The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazineSeptember 2015 No 264 £3

Experts to inspireand entertain atfirst conference

Gyms waitto hear ifthey aresuccessfulHUNDREDS of gyms are anx-iously waiting to find out if theyhave made the shortlist for the2015 National Fitness Awards,with strong entries this yearrepresenting all corners of theindustry.

From Scotland and NorthernIreland down to Cornwall andThe Channel Islands, clubsfrom all areas have submittednominations this year and asthis issue of Workout goes toprint, the team is drawing upthe shortlist of finalists who willgo forward to the next stage ofthe judging process.

All finalists will then be visitedby a member of the Workoutteam who will take a lookaround their facility, chat tomembers and staff and compilea comprehensive report to bepassed to an expert judgingpanel –including celebrity per-sonal trainer Richard Callenderand Miss Galaxy Universeorganiser Sarah Donohue – tochoose the winners.

Trophies will be handed out ata glittering ceremony, takingplace at The Athena in Leicesteron Friday December 4.

Watch out for the full shortlistand details on how to bookyour tickets next issue.

Speaker Katie said she is “really excited” tobe involved with the National FitnessConference and has urged operators tosecure their places at the event. She added:“I'm going to be speaking about how I usesocial media to market my fitness serviceswithout spending a penny and how a crazyidea can become PR gold. It's this sort of con-tent that is going to keep operators in allsectors and small business owners/independ-ent personal trainers standing out from thecompetition.”

By Christina Eccles

FITNESS entrepreneur and TV personal-ity Katie Bulmer-Cooke, renownedretention guru Dr Paul Bedford and the‘father of fitness’ Ken Heathcote willinspire and entertain delegates at thefirst National Fitness Conference,Workout can reveal.

The trio of experts will share their toptips on marketing, social media, raisingyour profile and boosting retention atwhat promises to be an informative dayfor any operator looking to boost theirbusiness – without breaking the bank.

The conference, organised by ScriptEvents in partnership with HarlandsGroup, takes place on Friday December4 at The National Space Centre inLeicester; prior to the National FitnessAwards in the evening at the nearbyAthena.

Other highlights will include a paneldiscussion featuring a group of NationalFitness Awards’ winners who will sharethe secrets of their success and revealhow they capitalised on their NFA wins,as well as a seminar session on how towork with the media to secure valuablecoverage for your fitness business.

Workout editor Christina Eccles said:“We’re really excited about launchingthe National Fitness Conference and are

thrilled to have industry experts ofKatie, Paul and Ken’s calibre involvedwith the event.

“The conference will provide informa-tion and inspiration for gyms of allshapes and sizes who are looking toraise their profiles and attract newmembers without spending hugeamounts of money.

“Our aim is for delegates to leave theday with a fresh enthusiasm and tons oftips which they can immediately imple-ment in to their businesses to ensurethey get 2016 off to a flying start.”

Delegates at the National FitnessConference will also get the chance tonetwork with likeminded individualsover a healthy lunch, as well as take alook around a dedicated exhibitionspace, where specially selectedexhibitors will be showcasing their lat-est products and innovations.

Christina added: “We’ve had a greatresponse to the conference so far andare looking forward to revealing morebig announcements in the run up to theevent.

“Watch out for more speaker newscoming up on social media over thecoming weeks, as well as details of howyou can book your tickets at what isshaping up to be a must attend eventfor any forward thinking operator.”

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AdvertisingSales and marketingdirector:Tony Barry

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

Field sales executive:Jennifer WardTel: 01226 734709ch@scriptmedia.co.uk

Sales apprenticeEmma HebdenTel: 01226 734707

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

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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

Rob set to giveindependentgyms a voiceBy Christina Eccles

A BOUTIQUE studio owner has toldhow he will be using his new role onthe ukactive Membership Council toprovide a voice for independent oper-ators and encourage the public toincrease their activity levels.

CEO of Boom Cycle Rob Rowlandand creative director Hilary Gilbertwill be sharing the role representingindependent private fitness sites onthe Membership Council, which willbe chaired by former ukactive CEODavid Stalker.

The council will be the formal voiceof ukactive’s membership base,reporting to the board, and take onchallenging topics relating to the sec-tor, such as skills and workforcedevelopment.

Rob explained: “I think it’s a veryexciting role and am very proud to beable to give a voice to this excitingsector.

“No one can deny that the bou-tique/independent sector hasn’t dis-rupted the traditional gym model butit’s not about kicking those operatorsout, it’s about helping us all worktogether to help our companies grow,but ultimately, it’s about getting moreof the UK population more active, bethat through boutique studios, biggyms or local authority leisure.”

Rob and Hilary’s London based stu-dio is going from strength to strength,with plans in the pipeline to furtherdevelop their product offering andeventually open more sites.

With ukactive, they have recentlyattended their first committee meet-ing and are now working with theorganisation’s data team to get deeper

insights into the independent sector,as well as exploring any opportunitiesto help both themselves as a businessand other independents to grow.

He added: “Hopefully I’ll be able tobring the voice of many overworkedand frustrated – but hyper enthusias-tic – independent business owners.

“As a new sector there are not manyof us out there that know how a busi-ness such as our works, so our voice iskey to be able to help ukactive shapegovernment policy to ensure our sur-vival and growth and push up the per-centage of active people in the UK.

“After spending three-and-a-halfyears in dark basements on our own,it’s great to be out and about and inte-grating ourselves into this excitingindustry more.”

Fitness First came to the rescue of London’s disgruntled commuters during a recent tubestrike, offering them free showers or a place to train. Anyone walking, running or cyclingto work during the strike could shower in one of the operator’s 45 London based gyms orescape the crowds for a workout, simply by showing their Oyster Card. Head of marketingfor Fitness First, Kate Toland, said: “With Londoners experiencing a second tube strikewithin just a few weeks, we wanted to make their commutes a little easier by invitingthem to train at our clubs or simply use the facilities. We received a wealth of positivefeedback from both members and non-members alike and are really pleased that our#FFKeepMoving activity helped take some of the pain out of their disrupted journeys.”

CEO of Boom Cycle Rob Rowland andcreative director Hilary Gilbert.

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A DETERMINED member from agym in East Sussex has completedone of the UK’s toughestendurance events – raising almost£1,000 for charity in the process.

In 2012, Mike Churchyard, whotrains at Go:Ver Gym, was told heshouldn’t run more than five milesafter having an ankle operation.

But undeterred, he set himself agoal to help focus his rehabilita-tion and chose running theLakeland 100 for children’s hos-pice Demelza.

The challenge, which boasts anaverage dropout rate of 60 percent, encompasses a circular routetaking in the whole of theLakeland fells and covers a dis-tance of 105 miles. It includes23,000ft of ascent and descentand consists almost entirely ofpublic bridleways and footpaths.

He was trained in the run up tothe challenge by one of the gym’sdirectors and senior personaltrainers Hayden Rolfe, mainlyfocusing on HIIT sessions.

He also had regular sessions withanother director and senior sportsmassage therapist Claire Singletonto keep his legs flexible.

Mike was among just 200 com-

petitors to complete the event thisyear, each having to carry a back-pack with supplies, self-navigatingtheir way within the 40-hour timelimit to complete the course.

Mike said: “I have had my sightsset on this race for several yearsnow and I am absolutely delightedto have completed this on my firstattempt, a completely overwhelm-ing and magnificent adventure aswell as a massive personalachievement.”

MD of Go:ver Gym David Gover

added: “Mike always brings a fan-tastic positive energy every timehe comes through the door totrain and is very popular with ourteam.

“The monumental challenge thatMike took on required the break-ing of huge physical and mentalbarriers, hard earned kudos toMike for getting it done and rais-ing so much money for Demelza.Needless to say we are very proudof him and will support him in anyof his future ventures.”

Mike’s 100-mile testfor children’s hospice

Extra appinvestmentwill boostbusinessTHE founder of fitness tracking appBounts has secured investment to fur-ther boost the business.

The app, which rewards users forbeing active both inside venues andoutdoors, connects with a vast rangeof other tracking apps and rewardsphysical activity with points for goodsand services.

Initially funded by OxfordUniversity’s Isis Innovation SoftwareIncubator scheme, the rapid growthand success of bounts, which now hasover 1.5m users, has now attracted afurther £750,000.

Founder John Stuart said: “We recog-nise that many people choose to dipin and out of different types of activitythroughout the year.

“Our app rewards people whateverphysical activity they do and the addition of this global venues mapprovides them with even more freedom to earn rewards, whereverthey choose to enjoy their sports andfitness.

“Since launching bounts in the USA,Canada and India we are starting torealise how much demand there is for this service and how rewardingthe bounts games and rewards canbe.”

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By Christina Eccles

A FORWARD thinking leisure centrehas devised a course to teach itsteenage users how to use free weightscorrectly and respect the gym environment.

Crowborough Leisure Centreincreasingly found teenagers aged 14to 18 were wanting to use the gymand free weights, but realised thoselacking the skills or maturity to do socould end up being disruptive toother customers and risk injury byusing the kit incorrectly.

Rather than ban teens from thegym, operator Freedom Leisure cameup with an eight-week course toteach teenagers how to use the freeweights and respect their trainingenvironment.

Those who show proficiency andmaturity pass the course and arethen able to access the free weightsarea of the gym.

Freedom Leisure fitness managerSteve Collins explained: “We saw thisissue more as a duty of care to trainteenagers properly, rather than aproblem to be dealt with by banningthem from the gym.

“Many teenagers want to lift freeweights and if we simply say theycan’t use this area, we would be deny-

ing many capable and responsibleyoungsters from benefitting fromtraining this way.”

Small groups of six are taught andeach individual is expected to attendat least two of the three sessionsavailable each week, for eight consec-utive weeks. The sessions include awarm-up followed by a series of com-pound strength exercises with a purefocus on technique.

Once a student has passed their ini-tial assessments, Freedom Leisuretrainers give them a personalisedprogramme to follow under supervi-sion with strict guidelines on weightloading. The staff monitor this on a

daily basis and regularly check withindividuals that they are not just lift-ing correctly, but also keeping withinthe weight limits set.

So far 15 teenagers have passed thecourse and are now successfullyusing free weights.

Steve added: “Our StrengthAcademy means that teenagers aregetting instruction and education onfree weights and effective trainingthat most of our adult membersnever got as teenagers.

“Gym members are getting youngerand younger it seems and the leisureindustry needs to recognise this andwork with youth groups to ensurethey use the gym carefully andbehave appropriately.

“Gyms that find they have troublewith teenagers hanging around ingroups, not observing gym etiquetteor using free weights wrongly shouldreally consider a teen training pro-gramme.

“Our Strength Academy has shownthat by tackling the problem head onand giving training and guidance, 14-18 year olds can respond very posi-tively indeed. Those not seriousabout the gym will be deterred whilethose wanting to learn and do wellwill be encouraged.”

Teens taught respectfor gym environment

Steve Collins

Tonbridgegym goesthe distanceA TONBRIDGE gym is going theextra mile for the local commu-nity by sponsoring the town’shalf marathon.

The Strength and ConditioningInstitute has got behind theevent, which takes place onOctober 4, and is set to be thelargest one yet, attracting about1500 entrants.

Director and head coach AlexShoebridge said: “We aredelighted to support such a well-loved and well-organised localevent.

“The Tonbridge Half Marathonprovides a challenging trainingground for athletes, inspireslocal runners to up their game,and inspires non-runners to laceup their trainers. That encapsu-lates the spirit of the SCI:encouraging everyone to be thebest version of themselvesthrough sport.”

A NEW Fit4less club has opened inWellingborough, based in a formerbingo hall in the local SwansgateShopping Centre.

The club occupies 8,500sqft andoffers the latest equipment includingcardio and strength machines, freeweights and a functional rig. The gymalso boasts a state-of-the-art studioand offers a variety of classes.

New calling

UK FITNESS SCENE 9

Yoga fans can now enjoy a class with a difference; taking in some of London’s finest viewswhile they workout. Yoga in the Clouds with Yogasphere takes place every Saturday morn-ing at London landmark, The View from The Shard, led by top teacher Mandy Jhamat andHarley Street wellbeing coach Leo Lourdes. Each ticket comes with a goody bag and thereis also a chance for guests to enjoy the view after the class.

FITNESS franchise Anytime Fitnesshas surpassed a milestone of 50 clubsin the UK, with the opening of twonew sites in High Barnet and Bicester.

The number of UK based AnytimeFitness sites has grown steadily sinceits launch in 2010 and the companyhopes to open another 30 clubs hereby the end of the year.

UK chairman Andy Thompson said:“Since we launched in the UK in 2010we have set ourselves ambitiousgrowth targets and therefore we are

delighted to have reached this keymilestone.

“A key factor in our success is thepassion and enthusiasm of our fran-chisees, many of whom have alwayswanted to own their own business,and are now flourishing with the sup-port of our expert franchise consult-ants. It’s also great to see such adiverse range of people attracted toAnytime Fitness and the franchiseindustry, as demonstrated by theowners of our two latest clubs.”

Franchise passes milestone

Personal trainer Sarahbuys ladies’ gym thathas changed her lifeBy Olivia Taylor

A PASSIONATE personal trainer hasmade the jump and bought the ladiesgym she worked in.

Fitness changed Sarah Tremble’s life;turning her from an unfit novice to apersonal trainer and eventually a gymowner with her own premises.

She explained: “I was a travel agent,I was very overweight so I joined thegym because I desperately needed tolose weight.”

Her enthusiasm for exercise didn’tgo unnoticed; the gym managerwhere she was working outapproached her and asked if she’d liketo get qualified and work at the gym.

Sarah added: “Never in a millionyears did I see myself working in agym. I was the girl at school whohated PE. Now I’m completely differ-ent.”

Sarah has since gone on to buy thegym in Selby that she worked in andhas completely transformed it –renaming the club Serendipity LadiesHealth and Fitness.

She added: “It was a bit of a backstreet gym before, it wasn’t advertisedor marketed. It was getting a bit rundown, so I changed the décor and

added more classes. I absolutely lovemy job, it's the best thing I've everdone in my life.”

Sarah likes to pride herself on offer-ing something for all ladies, with arange of different classes for differentabilities. The gym also boasts fivebeauty rooms offering users mas-sages, beauty therapies and photo-shoots.

She added: “I wanted everyone to beincluded. I always want to keepimproving the gym for everyone, notjust one particular group of members

“I chose the new name because ofthe meaning... find something amaz-ing without looking for it, which sumsup my journey into the industry.”

Serendipity Ladies Health and Fitness inSelby.

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By Olivia Taylor

A 14-MONTH-OLD gym is going theextra mile to make sure they are thebest in the area.

GymCo Belfast provides memberswith an impressive range of facilities,giving them access to a high speccardio and weights area and thelargest spin studio and functionaltraining space in Northern Ireland.

The club also offers a well-roundedservice to users, with an in-housesports massage therapist, physiother-apist, hairdresser, golf society andcycling club.

Gym ambassador Paddy

Cunningham said: “We do have peo-ple who come from far away to trainwith us and it shows that we’re doingsomething right. We’ve been extreme-ly overwhelmed and flattered by thesupport.”

The facility is owned by the Conlonbrothers, Jim, Martin and David, whohave always been keen fitness enthu-siasts and are already looking toextend the brand further with a sec-ond gym.

The club provides classes for alltypes of gymgoers with HIIT, Zumbaand their own 50/50 classes, whichare made up of 30 minutes Spinning,followed by 30 minutes of another

surprise exercise.Teens are also encouraged to exer-

cise with classes run during the weekfor them to come along and learn thefoundations of good technique andposture.

Paddy added: “The response we’vehad has been amazing – we really aregoing from strength to strength. It’sall very flattering for us because we’rejust new kids on the block.”

The club is also making sure theyhave a top team to deliver their class-es, with 10 personal trainers who areall experts in their fields, whetherthat is weight loss, functional trainingor bodybuilding.

