The UK’s No 1 fitness industry magazineApril 2013 No 235 £3

Operators urgedto back Daniel’sVAT campaign

FunctionaltrainingcategorylaunchedGYMS which specialise infunctional fitness now havethe chance to be recognisedwith a National FitnessAward, with the launch of anew dedicated category forthe 2013 event.

Functional Training Gym ofthe Year is aimed at clubswhich are either solely dedi-cated to functional fitness orhave diversified and createdtheir own functional area totap into this growing trend.

Gyms entering should pro-vide details of why theychose to focus on functionalfitness, any specialist equip-ment they have which makesthem stand out from thecrowd and the impressiveresults their members havegenerated from working outthis way.

Nominations for this andall of the other available cat-egories can be made by visit-ing the new look NFA web-site at www.nationalfitnes-sawards.co.uk

Trophies will be handedout to the lucky winners at aglittering ceremony, whichthis year will be held at ThePalace Hotel in Manchesteron Friday December 6.� For more informationabout the 2013 NFAs, seeinside.

Virgin Active has partnered with tennis star LauraRobson and former British number one AndrewCastle to launch a new tennis offering across its21 health and racquet clubs. Laura, who trained atthe operator’s Chiswick Riverside club in her earlyyears, will also act as an ambassador for theVirgin Active Junior Tennis Academy, which isdesigned for members aged three to 16.� Full story, Page 5.

By Christina Eccles

INDEPENDENT gym manager DanielSanger has urged operators to form acollective voice and get behind hiscampaign to address the VAT problemfacing many private clubs.

Daniel is general manager atIsenhurst Health Clubs, a group ofthree family run gyms in East Sussex –the oldest of which has been in busi-ness for over 17 years.

Each club pays about £65,000 in VATand £35,000 in business rates each yearbut Daniel claims it’s unfair some otherlocal gyms are exempt from these pay-ments because they operate as not forprofit trusts.

Daniel recently shared his concernswith public figures – including localcouncillor Jonica Fox and Wealden MPCharles Hendry – and after beingadvised he could benefit from contact-ing the Commission Competition, nowhopes to form a group of like mindedgym owners to put forward a strongercase.

Daniel said: “The consensus is thenext step is to approach theCompetition Commission with ourplight. Letting them know about thelost revenue to the Governmentthrough the tax relief [not for profit

trusts] receive and the highly unevenplaying field created by allowing this tohappen. They need to know businessesare losing their battle almost solelybecause their prices are hiked up by theaddition of VAT.

“I am ready to approach theCompetition Commission but all theadvice I have received from my meet-ings suggests we have more of a chancein making a change if we form a groupand go to them as an industry and notindividuals. As gym owners and opera-tors we have a duty to our staff and ourmembers to effect a change.”

Daniel has set up a dedicated e-mailaddress – dsisenhurst@btinternet.com– for gym owners interested in gettingbehind the campaign and told Workouthe would be happy to hear from any-one who can help.

He added: “What I am hoping to do isto get my details out to gym ownersand put us all in contact at which pointI can send out a questionnaire to eachof them with the hope of building acase with some realistic facts and fig-ures.

“I believe it is our job to make theGovernment aware and let them levelthe playing field. If companies like usdisappear the hole in the government’sbudget will only grow.”

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Sales manager:Daniel LloydTel: 01226 734699dl@scriptmedia.co.uk

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EditorialGroup Editor:Judith HalkerstonTel: 01226 734639jh@scriptmedia.co.uk

Chief reporter:Christina EcclesTel: 01226 734463ce@scriptmedia.co.uk

Reporter:Dominic MusgraveTel: 01226 734407dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

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A week long event has taken placeto encourage more people to getinto exercise. International FitnessWeek – powered by Fitness First –was launched by Olympic andworld cycling champion VictoriaPendleton. The event saw FitnessFirst gyms offering free gym passes, with the operator also creating daily themes to inspireparticipants to try new activities.

By Christina Eccles

A DETERMINED instructor is organ-ising a 12-hour fitness marathonusing indoor bikes, KRANKcycles androwing machines, with the aim ofraising £25,000 for Cancer ResearchUK.

The Ride of Hope Three is a daymade up of 12 individual, 50-minuterides led by instructors from aroundthe world.

It takes place on August 10 at theBrighton Centre in East Sussex andwill be the third Ride of Hope RickGoodchild has organised, followingthe success of two previous events.

He explained: “In 2011, I was askedto make a donation to a friend, ErikMulder, who was attempting to climbMont Ventoux five times in one day,in memory of his sister who hadpassed away from cancer.

“I offered to make a donation of £50to his cause or take that £50 andsomehow turn it into £5,000.

“The decision was made to do thelatter and The Ride of Hope was cre-ated.”

At the first Ride of Hope in 2011, 25people took part in a four-hour event,raising £6,500 for charity.

The following year, numbersincreased again, with 60 people rais-ing £11,500 in six hours.

And this year’s event is on course tobe the biggest yet – already attractingsupport from major industry suppli-ers including Matrix Fitness andMYZONE.

Rick added: “Participants will beable to ride as little or as much asthey want to, from one ride to all 12 –many people will be riding the full 12hours.

“We are anticipating near to 1,000people to be a part of this amazingevent, which will amount to a lot ofemotion and energy for a tremen-dous cause that is so close to so manyof our hearts.”

Although the event doesn’t takeplace until August, Rick is alreadylooking forward to seeing it unfoldand told Workout he has had manybookings from riders keen to takepart.

He added: “At the moment ourclients are booking up like crazy andmany are booking for the whole 12hours. The commitment level has justbeen amazing.”

Rick saddlesup for bikemarathonfor charity

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Tennis stars help operatorto launch new initiativeBy Chistina Eccles

HEALTH club operator Virgin Activehas launched a new drive to engagemore members in tennis.

The company, which has over 100clubs nationwide, has partnered withfemale tennis star Laura Robson andformer British number one playerAndrew Castle to create a tennisfocused offering across its portfolio of21 health and racquet clubs.

The campaign includes:

� Mini Tennis – a fun tennis pro-gramme for three to 10 year olds thatuses smaller courts, nets and racquets, offering a quality introduction.� Junior Tennis Academy – open tomembers three to 16, providing tal-ented youngsters with a place to honetheir tennis skills. Laura will also beacting as an ambassador for the acad-emy.� Cardio Tennis – a series of tennis-based drills and activities played toup-tempo music on a tennis court. � Tennis Xpress – an active anddynamic introduction for starter adultplayers to help them learn the game.� Shot of the Day – 30 minute ses-sions which each focus on a new shot.� Adult tennis lessons – giving mem-bers the chance to learn tennis skillson a one to one basis with a trainedinstructor.

Head of racquets Gary Stewart said:“Virgin Active is dedicated to ensur-ing that its racquets offering is thebest in the UK, which is why we havetaken the unprecedented step of cre-ating a complete package that fallswithin the membership cost.

“Laura Robson and Andrew Castlewill both help to give tennis and otherracquet sports broad scale appealacross all age ranges. We look for-ward to following Laura’s success in

the lead up to this year’s Wimbledon.” Virgin Active has also recently

become the official health club ofBritish Tennis, following a three-yeardeal with the Lawn TennisAssociation.

Gary said: “It’s an absolute privilegefor Virgin Active to partner with the

LTA. As a governing body, the LTA’soverall purpose mirrors that of VirginActive – to continue to grow and sus-tain the sport, nurture young talentand increase participation while high-lighting that tennis is a fun, afford-able, family sport as well as a greatway to get fit.”

Commercial director of the Lawn Tennis Association Lawrence Robertson, Sir RichardBranson and Gary Stewart.

Laura Robson

TWO famous faces popped into a newboxing gym in north London to takepart in a special version of cult danceroutine Harlem Shake.

Reality TV star Mark Wright andmodel and presenter Myleene Klassboth regularly work out at Vbox in MillHill and through training there havebecome friends with club ownerVincent Mitchell.

He recently invited them down totake part in a special Vbox version ofthe Harlem Shake – inspired by thelatest dance craze currently sweepingthe nation.

Footage of the pair leading a groupthrough the routine was thenuploaded to video sharing websiteYouTube and has since been viewedover 70,000 times – generating price-less publicity for the gym.

Vincent said: “VBox is an inspiringway to work out and since MyleeneKlass and Mark Wright train at VBox, Iwanted to find a way to let peopleknow that working out can be fun andlooking good isn’t always about strug-gling on your own on a treadmill.

“A class type environment is alwaysmore fun than motivating yourselfand since the Harlem Shake has goneglobal, I decided to do our own VBoxtake on it. Myleene and Mark areincredible to work with. Just look attheir bodies and you will see it reallyis worth coming to VBox.

UK FITNESS SCENE6

Famous faces take partin cult dance routine

Myleene Klass and Mark Wright.

CYBEX International UK hasinstalled equipment at the homegym of England and ManchesterCity footballer Joe Hart.

His new facility includes a tread-mill and upright cycle from the 770series – Cybex’s ‘best in class’ car-diovascular range – and a Big Ironpower rack complete with liftingbar and plates.

Both the treadmill and cycle,alongside the Big Iron, were custommade with white frames and blackupholstery, a bespoke option cho-sen by Joe. Also installed was anadjustable bench, dumbbells withrack, specialised free weight floor-ing and a rowing machine.

National key account managerAlan Ellis said: “As a professionalathlete who is at the top of hisgame, it is essential that Joe Hartmaintains his high levels ofstrength and conditioning that areso crucial to his success, whetherthat’s using his club’s facilities atCarrington Training Centre or, now,his home gym. The equipmentinstalled will provide Joe with ahome workout programme to com-plement his training regime and tohave a sportsman of Joe Hart’s sta-tus choose Cybex demonstrates thequality and excellence of ourequipment.”

Cybex installequipmentat keeper’s

TO celebrate reaching a milestone of5,000 followers on Twitter, Workoutteamed up with AffordableSupplements to offer one lucky win-ner a prize.

Anyone who ‘retweeted’ our compe-tition tweet on the social networkingsite was entered into a draw to win apackage worth £39.99 from the com-pany, containing a tub of ASN DietWhey Protein, CLA Ultra Pure and atape measure.

Director at Affordable SupplementsRyan Millar said: “We supportWorkout magazine and I thought ourbest selling ASN Diet Whey Proteinand CLA offer would provide a nicetaster for our own range, which wehave created as a lower cost alterna-

tive whilst maintaining the highestlevels of quality.”

The lucky winner was Becky Lyndon– a personal trainer at Pennyhill ParkHotel and Spa in Surrey – who is pic-tured above with her prize.

UK FITNESS SCENE 9

Becky wins milestone prize

Martin Fox and Dave Hudson from Hillsborough Leisure Centre with Ronnie Davis.

