Issuu

January 2010

The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazine

Wright move to FIA board

Floods shut family gym for months By Mary Ferguson A FAMILY-RUN gym devastated by floods in Cumbria will be shut for months while repair work is carried out. John Wilson – who runs Lifestyles Fitness in Cockermouth with daughter Jackie Clarke – saw his club ruined by record amounts of rainfall. All the equipment had to be scrapped, plaster boards hacked off and the floor taken up because of damp. Due to the drying out process, it could be April before the business can re-open. John estimated he is losing between £2-3,000 a week but is confident he has the correct insurance. He told Workout: “We were thinking about installing a swimming pool but this wasn’t quite what we imagined. We will re-open though, there’s no doubt about that. I’ve asked our members to stop their standing orders but because the computer went for a swim too, we didn’t have everyone’s contact details. So we took an ad out in the local paper instead, hoping they would see it. “Some of them though have kept their standing orders going to help us out while we get back on our feet, so I’ll make sure their memberships are

extended.” John had taken a break from building an extension to the gym when a member of staff called to tell him it was knee high in water. By the time he returned, he was wading waist-deep through the main street. All the fitness equipment was lost, filling four skips full of ruined machinery. “We have a ladies’ gym upstairs that wasn’t affected but we can’t even open that up because people just can’t access the building – the road is literally a building site. The local authority run centre nearby has been really good though and offered our members very reasonable rates and another independent gym nearby has let them train there for free – it’s really touched me how good everyone has been.” John must now leave the repair work to the contractors and added that although he finds it strange being away from the club, he is trying to look on the bright side. “We will have the gym re-equipped and up and running again and it will look great. I’m confident we will come out of this smiling.” I For pictures of the damage caused to the gym by the floods, see Page 3

No 196 £3

Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon has waltzed into an exclusive partnership deal with LA Fitness. The star will devise new dance and exercise routines and advise across a broad spectrum of health and fitness issues as part of the chain’s £30m revamp. The four-year contract will also see her enjoy a share in increased revenues and profits of the business. Picture courtesy of the BBC

INDUSTRY stalwart Dave Wright has been voted onto the FIA board to represent independent operators. Dave pipped Fitrooms owner Mario Pederzolli and Xpect Health and Fitness owner Andy Bourne to the post, and is now working with the association on packages for this year’s IOU conference. David Stalker, who has been promoted from COO of the FIA to executive director, told Workout he was excited about working with Dave. He said: “Dave is well placed, well connected and well respected. I’m trying to get the FIA to represent all sites, including independents, so this is an important post to help me deliver what I want to.” Other additions to the board are John Gamble of Fitness First, representing multisite operators, and Heather Frankham, CEO of Lifetime, who takes the education seat. There were 60 per cent more votes cast this year compared to last.

UK FITNESS SCENE These pictures show the damage caused by floods in Cumbria to unlucky Lifestyles Fitness in Cockermouth. The club is located just off Main Street, one of the worst hit areas by the heavy rain which caused devastation across the region.

Picture: Elliottphotography.com

Owner Sandra reveals how she keeps her team happy By Mary Ferguson THE owner of a three-year-old gym that’s managed to retain all its staff since day one has revealed how she keeps her team happy. Sandra McGugan is celebrating the third anniversary of Ladybird Fitness in Wigan with a loyal set of workers, and claims the simple things are the most effective when it comes to a contented workplace. Women-only club Ladybird, whose slogan is ‘No Men and No Mirrors’, employs four staff, two of whom are full time. Sandra said: “We do everything in-house and never employ freelancers or cleaners. Our sick record is almost non-existent, which is unusual, and whenever I tell other operators that I still have the same staff they are shocked. It seems a lot of other gyms have problems, especially with turnover.” Sandra employs three fitness instructors and one receptionist, who is also being trained up to work on the gym floor. But everyone – including Sandra – pitches in with cleaning and administration duties and between them, they run 16 group exercise classes a week. “There is always something to do

If you’ve got a story for Workout or you want to comment on some of the issues featured in the magazine then please call Mary Ferguson on 01226 734712 or email: mf@whpl.net

so people never get bored, which I think is really important in terms of job satisfaction. And everyone sells memberships so I give them all individual targets, to enable them to earn commission.” The full time staff complete their hours in four days so they have three days a week off and if someone is away – for example when an instructor left for maternity leave – the part time staff up their hours to cover any gaps so no-one new has to be brought in. “What I pay is about average but the fact that we are very small and very flexible makes people want to work here. “And to be honest it would be really hard to bring someone new in as all the members know the staff well and all the staff know their names.” The team socialise together as much as they can and Sandra tries to recognise good work by awarding small incentives such as bottles of wine. She added: “I think it really helps that the staff see me doing the same job as them – even as far as cleaning the toilets. I’m always happy and never moan, and I do think that’s contagious.”

A personal trainer juggling push-ups with pencils is spending her spare time sketching physiques. Louise Welch, based in Devon, has been putting pen to paper for a number of athletes she met whilst training with GB Fitness. She said: “I also work as a desktop publisher and have always been into art but the muscle definition on body builders really gives me something to get my teeth into.” Louise has been commissioned to do work for a number of gyms, who decorate their walls with the images. Pictured is Louise’s sketch of Ms Universe Silvana Imbrogno.

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Phone enquiries ‘the Achilles’ heel’ of industry – research By Dominic Musgrave THE fitness industry is getting worse at responding to customer enquiries on the telephone, according to the results of new research. Leisure-net Solutions’ third annual call-Focus survey included 120 calls to more than 60 sites across the private, local authority and leisure trust sectors. They were benchmarked against previous surveys to test whether the industry is answering telephone membership enquiries more quickly and efficiently. Results showed that less than 60 per cent of calls were answered within five rings, down from 75 per cent last year. And mystery callers felt they were adequately told about facilities and services in just nine per cent of calls, which was down from 44 per cent last year. More than half of the receptionists gave out membership prices before discussing any individual requirements and only 55 per cent were asked if they would like to come in for a tour. Mike Hill, managing director of Leisure-net Solutions, said: “Our research also shows that, even when our researchers got though on the

phone, just under half of all potential sales are likely to be lost because staff are not asking if enquirers would like to come in and see the facilities. “It is worrying that less information is being given out about the services on offer, but prices are being given out much more directly. “With more than a third of all membership enquiries still coming in by phone, it is vital that clubs and centres address these simple training and systems issues as a matter of priority.” The results also showed that the private sector is still performing better than the public sector sites that were surveyed, particularly across the systems and processes side. However, the two sectors cannot be compared like-for-like due to their differing resources and focuses. Mike added: "Handling membership enquiries on the phone continues to be the Achilles’ heel of our industry. “Most potential members will only contact one or two sites, so it’s essential that the phone is answering quickly and the right information is given and the right questions asked.”

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Celebrities flock to Beautcamp By Mary Ferguson FITNESS studios charging £24 a class for a new type of Pilates are enjoying booming business in London. Beautcamp Pilates has two studios in the capital with celebrity clients including Jade Jagger and Liz Hurley. And operator Dominique Day has now decided to franchise the concept, claiming it will shake up gym timetables as well as providing a lucrative stand-alone business. Originating in LA, Beautcamp Pilates is a fitness programme that combines traditional mat-based Pilates with circuit-training, burning a large amount of calories by incorporating more CV elements. Since the first studio was opened in Notting Hill, it has been a huge success and the demand for spaces on the programme was so great that a second studio was opened in the City. Dominique, who used to be a television journalist, told Workout: “I was in LA doing some filming and I was walking down the road when I heard some groans coming out of a room. “I had a look and saw some strange machines, found out more and decided to try a class myself. “I became a convert and was obsessed with it. I knew a lot of British actresses over there so I introduced them to it and when I came

A class in action at her London studio back over here, decided to set up a studio in London.” When it first opened, Dominique didn’t have a single client but was so confident people would love it, decided to offer the first class for free. And now, there are waiting lists for both studios. “I’m excited about rolling out the

Dominique Day franchise programme and I would like to see the brand spread throughout the UK. Beautcamp would work as other stand-alone studios but also as part of a class timetable at a gym and we have had a lot of interest so far.” Dominique doesn’t teach the classes herself, but has built up a team of

instructors that she flew out to train in LA. She added: “It was quite a shock to the system to go from being a journalist to opening my own studios and everyone who knew me thought I was wasting my money. But it’s been really successful and hugely empowering.”

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How Dennis got gym back in shape By Mary Ferguson THE manager of one of the oldest gyms in Manchester has revealed how he has turned things around since his appointment. Dennis Shannon started his position at The Y Club five years ago, following 15 years with Spirit Health and Fitness. He said the changes he has made are ‘numerous’, but the biggest challenge he faced was with the staff. “They were very demotivated and the club lacked systems and procedure, and was very unorganised. So I implemented systems for performance reviews, introduced new positions and tidied up procedures. “When I arrived, no-one had had an appraisal for three years and there wasn’t even a dedicated sales person in place.” Another challenge for Dennis was managing the political issues that arose from having so many sports clubs operate within the facilities, all struggling for space on the timetable for their teams. He also increased access for groups who may struggle to get into other facilities, including people with drug issues and those

recently released from prison. “Membership was going backwards when I came in so I introduced new categories like a student option. “Nothing was very structured before and the whole pricing policy needed bringing into line. It took at least two years to get more members in but I was aware that it would be a challenge before I took on the job.” Six months into his role, Dennis introduced beauty therapy services to attract more women to what has traditionally been viewed as a maledominated club. Now, he says, most new members consist of young professional females who rent the many new-build apartment blocks springing up nearby. “We also have members who have been with us since we moved to this site 21 years ago and back in the day our users included George Best and the Busby Babes from Manchester United.” In the last year, new budget-style clubs have opened either side, but Dennis remains confident the business will not be affected. He added: “Our facilities here are so good and we cater for such a range of people that I think it will be other city