Gym manager Judith McGirr added:“I have complete faith that when Ipass a member on to a personaltrainer they will be very well lookedafter.”

In the coming months, the club willbe opening a healthy eating restau-rant accessible to both members andnon members, allowing them to refu-el after their workout.

Paddy added: “We’re trying to caterfor our members and even for nonmembers when it comes to post andpre workout.

“We’re doing something right, butthere’s always room for improve-ment.”

Amazing response for Belfast’s‘new kids on the block’

SCOTTISH fitness instructor LouieFecou has launched a new class,Skip A Fit, at his studio in Ayrshire.

The 23-minute class embraces thechallenge of HIIT with a trainingregime that has its origins in a box-ing gym.

It has a basic structure; warm up,

followed by sets of jumping rope,interspersed with non rope basedmovements, finishing with a block ofmuscular strength and enduranceexercise and a final stretch.

Louie explained: "We felt that a lotof people wanted to do intense exer-cise, but were intimidated by the

marketing of other principles. So wetook skipping as our jumping onpoint and formulated a group exer-cise session around it. It's an oldidea, updated, like many things inthe fitness industry today, and theaccessibility of the class has made ita winner.

"The class is very difficult and a lotof time is spent tripping over theropes, however after three or fourclasses, you really start to see clientsimproving and enjoying themselves.When you get a rhythm going withthe rope, we call it a "rally", it's anincredible feeling of achievement."

Fitness instructor launches new class at his studio

12

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.

I WAS interested to read RoryMcGown’s advertorial in the Julyissue, claiming that many gyms areintentionally oversupplied with fit-ness equipment.

At Precor we have developed a num-ber of solutions to ensure our cus-tomers have the correct equipment tomatch the demographics and needsof their members, as well as guidanceon where each piece of kit is bestplaced on the gym floor.

In 2013 we launched ActivDesign,based on the latest market trends,IHRSA and ACSM research andinsights from worldwide shoppinggiants, to help operators design their

gym floor. It takes into account flow-through, zoning, equipment choiceand layout, colours, lighting andfloor finishes, as well as in-clubtraining and launch support.

Ongoing evaluation includes abenchmarking tool to monitorcustomer feedback and facilityperformance, enabling opera-tors to react and adapt if nec-essary.

Added to this, PrevaBusiness Suite’s reportingtool enables operators tomonitor and manage theuse of their equipment.

By checking daily useof equipment, cumu-lative use and trendsby time, operatorscan make informedpurchasing deci-sions, as well asprolonging thelife of their kit

by swapping sta-tions that are continual-

ly used for those in less popu-lar positions.

Effectively using space will ensureboth the members’ needs and opera-tors’ commercial requirements aremet.

A good gym environment shouldn’tbe filled with as many products aspossible – in fact, 11 per cent of mem-bers leave because they feel toocrowded.

Research also shows that 38 per centof members stay because of the vari-ety of equipment, and users are morelikely to become repeat customers ifthe right type of equipment is provid-ed within a well thought-out space, soit’s simply not in a supplier’s interestto recommend more kit than neces-sary.

Jonathan Griffiths,marketing manager, Precor UK

Letter to the editor

This month’stop Tweets...

Editor’s comment

@_ukactive: Great meeting withthe @WorkOutUK team today.Read the latest WorkOut magazineavailable on their website.

@getbuzzing: It’s our very ownKate in this month’s @WorkOutUK.Thanks @ChristinaEccles, fab fea-ture #healthyeating

@ZAAZEEUK: We’re excited toattend next week’s launch of@serendipity_gym in #Selby@SarahTremble, @WorkOutUK#newgym #fitfam

@GymcoBelfast: GymCo aredelighted to have hooked up with@OliviaGTaylor from @WorkOutUKfor an article running in the comingweeks. Details to follow.

@ConceptLifting:#MotivationalMonday#TrainHardWinEasy #Sport@GBWeightLifting @lifeleisureUK@greatersport @WorkOutUK

@BluebirdPR: Thanks@WorkOutUK for supporting thisyear’s @BloodPress_UK#KnowYourNumbers campaign.

@ChristinaEccles: Afternoonmeeting @bplmetrodome for@WorkOutUK. Nice to see theplace so busy and so many familiesenjoying the facilities!

@FitnessAwards: Sponsoring anNFA gives your brand exposure tohundreds of industry professionalson the night and through@WorkOutUK. Contact us fordetails.

@fitssi: @WorkOutUK Please RTto support our campaign for a more#active London. #Socialsport#Inspire #getinvolved

Picture of the month

A Zumba loving bride and groom have taken part in an exercise class with a difference, encouraging guests to join in an impromptuworkout at their wedding reception. A large group of guests at Stefan and Victoria Meehan-Tompsett’s wedding took part in the class;one of many highlights of their big day, which also included a Punch and Judy show for children. The couple tied the knot at BrockholesNature Reserve in Lancashire.

IT’S hard tobelieve we’vecome backround to theSeptemberissue again!Where doesthe time go?!

Every year,this editionis always abusy one forus, and 2015is no excep-tion, as theindustrygears up for a new look LeisureIndustry Week and we also lookahead towards the National FitnessAwards.

Plans for both the awards and ournew daytime conference are goingwell – December 4 promises to bean exciting day – and as I write thiseditor’s comment, we’re preparingto draw up the shortlist in eachcategory, which is one of ourfavourite jobs.

As the standard is always so high,it can be a tough task, but we lovespending time reading through allof your entries and can’t wait toannounce the full shortlist nextissue. In the meantime, stand byyour phones, as we’ll be calling allfinalists soon to share the goodnews and arrange plans for yourvisits. We’re also excited aboutreturning to the NEC for LIW. Ifyou’re going, come and see us inthe Workout Trade Lounge or dropus a line to arrange a meeting.You’ll also be able to talk to usthere about the NFAs and NFC, sofeel free to drop by with your ques-tions on either event.

See you in Birmingham and goodluck to everyone on your awards’entries!

Christina Eccles

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How PT Gemma caughtthe competition ‘bug’By Christina Eccles

PERSONAL trainer Gemma Stanleyis celebrating success after achiev-ing victory in her first competition.

Gemma, who owns PT companyGemini Fitness and also teachesclasses at Pontefract Squash andLeisure Club in West Yorkshire, setout on the challenge in April toenter a competition, with the initialaim of giving herself more focus andproviding motivation for her clients.

But with the help of her coach –IFBB pro Nina Ross – she ended upachieving much more than she firstexpected.

Stepping on stage after 16 weeks ofhard work to compete in BikiniFitness at the UKBFF Stars ofTomorrow, Gemma walked awaywith first place and the title of theUKBFF Ultimate BeginnersChampion 2015 in the tall bikiniclass.

She explained: “I went from asomewhat healthy PT, teachingclasses and training through a mixof cardio and light weights, to a

strong, focused individual who hasnever felt or been in better shape.

“The entire day was such an amaz-ing experience, getting to meet somany inspirational, like mindedwomen and is definitely one I willnever forget.”

Gemma is already preparing forher next competition and after get-ting off to such a successful start,told Workout she’s now definitely‘got the bug’.

She added: “I am now trainingtowards the next competition in thehope to get an invite to the BritishFinals in October and hoping toinspire as many people along theway as I possibly can.

“It’s also helped for my clients tosee I’ve done this myself, so why

can’t they?

“And there have been a couple whohave shown an interest in compet-ing.”

It’s been a busy few months forGemma, as she has also recentlytaken part in the Pretty Muddy eventat York Racecourse, along with threeof her clients, to raise money forCancer Research.

She is also hoping to participate infurther charity fundraising eventsthroughout the year and get moreclients and club members involved.

She added: “It was a scorching dayand despite the heat, was absolutelyfantastic. As a group, and with mas-sive thanks to our family, friendsand members, we have managed toraise just over an amazing £300.”

Celebrating: Personal trainer Gemma Stanley

‘I went from a somewhat healthy PT, teachingclasses and training through a mix of cardio andlight weights, to a strong, focused individual whohas never felt or been in better shape’

Promoters and detractors exploredWHAT differentiates health club pro-moters from detractors is explored inthe latest IHRSA Member RetentionReport, conducted in partnershipwith The Retention People.

The report focuses on the impact ofthe Net Promoter Score on clubmember retention and is based on asurvey of over 10,000 health clubmembers in the UK; examining howmember demographics, duration,attendance, and activity participationvary between promoters and detrac-tors.

According to the report, 51 per centof members who belonged to a clubfor less than six months were promot-ers, in comparison with 20 per centdetractors.

For members with a tenure of atleast three years, 35 per cent werepromoters, while 31 per cent weredetractors.

IHRSA’s executive vice president ofglobal products, Jay Ablondi, said:“The most recent edition of theIHRSA Member Retention Report willhelp club operators better distinguishthe characteristics of loyal members,who may endorse their club to familyand friends, from those who may bemore likely to badmouth their busi-ness.

“Although longer tenure is histori-cally indicative of member loyalty, thereport shows that recently joinedmembers are most likely to be pro-moters.”

The report also explores the rela-tionship between both gender andage with NPS. While the relationshipbetween gender and promoter ordetractor status is not particularlystrong, NPS category does vary by agegroups.

Members between the ages of 16-24and 65 years or older are most likelyto be promoters.

Half of members (50 per cent) in the16-24 age group are promoters, while46 per cent aged 65 and older are pro-moters.

The percentage of detractorsincreases between the ages of 25 – 64and the report suggests leveraging thepower of staff interactions and groupactivities with members of all ages, as

social activities, including group exer-cise, typically lead to a higher rate ofpromoters.

Director of TRP North America PhilBonomo added: “Understanding themindset of promoters is critical toimproving overall member satisfac-tion, which has a direct impact onimproving retention.

“TRP will be studying promoters indepth during an upcoming, first of itskind, North American health clubmember ‘longitudinal study.’

“This study will track active clubmembers over a multi-year periodand provide meaningful insight intowhat makes a promoter and howclubs create a culture that yields morepromoters than detractors.”

UK FITNESS SCENE16

By Christina Eccles

THE founder of a websitewhere women can buy the lat-est activewear from aroundthe world has revealed whyshe’s delighted to play a partin the UK’s growing healthand fitness movement.

Active in Style founderCaroline Lucey got the ideafor her business when shemoved to Brisbane andbecame PR and communica-tions manager for premiumAustralian activewear labelLorna Jane.

She loved the brand somuch she brought the con-cept back to the UK with her;creating an online platformwhere UK customers couldpurchase Lorna Jane prod-ucts, plus many more of thehottest brands around.

She explained: “I lovedLorna Jane and the clothesand had been so inspired bythe brand and how motivatingit was to women in encourag-ing them to lead an active life,I decided to bring Lorna Jane

to the UK and so once Imoved back I started import-ing it.

“I soon launchedActiveinStyle.com as a plat-form to sell Lorna Jane; andfrom there began addingother activewear brands fromAustralia which were also notavailable in the UK yet.

“We now stock 22 brandsand are soon to add anothertwo brands in the next coupleof months.”

With plans in the pipeline tocreate a signature Active inStyle range and the launch ofa London-based pop-up shoplater this month, Caroline toldWorkout things are going real-ly well.

Selling many brands exclu-sively in the UK gives the sitea point of difference, as does astrong focus on customerservice and a keen eye for thelatest trends, which are oftenspotted on social media.

She added: “We find a lot ofour brands on Instagram – it’sa great platform for finding

unique products. We stockbrands that understand the fitfashion remit – these brandsproduce collections that havestyle yet are performancepieces meaning they canstand the toughest, sweatiestworkout.

“We also believe that theexperience of buying fromActiveinStyle is unique. Weaim to write a handwrittennote to all our customers aswell as offer them an addedextra in their order by part-nering with relevant brands togiveaway products.

“We love hearing from cus-tomers who work in the fit-ness industry. Our ambassa-dor scheme allows all fitnessprofessionals to receive a per-manent discount withActiveinStyle. All we ask isthat they promote us to theirfriends and clients.

“The whole health and fit-ness industry in the UK isgrowing so fast and it’s greatto be part of such a fast grow-ing movement.”

Why Caroline’s fit kitstands the toughest,sweatiest workout

Delighted with progress: Active in Style founder Caroline Lucey.

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Advertiser’s announcement

Your club is unique

Club demographics and customerdemandUnderstanding customerdemand levels for kit is key to sat-isfying customers and maximis-ing the potential of your gym, butit’s not as simple as we’re led tobelieve.

The first studies ever conductedby GYMetrix challenged ourthinking about the demand pat-terns of gym floor customers.

Until that point, we like mostother people in the industry,believed that a club’s demograph-ics determined demand forequipment.

But our studies of two GlasgowLife gyms showed that this wasnot the case. The two sites were

located close to each other,served similar demographics andwere stocked with similar typesand quantities of equipment.

That being the case, we expect-ed to measure similar, if not iden-tical, demand patterns.

In fact, we found that they hadvery different patterns ofdemand, with one gym experi-encing shortages of some equip-ment, while the very same kit wasunder-utilised in the other facili-ty.

The clearly showed that the demo-graphics of a club did not determinethe demand patterns of its cus-

tomers, and this is something wehave seen time and time again insubsequent gym studies.

Each gym demand pattern is uniqueOne of the most important les-sons we have learned from con-ducting hundreds of studies ofgyms, is that no two clubs havethe same demand pattern.

Yes, they may share similarities,but each gym’s pattern ofdemand is totally unique, whichleads us to an interesting ques-tion: what does determine thedemand pattern in a club?Understand the ecosystem of yourgymLikening your gym to an ecosys-tem is probably the best way of

understanding the variety of fac-tors, and the interdependency ofthose factors, that affect thedemand patterns on the gymfloor.

The primary interdependentelements on the gym floor arecustomers, instructors, equip-ment and the size and shape ofthe gym floor.

And as you can see from thediagrams, there are a myriad ofdifferent factors which influencethese primary elements rangingfrom the age and gender of cus-tomers to the location of equip-ment and the levels of interaction

of between instructors and users. It’s only when you have consid-

ered all of the potential factorsthat can influence the customer’schoice of equipment that you canappreciate why no two gyms haveexactly the same demand pat-tern.Forgot the one-size-fits-all approachThis means that the one-size-fits-all approach adopted by so manyoperators is flawed.

It will always generate shortagesof equipment, which frustratescustomers, as well as under-utilised kit, which means opera-tors are wasting money on excessequipment rather than investingit in solving shortages of equip-ment that their customers actual-ly want.

But it’s not all doom and gloom.The good news is that we canmeasure how all of these factorscome together and produce anideal ratio of equipment to suitthe unique demands of eachgym.

Operators can also influencecustomer demand throughinstructor interaction with cus-tomers to affect their equipmentchoices to help to even outdemand patterns. What about new-builds?All of the above is fine whenworking with existing sites, buthow do you accurately predict

how all of these elements aregoing to come together in a newsite?

Well, the best that can be donein this situation is to have a ‘bestguess’ and build your gym, butonly put in 80% of the kit, thisallows for flexibility to accommo-date future change.

It also mitigates the risk of thegym not getting as busy as youhope.

Once your gym is operating, andits own unique ecosystem hasbeen established, you can meas-ure its performance, calculate theideal equipment mix, and makethe necessary adjustments withthe final 20% of kit to match cus-tomer demand.

www.gymetrix.co.uk

Rory McGown

Thought you knew how to determine customer demand on the gym floor? Think again, says Rory McGown,founder of GYMetrix.

UK FITNESS SCENE20

By Christina Eccles

EVERYBODY Sport and Recreationhas been achieving success with itsinitiatives to motivate members todo more exercise.

Back in November last year, thecharitable trust, which runs leisureservices in Cheshire East, launchedan Everybody Challenge at its annu-al awards to get members moreactive, more often and encourageothers to join them.