TWO survivors of cardiac arrest havereturned to a Sheffield leisure centreto thank the staff who saved theirlives.

Martin Fox and Ronnie Davis paid avisit to Hillsborough Leisure Centrewhere they met the staff who admin-istered life-saving treatment after theysuffered serious heart problems.

Both men lost consciousness as aresult of heart malfunction during thesame week in December 2012. Martincollapsed while playing five-a-sidefootball at the leisure centre, andRonnie, on a separate occasion, col-lapsed in the swimming pool.

Quick-thinking leisure centre staffused an Automated ElectronicDefibrillator donated by Sheffield-based health insurer Westfield Health

to perform continued life-savingtreatments until an ambulancearrived.

General manager Tim Hicks said:“We are immensely proud of ourleisure centre staff who, thanks totheir fast instincts and high level oftraining, were able to save the menfrom potentially life-threatening situ-ations.

“Hillsborough Leisure Centre iscommitted to providing the highestlevel of safety training to all ourinstructors and employees, and it wasgreat to see Martin and Ronnie backand on the mend.”

Staff were commended by theYorkshire Ambulance Service NHSTrust for their actions and a given aLifesaving Achievement Award.

Cardiac arrest survivorsthank life-saving staff

COLNE Valley Leisure Centre hassuccessfully introduced theMYZONE system into its BodyAttack class.

Participants who were wearingMYZONE belts were able to watchtheir exercise data live – includingnumber of calories burned, heart

rate and effort – on a large screenduring the class. Following positivefeedback from the launch, the sys-tem will now be introduced intoseveral other classes and become apermanent feature on the timetable– with members able to buy thebelts directly from the centre.

Centre introduces MYZONE

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The Palace Hotel, Manchester will host the 2013 National Fitness Awards ceremony.

Nominations flood in forNational Fitness AwardsBy Christina Eccles

NOMINATIONS have been flooding infor the 2013 National Fitness Awards,with gyms around the country alreadyexcited about this year’s event.

Clubs have been flocking to our newlook website – www.nationalfitnes-sawards.co.uk – to find out moreabout the event and put themselvesin with the chance of winning anaward.

The event, organised by ScriptEvents in conjunction with Workoutand headline sponsor Servicesport isnow in its fourth year and is goingfrom strength to strength.

The free to enter awards recogniseoperators of all shapes and sizes, withcategories up for grabs which rewardthe achievements of clubs, individualstaff and gym members.

Once nominations have closed later

in the year, a shortlist will bedrawn up in each catego-ry, with a representativefrom Workout visitingeach club to compile adetailed report, whichis then passed on to anexpert panel of judgeswho will decide thisyear’s winners.

Trophies will be hand-ed out at a glittering cere-mony, which will act as aspectacular end of yearparty for the entire fitnessindustry.

This year’s awards ceremonytakes place at the Palace Hotelin Manchester on FridayDecember 6, hosted by TVpresenter and fitness expertCaroline Pearce (picturedright).

SIX times world champion swimmerMark Foster has teamed up withStrictly Come Dancing professionalsNatalie Lowe and Ian Waite to create anew dance-based fitness class.

To develop Fitsteps, the trio workedclosely with health and fitness profes-sionals to develop a varied routine,which incorporates popular Latin andballroom dances with proven fitnesstechniques.

The concept has already beenpicked up by leisure centre operatorEveryone Active which recently heldtwo successful preview classes at itsWatford Leisure Centre Woodsidevenue.

Group fitness development managerMichelle Bletso said: “We really likedthe idea of Fitsteps but the true test isto see how members enjoy the rou-tine.

“We hosted two one-hour previewclasses and I have to say they provedextremely popular and convinced usFitsteps has great potential.

“The next stage is for the Fitstepsteam to train our trainers so that wecan add the class to our timetables.The training will take a few monthsand I’d like to think we will seeFitsteps on our new Autumn sched-ules.”

Swimmer joins dancers to launch new classStrictly Come Dancing professionals Natalie Lowe and Ian Waite with the team at Watford Leisure Centre.

UK FITNESS SCENE 13The public’s attitudes towards health and fitness can have a significant impact on theindustry’s success. Leisure-net Solutions’ latest Health and Fitness Omnibus Survey,now in its 10th year, revealed a step change in consumers’ perceptions – and someinteresting details to help shape future plans. Managing director of Leisure-netSolutions, Mike Hill told Workout more.

IN the aftermath of the London 2012Olympics, all thoughts have turned tothe enduring legacy of the Games.

At first glance, the latest HAFOSreveals that watching the likes ofJessica Ennis and Mo Farah storm tosuccess has indeed persuaded peopleto get off their sofas – when askedwhether they thought the event hadencouraged more of us to be physi-cally active, overwhelmingly (76 percent) of respondents said yes.

But in reality, only 22 per cent ofpeople said the Games had encour-aged them to be more active person-ally and less than a third of these havebegun to visit a gym or health club asa result.

Mike said: “The message seems tobe that although people feel theOlympics had a positive impact onthe UK’s activity levels as a whole, thishasn’t necessarily translated intomore bodies in leisure facilities, ortaking up traditional sports.”

Despite this, overall consumers arefinally getting the message aboutbeing more active. The HAFOSrevealed more than 90 per cent of thepopulation now realise regular exer-cise is important to their health and,as a result, people want to be moreactive: 51 per cent of respondentssaid they don’t exercise as much asthey’d like.

But as an industry, we are still notharnessing this desire and using it toits full potential. The ‘grey market’ in

particular remains relativelyunmoved by our sector – only 35 percent of over 65s and 22 per cent ofthose aged 75 and over said theywished to be more active.

Mike added: “We need to focus onpeople’s motivating factors and pro-vide services to meet that need. Overhalf (51 per cent) of respondents seeexercise as a way to maintain theirhealth; losing weight or improvingbody shape follow closely behind (18per cent each).”

Other factors that people said wouldsteer them to use leisure facilitiesincluded improved equipment andfacilities (42 per cent), better pro-gramming (43 per cent), and betterchildcare provision (25 per cent).“Despite these strong motivators,

more than a third of respondents stillsaid they simply don’t have enoughtime to exercise more than they cur-rently do. We should use knowledgelike this to tailor our future services,programming, marketing materialsand retention strategies.”

As ever, price also remains a factor.Lower costs were quoted as a signifi-cant incentive to exercise by almosttwo thirds (62 per cent) of respon-dents, although interestingly only 13per cent stated cost was actually abarrier for them.

“It’s worth noting that almost half ofrespondents (47 per cent) said moreinformation would encourage theminto leisure facilities.

“In an economic climate when low-ering prices yet further may beimpossible, operators should concen-trate on these other details – takingtime to provide well thought-out, eas-ily accessible information – which canbe simply and cheaply achieved, andcould yield beneficial returns.”� The HAFOS is the only annualbarometer of UK consumers’ atti-tudes towards health, fitness andphysical activity. Now in its 10th con-secutive year, the street-based con-sumer survey uses a national sampleof more than 1,200 people, inter-viewed in five locations throughoutEngland. To date, HAFOS has inter-viewed well over 15,000 people, mak-ing it the largest and longest runningannual survey of its kind.

Olympics hasn’t ledto more gym users

Mike Hill

LEISURE Connection has made itsfacilities available to customersthrough the payasUgym.com web-site.

All sites operated by LeisureConnection across the country arenow searchable on the website,meaning consumers can pay forand book single, weekly or month-ly usage passes online.

Customers will receive a code viaSMS that will serve as an entrypass at their chosen gym.

Head of fitness marketing com-munications at LeisureConnection Kevin Yates said:“Health and fitness is a rapidlyevolving industry, and it’sabsolutely vital that large opera-tors like ourselves keep abreast ofnew methods and technologies toengage the local community.

“Like all great technologies,payasUgym.com is based arounda really simple idea: how to makegoing to the gym easier.

“It’s something that we are con-stantly trying to improve and wehope this online, external bookingsystem will help convince thosehard-to-reach demographics thatgetting active at your local gym isa piece of cake – with none of thecalories of course.”

Co founder of payasUgym.comNeil Harmsworth added: “We aredelighted to confirm this excitingpartnership with LeisureConnection and look forward toproviding online lead generationto its many fantastic clubs acrossthe UK.”

Operatormakes allits facilitiesavailableon website

UK FITNESS SCENE14

An independent gym celebrated 40 years in business by holding a fundraising event in aid of Cancer Research. Throughout the day, mem-bers at Dave’s Gym in Northwich took on various challenges including climbing the Eiffel Tower on a stepper, riding a marathon on a spinbike, completing a gym triathlon or bench pressing the weight of a car. Members were also encouraged to set themselves their own chal-lenges – these included rowing the length of the English Channel in less than three hours and leg pressing the weight of a plane – andmany also took part in a mammoth two and a half hour class. The club, which has over 2,000 members, raised over £7000 for the charity.

Rehab scheme leadsto Phil’s new businessA STROKE survivor and fitness enthu-siast has used the rehabilitationscheme which helped him recover tocreate a new outdoor workout busi-ness.

Phil Walker from Trowbridge was leftparalysed down his left side when hesuffered a stroke three years ago whiletraining in the gym. He had to undergonine hours of brain surgery and had 52staples put in his head.

To get himself back to full health, Phildevised his own outdoor exerciseregime, incorporating naturalresources such as trees and logs intohis workouts.

Now fully recovered, he has joinedforces with Matt Johns, director ofenvironmental consultancy JohnsAssociates, to launch Wildfit – a newhealth and fitness company whichdesigns outdoor fitness trails to getpeople in shape while enjoying theBritish countryside.

Phil said: “When I was recoveringfrom my stroke I was at my lowest pos-

sible ebb. Learning to walk and dosimple tasks again was a real fight.

“When I began trying to get fit again Ididn't want to go back in the gym, mybalance was so poor, so created anoutdoor exercise regime for myself. Itwas then that I realised that exercisingoutdoors is better than exercisinginside.”

Wildfit will use the expertise of JohnsAssociates to create environmentallyfriendly fitness courses and activitytrails, using elements of the naturalenvironment such as slopes, wood-land, rocks and long grass.

Phil added: “When you are keeping fitoutdoors your body and mind benefitfrom daylight, sunlight and fresh air,which doesn't happen when yourpounding the treadmill in the gym, italso stimulates the brain cells, as youlook to see where you step next.

“I'm really excited about launchingthis company with Johns Associatesand using the beautiful British coun-tryside to help British people get fit.”

Charity achieves environment awardSTEVENAGE Leisure has achievedthe ISO14001 standard for itsEnvironmental ManagementSystem, which minimises the leisuretrust’s negative impact on the envi-ronment.

The charitable organisation, whichmanages 19 sites on behalf of fivedifferent local authorities, workedwith quality management specialistRight Directions to achieve theaward, which is held centrally byStevenage Leisure for all its facilities.

