HCM Issue 7 2025

Want more loyal members and a stronger bottom line? Start here.

Every decision your club makes — from the floorplan, to the timetable, to the marketing strategy, impacts your success. But the single biggest driver of long-term growth? How long your members stay.

More specifically, your MVPs — Most Valuable Participants. These high-value members visit their club 65% more often, stay 39% longer, refer friends, and represent significantly higher lifetime value. They are the backbone of a thriving fitness business.

Wondering how you can attract more of them? Our new report MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth is a must-read, using insights drawn from the real-world, in-club

behaviour of over 2.6 million members in 2024. This isn’t guesswork, it’s a proven playbook grounded in data sourced by external partners and delivered back to you – with actionable steps.

Discover the activities MVPs take part in, and how top-performing clubs are designing experiences that keep MVPs engaged, loyal, and coming back for more. From capacity and contribution hacks to smarter marketing, this report shows you how to build a business that’s not just busy — but truly profitable.

If you’re not focusing on your MVPs, chances are your competitors will be. Can you afford to be left behind? Download the report now.

OBest of both worlds

As access to medical health club memberships and preventative health screening grows, we must draw on expertise from both the clinical and wellness worlds when delivering advice to members

ur members and customers have been telling us for some years that their needs are changing – it’s no longer just about getting fitter – improving mental health, resilience and overall wellbeing are major priorities.

And as health clubs become an increasingly important part of people’s lives and capacity in traditional healthcare shrinks, we’re being called on to deliver wider and more meaningful interventions that really make a difference to health and longevity.

The trend towards offering services that support prevention is undeniable, with medical memberships increasingly being delivered – by Parkwood, Fitness First, Everyone Active and Serco, among others.

The most recently launched is at Hillbrow (p16), where the MyHealth membership gives unlimited use of facilities, a personalised fitness plan, sessions with a PT and six GP appointments a year – which can be shared. There’s also a health check carried out by a nurse with a battery of tests and access to Medicubex, a pod which measures vital signs to give immediate feedback on health status (www.medicubex.com).

With operators already offering, or planning to offer preventative screening services, questions arise around who gives the guidance once the results are in and how this advice is aligned with support for lifestyle change.

We also have to ask whether the advice being given by clinical experts represents the whole picture and harnesses the expertise we have in the wellness industry relating to diet, lifestyle and prevention.

I went for my first Neko scan last week and although it was beautifully delivered and an enjoyable experience, the analysis of the results and subsequent advice were straight out of the medical playbook, delivered by staff who work part-time in traditional clinical roles and parttime for Neko, with nothing holistic being suggested.

I heartily welcome the greater access to information these new types of services give consumers and at the very least, they will enable the ongoing tracking of key

Neko carries out a battery of tests and gives feedback

With many operators already o ering health screening, the question arises as to who gives the guidance once the results are in

health metrics, but I believe we can afford to be even more ambitious and look to a time when prevention through testing and monitoring is combined with support from professionals with expertise in both allopathic and integrative medicine. They should also have the ability to prescribe both exercise and lifestyle interventions, as well as those that are more clinically-based.

We’ve talked for decades about being a trusted partner to health service providers and now that time is upon us, we must set bold goals to find ways to deliver advice and support that harnesses the best of both worlds.

Liz Terry, editor lizterry@leisuremedia.com

CONTENTS

Uniting the world of fitness

42 The new COO of Nuffield Health is planning major upgrades

05 Editor’s Letter

As access to medical memberships grows, Liz Terry says we must be ambitious in drawing on expertise from both the clinical and wellness worlds

12 HCM Forum

Huw Edwards argues that school holiday schemes must be funded, while Natasha Jones celebrates the end of medical consultations before exercise

16 Zeitgeist

Life Time launches its own AI coach, Purpose Brands adds telehealth with Dr B collaboration, The Gym Group gets new investors and surfing is used to treat trauma and burnout

20 HCM news

US gym visits are up, Everlast Gyms gears up to launch London flagship and Everyone Active expands its wellness offering

26 HCM buzz

The Projuvenate wellness clinic opens in Manchester, Common Bond emerges from UFB’s closure and a social wellness concept Sostena opens in Cornwall

32 HCM people

Julie Russell

The immediate past CLOA chair explains how the Active Wellbeing Leadership Network is creating a movement for change

38 HCM people

Andy Mackie

The operations manager of Mid Devon

Leisure talks Kath Hudson through its rebrand to Active Mid Devon

42 Interview

Gurpreet Gujral

The new COO of Nuffield Health talks to Kate Cracknell about plans to take the brand’s current health and fitness estate to its highest level yet

54 Everyone’s talking about Inspiration

Vicky Kiernander talks to founders about how they were inspired to overcome trauma to achieve their goals

62 Superusers

Superusers (HVPs) are the key to success, according to new research from Les Mills

68 Rod Hill and George Houtenbos

The industry veterans are gearing up to launch a longevity concept franchise called Zenergie, as Kath Hudson reports

72 Digital futures evolution

Dave Gerrish asks what’s next for digital in the physical activity sector

82 Getting personal

Fit tech companies tell Julie Cramer how their latest personalisation tools are driving measurable results

88 Club sounds

Music tech suppliers give their advice for creating perfect in-club sounds

94 Product innovations

The latest health, fitness and wellness kit from leading suppliers

96 HCM Directory

If you’re in procurement, the HCM Directory is part of a network of resources designed for you that includes www.HCMmag.com/CompanyProfiles

98 Research Hip health

A study has found indoor cycling improves hip osteoarthritis

www.HCMmag.com

MEET THE TEAM

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Liz Terry

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Magali Robathan

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Publisher Jan Williams

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Kath Hudson

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Copyright details: HCM (Health Club Management) is published 12 times a year by Leisure Media, PO Box 424, Hitchin, SG5 9GF, UK. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recorded or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, Cybertrek Ltd 2025. Print and distribution Printed by The Manson Group Ltd. Distributed by Royal Mail Group Ltd and Whistl Ltd in the UK and Total Mail Ltd globally. ©Cybertrek Ltd 2025 ISSN 1361-3510 (print) / 2397-2351 (online)

23 OCTOBER

2025

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London

GLOBAL EVENT

Fitness, health, wellness

Excitement is building for the all-keynote HCM Summit 2025 from Leisure Media, HCM magazine and Spa Business magazine.

The event will bring together a powerful lineup of speakers and contributors from across the industry to share creative insights and experience, with a focus on business success and innovation.

You’ll go away inspired and informed, with ideas to implement in your own professional life, as well as valuable contacts and access to best practice to drive your success as we head into 2026.

In addition to the summit talks, a carefully curated exhibition will showcase the latest innovations, while summit networking events, including the After Party, hosted by Les Mills, will give the opportunity to connect, make new contacts and do businesses.

All this, along with product sampling, book signings and activations make the summit a powerful and useful event for the sector.

HCM Forum

Fuel the debate about issues and opportunities across the industry. We’d love to hear from you. Write to forum@leisuremedia.com

We’re calling on government to deliver support to children that ignites a lifelong love of physical activity

Huw Edwards, CEO, UK Active Government must support young people in getting more active

The three-year ‘Opening School Facilities’ initiative, funded by £57 million from the UK’s Department for Education, has beaten all targets, according to insight published by Active Partnerships.

The programme, which ran from January 2023 to March 2025, helped schools open facilities outside the school day for pupils and members of the community to take part in movement, physical activity and sport sessions.

The initiative was delivered by Active Partnerships National Organisation (APNO) and its 42 Active Partnerships, with partners including UK Active, Street Games and Youth Sport Trust.

The ‘end of programme’ report shows 251,543 pupils and 93,264 members of the community took part in 189,071 sessions at 1,580 schools. The funding allowed a

range of activities to be offered, including yoga, archery, climbing, roller sports, fencing and handball. The programme also made a vital contribution to the physical and mental development of children of all ages, including early years children who had missed out on key experiences during the pandemic.

We know from our UK Active qualitative insight that they built teamwork skills, improved their

socialisation and enjoyed being active. It also showed parents, school staff and members of the wider community viewed the programme as a positive way to keep children active.

A total of 568 swimming projects were also funded, opening pools to the community, including care home residents. Swimming was available to children and community users through both school and leisure centre pools.

We believe the government needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of our fitness, leisure and sport facilities

Despite these successes, the government has cut funding and although some of the projects have managed to continue, many have ceased.

The decision not to continue supporting programmes such as Opening School Facilities is disappointing and frustrating, as they’re essential in driving the physical activity levels of children by offering a safe space where they

can become more active in a familiar and comfortable environment, especially the most vulnerable.

The cuts means young children have more limited access to opportunities to get active and experience the physical, mental and social benefits of exercise.

We believe the government needs to be more proactive in taking advantage of our fitness, leisure and sport facilities to

support programmes such as this in the community.

Of course, our sector will continue delivering proven services for the next generation in every way it can, but in light of this decision, we’re calling on government to work with the sector to find new and ever more effective ways to engage children and young people and deliver support that ignites a lifelong love of physical activity.

Time to remove the blocker of getting GP clearance before exercising

Improving the pathway between health and physical activity for people living with long-term conditions is the ambition of Moving Together, a new two-year programme backed by the National Lottery.

Announced in the wake of the unveiling of the UK government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which outlines a shift to prevention, the Moving Together programme is being co-led by the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK (FSEM) and Active Partnerships National Organisation (APNO) and funded through Sport England.

The aim of the programme is to promote autonomy for people living with long-term health conditions, ensuring they feel empowered and supported to exercise. Setting up clear pathways between health and physical activity is also part of the intention and particularly

I’m delighted by the cross-sector positivity for this agenda

moving the blocker of telling people to get clearance from their GP before exercising.

For too long, people who stand to gain the most from increasing their physical activity, have come across systemic barriers which undermine their confidence and autonomy.

These barriers are not rooted in evidence. I’m delighted by the cross-sector positivity for this agenda which truly reflects the universal acceptance that there is a need for change. I’m confident our collaboration can and will make the necessary journey together.

There’s been significant preparatory work with stakeholders across all sectors, including the consensus statement on risk which sets out how healthcare professionals should approach conversations with people who are worried about exercising making their condition worse.

SIMPLIFIED

Zeitgeist

Kath Hudson distills the essence of the latest HCM trends news to tap changes driving the direction of the sector. Click or scan to read the full story

Duncan Kerr is now working on another co-location project

Clinical connections

Wave Active CEO, Duncan Kerr, is involved with The Newhaven Health Hub a group of three medical practices and an upgraded leisure centre. “The ambition is to change the way clinical and leisure professionals work to improve the health of the neighbourhood,” says Kerr. Also launched is a medical health club membership at Hillbrow in Eastbourne which gives access to Medicubex scanning.

The hug simulator

Fancy a hug from an artificial muscle? Morph is a bed which uses soft “muscles” powered by air which envelop people and use haptic technology to replicate natural movements. Morph Inns have been popping up around Tokyo.

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7,000 steps a day is seen as a more realistic target

Time to reset after step count challenge

Forget about 10,000 steps. According to research published by The Lancet Public Health, 7,000 steps a day are enough to protect against a range of illnesses. A systematic review analysed previous research and data from 160,000 adults from around the world, concluding that 7,000 steps a day is a associated with clinically meaningful improvements.

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Life Time’s AI coach

Life Time, has launched its own AI coach. Built in partnership with Microsoft and Azure and called L•AI•C, it only uses information from trusted sources and delivers personalised support for curated, trainer-led workouts, nutrition and supplement guidance, class recommendations and more.

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Alo Moves X Pause

US recovery franchise, Pause, is collaborating with wellness brand Alo Moves to deliver guided breathwork meditations to accompany its cold plunge sessions. Delivered via an iPad rather than headphones, the meditations last from 30 seconds to 3.5 minutes.

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IV memberships

Global IV therapy provider, Reviv, has introduced a membership programme aligning itself with the health club business model, at a time when more gym operators are looking to do tie-ups to provide IV drip services as part of their wellness offering. “We find international clients will visit us across the globe, so this programme is designed to offer member benefits across our corporate-owned properties, with discounts and perks at franchise locations,” says Luke Mills, global collaboration and partnerships director.

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Telehealth teamwork

Purpose Brands has teamed up with Dr B telehealth service to offer medical consultations and longevity programming. Some members will be able to use their Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts to pay for their health club memberships.

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Investing in Hyrox

Premium London operator, Third Space, has opened a dedicated 225sq m Hyrox studio, complete with a six-lane sled-track, integrated wall ball technology and mobile landmines, supported by three signature classes and a team of master trainers.

AetherHaus X Wim Hof

A new social wellness offering called AetherHaus has opened in Vancouver. It features a range of semi-guided and self-guided sessions and a cold plunge programme led by instructors certified in the Wim Hof Method. There are plans to expand, with the next site slated to open in 2027.

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Diabetes retreats

Fountain Life raise

Fountain Life, the longevity operator from Dr Peter Diamandis, Dr William Kapp and Tony Robbins, has raised US$18 million to accelerate its roll-out.

Himalayan operator, Ananda, has introduced a two-week, diabetes management programme. “Our holistic approach brings together traditional wisdom and the precision of modern health protocols, empowering individuals to transform their health, regain confidence and sustain meaningful lifestyle change,” says Dr Sreelal Sankar, head of Ayurveda.

