ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 22
16 October 2020
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Investment to put Freemotion at the forefront of connected fitness in the commercial sector page 4 Retention Convention goes virtual for 2020 page 3 Diversely qualified PT chooses Manchester to launch his new advanced gym concept page 5
Roll of
HONOUR 2020 WO R KO U T M AG A Z I N E
Have you nominated your lockdown hero? Nominate your lockdown hero who has gone over and above in these most testing of times in the WorkOut Magazine 2020 Roll of Honour. We want to hear from you, if you know someone who has gone above and beyond in 2020, to make a difference and help their members and colleagues get through these harrowing times. The WorkOut Magazine 2020 Roll of Honour will appear in our January 2021 issue Send your nomination to events@scriptmedia.co.uk and we will be featuring some of your stories in WorkOut Magazine and our weekly WorkOut digital newsletter. Closing date for entries is Friday December 4.
We can’t wait to read your stories ‌ Sponsorship opportunities are also available by calling 01226 734 605
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Retention Convention goes virtual for 2020 GLOBAL retention expert, Dr. Paul Bedford, will host his annual Retention Convention virtually for 2020, bringing together speakers from around the world to form a documentary-style event around Building Communities on Thursday 3 December. He said: “During lockdown I attended so many online seminars – usually a mix of live and pre recorded sessions, that just didn’t work for me. “I knew, if I was to run a Retention Convention for 2020, I had to do it differently. “So this won’t be a series of talking heads on a screen, it will be a documentary-style event where the presenters will be creative to ensure content is more engaging. “As well as talking to the camera they will include interviews with customers and videos of clubs to demonstrate their point. “All the speakers are operators and all the speakers are women; it wasn’t a conscious decision on my part, just a group of experts I identified on building communities that I believe our sector can learn an awful lot from.” Award-winning Australian studio owner, Amanda Bracks, will open the Convention with her session ‘Making People Feel Like They Belong’, which will enlighten viewers on how to build a tight community of members using fun retention activities, attendance driven competitions, a postcard programme and referral programmes, including examples used during lockdown. The all-female cast for 2020 also includes Stacey Seward Vandiver, owner and CEO of US-based group fitness education and subscription brand, SoulBody Fitness. The brand, which develops innovative, smart and results-driven classes for operators, is used by more than 300 clubs worldwide. Stacey will lead a session called ‘The Power of Community through Group Fitness’. Originally from Australia, UK-based Lauren Moate will explain building communities through the franchise model, with her session ‘Creating a community, not just a club’. Lauren is currently learning and Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia. co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia. co.uk
Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 tb@scriptmedia. co.uk Sales manager: Louise BristoweHarrison Tel: 01226 734699 workout3@ scriptmedia.co.uk
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development manager for énergie; her journey with the company has been unique. Her first experience with any gym was joining the énergie Fitness Club in Tynemouth as a member back in April 2010. Three months on Lauren, previously a biomedical scientist, started working at the club and within six months was promoted to manager. Her next step was head office where she became the first pre-sale manager, in charge of opening new clubs, before transitioning to learning and development where she has created and delivered many énergie courses, including a three-day residential énergie Basic Management Course, training every aspect of running a gym franchise business, and the award-winning Take the Stage programme, focusing on delivering the best customer service and creating communities at the heart of each of énergie’s clubs. Marisa Hoff, named one of IHRSA’s Women Who Inspire in 2019, will talk about building communities through social media. Previously Marisa was general manager of Stevenson Fitness, the Californian boutique health club owned by 2019 Retention Convention speaker Chris Stevenson, where she oversaw club operations, including an NPS consistently in the 90s, retention rates over 70 per cent, high active user rates and a booming group exercise programme. She now runs Stevenson Consulting alongside Chris, helping fitness professional and their businesses achieve growth and continued success. Also confirmed to speak is long-time friend and colleague of Dr. Bedford’s, Gillian Reeves, who used to volunteer at the YMCA where Paul worked as the general manager back in the 1990s. Since then, Gillian has been responsible for 122 Virgin Active group exercise programmes, increasing participation from 25 per cent to 40 per cent during her seven years as National Group Exercise Manager. The event will start at 1pm on Thursday 3 December and anyone interested can register at https://retention-guru-online. mykajabi.com/retentionconvention
TV.FIT projects £20m turnover and unveils TRUCONNECT app GLOBAL online streaming platform TV.FIT has announced the launch of a new app, TRUCONNECT by TV.FIT. It means that users around the globe, via the TRUCONNECT app, can now stream hundreds of workouts directly to their smartphone, tablet or TV, also with access to more than 45 e-books, inclusive of those for young adults, that act as an opportunity for everyone to improve their body and mind. The TRUCONNECT app will take TV.FIT’s offering to the next level, creating the world’s largest virtual fitness community. David Weir, TV.FIT founder, said: “We recognise the importance of community and our trainers and programs are designed to push you to train hard and stay motivated. “We appreciate the individual, which is why all our programs are adaptable, modifications available to suit all skill levels. You can create your own workout, repeat a friend’s workout, involve your kids in our family friendly workouts, or simply have some downtime to meditate - TRUCONNECT has something for everyone.” The launch comes as TV.FIT announced impressive figures that underly the