Facilities director for StevenageLeisure James Barker said: “Forsome time, we have identified theneed for an EMS to be integratedwith our quality and health andsafety systems.

“ISO14001 EnvironmentalManagement Standard has alwaysbeen our ultimate goal as it is astructured system, which looks atcontinuous improvement to manageand protect the environment for the

benefit of our teams, customers andclients.

“Working in partnership with RightDirections we have produced andtrained our staff on our EMS, whichwe have successfully demonstrated

in a Stage one and Stage twoISO14001 audit.

“We are extremely pleased with theaward of ISO14001 and the fact thatour assessment showed no signifi-cant areas for improvement.”

Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre.

PRIVATE health clinic Body 2 Fithas become the only studio in theNorth East to boast a full suite ofPilates equipment.

Taking advantage of the increasedprofile of equipment-based Pilates,the studio has invested in a range ofproducts including a Reformer,jump board, Cadillac and Trapezetable, stability chair, ladder barreland baby arcs.

Pilates manager Angie Stirlandsaid: “There is currently no otherstudio in the region which hasPilates equipment to this extent, sowe’re delighted to be able to offerour clients the opportunity to takeadvantage of the full range.

“When we first introduced theequipment current clients weresomewhat apprehensive, but nowthey have tried it out for themselvesand understand the benefits they’vereally got on board and are comingback week after week.”

Pilates firstfor NorthEast studio

UK FITNESS SCENE16

The future of the fitness industryBy Dave Wright

I WRITE this month’s article on myflight back from Las Vegas wherethe International Health Racquetand Sports club Association(IHRSA) had its annual global tradeshow and education conference.

It’s supposed to be where all thenew trends, equipment, gadgetsand technologies are displayed, alldesigned to help clubs ultimatelyget more and keep more members... or to put it another way, to helpclubs ‘make more money’ (and yes,to help pay for their kit!)

I’ve been attending IHRSA forthe past two decades and I alwayspick up more knowledge fromviewing clubs in the town andspeaking to people than cruisingthe trade show floor. You meet somany interesting people and itreminded me how it was at IHRSAone year that I was fortunateenough to meet one club ownerwho on the topic of ‘mission state-ments', produced his key ring thathad what he believed his clubshould stand for.

It wasn’t to do with long-windedmission statements and values tosave the world ... it was three sim-ple words: Clean, safe and friendly.

Let me explain: Clean: Make no mistake about it,

ripped carpet, smelly changerooms, messy weight rooms, tornupholstery and no uniforms do notgive the impression to a memberthat you care about the place thatthey are going to spend a lot oftheir time and money in. You don’thave to have shiny gold-platedsinks or white fluffy towels, but youhave to offer a clean and spotlessenvironment.

Particularly if you want to attract

the female population. Safe: Although this might sound

too basic, I can not stress theamount of times you train at a gymwhere exercises are performedincorrectly. Understanding yourmembers and then guiding them tothe appropriate activity that is inline with their goals, objectives andcurrent fitness levels is key. But doyou have the confidence to go upto someone who is doing an activi-ty wrong and correct them? Inmany gyms around the world,people train incorrectly with thewrong advice and then cancel theirmemberships because they don’tget results and then club ownersare left scratching their heads won-dering why their attrition is so high.The one skill set that we as anindustry have is our expertise... weneed to exploit that strength.

Friendly: Whether you like it ornot, the ‘Yanks’ do friendly VERYwell. They use your name when

they know it, they give you eye con-tact when they shake your hand,they seem genuinely interestedwhen they speak to you. Is itbecause they are from a culture ofrewarding good service with tips oris it because they are from a veryheavily populated market placeand they know that being good isno longer acceptable – you have tobe great to succeed? Either way, doyou or your staff wear their namebadges? Do you greet every mem-ber as they enter the club by usingtheir name and say goodbye whenthey leave? Could you or your staffpick 10 people in the gym at anyone time and know somethingabout them that could only befound out if you’d had an engagingconversation with them? If you cando all this with a smile, then youwill have ticked this box. If not,then you have an opportunity toimprove.

So there it is ... no buttons,screens, belts or ‘eco-systems’, justsimple ways to improve your clubto get more and keep more mem-bers. Is it the future of the fitnessindustry or do you think it will bethe same story in another 20 years’time?

� Dave Wright is the CEO ofCFM/MYZONE, a global companywith over 300 staff that have servedthe international fitness communi-ty for over 23 years; focusing oneither getting new members and/orkeeping existing ones. Dave is alsothe owner of 11 health clubs acrosstwo continents, a board director ofukactive, founder of IOU(Independent Operators Unite), anIHRSA presenter and the creator ofMYZONE. He may be contacted onDave.Wright@cfm.net

OVER the last three years, ukactiveand PPL have been working to devel-op the new pricing structure and col-lection methods which will see fit-ness clubs and leisure centres beginto bear more of the responsibility forpaying the fees due for using musicin their venues. Up until now, theonus has been on the instructor lead-ing the class.

Instructors working in venues thatdon't currently account to PPL (forexample a village hall) will still payfor their own licence fees, howeverthey will now pay per class, ratherthan a flat rate per year.

Although PPL, ukactive and musicorganisations such as Pure Energyhave been very pro-active in publish-ing information about the licencechanges, it's only natural thatinstructors and centre managers alikestill have questions and concernsabout how the licence affects them ortheir business.

How Pure Energy Can HelpPure Energy is the leading producer

of original artist music mixes specifi-cally tailored for the fitness profes-

sional. The products cover every aer-obic discipline, incorporating bothcurrent and retro music.

We offer membership packages tai-lored to health and fitness clubs run-ning multiple classes, which includea PPL licence and a bespoke musicallowance delivered as CD or digitaldownload, with multi-site optionsand much more.

Whilst we recognise that the PPLchanges are a positive move in theindustry, we understand that thechanges may effect the budgets ofsome gyms and health clubs.

However, Pure Energy can workwith you to build a package that willsuit your venue and still mean thatyou're playing the best quality musicthroughout your timetable. It mightbe that the music requirement forsome of your classes, such asmind/body or smaller group ses-sions, can be satisfied by usinglicence free music from our newStudiomix and Promix ranges, mean-ing your budget can still meet thelicence fees needed to play originalartist Pure Energy music in the rest ofyour sessions.

If you would like to arrange a con-sultation with one of the Pure Energyteam regarding how we can help youwith your music and licensing costs,please email us info@pureenergymu-sic.com

For more information about thechanges and new pricing structures,please visit www.ppluk.com andsearch 'fitness tariff' and for more onhow Pure Energy are approaching thechanges to our memberships visitwww.pureenergymusic.com/ppl

Important tips:� If your licence is renewed prior to May 1 you will be covered underthat licence until the renewal in 2014.� If you are working with groups withhealth issues, PPL are offeringexemptions for classes in venuessuch as hospitals and care homes.For more details about the exemp-tions, contact PPL directly.� Read the info on the PPL website, itis both informative and concise andhas an excel spreadsheet to downloadwith the correct formula for you towork out your venue’s yearly costs.

May 1 2013 is fast approaching and marks the start of large scale changes to theway we pay for our music within the fitness industry. The experts at Pure Energyexplain more.

How PPL licence changes will impact on gyms

UK FITNESS SCENE18

Founder thinksclass could bethe perfect fitBy Christina Eccles

A NEW exercise class has officiallylaunched in the UK, with its founderbelieving it could be a great fit forgyms nationwide.

The principles of Primal Move arebased on the movement patterns welearn and master in childhood – withthe class aiming to make changes toparticipants’ posture and fitnessthrough playful and fluid moves.

The concept has already built up astrong following here, headed up byUK director James Breese, andfounder Peter Lakatos said he believesthere is a lot of potential for the ideato now really take off.

He said: “Our goal is not for PrimalMove to become corporate. I’m notinterested in numbers, in getting asmany people taking Primal Moveclasses as possible.

“We strive to give the best support toour instructors as possible so they canoffer the highest quality training. Thestrength of our referrals and testimo-nials is evidence enough of how high-

ly Primal Move is regarded by thosewho regularly attend classes.”

All Primal Move exercises follow alogical sequence, adding games forfun and playfulness, but also severallevels of progression to deliver a fullbody workout.

Peter added: “Primal Move practi-tioners don’t teach corrective exercis-es. We use them as tools as part of anexercise practice based on makingmovement playful.

“Largely, exercise and fitness isbased on having specific goals, usual-ly to lose weight or get fitter. Themodes and methods used to achievethese are often tedious – the treadmillbeing the weapon of choice for manygymgoers.

“There are 10 elements to our prac-tice, but our clients are never aware ofthem.

“Our goal is not to sell the end user atraining method, but to make themmove better and become fit in a funand playful way, without thoughts ofdifficulty or the movement being ameans to an end.”

Primal Move is based on the movement patterns we learn and master in childhood.

The énergie Group has confirmed a deal with Playgolf Management to open a further fourfitness clubs at its leisure sites in the next three years. The company first opened énergieFitness Club, Northwick Park in 2009 within the Playgolf London leisure complex.Now, following a successful three years, the group has confirmed a deal to extend the fit-ness offering across Playgolf’s four-strong estate. The first opening has been confirmed atthe Playgolf Colchester location, scheduled to open in July, with Bournemouth, Surrey(Leatherhead) and Brentford to follow in the next three years.

UK FITNESS SCENE20

Gym operatorsimprove termsfollowing OFTinvestigationBy Christina Eccles

THREE gym operators have agreed tochange their contract terms to makethem more transparent and givemembers better cancellation rights,following an OFT investigation.

Bannatyne Fitness, David LloydLeisure and Fitness First clubs, whichbetween them have almost a millionmembers, co-operated with the inves-tigation and will now no longer usecontract terms or practices consid-ered unfair by the OFT.

Specifically the OFT has secured:� Extended rights for members tocancel their contracts early shouldtheir circumstances change in a waythat makes attendance at the gym dif-ficult or unaffordable – for example ifthey lose their jobs or suffer an injury.� A commitment not to describemembership as being of a fixed dura-tion, if the contract automaticallycontinues on a rolling basis after theinitial membership period hasexpired.� Greater transparency about keymembership features, including ini-tial membership periods and cancel-lation rights, and for these to be pro-vided upfront as part of the salesprocess.

Senior director of the OFT's goodsand consumer group CavendishElithorn said: “Millions of people aremembers of gyms and a membershipcontract can easily be a financialcommitment of over £500 per annum.

“We were concerned that contractscould unfairly lock people in if theircircumstances changed – forcingthem to continue paying even if theyhad lost their job.

“We welcome these changes fromBannatyne's, David Lloyd and FitnessFirst. As well as making contractterms clearer, the revised contractsalso grant members, and prospectivemembers, more flexibility.

