ISSUE 1 May
WEEKLY
Issue 70 - 08 October 2021
YOUR REGULAR ONLINE UPDATE FOR THE UK FITNESS SCENE
Baroness Tanni GreyThompson to hand over role as ukactive chair in 2022 PAGE 2 Pulse completes gym transformation
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WORKOUT WEEKLY
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Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson to hand over role as ukactive chair in 2022
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Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.
ukactive has announced that Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson will hand over her role as chair after more than six years with the organisation. The 11-time gold medallist and Paralympian, who is now a Peer in the House of Lords, will end her term as chair of ukactive in August 2022. Tanni will use her last ukactive Conference speech on October 13 to reflect on the progress made by the physical activity sector during her tenure, set out plans for her final year as ukactive chair, and look to the future growth of the industry. She said: “It has been an honour and a pleasure to be chair of ukactive for the past six years and I still have an important year ahead. “I am immensely proud of the progress we have made and the leadership ukactive has shown, from the development of a world-class Board to forming a uniquely talented team, developing innovative ways to add value to our members, and uniting the voice of the industry during the pandemic. “I’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to all our members, partners and colleagues who have made this such a unique part of my life. I will always wear the ukactive badge and pursue its mission with pride.” Tanni joined ukactive in 2015, taking over the reins from Fred Turok and steering ukactive to be the sector driving force it is today, working with its members and partners to raise the national profile of physical activity and
importance of the sector in our mission to get more people, more active, more often. Her leadership has been instrumental in supporting and navigating ukactive through the pandemic, working with the Board and the executive team to support the sector through its survival and recovery, and plotting the course for its development. Tanni departs following an extended tenure as chair, supporting ukactive and the sector to navigate the trials of the past 18 months. In July this year she was elected as the president of the Local Government Association, an organisation which has worked in close partnership with ukactive over recent years, and particularly throughout the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Huw Edwards, CEO of ukactive, said: “Tanni has been the greatest champion our members could possibly have had over the past six years, with an unrivalled belief and enthusiasm for the role physical activity plays in improving people’s lives. “She has taken this belief and enthusiasm into every meeting and every event she’s had on behalf of our members, unrelenting in her quest to help them grow and develop. “Furthermore, her support to me, the team, and the wider sector in the past 18 months of the Covid pandemic has been fundamental to the survival and continued recovery of the sector.
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Pulse completes gym transformation THE Laura Trott Leisure Centre has undergone a significant transformation thanks to recent investment from Broxbourne Council and its partnership with Pulse Fitness. The facility’s gym has been fully refurbished and upgraded to maintain its position as the premier fitness centre in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. A connected solution Pulse Fitness was awarded the contract due to its fully connected fitness offering. The council were impressed to see that members will be able to use the internet, watch Netflix , stream online workouts and log into social media whilst exercising. A modern gym-floor The team at Pulse has now completely modernised the fitness facility to incorporate the latest training trends as
well as providing an aesthetic makeover. The gym has a completely new layout, which has been designed to maximise the available space over two storeys, and is now home to more than 120 stations of the latest Pulse Fitness cardio, strength, plate loaded, free weights and functional equipment including a dedicated area for an eGym circuit. A number of new and innovative items have been selected including ski ergs, curved treadmills, StepMills, Airbikes and a tank sled. The equipment mix has been carefully curated to strike a balance between new fitness trends such as greater demand for resistance and functional training, and the traditionally popular cardio and circuit style equipment. In line with demands, the free weights area has doubled in size, and the functional space is now three times bigger than before. Pulse Fitness has created a much more
user-friendly space for members to be able to set up their own circuits, and for the fitness team to run gym-based classes. Aesthetic makeover As well as transforming the gym equipment, the Laura Trott Leisure Centre gym has received a full cosmetic makeover to future proof the site for the next ten years and beyond. The gym has a new colour scheme, flooring and inspirational wall art throughout. “It was really important for us to work with a supplier with a fully connected fitness solution so we could offer our members the best possible experience,” said fitness manager Mike Brown. “Having worked previously with the Pulse Fitness team at another of our facilities we knew that they could deliver on exactly what we were after. “We are really pleased with the work
that has been carried out at the Laura Trott Leisure Centre, it’s well-used by the local community and subsequently was in much need of some TLC. “Pulse Fitness has proven themselves to be a reliable partner throughout this process. “One of our key priorities is to get more people active, and we hope that the facility will continue to be enjoyed by the local community for years to come.” “We’re delighted to have been able to support Broxbourne Council in their new vision for the Laura Trott Leisure Centre,” added Richard Sheen, commercial sales director for Pulse Fitness. “Our market-leading, quality equipment incorporates the very best in British design alongside some of the most innovative and advanced ideas from around the world, so we are confident that we can support the local community in reaching their fitness goals.”