innovation and ambition behind their offering, expected to turnover £5m this year at a profit margin of in excess of 60 per cent, with £20m projected in turnover for 2021. Now in 71 countries, and having recently penned two deals with a global insurance company and leading Indian outfit worth £7.5m and £30m respectively over five year terms, David’s idea to set-up TV.FIT was part influenced by an encounter with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. David added: “I was fortunate enough to interview Jeff at which point we discussed the dynamics of a market and Amazon’s success story. “Jeff recalled bookstore Barnes & Noble as one of Amazon’s biggest competitors in the early days, and while Barnes & Noble stuck to their brick and mortar roots, it was Amazon’s willingness to make the transition to online first that provided the foundations towards success.” Bolstering the expertise that the likes of Professor Chris Williams provide, TV.FIT has also partnered with four leading doctors to create bespoke behavioural change content.
Tell us about your lockdown heroes IT’S BEEN a long hard year so far and many of us have faced unprecedented challenges. But, as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going … and that has certainly been the case in the fitness industry. Following our announcement that, unfortunately, we can’t proceed with this year’s National Fitness Awards, we decided that so many amazing things have been going on during the difficult months of lockdown and beyond, we still needed to recognise these. For that reason we have launched the WorkOut 2020 Roll of Honour – this will appear in our January 2021 issue and will pay tribute to the lockdown heroes who have gone over and above in these most testing of times. Do you know someone who has worked tirelessly to help those in need?
Or an individual who has used their energy and innovation to help their members stay strong and fit during the closures? Maybe they have used the time to innovate and plan for the future so they can bounce back stronger for their members? Whatever their contribution we want to hear about it. Please send your nomination to events@scriptmedia.co.uk and we will be featuring some of your stories in WorkOut magazine, and our WorkOut Weekly digital newsletter. Closing date for entries is Friday December 4. There will be a place on our Roll of Honour for the most inspiring nominees and they will all receive a certificate to mark their achievements. Ready, steady, get nominating …
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Investment to put Freemotion at the forefront of connected fitness in the commercial sector ICON Health & Fitness, the world leader in innovation, design, and distribution of connected fitness equipment and software, has announced a $200million growth investment led by L Catterton, the most global consumer-focused private equity firm, paving the way for Freemotion Fitness to become the leading connected fitness brand in the global commercial market. As the era of the ‘hybrid gym model’ becomes part of everyday operations for the majority of health clubs and facilities around the world, ICON is perfectly positioned to unite the fitness ecosystem and connect the dots between home and gym, benefiting both operators and members. ICON companies include Freemotion® – the pioneering commercial fitness brand – and established, industry-leading, consumer fitness brands, NordicTrack® and ProForm®. ICON is the only company that creates connected fitness experiences across multiple brands, multiple product categories, and all consumer and commercial fitness segments. These are all powered by iFit, the immersive live and on-demand streaming fitness and wellness media platform. The investment will further accelerate ICON’s unique growth strategy of delivering its expansive range of interactive fitness products powered by iFit, and is perfectly timed for the launch of the Freemotion 22 SERIES – a revolutionary full cardio range that provides the first truly interactive,
connected fitness experience for commercial fitness facilities – which releases globally in mid-October. Dan Toigo, senior vice president and managing director for Freemotion, said: “This investment is extraordinary news for the ICON family of brands and a huge boost for Freemotion as we launch the 22 SERIES, powered by iFit.
“It means that the unrivaled interactive, connected fitness experience provided by our machines and content will only expand in the months and years ahead, which is great news for our customers and their members.” The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the demand for coach-led workout content as a must-have feature in
people’s fitness routines, a trend being echoed around the globe. A recent report states that 63 per cent of US adults who regularly exercise plan to incorporate a mix of training in a gym and at home in the future. “It’s clear that people are embracing the hybrid gym model, and with approximately 700,000 paid subscribers and rapidly growing, iFit can be enjoyed at home, in the gym, and on-the-go across ICON’s diverse range of products and partnerships,” added Dan. “This places Freemotion in a unique position to help operators implement this home-gym offer and future-proof their businesses. “Not to mention that ICON reaches the fitness industry’s largest total addressable market in North America, Europe, and around the world, further demonstrating why there’s never been a more exciting time to partner with Freemotion.” This investment is in addition to the December 2019 $200million capital raise from Pamplona Capital Management. This demonstrates confidence in ICON, its subsidiary brands, and the fit-tech market as a whole, and Freemotion’s position as the leader of interactive, connected fitness within the commercial fitness space. ICON’s mission is to help consumers and members of every demographic and fitness level pursue and achieve their health and fitness goals, while driving engagement, retention, and revenue for operators.