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“I recognised we needed to address the whole person – mind, body and spirit”

Josh Dickson , therapist, trauma clinician and founder of Resurface

Surfi ng helps achieve a state of ‘fl ow’, which enhances problem-solving, according to Dickson

Hot tub shout out

Hot water immersion has greater health benefits than saunas, says new research published in the American Journal of Physiology. Warm water bathing is the best way to raise core temperature, which triggers stronger heart, blood vessel and immune responses it can also help to lower blood pressure and stimulate the immune system.

Ocean therapy

Therapy and surfing operator, Resurface, has announced new programmes which treat burnout and trauma. The Morocco-based retreats combine surfing, group therapy sessions, memory work and movement sessions. “The ocean itself is therapeutic – it demands presence, teaches resilience and provides a powerful metaphor for riding life’s waves,” says founder, Josh Dickson.

Investor interest grows

Investor interest in the sector remains high. Blantyre Capital has sold half of its shareholding in The Gym Group to new and existing shareholders and the offer was oversubscribed.

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Les Mills research identifies superuser MVPs

Focusing on super-users – the Most Valuable Participants (MVPs) – is the key to fuelling business growth in the fitness industry, according to a new report by Les Mills.

MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth, found that highly engaged members attend their club more often, stay longer, refer more friends and deliver significantly higher lifetime value than any other member category.

Les Mills collaborated with fitness data experts, Ror Partners and

4Global, to create a comprehensive analysis of member behaviour, which looked at the member journeys of 2.6 million members at 1,312 clubs across the US and Europe.

Phillip Mills

“This research provides a clear, data-driven playbook for health and fitness operators seeking sustainable growth,” says Phillip Mills, founder and MD of Les Mills International.

“By focusing on the most valuable participants and the areas of the club with the highest potential for serving them, operators can drive retention, maximise floor space and build a thriving, future-proof fitness community.”

HFA’s new tracker shows US gym visits are up

Visits to gyms across all segments of the US fitness industry have risen this year, with HVLP and mid-priced gyms making the biggest gains, according to the Health & Fitness Association’s (HFA) new Fitness Industry Traffic (FIT) Tracker.

Visits were up by 3.5 per cent in the first half of 2025 and visit frequency has also increased by 1.4 per cent on 2024 levels.

The FIT Tracker is a rolling report which analyses foot traffic data from thousands of gyms, studios and fitness clubs across the US.

Developed in partnership with Sports Marketing Surveys USA and powered by Placer.ai, the FIT Tracker aggregates data by industry segment (HVLP, mid-priced, luxury, and boutique) and includes breakdowns

Fitness facilities play a critical role in helping people engage with their health

Liz Clark

The report also provides an eight-point plan of actionable insights. by region and certain demographics. “The increase in both overall visits and visit frequency once again highlights the critical role that fitness facilities play in helping people stay active and engaged in their health,” said Liz Clark, president and CEO of HFA.

Xponential Fitness sells CycleBar and Rumble

Xponential Fitness has offloaded two more of its brands – indoor cycling concept, CycleBar and boxing brand, Rumble, which it bought in 2021. Both have been snapped up by Extraordinary Brands on terms that have not been disclosed.

They join Extraordinary Brands’ growing portfolio of franchises, which includes Neighbourhood Barre, Purvelo Cycle and personalised group fitness training concept, Eat the Frog Fitness.

Formed in 2022, the company is aiming to create “a family of fitness franchises and health and wellness brands that leave a lasting impact”.

Outgoing Xponential Fitness CEO, Mark King, says the sale of the two brands is consistent with its strategy

We’re putting franchisees first while enhancing operations, growth and member experience

Mark King

of focusing time and capital on the brands that drive profitability: “We’re committed to putting our franchisees first, while enhancing our operations, growth and member experience.”

Xponential is down to six brands from 11 at the end of 2023.

Xponential Fitness has sold both CycleBar and Rumble

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‘Opportunity ahead’ says Planet Fitness CEO

On the 10-year anniversary of being a public company, US franchise giant, Planet Fitness, celebrates strong second quarter results, reflecting the buoyant and growing American fitness market.

Year-on-year revenues increased by 13.3 per cent to US$340.9m and system-wide same club sales increased by 8.2 per cent to US$1.4bn.

During the period 23 new clubs were opened bringing the estate to 2,762 at the end of June. CEO, Colleen Keating, says: “Over the past

We believe there is even greater opportunity ahead Colleen Keating

The Planet Fitness no-judgement, affordable offering continues to sell well

decade, we’ve added nearly 14 million members, expanded our global footprint by more than 1,700 clubs, and established a presence in all 50 states and four additional countries.

“While we are proud of our accomplishments, we believe there is even greater opportunity ahead. As consumers increasingly prioritise health and wellbeing.”

The outlook for the rest of 2025 is 130-140 new equipment placements in franchised locations; around 160 to 170 new locations and system-wide same club sales growth of 6 per cent (up from 5 per cent).

For the full year, it is expecting both revenue and EBITDA to be 10 per cent ahead of 2024.

Everlast Gyms gears up to launch London flagship

Everlast Gyms is nearing the launch a new London Flagship, along with three other flagship gyms in Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin that will showcase the latest iteration of the brand.

The new sites will tick the boxes for all the biggest trends – Hyrox training, VIP recovery areas with Brass Monkey ice baths and reformer Pilates studios.

Everlast already has a club in Chiswick London, one of four properties it acquired from Roko, however, the new London

Everlast Gyms has been on a bold journey since 2021

Daniel Summerson

The Leicester site showcases the modernised look which is being rolled out

flagship is being built from the ground up. “We’re not just opening gyms, we’re creating destinations for high performance, recovery, and an unparalleled community,” says managing director, Daniel Summerson.

“Everlast Gyms has been on a bold journey since 2021. We’ve

built a strong foundation in key regions, and now we’re pushing further, with a clear focus on innovation and member experience.

“The upcoming sites in Liverpool, Manchester, Dublin and our first-ever gym in London mark a huge milestone for us.”

Study reveals power of health interventions

According to a study commissioned by GM Active, health intervention programmes provide more than £20,000 of social value per person and £5,600 worth of health improvements.

This study was undertaken by State for Life on behalf of the public sector health and fitness provider and provides a compelling case for expanding and embedding exercise

referral in the UK government’s planned shift to prevention.

Spanning eight Greater Manchester boroughs, the study showed that interventions delivered in leisure centres, community venues and green spaces provide more than £20,000 of social value per person using WELLBY standard, and £5,600 worth of health improvements using NHS QALY.

This study gives ample evidence of the role phsyical activity can play as an intervention

Andy King

Andy King, chair of GM Active, says this shows exercise is medicine: “This study gives ample evidence of the role that physical activity can play when used as an intervention to improve a person’s health and wellbeing.”

Everyone Active expands wellness o ering

Everyone Active is expanding its wellness offering, following the feedback of members who have joined the You+ programme, which was launched in January.

Available from this month, the extended offering will include wellness retreats featuring sound bath sessions, sunset and sunrise yoga, yoga Nidra and restorative yoga.

Responding to growing demand among a younger demographic for social fitness, Friday night socials will also be launched.

There will also be a breathwork concept, with one session available each week at group exercise facilities

Reformer Pilates is being expanded to 10 more locations in 2026 and technology, such as hydrotherapy beds, will be introduced.

You+ is helping the company to reach new audiences

Duncan Jefford

“We’re also expanding our panel of experts to include nutritional advice from Nutrable,” says Duncan Jefford, Everyone Active’s regional director. “We’ll continue to work with industry experts to help guide our offering and ensure we have research-backed guidance for our customers.”

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Everyone Active will be rolling out more Pilates studios next year

Frame is acquired by Wellverse Fitzrovia

Frame, which operates seven boutique studios across London, has been acquired by Wellverse Fitzrovia, owner of the Rowbots brand. The business is helmed by Sam Green and Greg Zimmerman and previously had footballer Gareth Bale as an investor.

Green and Zimmerman also own Flow LDN, which is launching in London Bridge in Q3 this year offering three studios for barre and strength workouts; yoga and mat Pilates and reformer Pilates.

There will also be a Rowbots launching at the same location.

Joan Murphy and Pip Black, co-founders of Frame, said they’re delighted with the deal: “Wellverse is run by a London-based team who truly get it,” they told their members. “They understand the fitness world, the shifts we’ve all experienced post-COVID and, most importantly,

the heart and soul of Frame. “They’re privately-owned and deeply aligned with the values that have always guided us. We’re excited for the new opportunities and fresh energy this change will bring.

“We believe wholeheartedly in Frame’s future and can’t wait to see what’s next.”

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news roundup

EGYM and Pulse Fitness create an eco-system

Pulse Fitness and EGYM have teamed up in a mission to deliver cutting edge, connected training environments.

This collaboration will see a seamless integration of EGYM’s intelligent training systems and Pulse Fitness’ cardio consoles to create a fully digital fitness ecosystem where member performance data will automatically transfer between machine, device and app. This will result in smarter workouts, real-time feedback and a personalised training journey.

Richard Sheen, commercial sales director at Pulse Fitness, said: “This collaboration gives operators

“This

gives operators the tools to improve member retention

Richard Sheen “

the tools to improve member retention, modernise their offering and elevate their brand in an increasingly digital marketplace.”

Operators will be able to leverage EGYM’s analytics tools to gain deeper insight into user

performance and gym floor trends. EGYM’s Steve Barton, says: “This collaboration will make it easier for members to achieve results and for operators to run insight-driven facilities.”

Apple Watch os26 upgrades Workout Buddy

The latest Apple Watch upgrade, watchOS 26, focuses on supporting users to be active with personalised, spoken motivation during workouts.

The Workout Buddy experience has been enhanced with Apple Intelligence to incorporate a user’s

workout data and their fitness history to generate personalised, motivational insights during their session, based on data such as heart rate, pace, distance, activity rings and personal fitness milestones.

To offer meaningful inspiration in real time, Workout Buddy

analyses data privately and securely, with Apple Intelligence. A new text-to-speech model then translates insights into a dynamic generative voice built using voice data from Fitness+ trainers.

For example, as a user starts a run, Workout Buddy will give a personalised pep talk based on information such as their running mileage for the week, or how well they’re doing against their activity ring goals.

During the workout, Workout Buddy will motivate by giving information about their kilometre splits or if they hit a milestone. At the end of the run it will recap their workout and celebrate their achievements.

HOW DOES A CFM PROMOTION WORK?

ELEVATE

Since 1990, in 6 different countries, CFM have provided end-to-end marketing campaigns for health clubs. In just 6 weeks, we action a variety of digital marketing, open days, direct mail, outdoor advertising, guerrilla marketing and corporate outreach programs. We provide onsite Fitness Consultants who do all the marketing and selling, so all you have to do is look after your new members.

ENGAGE

Our multi-faceted strategic marketing approach ensures multiple exposures to members of the community. We motivate the hard-to-reach segments of the market and stimulate a significant net growth in leads and sales for your club.

There is no upfront charge for our services, we simply take a commission for each sale we make. That means we're fully invested in your success.

Common Bond rises from the ashes of United Fitness Brands

Following the creditors’ voluntary liquidation of United Fitness Brands (UFB) the assets have been acquired by a new company, Common Bond, headed up by UFB director, Hilary Rowland.

Rowland has confirmed to HCM that when UFB stopped trading, Common Bond obtained a licence to trade, took over the sites, continued to keep them operational and managed to retain all five brands, as well as the instructors.

Spanning indoor cycling, barre, reformer Pilates, yoga and boxing, the five brands are: Boom Cycle, Barrecore, Reformcore, Triyoga and Kobox, although Kobox doesn’t have a home at the moment.

“I’m excited to be back working with instructors and product teams”

Hilary Rowland

“As a name and an ethos it’s about bringing everything back to connection and community. It’s that feeling of belonging that fitness studios cultivate. That beautiful joy of why we do what we do in this industry,” says Rowland.

“We are working with landlords to retain all of the 10 current sites and everything is operational. When

everything happened Common Bond was able to get a license to trade and the responsibility of the company, including all of the costs going forward from that date in time were covered by Common Bond.”

The amount of debt divested has not been disclosed and the administrators and liquidators are still working through the process.

Rowland was the sole director at the end of UFB and currently she is joined by Erica Gbenedio, from Nectar Capital, a long-term investor from the beginning of Boom Cycle and more recently, her husband Robert Rowland.

Exhilarated to have a fresh start, Rowland says the focus and resources of Common Bond will be directed at the studios “where the magic happens”, not the head office. “Customer experience will be our number one priority and I’m excited to be back working with instructors and product teams,” she says. “I feel like it really is my vein of gold, where I’ve always enjoyed my time the most and want to add the most value.

“We’re going to launch some new formats within our current offerings and have already got three for release before January 2026.”

Other changes include a more inclusive and simpler pricing structure, a new member benefits programme, a new food and beverage offering, as well as a retreat in Crete this September.

The first priority is bedding in the business, then the plans for franchising will follow. “We’re not going to extend ourselves until we’re doing everything perfectly in the first place,” says Rowland.

UFB launched in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic and Rowland is looking forward to a kinder trading environment for Common Bond. “It was so expensive to keep opening and closing, like the business Olympics! ” she says.

“It’s great not having all of that uncertainty hanging over us. We also have data that the industry has grown and London is more back. Not back to where it was, but much better.”

Sostena health, fitness and social wellness concept launches

Engineering entrepreneur, Matt Harford, has launched a new fitness, physical activity and community concept, Sostena, in Cornwall with plans to scale nationally.