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Ex-brickie realises his gym dream By Mary Ferguson THE owner of a newly-opened gym in Cambridgeshire said the first few weeks of business have been ‘better than he could have dreamed’, despite doing no advertising or marketing. Adam Hanley opened Hanley’s Muscle and Fitness in St. Neots two months before schedule and signed up over 100 members during the first three weeks through word of mouth alone. He is now hoping an official launch coupled with advertising in the new year will help him hit his initial target of 200. He said: “I’m a bricklayer by trade but have been body building for 14 years and trained in my double garage, building up a pile of equipment along the way. “I decided it was time to bite the bullet and make fitness my business and my first few members were actually guys that used to train with me at home.” Adam found a small unit on an industrial estate to rent and equipped it with refurbished Hammer Strength and Life Fitness equipment from Amazon Leisure. “St. Neots was desperate for a bodybuilding gym as there’s just nowhere for guys to lift weights – the council gym doesn’t even

have a bar bell. “I initially set out to target the weight lifting market but I’ve actually had a lot of interest from women and families too, as I think I’ve created quite a homely facility.” Adam decorated the walls in magenta and dark red, fitted a carpet and installed the CV equipment on a mezzanine level, meaning women can train away from the free weights area. He said he doesn’t want to aim too high in terms of numbers, as one of his big selling points is that the club doesn’t get too busy. ”My main competitor has 4,000 members so you have no chance of getting on what you want at 6pm on a Monday. And I think that’s one reason we have attracted so many members from them.” Adam has implemented a flexible pricing structure, charging £4.50 a session, £12.50-a-week or £40-a-month. A one-year contract is available for £29-a-month, which so far has been the most popular option and is almost half the price of their closest competition. He added: “I was more excited than nervous about opening my own place and although I don’t expect to make a profit straight away, I expect to be paying myself a wage within a year.”

A gym in Milton Keynes welcomed a Hollywood star when performer Chris Jones visited the énergie Fitness Club in the town’s theatre district. Chris, an actor, singer and dancer, had flown to the UK on a one-off tour to host an exclusive UK/LA collaboration masterclass in conjunction with Dance énergie. Taking a break from touring with the Pussycat Dolls, he teamed up with Isha Chirimuuta from Milton keynes-based dance crew Nemisis for the event.

Combining exercise with education

Horwich Leisure Centre in Bolton has refurbished and extended its gym area to make it accessible to people with disabilities. The £250,000 investment includes Life Fitness equipment and space has been designed very carefully to cater for disability groups, schools and junior clubs, the elderly and anyone new to fitness or with limited mobility. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes are also available.

A NEW fitness class that combines exercise with education is launching to help new and expectant mums prevent pregnancy related health issues. FitBack & Bump classes, held in locations around the country and the first to be run by chartered physiotherapists, aim to fill the gap in knowledge not currently covered by antenatal classes or regular exercise groups. The classes focus on five key areas including getting a flatter stomach and improved sexual health. Jonathan Daniel, chartered physiotherapist and founder of FitBack & Bumps said: “Our classes aim to address all issues that aren’t really covered in detail in any other environment. “What’s more, by doing the correct amount and type of exercise during pregnancy, women can make the birthing process easier and achieve a flatter tummy more quickly after birth.”

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Meetings with members helps club retention By Mary Ferguson The new énergie gym in Lewisham

Partners drive through plan for gym at ex fast food site RESIDENTS in Lewisham have swapped large fries for toned thighs after the site of an old McDonald’s restaurant was turned into a new énergie gym franchise. Based in Forest Hill, it is managed by joint franchisee owners David Waugh and Andrew Grossett. The pair met three years ago when Andrew became David’s personal trainer. Andrew said: “We both live in the borough of Lewisham and wanted to find a local site so we could make a contribution to our community. The response so far has been fantastic – we are really proud of what has been achieved. Being a former McDonalds the site is well-known locally and our members are intrigued by the contrast with its new use.”

The £260,000 transformation of the site was handled by the Leisure Development Partnership – a joint initiative from Precor and sports and fitness developer Inspirit. New equipment was supplied by Precor and facilities also include therapy rooms, solarium and an exercise studio which hosts 29 classes a week. Andrew added: “The fact the building used to be a McDonalds has been something of talking point locally and among people we’ve interviewed for jobs here. Even though the Golden Arches have been drilled out of the floor and all other traces have been removed, we’re not allowed to sell any ground beef or chicken on the premises as part of our lease agreement – so in its own way the spirit of McDonalds is still with us.”

HOLDING regular meetings with members is helping a hotel health club improve retention through communication. The leisure club at Whittlebury Hall gathers members together every two months to discuss any issues they have and manager Greg Darkes told Workout up to 50 people turn up to each forum. He said: “They tell us what we are doing right as well as what we are doing wrong and it’s not just the same crowd that turn up – we get a real mix of people each time. “They are paying memberships so they should be able to have their say, in the same way people speak up about how their council tax is spent.” Greg said the main issues that come up in the meetings surround maintenance issues and the club’s aim is to act on concerns quickly and keep members up to date with progress by posting notices around the changing rooms and on big screens in the gym.

But the team is often praised on its friendliness as staff are encouraged to approach members whenever they can. After each forum meeting, a brief run-down on what happened is printed off and given to every member as they come in for their workout, so even those that didn’t attend are kept up to date. “Holding meetings gets everything out in the open and stops me getting big long emails and irrate phone calls. It’s all about communication and the members tell us they really appreciate it.” Greg claimed the meetings contribute to an increased retention rate, which has also been helped by a major refurbishment that involved the club purchasing £85,000 of Cybex equipment. He added: “The club is now going through one of the best times it has ever known. Communication is the key and I feel we now have our members just where we want them.”

Obesity study’s signs of success A SHEFFIELD sports centre helping with an obesity study is seeing signs of success in the participants. Concord Sports Centre joined forces with Sheffield Hallam University to investigate the so-called ‘fat gene’, signing up 70 overweight people. The study aims to provide researchers and fitness experts with a better understanding of the underlying reasons why some people struggle with leading a healthy lifestyle. Research, which began a year ago, looks at how participants’ motivation for exercise changed due to levels of

naturally produced ‘happy hormone’ serotonin. Participants were also given one-to-one exercise and diet guidance over a 12-week programme at Concord. The programme has been devised by fitness specialist Dave Birds, who himself lost 12 stones before training as an instructor. He said: “This groundbreaking project has a really interesting aim because so many people fail when trying to lose weight and get fit. This study will bring insight into why so we can adapt workout routines to help those with genetic resistance.”

Independent London club I.N.C Space hosted the UK launch of the new KRANKcycle. The event was attended by over 200 fitness operators and suppliers and inventor Johnny G held presentations and demonstrations throughout the day. Friends of Matrix including James Cracknell, Verona Joseph and Dani King helped launch the product to the media.

UK FITNESS SCENE

How James rises to the challenge By Mary Ferguson ENGLAND’S first blind fitness instructor has revealed how he will manage when he starts work on the gym floor. James O’Driscoll is the only blind person in the country to become a qualified fitness instructor, after losing his sight 11 years ago when he developed a rare form of Optic Neuropathy. He is now set to begin work in a health club in Croydon, where he will use an assistant to ‘see’ for him, enabling him to gain information about the clients’ physical safety,

exercise performance and technique. He said: “Becoming physically active changed my life, taking me from a place of depression to happiness. “Now I’m seeking to give as many other people the opportunity to experience the life-enhancing benefits of getting and keeping fit.” A few years after becoming blind, James volunteered at a college for visually impaired children, where he became a fitness advisor. And using his new-found confidence, he then enrolled and trained alongside non-disabled students on a CYQ (Central YMCA Qualifications)

Level 2 course at held at London South Bank University. James was expected to fulfill the same criteria for the theory and practical components of the course but was provided with audio translation, an assistant for practical sessions and care for his guide dog while he was in training. He told Workout: “Before I lost my sight I always enjoyed fitness and used to train my friends but when I became blind, I never thought I could make a career out of it. “There were 23 people on my course and I was the only one with a

disability but no-one treated me differently. And I’m not your typical blind person – I don’t shuffle around the gym floor looking scared.” James believes that when clients meet him, they will not be put off by his disability but he does expect to come up against some form of prejudice at times. He added: “Obviously people talk and I did hear about an instructor at a nearby gym who said if he owned it he wouldn’t employ me, because he didn’t want clients to think they were being ‘fobbed off on to the blind guy’. But I know I can do my job well.”

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Drinkers can’t burn off booze – research

By Mary Ferguson

Africa.

MORE than 3.8 million adults in England are wrongly trying to burn off booze with exercise, according to new research. A YouGov survey showed that 19 percent of adults in England who exercise regularly and drink alcohol admit to taking exercise or playing sport in order to 'make up' for having drunk a lot of alcohol in the previous few days. Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said: “Everyone knows that regularly taking part in physical activity is important for maintaining good health. “But the truth is, if you have a big night at the pub, you’re not going to compensate with a workout the following day.” Workout recently reported how the Government’s Know Your Limits campaign has teamed up with the fitness industry to raise awareness among gym-goers about the impact drinking too much can have on their exercise goals.

A KENT gym owner who built a club in her back garden is expanding again with the construction of a group exercise studio. Jenny Wildi converted her garage into a personal training studio and when clients began wanting to work out on their own, she built an extension and turned it into BodyMission. Two and a half years later, she is aiming to attract more female users – hoping for a boost to profits as a result. Jenny told Workout: “We have a good range of free weights here – probably the best in the area – but no class timetable, so we found we were signing up more men than women. “But with the new studio up and running by January I’d like to get to 200 members, and I’m ultimately aiming for 500.” Jenny gave up her job as an accountant to open a personal training studio after falling in love with fitness whilst working in

After converting her garage into a studio, she found her clients wanted to be able to exercise on their own too, so built an extension and started selling memberships.

It all adds up for former accountant Jenny ... The large garden was turned into a car park, and planning permission was approved again to be able to build the studio, which is due to open for January. “We wanted to put in an upper level instead but can’t because we are on green belt land, but luckily we have a couple of acres to be able to build backwards.” Memberships are £35 a month with discounts for those under 24 and Jenny said the gym’s main selling point is its personal service – and a strong sense of community. She added: “We may be in the middle of a small village but things are going from strength to strength and we are more than breaking even now. And with the new studio and extra members it will bring, I expect 2010 to be very much a profit-making year.”

