Health Club Management Nov/Dec 2014

100 Pages·2013·9.07 MB·English

www.healthclubmanagement.co.uk
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 No 208
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IAN KEARNEY
Fit for Free’s UK GM on membership that pays its own way
EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT...
OBESITY AS A DISEASE
THE IMPLICATIONS OF RECLASSIFYING OBESITY HSetirasa ltItHhe gRCicSlu AMb’s e MEduiaanr oPagpaeretmanne nrt
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EDITOR’S LETTER
S
Duebniscer Aipdtaimons Tapping into wellness tourism
[phone]
Circulation manager s health clubs align but there are synergies that could strengthen
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Editor new opportunities are emerging. I’ve just returned from a Juice Master
Kate Cracknell Among these is the boom in retreat – a week of juicing and exercise
[phone] wellness tourism, whose signifi cant designed as a catalyst for lifestyle change –
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News editor Spa & Wellness Summit, commissioned SRI in-club, to help them maintain healthy habits.
Tom Walker International to carry out the research to Alternatively, clubs could run their own
[phone] benchmark the global market. It revealed retreats: residential stress management
News desk that the economic impact of wellness courses, hiking or yoga weekends. SRI found
A
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Web team and attract new markets gym until they feel they’re in better shape. A
Dean Fox retreat or spa is often seen as an accessible
[phone] first step to better health, and so appeals to
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Publisher travelling specifically to maintain or enhance Health clubs can serve the secondary
Jan Williams personal wellbeing, by visiting a destination wellness tourist market too, by making
[phone] spa or retreat; and secondary being those facilities available to travellers; models like
Sales who travel for other reasons, but who want payasUgym.com can help exploit this sector.
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Astrid Ros the business model of a typical health club, build communities and attract new markets.
[phone]
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Denise Adams
[phone]
Credit controller Subscriptions Tel [phone]
Rebekah Scott The Leisure Media Company Ltd, Portmill House,
[phone] Portmill Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1DJ UK
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November/December 2013 © Cybertrek 2013 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 3
WELCOME TO
Health Club Management
is IHRSA’s European
HEALTH CLUB MANAGEMENT Strategic Media Partner
p72 Adam Parr and Sir Keith Mills of Sported (above left and right) on the foundation’s efforts to fulfil the legacy promise of the 2012 Olympics
p49 Justifying investment in functional training p56 Global opportunities for wellness providers
CONTENTS
03 Editor’s letter 22 I HRSA update 32 E veryone’s talking about...
Tapping into wellness tourism could Anna Rounaja of Hukka Oy Obesity as a disease
help health clubs drive revenue, considers success in the Finnish Will the classification of obesity
build communities and bring in new fitness market, and IHRSA publishes as a disease in the US bring better
markets, says Kate Cracknell its latest European report treatment, or will it take the onus to
lose weight away from the individual?
06 L etters 26 ukactive update
If clubs look after their PTs, it could David Stalker explains how 34 Interview
positively impact member churn, says investors are being attracted back Ian Kearney
Jack Malin of Your Lifestyle to the fitness sector The UK GM of low-cost operator
Fit for Free talks to Kate Cracknell
10 N ews round-up 28 Competitive edge about how it can charge a
LA Leisure launches new LAX Cross the Arctic with huskies, membership fee and still be ‘free’
health club brand, and Finnish or undertake a snow-shoe trek
operator Livia opens ladies-only through the Pyrenees this winter 41 Perceived value
club in Essex As part of his retention series, Dr
29 Diary dates Paul Bedford takes a look at how
18 I nternational news Spa Life UK takes place in UK facilities currently rate in terms
Hard Candy Fitness continues its November, followed by SIBEC of perceived value for money
global rollout, and female-only chain Europe in Marbella, Spain
Vivafit signs a deal for Oman 49 Does it pay to
30 Members’ choice be functional?
20 P eople news A report on the third annual Health How are operators justifying the
Nathalie Smeeman joins EHFA as its Club Awards, which took place investment in functional training,
new executive director during LIW in September and are they reaping the rewards?