“If the business can work in a remote community it should work anywhere,” Harford, told HCM. The low population density in Cornwall makes it a somewhat challenging environment, however the county has a strong referral culture, people are happy to travel distances that city and suburb dwellers wouldn’t dream of and holiday makers need something to do when it rains. The 3,200sq ft site is in an industrial unit on a business park just off the A30, the arterial road running through Cornwall, so it has good access.

“I wanted to create a community feel - like you get in a sports club - because that drives retention”

Matt Harford

A lifelong sports lover and chair of Cornwall Squash and Racketball, the initial motivation for Sostena was to create an entry-level racquet sport facility to provide a feeder for other racquet clubs which Harford hopes to develop around Cornwall. A partnership project to open padel courts in St Ives is already underway.

Thanks to its interactive wall, Sostena’s squash court can be programmed for pickleball, padel, tennis

and cricket drills, as well as games like football penalty shoot outs and space invaders for parties. Durable flooring has been installed so squash shoes don’t need to be worn, which Harford says removes another barrier. Group fitness classes will also be held in this space.

Harford has taken inspiration from a number of other operators to inform the facility mix. “I wanted to create a community feel – like you get in a sports club – because that’s what drives retention,” he said. “I also like what David Lloyd Clubs has done in building family environments where it’s easy to spend a long time.”

Harford says the intention is to create a positive, dynamic, sociable, warm and fun environment to foster community, inclusion and a sense of belonging: “The vision is to reshape fitness and leisure into something progressive, more social and easier to access, so everyone can build lasting wellness in their own way.”

Downstairs comprises a reception area, the squash court and an activity cafe with table tennis, table football and an interactive pool table and

Technogym’s Bio-Circuit is a draw for people who are new to the gym (example image shown)

interactive darts board, which makes both activities easier, for example the dartboard segments change size according to the user’s ability. Harford says all of the facilities will be income-generating.

A 1,200sq ft mezzanine has been installed, which includes four shower cubicles, a PT space with Technogym Checkup; a Technogym Bio-Circuit and two pods with Technogym exercise bikes and free weights.

Technogym’s Bio-Circuit was chosen because Harford wanted the gym to be entry-level and unintimidating to non-gym goers and returners to activity, including the over-70s.

“Those who gain confidence can start using the pods, or even graduate to the Crossfit gym around the corner,” says Harford. “I’m happy for this to be a feeder facility, attracting a different type of client who don’t think gyms are for them but who need to do strength training.”

A number of user groups are being targeted, starting with local workers in the current soft launch phase. Also

on the hit list are older adults during the day, mothers and families during school holidays and at weekends and young adult friendship groups in the evenings.

In time links will be built with sports clubs and local groups, and wellness programmes and socially prescribed activities will be offered to people with health conditions. This is being led by Harford’s wife, Anna Harford, who is a registered nurse and a Level 4 strength and conditioning coach.

To make it accessible, Sostena is being offered on a pay-as-you-go basis at reasonable rates. A monthly membership for the Bio-Circuit is £49. Annual membership costs between £10 and £25 which gives 20 per cent discount per booking, making a 12-session pack for the Bio-Circuit £60.

Around £315,000 has been invested. This site has been self-funded but Harford has purpose-led investors lined up for growth and more sites are already being sought. ●

Projuvenate healthoptimisation clinic will o er Exomind

Anew clinic will open soon in Manchester UK , offering science-backed health optimisation therapies, elite physiotherapy services and aesthetic wellness treatments.

The team of healthcare and sports performance professionals behind Projuvenate include founder and clinical director, Dr Libby Artingstall and Rob Artingstall who is head physiotherapist at England Rugby League.

This will be the first clinic in the north west, and among the first in the UK, to offer the Exomind: a walk-in, non-invasive treatment using targeted electromagnetic stimulation to activate areas of the brain linked to emotional balance, focus and motivation.

FDA-approved and already gaining momentum in the US, early trials show 88 per cent of patients report improved mental wellness, with 78 per cent experiencing

Projuvenate offers the pioneering Exomind treatment. Libby and Rob Artingstall are behind it

better mood, sleep and emotional regulation following the treatment

Dr Libby Artingstall says: “Throughout medical school and much of my career as a doctor, the focus was on understanding what happens when the body or mind goes wrong and how to treat it. I became increasingly compelled by the question: how do we help people stay well not just now, but long into the future?

“We set out to build something beyond reactive care”

Dr Libby Artingstall

“That’s what led to the launch of Projuvenate. We set out to build something beyond reactive care. A

space where people can take informed, purposeful action to optimise how they look, feel and function, with a huge focus on prevention.”

Projuvenate will open towards the end of Q3 2025, with treatments and consultations available by appointment.

The clinic is expected to attract clients from across the north-west of the UK and aims to set a new benchmark in holistic, future-focused healthcare.

HCM people

We’re a movement for change so the system works better for everyone

Julie Russell

Active Wellbeing Leadership Network

Russell wants to help the sector think differently

Tell us about the UK’s Active Wellbeing Leadership Network

The network is a different approach to traditional problems. We’re not a single organisation but a collection of like-minded individuals who want to think and work differently to address the deepseated challenges of inactivity and help tackle health inequality wherever it occurs. The group is open to anyone who shares these ambitions.

We don’t claim to represent any specific individual or any group, but we recognise that everyone working in the sector has a valuable contribution to make in achieving these ambitions. We believe we can best do this together locally in place, but also that we need a national framework that supports local action.

What’s the nature of the organisation?

We describe ourselves as a ‘network without boundaries’; everyone is welcome and every perspective matters. We’re like a think tank, bringing ideas and solutions to the table and then sharing them, so they can be applied everywhere. We also want to influence others to think differently, including government, councils, organisations and also people working across the sector.

We’re a movement for change, sharing innovative thinking so the system works better for everyone, particularly those that will benefit most from being physically active.

Why was the network formed, rather than its aspirations being delivered through an existing organisation?

The network emerged from the Local Government Physical Activity Partnership that published a report on securing the future of public leisure in 2021 and then the Future of Public Leisure report, which was published by Sport England in 2022. By early 2024 the context of that report was changing and with an election anticipated it was felt a new narrative would be required for a new government. The fledgling network recognised from the outset the need for a more integrated approach to tackling inactivity, recognising the vital role many organisations beyond operators can play in enabling active and healthy communities with local government’s role as place leaders at the heart.

We wanted to build on the principles and objectives of Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy,

We’re a collection of like-minded individuals who want to address the deep-seated challenges of inactivity and help tackle health inequality

Integrated wellbeing services are expanding around the country

developing focus on expanding place-based working, but better joining this up with the future of public sector physical activity and leisure provision.

To kick off the debate the group published a thought piece: An active wellbeing service, a movement for change. In this document we showed through case studies how the concept of an integrated wellbeing service was starting to emerge in pockets of good practice around the country and suggested how by scaling these and replicating them we could start to improve population health and tackle health inequality in every place.

We also set about convening a wider network of organisations and individuals focused on finding the best and most effective and efficient ways of raising levels of physical activity; particularly addressing the stubborn inequalities that exist in many local communities where activity rates are much lower than other areas anticipating the likely priorities of the new government that had now been elected.

Over the years the network has grown and has met in person seven times, each time discussing the changing landscape and different topics relevant to the ambitions. We also have a LinkedIn group and a website hosted by CLOA. The planning team members are all volunteers and we rely on partners for venues and other support.

What are the aims?

From the outset how we wanted to work as a network was just as important as what we wanted to do.

We wanted to create an environment that would support sector collaboration, innovation and creativity with no boundaries to membership or involvement. It was clear to us that only by thinking and doing things differently could we achieve our ambitions.

We wanted the network to create and lead a shared ambition in a number of ways, by:

n Developing a common language and clear focus across the system.

n Helping coordinate, share and co-produce the best possible evidence to support the development of policy and resource allocation, nationally, regionally, sub regionally and locally.

n Being a key forum for government and key partners to consult with on place-based physical activity.

n Being open to innovation and emergent ideas.

n Stimulating innovation around engagement of –and with – communities, residents and citizens.

n Drawing on national and international learning; recognising that we may need to talk about ‘active citizenship’, alongside ‘active wellbeing’ to tackle health inequalities.

n Creating conditions for change and advocating through our policy and funding approaches.

n Considering the future leadership, skills and competencies required to increase place-based physical activity.

n Identifying pressures (or barriers) within the system and what needs the greatest support.

We wanted to create an environment that would support sector collaboration, innovation and creativity with no boundaries to membership or involvement

n Creating a positive culture, building an environment of trust and support for each other.

n Helping each organisation best place themselves within the physical activity system, to make the most of resources and expertise together.

n Challenge ourselves and continually reviewing our effectiveness.

How do you propose these aims be implemented?

The network – at its meetings and in the reports it has prepared – shares these aims and stimulates thinking. As a result, the concept of active wellbeing is gaining momentum and traction across the system and the idea is being discussed in other forums and other organisations. However, concurrently the context is

shifting, as the government’s policy shifts and develops. Our latest thought piece – A nation in motion, why active wellbeing must be the future –(www.hcmmag.com/nationinmotion) highlights the emerging policy developments relating to the anticipated health strategy, devolution and the changes to local government structures. It also examines how concepts of prevention will run through these policies and how active wellbeing must have a place in these changes. It will only be when these policies move into implementation that the impact of our thinking will become reality, but each locality will interpret and apply the thinking differently to reflect local needs and local opportunities. There is no one size that will fit every location.

Have there been any interactions with government?

The network isn’t another group focused on lobbying the government for resources. We fully understand the financial challenges faced by the sector and there are other organisations better positioned to campaign. However, we’re happy to try and influence government thinking

Active wellbeing must extend beyond existing leisure facilities

The landscape is changing and operators are uniquely placed as providers of services

and the thinking in other organisations, such as the Local Government Association, Sport England and the National Sector Partners Group – and especially local authorities.

Those with connections to government, such as Sport England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, have all been represented at our network meetings, so we have a sense that we can detect the climate reasonably effectively from their feedback. We use the network and our contacts to track government thinking and emerging policy and use the meetings to share what we know and don’t know with others.

For example, in partnership with others we’re trying to influence the devolution debate, including the Local Government Review, as we see this as having potential risks but also positive opportunities to establish active wellbeing thinking in every place. We’re also focused on influencing those working in the sector, so they can better respond confidently to their local opportunities.

How can operators get involved?

The network is open to any individual or organisation who wants to come and share the journey with us, either by attending our bi-monthly events, or by joining our LinkedIn group.

Several operators have attended meetings and shared learnings and we’d encourage more to bring thoughts, ideas, views and examples of best practice and be prepared to learn with us. The landscape is changing and operators are uniquely placed as providers of services.

Increasingly, we’re seeing more enlightened operators appreciating that facilities are relevant when it comes to encouraging neighbourhoods to be active, but understanding that for us to be an active society requires so much more than that. Those organisations are now prepared to engage communities away from traditional places.

Ultimately, local government is central to the development of healthier communities and creative, courageous partners will be essential on our journey. Julie Russell is immediate past chair of CLOA and service director, arts, culture and leisure, Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

We’re fortunate because the council sees leisure as the jewel in its crown and is very supportive

Andy Mackie Operations manager

What have you been up to?

We’ve had a rebrand from Mid Devon Leisure to Active Mid Devon; embarked on a digital transformation, upgrading 14-year-old software and carried out refurbishments at all our leisure centres.

In addition, we’ve done a social value report and decarbonised, so our energy is now from renewables. We’ve launched programmes to target different user groups; achieved our highest ever membership base and highest ever participation levels and still reduced the local authority subsidy by £543k.

Where do you operate?

We’re part of Mid Devon District Council, with centres in Tiverton, Crediton and Cullompton. Tiverton is the flagship, with the biggest membership base and Cullompton is the most challenging. It’s an older building following the dual-use operating model of the 80s, whereby the school uses the sports hall and one of the three pitches during the day, which limits what we can do at the site.

The general demographic sits in the middle quartile – not overly affluent and not in the lower area of deprivation. We're rural, so people will drive 20 minutes to our facilities and when we were closed for refurbishments they were even driving up to 40 minutes to the next site.

What cuts are you facing?

We’re fortunate because the council sees leisure as the jewel in its crown and is very supportive of us and proud of the facilities and services on offer.

We overachieved on our cuts last year – reducing full year costs by £543k, as mentioned. However, following this success, the council is keen to see what else can be done to reduce the subsidy further.

The building blocks have been put in place and the team is excited to see what further improvements can be made. The authority has been really fortunate in getting generous grant funding for energy-saving initiatives, allowing us to install ground and air source heat pumps; combined heat and power and solar

All

power and now we’ve started battery storage, as we weren’t using all the solar power. We've swallowed the initial cost and are starting to see the benefit.

We also switched from chlorine to salt in the pools, which reduces our chemical use and our carbon footprint because we require less deliveries and it’s had great feedback from end users.

How else have you enhanced the finances?

A restructure has reduced staffing costs and a remodel of the membership pricing has led to the biggest ever membership levels, which are still growing.

Last summer we ran a family membership of £50 for six weeks for a family of four and that really spiked the income, so we're doing that again this year at the slightly higher rate of £60.

Our new app will hopefully also encourage people to use the centres more, allowing them to book easily, show usage history and give push notifications and with new access controls coming shortly, the arrival experience will be better, quicker and easier than ever.

We have a module within our leisure management system, through 4Global to access social value data at the drop of a hat

Why did you take the decision to rebrand?