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Global fitness brands and influencers come together to educate and inspire at FitNation THE annual leading B2B event for the fitness industry, FitNation, is to return on October 29 between 2pm and 6pm (CET). With a focus on technology and innovation, it is set to be the largest one yet and will follow the same virtual format from last year. “Following all the changes and challenges that the fitness industry has had to face in the last two years, it has never been more important to share ideas, knowledge and experiences with one another”, added Hugo Braam, CEO and co-founder of Virtuagym, who will open the event. “It’s therefore really exciting to have such a brilliant line-up for FitNation 2021, as we focus on how technology and innovation can continue to make the world a healthier and happier place.” In total, 1,200 fitness owners, operators and entrepreneurs are expected to come together to share invaluable insights, experiences and ideas, providing an ideal opportunity for attendees to learn, network and be inspired. It comes at a crucial moment following the recent evolution of the fitness industry, as more and more fitness businesses have looked to use technology to blend physical and digital and provide more
hybrid, holistic health and fitness experiences. The FitNation line-up has a host of leading industry brands including Virtuagym, CLMBR, Active Wellness, ClassPass, Workout Anytime, WIFA and Prime Time Fitness. It will also welcome prominent fitness influencers such as Emma Barry, Matthew Januszek and Stephanie Elswood. The exciting schedule will cover a depth of topics. These will range from fitness trends that are here to stay to wellness and meditation, engagement with online communities and the
democratisation of the fitness industry. Those who purchase virtual tickets will be able to watch three keynote presentations, including a panel discussion, and will also be able to experience: n 11 exclusive workshop sessions, led by industry experts. n 1:1 networking sessions, where with just a click people can be matched for three-minute video calls. n A real life virtual booth exposition centre, to browse the latest fitness industry offers. This will be the third FitNation, following the great success of the
Advertiser’s announcement
inaugural 2019 event and its virtual version last year. The 2021 event will be live streamed from the state-of-the-art Amsterdam studio of global fitness technology provider Virtuagym, and use the trueto-life experience provided by HopIn, a virtual events platform recently valued at more than $5.5billion. All attendees will additionally receive access to the post-event recordings, ensuring they can really make the most of all of the content and discussions being held. Limited and early bird tickets are available at https://fitnation.co/fitnation-2021/
Matrix Fitness celebrates 20th anniversary MATRIX Fitness, the premier brand of Johnson Health Tech (JHT), celebrates its 20-year anniversary this month. Known as the fastest-growing commercial fitness brand, Matrix attributes its success to delivering the products, solutions and support their customers desire. “Matrix design innovations have changed the way fitness equipment looks and feels since 2001,” said Mark Zabel, global chief marketing officer and president of the U.S. Commercial Division. “Matrix has leveraged continuous innovation and cross-cultural collaboration to emerge as an industry leader, challenging standards and raising expectations for fitness equipment design and integrated technology. “We would like to extend our gratitude to our employees, partners and especially the customers who have stood by us over the years.” Matrix Fitness first made its introduction in the fitness industry at the Club Industry trade show in 2001 with the industry’s first round tubular construction of selectorised strength equipment. Their focus to change the aesthetic of fitness facilities remains true to this day. Over the last two decades, Matrix has won over 200 awards including industrial design, service, and fitness industry awards. Some of the most notable include FIT PROF’s Best Commercial Cardio Equipment of 2021, PLUS X AWARD 2021 Best Brand of the Year, winner of the International Service Excellence Awards in 2019 and 2020 and the Taiwan Excellence 2021 Award. Today, Matrix offers more than 500 products in its portfolio, offering a complete line of cardio, strength, and group training equipment for health clubs, luxury resorts, and collegiate athletic teams, plus club-quality equipment reimagined for the home. Matrix has grown its distribution channels to over 30 wholly-owned subsidiaries and dealers in more than 60 countries. To find out more visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYfDIUbMv_s www.matrixfitness.co.uk