After being inspired by the work ofindividuals in this area, the trustlaunched a competition to win a life-time membership – all people had todo to enter was pledge they wouldtake part in 30 minutes of activity aday.

Having had over 400 entries andpicking a winner – Robert Evans –they decided to capitalise on thecampaign’s success and create Zeroto Hero.

Content marketing executive JadeGriffin explained: “For those whohad committed to 30 minutes ofexercise, they were starting to seesome positive results and wethought it was time to step up to thenext level.

“We wanted our members (andEverybody staff ) to set some goals toget out of that comfort zone and notonly challenge fitness levels andphysique but also their charactertoo.”

As part of the challenge, teamsfrom several Everybody leisure cen-tres are joining staff to complete TheBorn Survivor later this month inManchester and some have alsosigned up to take on local triathlons,cycling challenges and 5k mud runs,training with instructors.

Jade added: “Everybody stronglybelieves that group activity and teamspirit is key to our members’ success.It builds their confidence, pushestheir comfort zones and boosts theirmotivation with the support from fit-ness staff and other members.

“We have a number of classes suchas Bootcamp, Warrior Fit, Circuitsand high intensity training HIITwhich will certainly gear them up tothis event, pushing their training tothe limit to get them ready for theobstacles they will face.

“Our aim is to get involved withevents throughout the year to helpour members achieve their goals andaspirations.”

Initiatives to motivatemembers to do moreexercise are a success

STAFF members from Pulse andBeaverfit have joined forces to com-plete a 400-mile cycle ride, raisingover £275 for the Army BenevolentFund.

Ben Steadman, key account manag-er for government services at PulseFitness, and colleague Tom Beaver,managing director at BeaverFit, workclosely with the military providing arange of functional fitness equip-ment.

Their jobs gave them an insight intothe lives of servicemen and women,

prompting them to start fundraising. Averaging 140 miles per day, they

visited a total of 40 Ministry ofDefence sites, starting at RoyalMarine Base Chivenor in Barnstapleand finishing at Defence MedicalRehabilitation Centre Headley Courtnear Epsom. Along the way the duowere accompanied by army personnelfrom each base, offering support andencouragement.

To donate to Ben and Tom’s chal-lenge visit www.justgiving.com/ben-jamin-steadman

Representatives from Pulse and Beaverfit who completed the 400-mile cycle ride.

Staff raise £275 for Fund

PULSE Fitness has completed a£100,000 gym equipment upgrade atRedhill Leisure Centre on behalf ofGedling Borough Council.

As part of the project, Pulse broughtthe old gym completely up to datewith a fresh and efficient new layout.The new facility includes Pulse’s top-

of-the-range Series Three FusionCardio line, as well as Concept 2Rowers, Wattbikes and Stair Masters.

Pulse also advised the centre on anew functional training rig; installinga bespoke design, which can accom-modate up to 12 users on the gymfloor.

Pulse completes £100,000 upgrade

UK FITNESS SCENE22

Five-year deal unveiledat Nottingham village

By Christina Eccles

AN entrepreneur has turned herpassion for fitness and fashion intoa successful business, with herboutique sportswear brand goingfrom strength to strength.

Founder of Every Second CountsSally Dixon has a wealth of experi-ence in the fashion industry –including a previous role as fash-ion director at You and YourWedding magazine – and is also aqualified Balanced Body mat andreformer Pilates teacher.

She set up the activewear brandto combine her two interests, aim-ing the collections at fitness fanswho make their seconds countwhen it comes to fitting exerciseinto daily life, and want fashion-able yet functional clothing to takethem from one scenario to anoth-er.

She said: “I worked as a fashiondirector for magazines and my jobwas to do all the shoots, seeing itthrough from the initial concept toproducing the final images.

“At the same time, I was massive-ly into fitness and really into run-ning. I was also at the point of, asmuch as I loved working with mag-azines, I wanted to go into my ownbusiness.

“This was the perfect opportunityto do something on my own. I stillwanted to be able to do somethingwith fashion but combine it withmy love of fitness.”

Having experience of both indus-tries has been key to the brand’ssuccess, allowing Sally to use herfashion insight to create exciting,visual campaigns and striking pro-motional images and her fitnessbackground to identify the techni-cal elements, cuts and fabricswhich will work well for her collec-tions.

Her day-to-day life also involvescombining the two worlds, as sheis hands on with the business andteaches Pilates classes on a regularbasis.

She added: “It’s massively helped.Part of my previous job was to cre-ate mood boards to get the con-cept of a shoot, so from the pointof view of clothing production, it’sexactly the same. Also from a pho-tography point of view – I knowwhat makes a good image.

“I’m teaching pretty much everyday and then come into the office.I love it and it’s nice for me to beable to put the kit through itspaces.”

Pop up-events at studios such asBarrecore and Bootcamp Pilateshave been helping to furtherspread the word among the fitnesscommunity about Every SecondCounts and Sally also workswith ambassadors, includingpersonal trainers and yogateachers who embody the samehealthy living ethics she pro-motes.

Customers can also benefitfrom extra access to health andfitness advice via a blog on theirwebsite, offering them a wellrounded service when they logon to browse or purchase anitem.

She added: “In the last year,we have had Matches come tous and a lot of independentyoga studios. It’s been amazingto have that kind of feedbackand know that people like it.

“[The blog is] an extra bonusfor our customers. A placewhere they can go for recipes orto find out about different exercises. We like to look at the360 degrees of health and well-being – it’s not just about theclothes.”

SPEEDO and Nottingham CityCouncil have announced a five-yearpartnership at the newly-transformedHarvey Hadden Sports Village.

As well as the naming rights to thepool and poolside area at HarveyHadden Sports Village, the partner-ship also includes Speedo supportingsix more Nottingham City Councilleisure centres.

The 50m pool at Harvey Haddenwill be named the Speedo SwimCentre and a new Speedo store hasalso been opened – offering a rangeof swimwear, goggles and trainingequipment.

Speedo UK commercial directorJustine Whitby said: “We are delightedto partner with Nottingham CityCouncil to open the brand newSpeedo Swim Centre.

“The fantastic new sports facilitiesat Harvey Hadden will be beneficialto all who come through the doors,and we hope to inspire more peopleof all ages to enjoy swimming.”

The Speedo Swim Centre will sitalongside the improved athletics sta-dium, new 1.5km closed road cyclecircuit, refurbished football pitches,boxing club and leisure centre at thesports village.

Sally swaps weddingsfor workouts withnew fitness brand

Every Second Counts founder SallyDixon and, below, part of heractivewear range.

New showA NEW corporate, social and environ-mental responsibility focused exhibi-tion will run alongside this year’sRestaurant Show at Olympia to satisfydemand from the leisure sector forhealth and nutrition, responsiblesourcing, sustainability and ethicalbusiness.

Conscious Hospitality Show bringstogether over 50 exhibitors fromacross the sector and showcases arange of products and services.

Commercial director ElizabethDuncan said: “We have created a ded-icated show that will help chefs, cater-ers and food and beverage managersto find out more about the productsand services that will allow them torun more sustainably and with CSERcredentials that will support theirbusiness to grow.”

UK FITNESS SCENE24

Research revealsthe benefits ofsuspension trainingBy Christina Eccles

SUSPENSION training has been given a scien-tific seal of approval after research highlightedthe significant benefits of working out this wayin comparison to traditional resistance training.

A recent edition of IDEA Fitness Journal fea-tured an in-depth analytical review of multiplestudies comparing Suspension Training to tra-ditional weight training – and the review con-cluded the benefits of suspension training inmany cases surpass or meet those associatedwith traditional weight training.

The article written by Tony Nunez, MS andcoauthored by Len Kravitz, PhD, program coor-dinator of exercise science and researcher atUniversity of New Mexico, Albuquerque, took acomprehensive look at a variety of peer-reviewed studies that compared suspensiontraining to traditional resistance training meth-ods.

The collection of studies focused heavily onsuspension exercise’s benefits to core activa-tion, as well as suspension training in directcomparison to traditional resistance training.

Findings included: � Suspended push-ups were superior in effec-tiveness, compared to traditional push-ups forcore activation.� Inverted suspended rows not only proved to

be effective, but exerted less load on the user’sspine than conventional rows.� A seven-week suspension training programprovides almost identical benefits to that withtraditional resistance training.� Unstable training modes and traditionalresistance training programs provide similarbenefits in terms of muscular strength, power,movement velocity and jumping ability in aspecific research population.� Unstable planks, like those performed usingthe TRX Suspension Trainer, are more effectivethan traditional ground-based planks.

The findings reinforced the principles uponwhich TRX was founded and has championedsince it first introduced the TRX SuspensionTrainer in 2004.

Head of human performance at TRX, ChrisFrankel, said: “This article scientifically vali-dates what we have believed for over a decade.

“We have seen and experienced the very ben-efits this review highlights over the lifetime ofour business, and it’s thrilling and gratifying tosee our beliefs validated by such an esteemedsource within our industry. Not only does TRXSuspension Training provide these tremendousbenefits, but it offers all of it in an incrediblypractical and efficient form that’s completelyportable, compact, cost-effective and suitablefor the widest range of fitness levels.”

Olympic medallist Colin Jackson has partnered with Sony to launcha new piece of wearable technology for fitness enthusiasts.The new Smart B-Trainer is designed for runners that use music tohelp them train; adjusting the tracks as they listen and run based ontheir heart rate. At the launch, Colin was on hand in Regent’s Parkto put people through their paces, taking them through the type ofexercises he does on a daily basis, while emphasising the benefitsof the Smart B-Trainer. Colin said: “The Sony Smart B-Trainer is abrilliant new product, suitable for runners of all levels. The auto-matic music selection fits the tempo of your run, which I think is agreat feature and I’m excited to incorporate it into my training.”

UK FITNESS SCENE26

MEMBERS at Surrey Sports Park can nowbenefit from the latest equipment and technology, following the completion of a£500,000 gym refurbishment.

The University of Surrey owned facilityopened the doors to its new Health andFitness Centre after a nine-day renovationin partnership with Life Fitness.

The opening sees the introduction of new,state-of-the-art equipment, more stationsand more elite-level strength and conditioning and functional training areasto coincide with the growing trends anddemands of Surrey Sports Park’s users andto tap into fitness industry trends.

New features include an increase from sixto nine lifting platforms, a larger strengthand conditioning area, Life Fitness Synergy360 and PowerMills and four new Watt BikePros.

Members can also benefit from a person-alised workout experience with a freeLFconnect account. The new LFconnect sys-tem allows users to create custom workouts,track their progress, customise theirmachine displays and track workouts via afree mobile app.

Surrey Sports Park interim CEO JonathanAcott said: “As one of the country’s leadingsites for sport, health, wellbeing and leisure,it is important to continue to offer the verybest facilities and training environments forour members and users.

“This refurbishment ensures we remain atthe forefront of the industry and we hopeour members enjoy their workouts in thenew facilities.”� Have you recently refurbished your gymor added in some new features to furtherimprove your offering to members? If so,we’d love to hear from you. Send your storiesto ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us onFacebook or Twitter and you could appear ina future issue of the magazine.

Facility aimsto stay atforefront ofthe industry

Harrogate isvenue forthird franchiseYOURZONE Studio has opened a newfacility in Harrogate, making it thethird franchise to be opened since thebeginning of the year.

YourZone Studio offers a challengingand results-driven workout using aBluetooth heart-rate system andmotivational trainers.

The hour-long classes consist of avariety of workouts based on muscleconfusion; working different musclegroups during each session to buildstrong, lean muscle.

Founder Chris Elms said: “Harrogatewas our third franchise to open sinceJanuary 2015, which is a greatachievement in itself.

“Working with our new franchiseeshas fantastic rewards because we areable to work closely with them to pro-vide support to their business andallow them to bring a workout, likeYourZone, that guarantees results totheir local communities.”

“The main advantage of opening aYourZone Studio franchise is that thestart-up costs are considerably lowerthan other gyms and our team pro-vides corporate structure, resourcesand support to all venues.

“We have a vested interest in theYourZone brand and making the fran-chises a success.”

Winning PTA PERSONAL trainer at The AcademyHealth Club in Harrogate has provedher athletic credentials.

Naana Aduesi won the 200m title inthe Women’s over 35 British Mastersat the National British MastersChampionships in Birmingham.

Having had her first taste of nation-al success, Naana is now looking for-ward to participating in future com-petitions.

UK FITNESS SCENE28

A PERSONAL trainer has told howhe’s made the transition fromParalympian to fitness professional– and is now using his experienceto inspire others.

Gary Farmer lost his leg in a caraccident when he was five yearsold, but as a Paralympian in SledgeHockey at the Turin games in 2006and member of the Great Britainteam for 12 years, he has alwayssought to stay physically active.

A year ago, aged 29, he qualifiedas a personal trainer with LifetimeTraining and is now motivatingothers with his can do attitude.

He said: “I decided to become aPT to use my experiences as aParalympic athlete to inspire oth-

ers. That doesn't mean I want themto become Olympians orParalympians, just to be the bestthat they can be. I chose LifetimeTraining, as I knew at some point Iwould like the challenge of workingabroad. Their courses are REPsaccredited which means they arerecognised in other countries.

“I don’t think that it was any hard-er for me to find work as a PT. Myfirst job was with DW SportsFitness in Mansfield. They treatedme just like any other PT, which Igreatly respected. Nothing neededto be changed in term of layout orequipment or training. Most gymshave to be suitably designed tocater for disabled people nowadays

anyway.”Gary also revealed how he thinks

the industry can support disabledpeople who want to work out ingyms, revealing simple tweaks,such as offering some specialistequipment, can make all the differ-ence.

He added; “Operators can helpdisabled people by ensuring theyhave a wide range of equipment.One thing I have found with budgetgyms in the past is that they don’ttend to have hand cycles. Thissmall piece of equipment opens upa whole world of cardio work fordisabled users, when treadmillsand cross trainers simply aren’tuseable.”

How Paralympian Garyis inspiring others ...

‘I decided to become a PTto use my experiences as aParalympic athlete to inspireothers’ Gary Farmer

OPERATOR Fitness First began thecountdown to the Rio 2016 OlympicGames by launching an innovativetool designed to encourage people totry out new sports.

Marking one year to go until thenext Olympic Games, the operator,which is Team GB’s official fitnesspartner, launched the Sports Profiler

Tool at its flagship gym inBishopsgate, London, alongsidesporting stars Keri-Anne Payne andJason Kenny.

The tool matches people to theOlympic sport they’re most suited to,based on their speed, stamina,strength, power and agility.

Users can download unique train-

ing plans devised by Team GB andFitness First trainers, as well as a freepass to their local Fitness First gym.

Both athletes took the test, withKeri-Anne being matched with herown sport Open Water Swimming,while cyclist Jason was matched with400m running, showing just howtransferable sporting ability can be.Keri-Anne Payne

Operator begins Olympic countdown

UK FITNESS SCENE30Independent gym owner Debra de Luen has had awhirlwind couple of years with the successful launch ofa new class, her own clothing brand and the creation ofa new fitness event in the North East – and it all startedwith an advert in Workout. She told us her story.

DEBRA, who owns Club Zest inSunderland, started her exciting jour-ney when she spotted a page inWorkout announcing instructor train-ing dates for a new class calledFitsteps.

After being inspired to find outmore about the class, she and a col-league, Tanya Walker, signed up toattend the first training date, wherethey met another girl from the NorthEast, Claire Hanson.

Within weeks, the trio were workingas part of the Fitsteps training team,travelling the country traininginstructors – little did they know atthe time what else their friendshipwould lead to.

Debra explained: “Whilst trainingdays were busy around the rest of theUK, the North East courses were slowto fill. After speaking with otherbrands and with the instructorsthemselves, it became apparent thatunless the brands showcased byholding master classes in the area,instructors were reluctant to investtime and money on course fees, trav-el and accommodation without hav-ing tried the class first. The brands,who weren’t receiving any interest intheir training days in the North Eastbecause of this, assumed that theinterest just wasn’t there andbypassed the region.”