There was no real identity to Mid Devon Leisure and nobody knew what it represented. As we’d started the digital transformation, with a new app – and a website rebuild – it felt like perfect timing. Our new vision is to help people feel happier and healthier. The logo represents the outline of Mid Devon, with a heart at the centre.

What have the refurbishments involved?

In line with the rebrand, all our reception areas have been refreshed. They were cluttered and dated and now they look clean and inviting.

We've also refurbished the changing areas at the Crediton and Tiverton centres, while Tiverton has new flooring around the pool which helps older members.

Cullompton had a gym refurbishment and a squash court has been upgraded into a functional studio that looks really modern. It's black, with LED immersive lighting and a sled track down the middle.

What are you doing to engage harder to reach people?

We’re introducing a free programme offering seated exercises in the libraries, hitting the demographic of those who need to be active, but possibly don't know they need to be active – or they don’t see the gym as a place for them, so we’re taking exercise to them. Every six months we do an employer wellbeing programme, where we visit the Mid Devon District Council offices offering cholesterol and blood pressure checks. It’s been really popular and we’re now talking to Devon libraries about providing the same service for the general public. It helps us to get our brand out, overcomes the stigma of the gym, has given some people the push to change their habits and gained us a few members. We also launched wellbeing walks at the start of July. This volunteer-led scheme offers free walks with a social aspect and are designed to get people who

are totally inactive a little bit more active, however, there’s no goal of turning them into members.

The walks start and finish at the leisure centres and there will be some starting at our libraries. The standard walk is 45 minutes, but we’ll do some longer and shorter ones, so they’re fully inclusive.

We've just launched the Carers Scheme offering free memberships for unpaid carers under the age of 18. We're working with Devon Carers and other care providers to form a social hub for this cohort.

Unpaid adult carers have a 25 per cent discount on a membership, and we're looking to do social sessions for them, whereby we provide coffee or tea and the chance to meet others in the same situation.

We offer a care leavers’ scheme, so people who’ve been in care up to age 25 get free use of the facilities.

What was the result of the social value report?

It came back as £4.9m in the last year, which puts us in the top 25 per cent of public sector operators. It’s another way for us to show the council the benefit of the investment they make in physical activity and leisure.

We also have a module within our leisure management system, through 4Global, to access social value data at the drop of a hat.

Tell us about your plans

More use of AI – for example, assisted lifeguard technology. We’ve also got a business case ongoing for AI integration into the app to respond to customers messages.

We’ve just met with the NHS about using space within our Tiverton site to run one of its rehab programmes, so people become more comfortable with the environment and can start to integrate better into the gym, pool and other facilities. We already run a very popular GP referral programme.

We're also planning to convert some tennis courts into Padel courts and investing in pool inflatables.

One of our targets is to grow our junior membership base, so we’re looking at how we can improve that offering, while also working with Parkrun to launch three junior Parkruns in response to demand.

How do you feel about the future?

It's exciting because there's still so much more that can be done. People like Kelly Lee, who has led on the community initiatives and Haley Walker, our service delivery manager, who has overseen the digital transformation have proven that so much can be achieved. A lot of good work has already happened, which indicates we can do more.

Last year we ran a family membership of £50 for six weeks for a family of four and that really spiked the income, so we’re doing that again this summer at the slightly higher rate of £60

The biggest challenge facing us is devolution and local government reorganisation, because in three years’ time the landscape could look quite different. Mid Devon will become part of a much larger authority covering a much bigger geographical area – which is why we wanted to get our leisure services into as strong a position as possible before all these changes are implemented. ●

Gujral Gurpreet

What drew you to the fitness industry?

I’ve worked across numerous industries, from hospitality to telco, large format retail to ecommerce and now fitness. The common thread is that all roles have focused on managing large consumer operations, improving the customer experience and achieving good outcomes for the organisations. In fact, it’s been a conscious decision on my part to remain a customer expert rather than becoming an industry-specific expert.

My last job at IKEA saw me leading the omnichannel programme, bringing the physical stores and digital offering together. Prior to that I spent many years in telco, where the subscription model was not so different from a gym membership: a monthly fee in exchange for goods and services, with the onus on the provider to differentiate its proposition and ensure it holds value for the customer.

Nuffield Health may boast an exceptional healthcare heritage, but its fitness proposition aims to stand alone as consumers’ #1 choice, as its new COO tells Kate Cracknell

What’s your main remit?

I joined Nuffield Health in 2023 to help digitise the experience for customers and my role has now been elevated as COO of the fitness and wellbeing clubs – a role I take on not as a fitness expert, in spite of my many years as a fitness consumer, but as a customer expert who has surrounded himself with fitness experts.

My task is to apply my experience of managing the P&L of paid monthly customers to optimise the Nuffield Health

We’re driving good profitability and generating the resources we need to invest

Nuffi eld plans to further digitise the customer journey

Fitness and Wellbeing business, establishing a commercial set-up that shapes it as an engine for growth and creating an amazing experience for our members over the coming decades.

How are your clubs performing now?

We have two parts to our fitness business – a consumer business with 110 clubs, making us the UK’s fourth largest private sector operator – and a corporate business with over 80 sites, making us the largest on-site corporate fitness provider in the UK.

When I joined, we were on the path to recovery from COVID. However, even as a business starts to bounce back from something like that, the commercial reality becomes very tricky. This is where my expertise came into play, managing P&Ls and ramping up businesses to refill customer bases and start investing back into the experience.

How have the last four years been?

We’ve built the business back up over the last four years and we’re busy, with member numbers at our consumer clubs reaching just shy of half a million. That exceeds our pre-pandemic high and is conservatively driving 40 million visits a year. We also have more than 50,000 corporate members. We’re driving good profitability and generating the resources we need to invest in our products, services and teams.

We offer 10 million group exercise spots every year and by the end of this year, we’ll have Les Mills – which I see as great, accessible programmes – across all 110 clubs

Tell

us about Nuffield’s purpose

For over 65 years Nuffield Health has been a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building a healthier nation. We’re at the forefront of providing high quality healthcare and fitness support through our network of 110 fitness and wellbeing centres and 36 hospitals.

We work as a team to help people achieve their health ambitions, providing high quality hospital care and fitness support and championing free wellbeing programmes in local communities by giving more people the tools they need to live a healthy life.

How do these two parts of the business fit together?

We want to become even sharper in how we run our fitness business, so we’re even more profitable. The greater our profitability, the larger our runway to invest in community

outreach and Programmes-for-all. Our Joint Pain programme, for example, is open to everyone and fundamental to our charitable ethos – as well as in the experience of our paying members.

We want our members to see Nuffield Health as the best place for health and fitness and to tell their friends and families. Of course, as more people come into our already busy clubs, it will put further pressure on facilities which – as a result – will require even more investment. It’s a virtuous cycle that could become vicious if we don’t invest wisely.

What are you investing in?

We have a choice: do we invest to grow our footprint or do we invest to make our existing footprint even better than it is today? And for the next couple of years at least, our focus will be on improving and updating the product, proposition and experience across our clubs.

Last year, we digitised the booking of health assessments and bundles of personal training hours. Members can now choose how many hours they wish to buy and pay for them online or through the app, using modern methods such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.

This year, as I’ve stepped into the role of COO, we’ve started to look in earnest at how we set our fitness business up for growth.

We have high membership levels, but we have to earn the right to keep those members by providing products and services they appreciate. With north of 40 million visits a year, we also have to look after our health and fitness clubs, constantly reinvesting in gym equipment, locker rooms, showers and so on.

Half of our clubs had an equipment upgrade five years ago, but the process was halted during lockdown. We’ve now started again – the trends five years ago aren’t necessarily the trends now – and 50 Nuffield clubs will get brand new equipment this year.

Crucially, we aren’t taking a national approach. We’re taking a very localised approach based on customer preferences in each club, making targeted investments based on what members there want to see changed first.

We’ll continue to roll out this upgrade programme to ensure that our members can exercise better than ever before at Nuffield Health, with equipment that’s o n-trend and tailored to their fitness needs.

We’re bringing digital and physical propositions together to make it truly industry-leading

We’re also investing in group exercise. We currently offer 10 million group exercise spots every year and classes run at 85 per cent capacity – most have waitlists – so we’re doing what we can to increase our capacity and enhance our provision. For example, we’re taking under-utilised space in our clubs and converting it into new studios. That includes reformer Pilates for 10 locations, with classes included in the membership; we don’t want our members to have to go elsewhere and pay extra to do these activities. Where we already have two or three studios in a club, we might convert the under-utilised areas into additional gym floor space instead. We'll invisibly grow without necessarily adding more clubs, expanding the space available for activity within our existing clubs.

Other group exercise investments include new bikes and refreshed AV systems in 30 of our indoor cycling studios so far, with more to come. By the end of this year, we’ll have Les Mills – which I see as great, accessible programmes – across all 110 of our clubs. Next year, we’ll look to introduce a more competitive, social group fitness format for those who are more advanced in their fitness journey.

What’s next on the list?

We’re about to embark on two important investments that I believe will really elevate the experience.

Across our 110 consumer clubs, we operate 126 swimming pools as part of our core proposition. As a result, our locker rooms and shower spaces get a lot of wear and tear and need continuous reinvestment. This year, rather than replace like with like as previously, we’ve started a programme of work that has a completely new template for how we want our showers and locker rooms to

The Nuffield app is being developed from member insights

look. Our members have told us they love some of the more premium spaces they’re seeing from independent providers, so we’re going to deliver that to them. They want it and they deserve it.

We’ll do about five premium shower spaces this year to make sure they hit the mark, trying out a few different templates. Once we’ve established which is the most popular, we’ll roll it out across all our clubs over the next two years.

The other big investment will be in bringing our digital and physical propositions together. Our digital proposition isn’t currently where it needs to be and we will be completely revamping it – built largely on insight and feedback from our customers and club colleagues – to make it truly industry-leading.

For example, our app is becoming a centre of gravity for our members. It allows them to book classes, view their profile, book a health assessment, buy time with their PT and set up payment options using some of the new capabilities we launched last year.

But we want it to be much more than that – a repository of workout plans and schedules, as well as the diary the member and their PT own together, so they can agree on their plans for the next week,

four weeks, 12 weeks. That might include a weekly review of the elements of your regime that will be consumed outside our clubs, because we don’t want our service to start and end with the visit.

We’ll also look at how we digitise the metrics trainers are tracking in sessions, as well as how we build in challenges and gamification to inject fun into workouts and help members achieve their goals. We’ll also start to move our member induction programme – called Personal Best – to the app, to improve accessibility and penetration.

How do you gather robust feedback?

Our members are, thankfully, very vocal. They tell us how they feel, which is indicative of the type of member we attract. They want to be at Nuffield Health and they care about their club, so they tell us when we get it wrong and they tell us what we get right. It gives us the opportunity to react and improve.

We capture customer feedback in multiple ways, with the main source being a monthly survey; it used to be quarterly, but we felt that wasn’t frequent enough.

By next year, we will be gathering microfeedback in real time through our app. If

Clubs are encouraged to develop their own approaches

something isn’t quite right, we need to know there and then so the club can act on it.

Most of our clubs also have a group exercise manager who cultivates a timetable based on what their members say. We encourage each club to have its own flavour, led by the instructors, but we don’t simply tell members what we offer and leave them to opt in or out of that. The modules we deliver are based on what the members of that club tell us they need.

That might mean Karate classes and Tai Chi in our family clubs. It might mean reformer Pilates in an adult-only club, of which we have a few. It might mean the very different delivery of a cycle class where attendees are all in their 30s, versus the clubs where indoor cycling attracts older members or a mix of ages.

By next year, we will be gathering microfeedback in real time through our app

We also run quarterly colleague surveys. Members will tell us their experiences, but colleagues can sometimes add a layer of insight around the challenges they see in-club and how we might improve services and standards from that perspective.

What’s the vision for the business?

Five years ago, the vision was to become the UK’s most trusted health and wellbeing brand. We now have a slightly different slant on things and want to be the best place in the UK when it comes to health and fitness.

Trust is an outcome – we’re focusing on the input and obsessing about how we deliver that. If it leads to good, high levels of trust, we’re doing things right.

Of course, our ability to connect different services remains a core part of our feature set, as Nuffield Health has a degree of diversity in its services and products that perhaps our competitors do not.

We run a fitness business that focuses on preventing illness and disease. We have primary care services that can deliver interventions before things get serious, such as health assessments,

GP services, physiotherapy and diagnostics at our in-club clinics. We also have curative secondary care and elective surgery in our hospitals.

By stringing these products and services together in a really powerful way, we can offer greater value to our customers, or would-be customers, than if we were running siloed businesses.

However, the real power isn’t just in connecting these services. It’s in being great at each and every one of them individually, because not every person who chooses Nuffield Health will use all our services at the same time – or at all. In fact, the majority of people who access Nuffield Health will only ever access one part of our service line.

So, while the connected proposition is very valuable and an inherent strength for us, we don’t want to only talk about this – we don’t want to market our fitness proposition on the back of our healthcare reputation or our Joint Pain programme, for example – because for someone who doesn’t need this, it’s unlikely to inspire them to join.

To those who already choose us for fitness and to those who might be considering a membership, we want to say – clearly and simply – that we are the place to come for health and fitness, because we offer the best fitness proposition.

Membership fees range from £70 to £100 per month

Our members are very vocal. They tell us how they feel, which is indicative of the type of member we attract

Nuffield aims to become a 'best in class' wellbeing chain

If we can communicate this idea more persuasively to more people, we will create an even more profitable fitness estate. In turn, we can scale up the community contribution that’s so important to us as a charitable organisation.