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DIVERSELY QUALIFIED PT CHOOSES MANCHESTER TO LAUNCH HIS NEW ADVANCED GYM CONCEPT
A FORMER Royal Marine Commando is planning to revolutionise the Manchester gym scene with the launch of his first gym early next year. Andy McGlynn is creating a multifaceted approach to fitness and wellbeing called GSquared Health Clubs where opulent interiors meet cuttingedge innovation. The exclusive three-tiered memberships – Executive, Platinum and Platinum Plus – are available from Monday, October 26. A personalised approach, GSquared Health Clubs’ membership application will be prearranged appointments or VR technology tours for prospective members.
Set within the vaults of the Royal Exchange Arcade on St Anne’s Square, Andy is passionate about creating a concept that’s not just a fitness facility, but a sanctuary to restore, re-energise and revive. “I knew that Manchester had to be the first location for the first GSquared Health Club, which I believe is set to be a gamechanger for the fitness industry,” he said. “We are shaking up the norm to become one of the world’s leading health club brands. “It was an overwhelming passion and quest for perfection within a fitness facility, combined with the drive to push the standards of an industry that gave
me the energy and awareness to build GSquared. “It’s one thing to create a stunning fitness space, but we’ve added substance by ensuring innovation and high service standards are imperative to the brand. Taking all the learnings and experiences from the fitness industry as a whole, I wanted to create strengths from the recurring issues that often let members down. “For example, our new site is substantial enough in size to accommodate a club membership in excess of 3,000 members, but it will actually be limited to 800, meaning that members will never have to wait for equipment – it will be a much better
experience all round.” Within the 12,000 sq ft of training space there’s an indoor running track, a 20-metre sled track, CV garden, performance room, free weight area, resistance equipment, assault course – with monkey bars, rope regain and cargo net, full free motion cable suite, and a climbing wall. The flexible studio space is atmospherically lit to raise energy in the high intensity areas and add a sense of calm for the holistic studio sessions. A ground-breaking addition to the health club is the innovative COSMED’s BodPod machine, a body composition tool and an efficient form of body fat testing.
IndigoFitness appoints Chloe to strengthen its sales team IndigoFitness has announced the addition of Chloe Young to its sales team, who joins to handle sales in the south of England. Chloe has almost 20 years’ experience in the industry, having started out in 2001 at the flagship David Lloyd in Swindon as health club ndministration manager, before moving onto a pre-sales role. Chloe then spent eight years at Cybex as a sales representative for the southern region. Jamie Taylor, director at IndigoFitness, said “We warmly welcome Chloe to the team. “I think her previous experience of working on both sides of the industry, at both an operator and a major international brand, will greatly enhance the offering she can bring to our customers.” Commenting on her new role, Chloe
Chloe Young added “My enthusiasm for fitness and creating the best training spaces continues with the best of British manufacturing at IndigoFitness, and I look forwarding to building strong relationships with both current and new customers.”
UK based Boomday will soon be launching the world’s first video-centric sport, health, and fitness-focused social networking platform to serve a growing appetite for viewing and engaging with specific content. People can’t get enough of video, with estimates suggesting that in 2021 the average person will spend 100 minutes a day watching online videos. However, a common complaint is that users often have to scroll through masses of irrelevant content to finally find the videos that appeal to their interests. The Boomday App, launching at the end of this month, will be a free to use, secure and non-political platform where people who are into sport, health, and fitness can leave the clutter behind. They can connect with fellow enthusiasts, viewing and uploading videos to showcase their talents and build a presence through their profile. Boomday users will be able to start with a simple but intelligent search function which refines the results most relevant and compelling to them within this new digital community.
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We are so sad to announce that we have taken the difficult decision to cancel this year’s National Fitness Awards. All nominations for this year’s awards will be carried over to next year – and nominees will have the opportunity to update their nominations should they wish to ahead of the closing date. Nominations will remain open throughout the year closing on August 31 2021. Thank you for all your nominations and support and we look forward to celebrating your achievements in 2021. Thanks too to our sponsors for your continued loyalty and support.
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