Recognising the catch 22 situation,they decided to create a two-day fit-ness event in Newcastle – Project Fit –to allow North East based instructorsto ‘try before they buy’.

Debra added: “The event turned outto be the largest fitness event held inthe North East and was a huge suc-cess. We enjoyed it so much we’redoing it again this year.

“As we were planning the event, wedecided it would be a good idea tohave an expo/trade hall. We begansearching for fitness apparel retailerswho might want to come and selltheir clothing at our event. It was adisappointing search with only twobusinesses interested in coming onboard. So, seeing a gap in the market,we thought it would be a good idea to

start our own label and range ofwomen’s fitness clothing andbefore we knew it, Amazing-Jane wasborn.

“The name was chosen because wewant to encourage women to accepttheir bodies and feel amazing, ratherthan plain. We want them to experi-ment with their clothing, try newstyles and embrace their bodies,regardless of shape or size.

“One year on and we are busyattending fitness events and healthclubs with our pop up shop. We likewomen to feel our clothing, try themon and see how they have been cho-sen to flatter all kinds of figures so it’sgreat to get out and about with ourrange. Our online store is doing greatand we’re really learning a lot andenjoying ourselves.”

Plans are already shaping up for thenext Project Fit, with Debra also hop-ing to make the shortlist for the 2015National Fitness Awards after puttingClub Zest forward this year.

She added: “Our Project Fit event isall set to go on Saturday November 7and Sunday 8 and we have fivebrands holding instructor trainingaround the region on Friday 6.

“Of course, Amazing Jane will bethere with a full range of fabulous fit-ness apparel for people to spend theirpennies on.

“A big thank you to Workoutmagazine, because without you, wewouldn’t have met each other or betravelling this exciting road withFitsteps, our fitness event and fitnessapparel.”

Whirlwind years all started with Debraseeing Workout ad

PREMIER Training International hasdeveloped a new diploma in health,fitness and sales, following feedbackfrom 450 operator employers, quali-fied personal trainers and current PTIstudents.

The new qualification will not onlyteach the skills required to pursue asuccessful career as a fitness instruc-tor, but also the interpersonal andsales skills needed to grow and man-age a client portfolio.

CEO of PTI Debra Stuart said:“When we conducted our extensiveconsultation with the industry earlierthis year, employers and fitness pro-fessionals identified a need for fitnessinstructors to better understand the

business and sales requirements ofbuilding a successful personal train-ing business.

“The new diploma has been devel-oped as a direct response to our find-ings.

“We are very proud to have beenserving the industry as a leadingtraining provider for more than 20years and take our responsibility tocontinually assess and meet theneeds of employers and employeesvery seriously.”

The diploma is underwritten andaccredited by ActiveIQ. Students cancomplete the qualification in sixweeks of full time learning or on apart time basis.

New diploma launchedfollowing feedback

Debra, Claire and Tanya

“We like women to feel ourclothing, try them on andsee how they have beenchosen to flatter all kinds offigures so it’s great to getout and about with ourrange.”

Fitness manufacturer and supplier Precor has integrated functional training systemsprovider Queenax into its range of offerings. Precor parent company Amer Sports hasacquired Queenax, which will operate within the Amer Sports Fitness Division under thePrecor brand. President of Precor Rob Barker said: “The highly configurable Queenax sys-tem is the perfect complement to our robust strength and cardio offerings and reflects ourcommitment to helping operators to delight their members with personalised, results-driv-en fitness experiences.”

UK FITNESS SCENE32

By Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips

IT’S a sweat trying to reach andretain consumers in the fitness sec-tor.

Competitors will work hard to lurethem off you with cheaper member-ships at rock bottom prices. Formany, it’s a price war with the fight-ing gloves off. But every marketerworth their weight in gold will knowit’s not always commercially viable.Attracting consumers to becomefaithful fitness fanatics is more thanthe price they pay – it’s the addedvalue you bring.

Here’s how you can super-chargeyour marketing to bring them thatone step nearer to brand advocacy.

Make your brand a lifestyle choice:In 2014, 13.2 per cent of the UK pop-ulation registered at a gym or fitnessclub compared to 12.6 per cent in2013 (The European Health andFitness Association), indicating anincreasing appetite for memberships.With more than 6,112 fitness facilitiesestablished within the UK in 2014(Leisure Database Company State ofthe Industry Report) it’s a noisy mar-ketplace.

Buying into a fitness programme ismore than just a service offering.Inspire and support your customerbase with a lifestyle choice that emu-lates your brand values.

Social media and the company blogare great platforms for content mar-keting and SEO – so use it to youradvantage. It’s well-versed thatFacebook nurtures communities in ahub and spoke fashion and it’s a goodplace to start if you’ve yet to dip yourtoe into the world of emojis.

Motivate consumers with tips andtricks on how to reach their fitnessgoals, run a Twitter Q&A and providepractical healthy-eating advice.Remember, consumers are engagingwith your brand because they intendon reaching a specific fitness goal. So,help them get there – whether that’sin the gym or out of it.

Nudge and nurture behavioural changeWithin the first six months, almost 50per cent of all people drop out of anexercise programme. Therefore, it’simperative to nudge and nurtureyour customer base via customerinsight. Data gathered from tools likeGoogle Analytics, E-CRM platformsand CRM software will help informdecision-making for your marketingstrategy. Coach your laggards andinspire them to pick up the weightsagain with an incentivised directmarketing campaign. Build upon thedata gathered from audience profil-ing to deliver communications thatwill determine an action. Seed con-tent tailored to each stage of the cus-tomer journey. More importantly,

identify your target audience’s moti-vators and tailor the messaging totheir needs. Categorising why peoplejoin the gym will increase engage-ment and loyalty to your brand. So,whether it’s losing weight, wanting tobe healthy, sports excellence or socialmotivations, ensure your personamaps are thoroughly executed anddovetail your overall marketing andcontent strategy.

Technology is your friend When it comes to giving that person-alised touch, gym-going consumersare very versed to it. Analytics com-pany Flurry reported fitness appswere growing faster in users than theindustry average by a whopping 87per cent in the first half of 2014.

In support of this, Mintel highlights27 per cent of gym members areinterested in using smartphone /apps, meanwhile, 24 per cent areinterested in receiving dietary adviceby email, text or by application.

With goal tracking cited the numberone reason for accessing mobilehealth and fitness apps (eMarketer,2014), it’s the perfect channel tomotivate your customer base andincrease engagement.

Incentivise and reward key milestones After Iceland and Malta, the UK hasthe highest level of obesity than any-where in Western Europe (Institute

for Health Metrics and Evaluation,2014). This in turn means a highersample of overweight people who areeager to shed the pounds. Get intothe mind-set of your target customer.

Focus on building relationships thatare goal-orientated. One effectiveway to do this is with loyalty schemeprogrammes, which reportedlyincrease in-store visits by 185 percent. Whether you provide cashincentives like Boots or a Waitrosestyle ‘pick your own’ deals, it’s a goodplace to start.

How to attract and target fitnessconsumers for better results ...

Elizabeth Spencer-Phillips is foundingdirector of marketing and employeecommunications agency, Caburn Hope.

UK FITNESS SCENE34

SCIENTIFIC research provesMindfulness is effective in managingstress and developing positive feel-ings and happiness. As humans, weare more successful when we are ableto manage stress.

It’s all about living in the present,achieving focus and clarity in ourdaily lives. This awareness goes a longway towards decreasing stress andanxiety and improving performanceboth at work and through exercise.

All too often our brains get caughtup in thoughts from the past or wor-ries about the future – this mentalchatter causes a stress response thatprevents us from accessing the part ofthe brain that keeps us engaged in thepresent moment and able to maintainperspective and focus. A recent studyfound mindful meditation led tolower resting cortisol levels — the so-called stress hormone – and scientificresearch shows when we practicemindfulness we are actually trainingthe prefrontal cortex – the part of thebrain that creates a calm and alertstate of mind, helping us stayfocused, resist distraction and per-form at our best.

Mindfulness calms the stressresponse in the brain, allowing us tonotice our thoughts and emotions

without getting attached to them.When we are Mindful we are culti-

vating a moment-by-moment aware-ness of our thoughts, feelings, bodilysensations and surrounding environ-ment, protecting ourselves from neg-ative thought patterns and emotionsand giving us the freedom to fullyengage in the task or situation athand.

The brain is ‘neuroplastic’, whichmeans it’s always changing. Itchanges in response to what youlearn, what you do, what you experi-ence, but also on account of what youthink and, importantly, how you holdand move your body. My programme,The Way of the Chimp, is an authori-tative way of altering the emotionalarchitecture of the brain, specificallyin the areas that control how we feelabout ourselves.

We can think of The Way of theChimp practice like going to theMindBodyGym. Just as going to thegym to exercise makes your musclestone and grow, doing this mindfullyactually changes your brain and alsohelps it tone and grow.

The Way of the Chimp is a stressmanagement and employee wellbeing training programme that helpsstaff become healthier, happier and

more productive, reducing staffturnover and sick-days and increasingmorale and productivity.

The Chimp is a term we use todescribe the agitated, easily distractedand incessantly moving behaviour ofordinary human consciousness, ourminds. Like a chimp whose attentiongoes from one thing to the next with-out regard for long-term direction,the undisciplined human ‘chimp’mind jumps from thought to thought.The chimp mind is easily distractedfrom its focus; getting caught up inunhelpful emotions and negativethought patterns that interrupt cre-ativity and productivity. When youhave ‘Chimp Mind,’ which we all do,you think and behave reactively, self-ishly, arbitrarily, unaccountably andso on. You can’t lead yourself and oth-ers when your mind only works inchimp mind mode. Or rather, you canonly lead others with chimp minds.You lose freedom because things out-side your control, control you.

The Way or ‘journey’ refers to themethod used to understand, recog-nise and deal with the Chimp Mind.It’s a method that gently guides theindividual to see how their condi-tioned mental habits restrict, distractand more often than not cause

unnecessary angst and suffering. TheWay helps us to adapt to constantchange.

When we increase our self aware-ness we can tame our chimp mindsand enjoy the many benefits of expe-riencing the present moment, freefrom concerns over past mistakes orfuture worries.

The Way of the Chimp provides indi-viduals with the skills necessary tofunction optimally in key areas oftheir professional and personal life,achieving a perceptible work-life bal-ance.

Participants in our programmesreport reduced stress and anxiety,increased productivity, and moreopenness to creative problem solving.Throughout training and beyond, ourweb based App provides dailyreminders of how to maintain amindful approach to challenges andrelationships at work.

� Look out for the second part of theseries coming up next issue whereDeniz reveals his practical tips onhow to introduce mindfulness intowork, life and exercise.For more information on The Way ofthe Chimp programme, visitwww.human-business.co.uk

Many of us may not have heard of Mindfulness up until recently but, according to founder of Human Business DenizParadot, it isn’t just a passing fad. In the first of a special series of columns, which will explore more about the conceptand how it can work within the fitness industry, he explains what Mindfulness is – and why it’s so important.

Why Mindfulness?

UK FITNESS SCENE38

24/7 chaininvests£100k intonew classes By Christina Eccles

FAST growing gym chain 24/7Fitness has tapped into the latesttechnology by investing £100,000to launch new virtual classes atits flagship Kidderminster gym.

The Les Mills Virtual classes willallow fitness fanatics to accessregular sessions including BodyPump and Body Combat at atime which best suits them.

24/7 Fitness UK sales adviserMark Chivers said: “They havebeen designed to enable more ofthe Kidderminster community tobecome active and fit, by provid-ing access to fitness classes up to24 hours a day, seven days aweek.

“It works on a similar principleas a standard class timetable, but

on a loop system.

“Members and non memberswould be able to choose whichone to attend and turn upaccordingly, so the class will goahead with either one memberor 10.

“So, for example, if someonewanted to do a spin class at 3amthey could as long as it’s on thetimetable for that time.

“We still have our instructor ledclasses and the virtual sessionscomplement these and allowpeople to enjoy and take part inthem at times that suit them andfit around their busy lives.”

The company is now looking toinvest a further £300,000 rollingout the virtual scheme at othergyms in its portfolio.

MEDIACITYUK has successfully hosted twotop events over a weekend of sportingaction.Thousands of enthusiasts and spectators enjoyed theinaugural JLL Triathlonand the iconic NuffieldSalford Triathlon, whichraised thousands ofpounds for their respective charities.The JLL PropertyTriathlon North, (jointlysponsored by the PeelGroup), attracted over700 entrants, includingpresenter LouiseMinchin from BBCBreakfast and was asprint distance Triathlonopen to anyone in, orconnected with, theproperty industry fromcomplete novices tomore seasoned athletes.Meanwhile, the Nuffieldtri-sport challenge, sawover 800 people compete in what hasbecome one of thelargest events of itskind in the north west,offering triathletes ofall abilities, a race on afast flat course aroundthe MediaCityUK complex.

UK FITNESS SCENE40

A GROUP of 120 female fitnessfans have set a new GuinnessWorld Record, with supplier MatrixFitness giving them a helpinghand.

The participants set the recordfor ‘Most mechanical energy pro-duced by pedalling on static bicy-cles in one hour’ as part of BritishCycling’s Breeze at The NationalCycling Centre – ManchesterVelodrome.

The women each pedalled con-stantly for 20 minutes on one of 40static Matrix Fitness bikes, all

under the gaze of an official, inde-pendent adjudicator. A minimumpedalling time of one minute wasrequired per participant.

They recorded 4821.40 total accu-mulative watt hours, equivalent to646 miles/1039.63 kilometres – orcycling more than the equivalentstraight line distance from Land'sEnd to John o' Groats.

Head of marketing at MatrixFitness, Gemma Bonnett, said: “Asa fitness equipment supplier,Matrix Fitness has obvious con-nections with indoor cycling, but

we are also heavily involved withthe support and promotion ofwomen’s cycling; both through oursponsorship of the Matrix FitnessPro Cycling team, and our associa-tion with the Women on Wheelscampaign.

“We were therefore delighted tobe approached to supply theindoor cycles used during theGuinness World Record attempt;play our part in the challengers’success, and at the same time,encourage more women to getcycling.”

Matrix helps ladiesbecome world beaters

New kit for studioCYBEX International UK has installed arange of kit at Performance Rx, a newpersonal training and injury rehabilita-tion studio in Swiss Cottage, NorthLondon.

The facility is now home to CybexBravo Functional Trainers, Jungle Gym,625T treadmills and a plate loadedkneeling leg curl.

Owner Joel Proskewitz said: “Such avaried client base can bring about itsown challenges when setting up a facilityto cater for a wide user demographic, soit was essential that we got our choice offitness equipment right; the cable-basedpieces in particular offer a huge range ofexercises, allowing the user to controltheir own range of motion and, under-pinned by Cybex’s quality and productdesign, ensures a safe and user-friendlytraining option.”

UK FITNESS SCENE42

ASHBOURNE are launching at LIWthe latest addition to their suite ofsoftware for clubs – Scheduler+.

Come along to the Ashbourne stand(D2, right by the entrance to the showin Hall four), to see a demo.

Scheduler+ is the complete schedul-ing tool, allowing you to plan every-thing from staff rotas toclass/court/spa bookings.

You can only maximise theresources in your club (staff and facil-ities) by scheduling all activities effi-ciently, and Scheduler+ makes thiseasy, plus this leads to better cus-tomer service in your club.

Scheduler+ is yet another softwaremodule from Ashbourne, giving youall the tools you need to run your clubefficiently, whatever the size.

National sales manager atAshbourne Grant Harrison said: “Ascheduling tool has been the onemajor gap in our software package,

and now we’ve filled it. “Scheduler+, like all Ashbourne’s

software, is designed to be quick andeasy to use, giving you all the featuresyou need without making it over-complicated.