What supports your ‘place to come’ claim?

First, we are for the many, not for the few, with a price point that intentionally makes us more accessible to more people. Our fees vary by location and footprint – not all clubs are built to a standard template, especially having grown by acquisition – but typically range from £70–100 a month.

In return, we offer a diverse, multi-modal, full-service fitness proposition. We’re not a standalone gym, specialist studio or swimming pool. We’re not a physiotherapy centre or a medical clinic where you go for a health assessment. We’re all of these things under one roof, ensuring greater value for money and accessibility across all ages and stages of fitness.

How do you identify development areas?

We already have a really strong core to our proposition – but we constantly ask ourselves

if we stand up on all fronts. Do we run the best swim schools, for example? Do we have the best group exercise programme? What more can we do to enhance every aspect of our offering, beyond the work we’re currently doing on our gym floors, in our studios and our changing rooms and how can we get better at communicating everything that makes us special and that already drives 40 million annual visits to our clubs?

Decisions are made based on the outcomes of these conversations.

Will you open more clubs?

We don’t have an imperative to do this. We do have an imperative to improve member experiences across our existing clubs and generate the resources to expand our Programmes-for-All.

So, that’s where my focus and obsession is for the next two years: raising standards, services, products, experience and profitability in our current estate.

Once we’ve done that and are confident we have the template of a hugely popular fitness proposition with amazing cut-through, then we can look at organic growth and further acquisitions to expand into the future. l

Technogym

PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT:

MIND

MOBILITY

BALANCE

STRENGTH

CARDIO

Inspiration Everyone’s talking about...

Some of the most inspirational entrepreneurs are those who’ve experienced a personal trauma that led them to make a change for the good. Vicky Kiernander speaks to four industry founders about their journey

I’ve learned the importance of listening to my body, staying mobile and keeping movement in my routine. Doing nothing is never the answer.

Joanne Matthews

Founder Ten Health & Fitness

In 2006, I was in a serious car accident and sustained multiple injuries, including whiplash, a fractured coccyx and soft tissue damage. The result was intense, ongoing pain and significantly reduced mobility. My recovery journey was long and difficult and ultimately proved life changing.

What struck me most wasn’t just the physical toll of my injuries, but the fragmented and disconnected nature of the healthcare and rehabilitation services I encountered.

I was forced to coordinate my own care and recovery while feeling physically and emotionally vulnerable, and lacking the expertise to do so.

Discovering reformer Pilates was a breakthrough, providing a safe, supported way to continue exercising and significantly improving my recovery.

I realised I couldn’t be the only one facing these challenges. This insight, coupled with a belief in the need for a more integrated, consumer-centric solution, inspired the creation of Ten Health and Fitness.

Ten had a clear vision from the outset: to bridge the gap between the medical world and

fitness industry with a joined-up, holistic approach to health, fitness and rehabilitation.

The company has an integrated and client-centred approach, particularly for individuals recovering from injury, managing chronic conditions or seeking preventative care.

Our specialists, who include physiotherapists, clinical exercise professionals and PTs, deliver tailored, goal-oriented programmes that prioritise recovery, effectiveness and long-term results.

We’ve tackled the lack of coordination with our Circle of Care approach. Rather than having clients bouncing between specialists with little communication between them, we’ve created an integrated model where everything happens under one roof in real time.

This level of integration means every stage of a client’s journey, from injury management to prehab, treatment and performance is connected, allowing us to be more agile and effective. This isn’t just more efficient – it’s transformational in terms of outcomes.

We’re committed to evidence-based exercise. Whether through personal training, clinical exercise sessions and Pilates. Services are grounded in science and focus on helping clients build strength, resilience and sustainable wellbeing.

Growth has allowed us to introduce complementary services such as women’s health physiotherapy.

This year, we launched Ten Reformer, a franchise business. While the offering is distinct from Ten’s studio model, it reflects our brand DNA and is delivered by instructors trained via Ten Academy, our education platform.

Recovery is never a straight line, and for me, managing past injuries is an ongoing process. While physio, rehab and reformer Pilates have helped rebuild my health, I’ve had to shift my mindset and take a more proactive ‘maintenance and prevention’ approach, focusing on consistency rather than intensity.

There have been moments of frustration when I’ve pushed too hard and found myself back in rehab mode, but I’ve learned the importance of listening to my body and staying mobile. Doing nothing is never the answer.

We support thousands of people every week, many referred by health professionals, but also through self-referral

Lyndsey Barrett

Co-CEO and founder Sport for Confidence CIC

In 1998, during my final year studying Occupational Therapy at Canterbury Christ Church University, I became seriously unwell with what was later diagnosed as an autoimmune disease. At the time, I was also playing netball at national level as part of the England U21s squad. My future had looked incredibly bright but then everything changed, almost overnight.

The illness had a profound impact on my life. I lost the use of one of my hands and developed foot drop, I couldn’t walk without support, and my cognitive ability was significantly impaired. I developed epilepsy, struggled with memory loss, and spent the best part of 10 months in hospital, mostly confined to a bed.

What had once been simple, everyday tasks became incredibly difficult. Plus, the sport I loved became something I was no longer able to access and enjoy.

As I began to recover, I entered a long period of rehabilitation with a fantastic multi-disciplinary team. I eventually returned to complete my degree and went on to work as an occupational therapist in the NHS, a job I loved, but my experience as a patient had profoundly changed how I viewed the health system and my role within it and I started to question whether there might be a different, potentially more effective, way to deliver occupational therapy, outside a clinical setting and with a greater focus on the use of physical activity.

Trying to return to sport myself, I quickly became aware that my new ‘medical’ label made those in the system view me more as a risk than an athlete. My opportunities

to participate had become practically non-existent. I no longer felt welcome or included. That feeling stayed with me and fuelled an idea: what if physical activity had played a greater part in my rehabilitation and beyond that, how could occupational therapists directly work in leisure settings alongside sports coaches to create inclusive, supportive environments?

In 2015, I left the NHS and launched Sport for Confidence CIC. Working as an occupational therapist alongside a sports coach we began by supporting just one individual at Basildon Sporting Village, UK. Since then, we’ve grown to a workforce of more than 50 people, supported by a team of volunteers and apprentices, operating across Essex, parts of London and Suffolk. We support thousands of people every week, many referred by health professionals, but also through self-referral.

Sport for Confidence is built on a person-first, occupation-focused and systems-driven approach. We’re here to tackle inequalities and open up access, especially those furthest away from sport and physical activity, in a way that’s relevant and meaningful to their lives. Without my own lived experience, Sport for Confidence simply wouldn’t exist.

My mum lived alone in a rural town with limited services. She was a smoker and didn’t look after herself, nor did she engage with her GP, for fear of being viewed as a burden.

One day, she was rushed to hospital. She had ignored worsening foot pain for too long and was diagnosed with gangrene. She wasn’t diabetic, so the condition was rare. She had part of her foot removed and was in hospital for three months.

She stopped smoking, which was a small win, but back at home she just accepted her situation. It was only when she was later diagnosed with endometrial cancer that something shifted. She travelled for radiotherapy every day on patient transport and it was being around others like her that boosted her

confidence. She started asking about my work and reflected that her own life could have been different if she’d had access to the health and wellbeing services we were running.

That stuck with me and ReferAll was created to bridge this gap by connecting people to health services. I can’t say for certain it would have changed mum’s fate – she died following a stroke at the age of 71 – but I believe it could have made a difference.

Growing up in a small town with limited opportunities, I saw many friends turn to drugs and alcohol as teens. It was a running joke in our gang that you wouldn’t live past 40. In fact, only a few of us made it to our 50s. Again, if access to support

From humble beginnings and a small start-up grant, we’ve grown into a SaaS platform that supports 171 locations and over 1.1 million referrals

had been easier, their fates may have been different. I thought by improving the system, with services that were easy to find, better funded and built around real evidence, we could genuinely change lives.

From humble beginnings and a small start-up grant, we’ve grown into a SaaS platform that supports 171 locations and over 1.1 million referrals. We work with services ranging from exercise referral and weight management to social prescribing and Prehab4Cancer. Our goal is not just to facilitate referrals, but to provide meaningful data to prove the value of these services, helping commissioners invest in what works.

ReferAll is now active in my hometown, delivered from the very building where I started as a gym instructor in 1992. It feels like coming full circle and closing a loop.

Howard Blackburn CEO Innerva

My grandad’s experience in a care home changed my life. He’d always been independent, but everything changed when he moved into long-term care. With the best of intentions, the staff did everything for him. They believed that keeping him safe and comfortable meant keeping him still, and he started to lose his mobility. At the time, I was chief engineer for Shapemaster, a manufacturer of power-assisted toning tables in Europe and I started looking into how I could help him stay active. I worked with researchers and physiologists to develop a new power-assisted machine to help

We’re not getting fit people fitter, we’re helping people maintain their independence and dignity. That’s what really matters

to live. I genuinely believe that if I’d found a way to keep him moving, he would have lived for longer. That feeling of letting him down is what’s driven me ever since. In time, I bought Shapemaster At

people regain the muscle strength needed for everyday mobility, such as getting in and out of a chair. Sadly, it wasn’t ready in time to help my grandad and he lost his independence, his dignity and his will

(now called Innerva) and refocused the business on making exercise accessible for older adults.

Only 16 per cent of the UK population go to the gym. We ask what turns the other 84 per cent off? Many older adults don’t go because they feel intimidated, uncomfortable and don’t want to go through the humiliating changing room experience.

There’s magic in power-assisted exercise; it’s supportive, safe and effective. People don’t need to wear gym clothes, they can control their own effort while exercising and there’s no embarrassment.

It wasn’t easy. When you’re the first to do something, it’s

tough. You’ve got nothing to copy, it’s like stepping into a void.

We spent a long time experimenting and measuring performance, growing the business organically and never borrowing a penny.

We now have 12 machines that between them support every muscle group and our equipment is used across the UK and Europe. Our research shows they help improve the five elements of healthy ageing – aerobic fitness, muscular strength, balance, flexibility and social wellbeing. The average user is 69. What would many of these people be doing for exercise otherwise?

The user feedback keeps me going. I visited a care home where a woman who was blind and deaf smiled for the first time in years while using our machines. The staff were in tears. Moments like that tell me we’re on the right path.

As an engineer, I see a problem and I want to fix it. We have a pandemic of ill health in older adults and we need to change how we think about ageing, exercise and independence. I truly believe that power-assisted exercise is a necessity. We’re not getting fit people fitter, we’re helping people maintain their independence and dignity. That’s what really matters. l

Fitness Worx and Core Health and Fitness are shaping the future of independent gyms in the UK, with a partnership fuelled by passion

BUILT TO GROW

In a fast-evolving fitness landscape, few brands are making waves quite like Fitness Worx – a bold, independent chain that’s scaling rapidly while staying rooted in community and personal connection. With eight sites and ambitious plans to hit 25 across the Midlands, the company’s momentum is fuelled by more than just business growth. It’s powered by purpose. At the heart of their expansion is a long-standing partnership with Core Health and Fitness – a collaboration that delivers not only premium gym equipment, but also strategic guidance, transparent communication and a relationship built on mutual trust.

“We’re a family-run gym brand and proud to be independent,” says Jack Gibson, founder of Fitness Worx. “Our mission is to be the UK’s leading independent chain specialising in personal training transformations and small group classes. Core Health and Fitness has been instrumental in that journey, not just because of the kit, but because of the relationship we’ve built.”

Grounded in quality and community

Now in its 11th year, Fitness Worx remains focused on delivering high quality, inclusive spaces that elevate the member experience. While each site offers traditional open gym access, the brand’s strength lies in its personal training-led approach, small group offerings, and community-first mindset.

“We try to be as inclusive as possible,” says Gibson. “Whatever your style of training – beginner or advanced – we want you to feel comfortable and motivated in our gyms. That’s why we invest in standout equipment such as Nautilus. Our members love it, and some even travel just to use it.”

This demand for excellence makes Core Health and Fitness a natural fit. Its product range, particularly the Nautilus Leverage Line, delivers the performance and durability required by a premium facility. But more importantly, it’s the service that stands out.

“Our mission is to be the UK’s leading independent chain and Core Health and Fitness has been instrumental in that journey”

Jack Gibson

“Fitness Worx has a strong identity, big ambitions and a genuine care for its members”

Elnaz Bahadoran

Strategic Growth Partner

Behind every smooth installation, every tailored equipment package, and every last-minute pivot before launch is a true working relationship, built between Core’s regional account manager, Elnaz Bahadoran and the Fitness Worx team.

“Personally, for me, it’s not just about the gym kit,” Gibson says. “It’s about the relationship. Elnaz from Core Health and Fitness has been a constant in our journey. The communication is clear, the deliveries are smooth, and if there’s ever an issue, it’s resolved in days. That level of support gives us confidence as we grow.”

Bahadoran’s approach is personal, proactive and precise. From early layout discussions to product recommendations and delivery scheduling, she is an integral part of the Fitness Worx expansion engine.

“What makes a partnership successful isn’t just delivering equipment,” shares Bahadoran. “It’s about being present throughout the journey to help bring their full vision to life. I take pride in being someone our customers can rely on, especially during busy, high-pressure moments like new openings. With Fitness Worx, there’s a shared commitment to quality, which makes every project something we’re proud of.”