“Meanwhile, we are continuing ourinvestigation into some other compa-nies in the sector and will provide anupdate in the coming weeks.”

The investigation was launched aftera previous High Court ruling against agym management company foundlengthy gym membership periods canbe unfair when they lock people inwithout adequate cancellation rightswhen their circumstances change.

The OFT had concerns that othersoperating in the sector might be usingsimilar unfair contract terms.

CEO of ukactive David Stalkeradded: “ukactive works to continuallyraise standards in the physical activitysector and to help remove barriers topeople being active.

“Therefore we strongly believe infollowing the rulings drawn up by theOFT and have been happy to play anadvisory role in this investigationprocess to date, working with boththe OFT and the ukactive membersinvolved, and we welcome any officialguidance which protects consumersand motivates them to continue tolead an active lifestyle. Both DavidLloyd and Fitness First are long stand-ing members of ukactive, and I knowthey are fully committed to ensuringthey operate to the highest of con-sumer standards.

“ukactive’s vision, to get more peo-ple, more active, more often, is sharedby all our members who we know arealready implementing changes totheir contract terms. For example, bigfitness operators are increasinglyoffering a wide variety of flexiblemembership options to suit individ-ual budgets and training needs, andtaking initiatives such as the intro-duction of member pledges or shortcontract terms, which place con-sumers at the heart of their offering.Meanwhile, we are continuing towork with OFT and the FSA regardingthe issue of contracts in our sector.”

The OFT is also reminding people tocarefully consider the terms of thecontract before they take out a gymmembership, be willing to shoparound and find out what theiroptions are if they want to canceltheir membership. It recently issued aconsumer alert advising people oftheir rights.

David Stalker

ACTIVE IQ has launched a newLevel Two Award in PoolLifeguarding, designed to provide afoundation for preparing and super-vising a swimming pool environ-ment.

The qualification will provide theknowledge, understanding and skillsthat a learner needs to safely oper-ate in a pool environment, as well aspreparing them to deal with a rangeof pool emergencies.

Active IQ launch pool lifeguarding award

UK FITNESS SCENE22

Miss Galaxy Universequest for centre teamBy Christina Eccles

A LEISURE centre fitness managerhas formed a team of ladies to enterMiss Galaxy Universe – an all-femaleshow which focuses on physical fit-ness as well as beauty and glamour.

Steve Collins who works atCrowborough Leisure Centre has cre-ated the team – comprising both staffand members – and he and his train-ers are helping them prepare for theevent.

Steve said: “Miss Galaxy Universecelebrates fitness, strength and ele-gance among women of all ages.

“The appeal of Miss Galaxy Universeis that it requires women to show thebest side of themselves but it doesn’tdraw direct comparisons betweencontestants.

“This means that you don’t need tobe a model’s height, have the rightshade of hair or be particularly glam-orous to succeed.

“Women are judged on how theyhave maximised their own body andthe confidence they display; this ismuch more realistic and somethingall women can aspire to achieving.”

Based around performance andfunctionality – as opposed to justbeauty and glamour – the showattracts women from all acrossEurope, with the final being held on

June 1 at The Hawth Theatre inCrawley.

Steve added: “The psychologicalbenefits of improving your physique,strengthening your body and becom-ing fit for life are enormous whetheryou choose to compete in a show likethis or not.

“I have found that for many of thewomen we train here, the boost in

their self-confidence is one of themost marked differences they gainfrom training for the purpose ofshowing their best-ever body.

“Miss Galaxy Universe is literallytheir time to shine and I’m lookingforward to seeing our group enjoytheir moment in the limelight as theycelebrate their own individualachievements.”

The Miss Galaxy Universe team from Crowborough Leisure Centre.

THE Great Outdoor GymCompany has joined the ukactiveVanguard group.

As part of Vanguard, TGO willwork with ukactive and its mem-bers and partners in order to buildon the UK’s growing interest inoutdoor fitness.

ukactive CEO David Stalker said:“I’m delighted that The GreatOutdoor Gym Company has comeon board and joined the ukactiveVanguard.

By setting up in local communi-ties and offering a free, sociablespace that allows people to meetup and exercise, TGO are alreadydoing their bit to get more peoplemore active more often.

“Outdoor fitness providers are agrowing section of ukactive’smembership.

“By joining Vanguard TGO willbroaden the current pool ofknowledge within our member-ship, whilst we will support themin creating links within the sector,as well as building bridges withcommercial organisations and fur-ther developing their communitypartnerships.”

Company isthe latest tosign up toVanguard

UK FITNESS SCENE24

Staff at Klick Fitness get into the Red Nose Day spirit, while staff at Fit4Less in Dundee raised money by coming to work in their pyjamas.

Gyms do their bit for Comic ReliefA HARLEM Shake dance routine, clubbased fitness challenges and a wearyour pyjamas to work day were justsome of the innovative ways gymsraised money for Comic Relief.

Several clubs contacted Workout totell us what they had done to markRed Nose Day, with many involvingboth staff and members in someweird and wonderful fundraisingideas.

Fit4Less in Dundee raised over £250with their efforts, which included staff

being sponsored to wear their PJs inthe gym, a sponsored leg wax and amembers’ planking contest.

The club also gave out a prize to themember who attended wearing themost red clothing and donated alljoining fees generated from newmembers signing up on the day to theComic Relief cause.

Meanwhile at independent clubCrow Wood Leisure in Burnley, mem-bers took part in a sponsored run orwalkathon taking place on decorated

treadmills and over inWellingborough, Diana’s Health andFitness challenged staff by askingthem to sit in a jacuzzi filled with icefor as long as possible.

Several Klick Fitness clubs also tookpart in the fun, with many of themhosting an action-packed day of fit-ness challenges.

Manager at Klick FitnessBromborough Rachel McPhersonsaid: “We would like to thank all ourKlick Fitness members for helping us

raise money for Comic Relief – a daythat showed we all care about thecommunities that we live in and weknow how to have really good funwith fitness too.”

Elsewhere, The Gym, Edinburghorganised a fancy dress ‘HarlemShake’ dance routine which wasfilmed and shared via YouTube, whilethe Workout office also played its partwith a charity dress down day, wheresome staff members sported officialRed Nose Day T shirts.

Top Quest rating for Aberdeen Sports VillageABERDEEN Sports Village hasreceived a top rating from qualitybenchmarking scheme Quest.

ASV was highlighted as first overallin Scotland due to its wide range ofstate-of-the-art facilities and sport-ing amenities and ranked 17th in theUK, surpassing 582 other sportsfacilities from across the country.

It also received an excellent rating –the only facility in Quest’s history toachieve this standard of rating in itsfirst assessment.

ASV chief executive David Beattiesaid: “To be acknowledged so highlyby such a significant industry body isa great honour to the whole teamand really demonstrates the standardof facility we strive to deliver.”

ASV also came first in the UK out of560 facilities in cleaning and house-

keeping. The process took two yearsand involved a mystery visit and atwo-day assessment in the first year,and a second mystery visit and oneday assessment in the second year.

David added: “Everyone at ASVworks tirelessly to provide a worldclass facility for the people of theNorth East and beyond. We ensurethe facilities, equipment and sur-roundings are of a high standard andthat there are opportunities for everygroup of the community – from achild playing football for the firsttime, to professional sportspersonstraining for the Olympics. Quest ismuch more than a tick box exercise;it is an on-going programme toimprove our facility for both staffand customers, and a great way todemonstrate our achievements.” Chief executive of Aberdeen Sports Village David Beattie.

UK FITNESS SCENE 27

Mum launchesWedding DressBootcamp forbrides-to-beBy Christina Eccles

A MUM of three is helping brides-to-be shape up in time for their big daywith the launch of her onlineWedding Dress Bootcamp.

Jaelithe Leigh-Brown had her thirdchild in January, just days before shere-launched her fitness and lifecoaching business, Mrs Mojo toinclude the camp.

Participants take part in a six-weekcourse, which offers three variedonline video workouts – yoga-cise,ballroom aerobics and bikini fit cir-cuit – as well as weekly group focuscalls covering fitness, diet and lifecoaching techniques.

There are also online group forums,weekly Q and A teleseminars andhomework modules.

Jaelithe said: “2012 was really busyfor me – teaching yoga classes to chil-dren aged two and up, ballroom aero-bics and yoga classes to adults anddelivering one-to-one life coachingsessions.

“At the same time I was constantlyasked by brides-to-be how to loseweight for their big day and keep theweight off, which is why I decided tore-launch my business and offer anonline Wedding Dress Bootcamp inJanuary 2013.

“I did all of my work for the businessonce my two boys were tucked up inbed, so I haven't had much sleep.

“Baby number three – our little girlEden arrived earlier than expected –just as I was launching and pilotingmy first ever live Wedding DressBootcamp.

“Eden is doing really well and thefeedback from brides-to-be has beenthat they need something that com-bines fitness, diet and life coachingwhich can also be done online, in thecomfort of their own home and with-out breaking the bank.”

The next live Bootcamp will takeplace in May.

Jaelithe Leigh-Brown

A Dublin gym has reopened following extensive renovations which have seen the facilitymore than double in size. The 850mÇ gym at University College Dublin Sport and FitnessCentre will support over 2,500 members from the student population and local communityas well as athletes and sports students, who will have access to over 100 pieces of Cybexcardiovascular and strength training equipment. Cybex sales manager for Ireland CiaranMagee said: “The new €50m UCD Sport and Fitness Centre is undoubtedly one of the coun-try’s top sports facilities and every component of the site reflects this. The gym has beendesigned and built for the wide demographic it supports and just from the feedback sofar, we are delighted with the final outcome.”

UK FITNESS SCENE28

By Matthew JanuszekEscape Fitness

FIRST we had Gangnam Style, nowthe Harlem Shake. What next? Thecombination of social media andvideo to reach millions, and billions,of people isn’t something that we canignore.

In the case of the Harlem Shake, it’sbeen viewed, in various guises, over abillion times. More than 100 versionsof the video have recorded at leastone million views. What this says tome is, despite the content, the speedby which the internet spreads is trulyincredible. Now, I’m not saying forone moment that recording a videoin your club could hit these heightsbut it’s more about the principlebehind it.

The use of video for business hasgrown tremendously over the last fewyears and, as a result, producingvideo is now far more affordable thanwhen compared to a few years back.Creating a video is a great way toquickly, and effectively, promote yourbrand, making it easy to understandand avoiding any danger of misinter-pretation that could happen throughpeople skim-reading a webpage.

The most important benefit thoughis arguably this; it allows you to dif-ferentiate yourself from your compe-tition. By videoing your businessyou’ll be creating an intimate con-nection with potential customers,putting across a corporate messagethat is quick and to the point but,most importantly, a message thatyou’ll have complete control over.