Jenny Wildi

UK FITNESS SCENE

Holiday park club fit for the future By Mary Ferguson A HEALTH club based on a Devon holiday park is preparing to become the centre of a new fitness break programme. Finlake Health and Leisure Club, based at Finlake Holiday Park, has been selected by Hoseasons as one of five parks in the UK to operate a ‘Go Active’ scheme, turning it into a fitness holiday destination. The scheme will begin operating from April and will enable guests – and the local community – to enjoy the pools, gym, surrounding countryside and activities including

archery and fencing. It follows a £250,000 refurbishment that included the installation of the Technogym Wellness system, and the club now has 800 external members form the local area. Six new staff have been taken on to implement the Go Active scheme, complementing the fitness team that includes four personal trainers. Most of the instructors started as lifeguards, before moving on to the gym floor. Chelly Roberts, leisure manager, said: “There is a massive uptake for personal training from the holiday makers and in the new year we are

going to introduce different packages – gold, silver and bronze – that allow people to choose the number of sessions during their stay. And we are hoping the introduction of Go Active will raise footfall in the gym even more.” An advertising campaign has led to a boom in business for the gym, with its popularity increasing in the local area. A special package costing £500 a year for two adults and two children has been hugely popular, as the pools and restaurant facilities are a big draw for families. An individual annual member-

ship costs £250 and monthly memberships are available without a contract. Chelly added: “We have never been so busy. We recently did a run of five very small adverts locally and they resulted in us taking 23 annual memberships and in one week alone, we got over £3,000 worth of enquiries.” The ‘Go Active' brand is a joint venture between Hoseasons and Sport England and was launched with backing from the Government’s Change4life campaign.

Hotel invests £60,000 in fitness revamp THE gym at Hyatt Regency hotel in Birmingham has invested £60,000 in the redevelopment of its fitness provisions. The fitness suite has undergone complete internal redecoration and now houses a cardiovascular range from Matrix Fitness Systems. Michelle Larkin, spa and club manager, said: “Three years ago the spa was built and the swimming pool area was completely refurbished but at the time the gym remained untouched. Physical training instructors with British Military Fitness (BMF) slapped on the baby oil to launch their first charity calendar in support of Help For Heroes. The shoot took place on Clapham Common in London and Robin Cope, managing director at BMF, said he was thrilled to see so many instructors taking part. He added: “Over 70 instructors put themselves forward and this was whittled down to 19. Help for Heroes is a charity close to BMF as we have all served for our country.”

£175k refurbishment for gym THE gym and climbing wall at Oxford Brookes University’s Centre for Sport has benefitted from a £175,000 refurbishment. The facilities at the Headington sports centre have been completely overhauled in what has been the

biggest revamp in the building’s history. Climbing wall Rock Solid has seen a £100,000 rebuild and extension to make it 50 per cent bigger. And a further £50,000 was spent replacing 27 machines in the gym.

“It is fantastic that this latest investment now means that we can offer members and guests a fantastic fitness, health and wellbeing experience.”

Berwick leisure centre at £850k redevelopment THE Swan Leisure Centre in Berwick Upon Tweed is undergoing an £850,000 redevelopment. The three-phase project, managed by Tees Active, will see leisure specialist Createability convert the current soft play area into a modern 65-sta-

tion gym. A new play area will be installed and the final phase will involve a refurbishment of the reception area and offices. Alliance Leisure is also involved in a high-level project management capacity.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Georgian setting for luxury workouts in the city ... By Louise Cordell A NEW fitness studio has been opened for Londoners who want to work out in luxury while avoiding the crowds. Egoist Body Studios is based across two floors of a Georgian house in the West End and provides small group sessions across a range of disciplines. The club is run by ex-European champion ballroom dancer Lina Petraityte, and opened with the aim of providing a tailor-made service to members. Lina said: “I had been looking for something like this in the city, but couldn’t find it. All the studios seemed to offer either expensive one-on-one training or big group

classes where there was no personal attention. “We are keen to provide anything that people can’t get in your average gym and give members the option to pick and choose what appeals to them.” Club membership is available for a £150 yearly fee and this entitles people to a discount on classes, as well as money saving bulk booking offers and priority on class bookings. Non-members can also attend by purchasing a daily membership pass for £5 and are charged the normal rate for all classes. “I am keen to encourage people to become members so that we can get to know them and provide a better service.

“Everyone who has come so far has comeback and they have brought their friends with them – so that’s a good sign. It is a new concept so it’s nice to see that so many people like it.” The club currently has three studios available for groups of between six and 30 people and specialist teachers provide lessons including fat burning yoga, high cardio jive, salsa and Pilates. Lina has also introduced popular novelty classes including 80s’ aerobics – where members dress up in leg warmers and workout to the Flashdance soundtrack – and a Friday night Dirty Dancing class where everyone enjoys a glass of wine before recreating moves from the hit film.

Jordan’s kettlebell solution JORDAN’s have been designing, manufacturing and supplying kettlebells for a number of years and as Europe’s leading supplier regard themselves as leaders in this field. This black rubber coated kettlebell has a unique smooth chrome handle and forms part of the Jordan premium range of free weight and performance products. It has been designed to be easy and comfortable to use as well as looking attractive and stylish. The durable rubber coating means that the kettlebell is comfortable to

use and it helps protect the kettlebell and its surroundings, while the red elliptical icon means that the weight of the kettlebell is easily identifiable. Jordan are currently offering clubs the following starter pack of these exclusive kettlebells: two each of 6kg, 8kg, 10kg and 12kg with one each of 4kg, 16kg and 20kg. This set comes complete with a Jordan kettlebell rack and is priced at £ 450.48 plus vat. Contact: 01945 880257, www.jordanfitness.co.uk

UK FITNESS SCENE

Sitting amongst one of the most exclusive spa retreats in the country, the fitness team at Ragdale Hall are challenged to make sure the exercise facilities match. Mary Ferguson paid a visit.

Exclusive retreat puts the emphasis on fun ... INTERNATIONAL fitness presenter Dean Hodgkin heads up the staff at Ragdale, and Chris Chambers has been fitness manager for 11 years. Along with the rest of the team, their job is to make sure visitors enjoy a ‘high end’ exercise experience, and leave their stay inspired and with a fresh enthusiasm for keeping in shape. Chris said: “We want people to come here and be able to try something they wouldn’t normally do in their health clubs at home, and motivate them by shaking up their fitness regimes. “Many people use their stay at Ragdale to visit a gym for the first time in their lives so our emphasis is on making it as least intimidating as possible. We want people to walk away thinking ‘that wasn’t so bad’, with the confidence to join a gym back home. “And for others, the level of service they receive here makes them question what they are getting from their clubs at home, and hopefully encourages them to try and get more out of their experiences.”

As well as a fitness suite and 25m leisure pool, Ragdale houses a 12m pool reserved for exercise classes and is one of the only facilities in the country to have specialist gym equipment installed in the water. Fitness weeks run four times a year – two in the studios and two in the pool – showcasing the different exercise classes on offer. And a secluded ‘candle pool’ in the spa area is taken over by the fitness team for 40 minutes a day for guided relaxation sessions. Because there is an emphasis on having fun while exercising, there are many dance classes included in the group exercise timetable. They include innovative classes devised by the fitness team like PomPom, Seventies Boogie, Elvis Rocks and Sinatra Swing. Other classes include Thai Chi Sword – using wooden swords – Dragon Fan and the hugely popular Chaos Training. The fitness team also run a slimming group for the 750 people who live locally and take out country club memberships, that gives them unlimited use of the facilities.

Two studios run side by side and Chris said over a thousand people come through the classes each week. “Use of the gym changes from day to day as people are away from their usual routine but we generally have seven or eight people in at any one time. “It’s quite a challenge to get people to exercise when they have come here to relax. People come here on holiday, so we need to put an emphasis on fun in the exercise timetable.” Chris added that by putting on outdoor sports like tennis, golf and archery, men are encouraged to Ragdale and as well as an extensive studio and pool timetable, there are organised country walks. “In the last 11 years the popularity of the fitness facilities has really grown. When I started here the gym was half the size and we had just the one studio, but attendance has massively increased.”

Chris Chambers

Keeping fit at Ragdale Hall

UK FITNESS SCENE

Champions choose Pure-Col CHAMPION athletes across the sporting spectrum are using Pure-Col to help prevent injury and maximise their performance. Joint pain is a common occurrence in those who do repetitive exercise, caused by the cartilage within joints breaking down at a faster rate than it can be rebuilt. One way to combat this deterioration is by increasing the body’s supply of collagen. It is the ‘glue’ that holds the body together and is the essential structural component of all connective tissues. Therefore, those that undertake physical exercise such as sports professionals should supplement their diet with a 100 per cent collagen capsule in the form of PureCol. Athletes using the product include boxer Amanda Coulson (pictured), international athlete Becky Lyne, rugby player Jamie Noon and Ian Campbell, nutritional consultant to a Premiership football club. He said: “I recommend Pure-Col to a variety of professional sports people and also take it myself daily.”

By taking Pure-Col you can replenish the connective tissue – for healthier, pain-free joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles and to rebuild the cartilage joints. Enquiries: 0191 2913385 Website: www.lookandhealth.com

UK FITNESS SCENE

Stacey lands a golden opportunity By Mary Ferguson A HALIFAX gym manager is hoping that helping a member win gold in a rowing competition will ignite her personal training career. Stacey Gill runs Body Station for owner and partner Ian Redhouse and is celebrating the success of Caroline Dolan, who recently won her category in the British Indoor Rowing Championships in Birmingham. For Caroline, a member of the gym for eight years, it was the first competition she had entered. She took gold in the 2,000m 35-39 year olds’ heavyweight category. Stacey said: “Caroline used to play rugby and used the rower at the gym for general training and fell in love with it. So six months ago I devised her a programme and as a club, we agreed to sponsor her.” The sponsorship deal meant Caroline got free membership, branded clothing, free training from Stacey and had competition costs covered.