With exciting plans already in motion, Fitness Worx is set to continue its rapid growth well into 2026 and

beyond. The team is preparing to open two new sites in the West Midlands, UK, in 2026, with a longer-term strategy to expand over the next five years.

A pipeline full of potential

New locations are being scoped, teams are growing, and member communities are thriving. Through it all, Core Health and Fitness remains a constant presence, providing the confidence and consistency needed to scale sustainably.

For Core, this partnership is about helping the independent sector flourish through trusted collaboration, attention to detail and shared ambition.

“Fitness Worx is exactly the kind of customer we love to support,” says Bahadoran. “It has a strong identity, big ambitions and a genuine care for its members. Being part of that growth is exciting, and it’s only the beginning.”

For Core Health and Fitness, partnerships like this go beyond business. They’re about building trust, delivering on promises, and helping brands like Fitness Worx not just grow, but thrive. l More: www.corehandf.com

SUPER USERS

New global research analysing 2.6 million member journeys uncovers how superusers are the key to unlocking higher retention, referrals and revenue

As the fitness market matures, growth is becoming less exponential and more incremental, compelling operators to work harder than ever to earn their share of the market.

Those with the best strategy and execution are pulling away from the rest of the pack. The European fitness market's total revenue grew by 10 per cent in 2024, but the largest 20 operators increased revenue by an average of 15 per cent (Deloitte 2025 European Health and Fitness Market Report).

Health clubs have fixed overheads and capacity, so every decision an operator makes will have a positive or negative impact on profitability and from the floorplan to the timetable and the marketing approach, every choice matters.

A well-defined strategy provides a framework for making informed choices, ensuring they align with overall goals and long-term vision.

People power

It’s the members who make a club truly great, and the makeup of the membership is one of the biggest determinants of success. In sport, MVPs (most valuable players) are the difference-makers – the margin between success and failure. In gyms, MVPs

(Most Valuable Participants) are the superusers with the potential to transform the business.

This is the standout finding of a new report – MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth –which offers a powerful playbook for operators to enable them win a greater share of the market.

To unearth the findings, independent fitness data experts ROR Partners and 4Global reviewed 2.6 million member journeys across leading clubs in the US and Europe, mining data about their in-club behaviours to offer a comprehensive analysis of the MVP profile.

Although innovation is a cornerstone in the modern club playbook, analysis of members’ activities

The makeup of a club's membership is what leads to success, with superusers creating greater lifetime value

found that operators nailing the fundamentals are the ones attracting the most loyal members.

“In a post-COVID world of changing behaviours, this study gives the sector the independent insight it needs to understand what’s working,” says 4Global’s Neil Tandy.

“The report – MVPs: The New Power Players in Club Growth – delivers a clear, evidence-based view of the global health club landscape.”

The findings

The analysis found that MVPs attend their club 65 per cent more than typical gym members and stay with their club 39 per cent longer (23 months vs 16 months). They’re also 88 per cent more likely to remain an active member after 12 months and have a 27 per cent higher lifetime value (LTV) than typical health club members.

As a benchmark, top performing clubs in the world see that between 30 and 50 per cent of their members are MVPs.

Loyalty and retention of MVPs are both linked to the availability of ‘favourite activities’ on the timetable, with 53 per cent of the MVP group saying they will pay more for their favourite

activities and 93 per cent saying that doing their favourite activities keeps them loyal.

The study found that clubs that offer 'favourite activities' that attract MVPs have a 65 per cent lower attrition rate each month when compared with clubs that don't offer them, with the lower rate at 3 per cent, versus the higher rate at 8.6 per cent.

This means that clubs that don't offer 'favourite activities' to attract MVPs have an attrition rate that's 187 per cent higher each month.

The superuser mindset

Rather than representing a certain personality type, MVPs are defined by their behaviours, meaning anyone can become one with support and engagement.

MVPs love their club more than any other type of customer, staying longer – solving retention challenges –referring more friends to drive acquisition and spending more. By targeting the acquisition of MVPs, operators can be confident they’ll join and stay for the long haul.

MVPs are also most interested in the areas of the club that have the biggest capacity, such as studios meaning more of them can be accommodated without overcrowding.

Rather than representing a specific personality type, MVPs are defined by their behaviour, meaning anyone can become one with support and engagement

Clubs that offer 'favourite activities' have a 65% lower attrition rate

Superusers are most interested in the areas of the club that have the biggest capacity

MVPs are more likely to refer friends, boosting revenues

As well as highlighting the areas of the club where MVPs are most active, the report offers strategic action points

Impact on growth

Delving further into club economics, the research spotlights the importance of strategy in enabling operators to achieve sustainable growth.

With the increasing cost of real estate placing a premium on space, it examines the contribution made by margin – how many members each area of a club can support – and the resultant impact on the bottom line if operators calibrate member acquisition to optimise space utilisation.

As well as highlighting the areas of the club where MVPs are most active, the report contains a strategic action plan for operators to enable them to apply the findings. Covering everything from capacity, instructors and marketing, it’s a toolkit to maximise a club’s superusers. Real-world examples from leading global operators bring the action plan to life with practical perspectives on the challenges clubs face and successful tactics to overcome them. l Download the report: www.HCMmag.com/MVPs

8 WAYS TO BUILD MVPs

1

UNLEASH LATENT CAPACITY

Inspire members to enjoy underutilised areas of the club with the greatest capacity, such as your studios.

2

INSTRUCTORS WIN MVPs

Prioritise the recruitment and development of star instructors to drive studio engagement.

3

ONBOARDING

Tailor onboarding to guide members towards assisted exercise and set them up for success.

4

IRRESISTIBLE WORKOUTS

Offer a broad variety of classes covering the top eight genres (strength, cycle, HIIT etc).

5

STUDIO PATHWAYS

Use taster sessions and surveys to attract studio-shy members and remove hidden barriers.

6

STUDIO DESIGN

Create Instagram-worthy, inclusive spaces that encourage amplification and build a buzz.

7

TIMETABLE STRATEGY

Use expert tactics such as horizontal timetable scheduling to maximise attendance.

8

MARKETING

Leverage Instructors, user-generated content and events to attract and retain MVPs.

Define your strength, fitness and functional training zones with one of our anti-slip rubber floor coverings or maybe utilise our bespoke, seamless polyurethane surfaces to transform your health and wellbeing spaces. Whatever your flooring requirements are we can help to create exceptional training environments for your members.

Hill and Houtenbos have set a target of 50 sites in five years

The concept set out to address the three pillars of longevity: cardiovascular fitness, strength and mental health

ROD HILL GEORGE HOUTENBOS

Two industry veterans are gearing up to launch a longevity concept franchise, with the fl agship location opening in Spain, as Kath Hudson reports.

Zenergie Body and Soul is aiming to capture the zeitgeist of longevity, personalisation and a holistic approach to health.

Targeting the over-35s, the new concept is the brainchild of Rod Hill and George Houtenbos – both with proven track records of scaling franchise brands across multiple countries.

They originally co-founded Fit Brands International in Spain, which has held the master franchise for Énergie Fitness Iberia since 2020, with 20 territories sold, 11 clubs open and five at the build stage.

Hill began his career at Fitness First in the UK and played a pivotal role in expanding the chain to 450 clubs globally. Since moving to Barcelona in 2004, he’s been involved with launching Viva Gym, bringing Anytime Fitness to Spain and expanding TRIB3 across Europe.

Houtenbos established the Spanish arm of Basic-Fit and played a key role in the start of its expansion. He was also the founder of Perfect Fit Spain and has worked as a health and fitness consultant.

With such a wealth of industry experience, the duo has faith in both the new model and a rapid international rollout. The target is to

open 50 locations in five years, starting with a flagship site in Barcelona. Currently being fitted out, this is set for launch in October, under the ownership of an Argentinian franchisee.

The middle 60 per cent

Hill told HCM that Zenergie has been curated to appeal to people who don’t enjoy the gym.

“Gyms appeal to 20 per cent of the population and a further 20 per cent of people will never go one, but we believe there’s a massive audience in the middle of people who are looking for something different. That’s our market,” he says.

“We’re targeting people who cancel their memberships and don’t feel the standard gym environment is for them. They don't want to be super fit or ripped, they have busy lives and just want to maximise their wellbeing and live a good quality of life for as long as possible.”

With a price point of €70 to €150 a month –depending on how many services chosen – Hill expects Zenergie to appeal to people who are old enough to value their health and ready to make the necessary changes to lengthen their healthspan.

“The industry decided that fitness had to be cheap, but people who value their health are

prepared to pay in order to get the right advice, guidance and treatment,” he says. “People who join for quality of life reasons are also very loyal.”

Three pillars of good health

The clubs have been designed to fit into a 550 to 600sqm space, because Hill says this cuts down the gymtimidation factor. The offering includes a Zen studio with six types of yoga, breathwork and meditation classes.

Central to the gym is the AI-powered EGYM smart strength studio, which will offer personalised AI-generated plans, following an assessment to establish the individual’s biological age and taking into account any contraindications or medication.

“We’re working on some incredible programming with EGYM,” says Hill. “But while technology has its place, the trainer is also needed. As we go more towards AI, I believe the first connection has to be with a human being and we will train our PTs in the delivery of AI to the customer.”

Recovery makes up the third element, with a relaxation area and Finnish dry saunas in the changing rooms.

Houtenbos says they’ve created a ‘blue zone’ concept which can fit into towns or busy cities

where most people live. Hill says the concept set out to address the three pillars of good health and longevity: cardiovascular fitness, strength and mental health. “The fitness industry has always had the solution for longevity, we just haven’t communicated that well enough,” he says. “VO2 max is by far the number one determining factor about whether you're going to have a long life.

“Strength training is vital for building and retaining muscle mass and muscle mass can save your life. If you get a serious illness –like cancer – your ability to overcome that is partly based on your muscle mass.

“If you're not doing strength training to hold your muscle mass – which is where Ozempic is going to be catastrophic for so many people – you're going to have an old age of frailty.

“Mental health is the third element and we will help people relax and recover through yoga, breathwork, meditation and the use of recovery facilities.”

We’re working on some incredible programming with EGYM, and will train our PTs in the delivery of AI to the customer

Zenergie interiors will offer light, airy and welcoming spaces

Education on every visit

Nutrition will be part of the mix, with the team about to sign a deal with a Spanish company which will provide the service as an optional add on to the membership, costing around €50 a month.

People taking this option will have an initial consultation to build a nutritional profile and then monthly check-ins to stay on track. The nutritional element will go beyond losing weight and will address factors such as illness and inflammation.

“We want to educate people to understand balanced nutrition, and then take it to another level,” says Hill. “We want to be educating our members every time they come into the club.”

Talks are also underway with Oysho –the athleisure sister brand of global fashion juggernaut, Zara – about running retail areas in the clubs, selling sports clothing.

Although it’s not overtly being branded or marketed as such, Zenergie is a concept that will be most appealing to the over-35s. The design has steered away from a dark, nightclubby, loud environment, instead it is light and airy, with a calming palette which reflects the Mediterranean origins. Music will be quieter and retro, encouraging people to have a chat.

The franchise fee is €35,000 and the club costs around €600,000 to fit out. The team is in talks with a master franchisor for Scandinavia, as well as other potential franchisees in Spain.

Europe is first on the hit list, but nowhere is ruled out, including Asia, the Middle East and Australia. Hill says he expects the franchise interest to be keen. l

Wearables are driving change in the sector

Dave Gerrish examines the results of the sector’s Digital Futures programme

DIGITAL FUTURES EVOLUTION

The evolution of digital transformation in the sector has accelerated rapidly in recent years

Digital Futures – now in its fifth year – is a programme from UK Active in partnership with Sport England that examines digital maturity and effectiveness in the fitness, leisure and sport sector.

The evolution of digital transformation in the sector has accelerated rapidly in recent years, reshaping how individuals engage with physical activity and wellbeing services. From early innovations such as online booking systems and wearable fitness trackers to the integration of

Figure 1 Digital Futures overview

In 2024, returning participants scored an average of 55%, while first time participants scored 46%.

The average puts the sector at the ‘Digital Experimenter’ level overall, with a score of 51% (within the 40-59% range).

The next level, ‘Digitally Established’ starts at 60%, requiring an uplift of 9% in the average score for the sector.

AI-powered software to enhance operations, coaching and immersive virtual experiences, technology has become an essential enabler of inclusive, personalised, data-driven experiences.

This digital momentum continues to be championed by many leading organisations and companies, as well as by initiatives such as Digital Futures, which supports operators in navigating digital maturity and embedding technology strategically into their operations.

By providing a framework for digital benchmarking and fostering a culture of innovation, Digital Futures is playing a supportive role in equipping the sector to meet evolving consumer expectations and driving long-term sustainability.

Last year (2024) marked a pivotal moment for the Digital Futures programme with the publication of the results of the 2024 consultation, which was completed by 117 fitness, leisure and sports organisations.

Since the programme began in 2021, 295 organisations have completed the consultation, representing more than 10,000 facilities across the UK which serve an estimated 5.5 million members. 2024 also saw the addition of second and third survey options measuring enterprise architecture for digitally mature organisations.

This 2024 review represented the completion of the first phase of the initial overarching project – ‘Test and Learn’.