“Using a simple calendar layout anddrag-and-drop entry, you can create aclear matrix of bookings and staffmanning levels. Scheduler+ is yetanother part of our collection service,fully integrated with the rest of ourservices. Scheduling systems are usu-ally only available as part of expensivemonthly software licences –Scheduler+ now makes efficientscheduling available to clubs of allsizes.”

So, schedule your own visit to theAshbourne stand and see Scheduler+in action.

For more info visit www.ashbourne-memberships.co.uk or call us on

0871 271 2088.

Maximise yourresources withScheduler+

ORGANISERS of the multi-awardwinning MBNA Chester Marathonare preparing for the return of theUK’s only metric marathon for 2015.

Covering 26.2km (16.3 miles), thefirst event attracted a sell-out crowdof more than 500 runners in 2014,helping many athletes bridge the gapbetween half marathon and fullmarathon distance.

This year’s event will take place onSunday October 4 – the same day asthe MBNA Chester Marathon – start-ing and finishing at ChesterRacecourse and taking in many ofthe same roads as the full marathon.

Race organiser Chris Hulse fromActive Leisure Events said: “We iden-tified the need for a race like thisafter speaking to our runners and wewere delighted with the amount ofinterest it generated last year.

“The Chester Half Marathon in Maygives many people the platform to goon and train for the full marathon inOctober, but we know that for somerunners that step up is just toomuch.

“This race helps them make thetransition from a half to a fullmarathon much more smoothly – it’sthe perfect stepping stone.”

Metric marathon to returnThe UK’s only metric marathon takes place in Chester on October 4.

UK FITNESS SCENE 43

Listen your way into a saleBy Dave Wright

THE first step in any sales process isto get information from prospectivemembers and then to make them feelcomfortable.

The main way that we can do this isby actively listening. The old adage“you have two ears and one mouth isrelevant in sales so that you listentwice as much as you speak” and issomething that should really beapplied in the fitness industry.

Long are the days where a greatsalesperson was someone who could‘talk underwater with a mouthful ofmarbles.’

Great sales people are those that canbuild rapport with ‘any’ client andbuild that element of trust by activelylistening to them.

Selling requires an informationexchange and that exchange cannotbe one way.

The people that enter your clubshould give you information abouttheir experiences, their needs andtheir aspirations and you in turn willgive them information about yourclub and prices and how you can pro-vide the solution to their needs andaspirations.

To really improve your listening, youneed to provide the opportunity forprospects to ‘open up’.

Hence you should focus on asking‘open-ended’ questions, which enablethe prospect to go into more depthabout their experiences unravellingimportant information that you will

require to know whether your club issuited to them.

For example “Tell me about yourgym experience?” Close-ended ques-tions only elicit a one-word response,so are not really good in opening thewaves of communication.

For example, you can ask a questionsuch as “Have you been to a gymbefore?” and they can give you a one-word answer, which is not ideal whenyou want them to ‘open-up’.

Brian Tracey, an internationallyrenowned speaker on sales and per-sonal development puts it this way:

“Only when you and the prospectivemember have completed a thorough‘examination’ and probing of what

their wants and needs are, and thenhave mutually agreed upon the ‘diag-nosis’ or solution, are you in a posi-tion to begin talking about your prod-uct or service.

“This means you cannot bring outyour brochures or price lists andbegin telling the customer how yourproduct or service can solve his prob-lems or achieve his goals until about70 per cent of the way through thesales process.

“Until then, you have not yet earnedthe right. Until then you don’t evenknow enough to begin an intelligentpresentation without embarrassingyourself.”

So obviously the answer is to buildrapport with clientele by actively lis-tening to them.

Once the prospect opens up andtells you their wants, needs and aspi-rations, only then should you start totalk about how your club and priceswill meet those needs. � Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM(Creative Fitness Marketing), CEOand creator of MYZONE, owner of theFeelgood Fitness and Voyage FitnessClub Chains, a former Board Directorof UK Active and founder of the IOU.With offices in Chicago (US),Nottingham (UK) and Melbourne(Oz), Dave’s companies have workeddirectly with over 5,000 health clubsacross 30 different countries, encour-aging people to be more and staymore physically active.

He may be contacted onDave@myzone.org

Dave Wright

Lifetime Training has appointed MarkNewman as its new operations manag-er. In his new role, Mark will leadLifetime’s ever-expanding commercialtraining team, overseeing its full-timeand freelance tutors who are locatedaround the UK. The role includesresponsibility for developing and driv-ing the delivery of qualification, aswell as overseeing course scheduling,venue management and corporatebookings, and maintaining strong rela-tionships with awarding bodies, exter-nal verifiers and internal qualityteams. Mark said: “I want to con-tribute to building on the superb repu-tation of Lifetime’s education pro-gramme ensuring that, as a company,we are known for providing quality fit-ness education and building excellentrelationships. I’m excited by thediverse nature of the role and theopportunity to contribute to furtherestablishing Lifetime Training as amarket leading training provider.”

UK FITNESS SCENE46

By Christina Eccles

TEN-pin bowling and adventure climbingwill form part of the family-orientatedoffering at Selby Leisure Village, with worknow underway on the construction of thenew facility.

Alliance Leisure has started work on theproject – due to open next year – which willtake pride of place next to the new SelbyLeisure Centre and delivered on behalf ofSelby District Council.

The facility will include 10-pin bowling, aVerTGo adventure climbing facility, adven-ture play zone, aerial trekking, indoor skisimulator and an indoor skate and BMXpark.

The £5m investment will also include acafé/restaurant and will be run by WiganLeisure and Culture Trust, who are theCouncil’s leisure providers.

Alliance Leisure chief executive SarahWatts said: “This project truly demonstratesthe capabilities of Alliance in bringingtogether a scheme of this magnitude.

“Working with our construction partnersat ISG and with our leading solutionsproviders, we are excited to deliver SelbyLeisure Village on behalf of such forwardthinking clients in both Selby DistrictCouncil and WLCT.”

The development will also see the intro-duction of an outdoor skate and BMX parkfollowing consultation undertaken withlocal skate park users.

Pictured are Jonathan Lund, Selby District CouncilDeputy Chief Executive; Coun Dave Peart, Selby DistrictCouncil’s Executive Member for Housing, Leisure,Health and Culture; James Foley, Business DevelopmentManager Alliance Leisure; Stuart Holden, DevelopmentManager WLCT; Daniel Leigh, Site Manager ISG; TimHarvey, Construction Director ISG and CraigMcLackland, Contracts Manager ISG.

Leisure Village bowlsin with extra facilities

Women in Sheffield have been encouraged to get into golf as part of thesuccessful This Girl Can campaign. More than 30 women teed off atBeauchief Golf Course’s free give it a go session – one of a series of free,female-only sports sessions put on by course operator Sheffield City Trust.It comes as the Professional Golfers Association and the amateur golfgoverning bodies England Golf and the Scottish Golf Union launch#ThisGirlGolfs – a new national campaign launched to encourage morewomen and girls to take up golf.

Adam joins Precor teamADAM Cracknell has joinedPrecor in the role of internalsales rep, supporting theregional field sales reps.

Adam, previously a sitemanager for an interiordesign company, brings awealth of experience rangingfrom large scale office instal-lations to new build projects.

Having served in the RoyalMarines for six years, he is afitness enthusiast and hasalso worked as a personaltrainer over the last twoyears in his spare time offer-ing military-style circuit

training.He said: “Working as a PT

has enabled me to share myappetite for exercise and thetraining I received in theRoyal Marines has given methat will to achieve and the‘never quit’ mentality, whichI aim to instill in everyone Itrain. As fitness is my pas-sion, coupled with my sitemanager experience, it was anatural progression for me towork with a leading fitnesscompany and I feel extreme-ly fortunate to have joinedPrecor.”

LIW PREVIEW48

WITH just weeks to go until theindustry once again descends on theNEC in Birmingham for LIW, plansare in place for what promises to bean exciting and refreshed event for2015.

Building on the positives of previ-ous years, the new team aims todeliver a world class networking plat-form to key industry associations,brands and decision makers, as wellas providing an educational pro-gramme that brings knowledge andinsights to leisure professionals.

Feedback from thousands of previ-ous attendees was collated earlierthis year to ensure the free educa-tional programme delivered the kindof knowledge and practical insightsthat could be applied by a wide rangeof employees – from personal trainersto managing directors – in their dailyrole.

And led by a number of householdnames, the Keynote Theatre will formthe show’s headline act, featuring thelikes of Rugby World Cup winner BenCohen; former chief of UK AthleticsDavid Moorcroft; the ECB’s most suc-cessful chairman of selectors GeoffMiller; former England internationaland Under 21s manager StuartPearce; boxing promoter Kellie

Maloney; IHRSA director of EuropeHans Muench and managing directorof Oxygen Consulting Ray Algar.

High profile names aside, organis-ers have also gone to great lengths toensure the education at LIW hasreceived a thorough shake-up.

Beyond the Keynote Theatre are twoareas dedicated to tackling the mostprevalent issues in the leisure indus-try head-on.

The Operators Conference will bespecifically aimed at industry opera-tors looking to increase their knowl-edge and skills in a wide range of top-ics from digital marketing to wear-able technology.

Focusing on slightly smaller focusgroups, leading industry names likeCIMSPA CEO Tara Dillon, JaguarLand Rover and Rolex digital expertChris Woods and former ukactiveCEO Dave Stalker will deliver ses-sions on wellness, retention, market-ing and operations.

Or for those in a hurry or a fullschedule of meetings, the quick-fireIndustry Theatre will cover the entirespectrum of leisure in a series of 30minute talks, dealing with issues,trends and future-proofing for all sec-tors, including wet leisure, play, sport

and physical activity and facilitiesmanagement.

As well as a dedicated conferencefor independent operators and a con-ference solely targeted at personaltrainers, fitness professionals canenjoy the Fitness and NutritionStream, sponsored by Matrix.

Delegates looking to enhance train-ing, nutrition knowledge and profes-sional development will benefit fromseminars delivered by the leading fit-ness professionals in the world,including the likes of Mark Coles,Jamie Alderton, GB weightliftingcoach Sam Dovey, Commonwealthchampion Zoe Smith and manymore.

Specifics include cutting edge train-ing information and a varied mix ofprocesses, ideologies and balancedviews surrounding nutrition, training,and fat loss.

LIW CEO Nick Orton said “We’redelighted by the response we’ve hadto our acquisition of LIW. Our philos-ophy, innovative approach and freshthinking seem to have beenembraced by key personnel andorganisations within the leisure sec-tor and it has created an added air ofanticipation before this year’s LIWevent.”

Leisure Industry Week willre-launch later this monthunder new management,having been acquired bythe team behind thehugely successfulBodyPower series. HereWorkout rounds up whatvisitors should be watchingout for at this year’s show.

Venue:Hall Four, NEC, Birmingham, UK

Dates:Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23September 2015

Opening Times:09:00 – 17:00

Registration:Pre-register for the show for freebefore September 7 at liw.online-registration.co.uk

Website:www.liw.co.uk

Get Involved Using:#LIW2015 and following @L_I_W

New LIW team is lining upexciting and refreshed event

Rugby World Cup winner Ben Cohen, IHRSA director of Europe Hans Muench and former England international Stuart Pearce.

Networking opportunities NETWORKING retains hugeimportance in the revitalised programme, with four networking events over the two days.

Highlights include the ukactiveVIP Connect Programme, featuringa hosted lunch on the ukactivestand, speed networking and adrinks reception on TuesdaySeptember 22.

Meanwhile, WorkOut is runningthe WorkOut Trade Lounge, target-ing independent gym owners, club

managers and key decision makers and LIW is running the VIP 1000 Club, sponsored byXN Leisure, which offers exhibitorsthe chance to register their key clients and accounts for free refreshments and a comfortable meeting lounge offthe show floor.

The Active-Net networkinglounge is part of a two-day programme run by LIW event partners, Leisure-Net Solutions.

Mike Hill and David Monkhousewill be running an Insight Seminarfor marketing professionals andcustomer insight specialists, and aQuest Training Session for Questassessors on the Tuesday of theshow.

On Wednesday, the Active-Netnetworking lounge will host a networking lunch for invited delegates followed by a quick-firenetworking programme consisting of five ten-minute meetings.

Kellie Maloney

By Nick Orton, CEO ofBodyPower and LIW.

PROMOTING physical activity, well-ness and healthy lifestyles, as we doin the industry, is a serious business.

I read a statistic recently whichhighlighted the glaring inability ofpoliticians to make change – thosepeople that we vote into positions ofpower to improve things.

The statistic is shocking, “More than3m people in the UK are being treatedfor diabetes – an increase of nearly 60per cent in the past 10 years.”

10 years ago we were talking aboutthe same stat from the previous 10years.

We knew what some of the majorcontributing factors were. They arethe same today. Supermarket shelvesare still full of sugary drinks; sugarysnacks; sugary cereal snacks.

Fast food is still freely advertised.Diets are awful and nutritional knowl-edge in society is generally very, very

poor.We can’t leave it to the politicians to

make the changes – let’s face it, mostof them seem to prefer a press call ina pub than in a gym.

They want to be seen with a pint intheir hand, as a ‘man of the people’, incheck with the public… not a catalystfor change, which could turn votersoff.

We have to take more responsibilityourselves. And we have to changewith the times.

Key influencers and business lead-ers in the industry have a duty to‘practice what they preach.’

We need to think about the messagethat we convey, especially in public.Especially at industry events, whereyoung people joining the industry areinfluenced by the behaviour of theirseniors.

‘Do as I say, not as I do' is outdatedand doesn't wash in today's society.

Lead by example. Change will hap-pen faster.

LIW PREVIEW 49

LEISURE-net Solutions and LIW havejoined forces to launch a newIndustry Confidence Survey in thelead up to this year’s show.

The survey, which has been sent outto all operators on the LIW database,is first of its kind in three years andwill gauge how confident operatorsare about the overall future of thehealth and fitness industry, their ownbusiness and its different incomestreams, as well as what they see asthe major challenges facing the sectorin the next 12 months.

Managing director of Leisure-netSolutions Mike Hill said: “All senior

managers within the sector have beenasked to complete the survey, givingtheir views on how the industry isshaping up to the current challengesit faces. We will find out what level ofinvestment they have planned for theyear as well as their intentions fornew employment opportunities.”

The 20-question survey alsoincludes an education strand fromLifetime Training, to discover whatoperators are looking for in schoolleavers applying for jobs and whatqualities they feel young people bringto the work place.

Commercial director at Lifetime

Training Mike Jones added: “We alsowant to find out how operators aregetting behind the Government’spledge to create three million newapprenticeships during its term inoffice, and capture views on whichskills they feel are most importantwhen hiring new staff.”

The survey will be broken down intopublic and private sector, as well assize of organisation, and the resultswill be shared with the industry in theweeks leading up to LIW.

To take part in the survey visithttp://www.efocus-net.com/dynam-ic_survey.php?data=1437119857

Survey launched ahead of showto gauge confidence in industry

Changing with the times ...

Nick Orton

THIS year’sshow will alsoinclude anumber ofdemonstra-tion areashighlightingthe latesttrends ingroup train-ing and func-tional fitness,including theJordanFitnessFunctionalZone.

All of theLIW demon-strations are geared towards show-casing how operators can costeffectively maximise the revenuefrom their facility for increasedparticipation and client retention.

Featuring live workouts andinteractive have-a-go sessionsdemonstrating the latest tech-niques, equipment and trends infunctional training, Jordan Fitnesswill deliver a high-energy pro-gramme aimed at showcasing howleisure operators can maximise therevenue from their fitness classesor, in fact, use functional fitness asa secondary spend opportunity.

Delegates can see respectedindustry professionals includingBrendan Chaplin, Ben Coomber,Rachel France and Mark Laws.