“It obviously cost money to sponsor her but it’s going to really help me get more business as a personal trainer now I have helped her win a gold medal. Ultimately Caroline wants to row in the Olympics and I’m looking forward to helping her get there. I’d like to help more members with both conditioning and competitions and I’m in the process of getting more staff in so I can concentrate on my personal training.” Stacey has let the local media know about Caroline’s success, securing an editorial spread in a newspaper, and will be using her story to promote the gym on its website and on flyers. The continuing success of Body Station has enabled Stacey and Ian to invest in turning an unused room into a martial arts studio, set to open in the Spring. The new facilities will offer training in kettlebells, yoga, tai chi and MMA and will be rented out to local clubs – who will hopefully bring new members into the gym.

Stacey (right) with Caroline

Tony rows to success at 66 GYM owner Chris Watson is also celebrating the success of one of his members at the competition in Birmingham. Tony Winfield, a member of The Slaughterhouse Health Club in Mold for 15 years, won the 60-70-year-old lightweight category, achieving a personal best of seven minutes 16 seconds. It was the second competition for the 66-year-old, who used to row marathons. Chris said: “Over the past couple of years I’ve been training him up to do explosive sprints and even though some other members competed and

got personal bests too, he was the star man with his gold medal. He is phenomenally fit for his age.” Rowing is a popular sport amongst the older members of The Slaughterhouse, including an 83year-old who uses the Concept 2 to row 5,000 metres three times a week. And, for Chris, taking members to competitions is a good way to bond. Her added: “We had four people competing this year and six in 2008, including myself. We make a proper event of it with a hotel and some beers to celebrate, so it’s a real social occasion too.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Atlanta Health and Fitness has been operating in York for 25 years, and claims not to feel the effects of the recession. So what are the secrets to its success? Mary Ferguson paid a visit to find out.

Key to success is knowing your place in the market DESPITE its location in the centre of a business park, very little of Atlanta’s business comes from the corporate market. Instead, owner Julie Broadway said it’s a family-run gym used by families – and that’s how they keep trading. A former nurse, Julie took over the gym after her father retired and has spent the last few years at the helm. The first UK gym to run a promotion with Creative Fitness Marketing, Atlanta now does a push every 18 months and at the moment, has a total of 600 members. Prices are set at £450 for two years, £250 for one year or £25 a month and a current special offer gives people 20 per cent off. Julie claims that although they always want more members, the recession hasn’t bitten them too hard. She said: “York hasn’t been too bad in terms of redundancies and we are holding our own against three big chains within a one mile radius. It’s

them that are suffering at the moment, because they rely on so much of their business from the corporate market.” A big promotional push is planned to mark the gym’s coming of age in 2010, with discounts running from the new year right up until its 21st birthday in July. To attract families, Atlanta operates a children’s play area opposite reception, charged at 30p a session, so parents can work out knowing their children are occupied. Junior members pay a £25-a-year joining fee, and are then charged £2a-session – meaning they can use their pocket money to pay. This price structure has been so successful that the gym has linked up with the local police force who often introduce young people at risk of offending. Ultimately, Julie claims their success lays in them knowing their place in the market – and not being greedy.

Julie and Brian She added: “We are just a gym, and that’s what we do best. We did put in an aerobics floor but instructors kept going off ill and it just wasn’t working, so we consulted with the members and decided to turn the area into a CV floor instead. “And we have never been a greedy

club. When we first opened there was no competition around, not even a local authority run centre, and we could have made a killing at that point. “But we are a family-run gym, catering for families, and our prices need to reflect that.”

How Brian made it into Arnie’s autobiography THE gym was originally opened by Julie’s father Brian House in 1983 and moved to its current location 20 years ago, changing its name to Atlanta Health and Fitness. Brian retired from the gym at 65, but at 71, still helps out now and again. He competed alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the sixties and his claim to fame is a mention in one of the star’s autobiographies. He said: “In his book he mentions walking backstage at a competition in London and seeing a huge pair of calves in the gym – well they were mine. “I beat him in the ‘best legs’ category that day but he ended up getting best everything else in the competition.” Brian said he uses his experience of bodybuilding to help out some of the lads in the gym but admits things have changed, even since he retired from the stage at 60. “I can give them training tips but the modern way of getting ready for shows is very different to how it was

in my day. And people just don’t seem to have the same enthusiasm for bodybuilding these days – steroids killed it.” Atlanta ran its own bodybuilding competition – Mr and Mrs York – which was hugely popular up until 2003, when entries dwindled to two per class. Julie agrees with her Dad that the bodybuilding scene isn’t what it used to be – but has noticed a keener interest in weight training at the gym, with some younger members now starting to compete. She added: “In the eighties everyone wanted to look Van Damme and Schwarzenegger but popular culture changed and so did people’s aspirations. Now though, I think it’s come full circle. “In the old days though, when my dad ran the place, if a Mr. Britain competition was on we would have to close the gym for the weekend, as so many members would be competing. “ They would take over entire hotels.”

UK FITNESS SCENE Andree Deane may no longer be part of the FIA, but she still has some strong views on the industry. Mary Ferguson met her at her new office in Whitehall.

Why Andree is ready to take on new opportunity IN her new role as government affairs director with The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Andree will be continuing her relationship with some of the most influential people in Parliament. She said the fitness industry faces new challenges and opportunities and, after the current break in her fitness industry career, Andree intends to be very much a part of them. She revealed what she has learned about independent gyms during her time as chief executive of the FIA. In her view, one of the biggest challenges facing independent gyms is the competition from chains that can provide membership to all their clubs across the country, instead of limiting it to

one site. She said: “It seems that the single sites that are successful are extremely so, like Nirvana in Wokingham the Reebok Club at Canary Wharf and Central YMCA. But they have thousands of members so are not that representative of the independents as a whole. “Many small gyms, like other small businesses at the moment, are struggling during the recession. One of the difficulties they face is that with such a small turnover – often less than £250,000 a year – any slight loss of membership means a big impact on profits, making them extremely vulnerable.” Andree agreed that a big concern amongst single site operators surrounds competition from local authority run leisure centres, who

Andree Deane with Prime Minister Gordon Brown

don’t have to pay VAT on memberships. But, she said, you can’t fight a big mechanism like local government. Instead, independents need to focus on their unique selling points and capitalise on the weaknesses of the local authority sector. “The gyms can be housed in big and unfriendly buildings with lots of children around. And fitness is not the only focus of these centres so members suffer from upkeep and maintenance issues in pretty outdated facilities – even if the actual gym is up to date technologically. And you are very unlikely to come up against a receptionist who knows you by name.” When it comes to no-frills budget-style gyms, Andree thinks they have their place in the industry but claimed they are not a threat to independents. “These gyms are an excellent concept and I think they are here to stay as they have worked all over the world. “But they shouldn’t be targeting first-time gym members, and I think they appeal mainly to experienced exercisers who know what they are doing. It’s the small independents who appeal to older people who are new to fitness and want the gym to be part of their social lives.” In terms of new opportunities for the independent sector, Andree said the Paralympic Games in 2012 will be a great chance to engage people with disabilities. She added: “The IFI is pioneering aids and adaptations to health

Andree Deane clubs and leisure centres in order to support the games and I’m proud to be a trustee of the English Federation of Disability Sport who own and manage the IFI initiative.”

We want your questions ... TOP level politicians will be responding to questions from Workout readers in a new series of interviews designed to get you answers. We are commissioning Andree to speak to the country’s decision makers and find out what

the future holds for independent gym owners in the UK. And we want to know your questions. Andree said: “Because of my relationship with these people they will be open and honest

with me and I’ve already had some very frank conversations off the record. “I want to continue to be seen as the fitness industry’s ambassador to Government.” Next issue, Andree will be inter-

viewing The Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham. To submit your questions for the other two parties email Mary Ferguson at mf@whpl.net or write to Workout, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS.

The énergie Group held its sixth annual évolution conference at the MK Dons football stadium. Over 350 énergie directors, master franchisees, franchisees, delegates, club management, staff and suppliers attended a full day of seminars and workshops, which included a presentation from chief executive Jan Spaticchia and a workshop by énergie’s fitness expert Dean Hodgkin.

UK FITNESS SCENE

Stand out from the crowd

Wayne and Craig go to New York and win

By Dave Wright, Creative Fitness Marketing

By Mary Ferguson

YOU may be familiar with such terms as ’stand out from the crowd’, ‘separate yourself from the competition’ and so on, but never has there been a time in the health club industry that these sayings have been so vital to the growth of your business. In preparation for the new year and in a time when members will be looking closer at clubs to find the one that fits them best before they spend their hard earned money to join, it is crucial that your club truly stands out from the crowd and differentiates itself from the competition. Effective marketing is the key to success. Getting in front of the right people at the right time with the right message can mean the difference between gaining many new members now and gaining none. Members are the lifeblood of every club business. The number of new members you gain and retain will ultimately determine your success. Here are some things to think about in creating an effective marketing program for your club: 1. Determine what it is your club does best and your points of difference from the competition. Ask your staff and some of your members what they think is your point of difference. 2. Who is your target member and where do they spend their time and money? Look at your database and work out who your average member is and then calculate what they spend and where they spend their money in your club. 3. What do you want to communicate to the marketplace and why is that important? Never underestimate the importance of presenting a well thought out message. 4. Why should a potential member consider your club? Once again this is the time to establish what the true benefit is for someone to join your club over the competition. 5. How will you deliver on the promises you made in your marketing message? It’s great to have the message, but even important to have the systems in place to be able to deliver that message. So bearing in mind the above pointers, you have the foundation to be able to answer the question that every club thrives to satisfy – which is figuring out how you will reach potential new members with the right message at the right time. Good luck!