The phase two review concluded in March 2025 and involved nine months of intensive user research, workshops and collaboration with the Digital Futures Advisory Group, which is made up of strategic partners, EGYM, Gladstone and Technogym and contributing partners

Figure 2 Areas of digital

All areas of digital have scored higher this year (2024), but the category ‘Data and Insights’ has seen the highest growth (5 per cent), despite a fall in 2023

48%

(+2% vs 2023)

Organisational model

A measure of how adapted an organisation is in regards to digital

56%

(+2% vs 2023)

Performance and impact

How digital is contributing to an organisation’s commercial, social and other KPIs

52%

(+5% vs 2023)

Data and Insights

How the collection and use of data improves the quality of the consumer experience and drives value

Source: UK Active

Leisure Labs, PerfectGym and Xn Leisure. Operator partners include David Lloyd, Everyone Active, The Gym Group, Parkwood, Places Leisure and Sandwell Leisure Trust. Additionally, there were invited organisations across National Governing Bodies and Active Partnerships.

2024 report consultation findings

This report included data from UK Active’s recently published Consumer Engagement and Insights work to provide a greater level of context behind consumers’ preferences that could have an impact on an operator’s digital development (www.hcmmag.com/UKAinsights).

The average score for digital maturity and effectiveness among the surveyed UK organisations was 51 per cent, an increase of 4 per cent in the 2023 study the previous year. The Digital Maturity and Effectiveness Index describes this level (40-59 per cent) as being that of a ‘Digital Experimenter’, typically meaning that operators are making great strides forward but are missing the investment, goal alignment and rapid advances needed to yield a strong performance (see Figure 1).  Organisations with six to 10 locations saw a 13 per cent uplift in scores, demonstrating that even with fewer resources, smaller organisations can benefit from greater agility as they lay the foundations for growth.

47%

(+4% vs 2023)

Digital experiences

A measure of how rich and thriving an organisation’s digital experiences are

55%

(+4% vs 2023)

Accessibility, inclusion and satisfaction

How digital experiences welcome, support, engage and satisfy all consumers

The largest improvement was seen in the area of Data and Insights, which rose by 5 per cent (Figure 2) after a decline in 2023, when operators were grappling with their approaches to managing vast increases in data inflows to help inform their business decisions, due to the increasing impact of AI.

With the 2024 increase, it’s clear that value is being placed on the importance of data and insight capabilities, data standards, data security and appropriate infrastructure. We expect to see further uplift in this category, driven by the growing adoption of AI by operators in the industry.

Returners who have participated in more than one year of the Digital Futures programme are know as the Digital Futures Cohort Group. This group scored higher than other participants, with the group of operators that have take part for four years scoring an average of 66 per cent – 15 per cent higher than the sector average (see Fiture 3). This indicates the benefits of sutained digital investment, as continually participating in the programme has helped them to make clear digital improvements and efficiencies.

Notably, this group scored highest for Accessibility, Inclusion and Satisfaction in the recent results, while the score for Organisational Model has seen the highest growth since 2021,

It’s clear that value is being placed on the importance of data and insight capabilities, data standards, data security and appropriate infrastructure

with a higher percentage growth, suggesting that having a robust, resourced and integrated digital strategy that’s aligned to a business’s overall commercial strategy, has been beneficial for participants in the programme (see Figure 4).

Future digital priorities

The 2024 report ends by recommending a continued focus on developing a comprehensive digital strategy that’s aligned with an organisation’s overall business goals. In particular, the following areas are shown as trending priorities that exist within many organisations’ strategies and are set to define their ambitions for the next 12 months:

1. Transition to the cloud

Results show that 68 per cent of organisations now use cloud-based Leisure Management Systems (LMS), with 100 per cent considering updates or changes within the next 12 months.

This is a critical area of focus to ensure decision-making is centred on creating positive customer experiences alongside commercial long-term value. Moving from on-site systems to cloud-based and eventually a full SaaS model offers many benefits, such as scalability, cost-efficiency and support for innovation. Transitioning to the cloud also presents several challenges across technical, operational and cultural aspects that organisations must navigate.

2. Focus on digital strategy

Only 18 per cent of 2024 participants have an up-to-date and ambitious digital strategy. However, since Digital Futures began in 2021, 63 per cent of participating organisations have a comprehensive strategy in place that’s aligned with their business goals. The report outlines how organisations should work towards creating a digital strategy over the next 12 months to help maximise opportunities, such as gathering data and insights to grow their revenue.

3. AI Adoption

The report has shown a small increase in the adoption of AI (3 per cent growth on 2023), but the number of operators wishing to implement AI within their strategies over the next 12 months has increased by 11 per cent. This suggests a growing awareness of how AI can be used successfully within an organisation and its operations, with a clear intention to learn and experiment more.

4. Virtual Experiences

Virtual services, including online classes, have seen a 16 per cent decline according to the 2024 report. This reflects a shift away from the demand surge during the pandemic, however, a blended approach to providing both physical and virtual experiences is a key consideration and reinforces the importance of understanding customers’ needs.

This graph shows scores for the organisations that have taken part in Digital Futures for all four years and indicates how their average scores have improved over the four years of the programme, with their score being 15 per cent higher than the average of all operators participating

5. Use of Open Data

Sharing data in a standardised format – known as Open Data – ensures digital information is freely available for anyone to access, use and share, allowing organisations within the sector to create applications freely to encourage more inclusive and diverse participation.

Open Data initiatives such as OpenActive (www.openactive.io) continue to deliver value, while also benefitting from greater levels of awareness among operators.

This is especially true of the Digital Futures Cohort Group whose use of Open Data was higher than the sector average, being 12 per cent more for those organisations who have participated in Digital Futures for two years rising to 40 per cent more for those who’ve taken part over four years.

The number of operators wishing to implement AI within their strategies over the next 12 months has increased by 11 per cent

Figure 4 Scores for returning participants

Returning participants have seen an increase in their scores in each area every year. ‘Accessibility, inclusion and satisfaction’ has consistently scored the highest, but organisational model has seen the greatest level of growth since 2021

■ Accessibility, inclusion and satisfaction

■ Performance and impact

■ Data and insights

■ Digital experiences

■ Organisational model

AI is being used to better understand consumer priorities

What’s next for Digital Futures?

The Digital Futures programme has now published results over the past four years and concluded a thorough review through extensive operator research and formal design activities with UK Active’s Digital Futures Advisory Group and stakeholders. The review’s findings focused on the generation of value propositions for specific Digital Future groups, with enhancements to both the Digital Futures dashboard and methods of support to guide participants through their digital transformation journey. It also formulated growth plans to enhance the programme through partnerships.

Dashboard enhancements

On completion of the survey all participants will have access to their own Digital

Futures dashboard with enhanced analytics enabling them to view results, benchmark against other parts of the sector and track progress year-on-year through partnerships with digital service providers.

In recognition of requests made by participating organisations for help understanding how they can use digital to add value, grow memberships and support participation, UK Active is piloting a globalfirst AI digital transformation agent that will deliver greater personalisation of content to support operators in growing their digital maturity and effectiveness.

Additionally, several themed work strands have been identified to support growth – namely, digital health integration, cybersecurity and the practical application of AI and open data health standards.

Embracing digital innovation will be crucial for the industry to remain competitive and meet the demands of a tech-savvy population

Figure 5 Objectives of participants in Digital Futures ■ 2023 ■ 2024

Improve our website, online presence or social media

Use data insight effectively to improve services or operations

Improve our revenue from digital

Invest in our digital or data infrastructure or systems

Improve our ability to respond to emerging digital trends and opportunities

Build digital confidence and skills among staff

Further improve, develop or scale digital services

Ensure we reach and meet the needs of more diverse users

Create a digital strategy/integrate digital into our organisational strategy

Improve our data security, privacy or GDPR compliance

Support our audience with digital skills

Grow digital skills on our board and in our leadership teams

Focus on the sustainability of our digital products and services

Hire for digital roles

Support staff to work remotely without compromising wellbeing

Digital Futures – conclusions

The Digital Futures 2024 report demonstrates steady progress by operators in relation to digital adoption within the sector, with organisations seeing tangible benefits from cloud-based systems and data insights.   It shows the sector is poised for continued digital integration, with emphasis shifting towards leveraging data analytics and AI to personalise user experiences and optimise operations.   However, gaps remain in digital strategy and system integration, so addressing these will be crucial to maintaining momentum and achieving growth and stability into the future.  Organisations are advised to develop comprehensive digital strategies that

are aligned with their business goals to capitalise fully on these technologies. As consumer expectations evolve, embracing digital innovation will be crucial for the industry to remain competitive and meet the demands of a tech-savvy population. ● Dave Gerrish is strategic lead (digital) at UK Active More: www.hcmmag.com/DigitalFutures24

Users

personal Getting

When workouts can be easily personalised members see measurable results. Julie Cramer talks to tech companies about how innovations are making this happen

EGYM AI data helps deliver more effective workouts

Stephen Barton

EGYM UK

Personalisation has always been at the heart of EGYM solutions.

We believe everybody, regardless of their current health status and fitness levels, should have access to tailor-made training programmes, based on testing and tracking.

How have you refi ned your systems?

Collecting so much data allows us to see trends in usage and workout habits and understand how customers are interacting with EGYM. Being software-based, this then means we can be agile in making changes and adapting according to demand.

What difference is the personalisation of workouts making to results for consumers?

By personalising the training programme for a given goal, workouts are customised based on established sports science principles, ensuring that every rep is tailored to the user, leading to more effective and time-efficient workouts. For example, a member who uses the muscle-building programme will be delivered a high load, low rep programme. Regular strength testing ensures that the programme is constantly modified and adjusted based on real results, making it more effective and time-efficient for the user.

What difference does personalisation make for operators?

EGYM solutions enable members of all abilities to have access to personalisation without any barriers to entry. The benefit of a tailored programme then ensures a member can work towards their goals, and the data allows trainers to have quality interactions and deliver personalised guidance, all while optimising their time.

What results are you seeing?

The results show that on average, users of EGYM visit the gym 1.2 times more often than members who don’t use EGYM. Over the first three months of using EGYM, we see an average strength improvement of 29 per cent.

More: www.uk.egym.com/en-gb

The data allows trainers to have quality interactions and deliver personalised guidance

The secret lies in crafting personalised member journeys that promote sustainable health habits

Nerio Alessandri

Technogym

Since launching Technogym Checkup in May 2024, we’ve seen great success. By assessing physical and cognitive parameters to calculate a user’s Wellness Age, we’ve been able to deliver personalised programmes that boost user results by over 30 per cent. Checkup has become a powerful onboarding tool, helping clients track progress and stay motivated.

How have you refined your systems?

We’ve analysed trillions of data points to revolutionise personalisation. New AI-powered strength and cardio assessments – like grip and squat tests – enable tailored training without equipment. The Technogym App delivers personalised wellness reports and onboarding journeys, empowering users and facilities alike to achieve smarter, more effective fitness outcomes.

How is personalisation helping users?

Since launch, Technogym Checkup and our AI-powered coach have helped members worldwide

AI-driven assessments are used to deliver progressive training plans to users

achieve over 30 per cent better results in the same timeframe. The secret lies in crafting personalised member journeys that promote sustainable health habits. By embracing AI-driven assessments, users receive tailored, progressive training plans that adapt to their needs. This innovative approach not only boosts performance but also encourages long-term engagement, making it easier for members to stay committed and reach their fitness goals.

How does personalisation benefit operators?

The Technogym Checkup isn’t just a product, it’s a personalised service that adapts to your facility and members. From precision programmes to onboarding journeys and progress tracking, it empowers operators to deliver real results.

Globally, it’s driven a 20 per cent boost in attraction and retention, 30 per cent greater efficiency and doubled secondary spend. With upsell features like the AI Coach, facilities are seeing ROI in just 4-6 months. The potential is endless.

What results are you seeing?

Our technology is empowering operators across the UK – from major brands like The Club Company, Village Gyms and Circadian Leisure to local businesses like @Worle. Each site uses our tools in unique ways to deliver exceptional member journeys – so every journey is unique, and Wellness Age varies. Our commitment to ‘Healthness’ remains constant. We’re here to empower every member, supporting their path to better health and fitness. More: www.technogym.com

We’ll shortly launch our app that can be instantly branded and customised

Max Cotton Vor

Vor is a workout generation tool designed to transform how fitness businesses deliver personalised training. Powered by an AI engine, it creates safe, effective and highly varied workout programmes. Unlike large language models, Vor’s engine is built by qualified trainers, ensuring results are reliable, science-backed and traceable.

How has the product evolved over the last year?

As specialists in proprietary AI technology, Vor was originally a back-end-only AI platform designed to integrate with our customers’ technology stacks via API.

This past year, we’ve become an end-to-end technology that requires no development or integration to get started. We’ll shortly launch our app that can be instantly branded and customised to our customers’ needs, including their training styles and gym floor plans. The app can be used by trainers to create workout programmes, or directly by members who can get access to effective and safe training that is tailored to them.

Who’s using it and what results are they getting?

As we’re under NDA, we can’t share specifics at this stage. What we can say is that one of our partners has a million monthly users completing over 5 million workouts per month, and we’ll be soon bringing a joint proposition to this customer base.

More: www.thisisvor.aiw

The app automatically calibrates workout intensity to the user

Sam Theyers

Wattbike

Our mission is to deliver personalised training for every rider. The Wattbike Hub app adapts every workout to the individual’s personal performance data, ensuring the right intensity for every session. Riders can even adjust workouts mid-ride with our intensity slider, making sure the session always matches how they’re feeling in the moment.

The app automatically calibrates workout intensity to match each rider’s fitness level and it evolves with them as their health and performance improve. This makes Wattbike a lifelong training partner, offering a vast library of workouts and plans that ensure variety while continually adapting to the rider’s changing fitness needs.