Today’s technology savvy worlddemands interaction and visual stim-ulation and video can be a great wayfor you to showcase your talents.Bringing a product or service to lifeallows you to better explain exactlywhat it’s all about. If you’ve got anexciting development in your clubthen why not show people? Why not

display an online demo using newequipment from your club? Introduceyour PTs to your audience by way of ashort video, show them teaching aclass to highlight how serious yourclub is about education and training,for example.

Better still, how about capturingtestimonials from class members?Building credibility about your facili-ty and classes, directly from positivescomments from existing members, issome of the strongest advertising youcan get. The endorsement of yourbrand from similar users will act as astrong indicator of the merits of yourclub – touching on the psychologicalphenomenon of “social proof”, wherepeople will follow, and be influencedby, the thoughts and actions of themajority. If you capture two or threeof your members extolling the virtuesof your club then you have anextremely powerful marketing tool.

By posting a video online you’ll alsobenefit from increased brand expo-sure, getting your message out topeople that previously may not haveeven been aware of you. Increasingtraffic to your website is another plusand, you never know, if you producesomething awesome your videocould quickly go viral and we’ll all besat here saluting the next HarlemShake!

At Escape Fitness we’ve longbelieved in the power of multimedia,producing videos to best describewhat it is we do. At the end of lastsummer, for example, we took a cam-era behind the scenes at the photoshoot for our upcoming brochure.What were tried to do is show theviewers, our potential customers,why we do what we do, our thinkingbehind it and the work that goes intoproducing a brochure that we areimmensely proud of. The end result?A video has been viewed over 7,500times, and counting, reaching a vastaudience and allowing us to get ourmessage out to many people whomay have previously passed us by. Inthe last month alone the video hashad close to 1,000 hits.

As the saying goes, a picture paintsa thousand words and so by bringingyour product, your business, to lifeyou’ll be instantly making yourselfinteractive, engaging and exciting.Think about how much informationyou could capture in just a one ortwo minute recording, then comparehow much printed material you’dneed to put across that same mes-sage, video can prove to be a verycost effective marketing tool.

It doesn’t require big budgets either.Get creative and pick up aSmartphone and do it yourself. Take awander around your club, show offyour best bits! Sports are a popularmedia on YouTube, and tend to aver-age the highest number of views, sowe’re in the right ball park for giving avideo the best possible chance ofracking up a load of hits.

Let me know how you get on bydropping me a line atmarketing@escapefitness.com andmake sure you check out ourYouTube channel atwww.youtube.com/escapefitness.

Our latest video – filmed at DavidLloyd Oxford – is now online, go andhave a view!

Video: a great way topromote your business

SkillsActiveenters arenaSKILLSACTIVE and REPs are to hostan approved provider arena at B-Fit,which forms part of the BodyPowerExpo.

SkillsActive, together with theRegister of Exercise Professionals,maintain and work to improve theindustry standard to practice foremployers, training providers andREPs members alike – makingBodyPower, the UK’s largest fitnessand nutrition expo, the ideal place toshowcase their offering.

B-FIT is an interactive zone withinBodyPower, showcasing the best theindustry has to offer.

Catering for fitness enthusiasts andprofessionals, B-FIT has a quality lineup of classes, workshops and semi-nars from leading fitness industryprofessionals and recognised publica-tions. SkillsActive has also endorsed aconference at BodyPower to give itfour REPs CPD points – available to allmembers.

BodyPower takes place from May 17-19 at the NEC in Birmingham.

For more information visit www.b-fitexpo.co.uk

Top sector performerLEISURE Connection has been ranked13th in the 2012 CRC PerformanceLeague Table – making it the highestplaced company from the leisure andfitness sector.

The table compared the energy effi-ciency performance of over 2,000 par-ticipants of the CRC Energy EfficiencyScheme throughout last year to pro-vide a clear index of the best perform-ing companies across the UK.

Head of energy Steve Bambury said:“At Leisure Connection, we take oursustainability responsibilitiesextremely seriously; we understandthat it is our duty to do everything wecan to minimise our carbon footprintand maximise our energy efficiency.With that in mind, it’s fantastic toplace so highly in the table and to seehow we compare to other participantsin the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.”

UK FITNESS SCENE 29

TOP personal trainer Tara Hammettled a special fitness class in Swanseacity centre to celebrate InternationalWomen’s Day.

Tara, who is health club manager atThe Dragon Hotel, warmed up thecrowd with a demonstration of her 12minute High Intensity IntervalTraining workout and was joined bymembers of the Welsh netball team,as well as some of her own clients.

People were also given the chance towin a place on her Fitness and Fatloss

21-day challenge, a copy of herHealthy Handbook and a one-monthmembership at The Dragon HotelHealth Club.

Tara, who was shortlisted for gymbased personal trainer of the year atthe 2012 National Fitness Awards,said: “It was great to be a part of thisevent and celebrate InternationalWomen’s Day. It was a fun fitness dayand was fantastic to educate and helpinspire others to lead healthierlifestyles.”

Tara leads InternationalWomen’s Day class

Tara Hammett with her certificate for being shortlisted in the personal trainer category atthe 2012 National Fitness Awards.

Operators urged tobe aware of musiclicence changesBy Christina Eccles

UKACTIVE has urged independentoperators to stay ahead of new musiclicence reforms, due to come intoforce on May 1.

From that date, changes are cominginto play as part of PPL’s reformedExercise to Music Tariff, which will seethe responsibility for holding a validPPL licence for music played in groupexercise classes lie with the operatorsof fitness centres rather than theinstructors themselves.

CEO David Stalker said: “Thesereforms represent significant changesto the way PPL tariff fees are collectedwhich will impact on fitness opera-tors’ businesses.

“We are urging operators not to getcaught out by the introduction of the

reforms; you can act now to prepareinformation on your start date andnumber of classes to ensure thateverything is in place by the time youneed to complete your return.

“As a result of ukactive’s negotiationswith PPL, existing licences – whetherheld by your instructors or as anoperator – can be taken into accountif they expire after the May 1 2013start date. We will be playing an activerole in the collection of licence fees –the purpose of which is to be able tooffer a discount to ukactive membersof 10 per cent off the overall price oftheir annual licence.

“ukactive will continue to supportthe sector through this transition, toensure that operators can meet thisnew tariff without having to compro-mise on the delivery of their services.”

A new tourism campaign is urging the public to try more outdoor activities while explor-ing England’s countryside. Active Outdoors, organised by tourism body VisitEngland, pro-motes outdoor experiences ranging from walking in national parks, to cycling and watersports. Regions taking part include The Lake District, Cumbria, which is highlighting its out-door offering including canoeing on Ullswater (pictured).

UK FITNESS SCENE30

By Christina Eccles

A NEW white paper has been releasedwhich reveals how gyms can up mem-ber satisfaction levels by creating acleaner environment for them towork out in.

The guide – Improve member satis-faction by 10 per cent through creat-ing a cleaner fitness environment –has been created by support servicesprovider Emprise and offers keyinsights into the importance of hav-ing a clean club.

It contains three simple steps tohelp operators improve member sat-isfaction scores; step one is to recog-nise that members care about cleanli-ness, step two involves upholdingoperators’ brand image to retainmembers and step three reveals howto use a club’s cleanliness as a meansof adding value.

It also includes a case study showinghow one gym chain managed toincrease member satisfaction levelsby changing its cleaning strategy.

Sales and marketing director atEmprise Matt Kuwertz said: “We pro-duced this white paper because wehave seen first hand the positiveimpact an effective cleaning strategycan have on member satisfaction inthe fitness industry and wanted toshare our thoughts on best practice.The case study gives a great insight

into how member satisfactionincreased as a direct result of clean-ing.”

The paper also found that cleanli-ness in fitness facilities was one of themost common sources of complaints.

In one study, 88 per cent of peoplesaid they wouldn’t use a gym or ath-letic facility if it had cleanliness issuesand in another, 44 per cent of peoplewould be encouraged to use leisurecentres if they had improved facilities.

And Matt added that if a focus onadding value via cleaning could meanretaining even one per cent of thoselost, it could have a significant effecton revenue generation.

He added: “Clearly, cleanliness is abig deal for consumers. With theeconomy forcing many organisationsto reduce costs and member reten-tion being a major challenge for thefitness industry, the delivery of strate-gic cleaning services can be a directmeans of adding value, which createsbrand loyalty and contributes to thebottom line.”

A clean environment to work outimproves satisfaction, finds survey

Matt Kuwertz

FREEDOM Leisure’s newest site inKent has been officially opened byminister for sport and tourism HughRobertson.

Three Hills Sports Ground inFolkestone is the operator’s 34th siteand third in Kent and will be a centreof excellence for cricket, hockey andnetball. The £7.8m project has beenfunded by a donation from the Roger

De Haan Charitable Trust and theland is provided by Shepway DistrictCouncil on a 125 year lease.

The facility is owned and run by TheCheriton Road Sports Ground Trust, aregistered charity comprising volun-teers from Folkestone Cricket Cluband Optimist Hockey Club.

Managing director of FreedomLeisure Jeff Hart said: “We are delight-

ed to be working with The CheritonRoad Sports Ground Trust to operatethe Three Hills Sports Park.

“It offers first class sporting facilitiesfor the local community, nearbyschools and sports clubs as well asnational and international athletes. Itis an exciting development and weare looking forward to fulfilling itsmany objectives.”

Minister for sport and tourism Hugh Robertson MP with some of the children who took part in the centre’s opening day activities.

Minister opens Freedom’s new site

Budget chain voted 15th best to work for BUDGET chain The Gym Group hasbeen voted the 15th best small com-pany to work for in the UK.

The operator achieved the rankingin The Sunday Times 100 Best SmallCompanies to Work For list, the UK’smost extensive research intoemployee engagement.

The Gym Group also achieved thetop Three Star Accreditation stan-

dard, declaring the company an‘extraordinary’ employer.

Chief executive John Treharne said:“We are particularly pleased andproud with our inclusion and posi-tion in this highly regarded survey.We work tirelessly to ensure that TheGym Group is a satisfying andrewarding place to work. It is part ofour ethos to have our employees

engaged, enjoying their work andstriving for the best results for ourcustomers. In turn our employeesand experienced management teamhave grown the business to its cur-rent 32 high quality sites and marketleadership in the low cost health andfitness market. We are delighted thatthe success of our employees hasbeen recognised in this way.”

COMBAT 33

AN independent gym, which spe-cialises in functional fitness and box-ing classes, has been visited by thelocal mayor, who revealed howimpressed he was with the business.

Mayor of Solihull, Kenneth Hawkinsvisited Rigs Fitness to take a lookaround the facilities and chat to staffincluding owner Sam Smith.