HELPING a member win gold in an international bodybuilding competition is paying dividends for an independent gym owner in West Yorkshire. Craig Hartley, owner of Potential gym in Castleford, travelled with Wayne Braddock to the International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF) world championship in New York, where he came first. He trained Wayne for six months before the competition, and told Workout he is extremely proud of what they achieved. “I was a personal trainer before opening Potential so it was nice to be conditioning someone again. Even though I know things have changed since I last trained a bodybuilder, I still did everything the old school way and it obviously worked.” There were 13 others in Wayne’s class from all over the world and because it was the first natural show Craig had been to, he said he didn’t know what to expect before he arrived. “As soon as I saw the other guys though, I knew he would win. In terms of balance and condition, it was obvious no-one could beat him.” Craig said the biggest challenge of the trip was trying to get hold of the right food for Wayne and he described trying to find the right turkey as a ‘nightmare’. “We had to buy a bag of potatoes from a restaurant and it took us ages to find a deli that could supply us with enough plain turkey for the duration of our stay. And our hand luggage was filled with food for the flight.” Because no-one else could afford to accompany the pair to New York, Craig organised a big celebration meal for members, friends and

Above: Wayne with his trophy and, left, Wayne and Craig in Times Square

family on their return. And he said he has already noticed increased interest in competitions from other members, adding: “It’s been a while since I have trained anyone but because of Wayne’s success, a lot of other guys at the gym are talking about going in for competitions next year. He has definitely inspired a lot of people.”

Dear diary ... During his time in New York, Craig kept an exclusive diary for Workout. These are some extracts ... Arrive in the Big Apple A few stressful hours ensue while we search for the right foods for the last two days of diet preparation. But 3lb of turkey and ten jacket potatoes later everything is sorted and the day ends with a big juicy steak. The day before the show Turkey and potato for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Spend the day taking in the sights of Times Square before I apply Wayne’s base coat of tan and we both get an early night. Show time Wayne weights in at 200lb and is given the lucky number seven. We get a chance to watch the pros while Wayne eats another turkey and potato meal

and bananas before starting on his rice cakes and jam. We tan up and pump up and an hour later the tan is perfect and the chocolate and brandy are working their magic as muscles, veins and striations burst at the surface. Excitement as Wayne gets first place and has photos taken with his pro card and trophy. After a final form and urine test we leave the venue very happy. The day after the show An overly anticipated American style breakfast. Wayne eats a bowl of muesli, giant waffle with walnuts and syrup, omelette with sausage, ham and bacon, two rounds of toast, two giant muffins, coffee and orange juice. We land back on UK soil thinking ‘we came, we conquered, and returned home a bit fatter’.

MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

‘Budget club’ software model works for Neil’s Blackpool gym HELIO Fitness in Blackpool increased revenue by 35 per cent after implementing new web-based member management software. By adopting a successful ‘budget club’ concept and implementing SDA’s LeisurePoint online membership solution, the independent gym is now a unique and profitable venture. Owner Neil Henshaw said: “We were competing in the crowded midmarket and found it increasingly difficult to differentiate ourselves from the competition. If we were to grow the business successfully, we needed to completely rethink our business model. “I was convinced we could adopt a ‘budget club’ model and make it successful in Blackpool, if we could automate many of our administrative processes and cuts costs by using technology to do much of the work for us.” Neil reduced prices, simplified membership categories and partnered with SDA Solutions to implement LeisurePoint.net – the hosted leisure management software solution.

“The idea of a hosted service was particularly attractive as we could pay a low monthly fee and ensure the system was fully supported and always available. Members can now enquire, join and make bookings online, without the need for any staff to be involved.” The combination of lower prices and LeisurePoint technology has proved a great success. Within the first three months, the club increased revenue by 35 per cent and saw a threefold increase in new memberships.

MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Communicating with members via email is quick, cheap and very effective. Jon Nasta, UK managing director of Retention Management, explains why.

Why email can show you care SHOULD your health club not be lucky enough to benefit from an army of customer care staff it is still relatively simple to convey the correct impression of caring about your members without having to invest thousands. A recent report shows that email has by far the greatest return on investment (ROI) for marketing spend, but why is it that so many organisations still rank the medium as a bottom feeder in their budgets for marketing spend? It can be up to seven times more expensive to get a new member than keep an existing member and more gyms are beginning to simply ‘push the button’ when it comes to member marketing, communication and retention. Why email works so well: 1. It’s personal Email offers you the opportunity to personalise your message to your members. Send them emails addressing them by name and give them offers targeted to their preferences. 2. It’s quicker

Direct mail can be complex and time consuming. It takes far less time to plan and execute an email campaign and you get your results back almost immediately. If you react quickly you’ll see the benefits to your club almost straight away. 3. It’s cheaper Postage costs will make up a significant portion of the total costs associated with a direct mail campaign. You don’t have postage costs with an email campaign and this makes it instantly much cheaper. With response rates often higher than direct mail, email will give you a better return on your investment. 4. It’s measurable Email campaigns are fully trackable giving you complete visibility of your results. Being able to see exactly how many emails were delivered, opened and clicked on means you can test different campaigns and refine them to get the best response rates. 5. It helps build customer relationships. Because email communications are cheaper and easier to send, health clubs can use email to keep in regular contact with existing members and this enables them to

build stronger relationships with them. Email marketing is the ideal medium to update members with time sensitive offers and club news. Collecting the email addresses of customers is likely to be far easier than prospects, particularly as you will already be in some form of contact with them. Evidence shows that in most clubs over 70 per cent of members will attend at least once in a four week period, giving a healthy number of email addresses to aim at collecting. A number of customers will be happy to give their details, but you may need to offer something that will encourage more to sign up; such as occasional special offers or competitions. The most common way is to ask customers to leave their email address when they make a visit, but you will need to give them some idea of how their address will be used. The information you give regarding the content and frequency of your emails must be accurate, otherwise you could be putting you and your club at legal risk.

Jon Nasta Any time a customer or prospect phones you, walks in or does business with you, is an opportunity to capture their email address.

How technology boosted John’s profitability By Mary Ferguson AN independent gym owner has revealed how advances in management system technology are helping him run a more profitable business. John Auerbach, who runs Empire Fitness in Leicestershire, has been in the industry for 30 years and claimed investing in a more efficient programme has enabled him to spend more money on kit for the gym floor. It’s also helping him be more efficient with secondary spend, because using a remote gun to swipe supplements enables him to control stock. He said: “We are not a massive supplier of nutrition products at the gym but we shift a fair amount and the system helps us keep track of what we have going in and out.” He said members benefit from the new system because the cheaper costs mean he can invest in new equipment. “All the money I have saved from maintenance of the old programme will go on new kit. “And over the last year alone I’ve bought a laptop, a new PC and paid for a year of the system – all for less than 12 months of just maintaining the old programme. “Even simple things like being able

“Even simple things like being able to barcode products make things so much better. Or sending a member a birthday card, or writing a letter to someone if they haven’t been in for a while.” to barcode products make things so much better. Or sending a member a birthday card, or writing a letter to someone if they haven’t been in for a while.” John took his business overseas when he decided to upgrade, investing in a programme from Californiabased Mindbodyonline.com. He added: “I’m a true blue and even my gym logo features a union jack, so normally I would always look local or national for new products. “It’s out of the ordinary for me to buy from America, but fundamentally they offered exactly what I wanted.”

SECONDARY SPEND Personal training has been growing steadily in the UK market, providing a useful secondary income stream. Operators cannot afford to ignore this component of their business, as Steve Jack explains ...

How personal training can get your finances in shape SETTING up a successful PT department requires a lot more focus than just putting a personal training uniform on your gym instructors. There are four key areas independent operators must focus on if they are to grow successful personal training revenues. 1. Business Model You need to figure out how you are going to structure the PT business – the first question on this is how would like to engage your PTs? If you want more control over your department you would probably employee them, or have them on contract. Employing them would give you the greatest yield per employee, but only when they are busy with clients – hire the wrong trainer and you will be lumped with a salary you have to pay even if they only complete 10 sessions per week. Contracting is less risky since the trainer will only get paid per session completed, however you lose a little control and they may complete sessions outside of your facility. If you don’t mind having less control and want to experience only positive cash flow then you might consider a licensed system, where the trainer pays you for using your brand, logo, identity, equipment in the gym, and have access to members to run their own business. Kind of like a business within the business. The trainer would pay you a flat fee per month to have a licence to base themselves at your facility. The second component of the business model is to work out how you will engage customers. Personal training can be conducted one on one or in groups and personal trainers can also on-sell products such as higher education, online resources and consumables such as supplements. Thought of in this way, personal training isn’t just one to one, it can have a number of different rev-

Steve Jack enue streams and resources for members to purchase. 2. Environment Personal trainers need open spaces to train and move with their clients – many great trainers never use cardiovascular equipment, or weights machines. They just need open space so they can get their clients to move freely. Having an open plan environment with a number of personal training tools such as medicine balls will allow trainers to work with your members, and give your facility an interesting appearance and functionality. For the cost of three or four treadmills you can have a fully functional personal training environment. This type of environment encourages the uptake of PT as members get introduced to a variety of new movements and exercises and get excited about movement again. 3. Training/education Gym instructing and personal training are as different as gym instructing and group exercise. Your staff need to be trained on a number of different things to ensure they stand the best chance of being successful. They need to understand how to sell personal training packages, understand how to interact with a client

during a session, how to get results, and most importantly how to get the most out of the personal training zone by knowing how to work the tools of the trade. This means investing in your trainers’ education and having a development program for them so that they can keep moving forward. Many personal trainers rate their continued development and ongoing education more importantly than their financial compensation. Don’t get me wrong, they want a fair return for the effort put in, however also want to stay cutting edge. Having an education system is vital to get the best out of your talent. 4. Management Once the business model, environment and people are in place the final step is to manage the department. This means setting up sales funnels, marketing to your existing members, having a point of sale flow for the PT’s for new members. Essentially establishing the systems of success. This also means tracking and managing the department. There are wonderful online tools that now completely automate the process from online calendars and financial reporting, to staff development tools. The online tools are just that, tools – you will still need to manage the people in the department, someone needs to be driving the team, ensuring follow up is completed and making sure the system is working. Having someone managing the team is crucial to success. Even if you only have two or three PT’s, someone still needs to be on top of and managing them. I Steve is an expert in personal training, health and wellness. He has set up PT studios and departments and currently consults leading health clubs in implementing personal training departments.

