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21 YEARS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

October 2014

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Excitement as NFAs shortlist is revealed By Christina Eccles EXCITING plans are well underway for the 2014 National Fitness Awards, as gyms around the UK celebrate making this year’s shortlist. The awards evening will once again celebrate excellence throughout the fitness industry, with trophies in over 20 categories up for grabs on the night. More than 100 entries, from clubs as far afield as Swansea, Aberdeen and Falmouth, have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process; a visit from a member of the Workout team to take a look around their facilities and chat to members and staff. Following the visits, comprehensive reports will be compiled to then be passed on to an expert judging panel; comprising award winning personal trainer Kim Ingleby; top fitness model Carly Thornton; successful independent gym owner Steve Johnson, fitness expert Dean Hodgkin and industry stalwart Ken Heathcote who will have the tough job of deciding the lucky winners. Successful clubs will then be pre-

sented with their awards at a glittering ceremony, taking place at The Athena in Leicester on Friday November 28, which will be hosted by world champion boxer Ricky Hatton and television presenter and fitness expert Caroline Pearce. Event director Judith Halkerston said: “We have already visited dozens of gyms and we are delighted by the high standards, dedication and innovation shown by our finalists. It is also great to see the excitement amongst the owners, staff and members about being shortlisted. “Plans are well underway for the big night and we are working hard to ensure that it will be as entertaining and glittering an occasion as previous years.” To see the full shortlist and other information ahead of this year’s National Fitness Awards, turn to page 49 for the start of our four-page special. Tickets are now on sale for the 2014 National Fitness Awards. To book your place at the event, visit www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk or to keep up to date with the latest NFA news, follow @FitnessAwards on Twitter.

No 253 £3

Fanatics love boxing but not burpees, survey finds

World and double Olympic cycling champion Laura Trott is to join the Matrix Fitness – Vulpine team in 2015, it has been announced. Having recently revealed intentions to register as a UCI professional team next year, the current British road race champion will move to the team with effect from January 1 and will ride a programme of key events that complement her track racing commitments and intended build-up for the Rio Olympic Games.

FITNESS enthusiasts are loving boxing but hating burpees, according to a Premier Training International survey. Conducted to mark National Fitness Day, the company asked over 200 fitness professionals to find out how clients rate the exercises they regularly carry out. Figures showed 28 per cent find the burpee their least favourite, followed by running and the plank. Boxing came out as number one, with squats and weight training making up the top three. Global marketing director Victoria Branch said: “To coincide with National Fitness Day, we thought we’d ask the industry which exercises people actually enjoy and which they truly hate. “It is important that PTs give their clients a wide range of exercises, whilst also making sure there are parts they enjoy to keep them motivated and fulfilled. “It’s also important for PTs to consider how they can make the least enjoyable exercises more fun for their clients, or at least highlight how beneficial they are, so clients continue to see the value of a varied workout.”

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Adam and Ricky to tackle Three Peaks Challenge in dark, winter conditions By Olivia Taylor PERSONAL trainer Adam Copley and inspirational client Ricky Staniforth are set to take on the Three Peaks Challenge early next year, pushing themselves to the limit in dark, winter conditions. Adam, who works at Fit4It in Tankersley, South Yorkshire has trained Ricky for over a year – seeing him through a massive nine stone weight loss journey – and the pair originally took on the Three Peaks Challenge with 30 other members of the gym in July. Adam explained: “Training was a combination of educational meetings and mountain walks led by either me or Ricky. “It was brilliant seeing them all develop from regular gymgoers who are used to throwing medicine balls around, to mountain climbers. “Ricky’s an inspirational guy, he always wants to push himself. In the beginning we never imagined he'd be climbing mountains.” Now months on they are ready to take on the challenge in worse conditions and have already begun training by doing a lot of cardio work, hill running and hiking in full kit and clothes weighing around 15kg. Adam added: “It’s going to be cold and dangerous but the danger adds a certain element of fun to the challenge. It's going to be a big test.” With future hopes of hiking from

As this issue of Workout goes to print, the team is down at Leisure Industry Week at the NEC in Birmingham; enjoying spreading the word about the magazine and The National Fitness Awards, meeting clients and rounding up the latest news from the show floor. Show highlights include a packed seminar programme, talks from leading sporting figures on the LIW Live stage and the latest products on display from exhibitors. Watch out for a full review of LIW coming up in the next issue of the magazine, as well as highlights from the event over on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Airport dash raises over £7k OVER 200 runners have raced over 4km around the UK’s third biggest airport, raising over £7,000 as part of Manchester Airport and British Airways’ Runway Run. Joined by a line-up including football legend Gary Lineker, the mix of elite and fun runners dashed around Runway Two’s nature trail coming up close and personal to a range of aircraft, including the double decker A380 and Dreamliner. Raising money for Flying Start, Ricky Staniforth coast to coast, the Brecon Beacons and even Mount Kilimanjaro, Adam is proving he has a lot of determination when it comes to taking on a challenge. But he told Workout he isn’t phased by the prospect. He added: “It’s a big ambition, but you’ve got to dream big.” Are you or your gym members taking on any ambitious challenges? If so, we would love to hear more. Drop us a line at ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or Tweet us @WorkOutUK

British Airways’ global charity partnership with Comic Relief UK, and Medcare, Manchester Airport’s supported charity at the Wellspring Children’s Medical Centre in Kamutuuza, Uganda, the runners also got to enjoy a family fun day at the airport’s Runway Visitor Park. The winner of the run, who claimed a pair of British Airways’ flights to Paris or Barcelona was Carl Hardman from Dukinfield, who completed the course in just 20 minutes. Advertising Sales and marketing director: Tony Barry

www.workout-uk.co.uk

Sales manager: Daniel Lloyd Tel: 01226 734699 dl@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant sales manager: Chris Hartley Tel: 01226 734709 ch@scriptmedia.co.uk

Editorial Group Editor:

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Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Editor: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 ce@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Olivia Taylor ot@scriptmedia.co.uk Group production editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

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Dr Andy Jones, managing director of wellbeing at Nuffield Health, Anna Hemmings MBE and Adam Hanover, general manager at Nuffield Health City gym.

Former kayak champion relaunches flagship gym FORMER world kayak champion Anna Hemmings has helped Nuffield Health relaunch its flagship City gym following an extensive revamp. As well as the evening launch reception where Anna spoke to attendees about resilience and performance, the two-day relaunch event also included group exercise sessions, free drop-in workshops with health and fitness experts and gym challenges where members could compete to win top prizes. The expansion of the gym to over 80,000 sqft makes it the largest facility

in the city and members will be the first in the UK to experience the premium Life Fitness Insignia Series equipment. General manager Adam Hanover said: “We ensure we listen to our members. “This is why we have heavily invested in our equipment, changing rooms and training space. “We will also continue to deliver our excellent medical services including health assessments, physiotherapy sessions and GP appointments within 24 hours.”

£670,000 project to refurbish three sites in Sussex under way By Christina Eccles LEISURE design and build specialist Createability is undertaking a £670,000 project to refurbish The Triangle in Burgess Hill, Kings Centre in East Grinstead and The Dolphin in Haywards Heath on behalf of Places for People Leisure, which has recently taken over the management of the sites. Experts are already on site at Kings Centre, the biggest of the redevelopments, where the cafe and atrium area will be demolished to create a 65-station fitness suite. Createability is also on site at The Triangle where the large reception will be rebranded and the existing cafe reconfigured to Places for People’s Cafeology brand. The existing 65-station gym will be extended into the leisure centre’s treatment rooms and therapy area, and new treatment rooms will be built on the other side of the centre adjacent to a new My Ride group cycling studio. The new fitness suite will be fitted with a range of Precor CV equipment and Matrix strength kit.

The last of the sites to see refurbishment is The Dolphin where the gym will be refurbished and rebranded. A group cycling studio will be created in an existing retail unit and the reception area will be rebranded with a retail display unit. Area manager for Places for People Leisure Steve Warriner said: “Since taking over management of the leisure centres we have had a real chance to find out what our customers’ priorities are. “At Kings Centre we've made some changes to the size and positioning of the soft play area in response to feedback from customers. "There will be a massive difference when customers walk in too. The café and gym are swapping places and the gym will be upgraded from 20 machines to 65. The centre was crying out for a big, modern gym and the café will now be better placed so parents can watch their children in the soft play area and the children's swimming pool.” Work on The Triangle is due to complete at the end of this month and on Kings Centre in November.

