?

It’s important to understand howthe collections will affect not onlyyour experience as a business, butyour members' experience too.

Security and peace of mind with a com-pany regulated by the Financial ConductAuthority

When choosing another companyto handle the lifeblood of your busi-ness, it's important to know thatyour funds are secure and you haveconfidence and peace of mind indealing with your selected provider.

Peace of mind can be found inusing a DD collector that is autho-rised and regulated by the FinancialConduct Authority.

An FCA regulated company willhave measures in place to increasesecurity and strengthen businessconduct.

This means that your money isprotected and, if you change yourmind about your provider, you aretreated fairly (i.e. not chargedunreasonable fees, and not given anunreasonable notice period).

For more information visit www.clubwise.com or call

01844 348300.

48 26/2/15 15:57 Page 1

FINANCE AND INSURANCE 49

Tips for small leisure businessespreparing for auto enrolment ...SMALL businesses in the leisureindustry have been urged to make theauto enrolment process easier bypreparing for the changes in advance.

From March 1, businesses withfewer than 58 employees had tobecome compliant with the new autoenrolment pensions legislation andby June 1, this will extend to thosewith fewer than 30 staff.

In total more than 46,000 companieswill have to begin providing theiremployees with a workplace pensionthis year, while next year, 512,000 willbe affected.

The auto enrolment policy isdesigned to get a larger proportion ofthe population saving for retirementand makes it a legal requirement forall employers to automatically enrolany employee who is between the ageof 22 and 65 and earns more than£10,000 per year into a workplacepension.

The minimum employer contribu-tions are one per cent of eachemployee’s qualifying earnings,increasing to three per cent over time.

Employees will also contribute witha minimum of one per cent of theirqualifying earnings, increasing to fiveper cent over time.

To help employers, NOW: Pensionshas revealed its top five tips forpreparing for auto enrolment.

These are:

1. A little planning goes a long way The Pensions Regulator recommendsfirms begin their planning 18 monthsin advance of their staging date.

2. Don’t make any assumptionsCompanies planning to rely on theirexisting provider for auto enrolmentshould speak to them early on toensure that the scheme qualifies forauto enrolment and to confirm thatthey are willing to extend it to allemployees on the same terms.

3. Seek help For small firms introducing a work-

place pension for the first time, itwould be worth seeking guidancefrom an adviser who can help identi-fy a value for money scheme that issuited to the workforce.

4. Cleanse your dataOne of the biggest stumbling blocksin the auto enrolment process isinaccurate or incomplete payrolldata. Taking the time to ensure thatpayroll data is complete and entirelyup to date, will help avoid problemsduring the implementation processand beyond.

5. Give thought to contributing morethan the minimumNearly one in five small and mediumsized companies surveyed by thecompany say they plan to contributemore than the legislative minimumwhen they introduce auto enrol-ment.

More than half of those planning topay more in believe doing so willhelp with recruitment and retention.

CEO of NOW: Pensions MortenNilsson added: “Approaching autoenrolment can feel daunting andthere are a lot of things to consider,particularly for firms that have neverset up a pension scheme before.

“But a little planning can go a longway and taking a thorough approachwill certainly pay dividends.”

Morten Nilsson

LYNN Young is to retire from theposition of managing director ofDFC, Transaction Services Grouphas announced.

Lynn, who has held the positionfor 27 years, will officially end hertenure on March 31.

DFC is part of TransactionServices Group, a leading globalpayment solutions provider with apresence in Australasia, the UnitedKingdom and the United States.

TSG chief executive officer CraigMarshall said: “Lynn has been astrong and committed leader andinstrumental in driving the suc-cess of DFC.

“The TSG Board is grateful forher contributions to the companyand her distinguished tenure asmanaging director.”

Ross Young, the current opera-tions director, will succeed Lynn.He has been with the company formore than eight years and comeswith a wealth of knowledge andexperience in the payments indus-try. Ross will officially assume theposition on April 1.

Lynn retiresas DFC MD

Ross Young

49 24/2/15 14:58 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE50

ukactive CEOto step downBy Christina Eccles

LONG standing ukactive CEO DavidStalker is to step down from his fulltime executive post over the comingmonths, after seven successful yearsat the helm.