Demo areasto highlightlatest trends

THE LIW pool will take centrestage once again, with a number oflive swimming, aquatic, lifesavingand pool plant demonstrations.

Sessions include demonstrationsfrom Adam Walker – The firstBriton to swim the toughest sevenoceans in the world – and SimoneBenhayon – former ASA swimteacher of the year.

All sessions are designed to showleisure operators how they cancost effectively maximise the rev-enue from their pool facility andsessions.

The pool will support the currentdrive to increase participation andswimming frequency with a num-ber of targeted sessions for wetleisure professionals.

Pool to takecentre stage

LEISURE-net Solutions, RightDirections, Lifetime Training andBigwave media will be sponsoringthe VIP Lounge at this year’s LIW.

The quartet will provide a one-stop shop for show visitors to findout more about learning anddevelopment, quality and safetystandards, customer insight andmarketing and communications.

VIP sponsors

Mark Laws

A host of leading brands have also confirmed their involvement in LIW 2015, including Lucozade, Zoggs, Speedflex, Physical Company,Keiser, Matrix, Cybex and Precor. Other features to watch out for at the show include a demonstration of new workout DDMIX fromDiverse Dance Mix and a 140m2 trampoline park system from Continental Sports, which will feature 12 flat and five angled trampolineswithin a raised podium to allow visitors to try it out for themselves. Elite sports recovery experts, CET, will also be at the show, offeringleisure centres across the country a dynamic new way to monetize sports recovery with their CryoSpa Therapy ice baths.

Come and visit the team at this year’sLIW in the Workout Trade Lounge

UK FITNESS SCENE50

BURLEXERCISE, The UltimateShowgirl Workout, is the newBurlesque inspired fitness class thateveryone is asking for across the UK.

Created by Katie Hardwicke andSarah-Lou Twist, the class is inspiredby traditional Burlesque Showgirlmoves, and promises an all over bodyworkout suitable for all shapes, sizesand fitness levels.

So what makes this class special?Firstly, Burlexercise is created by pro-fessional Burlesque Showgirls, Katieand Sarah-Lou also run and performwith London's leading Burlesquetroupe The Folly Mixtures.

Both have professional dance train-ing and wanted to combine this artform with their fitness background, tocreate a fun workout that gets results.

The stand out feature of the class isthe fact it combines both cardio andresistance, something that manydance fitness classes lack. Whetheryou are new to exercise, or want toreally push yourself, this class hasoptions for all levels. They even have

their own weighted showgirl boas, tomake lifting weights glamorous.Thegirls constantly monitor the intensityof the class with heart rate monitors –which show that it burns over 500calories a class.

Combine this with the fun playlistand constantly updated choreogra-phy, Burlexercise is becoming a hitwith its instructors and their clientsacross the UK.

Katie and Sarah-Lou hold trainingdays across the UK to become aShowgirl Instructor and are offeringreaders of Workout Magazine a dis-count. They also offer group dis-counts for gyms and dance schoolswho would like to add the class totheir timetable.

With requests for classes coming ineveryday, the Burlexercise teamwould love to hear from fabulous fit-ness and dance instructors whowould like to teach The UltimateShowgirl Workout.

For more information visit www.burlexercise.co.uk

Class inspired by traditionalBurlesque Showgirl moves

App to shake up waynew clients are foundA NEWLY launched app is set to shakeup the way gym owners, personaltrainers and class instructors findclients.

Ivan_intro – a free to download appfronted by character Ivan the mole –is powered by response technologywhich mines Twitter for key phrasesin conversations or mentions relevantto fitness industry professionals. Theapp then automatically sends a per-sonalised response from the user withcontact details.

The app comes pre-loaded with over150 trades and occupations and canbe set up in six easy steps. Onceinstalled and set up, it works 24 hoursa day, 365 days a year, unearthingleads for businesses.

Ivan_intro also allows users to set aradius of up to 20 miles, keeping its

mining of introductions very local,and currently works with Twitter,although creators, Sociosciences,have future plans to include users ofother social media, includingInstagram and Facebook.

Sociosciences director Stuart Burnsaid: “Ivan never sleeps. He works24/7, leaving you free to work, relaxand sleep while he digs up businessleads for you.

“Our innovative technology meansIvan only sends a response to thosewho have mentioned they need help,so when the mobile rings you knowit’s someone who wants your services.

“The app is free to download, so it’sa no-brainer to give it a go and see if itcan transform your business. Ivan is avery clever mole to have on yourside.”

London’s first trampoline park – Oxygen Freejumping – has celebrated opening its doorswith a special event. The park in West Acton was officially opened by the Mayor of Ealing,coun Harbhajan Kaur Dheer, Freerunning founder Sebastien Foucan and Team GB gymnastsJenna Barrett and William Cowen. Guests attending, including Ealing and Central Acton MPRupa Asha Huq, were treated to a special gymnastics display by the young stars who daz-zled with tumbles, turns and twists, before 50 young children joined ‘Little O’, the park’snew mascot, to be the first to explore the park’s 150 trampolines, Dodgeball courts, airbag, “walk the wall trampolines” and obstacle course. Sebastien also thrilled attendeeswith a Freerunning demonstration across the park and afterwards spoke to guests abouthis new partnership with Oxygen Freejumping, which sees his Academy based at the site.

UK FITNESS SCENE52

It’s not what you do it’s theway that you do it … andTHAT is what gets resultsBy Mark Laws, Jordan Fitness

THERE are more people than everbefore suffering from avoidable con-ditions linked to poor nutrition, pooractivity levels and poor posture.

But there are more fitness profes-sionals than ever before entering theindustry.

Despite the growing number of fit-ness professionals entering the indus-try the vast majority of these are leav-ing within 12-18 months! I have writ-ten about retention before so won’t gointo too much detail here, but thesefacts say to me that what we are doingis NOT working.

Einstein famously wrote that repeat-ing the same thing and expecting tosee different results is the definitionof insanity.

So I believe it’s time to ignore WHATwe ask people to do and concentrateon HOW we ask them to do it in orderto turn around the current failureswithin the industry.

Carol Dweck is a professor ofPsychology with research interests inthe fields of motivation, personalityand development.

In 1998 Dweck took 400 11-year-oldpupils and put them through somesimple tests to determine whether shecould influence their performancewith words alone.

Her findings, which I have takenfrom the book ‘Bounce’ by MatthewSyed, were pretty incredible…

All 400 pupils performed the exactsame series of puzzles and were givena score.

Regardless of their score the pupilsreceived six words of praise. Theywere either praised for their ability(‘You must be smart at this’) or fortheir effort (‘You must have workedreally hard’).

Could the pupils’ attitude towardssuccess and failure really be affectedby one of these quotes or the other?

The second stage was to offer themall a choice of an easy test or a hardtest.

70 per cent of the pupils praised fortheir ability chose the easy test, pre-sumably increasing their chance to dowell and therefore maintain their suc-cess rate and avoid failure.

90 per cent of the pupils praised fortheir effort chose the hard test – theyweren’t motivated by success, theywanted to show exactly how hardworking and determined they were.

The third stage saw all pupils givenan impossible task to solve. Obviouslynobody succeeded, but it was theirresponse to this that was being meas-ured.

The group initially praised on theirability took this failure (incorrectly) asproof that they were no good at puz-zles after all.

In contrast the group praised for

their efforts spent much longer tryingto solve the problem, explored farmore methods in order to find a solu-tion, they enjoyed the task a lot moreand suffered no loss in confidence.

The final stage of the process sawthem return to a series of tests of sim-ilar difficulty to those that they per-formed in the first stage.

The group praised for their abilityshowed a 20 per cent decline in per-formance.

The group praised for their effortsshowed a 30 per cent increase in per-formance.

Carol Dweck and her team repeatedthe same tests with children in differ-ent parts of the USA and with differ-ent ethnic backgrounds and all threesets of results were identical.

For a lady who devoted her life toresearch to claim that these results“were some of the clearest findings Ihave ever seen” is something thatshould not be overlooked.

This story is quite thought provok-ing on many levels. For me I see it asthe key to gaining success within thefitness industry.

Can directors learn from this to helpthem get the most out of their man-agement team?

Can tutors learn from this to pro-duce better quality instructors? CanPTs learn from this and help theirclients to achieve their goals?

Either way this shows that mindsetis a powerful thing that we could allbenefit from – look out for the newMindset and NLP (Neuro LinguisticProgramming) workshops that we willbe introducing to our course directo-ry in September.� For more information emailmark.laws@jordanfitness.co.uk orvisit www.jordanrbt.com to see acourse schedule.

Mark Laws

ANYTIME Fitness North America hasdrafted in retention guru Dr. PaulBedford to help develop the fran-chise brand’s digital retention strate-gy.

The move will see Paul help to cre-ate an automated digital approach

to membership marketing, whichaims to provide consistency of mes-sage for the group, allowing ownersand managers across the 2,200 fran-chise clubs in North America tofocus on the day-to-day running oftheir health clubs.

The four-month project is part of amulti-staged approach and will bealigned with the brand’s new mem-ber experience in North America.

The findings will be used to informretention strategies for the groupworldwide.

Franchise asks guru to help develop strategy

LUCOZADE Ribena Suntory Ltd willbe showcasing its popular productrange, including the UK’s numberone sports drink Lucozade Sport,and best in class vending solutions atthis year’s Leisure Industry Week –stand D38.

The machines, which feature acashless payment option compatiblewith Apple Pay, will display a rangeof product for visitors to sampleincluding the new Lucozade SportMango and Passion Fruit.

Launched earlier this year,Lucozade Sport Mango and PassionFruit is the biggest sports drink NPDin 2015 with 4.5 per cent share ofsector and generating £1.8m in itsfirst three months.

As front of entrance sponsors at theshow, the supplier will be encourag-ing trial of its portfolio, which alsoincludes Lucozade Energy, Ribenaand Orangina, by handing out inter-active wristbands which are compat-ible with its vending machines,

allowing visitors to purchase a freedrink.

The field sales team will be presentat the show and keen to offer visitorshelp and advice, with the new Multi-Brand vending machine now avail-able there is a solution for a widerange of outlets.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd willalso be looking ahead and presentingthe vending machines of the futurewithin the Club Showcase area whichis not to be missed.

Drinks machines on display at LIW

54

IN today’s time pushed society, everysecond counts, and spending hoursin the gym to achieve results is justnot an option for many members.

Fortunately, savvy operators havetapped into the trend for workoutswhich are effective in terms of bothtime taken and results gained – and DI30 is a great example of justthat.

A licensed product that all ClubTraining trainers have full access to,DI30, which simply stands for Done in 30 Minutes, is available atDW Sports, Sports Direct and JD

Gyms as part of their membershipoffering.

Several different workouts are available, such as HIIT and Run,Beach Butt Bootcamp and SpartanResistance, but all follow the sameprinciples of offering effective exercises, licensed music tracks,audio cues, timings, alerts and a 30minute countdown clock.

This format leaves trainers free tothen focus completely on theirclients; using the sessions to correcttechnique and motivate participants,rather than having to spend time

counting reps or watching the clock.

Club Training’s North East areamanager Andy Peacock explained:“The product is group training ratherthan a class and is great for the train-er and more importantly the cus-tomers, as the trainer works witheach client on an individual basis perexercise and working around thegroup, the clients get the feel of whatit is like to work with a personaltrainer.

“The trainer gets the opportunity toshow off their motivational skillsalong with their character during the

30 minutes’ working with the groupand on an individual basis.”

According to Andy, the product hasbeen received really well in the clubsand DW Sports even base the hourstrainers work for them around thesegroup training programmes, recog-nising the value they can bring to thegym floor.

He added: “Personal training is anexcellent retention tool and thesegroup training sessions provide apersonal training feel but includedwithin the membership, giving gym-goers more for their money.”

AS a big fan of group exercise – andwith a vested interest to find the lat-est trends to report on in Workout – Ican often be found trying out the latest classes in gyms around thecountry.

However, something I have strug-gled with in the past is ensuring mytechnique is correct and I’m gettingthe most out of a session, as in aroom full of fitness fans, instructorsrarely have the capacity to offer oneto one attention.

A session like DI30 which combinesthe best of both worlds – group train-ing and the personal touch of a PT –sounded like the perfect combina-

tion, so I waseager to getstuck in andgive it a try.

Branded asGT30 in DWSports Clubs,my class tookplace at DW inBarnsley andwas led by Andy;a former inde-pendent gymowner who hasrecently takenon a new rolerecruiting per-sonal trainersfor ClubTraining acrossthe North East.

I was also

joined by one of the club’snewest recruits, BSN sponsoredpersonal trainer Carly Tierney,who will be teaching GT30 class-es at the gym, as well as offeringone to one PT.

Taking part in the workoutwith two qualified fitness pro-fessionals was slightly intimidat-ing at first, as I knew it was veryunlikely I’d be anywhere near asfit as Carly and Andy, but as weprogressed through the moves, Irealised that not being super fitdidn’t really matter, as this is aclass where you can perform atyour own pace; completing asmany reps as you can do ratherthan having to keep up with theperson next to you.

Our session was Full BodyFunc – a full body functionalresistance based workout – andexercises we performed includ-ed press ups, burpees andsquats.

I really liked the fact exercisesare done in blocks of about 40seconds, with a few seconds’rest before moving on to thenext move.

This keeps things interesting,as you are never going to getbored repeating the same moves,but also ensures you keep movingthroughout the session, with justshort bursts of rest in between.

I thoroughly enjoyed the class andfelt like I’d got a lot out of it in a rela-

tively short space of time. Anyone looking to have fun while

they workout, try something differentand get results, should definitely giveit a try.

A group trainingproduct, which providesmembers with the feelof PT – but without theadded price tag – is thelatest offering to beintroduced by some ofthe industry’s biggestoperators. ChristinaEccles tried out a class.

PT without the price tag ...

Workout that’s guaranteedto keep things interesting

Christina and Carly during the workout.

Workout editor Christina Eccles with per-sonal trainer Carly Tierney.

UK FITNESS SCENE 55

The new gym and exercise studio will contain state-of-the-art facilities from Technogym.

An artist’s impression of the new neighbourhood hub.

Operator enters its firstprivate contract withstadium investmentBy Christina Eccles

EVERYONE Active has enteredinto its first private contract,which will see the operatorinvest £500,000 into Clevedon’sHand Stadium.

The 10-year contract, in part-nership with the stadium’s pri-vate owner Mark Lewis, will bethe first private project withoutlocal council involvement forEveryone Active.

The majority of the invest-ment will be spent on convert-ing one of the stadium’s interiorgrand stands into a new 50-plusstation gym and indoor cycling

and group exercise studio, usingEveryone Active’s preferred ren-ovator, Vincent Stokes.

The new gym and exercise stu-dio will contain state-of-the-artfacilities from Technogym andas part of the contract, the sta-dium will be renamed EveryoneActive Stadium.

Everyone Active managingdirector David Bibby said: “Weare delighted to be working onour first private project withMark Lewis.

“We pride ourselves on beinga community-focussed compa-ny, with a mission to encouragemore people to do at least 30

minutes of exercise, five times aweek.

“The new and improvedClevedon Hand Stadium willundoubtedly play a huge part inimproving the health and well-being of the local people andour focus is now on ensuringthat we achieve our mission andthat the new facility is managedto the highest standard.”

Mark added: “I am really excit-ed to be working with EveryoneActive to develop the stadiuminto a sporting facility that canbe used by the entire Clevedoncommunity and the ClevedonTown Football Club.”

PLANS to build a £16m state-of-the-art integrated facility toprovide leisure, health and cul-tural services in Great Sankey,Warrington have beenapproved.

The project involves trans-forming the existing GreatSankey Leisure Centre into adementia friendly neighbour-hood hub, which will include afitness suite, swimming pools,sports hall, tennis courts, 3Gpitch, GP surgeries, library, cafeand health and wellbeing facili-

ties including a spa. Construction on the first stage

of the development will startlater this year, with phase oneset to open in Autumn 2016.