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Centre manager’s marathon rowing challenge raises £15,500 for charity By Christina Eccles AN inspirational gym manager has completed an ambitious 150 mile rowing challenge, raising over £15.5k for charity in the process. Just 10 months ago, Chris Spencer, Everyone Active general manager at Hornchurch Sports Centre, had a second life-saving bone marrow transplant co-ordinated by Anthony Nolan. In recognition of their life-saving work, Chris set himself the gruelling challenge of rowing 150 miles, for up to 14 hours each day, in three and a half days along the Thames. In support of Chris, 45 Everyone Active colleagues took to the saddle over the three days, cycling 150 miles from Cirencester to the Isle of Dogs – dubbed the Great Thames Ride. And so far Chris and his supporters have raised over £15,500 for the cause, with donations still coming in. Chris said: “The Great Thames Row was a huge challenge for us all but it certainly got us noticed. “Each day we rowed up to twice the distance that many professional rowers at the top of their sport would not contemplate. It would have been a whole lot easier standing in a supermarket holding out a collecting bucket and I wouldn’t have got such bad blisters either! “Every penny counts and even if

Chris with Katherine Grainger and Sir Steve Redgrave. people can only donate £5 or £10, that would be great. The more money we raise, the more work Anthony Nolan can do on behalf of people like me who want a second shot at life.” Chris rowed as Stroke Man from Lechlade in Gloucestershire to Greenwich in London alongside his brother Roger and their rowing club mate Daniel Bartlett. Their Bow Man was Robbie

Coleman and their Coxswain Paul Prentice. On the penultimate day, they were given a major morale boost by Olympic champion rowers Sir Steve Redgrave and Katherine Grainger CBE who turned up early on the Saturday morning at Maidenhead Rowing Club to wish them well and send them on their way. Chris added: “I can’t thank people

enough for embracing the idea and sharing everything that I was doing. “People’s belief in me was sometimes stronger than my belief in myself. The support has been phenomenal. “My friends and colleagues at Everyone Active have been terrific: their understanding while I was ill and their show of support by cycling and fundraising has been incredible.”

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GLL set to manage nine Manchester leisure centres

Ricky Hatton with the team that tackled the Pico de Veleta in southern Spain.

Ricky completes charity ride BOXING world champion and National Fitness Awards’ host Ricky Hatton has completed a gruelling bike ride to raise funds for charity. Ricky raised over £2,000 for homeless charity Barnabus by tackling gruelling Pico de Veleta in southern Spain. The climb takes around four hours to complete and has an elevation of almost 4,000m. And as donations can still be received until October, Ricky hopes his endeavours will eventually generate more than £10,000 for the cause.

He added: “I’m very proud to have taken on such a difficult task. Most of it was up steep hills so believe me it was hard. “Obviously it doesn't eclipse my world title fights, but it's achievement that's right up there among my best.” Ricky was joined on the ride by Hatton Promotions director of boxing Richard Poxon and unbeaten prospects Adam Etches and Scott Jenkins, each of whom were raising money for Sheffield's Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity.

GLL has been awarded a new management contract to operate nine leisure centres in Manchester, under an agreement which will focus strongly on areas such as increasing physical activity and sports club participation. The partnership with Manchester City Council will run for three years, subject to council confirmation, with a possible two-year extension. It will see GLL, who currently operate the iconic London Aquatics Centre on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, take charge of facilities including the Manchester Aquatics Centre, Moss Side Leisure Centre and Wythenshawe Forum under the company’s ‘Better’ brand. The agreement will also focus on reducing health inequalities and improving social inclusion, with a commitment to introducing a standardised leisure card scheme and concessionary pricing structure, including discounts for students and disabled users. Talented athletes across Manchester will also be able to access funding from the GLL Sport Foundation, which aims to support and develop young sportsmen and women in order to help them achieve their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.

“Our objective is to increase sports, health and physical activity in Manchester by at least two per cent per year.” Managing director at GLL Mark Sesnan said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to manage Manchester’s leisure facilities on behalf of the council. “As a ‘not for profit’ charitable social enterprise, our objective is to increase sports, health and physical activity in Manchester by at least two per cent per year, and to bolster the levels of sports club participation in each of these leisure centres – be it swimming, badminton or football. “We also look forward to launching new leisure centres in Manchester, such as Hough End and East Manchester, which will provide state of the art facilities to the local community, where we will continue to offer first class, affordable leisure and sporting facilities under our growing Better brand.”

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Trust reaps rewards after introducing new group exercise provider to clubs By Christina Eccles A BURNLEY leisure trust is reaping the rewards of introducing a new group exercise provider into its clubs. At the end of 2012, Burnley Leisure reviewed its group exercise offering, taking the decision to move from its existing provider to MOSSA’s Group Power, Group Kick and Group Centergy programmes. Health and fitness manager Elaine Adams-Gilligan explained: “We had been with another brand of group exercise programmes since 2004. “Their insistence that our teachers undertook their training miles away, because there weren’t enough training centres, meant that we were starting to lose valued staff for these programmes. As a teacher myself, I am well aware that if the instructors aren’t on board with new programmes then the members won’t be either. “We have an excellent team of 15 instructors teaching these classes so it was crucial to find programmes that would excite both them and our members. I had been looking for something for a while and when I saw MOSSA’s programmes I was completely blown away.” As part of the agreement with MOSSA, the operator also became a

Burnley Leisure moved to MOSSA’s Group Power, Group Kick and Group Centergy programmes at the beginning of last year. training centre for the programmes, solving their training issues, as well as facilitating training for other instructors in the area at their award winning facility, St Peter’s Leisure Centre. And following the retraining of the group exercise instructors, the first release was launched at both the council’s centres, St Peter’s and Padiham Leisure Centre in January 2013. Elaine added: “One of the reasons our instructors stay with us, rather than teaching at other facilities in the area, is because they love the MOSSA

programmes and get a real buzz from them. “Furthermore, I can see a real difference in them. They are fitter and stronger than before. Moving to MOSSA is simply the best decision that I have made.” The centres have also benefitted from MOSSA’s programmes by increasing the proportion of men in all three programmes by 25 per cent. “MOSSA’s programmes are more athletic and not at all airy fairy. This appeals to our male membership as they can really see the benefits.

“We have a lot of competition in our area from private clubs, who believe that they set a higher standard than local authority facilities. MOSSA tells a different story. “When we chose to change our group exercise programme provider, we knew that we couldn’t select a lesser programme as we would lose members. By using MOSSA, we are showing our members and our locality that we have something bigger and better to offer than before. We give our members results and so they stay.”

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A free Les Mills group fitness programme is available to gyms signing up by October 31.

Special offer for gyms looking to enhance group exercise offering LES Mills has launched a special offer for clubs looking to enhance their group exercise offering – and potentially improve retention figures. The company is offering any operator which signs up to a new programme before October 31 the opportunity to get a free Les Mills group fitness programme, as well as 50 per cent off the instructor training costs for that programme. The initiative follows research by the company which revealed gym attendees list fitness classes to music as one of the top reasons they attend their current gym, beaten only by location. CEO of Les Mills UK Keith Burnet

said: “It’s commonly recognised that membership retention is one of the biggest challenges facing most clubs in the UK. This isn’t a new issue. But group programming can have a positive impact on retention and as the research suggests, can actually be a secret sales tool for operators. “We always work with our club partners to ensure their timetable is operating as efficiently as possible. This offer is a great way to test new classes and really exploit your group training offering. “And with training being offered at half price it’s a compelling offer for any club operator in the run up to the New Year.”

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www.nationalfitnessawards.co.uk

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

This month’s top Tweets... @the_lady_lifts: THANK YOU!!! :-) - featured in this month’s workout magazine #feelingproud #fitness #personaltrainer

@RigsFitness: Delighted to announce that we are once again shortlisted for the @FitnessAwards with @WorkOutUK #NFAs #FitnessAwards @RocketsClub: V excited to announce that we have been shortlisted for two #nationalfitnessawards organised by @WorkOutUK! Thank you members for your cont. support! @guru_paul: Congratulations on hitting the big 2 - 1! @steve_stevecox: Delighted that @EveryoneActive @eaStAlbans are finalists for THREE National @FitnessAwards #fitness with @WorkOutUK @PromotePR: @WorkOutUK Huge congratulations to the team! The big 2-1 – you can now drink in America!