David has led ukactive through aperiod of consistent and substantialgrowth during his time in charge andunder his leadership, the organisationhas broken the 3,500 member barrier,with members representing the fullspectrum of the physical activityworld – from public, private and thirdsectors.

As part of the transition, David willjoin the new board for 12 months inorder to support the next chief execu-tive and new chair, replacing the out-going ukactive chairman Fred Turok.

David will maintain his executiverole with the organisation up until theend of June 2015 to assure a smoothtransition. He will be supported indoing so by the existing executiveteam at ukactive.

The outgoing chair, Fred, will sup-port David and the nominations com-mittee to appoint a new chairmanand subsequently a CEO.

David said: “I have thoroughlyenjoyed my time at ukactive, as I haveseen the organisation and the sector itrepresents growth and diversify. Notonly has ukactive grown its member-ship through increasing the number

and range of services but it has alsoimproved the nation’s understandingof physical inactivity, which I amincredibly proud of.

“I have no doubt that the team willtake this organisation from strengthto strength as it continues to supportits members and partners to turn thetide of inactivity.

“I now look forward to once againbeing a member and supporter ofukactive and helping the new CEOwith through new position on theboard.”

David Stalker

CASTLE View – the company whoowns Sports Leisure Management –has acquired two new companies toexpand its portfolio of businesses.

The privately owned family businesstook over Weight ManagementCentre, a provider of obesity andweight management education andintervention programmes, andDiscovery Learning, which offers arange of fitness training courses in the

UK, as part of its growth strategy.Everyone Active (the trading name

for SLM) managing director DavidBibby said: “As one of the UK’s leadingleisure providers, we are looking for-ward to exploring opportunities andworking alongside WeightManagement Centre and DiscoveryLearning to improve the health andwellbeing of the communities weoperate in.”

Castle View expands its portfolio

DAVID Lloyd Leisure is launching theLes Mills Grit series into its clubs, giv-ing members access to a 30-minuteclass which helps improve stamina,strength and overall fitness.

The series includes Les Mills GRITCARDIO, Les Mills GRIT STRENGTHand Les Mills GRIT PLYO, with eachworkout designed to be fast pacedand full of energy.

Group programming and fitnessdevelopment manager at David Lloyd

Leisure Michelle Dand said: “We arealways looking for new exciting andinnovative classes for our membersand I am delighted to launch the LESMILLS GRIT series. It’s great for all ofour members, whether they are look-ing to tone up, get in better shape orimprove specific parts of their bodies.

“It’s also convenient for those whoare strapped for time and want to getas much as possible out of a workout,in minimal time.”

Chain launches Grit series

Leslie Hale has joined Jordan Fitness as part of the marketing department. She will beworking with the company’s creative designer and sales team to deliver the latest newsand products. She said: “I’m looking forward to working in such a dynamic role and repre-senting a fantastic company. I hope to improve brand awareness and implement new mar-keting strategies across Jordan Fitness.”

TRX has appointed three new mem-bers of staff to its EMEA team.

Anthony Foster will become salesmanager UK, working with GaryNovak, the newly appointed salesexecutive UK. They will be joined byLouise Garth, who has beenappointed sales operations managerEMEA.

Senior director of TRX EMEA AlanHoll said: “The UK team’s expansionmatches our aspirations to aggres-

sively grow the business further inthe UK and EMEA.

“Anthony and Gary bring a wealthof industry knowledge and salesexperience which will be key to driv-ing our sales strategy across keyaccounts whilst also reinforcing ourstrong relationships with distributorand commercial contacts. Louisewill provide an essential support forour team with her internal sales andoperations experience.”

TRX adds trio to its team

50 24/2/15 14:59 Page 1

51 Nutrichem 23/2/15 16:32 Page 1

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION52

Nourish founders David Stache, Ben Pryor and Richard Pryor.

Healthy restaurantfounders have bigplans for futureBy Christina Eccles

THE team behind a ‘healthy fast food’restaurant in Sheffield has revealedbig plans for the future, including theexpansion of their brand and ambi-tions to partner with more gyms.