Plate from Ultim8 is ideal for weight loss THE Ultim8 Plate is a fully commercial professional vibration plate, guaranteed to be as strong as the market leading plate at a much more affordable price. It has four frequency settings and four time settings and high and low amplitude. It also has a lower control panel and a large A1 poster and training guide. Professional on-site training is available for gyms and salons. The plate is ideal for weight loss as it burns 350 calories in a ten-minute programme and is also great for toning, sports rehabilitation and cellulite reduction. Enquiries: 0845 226 0067 email: sales@ultim8fitness.co.uk

SECONDARY SPEND Nutritional products are often used to generate secondary spend, but not everyone in the industry believes in them. Workout hears the arguments for and against supplements. FOR

AGAINST

Supplementation has its place ...

‘Food produced, prepared and eaten correctly will provide all the nutrition the body needs’

By Matthew Card, personal trainer and founder of Bookapt.com SUPPLEMENTS certainly have a place in some people's training and diet regimes and the two most common areas are in muscle gain and weight loss. If someone is looking to put on some serious muscle size and body mass there is no question that they will require some kind of supplement programme to aid their training and recovery. For athletes and body builders to maintain their levels of activity and peak performance day to day puts stress on the body and they need to take on fuel quickly and efficiently. The body takes time and energy to break down whole foods. Food will also stay in the stomach and small intestines for two to six hours where as 200 - 400ml of protein shake would be absorbed by the body in around an hour. Then there's the cost of using solely whole foods – especially for maximum muscle gain. Eating chicken six times a day would cost over £100 a month, whereas a tub of top quality protein would be less than half of that, plus contain extra beneficial ingredients. My experience with people looking to lose weight is that they either eat too much and don’t exercise or they exercise and don’t eat. If someone is used to maybe eating once or twice a day then suddenly changes to the ’little and often’ they may find this a real challenge – both physically and mentally.

By Karen Burge, personal trainer

of protein, easily absorbed and used by the body.

FOOD produced, prepared and eaten correctly will provide all the nutrition the body needs.

It is in fact the perfect food post workout, aiding in recovery and supplying all the nutrition needed for lean muscle mass – if taken in its natural form.

This is true whether you are working out 2-3 times a week or if you are an athlete.

Matthew Card So a meal replacement shake or bar is a good option for these people to start to change their nutritional behaviours, then when there body is used to taking on food and is demanding it at the required times, they can then choose whole foods. With those who simply eat too much – and mainly of the wrong things – meal replacements can be a solution to portion control and insight as to how whole food meals should be structured. I would only recommend a meal replacement supplement that has the correct macro nutrient levels, Low GI and low sugar, otherwise your setting clients up for a fall later on. In my opinion, I think we should all try to adopt a more healthy whole food lifestyle, but I also know that there is a need for supplementation in certain circumstances. I To continue the debate, visit www.bookapt.com

Isotonic drinks can be easily and cheaply made by mixing unsweetened fruit juice with water and unprocessed salt. The alternative brightly coloured so-called sports drinks may fill this criteria but they contain chemical cocktails to give them their colours and tangy flavours. They contain sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame k, and sucrose. I do find that these sports drinks are abused in gyms – people sip throughout a workout lasting up to an hour, but a slow jog on a treadmill does not warrant a sports drink. Even during a heavy weights session the body can be adequately hydrated with water, and of course a healthy snack or meal shortly afterwards to promote recovery. Protein shakes and bars are made from whey. Whey is a natural complete form

The problem with supplementing with whey powders or shakes is that they have been processed – this kills the enzymes to absorb the protein and destroys the vitamins and minerals so that the body cannot use them. During the manufacture of whey protein, the product is heated maybe up to four times. Even the cold pressed powders are pasteurized to begin with and if spray dried, subjected to high temperatures. Then if that is not enough, sweeteners, colours, and flavourings are added, not only these but also monosodium glutamate (MSG) may be added. In conclusion, commercial sports drinks and protein powders are unnecessary, expensive and full of chemicals that the body neither needs or functions well on. If someone is putting in the hard work at the gym, they owe it to themselves to choose pure, high quality food over supplements every time.

Nutrition programme reaps rewards By Mary Ferguson A HARROGATE health club is reaping the rewards of offering a sophisticated nutrition programme designed to sell personal training and aid retention. The Nutrition For Wellness Programme, a ten-week course that includes scientific presentations and five PT sessions, sells for £175 and has been utilised by members for four years. The course includes weekly group presentations on exercise nutrition, fortnightly personal training sessions and an information book and is available without the personal training for £75. The course was designed and launched by Paul Thomson, assistant group health and fitness manager, and topics covered include: I The science of weight gain and management I Carbohydrates and the glycaemic

index I Physical activity, the psychology of eating and fats I Understanding food labels I Energy balance, optimum nutrition and proteins The programme is licensed by the Weight Management Centre and was originally launched as a weight loss course in 2005. But after realising it put people off who didn’t want to shed the pounds, Paul changed the name to Nutrition For Wellness. The pricing structure was also changed, from the original charge of £250 which included ten personal training sessions. As well as delivering the presentations, Paul is also responsible for putting together the booklets and general administration for the course and he admitted it can be very time-consuming. The Powerpoint presentations can either be done in a group or one-onone format and depending on the

demand, they can also eat quite heavily into his time. He said: “If it’s quiet on the gym floor, I try and get away to the office for a couple of hours to get the admin side sorted, but it’s not always easy to do that. “Even though it’s time-consuming, the programme does act as a really useful retention tool and I now manage to sell it in almost every induction I do with new members.” The majority of people that take up the programme are middle-aged women wanting to lose weight, but current participants also include a 23 year old man and even a fitness trainer with the Ministry Of Defence. Paul added: “Whenever anyone enquires about personal training I always try to sell them the Nutrition For Wellness programme first, not only because it works out at better value but because it limits the person’’s chance of failure. And most people can see that it makes sense.”

Paul Thomson

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COMBAT SPORTS Independent health club The Third Space gets big business from its combat classes. Workout caught up with Kirsty Gardner, studio and assistant fitness manager, to find out how they make them work.

‘Anyone from high-flyers to the broken-hearted can be found venting their frustrations against the pads’ How popular are the combat fitness classes you offer and why? We currently offer 20 combat classes each week. The majority of these consist of boxing or kickboxing classes, as well as a variety of martial arts classes such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kung Fu and MMA. Whilst each class is different, combat classes generally have the power to tap into a unique form of stress management. What kind of people attend the classes? We offer different classes to suit different types of people. Generally, men and women of all ages enjoy participating in the vast variety of combat classes we offer. Anyone from high-flyers to the broken-hearted can be found venting their frustrations against the pads.

Female newcomers are welcomed into our female-only Bitch Boxing class for a less daunting experience whilst those who are already familiar with boxing can develop their skills and be a part of our White Collar Boxing Squad. For those who are looking for a tough all-over cardio workout, our Muay Thai and Kickboxing classes utilise the entire body.

nique in a combat class can potentially cause injury, so good instruction is essential. At The Third Space our boxing coach Cathy ‘The Bitch’ Brown was ranked third in the world and was the first ever female in sporting history to win a professional British and European Title. Meanwhile, Ash Sharma has 15 years’ experience in amateur and professional boxing.

How important is it to have a good instructor? A good instructor should be well experienced and know not only how to motivate and release the aggression of their client, but more importantly how to guide and direct that energy into strong technique. Drunken style boxing neither looks good, nor does it have much effect. It’s no surprise that incorrect tech-

How do you attract people to the classes? Our specially designed dojo space and boxing ring greatly enhance the experience of our combat classes. The competitive, aggressive, yet well-disciplined nature of combat activities often appeal to high-flyers and those who regularly face stress on a daily basis.

The owner of a South Yorkshire boxing gym swallowed his male pride when he dressed as a woman to take a circuit training class. Glyn Rhodes became ‘Glynis’ for one night only and raised £600 for a breast cancer charity during the event at Sheffield Boxing Centre.

31 COMBAT SPORTS

Lennox Lewis visits Fight Fit studio in London

GB performance director Rob McCracken, US programme manager Andrew Madigan, GB head coach Kelvyn Travis, US head coach Ed Weichers, Richie Woodhall and EIS Sheffield general manager Paul Hudson

Sheffield showcase SHEFFIELD’S successful GB Boxing set-up has showcased its facilities to one of the world’s largest sporting nations. Senior coaches from the American amateur boxing squad visited the English Institute of Sport (EIS) in an effort to build a transatlantic alliance. Head coach Ed Weichers and programme manager Andrew Madigan

visited EIS as a possible training base for London 2012 and other competitions in UK, and to discover how Olympic preparations are developing across the pond. The US squad has been building relationships with the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA) over the last few months to see how the teams can assist each other in preparations for London 2012.

Institute plays host to assessment camp THE English Institute of Sport (EIS Sheffield) has played host to the first ever GB Boxing women's assessment camp. Natasha Jonas, pictured, was amongst the group of 23 women from England, Scotland and Wales who attended the inaugural selection programmed. The camp was part of a three phase process to find the best female boxers to compete at three weight categories for the GB Boxing squad ahead of the 2012 Olympics. During the weekend camp, boxers completed a range of sessions including nutrition, strength testing, skipping, pad work, sparring and conditioning. They were assessed on ring craft, tactics, balance, repertoire and motivation to win muscular endurance and also received video feedback from coaches on international styles and technique.

FORMER undisputed world champion Lennox Lewis paid the Fight Fit team a visit to check out the latest boxing for fitness workout programmes ahead of the company’s academy launch in March. Lennox is only one of many boxing champions and celebrities who have been seen with Fight Fit in 2009, creating a boxLennox Lewis checked out the latest programmes at Fight Fit ing frenzy all over the UK. attract and train high profile clients In 2009 the press has, more than and top celebrities. Due to popular once, predicted that Fight Fit is on its demand and the great success of our way to taking boxing for fitness to a Fight Fit Level 1 course we will also whole different level so the question bring to you a Fight Fit Level 2 course now is: what's going to happen in hosted by former British and 2010? Commonwealth Heavyweight Martin McKenzie, founder of Fight Champion Julius Francis who will Fit, said: “2010 will be an exciting show you advanced boxing skills to year for Fight Fit and everyone who put you ahead of the rest. gets trained by us. We will go interna“In the new year we will also take on tional, open our own training acadea whole new group of franchisee to my, top world champions will join set up their own, lucrative Fight Fit our team and we have a surprise business, which is a great opportuniproduct launched at this year's LIW. ty for trainers to upgrade their career “A new module will be added to our and boost their income for 2010.” Level 1 two-day boxing instruction Enquiries: 02077887825 course showing our students how to Website: www.fightfit.co.uk

--Sponsored by:

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION Nutrition expert Ken Roscoe is still celebrating the success of his latest ‘project’ on the bodybuilding stage this year. Mary Ferguson met him to discuss how he got champion Dave Titterton into shape.