@OliviaGTaylor: Looking forward to starting the @MYZONEmoves challenge on Monday with @WorkOutUK @thelabspa: GREAT NEWS! Both our clubs have been shortlisted for Health Club of the Year Award! @FitnessAwards @Warehousefit: Back to the @FitnessAwards in the UK's personal trainer of the year category. Roll on November, this is always fantastic event for all. @scottwb1: St Peters @BurnleyLeisure shortlisted in the @FitnessAwards for Regional Gym and Gym Team of the Year, fantastic #Awardwinning #Boom

Do you offer programmes? On our Facebook page this month, we’ve been discussing a trend in gyms for new members to pay for personal training sessions to get programmes and asking whether most of you still offer them as standard when someone joins their club. Here’s what some of you had to say... Angela Anderson: We offer as many programs a member wants! It adds a personal touch! I have been told by many of our members that the other local gyms don't offer this and you have to pay. James Farrow: At BMV Health and Fitness we offer two free trial workouts, we conduct a full health assessment and then write a tailored program after the first induction/ trial session. If the member joins we then monitor and adjust the program regularly in line with the clients’ progress. Sounds counter productive not to write a program as the client won't achieve results they want, become disheartened and ultimately leave! Lorraine Wallace: Here at MRC Fitness programmes are included as part of all memberships as often as a member requires them. Chris Bowman: We always offer programmes to our

Picture of the month

Television personality Lorraine Kelly dropped in for a Zumba class at an Inverclyde based gym, as part of her recent 24-hour charity challenge. Lorraine’s Shimmy Across Scotland was organised to raise money for children living in poverty across Scotland and saw the star, accompanied by her Zumba instructor Maxine Jones, take part in 12 dance and exercise classes during an intense 24-hour period. Pictured with Lorraine at Greenock Sports Centre are Maxine Jones, Aileen Cameron and Joyce Murdoch. new clients to get them started. We also include a renewal date on the programme to encourage them to book back in and see us again for a refresher and to keep engagement

between them and our staff. Neil Hutchinson: Burnley Leisure offers a full induction programme and ongoing PT free for full members.

Editor’s Comment ZUMBA, football, tennis, personal training and even mountaineering have all been on the agenda this month, as the team has definitely been practicing what we preach when it comes to working out. Although we all enjoy regular exercise anyway, the reason for stepping up our game is that a team of seven Workout staff has spent the last few weeks taking part in MYZONE’s LIW challenge, where we have been pitted against teams from all corners of the fitness industry – including many gyms and personal training studios – all fighting it out to be crowned the UK’s fittest company. So in a bid for glory; myself, Michael, Tony, Dan, Chris, Ben and Olivia have been strapping on our MYZONE belts to record points from all the activities we’ve done over the last month and uploading them to see where this puts us in comparison to our rivals. As this issue goes to print, we are just days away from discovering how well we’ve fared and we’ll be reporting on our experience of taking part in the challenge next issue. Personally I’ve really enjoyed getting

involved and although it’s been difficult keeping up with teams who are a lot more physically active than us as part of their jobs, I’m confident we’ll be posting a respectable final score – and definitely not coming bottom of the table! In other news, it’s been all systems go with plans for this year’s National Fitness Awards. As part of the preparations, our event organiser Lucy and I spent a great day in Leicester at The Athena, discussing how we can ensure this year’s ceremony is bigger and better than ever and even taking a sneaky peek at the dinner menu and plans for some amazing sounding themed bars, which will make the evening even more exciting! If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, make sure you do as you definitely don’t want to miss out! We’ve also started the process of visiting our shortlisted gyms and have already covered hundreds of miles to see our finalists, with many more to go over the coming weeks. If you’re a shortlisted gym and we haven’t been in touch yet to arrange your visit, we will be over the next

Christina Eccles couple of weeks so don’t panic! Also don’t forget to make the most of the press pack we’ve e-mailed out to finalists – we’d love to see any press coverage you get surrounding your awards’ success. Look out for the full shortlist and details of how you can be at the awards this year within this issue of Workout and keep sharing your excitement on our social media channels. As always, send us your news via e-mail, Facebook or Twitter and we’ll look forward to seeing many of you soon as we continue on our quest to find the country’s best gyms!

This month’s hot topic:

A new survey for National Fitness Day has revealed that fitness enthusiasts love boxing but aren’t too keen on burpees. What exercises are proving popular and unpopular with your clients? Send your answers to ce@scriptmedia.co.uk or contact us via Twitter or Facebook. We’ll print the best responses next issue.

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Free workshop aimed at supplier delegates

Technogym will supply approximately 1,000 pieces of equipment and a team of trainers.

Technogym agrees kit deal for Rio Olympics TECHNOGYM has signed an exclusive-supplier contract as the official fitness equipment supplier for all athletic preparation centres for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. It is the company’s sixth Olympic partnership after Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Turin 2006, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. In Rio, Technogym will provide a full range of equipment for the main training centre at the Olympic Village in Barra da Tijuca, open to all athletes taking part to the Games, and will equip 15 centres complete with warm

up areas specifically designed for the different disciplines at the competition’s venues. The company is expected to supply 1,000 pieces of equipment and install Mywellness cloud digital platforms, enabling athletes to connect directly to the equipment with their individual training program from a mobile device. Technogym will also provide a team of 50 professional athletic trainers to manage the preparation centres and support the athletes, as well as all related services such as gym layout, installation and technical service.

A FREE workshop is taking place next month aimed at supplier delegates who have signed up to attend activenet 2015. The half day workshop – Understanding the Public Sector Leisure Market – is designed to equip suppliers with the insight and knowledge to understand the challenges and key drivers for local authority, trust and higher education leisure providers. Organised by Leisure-net Solutions, the event on November 5 at Loughborough University includes: Industry-leading speakers from the local authority, trust and HE sectors, explaining what they need from suppliers in the sector. CIMSPA interim chief executive Tara Dillon talking about key challenges facing the sector and the organisations suppliers need to be aware of.

Lisa Forsyth, director at Max Associates, looking at the next five years for public sector leisure and how it is likely to change. Senior health improvement specialist Carl Bennett will detail the challenges facing leisure operators in tapping into public health funding. There will also be a special insight session, looking into innovative ways of measuring and monitoring clients’ loyalty and satisfaction, including using Net Promoter Score. Leisure-net joint director and activenet organiser, David Monkhouse, said: “The active-net suppliers workshops have been designed in response to the feedback from our first event. This is a chance for suppliers who have signed up to attend active-net in 2015 to gain further insight into the procurement practices and processes of trusts, local authorities and universities, in advance of the event.”

Fight Klub breaks world record OVER 500 people helped Fight Klub set a Guinness World Record for holding the world’s largest boxing lesson. 507 participants gathered inside the London Soccerdome to break the World Record, bringing it to the UK from its previous record holder in Australia. Fight Klub founder Troy Dureh said: “We’re absolutely delighted that we

are now proud holders of the official record for the World’s Largest Boxing Lesson. “During the class it was amazing to look out into the crowd and see 507 people putting in all that effort, and all with a smile on their faces. “It’s a day that we’ll be remembering and celebrating for a long time to come.”

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Rachel on shortlist for Personal Trainers to Watch competition LIFE Fitness has announced the top 10 finalists in its global Personal Trainers to Watch competition, with the shortlisted trainers including UK based fitness professional Rachel Hobbs. The finalists have been selected from more than 1,700 nominations from 43 different countries and Rachel, who runs her own business Body Brains Beauty in Surrey Sports Park, Guildford, and the others will meet on October 17 at DavidBartonGym – Astor Place in New York City to compete for the title of the world’s best Personal Trainer to Watch. Rachel said: “My passion for helping individuals improve their wellbeing stemmed from when I was a teenager struggling with an eating disorder and postpartum depression. “I ran a marathon for a charity and training for that marathon acted as a therapy for me, and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams of helping others. “I believe in helping people realize the benefits of exercise training. Helping them realise that not only does exercise have amazing physiological benefits but also emotional and psychological benefits, too. “My attitude as a trainer is to empower my clients to see them-

Potential customers can receive a demo at a convenient time and location.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill goes mobile Rachel Hobbs has been announced as one of 10 finalists in the global event. selves as athletes, to fuel appropriately and train hard by focusing on the weight on the bar rather than the weight on the scales.” A video of the top 10 Personal Trainers to Watch finalists can be viewed on: http://youtu.be/GweJcW2V-Os.