Nourish is owned by nutritionistDavid Stache, personal trainer BenPryor and chef Richard Pryor whobelieve between them, they have theideal mix of expertise when it comesto educating people on how to eatwell.

The business opened in October2013 and in less than 18 months hasattracted a loyal following of cus-tomers; from fitness professionalswanting to keep on track with theirdiet plans to office workers lookingfor a healthy lunch.

The menu changes seasonally, offer-ing hot dishes such as a chickensausage hot pot and baked sweetpotatoes with hot and cold toppings,to healthy salads, wraps and theirfamous poached eggs for breakfast.

Locally sourcing the food is impor-tant, as is letting people know exactlywhat they are eating and educatingthem on the benefits of certain foods,with all packaging on the take awayitems – which is also biodegradable–and the menu clearly labelled withnutritional values and allergy infor-mation.

Ben explained: “We serve disheswhich people can relate to, but

cooked in a healthy way. The menuchanges every season and we havegreat relationships with local suppli-ers.”

The trio have already struck up part-nerships with local gyms Fit4It and BeX Fitness, which sells some ofNourish’s meals in a chiller at theclub, and is also working with thelocal council on developing healthyeating initiatives around the city.

David added: “It’s more than beingabout food. Our whole ethos is aboutcustomer engagement and educationand we want to promote that furtherwith community based projects.”

Following a successful start, theteam behind Nourish is now gearingup to extend the concept further, withthe launch of a meal plan deliveryservice and the opening of a secondsite in Leeds later this year.

Further down the line, they wouldlike another restaurant in Sheffield toadd to the portfolio and are keen towork with more gyms and fitness pro-fessionals, as well as potentially look-ing at a franchise option.

David added: “We set up this brandas something we could roll out, withan image and logo that’s instantlyrecognisable.

“We have a strong ethos and pur-pose and now want to see thatthrough. In five years’ time, if canachieve everything we set out toachieve, we will be very happy andwill have made a massive difference.”

New monthly service offerscomplete nutrition solutionA NEW supplement service haslaunched which enables customers toget their daily supply of nutrientsdelivered straight to their doors.

VITL One is a daily nutrition packcontaining products which have beenpulled together into a complete 28-day supplement solution, designed toprovide consumers with an easy andconvenient way to meet their nutri-tional needs.

Each VITL One daily nutrition packcontains:� Multivitamin – a blend of essentialvitamins and minerals, which con-tribute to your general health andwellbeing.� Supergreens – a unique blend ofnatural antioxidants offering a richconcentration of nutrients.� CoQ10 – this co-enzyme is neededby the body’s cells and plays animportant role in energy metabolism.� Krill Oil – this omega-three isabsorbed better by the body than fishoil and is free from contaminants.

The service will soon come com-plete with a smartphone app so userscan set up handy daily reminders totake their supplements.

Co-founder Jonathan Relph said: “Aspeople’s lives become busier and all-consuming, time is a precious com-

modity and it gets difficult to fiteverything in.

“Maintaining a healthy lifestyle canbe something that is sacrificed so wewanted a solution that worked along-side a daily routine – one that meanstaking essential vitamins and miner-als is easy rather than a chore.

“Living and eating well is key to pre-venting fatigue and fending off ill-nesses like cold and flu.

“VITL One is a daily nutrition packspecially formulated to work along-side this, and help top up the body’snatural defences.”

VTTL One is a complete 28-day supplementsolution.

Isotonic sports drink iPro Sport has enrolled world-renowned England cricketers RaviBopara and Moeen Ali as international brand ambassadors. The pair will support the brandat educational and sporting events and are heavily involved with outgoing marketingcommunications. Marketing director Lisa Marraffa said: “We’re thrilled to have Ravi andMoeen on board with us. There is no better way of promoting our drinks’ benefits otherthan through the players themselves. It is fantastic to have the support from such highlyrespected professional sportsmen.”

SOS Rehydrate has become the hydra-tion partner for The Salomon CityTrailRichmond Half Marathon.