The Mayor said: “It's really great tosee a new business doing so well inthe area. I like how the gym is back tobasics, with old school functionaltraining, boxing, and real fitness ses-sions.”

While he was there, the club alsopresented the Mayor with an hon-

orary membership, as well as a prizeto give away at his upcoming charityball of a one to one personal trainingsession with ISKA World Kickboxingchampion Paul Gilmore, who coachesa weekly Fighting Fit class at Rigs.

He added: “I’m truly thankful forSam and Paul’s generosity. It’s notoften you get to offer such a greatprize for such a great cause, but justlike Rigs, this is something uniquethat we hope will be the cause formuch interest at the ball.”

The club opened last August and hasalready become the regular trainingfacility for some of the area’s bestsports teams and athletes.

Mayor of Solihull Kenneth Hawkins with staff from Rigs Fitness.

Mayor impressed byindependent gym

THE Hatton Academy gives fitnessinstructors and personal trainers allthe tools they need to take their skillsand teaching methods to the nextlevel.

Developed by four-time world box-ing champion Ricky Hatton, the acad-emy's courses are fully accredited bythe British Boxing Board of Control,the Register of Exercise Professionalsand the Amateur Boxing Associationof England.

There are currently three coursesavailable and they include everythingfrom basic boxing fitness up toadvanced training methods.

The Fundamentals course has beendesigned to suit people of all levels ofexperience and ability. It covers thebasic principles of boxing training,including correct punching tech-nique, correct pad holding and sim-ple punching combinations.

The Hatton Academy Advancecourse takes things up a notch. As thename suggests, it includes teachingparticipants advanced boxing meth-ods such as ducking, slipping andweaving.

It also aims to give those taking partthe skills they need to host their ownadvanced cardio sessions as well asexpert advice on safety and injury

prevention.Finally, the Elite trainer course has

been designed for those who want tolearn the skills and secrets of profes-sional boxing coaches.

It builds on the teachings of the pre-vious courses, but includes advancedmovement combinations, advancedefensive techniques and shows par-ticipants ways in which they can spotand rectify incorrect techniques.

Ricky Hatton said: "Boxing trainingcan benefit everyone. It isn't aboutlearning to fight, it's about improvingfitness, strength and stamina.

"The course will give you all thetools you need to structure and teachsafe and effective boxing techniques.We show the course participants howto deliver all major punching tech-niques and defensive moves.

"No other course can offer such indepth skills and training methods inboxing."

Giving fitness instructorsand personal trainersall the tools they need

VIBRATION TRAINING34

DW Fitness Clubs has upgradedits Power Plate machines to pro7as part of the company’s exten-sive refurbishment plans.

The Power Plate pro7 is the lat-est model in the Power Plate lineand is the first commerciallyavailable Power Plate to offerintegrated video coaching andfeatures the very latest in inter-active touch screen and embed-ded proMOTION technology forenhanced upper body work.

With over 1,000 exercise videosand 250 progressive full-bodyworkouts offering a personalisedworkout at the touch of a button,the Power Plate pro7 allowsmembers to train independentlyand stay motivated.

DW Fitness Clubs’ 68 sitesacross the UK operate with anaverage of two Power Plates ineach club. pro7 machines willfeature in their brand new loca-tion in Lincoln, which opened atthe end of March, and there areplans to roll out the upgradethroughout many of their otherclubs over the next few months.

Senior vice president ofPerformance Health Systems, themanufacturer and distributor ofPower Plate, Matthew Pengellysaid: “We are thrilled that DW

Fitness Clubs has purchased thePower Plate pro7. We have along-standing relationship withthem as they were the first chainto purchase Power Plate equip-ment. We value their loyalty tothe Power Plate brand and guar-antee that DW Fitness and theirmembers will love the pro7.”

A spokesman for DW FitnessClubs added: “DW Fitness Clubs

has chosen to work with PowerPlate and the pro7 due to the fullrange of exercise videos it couldoffer to its members, whilst alsobeing user friendly.

“Having Power Plate’s pro7adds a new dimension to DW fitness clubs gym floor experi-ence.”For more information visit www.pow-erplate.com

Companies teamup to offer ‘alittle extra help’SUPPLIERS including Power Plate have teamed upwith Everyone Active to create content for theoperator’s training platform, Everyone ActiveOnline.

Subscribers to EA Online pay £5.99 per month toaccess all of the workouts, video classes or trainingplans or they can be purchased on an individualbasis, with workouts from £1.99 per programme.

The companies, which also include Wattbike andGRAVITY, have provided a range of information –from simple workout cards to exercise videos – tohelp visitors get the most from their training.

Power Plate master trainer Steve Powell said: “It isgreat that Everyone Active have recognised thevalue in offering greater ‘workout’ solutions directto the user and this collaboration allows us theopportunity to engage directly with the customerto ensure a better and more effective experience ofPower Plate and the extensive programmingoptions available on the Everyone Active digitalplatform.”

Commercial director at Everyone Active Neil Kingsaid: “We pride ourselves on offering exciting newequipment, but sometimes customers need a littleextra help to get the full benefit.

‘We work with suppliers to offer taster sessionsand launch new equipment in club, but by givingthem somewhere to continue progressing afterthat initial push we can help users get even moreout of each session. Huge thanks to all the suppli-ers who are supporting the project with such effec-tive programming.”

DW Clubs upgradesto Power Plate pro 7

VIBRATION TRAINING 35

Vibration trainingkit is boostinggym sessionsPOWER Plate personal training ses-sions are enhancing the offering at anindependent gym in Worksop.

365 Functional Fitness has beensuccessfully using the kit with clientsafter owner Howard Hill took thedecision to invest in Power Plate pro6machines for his club.

Howard explained: “When designingthe studio layout of 365 FunctionalFitness, we had to decide whichequipment served great purpose andresults to our clients and very impor-tantly which equipment would bemost beneficial when marketing andpromoting the business.

“We decided to go with the PowerPlate pro6, this not only gave us agreat vibration training platform, buta great functional aspect too by hav-ing the dual pulleys attached to theplate.

“The studio is designed to stimulatethe mind as soon as you walk in thereby adding vibrant colour and cuttingedge design and creativity. The Pro6definitely fitted in well with the lookwe were hoping to achieve andalways attracts new and existingclients to the machine.”

The kit has been used for everythingfrom helping clients suffering frominjuries, to improving the training

regimes of some of the club’s morehigh profile members who are look-ing to push their workouts to the nextlevel.

Howard added: “The plate is usedregularly with our personal trainingclients and has become a very effec-tive tool for clients that are sufferingwith injuries and illness.

We also get great use of the plate tointensify workouts and develop ourmore sports performance athletes,such as Lauren Ashwell, who is an upand coming fitness model.

“Lauren uses the Power Plate tocombine her workouts and reallypush her high intensity training ses-sions.

“We also offer Power Plate PersonalTraining, these are very popular asclients can come and workout andthen leave after 25 minutes havinghad a great body conditioning work-out.

“We do stress to our clients thatvibration training is not a magicanswer to your health and fitnessgoal, but by adding it to our clients’training sessions it gives the trainerbetter tools, more creative, fun andresult driven training sessions thatwill hopefully keep clients comingback for more.”

AN Edinburgh Power Plate studio isgiving something back by partneringwith an initiative that helps the busi-ness connect with worthy causes.

Studio EH1 has joined up withorganisation B1G1, which distributesfunds generated by its business part-ners – in this case as the gym – totheir chosen charities all over theworld.

Owner Helen Maclennan explained:“Very much, our attitude is, if moresmall businesses gave a little, it wouldmake such a huge difference.

“Established for five years, we arenow in our third and final studio inthe West End of Edinburgh, afteramalgamating two smaller studiosinto one bigger one. My partner and Icome from small communities – mefrom Stornoway in the Western Islesof Scotland, and Ian from a smalltown called Ellon in Aberdeenshire inthe North East of Scotland.

“Consequently we were very deter-

mined to bring the community spiritinto our business and change peo-ple’s attitudes towards health and fit-ness to create an energising commu-nity. Studio EH1 is a place where peo-ple get fit and get healthy, but theyalso make friends, they have fun andthey feel part of it.”

Now, each month the Studio EH1team, pictured above, will pick proj-ects that they feel have a connectionwith the ethos of their business – pri-marily health and education – todonate to.

Helen added: “Our clients give usgreat feedback when I update themon the month’s charity project. Theyfeel good about the fact that they’re amember of a club that has strongsocial values. We have a great teamwho are on the same page as us, theyshare our values – and this shinesthrough to our clients. We call it the‘look good, feel good, do good’ fac-tor.”

‘Look good, feel good, do good’

INDOOR CYCLING36A new state-of-the-art studio has opened in London which aims to deliver a richerand more flexible indoor cycling experience. Christina Eccles found out more.

There are 50 bikes available in the studio in every ride.

Buzzing studio goesfrom beers to bikesSITUATED in a converted pub, just afew minutes’ walk from Bank tubestation, Cyclebeat is creating a buzzamong busy city workers looking forsomewhere exciting and stimulatingto train.

The studio is the brainchild of twoLondon lawyers, Justin Crewe andGreg Allon, who both loved indoorcycling but were frustrated by thevarying standards they were findingacross different classes.

The solution was to create a place oftheir own and the pair searched forover two years to find the perfectlocation before opening Cyclebeat inFebruary in the heart of the city.

Greg explained: “Myself and Justinare both avid cyclists and indoorcycling fans but like most people, wefound it frustrating because the quali-ty of classes can really vary.

“We decided to look at following ourpassion for indoor cycling and do thatone thing but do it really well.”

To make Cyclebeat stand out fromthe crowd, Greg and Justin identifiedthe main areas they needed to focuson; the quality of their instructors,installing the latest technology andproviding a flexible membership sys-tem.

Justin added: “We identified threekey factors to ensure that our studiois a cut above the rest.

“Firstly, and most importantly, we’veworked very hard to secure some ofthe most talented instructors in the

country. They are inspirational andtheir music is brilliant.

“Secondly, we have introduced tech-nology which makes for a much rich-er experience, enabling our riders tobook a specific bike, compete if theychoose to in class and track theirprogress.

“And finally, we have introduced avery flexible membership system,where new riders can try it out for 30days for just £30, then decide whetherto pay as they go, or buy a flexiblemembership. Either way, there is nolong term commitment.”

There are 50 bikes available in everyride, with participants able to book aclass online and even a specific bikeahead of their session.

Riders can also choose to useBeatboard technology, meaning theirperformance will be streamed liveonto a board at the front of a class.

This allows participants to competewith other riders – and also them-selves – encouraging motivation andretention as riders are keen to returnto improve their times.

And although the studio has onlybeen open a matter of weeks, its loca-tion in a busy area, marketing such asflyers and posters in the nearby tubestations and a presence on socialmedia sites have all helped to ensureit got off to a flying start.