POTENTIAL customers can now try out an Anti Gravity Treadmill on their doorsteps after manufacturer AlterG launched its first mobile showroom. By simply booking a slot on the treadmill, interested fitness professionals can receive a demo at a convenient time and location, enabling them to experience the unique way of training. Sales director at AlterG Trevor Donald said: “The Anti-Gravity Treadmill needs to be experienced to fully appreciate how it works and the

benefits it provides. “Describing the technology and seeing it on a video is one thing but it’s great that we can now offer a convenient way of demonstrating the treadmill at clinics, sports clubs or rehabilitation centres across the country.” Available in two models, the P200 can reach a higher speed of 18mph and is ideal for professional sports people and enhancing performance, whilst the M320 is predominantly used for physical therapy and medical applications.

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Martin on a mission to make combat training more accessible to all By Olivia Taylor FORMER professional boxer Martin Holgate is on a mission to make combat training less intimidating – and more accessible to all – with his new gym. London based Glove Up specialises in all aspects of boxing and boasts a 16ft ring and a kicking and punching area, as well as a fully equipped weights studio. The club has something for everyone, with a class timetable that covers all types of boxing from Thai to ladies only, and Martin told Workout he has a particular interest in getting women through the doors. He added: ‘’I want to introduce women to boxing, empower them and get them strong.” With the belief that boxing training enables you to stretch past your mental and physical boundaries and discover positive things about yourself, the gym is going the extra mile to show people that the discipline isn’t intimidating. The club also aims to focus on each person’s individual ambitions, with a motto ‘attitude is everything.’ Martin added: “My view on boxing is that it’s the best form of training in

Former professional boxer Martin Holgate wants to introduce women to boxing. terms of the confidence that it brings. “People are intimidated by the gym and boxing, but the classes at Glove Up are no contact so you won’t be asked to spar. It’s for people who want to learn the technique.” Martin’s future plans include expanding the concept into a franchise model, which he added would be a “dream come true.” Do you specialise in combat fitness at your club? What are you doing to make this type of activity accessible to all sections of the community? Let us know by emailing ce@scriptmedia .co.uk and you could appear in Workout.

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Last issue, Workout reported on Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex, which is celebrating 21 successful years in business. In the second part of the feature, we speak to one long standing member of staff – and find out how the club celebrated such an important part of its history.

Guildford Spectrum – looking back on the first 21 years ... RUTH Woodstock has worked at Guildford Spectrum since it opened on February 23 1993, starting as an ice skating coach at the rink housed within Spectrum. Her role involves coaching a wide range of ages and abilities from beginners and young children through to teenagers and adults preparing for competition. And over the years she has seen many changes as the complex has evolved to move with the times. She said: “I remember thinking how incredible it was to have so many sports facilities under one roof and on reflection realise Spectrum was way ahead of its time. “I was one of six coaches then. Now we’re a team of 20 working flat out to meet the demand for lessons and events on the ice.” The rink hosts events ranging from international ice hockey matches to charity games including last month’s

match between the GB Police Lions and UK Firefighters in aid of the Joe Ellis Trust and British Heart Foundation charities. A highlight each Christmas is the panto on ice and in keeping with the festive spirit, Spectrum also opens on Christmas Day from 10 until 12 for seasonal skating and swimming sessions. Ruth added: “Our first panto 15 years ago was a leap of faith but we needn’t have worried as it’s been a sell out every year and over 7,000 people come. “I felt unbelievably proud to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Spectrum but a little shocked to realise 21 years had passed since we first opened the doors. “We had a great celebration and, like all good parties, there was an enormous cake, plenty of happy, noisy children and a host of activities keeping people entertained.”

Long standing staff member Ruth Woodstock was among those who celebrated the centre’s 21st birthday.

Centre sees many highlights on and off the ice OVER the years Spectrum has seen many highlights – on and off the ice. Ahead of London 2012, centre operator Freedom Leisure welcomed Olympic and Paralympic teams from as far afield as Nigeria, the Cayman Islands and Dominica to train in the gym and not wanting to inconvenience members by

changing the timetable, the athletes trained alongside the public. Charity events also feature highly: this year Spectrum members raised £5,900 for Sport Relief and £3,580 for the British Heart Foundation and each year a local charity is chosen to receive Active Card holders’ donated loyalty points that are con-

verted into activities for those in need. Freedom Leisure awarded this year’s charity, Woking and Sam Beare Hospices, a bonus 21,000 Active Points to mark its anniversary year. Freedom Leisure area manager Steve May added: “Being 21 years young is a cause for celebration and

who knows where the fitness and leisure industry will be in another 21 years’ time? Whatever the next two decades bring, we will keep Spectrum up there with the best facilities in the UK and are committed to retaining its top quality leisure provision, first rate service and strong community spirit.”

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24 As the latest group exercise phenomenon to hit the industry, Clubbercise is going down a storm with dance fans who want to get fit while having fun. Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor joined the party at Xercise4Less Doncaster.

Nightclub inspired class is a massive hit with Sonique WITH the aim of bringing a nightclub atmosphere into a gym, Clubbercise participants work out in a darkened room to their favourite club tracks from the 90s right through to today’s chart hits. Glowsticks, whistles and disco lights add to the party feel, with classes appealing to people of all ages and abilities who want to improve their fitness, while at the same time letting their hair down. Instructor Sonique Smith teaches two sessions a week at Xercise4Less in Doncaster, including a popular Friday night slot from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. And she told Workout,

she’s really pleased with how classes have been received there – both by members of the gym, who pay £4 a class to attend, and non members who are also able to come to the sessions on a pay-as-you-go basis at a cost of £5 per time. She explained: “Classes are fun orientated and interactive. We encourage people to feel at ease and find the sessions liberating. It’s really taken off for me.” Sonique runs her own company – Sonique Fitness – also teaching other classes such as Bokwa, Zumba and Fight Klub. But she added there is something special about Clubbercise, which as a

Clubbercise pro-trainer, she is now hoping to promote to other instructors and gyms thinking of adding the classes to their timetables. She added: “It’s a fantastic concept and it’s working really well for me. I want to pass that passion on to other instructors. “Anyone interested in becoming an instructor can contact us by email or via the website. “We can also send one of our instructors to do a pop up class or arrange a trial session for members at a gym. “I love it. It’s the most popular programme I’ve ever taught.”

Clubbercise instructor Sonique Smith.

Fun, high-energy class ensures you start your weekend with a bang CLUBBING on a Friday night is not usually an activity you would think of for our monthly challenge feature... but then Clubbercise is no ordinary class. The darkened room, disco lights and high energy music – anything from 90s club classics to today’s chart tunes – made for a workout with a difference. And as soon as we were handed our glowsticks before we went into the studio, we couldn’t wait to get started. During the hour-long class, participants dance the night away using simple choreography designed to deliver a whole body workout. Everyone is also encouraged to use their glowsticks, which are incorporated into each routine, including the warm up and cool down, and looked great against the darkened backdrop of the Xercise4Less studio. Sonique was an ener-

getic, motivating instructor and her enthusiasm for the Clubbercise concept was easy to see. I also loved her neon outfit and the effort many people in the class went to with their own choice of attire; so much so the very next day, I went out and bought some fluorescent tops to brighten up my own workout wardrobe! The routines were easy to follow, effective – and a lot of fun – and it was clear that everyone else was also enjoying themselves as much as we were. Taking part certainly helped to start our weekend off with a bang and our aching legs on Saturday morning – plus the fact we’d both clocked up lots of MYZONE effort points for next month’s challenge – told us that as well as having a great time, without even realising, we had also had a really good workout.

Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor with their glowsticks as they prepare for the class. And, below and above, the colourful scene the class creates against the darkened backdrop of the Xercise4Less studio.