4 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital November/December 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
health club
management
Public Afairs Media Partner NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
VANGUARD
p18 Hard Candy continues its roll-out p34 International growth plans for Fit for Free
p28 Cross the Arctic for charity p61 News from LIW 2013
READER SERVICES
54 Healthy obesity? 78 R emoving barriers Digital turning pages:
Research into twins shows some Abigail Harris looks at three life- See Health Club Management online
obese people can still be healthy changing sporta community projects healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital
in the London boroughs
56 The wellness opportunity News & jobs:
The latest Global MONITOR 82 F itness-kit.net special For jobs and news visit the Health
report from The Futures Lockers Club Management website at
Company presents the trends and The latest locker solutions from healthclubmanagement.co.uk
opportunities in wellness Gantner, Safe Space, FitInteriors
and Craftsman Quality Lockers Attention buyers!
61 L IW 2013 Use our search engine to fi nd
New products and trends from this 84 A land of opportunity suppliers and get innovation updates
year’s Leisure Industry Week Trent Brown analyses a new report fi tness-kit.net
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68 U p & running health and fitness markets Subscribe:
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72
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 LETTERS
November/
WRITE TO REPLY De2c0em13ber
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 LETTERS
November/
WRITE TO REPLY De2c0em13ber
Wearable technology for
staff will boost retention
Your recent feature on wearable
technology (see HCM Sept 13, p68)
highlighted the benefits in terms of
DIY healthcare for consumers, but
didn’t mention the potential for staff
to use the technology to improve
customer service and retention.
At this year’s Gladstone Summit,
several popular workshops on
portable technology showed the
main desire for leisure operators is
to remove the traditional barriers
at reception and get staff interacting
more personally with members. This
is starting to evolve with tablets, but
to take that a stage further in the
future using something like Google
Glass would have huge potential for
the way leisure operators work.
Being able to move around the
facility would lead to a higher number
of interactions and improve customer
Budget clubs might be better off recruiting a smaller team of motivated PTs service – and ultimately retention,
as recently highlighted by Dr Melvyn
Hillsdon, who said interacting once
Budget clubs must focus on PT a month increases the likelihood of
attendance by 70 per cent.
churn to address member churn Wearable technology could flag
up ‘at risk’ members in your facility,
I was very interested to read the three- clients needed by each PT to keep them with accompanying images of them
part retention series by Guy Griffiths with you long term). right in front of you. Imagine being
this summer. I completely agree with 4. Point 3 should give you the number able to then expertly interact
his thoughts on review sessions, gym of PTs your club can hold. Point 1 will with those members, with their
floor contact and absent member calls. give you the number of hours you need membership details in your sight –
However, something our sector doesn’t to service your club. Divide the number letting them know how many spaces
seem to be addressing is how we deliver of hours by the number of PTs and you are available in their favourite class
this within a budget club staffing model. have your offering to PTs – the hours they and booking them in there and then,
Many budget gyms have a huge team need to work for the club in exchange for for example – all through the power
of PTs who are often expected to operating as a PT there. This should be of wearable technology.
undertake all member liaison. But for no more than 15 hours a week. If it is, go
them all to make enough money to stay back to point 1 and think about members’ Leon Houseman
motivated, upwards of 20 per cent of expectations of the club. Do you need Marketing manager,
members would need to pay for PT, and 50 group ex classes a week or would 30 Gladstone Health & Leisure
that’s just not realistic in most cases. This suffice? Does everyone need a one-to-
leads to high levels of churn among PTs. one induction or could small groups work
I believe clubs would be far better and promote member engagement?
off recruiting a smaller, higher quality, Most budget clubs already have
motivated PT team: intelligent IT systems in place, allowing any
1. Work out how many gym floor staff in the club to spend more time out
hours you need, not want. Make sure of the back office. However, combining
your class timetable, inductions and gym that with a highly motivated PT team that
floor walking are all accounted for. has time on the gym floor to effectively
2. Work out what your expected total interact with members can help stem
number of PT clients is. Take an average attrition rates in the budget sector.
of 4 per cent of your total membership.
3. Divide the total number of PT Jack Malin Google Glass could help staff
clients by about 18 (the number of MD, Your Lifestyle ‘read’ members as they interact
8 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital November/December 2013 © Cybertrek 2013
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ANDREW BASSETT
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The New Calorie Killer &
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An interview with Travis Vaughan,
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for StairMaster
Runt qui ipit aut quae. Ebis res dellam et quam aspientium rese none
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Adding incline to walking does burn Will TreadClimber 5 developed. It’s for deconditioned
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create a lot of stress on ankles, knees durable, high quality products for exercisers looking to join a club that
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UPDATE UK NEWS
£28m health centre for Leeds
The multi-million pound
wellbeing centre Holt Park
Active, located on Holtdale
Approach in Leeds, has
opened to the public.