Greg added: “The special offer of 30days for £30 gives members theopportunity to try it out and get areally good experience. Over 800 peo-ple have signed up for that.

“Right from the start classes havebeen really busy and the feedback hasbeen fantastic. We are really delight-ed. It’s very early days but we havehad great numbers and the ridershave been very enthusiastic.”

A typical class at Cyclebeat in London.

BPHYSICAL Personal Training is thedream which became a reality forBarry Thraves and his wife Di. Afterbeing made redundant, Barry decid-ed to take a chance, albeit an educat-ed and well thought-out businessplan, to put his dream of owning apersonal training studio in his hometown of Ashbourne, Derbyshire intoaction.

BPhysical opened its doors in June2011 with the latest Matrix equip-ment and has rapidly become one of

the most successful studios in theEast Midlands.

From the outset Barry has ensuredthat he will gradually introduce newand innovative products to his studioto encourage retention and todemonstrate to his loyal following

that he is willing to invest. He intro-duced Myzone last June which hasmassively increased retention, thiswas then followed by the installationof the RealRyder indoor cycles.

He said: “I chose the RealRyderabove any other indoor cycle due toits capacity to oscillate and give thefeeling of a road ride indoors.

“ I am always looking and research-ing new products and for BPhysical,this indoor cycle was the perfect fitfor the business model.”

How Barry turned his dream into a reality

INDOOR CYCLING38

LIFE Fitness has introduced a new premium per-formance group cycling bike.

With a cutting-edge design, optional cyclingcomputer and magnetic brake and lever, theLifecycle GX is the most accommodating choicefor trainers and exercisers.

The Lifecycle GX’s rear flywheel design sets itapart from competitors and also provides protec-tion from sweat. The bike’s zinc oxide coated frameand plastic shrouds also shield sensitive productcomponents from moisture.

An optional computer provides sophisticatedfeedback to bike users, including speed, distance,resistance level, cadence, calories, time, heart rateand percentage of max heart rate – great forinstructors looking to implement new and innova-tive classes. It mounts between the handlebars inan optimal viewing position.

An ergonomic seat provides a comfortable solu-tion for expert and novice riders alike, and its cutout feature provides extra relief and more airflow.

Ergonomic handlebars offer comfortable wristangles, while an aero-bar allows riders to stretchout in a comfortable sprint position.For more information visit www.lifefitness.com

David Lloyd Leisure selects Wattbike

Debut for groupcycling bike

INDOOR cycle trainer Wattbikehas completed its first round ofinstallations into David LloydLeisure locations across the UK.

Members at new high streetDavid Lloyd Studios in Putneyand Winchester are the first toexperience the very best inindoor cycle training while thegroup’s latest club in Worcesternow offers a suite of fourWattbikes.

From its roots as an elite train-ing and testing tool used byWorld and Olympic champions,Wattbike is fast becoming estab-lished as the indoor cycle trainerof choice for the health and fit-ness industry.

Its flexibility across a range oftraining scenarios is popular withpersonal trainers, from fitnesstesting and one to one coaching,through to functional training

and specialist tuition for cyclistsand triathletes.

The combination of scientifical-ly accurate fitness data, the feelof riding a real bike andWattbike’s unique pedal tech-nique analysis now brings a newlevel of structured training toDavid Lloyd Leisure members.The recent launch of a new 2013model incorporates an enhancedWattbike performance computerand ergonomic triathlon stylebars, delivering an unparalleledindoor cycling experience.

Sales manager Richard Bakersaid: “We’re delighted to be work-ing with David Lloyd Leisureacross the UK. In particular, we’revery pleased to be part of theirnew Studio rollout from theinception of this new concept.Wattbike’s presence in one of thelargest brands within the health

and fit-ness sec-tor is tes-tamentto thequality ofproductand sup-portdeliveredby ourteam.”

Furtherinstallswill takeplace atDavidLloydLeisuresites across 2013, initially at thecompany’s Hampton andBeckenham sites.For more information visit www.wattbike.com

CONCERNED about cleanliness? Ifyou’re serious about safeguardinghygiene, removing bacteria and pre-venting infection, The HygieneCompany’s Wipepod is the perfectaddition to your workplace.

Wipepod’s creator, Jonathan, wasalways mindful of the importance ofhand and surface hygiene. But cleanli-ness always proved problematic in hisregular visits to the gym, as a disinfec-tant spray bottle was often nowhere tobe found. Well aware that gym equip-ment is a repository for perspiration

and bacteria, Jonathan always felt itgood practice to wipe down after use.But growing ever more frustrated withhaving to search high and low forcleaning tools, he wondered if therecould be a solution to this hygieneproblem. The answer? A wall mounteddispenser, always located in the sameplace, and filled with easily accessiblehygiene wipes. The Wipepod!

Now used in a variety of industries,and recognised as ‘essential’ by theNHS, the Wipepod ensures the uphold-ing of hand and surface hygiene.

Why choose Wipepod® for your gym?

INDOOR CYCLING 39

GL1, a leisure centre located in theheart of Gloucester, has completedthe development of its Xpress suite.

Designed to offer specific targetgroups, such as children, older mem-bers and women a safe and effectiveworkout, the Xpress suite includes atimed circuit of Keiser Air resistanceand CV equipment, including KeiserM3 Bikes, M5 Ellipticals and TotalBody Trainers for warm up and cooldown.

Business development directorJacquie Douglas said: “The develop-ment of a second gym area wasdesigned to release pressure on the

main gym at peak times. In addition,it offers progression for women andolder clients from toning tables to airbased resistance workouts. The newsuite has also allowed us to open ourfacilities to local schools.

“Using the Xpress Circuit in thisdedicated area means that theinstructor can teach in a very con-trolled environment, which is notalways possible in the main gym area.We now have four schools using ourfacilities for their PE lessons duringterm time.”For more information call 0845 612 1102 orvisit www.keiseruk.com

Gloucester leisurecentre complete

By Allan Collins

I AM constantly being asked what aremy favourite exercises. If I only had“favourites” that I stuck to, over aperiod of time I would acclimatiseand they would become less benefi-cial. So, instead, what I’ve prepared islist of five of my best “unusual favour-ites”; great for those who follow a tra-ditional style of training, and eachbrilliant in their own special way:1. Barbell WindmillMany are familiar with the Kettlebellversion of this exercise, but the bar-bell variant is a far superior exercise(and actually was the version thatvintage strongmen used in the 1900s).The bar is held in one hand above thehead, and with the rear leg straight, asideways bending motion is per-formed. Great for lateral hip and corestrength, and shoulder stability, andthe barbell means that it will improvegrip strength and wrist stability.2. Barbell Turkish Get Up (TGU)Again more commonly performedwith a Kettlebell, the barbell versionis a much safer and also more chal-lenging drill. It is safer because thereis less risk of shoulder over-rotation,and is more challenging on the grip,wrist stability and shoulder proprio-ception. Start on your back with thebar held in one hand, and move upinto a seated position, then splitkneeling, then up to a standing posi-tion. Reverse the sequence back to asupine position on the floor to com-plete your rep. Brilliant for mobility,core strength, shoulder and thoracicfunction, proprioception.... the listgoes on – if you are a beginner or

advanced gymgoer, this is a must.3. Sandbag Lift to ShoulderStand over the sandbag and grip onthe sides (without use of the handles).Then keeping your chest up, spineneutral, drive the hips forward to liftthe bag. Use the arms to guide ontoone shoulder and brace the core toabsorb the impact. From here youcan perform squats or weighted wal-ks, or you can lower back between thefeet and lift to other side. Good forgrip strength, lateral core and impr-oving unconventional lifting ability.4. Overhead Walks with Barbell and ChainsThis is great if you have little space tomove. Hold a barbell, with chains oneither end, above your head witharms locked, then walk in a figure ofeight pattern. Whether the chainsswing or drag on the ground, it does-n’t really matter; this drill is great forshoulder stability and core stability.5. Uneven Barbell DeadliftPretty simple but highly effective.Using a submaximal weight, placemore plates on one side than theother to create an uneven load. Thenperform a deadlift or Romaniandeadlift as normal, trying to keep thebar perfectly level, and with no alter-nation of the normal body position. Ahuge challenge on the core and hipmuscles, and can be combined withother variants, such as a walkingdeadlift, where you take three stepsforwards/backwards between eachdeadlift rep.

Happy unusual training!� Allan Collins is director of educa-tion at Jordan Fitness and author ofThe Complete Guide to FunctionalTraining.

Five of the Best ...

UK FITNESS SCENE40

By Christina Eccles

GYMS which offer community sportsfacilities should consider applying forspecialist status to help them savemoney and tap into potential fundingopportunities, according to an inde-pendent gym manager.

Pete Todd runs Pontefract Squashand Leisure Club, which successfullygained Community Amateur SportsClub status in 2003, thanks to itsworld renowned squash facilities andefforts to engage with the local com-munity.

Businesses can apply for CASC sta-tus by submitting a form to HMRC.Those which are successful can thenbenefit from incentives such as an 80per cent reduction in business ratesand the ability to raise funds fromindividuals through Gift Aid – alldesigned to help the growth of grass-roots sport.

To make the grade, clubs have tomeet a set of criteria, including offer-ing a sport recognised by the SportsCouncil, be wholly open and inclusiveto all sections of the community, havea core purpose in the promotion ofamateur sports provision and be non-profit making – re-investing any prof-its back into the club.

Clubs also have to have a board andAGM, which Pete said in the case ofPontefract Squash and Leisure Club,provides members with the chance tohave their say in a facility they verymuch feel part of.

He explained: “All our members feela sense of ownership.

“People love to be part of somethingand you can feel the sense of commu-

nity in this club.“For people looking for new oppor-

tunities, it’s definitely worth investi-gating further but it needs to comple-ment your club’s vision.”

However Pete added that it’s not anoption which will suit everyone andthere can be challenges, such as hav-ing to please everyone on the boardwho may have different opinions.

And as CASC clubs are classed asnot for profit, in the eyes of lenders itis hard to place a monetary value onthem – potentially making it harder tosecure loans.

He added: “You have to listen andget the different opinions of everyoneon the board. But we all want thesame things – it’s just how we getthere.”

Pete also told Workout that for hisclub, the positives definitely outweighthe negatives, as having CASC statushas helped them tap into fundingfrom resources such as Sport England,which has recently awarded a grant of£50,000 towards revamping the exteri-or of the club as part of its Olympiclegacy fund, Inspired Facilities.

It also makes the club appear trust-worthy to members – and potentialmembers – who see their member-ship money being reinvested backinto improving the facilities.

He added: “It’s not a ‘golden nugget’for everyone and depends on theethos of your facility.