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Finding your opportunity – do you want to do better? By Nick Orton, CEO of BodyPower and Physique Elite

GLL senior manager Gareth Kirk has successfully completed a gruelling Outlaw Triathlon. The event, based at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham, consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile marathon. GLL managing director Mark Sesnan said: “Our mission at GLL is to get more people, more active, more often, and its great to see that Gareth has lived by this to embrace such a physical challenge, as well as finishing in great time. “The news comes very soon after GLL won ‘Fittest Place to Work’ at the ‘5K your Way’ race in London, so provides another example of how our staff are clearly living and breathing an active and healthy way of life. Well done Gareth.”

SOME people know very clearly what they want to achieve in life. I did from a very young age. My desire to build my own business and make it global was ingrained within me. It didn’t matter whether anybody suggested I could do it (they hadn’t), or that my academic education indicated that I might (it didn’t). I knew where I was going and I wasn’t about to let other people’s expectations get in my way. Even with this steadfast resolve, it wasn’t always clear to me how I should set out to achieve it, and I had to learn the hard way that I thrived when I wasn’t relying upon others. For a lot of people, ambitions and goals are often shrouded in uncertainty. Firstly, you need to work out what you want from life, and for many people that can already be a moving target. Opportunities come and pass. People move in and out of your life and as you grow older it seems less practical to make wild leaps into the unknown. That doesn’t mean however, that you shouldn’t work towards it. It simply requires greater flexibility and patience. Similarly, even for those that do know what they want, the journey

isn’t always a straightforward one, because if you’re really pushing yourself and your ambitions, the likelihood is that you’ll be unfamiliar with how to get there. Think about the biggest achievement you ever made in life – did you know how you would get there when you started out? Probably not, but you also probably had some guidance along the way. There’s a fine line between being bold and being blind. This uncertainty inevitably means that people often tread too carefully and never really realise their true potential. More often than not, they lose their way thanks to a lack of understanding of how to make their dreams a reality. They set out with the best intentions but lose sight of where they are going. They get side-tracked. Some people actually spend their entire life waiting for their challenge and opportunity to arrive at their door. It can be easy to slide into the belief that holding down a steady job is a day to day challenge that keeps you from bigger ambitions, but if you’re not moving forward, the chances are that you’re moving backwards. So, if you want to find your opportunity, get looking for it. Think carefully about what you really want out of life. Long term…think BIG…anyone can do it, you just have to take that step. Chances are the step, or the leap to

Nick Orton make the change, is far too uncomfortable for you to take. Maybe you’ve got a job that’s secure; a nice car; a nine to five easy number. It’s easy to understand why you may not want to give these up to reach your ultimate goal. My advice to make that big first step easier to reach is to get planning – break the leap down into more manageable steps…steps that aren’t so hard to make. It’s like a road map, winding its way to your ultimate destination…plan your stop offs on route and with each achievement, you are a step closer to the final destination. Always think big…

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UK FITNESS SCENE

Great design for fitness spaces has never been more important By Matthew Januszek, Escape Fitness HERE’S a challenge for you that, for a change, you can do without breaking into a sweat: close your eyes and visualise what a visit to your gym is like, from coming through the front door to visiting the main fitness areas. In fact, doing that may well bring you out into a cold sweat – especially if the design of your facility is no longer fit for purpose. Even if you feel positive now, how will things be in a year, or five years? And what will that mean for new memberships and retention? Design: The look and feel of premises, including the walls, ceilings, floors, fixtures and fittings – is increasingly being embraced by all kinds of businesses. So let me throw out a few statements and, hopefully, back them up with some relevant thoughts. Not everyone wants to be there: It doesn’t take a big effort to get yourself to Lush or Costa Coffee, but in fitness we often battle the fact that exercise isn’t always fun. Sometimes people would rather stay at home and if an exercise space looks boring, grotty or dated, they are even less likely to give in to inertia. The flipside is that great design motivates people. You’re in the office or factory and have a choice between

Place Hotel and Spa. They took their squash courts and turned them into a purpose-built functional fitness zone that looks great. It’s a cutting edge approach that immediately differentiated them from competitors and resulted in a dramatic uptake in membership.

going home or for a workout. If the gym is a welcoming environment you are more likely to head there. People work harder in stunning surroundings: Take a trip to the Lake District on a summer’s day and you’ll see people who rarely exercise walk for miles. The fact they are in beautiful surroundings is not a coincidence. Your gym may never be a visual match for that, but great design certainly inspires people to stay longer and put in real effort. The sense of accomplishment will be a trigger for coming back soon, and that’s what client retention is all about. Retail get it: Even Halfords are putting design at the centre of their ‘Getting into Gear’ transformation strategy. Why is half of a £100m investment being dedicated to refurbishing 150 stores? Chief executive Matt Davies says: “Much of our estate is no longer at an acceptable standard of presentation and significantly lags behind our customers’ expectations.” At Paperchase, they have teamed up with design consultants to create superb store environments to ‘introduce some theatre into the retail experience’. For shoppers who can buy their stationery elsewhere, it means that a Paperchase branch stands apart and it’s somewhere they want to go back to.

Matthew Januszek Fitness gets it too, and that means competition: If the way your fitness space looks and feels doesn’t out-perform the competition it’s hard to gain a competitive edge. The quality of your equipment and PTs is important, but gyms all say they have good kit and employ wonderful people. Price matters too, but getting sucked into discounting is a dangerous strategy, and it’s not really why you are in the fitness business, is it? So it’s about the complete package: Equipment, trainers, price and design combining to deliver a customer experience that can’t be bettered locally. A great example is Brandshatch

Fitness and design are a great match: Going back to the Halfords example, it’s very revealing that their cyclist customers are driving the design transformation. That’s not a surprise when you look at how bikes, accessories and apparel have changed in the past decade or two. It’s a trend across fitness as a whole: style and design matter to our customers as much as or more than some other sectors. It’s a transparent world: Social media and photo sharing mean that more people than ever can get a look at your facility without visiting. An investment in design can result in more likes and shares. Let your facility fall behind the competition and you could still get some shares, but they could be accompanied with comments like ‘this is why I’m not renewing my membership’. If it’s time to redesign your facility, the team at Escape Creative would love the opportunity to discuss the contribution our sector specialists can make; email info@escape-creative.com

‘Fit street’ promotion a success CROWBOROUGH Leisure Centre is achieving success with an innovative promotion where each month a street within five miles of the facility is chosen as its ‘fit street’ – entitling residents to a free seven-day pass. The initiative, which also involves uploading a photo of the winning street sign on to social media, began in June and is working well for operator Freedom Leisure; with over 70 per cent of people who claimed the free pass in August going on to join as full members. Freedom Leisure fitness manager Steve Collins said: “We’re delighted

with the uptake of our fit street promotion in Crowborough and are looking at rolling it out across the entire Freedom Leisure group. “Fit Street is a great way to entice new customers into the centre. Posting an image of the street sign engages customers more effectively than leaflet dropping and generates plenty of chat locally and on social media. “People seem to love the direct and personal approach and the team spirit of the whole street having a shared opportunity helps bring neighbours and friends together.”

A 20-strong team from a Birmingham based independent gym have completed a Tough Mudder challenge. All of the group from Rigs Fitness crossed the finish line, raising over £2,000 for The Fire Fighters Charity. The clubhas also been shortlisted for two National Fitness Awards in the Regional Gym and Functional Training Gym categories.

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CHILDREN’S FITNESS

The question of how to get more children, more active is an important issue which the industry is working hard to address through innovative projects and collaborative thinking. Workout’s Christina Eccles and Olivia Taylor round up some recent success stories – and reveal how gyms can further engage with young people.