How champ Dave ate his way to Mr Britain title A FEW years ago, after seeing Dave around the circuit, Ken publicly declared he could help him win the title of Mr. Britain. And this year, he got his chance. Dave, based in Sheffield, took the title in May and followed it by winning NABBA’s Mr. Universe Class 1 title in this year’s Universe Championships. Ken is managing director of supplements suppliers Food Tech, and has been helping people prepare for the stage for years. He said: “Dave approached me because he had seen me around the competition circuit and seen a lot of lads I’d put on stage. “He came to me at the end of last year after not getting the results he had hoped for. I’ve seen him for years on the circuit and it always frustrated me how he never achieved his potential so when he approached me I was pleased.

Dave (right) with Ken

“A few years ago I’d said quite openly that I’d win the Britain with him so the pressure was on. But Dave trains like the Terminator – I’ve never trained with anyone who works as hard as him.” Ken made some big changes to Dave’s diet – including adding essential fats and upping his fibre intake. “He reacted really well to the initial changes. The main foods he was eating were oats, potatoes, basmati rice and I introduced more fish. It’s lighter in calories than chicken and I think white fish is really underrated. “I also encouraged him to eat oily fish like mackerel and salmon for the essential fats, and he got these from eating nuts too. I also gave him flax seed oil. “A lot of the guys I work with don’t like oily fish so in those cases I would advise them to take cap-

sules instead.” Ken said he is keen to change the perception that all fats are bad, especially among the bodybuilding community. “A lot of people think preparing for a competition is all about no fat and in the past there has been too much emphasis on protein and not enough on vital nutrients but I do think this is changing. It’s really not good just to eat chicken and potatoes for three months.” Ken made sure that Dave took branch chain amino acids every day, plus a multivitamin supplement, because in hard diet situations the immune system is low. And because he is sponsored by USN, Dave also took some of their products including whey protein and CLA. “When it comes to preparing for competitions, diet is a lot more important than training. Generally, guys have already reached their biggest size, so it’s a case of using diet to burn off the fat and rubbish covering the muscles.” Ken admits that hard dieting before a competition can be very difficult. “It can put guys in a very lonely place and my job isn’t just about training and nutrition – it’s about psychological support too.

“But Dave did notice that the inclusion of the fats did make things a little easier for him because it helps with mood elevation. And I keep telling people that the end justifies the means.” Dave’s next competition is in Malta in June and Ken said he is looking forward to working with him next season. He added: “I don’t like counting my chickens but I think he stands as good a chance as anyone else in the world.”

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

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As director of GB Fitness, Cain Leathem has seen many inspirational people pass through his nutrition training courses. He tells Workout about Justine Roden.

How Justine turned to Cain for help after cancer JUSTINE is a 37-year-old married lady with a four-year-old girl. No fantastic story there. But she was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2002 and endured a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She was told she would never conceive but in August 2005 had a baby girl. During the treatments that Justine received for the cancer her weight increased from under 11 stone up to 14 stone then again when pregnant to up to 16 stone. Since Ruby was only 6lb 9oz at birth she admits it was all fat. Throughout the years of the ordeals she faced Justine consulted me for advice and she became more and more interested in health and how to influence it especially through the power of optimum nutrition. In fact in 2009 she decided it was time to combine her interest in the subject, her experiences and her

desire to help others. Justine studied with me on the GB Fitness Diploma in Advanced Nutrition and now says that her eyes are wide open to the life changing benefits of having the knowledge she now possesses. She truly believes a holistic approach to her own health has enhanced her life, it may even have saved it. It has rewarded her with her daughter Ruby and she now looks forward to sharing that information with others. She is also training regularly in the gym with me and is a lean and toned ten stone. Justine has been shocked as to the general lack of understanding regards exercise and nutrition in the field of medicine and she plans to use her experience of many health problems to empathise with and offer confidence to people as well as enhance their health.

Justine and her family

Ex-sprinter expands business A FORMER professional athlete who set up a supplements shop within a university is expanding his business around the city. David Hughes, who sprinted for Great Britain in championships including the Commonwealth Games, launched body2win online three years ago, before setting up a shop on campus at

Loughborough University. After huge growth, David is now renting a unit in the town centre and is expecting the business to go from strength to strength. He said: “I’d like to become a market leader in sports nutrition. “My status as an athlete has attracted a lot of clients and big names and I have a host

of professional cricket and football teams on the books, along with world and Olympic champions. “The reason I have been successful is that I offer a fantastic service where people can get high quality products at rock bottom prices – and get the use of my expert opinion for free.”

34 SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Disabled bodybuilder Dan Smith moved closer to his goal of becoming professional when he became the first ever IFBB wheelchair body building champion at The Juniors and Masters World Amateur Body Building Championships in Poland. Dan – who is sponsored by CNP Professional – has participated in guest spots, but this was his debut appearance

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as a competitor since an accident in 2004 damaged his spine. He said: “I’m just knocked out about winning in Poland. “There were bodybuilders there from 45 countries and the competition in the wheelchair class was phenomenal. “To come first against those guys is just brilliant.”

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

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Of all the ‘sports drinks’ on the market, energy drinks probably have the widest appeal. But what benefits do they really offer, who needs them and what should you look for when choosing? Andrew Hamilton explains.

What to look for in the ideal energy drink? THE primary purpose of an energy drink is to supply rapidly absorbable carbohydrate in order to help provide fuel for hardworking muscles during vigorous exercise, when consuming solid food is not an option. Most energy drinks contain a combination of carbohydrates; quickerreleasing simple sugars and slower releasing longer chain sugars in order to provide a quick acting, yet sustained increase in blood sugar, which in turn helps keep muscles fuelled. Many energy drinks also supply electrolytes to help maintain mineral balance – useful when significant sweating occurs. Why use an energy drink? Studies have shown that muscles can only store enough carbohydrate (glycogen) to fuel around 1 to 2 hours of high-intensity exercise. Glycogen is the ‘premium grade fuel’ during this intense exercise, so when muscle glycogen stores start to become depleted, there’s a sudden and often dramatic drop in performance. Long distance runners call this performance drop ‘hitting the wall’, while cyclists refer to it as ‘the bonk’. Trying to replenish carbohydrate using conventional high-carbohydrate foods like bread and pasta while on the move is almost impossible – not only does digestion slow down the rate at which the released carbohydrate comes ‘on tap’, most people also find it impossible to consume solid food during vigorous exercise without suffering from stom-

ach cramps or abdominal bloating. Energy drinks however can be drunk on the move without causing abdominal distress, and can therefore help prevent or slow down glycogen depletion during longer training sessions/competitions. Who needs energy drinks? Anybody who performs large volumes of training, particularly where workouts last 90 minutes or more. In reality, this tends to mean endurance athletes, such as runners, cyclists, swimmers, triathletes, rowers, etc. Energy drinks can also help those who need to train for shorter periods, but more than once a day, by helping to replenish carbohydrate and reduce glycogen depletion. For training sessions lasting less than an hour, there’s little to gain by taking energy drinks, especially if you’re consuming a highcarbohydrate diet. How should people choose an energy drink? Carbohydrate type – look for a mixture of carbohydrates (eg maltodextrins, dextrose, fructose) rather than just pure glucose, which will give a more sustained energy release. The latest – and best – energy drinks combine two parts of glucose/glucose polymers with one part of fructose. Recent research shows that that maximum rate of carbohydrate absorption with these drinks is higher than standard drinks, which can help

delay the onset of muscle glycogen depletion during long events. Electrolyte minerals – the addition of the electrolyte minerals (sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium) can be useful if you’re training in warm conditions where profuse sweating is likely. Vitamins and other nutrients – if you’re a regular user of energy drinks and using them to obtain a significant proportion of daily calorie intake, added nutrients (eg B-vitamins) may be useful. Tonicity – is a measure of the total concentration of minerals and sugars in a drink. Isotonic or nearly isotonic drinks are preferable because their concentration is close to that of the blood, which means that fluid and sugars/minerals can be absorbed rapidly. A drink that is too concentrated can cause gastric distress; too dilute and it won’t contain enough energy-giving carbohydrate to make a real difference. Taste – the importance of taste can’t be overestimated. Drinking during exercise when you may not feel like it is difficult enough, so a less fancy drink that tastes half-decent is way better than an all-singing, all-dancing drink that tastes like dishwater. I Andrew Hamilton, BSc Hons, MRSC, ACSM is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American College of Sports Medicine and a leading consultant to the fitness industry, specialising in sport and performance nutrition.

Andrew Hamilton

SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION Jeni Pearce, a performance nutritionist at the English Institute of Sport (EIS), outlines the common nutritional mistakes made by fitness enthusiasts – and how to help clients avoid them.

How to avoid common nutritional mistakes diets. Carbohydrates are important for all forms of exercise as it is the body’s preferred fuel. The key is to balance this with the activity performed and to also include protein, which is not an effective energy source but is important for tissue repair, replacement and metabolic responses.It is not a case of one at the expense of the other, both are needed.

Not eating before a workout Fuelling the body with energy prior to a workout is beneficial to provide fuel so that muscle glycogen stores last longer, allowing people to train harder, feel less fatigued and not to feel hungry during a training session. The timing of the snack or meal will depend on the individual’s preference and the training session, but more time should be allowed for high intensity sessions. Waiting too long after exercise to eat Exercisers should consume some carbohydrate and protein within two hours of a workout to help refuel energy stores in muscle, maximise insulin responses and training adaptations and to help prepare them for their next training session. This becomes even more essential if the next major meal is delayed.

replacement, rather a convenient snack for a limited number of nutrients, and are unsuitable for people who are performing very light training or very limited activity.