The event, which takes place in OldDeer Park, Richmond-upon-Thameson March 22, will be offering runnersof the 13.1-mile and 10km course afast-acting electrolyte replacementand hydration drink that helps com-

bat dehydration.UK sales manager at SOS Rehydrate,

Ian Hough, said: “This is an incredibleevent to be involved in and SOSRehydrate are excited to be able toshowcase our product and solve theissue of dehydration in order toimprove the performance of the run-ners taking part.”

SOS Rehydrate is race partner

SUPERSTAR singer Beyonce hasteamed up with her personal trainerMarco Borges to launch a plant based,vegan home delivery meal service.

Beyonce took the 22 Days Nutritionchallenge in the winter of 2013 withher husband, Jay Z, and has sincemade an effort to include more plant-based foods in her everyday diet.

The programme's philosophy isbased on the concept that it takes 21days to make or break a habit and onthe 22nd day you are well on your wayto forming new habits. The homedelivery service was born out of ademand from Marco's friends, col-leagues and clients who enjoyed hismeals that were naturally low in fat,sugar and salt and filled with flavour

from whole-foods such as vegetables,beans, grains, herbs and spices.

Marco said: “I am humbled by thisincredible partnership and excited toshare the many benefits of a whole-foods plant-based diet.

“We all know the importance andvalue of eating plant-based foods butoften times find ourselves trapped ina series of bad habits that sabotageoptimum wellness. The Vegan MealDelivery program makes it easier toreset your habits with healthy anddelicious plant-based foods.”

There are three plans to choosefrom: one meal a day – lunch or din-ner; two meals a day – lunch and din-ner or three meals a day – breakfast,lunch and dinner.

Beyonce and PT launch service

52 24/2/15 14:59 Page 1

53 Extremem labs 20/2/15 10:34 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE54

CITY commuters were stopped intheir tracks when Parkour specialists3RUN somersaulted their waythrough Aldgate to take part in DavidLloyd Studio’s Orangetheory Fitnessgroup training programme.

The freerunners flipped, rolled andvaulted their way through busy areasnear Aldgate station to get to the classin time and completed their jaw-dropping routine by incorporating allthe equipment the new studio has tooffer, including treadmills, water row-ers, TRX and free weights.

David Lloyd Studio Aldgate studiomanager George Rounthwaite, said:“We are thrilled that 3RUN visited theOrangetheory workout at our newstudio, and that they felt the benefitsthe class has to offer.

“The 3RUN team are like manyDavid Lloyd Studio clients who leadhectic lifestyles and are always in arush, but who also know how impor-tant it is to keep active and healthy,and this is a great way for them tomonitor how much exercise they areincorporating in their daily routines.”

Parkour specialists 3RUN on their way to the class at David Lloyd Studio Aldgate studio.

3RUN somersault their wayto Orangetheory workout

OPERATOR 1Life has appointedLifetime Training to provide a rangeof services to the business that willsee the development of current teammembers and the enhancement ofits apprenticeship programme.

Through this new partnership,Lifetime Training will offer a fullymanaged workforce developmentprogramme, leading to the 1LifeTraining Academy, that will createprogression routes and career devel-opment for all 1Life team members.

Central to this new partnership willbe a new tailored Apprenticeshipprogramme that will see the numberof new apprentice positions doublewithin two years.

Lifetime will also be working withthe senior team at 1Life to develop anew management programmealigned to CIMSPA and will be work-

ing to reshape and reinvigorate thetraining around the 1Life brand,behaviours and values.

Managing director Neil King said:“This partnership with Lifetime willplace a new focus on training anddevelopment to help our team mem-bers ‘know their stuff’ and ‘do thingswell’ so that we can continue todeliver operational excellence.

“The plans that we are setting inplace promise to make a hugeimpact on the quality of our cus-tomer service and member experi-ence.”

Client services director at LifetimeTraining Nigel Wallace added: “We’redelighted to be working with the newteam at 1Life, to support their newstrategy and embed a broad range ofeffective training and developmentsolutions across the business.”

1Life partners withLifetime Training

Sarah gets go-ahead todevelop new servicesA TEAM member at Xercise4Less iscelebrating after been given the goahead to develop a new range of serv-ices for the brand.