Partnership working is key to obesity fight, says Trust CEO UK gyms have been urged to join forces in the fight against childhood obesity by CEO of the Youth Sports Trust, Baroness Sue Campbell, who believes partnership working is key to tackling the problem. Sue was among the speakers at the recent ukactive Flame Conference in Telford, where she urged delegates to think about what they could do in their facilities to increase the number of young people taking part in physical activity – making them fitter and building self confidence. She said: “I believe that we have to change children’s habits in early life to change things. Kids who feel good about themselves are more confident learners.” According to Sue, the obesity epidemic is showing no signs of slowing down, as she spoke about figures which reveal Britain has dropped to 19th in the Unicef child well-being ranking. But she claims if gym owners and trainers join forces with members in an industry wide initiative to take on this issue, then improvements can be made. She added: “It’s important that everyone in the industry comes together. Not one person can tackle physical inactivity alone. It needs to be a collaboration.’’ When it comes to tackling inactivity in children head on, one operator leading the way is Everyone Active. Their successful Legacy Games Days, organised in partnership with Fit for Sport, see up to 1,000 children at a time from local schools descending on an Everyone Active host site for a day of activities and games, while local VIPs, dignitaries and councillors witness the event and enjoy speeches and hospitality. The activities work well indoors or outside and are adapted to suit the

Baroness Sue Campbell speaking at the ukactive Flame Conference. site’s facilities. Harrow Leisure Centre and Spelthorne Leisure Centre both hosted indoor events while the David Weir Leisure Centre, Basildon Sporting Village and Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre have hosted outdoors. Olympic swimmer and sports personality Steve Parry comperes the day and is sometimes joined by other Olympic athletes with gymnast Beth Tweddle and champion swimmer Rebecca Adlington OBE recent guests. With or without Olympic celebrities, the publicity surrounding the events boosts the profile of the host sites and there is a definite after effect, which benefits everyone involved. Contract manager for the David Weir Leisure Centre, which hosted the first event in June 2013, Jodie Morris explained: “Excellent local press coverage raised our profile in the local community and we saw a significant increase in our holiday activity programme with Fit For Sport and in our swimming lesson bookings.

Rebecca Adlington with youngsters at a recent Legacy Games Day. “We also gained additional business from local schools who weren’t previously aware of the full extent of our facilities.” Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre in St Albans holds the record for the most children so far with 1,000 turn-

ing up on June 19, 2014. Contract manager Steve Cox added: “We were fortunate to have Rebecca Adlington’s support and she helped draw attention to the fact we are a family facility where everyone is welcome no matter what their ability.”

Fund set up to help UK Peppa Pig activity programme children lead happier designed to build motivation and healthier lives LES Mills is working hard to tackle childhood inactivity with the launch of a charitable fund to help UK kids lead happier and healthier lives. The Les Mills Fund for Children aims to work with organisations that have the passion and resources to help make a positive impact on the lives of young people and as part of the initiative, LMFC will award grants and distribute funds for worthy projects. CEO of Les Mills UK Keith Burnet said: “We felt it was vital that children were given the chance to learn about,

be inspired by and experience exercise so that they could live healthier lives. “To help achieve this Les Mills Fund for Children was created. We want to instil the next generation with a lifelong love of physical activity and learning. “We want to feed their natural appetite for action, motion and play – and give them the joy, energy and confidence that fitness brings.” The fund has already helped one charity – the Panathlon Foundation – with a £5,000 grant.

PLACES for People Leisure centres are launching a new offering for two to four year olds; Peppa Pig branded physical activity programmes. Developed by Entertainment One Licensing and tumuv, the six-week Move with Peppa programme has been designed to build motivation, physical confidence, coordination and balance and will include a range of activities. Founder of tumuv Holly Woodford said: “We wanted to create a programme that would excite and inspire young children as they experience physical exercise for the first time.

“Children across the country have fallen in love with Peppa Pig through their TV screens so how better to inspire younger generations to be active than through Peppa themed exercises. “We will train and license Places for People Leisure staff to deliver 45 minute, progressive, activity sessions across a six week period to inspire and engage both parent and child. “We are very excited to be working with our exclusive launch partner, Places for People Leisure.” The new programme will launch in Places for People Leisure centres in January 2015.

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INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Best way to find new members? Understand your current ones THE challenge for every gym owner is to sell new memberships and retain the existing members in the club. As an industry we are always looking to retain members for longer, which is key to the club’s ongoing monthly income. How often do we take the time to understand how we are going to generate the next enquiry? Do we ever get the time in a busy day to take a closer look at what type of person is more likely to be interested in joining your club? Do you know how to reach-out and target the people that will join your gym? The easy and most successful way is to be able to gather data about existing members who love your club. You can then build up member profiles so you know who to target. What does that mean to your club? Member age groups, where they live, gender, their routines, peak and off-peak access, membership

options and promotions are all examples. How can you combine these to maximise footfall and increase attendance of the club? Thinking about the budget last month and the news surrounding it: pensioners will have more freedom with their retirement savings meaning those people that are due to retire will have more money to spend. So is your club in a position to take advantage of this potential new demographic? It should be easy to get your member data to work for you. By better understanding their current members better our users find data like this invaluable to grow their business and I hope you can too. “We pride ourselves on providing industry-leading, affordable solutions that allow gym owners to grow their businesses” To find out more contact Wayne at ClubManager. Call 01245 807 360, visit www.clubmanagercentral.com or email wayne@clubmanagercentral.com

Wayne Heath

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INTERACTIVE MEMBERSHIP SOLUTIONS

Wearable technology and its impact on the fitness industry By Dave Wright BEFORE you show someone around a gym, the first thing you need to do is go through the H.E.L.P acronym (How did they Hear about the club? What is their Experience? What is their Lifestyle? What’s the real Problem that they want solving?) The whole objective of this process is to gather appropriate information so that you have a clear understanding of why the person may be interested in a membership and more importantly, to gather that information that will enable you to solve their problem or indeed HELP them to achieve great things. There is no doubt ‘information is everything’… well.. almost everything… ‘Acting’ on the information is everything. So now enter the new world of wearable technology – the ultimate in information gathering ‘for the consumer.’ Wearable fitness technology is a rapidly growing market sector that is forecasted to grow significantly from 14m shipped devices in 2012 to 171m by 2017. So not only is there a need in the market, but our potential members and existing members are hungry for their personal information that they provide. And that’s where it stops. The information that is provided by devices are presented in ‘silos’ which means that it is generally for the ‘consumers’ eyes only.’ This, if anything,

Dave Wright can be detracting from the service that the health club industry should be providing – but more so, it is evidencing the type of training that the club is providing to see whether it is producing the results that the end user wants. The other concern about wearable devices is that they are blatantly worn in an expression of admission of lack of motivation. Although health clubs, gyms and leisure centres provide variety in equipment, a social environment and professional advice, most of all they are supposed to provide motivation for a person to exercise. Now whether the service that we offer is sub-standard or not personal enough, people are turning for devices to fill that role. So we have a perfect storm of problems with the advance in wearable technology. Not only do wearable

devices provide the motivation for potential members, the feedback outcomes of potential members, but there will come a time that it can provide the programming for members to execute the activities too. So then all a facility will have left to do is to ‘renting’ out the use of our equipment. However, if that information could be extracted for the trainer, then this would give the coach vital information on the exercise habits and nutrition behaviour particularly from activities away from the facility that could provide a level of information that (if acted upon) could be critical to the members’ success. And with more members achieving results, this will result in more referral business and ultimately more money for the club. Interesting times. Dave Wright is the CEO of CFM, a global company with offices in the UK, Australia and North America that has served the international fitness community for over 24 years; focusing on either getting new members and/or keeping existing ones. Dave is also the owner of 11 health clubs across two continents, a board director of UK Active, founder of IOU (Independent Operators Unite) and the creator of the revolutionary industry tracking tool MYZONE. He may be contacted on Dave.Wright@cfm.net

PayasUgym expands its offering WEBSITE PayasUgym has expanded its offering from a day pass service to a full ‘marketplace’, allowing fitness fans to pick and choose the right club for them. Customers can now choose from over 2,000 facilities nationwide, making signing up for membership easier for them, and providing an effective shop window for operators to promote their services. CEO Jamie Ward said: “We are delighted with the launch of our Marketplace service and early customer response has been overwhelmingly positive. “PayasUgym is committed to making it as easy as possible for people to find the right gym for them. “The launch of our Marketplace means we now provide customers with a genuine ‘one-stop shop’ to find and compare local gyms, choose between a day pass, a fitness class or a full membership and in doing so we provide gym operators with an innovative solution to market their products and attract new customers.”

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FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

The new functional area at LA Fitness in South Kensington.

Parkour Generations has launched a new group exercise programme, designed to appeal to clubs which want to offer members an effective and functional workout. MOV’ training can be delivered through five diverse modules designed to suit all fitness levels. CircuitMOV’ provides a high intensity workout based on circuit stations whilst FlowMOV’ focuses on agility and coordination over MOV’ obstacles. JumpMOV’ involves plyometric techniques for individual or sequenced jump sequences, BalanceMOV’ reconnects body and mind through a holistic workout and TribalMOV’ is a complete bodyweight-based movement programme inspired by animal instinct.