Replacing meals with energy bars and drinks Energy bars are designed to refuel muscle stores with carbohydrate and many also contain high levels of protein. They are not designed as a meal

Eating too much protein and not enough carbohydrate The popularity of protein and low carbohydrate diets has resulted in some athletes including protein at the expense of carbohydrate in their

Jeni Pearce

Believing that exercise means you can eat whatever you want The benefit of exercise is often the ability to consume more total energy and a higher metabolic rate. However, quality and quantity is just as important. Exercise does not allow someone to eat large amounts of high fat or treat foods as this could compromise recovery and further training sessions. Training may mean athletes need to eat more healthy foods and nutrients to support their immunity, recovery and additional stresses placed on the body. Exercise is often used as an excuse to justify poor eating patterns by athletes.

Gary’s doing a roaring trade in supplements By Mary Ferguson AN independent gym owner has told Workout he is doing a roaring trade in supplements thanks to the success of his members on the bodybuilding stage. Gary Rollinson, owner of G’s Gym in Macclesfield, is also benefitting from the closure of a nearby high street supplements shop. He said: “I’d say 50 per cent of my members buy products from me, and they spend as much on them as they do on their memberships. “I’m also getting a lot of passing trade from non-members, especially since the shop closed a couple of months ago. “But even when it was open, my prices were a lot lower.” Many of the gym’s users enjoy success in bodybuilding competitions, inspiring others to train harder – which means they spend more on supplements. Gary’s star boys are Paul Norton, Jazz Miralles and Simon Ackroyd, and he said a lot of the younger lads are coming on well. Gary – who himself won Mr. Britain in 2002 – has had the gym seven years, moving 18 months ago from a site in central Macclesfield. And he said his own passion for

bodybuilding rubs off on the members. “Six months after opening the gym I developed a blood disorder so had to give up training. “So now I use my experience to help others train and I travel with the lads to competitions. “They get tons of support from the other members too, and we get carloads of them going up to watch them on stage.”

Gary was forced to move to the current site after a JJB club – based directly opposite the old premises – took all his young members by launching an under 18s’ membership for less than half the price. But he claims competition success helps generate interest in the gym, as the local paper has been reporting on his members’ achievements since day one.

Aiming to provide keen prices and excellent customer service PhD Wholesale are the UK’s premier sports supplement provider selling brands such as Maximuscle, Sci-Mx, PhD, USN, Reflex and Gaspari along with 50 other leading supplement brands. They aim to provide not only the keenest prices possible but also offer excellent customer service and delivery options. Order before 12noon and receive your delivery ‘next day’. Call now to challenge them on their pricing and delivery service.

A spokesman said: “We aim to be the best in sports supplement wholesale distribution, so what are you waiting for? Pick up the phone.” Enquiries: 01482 609850 Website: www.phd-wholesale.co.uk

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Tim takes on the steroid takers ... By Mary Ferguson A NEW exercise and nutrition company has been launched in Harrogate by a personal trainer aiming to change people’s obsession with quick-fix solutions. Tim Thacker has been working on the concept behind 4Life for a year, and decided to begin marketing the business after proving his formula works by beating bodybuilders in a national competition. He took part in the NAC Open Championships against seven other men all on steroids – and came third. He told Workout: ‘I couldn’t think of a better way to show I know what works, than coming third against a heavy set of athletes on drugs. “Over the past year I’ve been doing the groundwork around 4Life, drawing on my experience and learning through trial and error formulas. It’s involved a lot of study and dietary manipulation but I believe I’ve now found a formula that really works.” Tim is teaming up with Jonathan Weller, owner of Harrogate gym Gambaru, where he will be training his clients, claiming they ‘sing from the same song sheet’. Nutrition classes are being held above a town centre restaurant, also owned by Jonathan. The nutrition programmes involve five one-hour sessions with the aim that people lose 2lb of fat per week. Any more, Tim said, is impossible. “Too many diets encourage cutting out carbs because less water retention means more weight loss, but it doesn’t mean people are losing more fat.

Tim Thacker

“I am trying to convince people that there is no quick fix and my programmes will get them results for life – hence the name of the company.” 4Life offers programmes to suit different goals – Fat Loss 4Life, Get Ripped 4Life and Add Muscle 4Life. Tim is launching the programmes in stages, beginning with weight loss as he believes it will be most popular. He added: “I’ve been working in gyms for 15 years and the problem is that you go to a personal trainer, tell them your goals and they try and keep you coming back to them forever. “But I find out people’s goals, set them a programme, and when they complete it, they should have the knowledge for life.”

Professional skier Jai Geyer is being helped by CNP to achieve success on the slopes this season. Jai, who started skiing at four years old, is being sponsored by the supplements company and aims to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

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40 SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

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Long before celebrity product endorsements, aloe vera was championed by Cleopatra and Ghandi – and for one personal trainer, it’s also boosting his business. Mary Ferguson reports.

Aloe vera can help with joint pain

Paul’s glad he said hello to aloe vera PAUL Boorman makes a good secondary income through retailing aloe vera but claims the results it gets his clients is the biggest benefit. He is an independent distributor for Forever Living Products and said 50 per cent of his personal training customers also use the drinking gels. “I was introduced to aloe vera by a friend in the fitness industry and she thought retailing the products would be a great business opportunity for me. “I’ve studied nutrition and supplementation for five years and I believe in supplementation as a necessary addition to good food and exercise. “I quickly learned that a lot of my clients who change to a better diet get demoralised in the first two weeks if they haven’t lost any weight or felt better. But drinking aloe vera gel every

day for two weeks can help them shed 4lb in toxins – so it’s a great motivator. “It helps cleanse the digestive tract from the oesophagus right the way through the intestines and out the other end. The gel is a fantastic cleanser, taking with it the build up of years and years of toxins – in some cases even mother’s milk from infancy.” Paul typically asks his clients to take a 60ml shot in the morning before eating and last thing at night. He offers a 60-day money back guarantee but claims no-one has ever had to make use of it. “Aloe vera is great for people who exercise because it helps joints as well as being a great aid for weight loss. And hot and cold gels can really help with muscle problems. “My clients all recommend aloe vera to their friends so I get

interest from them about the products, giving me a chance to also sell my personal training. “There are a lot of synthetic pills out there that only go half way because they get dissolved in the stomach. “But taking a gel means the aloe vera passes right through the gut and intestines, cleansing as it goes along.” Paul said he identifies which of his customers would be open to the idea of trying aloe vera and leaves the rest alone. “I think people are either interested in natural remedies or they are not, and that half of my client base don’t even take vitamin pills. “But retailing aloe vera has done wonders for my business because it’s an added service I can offer people and I genuinely believe in what I am selling Paul Boorman them.”

UK FITNESS SCENE

Fitrooms in Fulham held a successful launch event to celebrate its partnership with the Shidokan GB team. The squad, led by former bassist with The Stranglers JJ Burnel, have made the gym their new home and are now offering martial arts training to members. Mario Pederzolli, owner of Fitrooms, said: “After establishing our successful boxing and martial arts facility, the expertise provided by JJ and the team will take our classes to the next level. We are very excited at the prospect and look forward to our partnership.”

Gregor Sharp and Grant Morrison (fitness instructor, Thinkfitness)

Former rugby star wins in-gym competition THINK Fitness in Hawick awarded one of its members a heart rate monitor for winning an in-gym competition. Former Hawick rugby star Gregor Sharp won Lucozade Sport’s ‘Beat the Pro’ competition against over 40 members who registered for the competition. Only five recorded the necessary results to qualify for the draw for the Polar set at the end of the competition. Gregor managed bronze level in the endurance part of the challenge running 10km in 48 minutes 32 seconds. In both the strength and sprint parts, he obtained gold level managing to chest press 95 per cent of his body weight, and half squat 30 reps of 37.5kg.

A personal training centre in Hertfordshire held a charity event that brought 26 users together for a fitness challenge. Motive8 encouraged the members to cover 1271 miles – the distance between Basra and Kabul – on treadmills, bikes and cross trainers to raise money for Help

The Heroes. They completed the challenge in just over 16 hours, smashing their target of 24. Fraser Pannett, the studio director, said: “Although the people who took part in the event aren’t soldiers, in Motiv8’s eyes they are all heroes. I’m so proud of what we achieved.”

Photo-quality images and high-speed card printing

New music licence for fitness instructors

DED announce the arrival of the Zebra ZXP Series 8, a revolutionary re-transfer plastic card printer that offers a host of options for smart card encoding and networking. The ideal printer for high security ID cards, driver’s licences, gift cards and financial cards, the Zebra ZXP Series 8 produces durable and abrasion resistant, photo-quality cards at nearly twice the speed of other retransfer printers – up to 150 cards per hour. The Zebra ZXP Series 8 printer delivers high quality, over-the-edge printing on many different types of cards, including those with uneven surfaces such as smart cards, polycarbonate cards for security applications, and biopolymer cards.

EVERYONE knows that the copyright symbol on vinyl records, cassettes and CDs is there to safeguard the work of songwriters and musicians. So, what happens if we want to use the latest, hottest music in our fitness, sport or dance class? Fortunately, straightforward help is at hand. Two organisations that collect royalties for songwriters and musicians, MCPs (part of the PRS for Music group) and PPL, have joined together to launch one simple affordable licence – ProDub:Fitness. ProDub:Fitness allows anyone teaching a class to legally copy music

The ZXP Series printer is available in single and dual-sided printing configurations with a full portfolio of magnetic encoding, smart card encoding, single and dual-sided lamination, and connectivity options. Enquiries: 01797 320636 Website: www.ded.co.uk

to a digital format for use on a laptop, MP3 player or any other play-out system. ProDub:Fitness quashes all the legal issues that arise when copying music. ProDub:Fitness can only be purchased online at www.produb.co.uk. There is no annual fee and the price is dependent upon the number of tracks copied. Enquiries: 020 8378 7500

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