Marketing executive Sarah Philp willbe rolling out dedicated initiatives fornew parents and women during preg-nancy where she will personally offerhelp and advice to members at thehead office site in Leeds.

The programme will also be rolledout so support is available at everysite and Sarah has also launched theXercise4Mums blog where she offerstips and advice on maintaining ahealthy lifestyle while having youngchildren or being pregnant.

She said: “Studying for my Pre andPost-Natal certificate inspired me tolaunch the new parenting concept,

particularly creating new ways tomake exercise accessible without thechildcare barrier. This is something Iam extremely passionate about, as Ihave faced these challenges personal-ly.

“I wanted to launched a service thathelped those parents also struggling –both time and resource wise. The newblog will create a community for peo-ple in similar situations.

“When it comes to the classes, it's allabout combining exercises with thebaby to help with the burn, such asbaby-carrier squats, lunges, benchpress.

“Also, what better way to get moti-vated to do some exercise than toteam it with bonding with your babyand not having to find childcare.”

Indoor cycling specialist Wattbike has strengthened its relationship with the RFU by nam-ing Leicester Tigers and England forward Tom Youngs as an ambassador. According to Tom,the Wattbike has been instrumental in helping him through rehabilitation and with prepa-ration for major events. He added: “The bike has really improved my power output, a keyfactor in rugby, and will form a key piece of training kit in my preparations for this year; infact the whole team will be using them in the warm ups and recovery sessions.”

A LONDON HIIT studio has suc-cessfully introduced MYZONE tech-nology, helping members burn up to1,000 calories per session.

Simon Bateman, owner of the HIITGym franchise, initially invested inthe concept to offer his clients theopportunity to track their workouts24/7, but it proved so popular, itnow plays an important role in thegym.

He said: “We’d used other fitness

technologies, but they were onlysuitable for inside the studio. Wecouldn’t track what clients weredoing outside of the gym, so we gotin touch with MYZONE.

“We set MEPs targets for all newjoiners for their first three monthsand use MYZONE to track theirexercise as well as their statisticsfrom body fat to lean muscle. Wealso do lots of challenges to helpkeep clients motivated.”

MYZONE is a hit for HIIT Training

54 26/2/15 15:45 Page 1

55 Florida health 20/2/15 13:38 Page 1

FITNESS Superstore will to be exhibit-ing at this year’s Run Expo where theywill be joined by the biggest brands inthe fitness equipment industry toshowcase new innovations for run-ners, triathletes and fitness enthusi-asts.

Taking place at EventCity on March20-22, Fitness Superstore will hostFeature Area One, where for the firsttime they will be exhibiting the revo-lutionary Zero Runner from OctaneFitness, as well as a wide range of pre-mium quality cardio equipment suit-ed to runners and triathletes wantingthe very best for maximising theirpotential.

Head of E-commerce at FitnessSuperstore Martin Fisher said: “TheRunExpo is the ideal place to show-case the Zero Runner.

“A one-of-a-kind machine, we’rereally excited to invite runners andother fitness enthusiasts to try it outand see exactly why it’s already such ahit in the US.

“We know that injury is a big issuefor runners and we’re already seeinggreat interest in both our stores andonline. We can’t wait for delegates at

the show to try it.”For more information and videos of the

Zero Runner, see www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/zero-runner

PRODUCT NEWS56

Fitness Superstore set toexhibit at The Run Expo

Focus and controlBy Nick Orton

NO matter what your career is, thereare a huge number of variables thatcan affect your performance. Focusand control are essential ingredientsin the mix – but there are so manyinterpretations of both terms.

Firstly, for me, the art of focus is notto be brittle. Along your journey youwill be desperate to keep on track – sowhen opportunity comes knocking itcan be tempting to say no to keepyour mind focussed on the taskyou’ve set yourself.

The danger in this is that the oppor-tunity might well be too good to passup.

Your focus should be on the endprize. As long as you keep it in sightand you are moving towards it, thenyou shouldn’t be afraid to deviate.

Look at every opportunity in its ownright and consider whether or not itcould benefit you in the long run. It isnot the skill of ignoring everythingaround you but being able to takeeverything around you into accountand still to remain on course. Ratherthan having a narrow field of vision,you need to be able to look up andspot things that may help you on yourjourney.