The new facility will provideresidents with a one-stop-shopfor all their leisure, health andwellbeing and cultural needsand services will be deliveredby LiveWire, WarringtonBorough Council, CultureWarrington, the NHS,Warrington ClinicalCommissioning Group and

Health Plus.Executive board member for

leisure, community and cultureat Warrington Borough Councilcoun Kate Hannon said: “Thisfacility will be a major boost forwest Warrington and will helpus achieve our vision for ahealthier, happier and moreactive population.

“It is the product of a concert-ed multi-agency approach andhas had the enthusiastic inputand support of Warrington westresidents.”

£16m Warrington facility gets green light

UK FITNESS SCENE 57

Act fast to meet pension deadlineBy Christina Eccles

SMALL businesses in the health andfitness sector have been warned toact fast to ensure they are fully pre-pared for auto-enrolment.

According to financial advisors,Lighthouse Group, many of thecountry’s 1.8m small employersapproaching their pensions auto-enrolment staging dates are in dan-ger of missing deadlines by underes-timating the amount of data neededto complete the process.

Pensions expert Roger Sanders ismanaging director of LighthouseGroup Employee Benefit, which ishelping SMEs across the countrymeet their enrolment requirements.

And he has urged business ownersto familiarise themselves with therequirements and assess their busi-ness as soon as possible, even iftheir staging date is two years away.

He explained: “Employers’ auto-enrolment duties go far beyond set-ting up a pension scheme andenrolling staff in it.

“They must assess their workforce,work out who to enrol and decide

how much they and their employeeswill contribute. They also need tokeep records of all this information,together with any changes, all ofwhich represents a significantamount of work for smaller employ-ers.

“However, we are finding manybusinesses in health and fitness lackthe accurate, up-to-date informa-tion on employees vital to complet-ing enrolment smoothly. Firms thatleave their enrolment preparationtoo late will be in for a shock whenthey discover years of payroll andemployee data needs to be sortedbefore they can properly begin.”

Lighthouse advises employers whouse a payroll bureau should askwhether their systems and softwareare geared up to deal with auto-enrolment, assessing if they canextract needed information easily, ina suitable format, and on a regularbasis.

A payroll bureau generally holdsinformation such as an employee’sfull name, their salary and NationalInsurance number, but may nothave their address and other contact

details suchas email,which isoften held bythe employer.

However,under auto-enrolment allthis informa-tion needs tobe broughttogether eachtime anemployee ispaid, whethermonthly, fortnightly or weekly.

The company advises SMEs shouldbegin the process at least six monthsbefore their staging date, startingwith checking what data their pay-roll function holds and how toexport it, as well as what informa-tion is missing and must be trackeddown.

At three months before the stagingdate, businesses must have aprocess to collate all the informa-tion needed in a suitable format andon a timely basis. Data must be in astandardised format and should

cover all employees, even if they willnot be enrolled automatically.

Roger added: “The data challengedoesn’t end once everything is inplace. Businesses also need to run adata check for every pay period, toverify employees’ eligibility criteria,new joiners and contribution levels.

“This will ensure that any employ-ees who become eligible later areenrolled, for instance because theirearnings have increased or theyhave reached the age of 22.

“Automating as much of the datagathering, collating and transmis-sions as possible will significantlylower both the margin for error andthe overall cost to the business.

“Choosing a pension provider thatoffers locally-based support in per-son as well as from an administra-tive centre will also make all the dif-ference.

“While there may be a small addi-tional cost, being able to concen-trate on running their businesswhile knowing they are meeting therequirements, and are thereforeunlikely to be fined, can make itworth every penny for SME owners.”

Roger Sanders

Places for People Leisure has opened its second budget gym in Corby, following the success ofthe first in Sheffield. The new Places Gym provides members with over 100 stations to accom-modate their exercise needs including kit from Precor and Matrix. CEO of PfPL Sandra Dodd said:“This is a very exciting time for the Places group to be expanding into the budget gym sector.We’re really keen to offer an alternative to the traditional leisure centre facilities that we cur-rently provide and also ensure that we can keep our membership costs down by cutting back onthe non-essential items. The reception for both Places Gyms has been particularly encouragingand we look forward to expanding in the future.”

THE Topping Out Ceremony of thenew £15m Hinckley Leisure Centre,due to open in Spring 2016, has takenplace on the site of the former counciloffices on Argents Mead.

Representatives from Hinckley andBosworth Borough Council, Places forPeople Leisure, PellikaanConstruction and Roberts LimbrickArchitects attended the ceremony tocelebrate the highest point of buildingwork being completed.

The dignitaries were also given atour of the site of the new centre.

The centre has been designed, builtand will be managed by Places for

People Leisure. It will include an eight lane, 25m

pool with viewing areas, along with alearner pool.

Further wet facilities include a fami-ly splash area and sauna and steamrooms.

The dry sports facilities include aneight court sports hall, a well-equipped gym, along with dance stu-dios and a group cycling studio.

Other facilities at the new centre willinclude a multi-purpose meetingroom and a large café, plus a grassedplay area suitable for school and com-munity usage.

Topping out takes place

UK FITNESS SCENE58,

A still from the video, and below, the MG car which members can win by taking part.

How operator drovethe message homeBy Christina Eccles

COMMISSIONING a promotionalvideo for its latest referral campaignhas had double success for leisureoperator BPL, who have used thefootage both to inform staff abouthow the concept will work and fur-ther highlight the offer to customersonline.

The Refer Win Drive campaign isrunning across all of BPL’s FitnessFlex sites, including flagship facilityThe Metrodome Leisure Complex inBarnsley, and gives members thechance to win a range of rewards –the star prize being a brand newMG3 car – by referring friends andfamily.

For every person referred from thestart of the competition, memberswill earn one ticket in the final drawto win the car – the more peoplethey refer, the greater their chanceof winning.

Every month, the person with themost referrals at each of the 10 indi-vidual Fitness Flex sites will also wina hoody and those 10 put intoanother draw to win a prize, such asholiday vouchers, worth up to £500.

BPL initially brought ScriptProductions on board to create aninternal video to share with staff toeducate them about how the cam-paign would work; eliminating theneed to individually meet witheveryone across the sites. But it wasso well received they then decidedto use the footage online to furtherpromote the campaign to cus-tomers.

Digital media and PR executiveLewis Hartley explained: “The pur-pose of the video was two fold. Wewanted to do an internal video forstaff, which was really helpful as itsaved us all having to go to meet-ings.

“Central management liked it somuch, we had one mocked up toshow customers and put onYouTube, which has been a massivehelp for us.

“Thus far, the campaign has seengreat success in only a short spaceof time. The vast majority of oursites have seen increased numbersof referrals, and with the car itselfdoing a tour of our venues, therehas been plenty of buzz surround-ing the campaign on social media.”

According to Script Productions’digital producer Simon Rodman,who worked on the video, usingvideo footage of your facilities or topush your latest membership offercan work successfully for operatorsof all sizes, whatever their budget.

He added: “Whether it's a promo-tional film on your website andsocial media channels which high-lights facilities to potential mem-

bers, or as a way to generate aware-ness of a new marketing or referralcampaign, video can be an effectiveway for gyms to spread the wordabout their offering to a wider audi-ence.

“If you operate multiple sites, itcan also be time consuming andcostly getting staff together in oneplace for briefings. Circulating avideo of your key messages insteadmeans you can address everyonedirectly, without the need for themto even leave their facility.

“At Script, we’ve worked on proj-ects for clients including the NHS,Lifestyle Fitness and The NationalFitness Awards meaning we're wellplaced to advise on what couldwork for your club. In today’s fastmoving world, it’s important opera-tors embrace technology to helpgrow their business – and video canbe a great place to start.”

“In today’s fast moving world, it’s importantoperators embrace technology to help grow theirbusiness – and video can be a great place to start.”

UK FITNESS SCENE 59

Engage To Compete operates within schools to maximise playground activity time.

PLACES for People Leisure has suc-cessfully partnered with children’sactivity provider Fit For Sport tohelp the company deliver its EngageTo Compete children’s activity pro-gramme by offering access to itsWest Bromwich Leisure Centre site.

Engage To Compete aims to boostlevels of physical activity and com-petition among young children and5,477 children in 22 Sandwell pri-mary schools took part in the suc-cessful pilot project.

The programme operates within

schools to maximise playgroundactivity time.

Key to its success is wider supportwithin the community by engagingwith local families alongside parentsof the participating schools toencourage a broader awareness ofthe importance of activity andaccess to facilities to enable young-sters and their families to be moreactive.

Places for People Leisure junioractivities manager Glen Staite-Loveridge said: “We have been

delighted with the success of theEngage to Compete project with Fitfor Sport so far during our pilot run.

“It’s captured the imaginations ofour younger audience and it’s beenfantastic to see parents and siblingscoming together.

“The design of the programmecomplements our ethos as a socialenterprise perfectly as we aim toencourage awareness for the need ofphysical exercise and activity acrossall ages within the local communi-ties we serve.”

Operator joins with kids’ activityprovider for successful project

A community focused ladies only gym has been continuing its successful run of charity events, all in aid of the local hospital. Earlier thisyear, Workout reported on the fundraising efforts of staff and members at Unique Fitness 4 Ladies Only in Dudley, who generated almost£1,000 with a giant Easter egg raffle. Since then, the club has held a two and a half hour aerobathon and a family fundraising day, push-ing their total raised to over £2,500. The money will be donated to Russells Hall Hospital’s lung function unit.

A SCOTTISH gym has raised over£300 for MND Scotland by hosting atough charity class.

Pure Gym Edinburgh West helpedthree of its members, who were takingpart in a Three Peaks challenge for thecharity, raise sponsorship money byrunning three Les Mills GRIT classes –Plyo, Strength and Cardio – back to

back; even extending the normally 30minute sessions to 45 minutes tomake it harder for those taking part.

Gym manager Martin McGinleysaid: “The response from the mem-bers was phenomenal with us over-subscribing the class and having awaiting list of 20 members over andabove the 30 who took part on the

day. “To make the class extra motivating

we had four Les Mills instructorsteam teach the event so we couldreally push the members with extrafloor coaching.

“In all we raised over £300 for MNDScotland and will be looking to runanother similar event in September.”

Gym’s back to back classes raise over £300 for charity

UK FITNESS SCENE60

Busy gym goesfrom strengthto strengthBy Christina Eccles

SUCCESSFULLY staging seminars andstrongman events is keeping theowner of an award winning inde-pendent gym busy, as he strives tofurther expand the services on offerto members.

FSI Gym in Newcastle, which wascrowned Functional Training Gym ofthe Year at the 2014 National FitnessAwards, recently hosted a seminarwith two time British strongmanchampion and world deadlift recordholder Eddie Hall.

At the event – attended by over 50people – Eddie discussed his back-ground, training and nutrition rou-tine, deadlift training plan, competi-tion preparation and the psychologyof being a winning athlete, as well asdelivering coaching on the deadliftand lifting yoke carry.

Just weeks later, the gym presentedand hosted its first ever strongmanevent – Newcastle’s Strongest Man –which featured 30 competitors in twocategories, novice and intermediate.

The competitors battled it out forthe title over six events, with the eventalso providing fun for all the familyincluding bouncy castles, raffles, cakestalls and catering, and raising moneyfor local north east charity CHUF(Children’s Heart Unit Fund at theFreeman Hospital).

Co-owner of FSI Gym MichaelWarren said: “The feedback from theevent has been very positive, the daywas a great success, the standard ofthe competition was very high andattracted competitors as far away asScotland to come and compete.

“We are really pleased with how theday went and for raising money for avery worthwhile charity. TheChildren’s Heart Unit at the FreemanHospital is one of only two in thecountry, the other being GreatOrmond Street hospital.

“Ever since we have supportedCHUF there have been so many peo-

ple coming forward telling us of theirown stories of the great work they doat the Freeman hospital and how theyhave helped them directly or some-one they know.

“At the start of 2015, we launchedthe FSI Strongman Club and bothevents were in line with the club andpart of the development of both theclub but also the FSI brand.

“To have Eddie Hall at the gym wassuperb to have someone of that cali-bre sharing his experience and toinspire some of our athletes. Eddiewas really impressed with the gymand our set up which was reallysuperb. We have a few clubs now atFSI Gym and the strongman club isgoing from strength to strength. Wehave had a number of podium finish-es already this year from the club andthe team took three of the six podiumplaces at the event.”

Michael, who was named GymBased Personal Trainer of the Year atthe NFAs last year, also told WorkoutNewcastle’s Strongest Man has thepotential to be an annual event – andhe is already thinking about how toexpand the concept next year.

He added: “We are looking to devel-op all areas of the FSI gym brand andthis is just a small part of the biggerpicture and goal.”

ARE you looking to increase the rev-enue for your gym or leisure club?Have you thought of offering a bodycomposition test for each member?

Monitoring body fat and trackingmuscle mass have proven to be hugemotivational factors for club and gymmembers, increasing referrals andmembership renewals.

For over 25 years, Bodystat Ltd hasearned an international reputationfor providing top quality body com-position monitors to fitness centres,health clubs, personal trainers andeven hospitals and research scientiststhroughout the world. Their reputa-tion as trusted experts in their field

has placed them as market leaders,with friendly staff always available atthe other end of the phone.

Bodystat’s customer base includethe British and US Army, BUPA,Nuffield Health, Virgin Active, PureGym and Slovenian Olympic rowingteam, among others.

To find out how you can providethese invaluable measurements foryour club members, call us now on01624 629571.

For more information find us atwww.bodystat.com, email us at

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Increase revenue by offeringmembers composition tests

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION62

BRAND new to smash the market thismonth is Warrior Aminos.

Warrior supplements have fastestablished themselves as the numberone MMA, competitive fitness andhardcore gym supplement brand –designed for those who need “realresults, real fast.”

Warrior Aminos continues in theWarrior tradition of scientifically vali-dated sports nutrition, in super-highdosages, with incredible flavours.

Speaking for Warrior in the UK,Kieran Fisher of official distributorBodybuilding Warehouse, said:“Warrior Aminos tastes incredible –it’s hard to find such a great combina-tion of ingredients, with a taste that’sso refreshing.”

Warrior Aminos has been designedto help those looking to boost leanmuscle gains, whilst enhancing stami-na, endurance and recovery. Thismakes it the perfect “helping hand”

for MMA fighters, boxers, rugby play-ers and others who take competitive,aggressive sports seriously.

For further information, contactBodybuilding Warehouse trade on

Trade@bodybuildingwarehouse.co.uk or call 0161 236 1588.

New Warrior Aminos allset to smash the market

Sports nutrition company JBC has signed Olympic athlete Brett Morse as its latest brandambassador. Brett, who first picked up a discus at the age of 15 at a school sports day, willrepresent team GB in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He said: “As an athlete it is very impor-tant that I choose the correct sports nutrition sponsor for many reasons, first and foremostthe products have to be safe which means they have been HFL batch tested, to ensure thatthere is no cross contamination issues. Secondly the quality of the product has to be veryhigh. It is very important that your body is getting the best fuel source possible to achievewhat you want it to do. I look at it like this – you would not fill a Ferrari engine withdiesel so why put cheap fuel into your body?”

USN partnership leadsto success for ownerAN independent gym owner has toldhow partnering with supplementscompany USN has led to businesssuccess.

Colin Ryder and his business part-ner Bradley Hay set up RenegadeFitness and Performance – a function-al training gym in Stirling – just undera year ago.

The pair were keen to promote qual-ity products to their members andchose to stock items from USN, withstaff member Kerrie Donaghy, helpingthem secure some big names to helpget their club off to a flying start.

Colin said: “We have built an excel-lent and very productive relationshipwith Kerrie, who in our eyes, has beena first class ambassador for USN as acompany and a brand.