KETTFusion proves popular at group’s flagship centre AN innovative class which combines Kettlebells fused with martial arts is proving popular with visitors to a Stockport leisure centre, which has had to increase its number of classes to meet demand. KETTFusion has been a fixture on Life Leisure's flagship facility, Stockport Sports Village’s timetable since 2012 and within a short space of time more and more classes have been added, thanks to positive feedback from participants. The class, developed by Michael Ross, an accredited advanced Kettlercise instructor, and Second Dan Martial Artist, is a 60-minute

workout that increases strength, stamina and cardiovascular fitness, as well as aiding weight loss. Manager at LifeLeisure Stockport Sports Village Michaela Pennington said: “The reaction to KETTFusion has been phenomenal and we’re constantly impressed with the number of members who book on week after week. “We knew they’d be intrigued as we already offered Kettlercise classes that were taught by Michael, but we couldn’t anticipate just how popular it would be. Adding those mixed martial arts exercises into the equation clearly makes all the difference.”

Club’s functional space provides new element for members’ training By Christina Eccles A NEW functional area is going down well with members at a London based LA Fitness club. LAX South Kensington has introduced the space to provide a new element for members’ training; kitting it out with a range of equipment from Physical Company, including BOSU Balance Trainers, Kettlebells and Powerbags. Fitness support manager at LA Fitness Stephanie Heath explained: “A lot of personal trainers prefer to work on open floor space with small pieces of kit so they can tailor their client’s workout to be more specific for their training goals. “Creating the floor space gives members more opportunity to move and train using primary movement patterns and small, functional pieces of kit that replicate all the day to day movements and actions we do. “This helps members stay fitter and stronger for longer so they can train more regularly.” According to Stephanie, functional training has become more popular over the past year with members at the club, especially since the industry buzz around HIIT training. She added: “We picked a mixture

of kit so that there would be something to meet everyone’s training goals. “This included kit for strength, conditioning, cardio, flexibility, posture, rehab and pre and post workouts. “Key pieces include BOSU Balance Trainers which create stable and unstable surfaces that can be used for core stability, stabilising and performance exercises or used as plyometric platforms. “An exciting new piece of kit that had not been seen by our members before is the SandRope, a three metre long battling rope containing shifting sand. “It can be used with or without an anchor point and doesn’t take up much room in comparison to traditional battling ropes. Our members can use it for high intensity cardio and strength building.” The gym has been using the new functional area for small group training and Stephanie told Workout, the new additions have gone down well with members who are enjoying incorporating this type of workout into their training regimes. She added: “Many of our members have been very complimentary on the variety of kit we have. The SandRope is proving very popular.”

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FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

The XCUBE Oxygen functional training rig.

New rig brings a breath of fresh air to training GYMS and personal trainers wanting to take their functional training sessions outdoors have been given a helping hand thanks to a new piece of kit. The modular design of the XCUBE Oxygen functional training rig allows clubs to tailor it to meet the requirements of their outdoor space. Rigs can be manufactured in a variety of configurations, with a wide range of stations and attachments also available.

National fitness sales manager at D2F Fitness John Lofting said: “XCUBE Oxygen is a fantastic way for health clubs to create new, fun work out spaces for members of all abilities and fitness levels, whilst maximising use of indoor and outdoor space. “This low cost method for expanding the gym footprint enables additional programming during peak times and provides innovative workout opportunities that will add more value and drive revenue.”

A new circuit based group exercise concept has been launched by FitPro. Interval-based training is used in ViPR Athletic, allowing participants to exercise to their own limit – creating a competitive atmosphere within the group.

Latest kit installed at centres FUSION LIfestyle has installed the latest functional training equipment in four of its centres. Physical Company has supplied kit for functional training zones at Southgate Leisure Centre, South Norwood Leisure Centre, Waddon Leisure Centre and Dulwich Leisure Centre. New equipment includes medicine balls, BOSU Balance Trainers, Kettlebells and ViPR. Group retention and product devel-

opment manager at Fusion Lifestyle Darren Anderson said: “Our customer research and feedback indicated that our members wanted to use functional training kit. “We wanted to address this and provide them with the latest equipment to maximize their motivation. “The latest functional equipment will allow a new experience for members and will encourage small group training in the functional training zones.”

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FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

Steve Brailey, chief executive of SIV and SCT, Liz Johnston, NHS Active Programmes Team Leader, and Eileen Cooper, Tony Marsh and Len Chapman, members of Concord’s gym referral scheme, at the official opening.

Celebration marks gym’s opening A COMMUNITY gym in Sheffield has celebrated a major refurbishment, which includes the addition of a dedicated functional training area, by hosting a healthy themed celebration. Health MOTs, fruit smoothies and fitness demonstrations all featured at the opening of Concord Sports Centre’s new gym.

Improvements to the club include transforming the ground floor gym into a functional training area, installing new cable machines and Olympic incline and flat benches. On the first floor, operator Sheffield International Venues has invested in 45 pieces of state-of-the-art cardio equipment.

Interlocking mats come with optional designs INTERLOCKING mats are easy to fit and now come with the option of designs. Idass mats can be easily fitted, with no bonding to the floor required, they are loose laid and trimmed to fit around walls, pillars etc. Each mat is one metre square and 20mm deep. Functional gyms often appreciate the benefit of features in the flooring, so Idass have some standard images that can be water-cut into the mat. Custom images can be produced at a price, an example of a standard image is the runway or the 360 degree compass shown here in grey and blue costing £499.

The advantages of Idass mats are: No complex drawings are required, each mat is 1m square and can be cut on site if required. Flexible sizing as they can be added to or reduced by interlocking other mats. The Solid Rubber free-weights mat, functional firm mat and soft stretch mat all interlink. Edge trim is available in a range of colours. No bonding to the floor is required so they can be fitted by almost anyone. Images and shapes can be added if required. For more information visit www.idass.com

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Colourful equipment was supplied by companies including Physical Company.

Innovative brand adds second club to its portfolio By Olivia Taylor INNOVATIVE functional training brand The Gym Way has added a second London based club in Kensington to its portfolio, following the success of its existing gym in Marble Arch. The new club, which opened in early September, is being marketed as a members’ gym compared to the first club which concentrates on personal training. Director Elaine Coulthard said: “The opening has all been a bit manic, but the gym looks very good, and everything is going well.” The club, which has a dedicated functional training floor, boasts a large amount of equipment such as a 21ft rig, kettlebells, monkey bars, SandBags, and BOSU Balance Trainers, with the club working alongside suppliers such as Fitness Systems and Physical Company to kit out the facility.

Elaine added: “Fitness Systems have really been brilliant, they’re perfectionists, I couldn’t recommend them enough. Functional training is so appealing because people like to exercise in a group.” The club itself includes colourful equipment and bright decor in the gym and studios to make it look more appealing and high end – a feature of The Gym Way brand. Elaine added: “It looks more like a nightclub than a gym, but we wanted to strengthen our brand identity. Everything we’ve done is to establish the brand.” With plans of new clubs on the horizon already, the company is already looking forward and Elaine told Workout they would eventually like to expand out of the capital to other parts of the country. She added: “You've got to look to the future; we want our brand to branch out from London.”

The club worked with suppliers including Fitness Systems when setting up the facility.

Physical Company enhances range PHYSICAL Company is to take on distribution for TRX Suspension Trainers and Rip Trainers. The company will be offering the full range of TRX products, which will sit alongside its already extensive selection of functional training equipment. TRX education and sales manager in

the UK Matt Gleed said: “We’re looking forward to this partnership with Physical Company who, as an established distributor, will help us to expand the availability of TRX to a wider network. As they are a one-stop shop for functional training, the synergy between their thinking and our range of products is a perfect match.”

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St Peter’s Leisure Centre in Burnley won last year’s award.

Six of the best battle for trophy Core Momentum Trainer passes extensive tests SIX of the country’s best functional training gyms are set to battle it out for a trophy at the National Fitness Awards 2014. DMC Fitness in Glasgow; FSI Gym in North Shields; Rigs Fitness near Birmingham; Accomplish Fitness in Hungerford; Infinity Fitness in Coleshill and The Academy GTC in Macclesfield have made the shortlist for Functional Training Gym of the Year, sponsored by Jordan Fitness. For the next stage of the judging process, each club will be visited by a member of the Workout team who will take a look at the functional training facilities and chat to members and staff. The winner of the trophy, which last year was scooped by St Peter’s

Leisure Centre in Burnley, will be crowned at a glittering ceremony on November 28 at The Athena in Leicester.