Ultimately, when you set out withyour plan you do so with the best ofintentions. But that plan is ultimatelybuilt upon your knowledge at thetime. Essentially, what you know isyour limitation.

It would be extremely counterpro-ductive to ignore things you discoveralong the way that might improveyour chances of achieving your aims.

For me, control is about beingorganised. Organisation is somethingthat people say you’re good at or badat. We all know people that areextraordinary when it comes to keep-ing on top of their work. They arriveat meetings prepared and two stepsahead. They know your next step

before you do. The truth is they justwork hard and place an enormousvalue upon organisation and rightlyso. It allows them to control their livesand their development. Bad organisa-tion, or rather being badly organisedis an excuse for not having done whatis necessary.

Organisation takes time but it notparticularly complex, which is why itcomes down to effort pure and sim-ple. Take the time to keep on top ofthings. This is the only way you canretain real control and focus on whereyou’re going, otherwise you’ll find lifepassing you by. Organisation doesbecome more complex the morethings you are trying to organise. Thismeans that it is important to balancethe number of things you are workingon against the extent to which youcan continue to organise them. Workyour way up slowly but don’t be afraidto stretch.

This brings us back to focus andretaining it whilst taking on otheropportunities. If you are taking on theright opportunities you can balancethese at the same time. Multi-taskingis a skill that requires effort, but it isnot the unattainable skill that it isoften paraded as.

My own experience is that whilefocus does naturally decrease themore things you are involved in, youcan mitigate this by choosing wiselyhow you spread yourself.

Almost all of the things that I do andwork on have links and opportunitiesto share resources.

Always keep your eye on the prize.Focus is awareness of your surround-ings.

Control is power of it. If you main-tain both then you’ll ensure you’realways moving towards the point nomatter where opportunities mighttake you on the way.

As always, think big.� Nick Orton is founder and CEO ofBodyPower

Essential accessoriesfor winter sports fansIF you are planning hitting the slopesover the next few months keepingyour mobile charged is vital.

EnerPlex, manufacturers of ruggedsolar charging and portable powerproducts have a range of cost effectiveideas.

Unlike traditional solar productswhich are based on glass, EnerPlex’ssolar panels are based on a shock-resistant and lightweight plasticallowing them to be safely integratedinto backpacks, paniers and phonecases.

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trying out a new move or simply needsomething which can withstand thewear and tear of a day on the slopesthese are tough enough to cope.

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EXCLUSIVELY available from HaBDirect, Marpo Rope Trainers do somuch more than serve as a rope-climbing alternative.

Offering unparalleled versatility,each Rope Trainer includes a multi-functional, free range of motion expe-rience to ensure members and clientsmeet their workout goals. For gymowners, they’re proven to attract newmembers and increase retention.

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More than an alternative

56 26/2/15 15:46 Page 1

UK FITNESS SCENE 57

Dysfunctional strength: Haveyou greased your groove?By Mark Laws, Jordan Fitness

IT HAS long been the assumptionthat size = strength, therefore the big-ger the muscle the stronger the per-son is presumed to be.

Contrary to this popular opinion, itis my belief that strength is not neces-sarily determined by the size of amuscle.

In fact ‘strength’ should be seen as askill – something that some peoplehave a natural aptitude for, but mostof us need to practice repeatedly inorder to enhance our ability.

If there is any doubt about this mat-ter then find the biggest neanderthalat your local gym and see how theyget on with a 16kg bottom upKettlebell press.

The vast majority will not managemore than a couple of repetitions, ifany at all. So how is it possible for meto get 38 repetitions weighing only80kgs with a very slim frame?

One reason is…your local nean-derthal won’t have ‘greased hisgroove’.

This phrase has been brought to thefore by Russian strength coach PavelTsatsouline who points out that thekey to success is NOT training to fail-ure. In a nutshell, you select one exer-cise you want to get better at – let’schoose pull ups, then you practise

that exercise repeatedly throughouteach day, but never go beyond 50-80per cent of your maximum effort. Forexample, if you can do 10 pull upsyou would perform somewherebetween five and eight pull ups andrepeat this up to six times per day, sixdays per week.