“In this time she helped and assistedus in setting up our gym open dayand even persuaded USN athleteDave Titterton to attend, advise andanswer questions at the event.

“The members and all those attend-ing really appreciated the efforts andrevelled in the chance to meet such ahigh level athlete. Both the gym, andDave and USN were the talk of thetown for the following weeks.”

Colin was also selected to be a USNambassador at the SFN Expo in

Glasgow – something which he sayswas a great honour.

He added: “We are now hold over£4,000 in USN stock on our shelvesand to date have sold over £15,000worth of USN supplements, anotherstatistic we are proud of for such asmall gym in such a short period oftime.”

Renegade Fitness and Performance’ ColinRyder and Bradley Hay.

A UK-based producer of sporting per-formance supplements is celebratinga knock out first year, breaking intothe US market and selling 60,000units in the first 12 months of trading.

Roar Ambition has developed 100per cent natural dietary supplements,focusing on two core products –Instant Knockout and TestoFuel –designed to help improve sportingperformance.

And with 65 per cent of sales nowcoming from the USA, the company ismaking a big name for itself on bothsides of the Atlantic.

Roar Ambition owner Robert Parkersaid: “One of the main things we'velearnt is that quality always wins overquantity. Our customers are mainlymen aged 21-30 and they’re educated– they are seeking out the latest ingre-dients and the best formulas. They arenot brand loyal, they will research andshop around to get the best productson the market.

“We specialise in burning fat andsupporting testosterone – the two keyareas that men are most concernedabout, to allow them to build muscleand stay lean.”

Producer celebrates first year

PRODUCT NEWS64

Jordan’s to launch customcolour service at LIWJORDAN Fitness is launching its newcustom powder coating colour serv-ice at LIW, to complement its alreadyextensive range of custom brandingoptions.

The custom branding optionsoffered by Jordan Fitness aredesigned to give gyms the option ofensuring their Jordan product isentirely consistent with their ownbrand image, and the tone and expe-rience that they are trying to createfor their members.

New Jordan fitness managing direc-tor Zak Pitt said: “We understand howimportant it is for many of our cus-tomers to create a unique environ-ment for their members.

“Custom colours will make our cus-tom branding offer even stronger –our product appearance can be in

complete harmony with your ownbrand, helping you to meet yourbrand objectives and enhancing yourbrand image.”

The new custom powder coatingsolutions will enable customers tocolour all steel elements of JordanFitness benches, racks and the excit-ing new Ignite Rig.

Zak added: “We developed this solu-tion after discussion with our cus-tomers and key players in the indus-try, who were crying out for high qual-ity, premium paint finishes.

“Hence we focussed on both theexcellent quality of finish, and makingsure we could provide exactly theright colour for every need.”

For more information, visit the Jordanstand C38 at LIW, and ask them about their

special, time-limited launch offers.

Have you movedyour swimminglessons to DD? MOVE your swimming lessons to DDand watch your income grow.

Harlands can manage these extraDDs as a separate service or as part ofan overall solution.

Nottingham City Council have donethis to great effect.

Swimming development officerKaren Dening said: “Like many simi-lar operators, Nottingham CityCouncil manage a large number ofswimming lessons at our pools.

“We have done this on a manualpayment method for a number ofyears and I guess like many operatorsyou use the resource you have in thecentres and make it work as best youcan.

“Being under pressure to look atways we can streamline services andgenerate more income we lookedagain at how we manage our swim-ming lessons and it was clear to usthat we needed to find a solution to

the bottlenecks we endured at ourreceptions at the start of each book-ing cycle.

“At the end of 2012 we took the deci-sion to move our swimming lessonpayments to DD, six months later wehad almost eradicated the adminis-trative issues we used to have at thecentres and our regular customersdon't have to go through the tiresomerigmarole at the start of each term asthey are automatically rebooked,assuming their DD payments are inplace.

“The other notable difference is theincredible growth we have managedto achieve – we now have 1000 extrapayers than before we went to pay-ment by DD, which is around a 70 percent increase for us in this short timeperiod.”

For more information call 01444 449 157,email sales@harlandsgroup.co.uk or visit www.harlandsgroup.co.uk

LIFE Fitness Academy, the globaltraining and education division of LifeFitness, has teamed up with YMCAAwards for an exclusive partnershipoffering clients industry-leading qual-ifications.

LFA delivers exceptional standard-ised fitness learning, accredited byglobal certifying bodies and followingits new agreement with YMCAAwards, fitness professionals canenrol in a new series of Level Two andThree courses.

The first course offered will be LevelThree Certificate in Personal Training,taking place on 2-5, 21-25 and 30November at London’s SouthbankClub.

This is open to those who alreadyhold a recognised Level Two GymInstructor qualification and an assess-ment day will be held on December18, giving fitness professionals the

opportunity to qualify as a personaltrainer by the New Year.

Global education manager at LifeFitness Academy Nick Mennell said:“As a trusted source of fitness educa-tion for more than 20 years, we’reexcited to now offer a range of indus-try-leading qualifications throughYMCA Awards.

“We’re committed to offering thebest training solutions to clients andsupporting their development. Byoffering nationally recognised qualifi-cations, we are helping customers toupskill their fitness teams andenhance the fitness experience whichin turn has a positive effect on mem-ber and staff retention.”

To find out more, visitwww.ymcaawards.co.uk/ life-fitness-acade-

my. Bookings placed before the end ofSeptember will receive a

10 per cent discount.

LFA and YMCA Awardsoffer clients industry-leading qualifications

Stages Indoor Cycling UK has appointedElena Lapetra as commercial director. Elenahas previous experience in the fitnessindustry representing brands includingSchwinn, StairMaster, and AmerSports. Shesaid: “I firmly believe in the power of doingwhat you feel passionate about. The more Ilooked into the brand, the company andthe product, the easier it became for me tojoin. It is an outstanding bike and I amthrilled to launch it in the UK. It's an excit-ing road ahead for me and the brand.”

ZAK Pitt has been promoted tomanaging director of JordanFitness, taking over from NeilJordan, who will remain as compa-ny chairman.

Zak’s former role as sales directorwill be split, meaning JordanFitness will, for the first time, focuson managing direct and trade salesseparately.

Dedicated to direct will be PaulFerreira, who has been appointedhead of UK direct sales, whereasScott Lamber will concentrate ontrade as global trade sales manag-er.

Neil said: “With our outstandinggrowth, especially over the last twoyears, this move will ensure thatwe can continue to service ourcustomers at the highest level.

“It enables me to focus on mytrue passion, which is new productinnovation, and seeing thatthrough to new and exciting prod-uct on the gym floor.”

For more details, contact Zak Pitt on 01553 763285.

Zak promotedto MD role atJordan Fitness

FLORIDA based supplement compa-ny RCSS – founded by retired MrOlympia, Ronnie Coleman – has beenofficially ranked in the US as thefastest growing sports supplementbrand in America.

RCSS UK market manager GilesThomas said: “Ronnie and I are veryhappy to announce that RonnieColeman Signature Series was justrecognised as the 208th fastest grow-ing private company in the UnitedStates by INC magazine.”

“RCSS was formed in 2011 with nofinancial assistance, no investors, nohead office, warehouse or employeesfor that matter.

“Like many great entrepreneurs,

Ronnie had nothing but a bucket ofdreams and one hell of a vision. Justover three years later we still have noinvestors (which was the plan) but wedo have a 20k+ sq. ft. head office /warehouse, 19 employees, distribu-tion in well over 100 countries andnow are ranked as the 208th fastestgrowing privately held company inthe United States.

“Our European distribution partnershave also stated that from January ofthis year RCSS was their fastest grow-ing brand in the UK and Ireland.”

Get in touch with Giles via email atgiles@ronniecoleman.net if you’d like

to stock this rapidly expanding,quality supplement brand.

Supplement firm in US list

PRODUCT NEWS 65

DEMAND for KETTFusion instructorsis at an all-time high with consumersall over the country asking for classesin their area.

Take advantage of this unique classby becoming one of the first fitnessfacilities in your area to offer this fun,yet challenging, fitness class that willsee participants continually comingback for more.

KETTFusion will be running freedemonstration classes throughoutLeisure Industry Week at the NEC,Birmingham on September 22-23 somake sure you take full advantage toexperience how this class canenhance your current class list.

They will even have a stand at theshow so to find out more about theclass, the creator or how you canbecome a KETTFusion instructor sim-ply visit them on stand F105.

If you can’t attend LIW then the nextinstructor-training course is takingplace on November 6 in Newcastle atProject Fit.

So, what are you waiting for? Sign up

to experience this dynamic new fit-ness class and see how KETTFusioncan help you retain existing memberswhile attracting more through thedoor.

For more information visit www.kettfusion.com

KETTFusion founder Michael Ross.

Try a KETTFusion classat LIW for FREE ...

DESIGNED and engineered inBarcelona, the Training Wall is a ver-satile piece of fitness equipment,offering an innovative range of acces-sories and endless potential.

A vast range of tools are available toexplore all areas of functional train-ing, ranging from the more popularattachments to exercise specificaccessories.

The Spanish based company havereached an exclusive distributionagreement with Craig YoungConsulting Ltd.

Managing director Craig Young said:“Training Wall has been availablethroughout Europe for the past cou-ple of years and we are delighted toadd this exciting new product to ourexisting portfolio of brands.

“This unique concept gives gymowners and operators the ability tomaximise that ever-valuable gymfloor space, without interfering withtraditional gym equipment that mem-bers have come to count on as part of

their fitness routine.” Each Training Wall panel is 1m2 and

equipped with quick release anchorsto accommodate the wide range oftools which are designed exclusivelyfor use with the wall.

Training Wall features low, mid andhigh anchor points to accommodate avariety of accessories, including dip-ping and pull up bars, resistancebands and ropes, boxing bags, sus-pension training straps and muchmore. Quick release attachmentsensure a swift set-up and transitionsbetween exercises to keep classes andindividual training sessions movingsmoothly.

Training Wall is designed and manu-factured using the highest qualitymaterials, creating a solid structure,while at the same time offering anattractive design that allows it to beplaced almost anywhere.

For more information contact 01978 812 829, info@trainingwall.co.uk

or visit www.trainingwall.co.uk

Versatile Training Wallto launch in the UK

Tomorrow's technologybringing fitness todayFANS of gym fitness classes are nowable to choose not only what classthey do but when they do it thanks toFitness on Demand, the new interac-tive fitness system which offers morethan 600 classes as and when they aredesired.

Fitness on Demand can help youmake the most of your studio spacewithout having to schedule moreclasses.

Working around your existing class-es, Fitness on Demand complementsthe timetable you already have inplace and your gym bunnies will lovethe flexibility of being able to attend a

class of their choosing at any timethat suits them.

Classes offered cover the wholespectrum of fitness from high energyclasses such as spin and aerobics tothe more relaxing, core strengtheningclasses like Pilates and are all easilydelivered at the push of a button to anindividual or a group.Unique Systems (AV) Ltd is the sole supplier

and installer of FOD and all aspects ofAudio Visual solutions, so if you want to

know more about this exciting product orany of our other services then contact

service@unique-online.co.uk or call Chris on 07870 645078.

Megan’s gamble paysoff and goes fromstrength to strengthHARD work and determination doespay off and Megan Murrie, proudowner of MFit Fife, is living testimo-ny... but it hasn’t always been likethat.

She explained: “I only started study-ing and training four years ago whereI initially taught two to five dance fit-ness classes a week juggling themaround a full time job.

“I soon realised I had a passion forfitness and decided to take the risk toterminate from my full time job.”

Giving up full time work andbecoming self-employed enabledMegan to focus more on fitness andalthough it wasn’t easy, her hard workand determination paid off.

She added: “My business just keepson growing and the support we get isphenomenal. We teach a range ofclasses from Bodyweight training toPilates and of course Kettlercise.

“Due to high demand and the suc-cess of classes I am currently deliver-ing a whole range of classes in differ-ent areas of Fife including communitycentres and halls.”

Megan is now successfully spon-sored by many companies includingNike which she says is her ‘biggestachievement’ to date.

So successful is Megan’s businessthat they now teach a staggering 27

classes a weekwith averageattendees beingbetween 40–65 ineach class.

Megan creditssome of her suc-cess to becominga KettlerciseInstructor.

“It really helpedmy businessexpand due to theresults that peo-ple are achievingin classes. Notonly that but thebusiness growthhas beenimmense due tobeing able to offera wide range ofadditional prod-ucts to my clientbase and having the support networkthere when needed. The new classmaterial has been invaluable – ithelps keep my classes fresh and up todate and keeps clients motivated andcoming back for more”

To become a Kettlercise instructor seepages 36 and 37 for further details, go to

www.kettlercisecertification.com or call 01282 698698.

IF locker key management takes up agreat deal of time at your gym or fit-ness club, visit Codelocks on standF54 at LIW to see what’s new.

At this year’s show, Codelocksdemonstrates the latest products inits KitLock range of keyless digitallocker locks.

The new NANO90 is a mini electron-ic locker lock ideal for smaller walletor personal effects lockers, furniture,cupboards and medical cabinets.Although compact – its footprint isjust 30mm by 90mm – it has all theprogramming features and qualityyou’d expect from a KitLock digitallocker lock.

For a really sleek look, the NANO90can be fitted flush to the surface. Easyto fit and programme, it provides upto 100,000 operations from just one

coin cell battery. The latest product in the KitLock

range, the KL1550 Smart, utilises NFCtechnology giving gyms and fitnessclubs the option to issue MIFARE-based Smart cards for use with lock-ers in their changing rooms.

This multi-purpose locker lock alsosupports traditional public and pri-vate modes of operation andNetCode.

The KL1550 locks can be pro-grammed using our Codelocks SmartDevice, greatly simplifying theprocess and time it takes to managelarge numbers of digital locker locks.

To find out more, come and talk to Steve,James or Ros from Codelocks on stand F54.

For NANO90, product information can befound at: http://www.codelocks.co.uk/kit-

lock/nano90-kitlock-furniture-lock.html

See what’s new from Codelocks

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If you’ve got a story for aforthcoming issue of Workout

email it to editor ChristinaEccles at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

or call 01226 734463

CLOTHING & MERCHANDISE

SHARON Clare is a Suffolk based levelfour specialist personal trainer andfood coach, who also competes inter-nationally with the World NaturalBodybuilding Federation in the MissPhysique category.

Body Coach Fitness is a health fit-ness and lifestyle company who aimsto educate, inspire and motivate fel-low fitness professionals and thecommunity to lead a healthy andactive lifestyle, through sports and fit-ness training.

A new venture for Body CoachFitness is the creation of an own labelBody Coach Fitness ProteinSupplement.

Body Coach Fitness pea protein sup-plement is a natural plant based pro-tein with 26g of protein per serving, afull amino acid profile, high biologicalvalue and digestibility rate and lowsugar content.

The protein is also suitable for vege-tarians, vegans and is great tastingand easy to mix. More additions to

the range will beadded in thefuture.

The proteinhas been devel-oped in con-junction withPyto-FitNutrition; acompany whospecialise inhigh quality eth-ically sourcedpure ingredientsand is available at the online shop onwww.bodycoachfitness.com

Body Coach Fitness is also develop-ing a new online aspect to the busi-ness for both fellow fitness profes-sionals and the public to view andpurchase products and services suchas online personal training and nutri-tion.

Contact Sharon on 07875 086760 orsharon@bodycoachfitness.com

for further details.

Body Coach Fitnesscreates supplement

MERCHANDISE

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68LOCKERS

HYGIENE

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UPHOLSTERY

MARKETING

DIRECT DEBIT COLLECTIONS

HYGIENE FLOORING

FLOORING

70 CLASSIFIED

SOFTWAREWANTED

INSURANCE

MANAGEMENT

FINANCE

SOFTWAREHYGIENE SOFTWARE

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