“If making a profit is everything toyou, then I’m not sure it’s the rightroad to go down. But if making a dif-ference and giving something back tothe community is important thenmaybe it’s for you.”

Gyms can tapinto funds andsave cash withspecial status

Pontefract Squash and Leisure Club’s Pete Todd.

UK FITNESS SCENE 41With an 84 per cent increase over the last five years in the number of registered exercise professionals, business isclearly booming for personal trainers. However, many overlook an essential element of protecting that business –insurance. Here, the experts from Insure4Sport explain why it’s so important for personal trainers to be covered.

Personal trainer insurance –why you need cover nowAS a personal trainer you need to pro-vide training advice and care for allclients.

The safety of clients is paramount,but the unfortunate fact of life is thataccidents do happen. Although youmay not be specifically at fault andyou may have taken steps to mitigatethe chances of accidents, the injuredclient may wish to pursue a claim forcompensation, in which case youcould be liable to pay costly legal feesand damages.

Therefore, all personal trainers needto be covered for at least PublicLiability and Professional Indemnityinsurance to protect yourself andyour business.

In fact, this is so important you mayfind some organisations insist youhave insurance cover before beingallowed to train.

Public Liability insurance covers youfor any damage or legal costs arisingfrom third party bodily injury or thirdparty property damage. For example,if someone under your tuition injuredthemselves and brings a claim forcompensation against you, then you

would be covered under PublicLiability. Professional Indemnityinsurance covers you for breaches ofprofessional duty as a result of negli-gent acts, errors or omissions – inother words, will insure you againstany errors you make as a personaltrainer. For example, if your coachingtechniques were questioned when aclient suffered an injury resultingfrom your advice, then you would becovered under ProfessionalIndemnity.

With a physical occupation, the like-lihood of an injury meaning that youcannot work for a period of timeincreases significantly. Loss of earn-ings insurance is an optional extrawhich can cover you for this eventual-ity. It is not just your clients that canget injured or hurt during a session,you can too. Personal Accident insur-ance would cover you should thishappen, and can provide for rehabili-tation such as physiotherapy.

Most personal trainers use sports kitor equipment daily. Equipment insur-ance can cover damage, loss and theftof equipment, and provision can be

on a new-for-old basis.There are several different types of

cover available, that vary dependenton monetary value of cover and howmany different eventualities you arecovered for.

All fitness professionals need tomake sure they read the policy fine-print if they are conducting differenttypes of sessions – some policies mayonly provide cover for specific classes.

One company aiming to do some-thing different is insure4sport withtheir specialist fixed price policies.Policies are incepted and maintainedonline and customers can build poli-cies on the website to suit their ownindividual requirements.

Policies can also be updated,upgraded or renewed online – makingthings as easy as possible for fitnessinstructors and personal trainers.

42 SUPPLEMENTATION AND NUTRITION

Fitness experts join tolaunch diet e-bookBy Christina Eccles

FITNESS experts Karen Casadei andAlex Seckham have teamed up tolaunch a diet e-book, which offers 30days’ worth of healthy breakfasts,lunches and dinners.

Karen, who is a qualified fitnessinstructor, sports massage therapistand chef, met personal trainer Alexwhen she attended a kettlebell classhe was teaching at Lifestyle Fitness inBarnsley.

From there they struck up a friend-ship and started to refer clients toeach other, finding that betweenthem they were getting an increasingnumber of people asking for adviceon nutrition and healthy eating.

This inspired them to create the e-book – The Pursuit of HealthinessCook Book – which they have beenselling for £9.99 to clients, friends andfamily since January.

Karen said: “I was constantly beingasked by clients who just didn’tunderstand ‘real’ eating. I’ve battledwith my weight and one of the worstthings is when diets tell you not to eatthe same things as your kids or makeyour food separately.

“Many of our clients want to eatwith their families, eat out or hostdinner parties so we wanted some-thing which would cover all bases.”

The book contains tasty ideas for 30different breakfasts, 30 lunches and30 dinners, with recipes includingbreakfast courgette pancakes, berryand spinach smoothie, broccoli andmint soup, lettuce wraps, pestoturkey burger and monkfish andlemon skewers.

The focus is on providing dishes

which are healthy yet relatively easyto prepare and suitable for all thefamily to enjoy together.

Alex added: “People don’t want toeat the same recipes – it’s boring. It’sabout spicing it up.

“People have especially been enjoy-ing the breakfasts, as everyone strug-gles with finding different things toeat then.”

The pair are now hoping to get thebook out to a wider audience andhave made it available to buy throughtheir website. They are also planningto explore other opportunities, suchas creating a printed version or anapp, and are even considering a sec-

ond book which would focus onhealthy treats and snacks.

Eventually they would like to createa more comprehensive package com-bining the book and fitness workouts,which would be available to down-load online.

They are also looking to expand thePursuit of Healthiness brand furtherwith healthy eating tasting events at alocal butchers and a weekend boot-camp fitness retreat both in thepipeline for later in the year.

Karen added: “It’s doing really well.We now want to push it to the nextlevel and decide how to take it for-ward.”

Karen Casadei and Alex Seckham and their diet e-book.

GREAT tasting, all natural, conven-ient, high protein diet meals forsports and fitness.

Performance Meals are based onclinically tested research that clearlyindicates high protein meals help tomaintain a lean, toned body.

High protein meals are also suitablefor building muscle mass andstrength and are especially useful inthe repair of muscle after exercise.

These are complete real food meals,containing no additives or preserva-tives. High in protein, with a mini-mum of 40g protein per serving, low

fat, low salt and ready to eat. The unique air and watertight

sealed pouch ensures the ingredientsare kept fresh and keeps the all-important nutrients locked in duringcooking.

Performance Meals have a shelf lifeof 12 months and have no specialstorage requirements. No fridge need-ed. Simply display alongside existingsports nutrition products.

Visit www.performancemeals.com for more information.

Trade customers can order direct fromwww.performancemealstrade.com

A first for high protein diet meals

THE low GI Crunch is a careful bal-ance of macro and micronutrients tocreate a total low GI (Glycaemicindex) meal replacement, whichalongside the high fibre and high pro-tein content will keep you fuller forlonger – encouraged by the variety ofmicronutrients and amino acids, aswell as omegas which keep the bodywell nourished, keeping the hungerswitch at bay.

It is in a convenient rigid plasticbowl with snap shut lid and alreadywith a spoon inside, so you can safelycarry it with you on journeys; on thetrain or plane, in your car glove box orin your gym bag or to work.

Light and convenient:Step one: Just add milk or waterStep two: Replace lid and shakeStep three: Enjoy!

For more information visit www.feelfreenutrition.com

Enjoy ...

CLASSIFIED AND PRODUCT NEWS 45

PURE Beef Ltd is proud to announcethe launch of its unrivalled new prod-uct to the health and leisure industry– PureBeef, the 100 per cent Britishdried beef protein snack bags.

Building upon the nation’s increas-ing awareness of the importance ofinclusion of protein, iron, BCAAs andCLAs in our diets, Sara Morris, thecompany’s creator set about to pro-vide a product that can supply allthese important nutrients, naturallywithout using any sugar, MSG, glutenor artificial colours or flavours.

Pure Beef uses locally sourced,British Silverside Beef that is only

ever grass fed tomake their driedbeef snack,which enablesthem to boast amassive 56.6g ofprotein for every100g eaten.

The beef issimply sliced, spiced and dried andpackaged all in Britain.

Available in two flavours, Originaland Peri Peri, this delicious snack hasbecome an ideal pre and post work-out snack.For more information contact sara@purebeef.co.uk or call 0207 717 9717.

The natural, 100% British beef protein snack

FFITTECH has again beenbusy installing new gymsacross the Midlands with theopening of Stapleford’s firstever boxing and fitness club.

The club opened in Marchand is kitted out with a fullsize boxing ring, an array ofbags and functional trainingkit, Ffittech bikes andFfittech strength equipment,treadmills and much more.

The opening day was agreat success with guestappearances from profes-sional boxers Jason Boothand Ovill McKenzie.

Competitions were held and prizesawarded and Ovill made the most ofthe opportunity to train for his nexttitle fight on the new equipment. Heeven had time to set the record on thepunching machine.

Owner Adam said: “Training hasbeen a huge part of my life for as longas I can remember, my father is aboxing and gym enthusiast andtaught me to box from as soon as Icould walk. From the age of eight Ijoined Radford boys and first compet-ed at age 10. For me running my owngym and boxing club is a life longdream. The list of people that havehelped us is endless. We would like to

say a special thanks to the guys atFfittech for supplying us with a mas-sive range of high quality exerciseequipment.”

Interested in opening your own gymtoo ...?Contact Ffittech on 01157529548 for a fullbrochure and quotation or visit www.ffittech.co.uk

Installing gyms across the MidlandsEscape rolls out Dynamax websiteESCAPE Fitness have launched a newwebsite, dedicated to DynamaxMedicine Balls.

As the official UK distributor forDynamax, the new website,www.dynamaxball.com, will provideall the information you could needabout why Dynamax Balls havebecome the overwhelming choice forprofessional sports strength and con-ditioning coaches around the worldand why they are the official choicefor the Cross-Fit games.

They are available in nine differentweight increments which mean theyare the perfect medicine ball to suitany level of training. Each ball isdesigned to absorb high velocityimpact to give a vigorous, interactiveworkout.

The Dynamax Ball will also targetand strengthen all 10 physical skills to

provide your members with the ulti-mate medicine ball experience. Madefrom 70 per cent recycled material,the balls are moisture resistant and14” in diameter, regardless of weight.

The new website will also havedetails of the training and educationthat is available. A well developedtraining programme can ensure thismedicine ball gives a fun and engag-ing workout which includes corestrength, plyometrics and cardio fit-ness. For more information visit www.dynamaxball.com

FUNCTIONAL climbing wall special-ist Freedom Climber has installed itslatest double functional system wallinto several hardcore gyms, as well asleading premium health clubs in cen-tral London.

The clubs have created exciting newfunctional areas featuring theFreedom Climber as an addition andvariation to the traditional exercises.

Real tangible benefits are beingexperienced by the clubs with exist-ing members who are looking for thelatest exercises and new membermarketing, which has benefited fromthe strong visual impact during clubtours, as well as enhanced websitecontent.

The addition of the double rotatingdisc system enables gyms to runclimbing challenges and competi-tions between members. Adding a 30second climb into a cross fit circuit

adds an exciting new station to otherfunctional exercises. Latest installa-tions include 37 Degrees TowerBridge, Planet Fitness in Wales intheir new MMA functional fitnessarea and VirginActive in their state ofthe art Classic Clubs.

For more information contact info@free-domclimber.co.uk or view videos onwww.freedomclimber.co.uk

Freedom Climber gets double hard-core!

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