There is no danger of overtrainingbecause as soon as you get close to 80per cent of your maximum effort youstop and carry on with your day –therefore eliminating fatigue.

This process can be repeated for anumber of weeks and can be varied toaccommodate pretty much any exer-cise. Once a week if you try one set tofailure you will see a steady increasein your maximum strength for thatparticular exercise.

If you are trying to increase strengthwith a ‘no pain no gain’ attitude andpush yourself to failure every set thenjust try greasing your groove for a fewweeks and see if you notice a differ-ence.

The second reason your local nean-derthal will struggle with the bottomup Kettlebell press is because it is anunfamiliar movement.

‘Functional’ training is a key term inthe industry these days – it simplymeans that you train in a way thathelps with your day to day activities.

What is ‘functional’ for one person

may not be for another, after all we allhave different requirements.

I am certainly an advocate of train-ing in a way that enhances your abili-ty to live your life, but what happenswhen life throws you a curve ball?What if someone grabs yourpurse/wallet? What if you need to res-cue a baby from a burning building?What if some skinny trainer sets abottom up Kettlebell press challengeand you don’t want to look silly?

Functional strength is great. Butmaybe, just maybe, dysfunctionalstrength is better. This means thatyour body is better prepared for anyevent, at any time.

If you got chased by a lion wouldyou go through a multi-directionalwarm up before running? Or wouldyou prefer that your body was capa-ble of just reacting to an unexpectedevent with as little fuss as possible?(NB: I am aware that being chased bya Lion is unlikely – but just humourme).

‘Grease The Groove’ (GTG) trainingis the perfect answer to be able todouble the number of pull ups/pushups/pistol squats (etc) that you canperform but it can also be critical inpreparing your body to be able todeal with anything that can be thrownat it.

So if you would like to be stronger Iwould recommend that you Greaseyour Groove – you won’t be disap-pointed. While you are at it have athink about the training you do. Doesit relate to your lifestyle? If not thencan you make it more functional? If itis already functional…can you makeit a bit more dysfunctional?� For more information on any of theabove or for any educational coursescontactmarklaws@jordanfitness.co.uk

Mark Laws

57 26/2/15 16:06 Page 1

PRODUCT NEWS58

JORDAN Fitness has introduced theirnew-and-improved Pro Sandbag.

The product has been redesigned toimprove its durability, functionalityand aesthetics. The new Ignite®design features stronger velcro tabs, apremium look and new feel to thebag. Its construction is superior com-pared to other sandbags of on themarket.

As with any sandbag, the bagchanges every time you move it, mak-ing the workout challenging andeffective. The Jordan Pro Sandbag fea-tures a robust ‘rigid’ structure, main-taining its shape throughout theworkout with all the advantages of themoving sand within.

It works to improve your strengthand endurance, and can be caught

and thrown just like a medicine ball,using your energy expenditure toaccelerate your metabolism.

Designed with additional handles,your training can include movementsthat are suitable for both individualand partner exercises. This allows amuch wider range of people to benefitfrom the strength, power andendurance that these movementsdevelop.

Primarily the Pro Sandbag isdesigned to make complex Olympicweightlifting exercises, such as cleans,snatches, presses, squats etc, far moreuser friendly and easy to learn.

The Sandbag Pro is available in anumber of colour-coded weights.

For more information or to order now,visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk

The new Jordan Pro Sandbag –redesigned from top-to-bottom

THE KETTFusion class has beenincredibly popular amongst gym-goers in the North West, but now itseems that more instructors aredemanding training courses too.

The first two instructor-trainingdays held in Mellor, Stockport weresuch a success that additional coursedates are being added to their diary.

Michael Ross, founder and creator,said: “As a class concept KETTFusionoffers something new and exciting toinstructors and gym-goers alike.Using kettlebells in any kind of work-out is great for delivering a highintensity workout, but the added mar-tial arts elements is what truly makesit stand out.

“Martial arts isn’t something that’staught in a regular gym environmentso the KETTFusion class gives every-one the chance to mix it up a bit andtry something new. Instructors cansee how it can help them grow their

client base and it enables gyms tooffer something totally unique ontheir timetable.”