For coaches and PTs, the Hub includes a workout builder and sharing function so they can design and distribute bespoke sessions for clients or friends. Our smart bikes automatically control resistance (in ERG mode) to hit the power targets based on each rider’s fitness metrics.

How has the product evolved?

We’ve introduced an advanced interval builder on the new PTS2 screen and Air-Pro bike, allowing users to create sessions based on time, distance, power or FTP. We’ve also launched specific training plans designed around our Healthspan Score, which helps users benchmark their health and fitness, then follow structured plans to improve it.

Recognising that many of our users cross-train, we added new workouts focused on non-cycling activities, such as running-specific sessions. We’ve also made the Wattbike Hub app accessible to a wider audience by translating it into multiple

languages to support our growing global community.

Who’s using it?

Our tech supports everyone from casual riders to elite athletes, PTs and coaches – anyone looking for highly personalised, results-driven training.

In the UK, Wattbikes are installed in over 3,000 gyms and used by every professional football and rugby team, as well as all Olympic training centres. In the US, they’re the choice of all NHL teams, the majority of MLB, NBA and NFL teams and over 150 Division 1 colleges, demonstrating our reputation as a training partner of choice at every level.

What results are they getting?

People completing one workout per week improved their Healthspan score by an average of 9 per cent, with those training twice per week improving by 13 per cent. If someone improves their Healthspan score by 13 per cent, they could reasonably expect 2-4 years of additional active, disease-free life, a 15-30 per cent reduction in risk of early death and delayed onset of age-related decline. Data shows that people who followed structured workouts and training plans improved significantly more than those using just ride sessions. We track usage across the Wattbike Hub to gather demographic insights and monitor performance improvements, as well as surveying our customers. Our data shows that users experience measurable gains in power output, endurance and overall fitness over time.

Coaches and PTs can follow clients’ progress via the Hub, tailoring plans based on precise data. Our Hub data has shown clear improvements across specific workout sets and training plans. More: www.wattbike.com

Data shows people who followed structured workouts and training plans improved significantly more than those using just ride sessions

The app supports anyone from beginners to athletes and PTs

In-club music can both attract and repel members. We ask suppliers of music tech for their advice on creating the perfect sound

Music can create emotional connections and brand consistency

FitnessPlayer

FitnessPlayer is a professional music streaming service tailored for group training. Instructors and gyms get access to curated playlists, tempo control (BPM) and full licensing – including both royalty-free music and commercial music. It works across devices, with no need for special hardware. Simply connect via mobile, tablet or desktop and stream online or offline. Pricing starts from £15.99/month with a seven-day free trial available.

Can the right music help with retention?

Yes, music boosts energy, focus and enjoyment, which all support retention. A study from Brunel University showed that synchronised music can increase workout endurance by up to 15 per cent. By allowing instructors to customise tempo and style, FitnessPlayer helps create emotional connections and brand consistency.

FitnessPlayer works across all devices, with the ability to stream online or offl ine

While some clubs aim for broad appeal, we recommend tailoring music to time of day, activity and audience – especially in quiet gym areas or high-engagement settings.

Should music be zoned?

Music zoning is a powerful tool for guiding energy and atmosphere. In high-intensity zones, music with higher BPM and drive can improve performance. In recovery or social areas, lower intensity tracks support relaxation. FitnessPlayer allows gyms to manage zones either through separate devices or pre-set playlists for each area, all synced and controlled centrally.

Shifting music over the course of the day helps match your club’s rhythm and energy. Use calmer tracks during the morning then increase tempo during peak hours or high-intensity sessions.

With FitnessPlayer, operators can automate transitions with smart playlists or let instructors adapt music themselves in real-time. The goal is to deliver consistency with flexibility.

More: www.fitnessplayer.co.uk

Mark Hutchison Hutchi by Hutchison Technologies

We’re professional pro audio specialists. We don’t offer our own streaming service but partner with premium providers such as Mav Music and Music Concierge, who deliver expertly curated playlists tailored to each space.

We provide audio systems, engineered for proper coverage and easy control. Most clubs budget £20–£55 per zone, using store-and-forward systems for two-to-four zones, plus studios – no constant streaming is required.

Can the right music help with retention?

Music doesn’t just fill silence – it shapes emotion, energy and memory. A 2021 study, The Influence of Music Preference on Exercise Responses and Performance by Christopher G Ballmann, found 75 per cent of exercisers feel more motivated and connected when music hits the right note.

Clubs thrive when playlists adapt to shifting moods: calm, focused mornings; then vibrant, social vibes for Millennials and Gen Z, transforming weekends into modern nightlife scenes.

Successful clubs avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, instead tailoring music by time, zone,

Think beyond playlists – curate sensory experiences that influence emotion and elevate engagement

and member profile, keeping spaces and engaging, relevant and inspiring members to return.

Should music be zoned?

Absolutely. Music should flow through every part of a club, including corridors and transitional areas, creating a seamless journey that matches members’ activities and moods. High-tempo tracks energise functional fitness zones, while softer sounds promote relaxation in spas or lounges.

Modern audio systems support precise scheduling, noise-sensing volume control and zoning tailored to shifting demographics. A Friday night, for example, might blend powerful beats in the gym with mellow café vibes, perfectly timed and effortlessly adjusted.

Music should evolve as members and club energy change throughout the day. Mornings might call for calm, nature-inspired tracks on a terrace, while Friday evenings transform spaces into vibrant, Ibiza-style chillout lounges. Operators should study member profiles and traffic patterns, using both music and lighting to set the right tone. Think beyond playlists – curate sensory experiences that influence emotion, elevate engagement and keep your club feeling dynamic and welcoming.

More: www.hutchi.tech

With the app, operators can schedule playlists to align with their timetable

Andy Pickles

Pure Energy Music

Pure Energy Music is a rights-included music streaming app built for the fitness and leisure industry. It features expertly-curated playlists by workout type, BPM controller, interval timer and offline playback. It’s ideal for gyms, studios, and group exercise settings and no PPL/PRS fees are required. Pricing starts at £14.99/month for operators. All you need is a phone or tablet and a sound system – no specialist hardware is needed.

Can the right music help with retention?

The right music can significantly boost retention. It enhances motivation, energy, and enjoyment – all key factors in bringing members back. Instructors at David Lloyd Clubs, for example, have seen 70 per cent plus class occupancy using the Pure Energy Music app.

A 2020 UK Active report also identified music as a major contributor to positive member experiences. While diversity in playlists is important, targeting music to class formats or demographics often delivers stronger results.

Operators can’t please everyone, but music that avoids extremes and supports performance helps sharpen focus. Curated playlists build identity, elevate sessions and improve overall experience – driving engagement, satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.

Should music be zoned?

Zoning music by activity can enhance the member experience. High-energy tracks in workout zones are able to boost members’ motivation, while calmer music in reception or recovery areas supports relaxation. Technically, this can be managed through multi-zone audio systems or by using individual devices running the Pure Energy Music app in each area. This allows health and fitness operators to tailor music by zone, time of day or user need, creating a dynamic, purposeful atmosphere across the facility.

Changing music throughout the day helps match mood and energy to member needs. Operators should use upbeat tracks in the morning, mellow tones during the quieter periods and high-energy music during peak times. This keeps the club’s atmosphere both engaging and purposeful.

With our app, operators can schedule playlists to align with their timetable, creating an experience that supports workouts and overall member satisfaction. ● More: www.pureenergymusic.com

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For more insight, or to get in touch with the companies featured, visit www.fitness-kit.net and type in their keyword

Product innovation

Julie Cramer rounds up the latest health,

fitness and wellness kit

Different hand positions allow users to target upper body muscle group, says Robert Howett

Advanced Cardio Equipment has created a new concept in fitness dedicated to upper body exercise. The A-trainer combines the three key elements of physical exercise: cardiovascular, muscular endurance and muscle-building within a single piece of apparatus to provide an upper body workout.

“It gives a cardio workout without any assistance from the lower body”

Robert Howett

The company says it set out to redress the balance in the cardio fitness market, which is dominated by exercise machines which almost exclusively require intensive use of the legs.

After a lengthy prototyping phase, the apparatus evolved into the A-trainer, which can provide a cardio workout without any assistance from the lower body. Director Robert Howett says: “We believe people playing many sports including swimming, gymnastics, athletics, field sports, canoeing and other activities, where upper body strength and fitness are key, will benefit from this machine.”

fitness-kit.net keywords

Advanced Cardio Equipment

Breath is the most overlooked yet powerful window into your health, claims Panos Papadiamantis

Founded by Panos Papadiamantis and Apostolos Atsalakis, Pnoe offers breath analysis technology once reserved for elite athletes.

Pnoe’s clinically-validated device measures 23 key biomarkers including VO2 max, metabolic rate, fat-burning efficiency and biological age, eliminating the need for needles or lab testing, delivering the results of breath samples in just eight minutes. The data offers a 360-degree view of the heart, lungs, metabolism and cellular health. It can be used to generate personalised nutrition, training and bio-optimisation plans via Pnoe’s AI-powered platform and expert team.

“Pnoe is turning breath into medicine”

Panos Papadiamantis

Use by leading clinics, hotels and gyms – such as Equinox, Liquivida, Four Seasons and NuBioAge – noe is helping people quantify how therapies such as IVs, Red Light, or breathwork impact their biology. Papadiamantis says: “Pnoe is reshaping how we measure longevity and optimise life.”

fitness-kit.net keyword

Pnoe

These configurators mark a step forward in personalised gym design, says Oskar Ragvald

Eleiko, a pioneer in premium strength equipment, has launched a new suite of interactive online configurator tools designed to make gym design and equipment planning easier.

The new platform, developed in collaboration with London Dynamics, empowers users to design, customise and visualise Eleiko products using 3D modelling and augmented reality (AR) functionality.

This configurator allows customers to create strength training environments from compact performance spaces to large-scale training facility.

A whole range of Eleiko products can be configured, including Prestera strength stations, cable multi-stations and storage systems.

Oskar Ragvald, commercial director at Eleiko, says: “These configurators mark a significant step forward in personalised gym design.

“Customers can create their ideal strength training environment with ease”

Oskar Ragvald

“They empower customers to confidently plan their facility layouts, optimise performance zones, and visualise how Prestera will elevate their space.”

fitness-kit.net keyword

Eleiko

We’re enabling the sector to lead in reducing waste, says Luke Parkinson

Leisure Loop is a dedicated recycling scheme for swimming pool equipment, created to tackle the environmental issue of used goggles, floats, swim caps and other kit largely ending up in landfill.

By partnering with pools across the UK, the scheme is building a national recycling network that makes it easy for swimmers and pool operators to participate.

Collected items are transformed into UK-made products such as recycled changing room panels and facility furniture, helping to reduce carbon emissions and promote a circular economy.

Founded by two senior managers from Tadcaster Community Swimming Pool, Leisure Loop was “born out of a desire to create a solution by the industry, for

“Leisure Loop is an eco-solution by the industry, for the industry”

Luke Parkinson

the industry”. Luke Parkinson, MD, says: “The average six-lane swimming pool generates over 100 litres of pool waste every month. By working together, UK pools could fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just eight months.

“With sustainability at its core, Leisure Loop is enabling the sector to lead the way in reducing waste and building a growing community of changemakers.”

fitness-kit.net keywords

Leisure Loop

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Indoor cycling is an effective way to treat hip osteoarthritis

Hip health

Indoor cycling gives better outcomes than physiotherapy when it comes to treating hip osteoarthritis, with a programme rolling out across the UK

Indoor cycling is an effective and low-cost way of treating hip osteoarthritis and could save health services millions, while empowering consumers, according to a study.

Published in Lancet Rheumatology, the research was undertaken by Bournemouth University (BU) and University Hospitals Dorset (UHD).

The university launched a CHAIN (Cycling against Hip Pain) programme in 2013, targeting people with hip osteoarthritis and other forms of hip pain and worked with 96 patients referred by their doctor.

After eight one-hour weekly static cycling group classes, participants reported improvements in pain, function and quality of life, as well as more confidence, knowledge and motivation to exercise.

A second programme with 167 people also showed improvements and a five-year follow-up found the majority were still self-managing their hip pain, with 57 per cent not having pursued surgery.

More impact than physiotherapy

In 2020, the CLEAT trial was launched to compare the CHAIN programme with standard physiotherapy. Participants attended Active Littledown in Bournemouth – operated by BH Live – once a week for eight weeks. Each session involved 30 minutes’ education from a physiotherapist about how to manage their arthritis and a 30 minute cycling session, led by an exercise specialist. The control group received the usual physiotherapy

Indoor cycling is proven to improve clinical outcomes for those with hip arthritis and is more cost-effective than physiotherapy

at the local hospital. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research.

Researchers discovered that participants who took part in the weekly cycling and education sessions reported better recovery outcomes when compared to participants who undertook regular physiotherapy.

Proven outcomes

Tom Wainwright, professor of orthopaedics at BU and a physiotherapist at UHD, was the chief investigator, he says: “For the time it takes to treat one patient using standard physiotherapy, we can treat multiple patients in a group session and provide them with better outcomes. This has proven to be more cost-effective than standard treatment and we hope it will contribute to reducing waiting times for physiotherapy.”

The goal now is a national rollout, providing clinical teams across the UK with the knowledge and skills to set up their own interventions.

The BU team has also developed a virtual course on its app, allowing individuals to follow the intervention programme from their home or gym using a static bike. l

More: www.hcmmag.com/knee

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