The Athena in Leicester will host the 2014 National Fitness Awards.

THE Core Momentum Trainer has already proven itself through an extensive testing period as a superb core exercise tool, as well as being highly effective for developing all of the muscles involved in performing movement. The CMT is based around the central Power Core that contains lubricated steel shot. This material collides against the Power Core walls with considerable force. The force is transferred to the user’s core via their arms and working hard to precisely control the force is what guarantees an effective

workout. The CMT also offers a strong and trying cardio workout. When working effectively with the CMT, the material hits the Power Core sweet spot and you hear a sharp, sudden sound. A longer, less focused sound is an indication of lost focus or becoming fatigued; it’s time to either up the effort or move on to another exercise. Of course, the sound can be heard by trainers too, so they are able to step in and help their clients react when necessary. The CMT is available in three models: 1kg, 2kg and 4kg.

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New centre helps gym attract wider clientele ADDING a new strength and conditioning centre to its existing gym facilities, Planet Fitness in Aberbargoed has increased its draw of clientele to include Welsh rugby stars and an international strongman competitor. The new facility makes it the largest commercial gym in South Wales. The new 6000 sqft club includes the latest in MMA and functional training equipment, including a 18ft boxing ring, 18ft power rig, plyo boxes, Bulgarian bags, power bands, sledges and a functional rotating climbing wall. Also now available is strongman lifting equipment, log press and tyre flips. Strength and conditioning coach at Planet Fitness Ben Horlock said: “We

have always been keen to experiment with innovative equipment to increase the appeal of the gym to attract a wider range of users. “A good example was the installation of the Freedom Climber double functional climbing wall, which has been a surprise hit with our MMA guys who use it for conditioning training, switching from climbing continuously for up to 15 minutes to squats and pull downs using the resistance of the disc to increase their endurance and improve their grip strength.” The conditioning centre has proved incredibly successful and the key has been the variety of workouts we now offer our clients. For more information visit www.freedomclimber.co.uk

Flagship club reopens with floors from TVS LA Fitness recently reopened its flagship South Kensington club having completed a major refurbishment with help from TVS Sports Surfaces. The move is a further expansion of the successful premium health club brand LAX. Designed to deliver the latest training techniques and equipment, LAX South Kensington has an expanded 230sqm Functional Training floor using SPORTEC Color-15 Grey rubber and SPORTEC Team Cup cushioning underlay.

A new Technogym Omnia rig has been introduced and sits on SPORTEC flooring with blue line marking to the Omnia8 design. TVS Sports Surfaces supplied, installed and line marked the floors, working closely with LA Fitness to ensure materials were installed to a high standard and on time. If you require more information on SPORTEC rubber sports flooring or TVS Sports Surfaces, please visit www.floors4gyms.com or call the sales team on +44 (0)1706 260 220.

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Exigo UK – custom design experts MANUFACTURED in the UK, Exigo are market leaders in design and supply of custom made functional rig systems. Whether you are looking for a large custom made unit or a small studio design, you can select a product from our range that meets you specific needs. We’ve recently added a brand new configuration to our range and the new “Spyder” system was officially unveiled at Leisure Industry Week. This revolutionary product is guaranteed to satisfy any facility’s training objectives. The Spyder will also complement our existing range of functional train-

ing systems. MFS “Modular Functional Series”; this range offers ultimate performance and versatility. Each design is made up of unique, heavy duty triangular columns which are precision engineered to accommodate endless functional attachments. Each unique system offers a valuable storage solution and designs vary from freestanding, wall mounted and corner designs. As with all of our products we also offer a custom build and design service. Our Club Series range offers exceptional value for money, from freestanding, squat series, wall series and compact wall designs. As with the

MFS range we have numerous functional training accessories that can be added to each individual station. Within any facility we know how important space is to our customers and our wall and compact wall designs offer the smallest footprint available to maximise all available space. All of our products are British made and manufactured from the highest quality powder coated steel. From group training classes to independent training there is an Exigo Functional product to suit you. For more information contact sales@exigouk.com or discuss your specific needs with our expert team by calling 0870 850 1822.

Martina Grant – personal trainer with home studio “WHEN I first I saw the HIT Machine and tried it out for myself, I knew it was perfect for my clients and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. As a former registered general nurse I am used to dealing with ‘outlier’ groups who find high intensity training a struggle – the obese, the injured or simply those who are new to exercise. The HIT Machine is great for rehabilitation as the amount of effort put in is matched by the machine, and since there is no weight in the bar, there’s no way to hurt yourself using it. This means I can safely allow my clients to train harder without worrying about risk of injury, and even though they can work at higher intensities that they’ve been used to, their recovery is much quicker due to reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Due to the lack of impact during a session, this appealed greatly to me as I didn’t want to scare people off if they couldn’t walk properly for a week – with the HIT Machine I have clients able to come three times a week or more. In addition, the number of different exercises a person can do on

Martina Grant this one piece of equipment is amazing, so there is no chance of training boredom, plus with the heart-rate monitors I can assess exactly how much rest to give a client in between sets. I’ve been involved in personal training for many years and I can honestly say this is the most exciting and useful piece of equipment I have ever discovered.

It’s really opened up a whole new channel for my business. The HIT Machine has massively upped the level of service I am able to give my clients and so far I’ve had plenty of sweaty but happy faces.” To join Martina, a personal trainer from Carryduff, on the HIT Machine journey, contact www.hitmachine .co.uk.”

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Indigo and Raze launch products INDIGO Fitness has teamed up with new strength and conditioning brand Raze to launch a range of new products. A passion for high quality, function equipment combined with a striking visual design sets the Raze products apart and sets the foundations for success within the market. One of the first to hit our shores will be the rubber kettlebell, a unique design fuelled by a quest to create the finest and most usable kettlebell out there.

The handle in particular being painstakingly designed to provide an ergonomically perfect fit when using either one or two hands. With its stylish design and durable construction, the Raze rubber kettlebell would be a solid addition to any training environment. Other products include a wide selection of weightlifting bars and plates and functional favourites such as wall balls, battle ropes and plyo boxes. In stock now. Call 01455 890 100 for more details.

‘The Hub’ – the ideal solution for SGT ONE of the best solutions for getting more people involved in functional sessions has been small group training, and ‘The Hub’ is the perfect solution for SGT. Not only can it be used to store four Olympic Barbells and six Olympic Weight plates, but it can be used for an unlimited number of workouts for up to eight people. ‘The Hub’ allows you to work in multiple plains of motion and using multiple muscle groups at the same time. So for beginners it makes it really easy to learn exercises using barbells because it puts much less load on the joints, which makes learning much safer. The multidirectional and multi-planar functionality of this product also provides a huge benefit to even the most advanced athletes. It is really easy to use, requires no

setting up and will provide your customers with a fun, rewarding and enjoyable session. For more information visit www.jordanfitness.co.uk

Four-point plan to great functional training facilities STRENGTH and conditioning equipment specialist, Absolute Performance, has worked with professionals across all sporting disciplines and sectors. To meet the specific requirements for each functional training facility, Absolute Performance has devised a four-point plan to ensure every project delivers the best for users: 1. Consultation The first and most important step is spending time visiting the space and getting an understanding of what it will be used for, the type of clientele that will use it, and ideally the budget available. Without fail, the most successful facilities are built on a two-way dialogue. 2. Design As an independent supplier, AP has a unique ability to source the right product for the facility and budget, ranging from the premium brand Werksan, to the custom manufactured AP Functional Training

Series. You can even add your own facility colours and logos to give it that personal touch. Space saving designs such as wall mounting a rig, or laying AP multipurpose flooring provides multifunctional solutions for every type or size of facility. 3. Installation Absolute Performance offer a full installation service carried out by experienced engineers, offering a first class service that comes with the ability to be flexible, something that most installations require to ensure the best results. 4. Customer Service No relationship with a client ends at installation. Absolute Performance prides themselves on their ongoing relationships with clients, as their facilities continue to grow. For more information go to www.aperformance.co.uk or call 02920 362664.

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