The 2013 FLAME Awards were held in Telford The centre offers a range of
flexible spaces for activities
FLAME Awards 2014 and support services that suit
people of all ages.
categories revised
It features a 70-station
The FLAME Awards criteria have received Bodyline gym, 25m pool,
a shake-up in a bid to better reflect how hydrotherapy and learning
the leisure sector has evolved and to create pools, dance studio, café,
opportunities for clubs, industry suppliers garden, sports hall, multi-
and stakeholders to celebrate how their activity rooms, Changing
work impacts health. Places facility and meeting /
The FLAME Awards 2014 will also see training areas.
the introduction of new awards and, for The facility hosts a wide Facilities at the new wellbeing centre include a 70-station Bodyline gym
the first time, operators and suppliers will range of activities including
be up against each other in a number of cycling, kettlebell sessions, tai-chi and pilates. Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City
new categories. For children there’s a bouncy castle. Council’s executive member for leisure, says:
New categories include ‘Workplace Aiming to encourage residents of all ages to “Having watched the building take shape over
Wellbeing’, ‘Shaping the Future Generation’, lead an active lifestyle, the centre will also host the past year, it’s so exciting knowing that Holt
‘Go Green’ and ‘Go Outdoors’. a range of activities for older people and those Park Active is now open to the public. I’m
Another addition is the ‘Supplier of with physical or learning disabilities. sure this fantastic new facility will quickly
the Year’ Award. This category will give The project to build the new centre was become a hub for the whole community,
suppliers the opportunity to put themselves overseen by Leeds City Council, with funding as well as something that the city can be
forward against the best in the sector. from the Department of Health through the genuinely proud of.
Details: http://lei.sr?a=U4x0i Private Finance Initiative. “The centre is one of the biggest investments
The facility replaces the Holt Park Leisure in leisure in Leeds for the last 30 years and will
Centre on Holt Road, which closed last help a huge number of people to live healthy
Everyone Active and Fit for December after operating for 36 years. lifestyles.” Details: http://lei.sr?a=0i1q9
Sport run Legacy Games
More than 700 children took part in a
day of activities and healthy competition 50th Pure Gym site opens in Sunderland
designed to deliver the sporting legacy of
the London 2012 Olympics Games. Low-cost fitness operator
The Legacy Games event, which took Pure Gym opened its 50th
place at the Harrow Leisure Centre in site in September, located in
October and was run in partnership by Sunderland.
Fit for Sport and Everyone Active, aimed In keeping with its policy of
to deliver a legacy of sport and community making fitness affordable and
engagement to children aged 7–11 years. convenient, the new site is
Everyone Active and Fit for Sport have located at a Tesco Extra store.
made a joint pledge to have 500,000 A n g e l a C r a w s h a w,
under-16s engaged and active, to be property director for Pure
achieved through a host of Legacy Games Gym, says: “The footfall
days for primary school children across that a Tesco supermarket
the UK; Harrow was the third so far. receives is obviously a huge
The event started with a ‘motivational bonus for us, but as a busy
mass warm-up’ with GB Olympic swimmer gym operation we’re also
Steve Parry before dividing the children able to reciprocate that
into smaller groups for a variety of sports to a certain extent with Pure Gym expects to be operating a total of 80 clubs by the end of April
activities and team-building challenges, hungry gym-goers.
with the aim of inspiring them to lead a “Having a gym and a supermarket under Having opened 50 gyms in just under four
healthy lifestyle. In the afternoon there one roof also makes it easier for customers to years, Pure Gym is aiming to reach 100 sites by
were competitive sprint races and inter- fit exercise into their normal routine, and we the end of 2014. Monthly memberships start at
school relay races, with teams of up to 30 hope that the collaboration will serve as yet £10.99, with no fixed contract, and members
taking part. The day ended with a medals further motivation for individuals to combine have access 24 hours a day and seven days a
ceremony. Details: http://lei.sr?a=K4F3l a healthy diet with regular exercise.” week. Details: http://lei.sr?a=E5s7x
10 Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital November/December 2013 © Cybertrek 2013