The next instructor training day willtake place at the International FitnessShowcase on March 19,with addition-al training courses available at ProjectFit and FitCamps, both in November,and at Fit Jam in January.

In addition to these dates,KETTFusion is offering gyms, leisurecentres and fitness facilities thechance to host their own instructortraining courses. KETTFusion willcover the cost of room/facility hireand will also offer a discount on thenumber of instructors booked ontothe course.

For every fifth instructor that’sbooked onto the course you’ll receivea £230 discount.

So for five instructors you’ll save£230, but for 10 instructors you’ll save£460.

Further training datesadded to schedule

Gold Standard Nutrition’sWasabi Butterfly ChickenTHIS is a very simple, quick recipeand requires very little cooking ability.

It tastes amazing and is quiteimpressive when served. Whether youare making this for one or four peoplethe formula is easy to adapt. The fol-lowing is in a quantity for one personbut you can increase the portions foranyone needing higher proteinmacros.

Ingredients:One chicken breastOne tsp WasabiTwo dessert spoons UnsweetenedAlpro almond milkTwo tbsp Coconut oilQuarter of a bag of KaleQuarter of a bag of SpinachQuarter of a white onion (diced)One tsp GarlicTwo tsp of Chinese five spice

Method:� Take the chicken breast and slicealong its length so that the fatter endremains intact.� Carefully press open the breast so itresembles a butterfly.� In a small bowl mix the tsp ofwasabi with the two dessert spoons ofalmond milk. � Using a brush, coat the chicken onthe outside (ensure that both sidesare on the heat for an even brown-ness).� On a medium heat melt one tbspcoconut oil in a skillet or griddle pan.� Put the chicken outside down intoheated coconut oil. Cook gently on amedium heat.� Meanwhile, in a wok melt the other

tbsp of coconut oil.� Turn the heat to very low. Add thechopped onion, and let them cookuntil they soften and start to go slight-ly brown.� Check your chicken. As it starts tobrown use the remainder of thewasabi paste and brush it onto theinside of the chicken.� Turn the chicken over and gentlypress down so that the inside cooksevenly.� If you press down too vigorously oryou sliced through the breast uneven-ly, the chicken may split in two at thispoint, be careful!� To your wok add the kale, spinach,garlic and Chinese five spice. Justbefore the chicken is browned, placethe contents of your wok onto yourplate and then place you chicken ontop. This takes about 10 minutes todo.� Your chicken needs to be thorough-ly thawed through before you startthis recipe.� Eat it hot or use it as meal prep andTupperware up.

For more information visit www.goldstandardnutrition.co.uk

#TeamGSN

Software helps your clients get resultsAS a successful gym and great person-al trainer you stay abreast of newinnovations, incorporating themwhenever appropriate to motivateclients to improve their overall fitnessand health.

POWERbreathe Inspiratory MuscleTraining, aka ‘dumbbells for thediaphragm’ improves your clients’breathing strength, power and stami-na in as little as four weeks, after just30 breaths twice a day.

This makes the demands of breath-ing at a higher intensity more accept-able, and clients don’t feel they’reexercising as hard and are thereforeable to push themselves further,increasing their training intensity andultimately their fitness and perform-ance, helping them reach their goals.

And with the POWERbreathe K5Breathe-Link software offering live,

on-screen feedback of a client’sbreathing Load (cmH20), Power(watts), Flow (litres/sec), Volume(litres), Energy (joules) and Strength-Index (cmH20), it’s no wonder it’sbeing used by gyms, PT’s and sportscoaches as an important part of theirbiofeedback stations. Whereas at onetime clients could only listen to feed-back from their breathing to knowhow hard they were training – theycan now see it.

The POWERbreathe K5 withBreathe-Link software offers you asolution for testing, monitoring andanalysing your client’s breathing, andtheir own hand-held POWERbreathedevice allows them to train in theirown time.

Visit www.powerbreathe.com,call 01926 816100 or email

enquiries@ powerbreathe.com

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MANAGEMENT

INSURANCE

INSURANCEFINANCE

HYGIENE

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