Gyms have had a rough year. But as restrictions start to lift, many industry reports are showing some encouraging data about members returning. Is this trend true across all gyms? Does location matter? We spoke to Rob Beale, Fitness Director […]
As leisure facilities start to reopen, operators are welcoming back staff and members. Welcome though this is, it won’t be plain sailing for everyone as colleagues and members return to an altered landscape marred by the impact of Covid-19. We […]
Feeling intimidated in a gym is an experience in which many women can relate. This so-called “gymtimidation” is especially profound for women who might be considering using the strength equipment in a gym, an area often full of stern and […]
Caffeine has long been used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts to improve endurance in high intensity exercise or sports. But the way in which people consume it varies wildly. Drinks, tablets and gels all contain different quantities and qualities of […]
Gyms are getting ready to reopen after being shut for many months. Socially distanced equipment, enhanced cleaning routines and reduced capacity are just some of things we can expect, but what about group exercise? Is there a way to bring […]
Gyms are preparing to reopen, and this has many operators rethinking the design of their facilities. Beyond enhanced cleaning routines, many operators will be making significant changes to the design of their gym to make sure members know their safety […]
Most individuals seeking the guidance of a personal trainer want to improve their general fitness, reduce pain, improve their athletic performance or lose weight. But what if your client had very different goals? What if their goal was simply to […]
Following a year of rapid change, much has been said about the future of fitness. While no one could have predicted the events of 2020, many agree that the pandemic simply accelerated trends that were already underway in the health […]
The category of femtech has been growing rapidly over the last few years. Now expanding well beyond reproductive health, the category is estimated to become a $50 billion dollar industry by 2025. In fact, in the past 12 months, femtech […]
As every operator and fitness professional well knows, quickly switching all in-person fitness to digital in 2020 was an enormous challenge. While many successfully recorded workouts for on-demand sessions or navigated live classes through platforms like Zoom, the experience often […]
COVID has impacted everyone of every age, but it is undeniable that over 60s have been particularly hard hit. This age group makes up about a quarter of the UK population and they are at a much greater risk of […]
Welcome to the first episode of The Fitness Network podcast, in which we interview remarkable people doing remarkable things in the fitness and wellness industry. On today’s episode, we are joined by Carly Thornton, CEO of Gluteywear, to discover how […]
A year ago, many people might have been hesitant to try new forms of digital fitness over their favourite in-person classes. But with gyms shut, more people flocked to fitness apps and online options than ever before and many were […]
With gyms shut, many people have turned to fitness apps to fill the gap created by lockdown. But in between online learning, remote working and video calls with friends and family, many people are exhausted with screens and searching for […]
In these unprecedented times, operators are looking at commercial opportunities with fresh eyes. But should they go for quick deals? Or spend time developing partnerships? And how do you get the most out of a partnership once you’ve launched it? […]
Charles Darwin held the belief that organisms which adjusted best to their environment were most successful in thriving. He called this theory ‘survival of the fittest’. As we emerge from lockdown, the leisure industry finds itself in a new environment. […]
Jaime Cooke is the Founder and mastermind behind SPN, a new brand bringing big city fitness and wellness to the suburbs to empower and educate local communities and help them lead connected, happier, healthier lives. Prior to SPN, Jaime was […]
Creating safe and hygienic spaces for people to exercise is the key to not only to controlling the spread of germs, but also to instilling confidence in consumers. Your facility could be completely sanitary, but if members don’t see this, […]
The Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood is set to take place from 22nd – 25th July 2020 at Close House, near Newcastle. We spoke with course owner Sir Graham Wylie to understand how he is preparing for the […]
There is no doubt that the fitness industry is experiencing a period of profound change against the backdrop of Covid-19. Fitness operators around the world are trying to figure out what a “new normal” might look like all while protecting […]
With gyms across the world forced to temporarily close their doors, many operators have quickly reinvented themselves in order to stay relevant with their members. In many ways, COVID-19 has accelerated trends that were already happening in the industry, like […]
Being badass is even more critical now that we must collectively recover from the backhand delivered by COVID:19 and the restrictions that will ensue. The boutique sector, already challenged, can expect consolidation and reshuffling as businesses close to the line […]
As the coronavirus outbreak forces us into our homes and online, learners in the leisure industry must not only navigate news ways to continue their studies, but actually make the most of this unforeseen opportunity to further their skills ready […]
Simon Ingebrigtsen is Retail and Buying Manager at Ten Health and Fitness, one of the pioneers of the boutique fitness sector and London’s only premium provider to bridge the gap between the world of fitness and the medical sector. Simon […]
Apprenticeships can provide a fantastic pathway for people looking to forge a career in the leisure industry. But don’t be fooled into thinking they’re just for young learners and career-starters: apprenticeships are growing in stature and number. While apprenticeships remain […]
The Deloitte Corporate Wellness Report shows a clear opportunity for operators to capitalise on corporate wellness with 78% of employers surveyed saying they are looking to invest in physical activity programmes in the next three years. Operators know this with […]
Andrew Siu is the former Managing Director of Tochanda, the Pan-Asian manufacturing company responsible for the production of TRX from 2003 – 2016. Andrew was pivotal to the redesign of the original prototype helping it to become the brand it […]
Joanne Mathews is the Founder and CEO of Ten Health & Fitness, London’s original boutique concept which bridges the gap between the medical community and fitness sector. The idea for Ten Health & Fitness was born in the rehab gym […]
Phil Horton, is the Country Director UK at miha bodytec, the market leader for EMS training equipment and EMS studio concepts. Already huge in Germany and across Europe, the EMS market in the UK is growing rapidly, with studios and […]
Danny Armsby is Business Development Director at EXF Fitness. We spoke to Danny about The growth of functional training rigs Design trends, and How operators can get the most ROI from their investment Rigs are growing in use and popularity. […]
After 18 years working with some of the biggest names in Fintech, including Thomson Financial and SS&C, Ian Mullane left corporate life as the COO of Sungard’s Asia Pacific business. Since then, he’s founded and grown a number of companies […]
Everyone Active has got the new financial year off to a flying start by taking on 11 new sites over four weeks. The leisure operator started three new partnerships on Monday (1 April), resulting in an additional nine centres being […]
Mental health has become more prominent in the media which is improving awareness. However, there is much still to do. The leisure industry has both an opportunity and responsibility to support people with mental ill-health, especially as physical activity is […]
Sarah Durnford is the Head Trainer at Les Mills, the world’s leading group exercise provider. As an instructor herself, Sarah knows the value in keeping on top of industry developments, investing in her own upskilling to ensure she is always […]
Helen Harrison is the Head of Marketing for Crussh Fit Food & Juice Bars, London’s original juice, smoothie and healthy fast food retailer. Set up in 1998, the brand now has 35 locations across London and the South East and […]
The Welltodo 2019 Consumer Wellness Trends Report highlights some of the key trends we can expect to see in the wellness industry over the coming months. The $4.2 trillion global wellness industry has evolved into an increasingly complex and transitory […]
Eamon Lloyd is UK Head of Partnerships at Gympass, UK leaders in corporate fitness sales. Currently active in 14 countries, Gympass unites employees from their corporate partners with a curated network of fitness facilities. Working to generate new revenue for […]
Kim Bames is the Regional Training and Quality Manager for the South East region of Everyone Active, the leading UK operator of local leisure, gym and swim facilities. In her role, she manages internal training courses for career progression and […]
Jean-Ann Marnoch is the Instructor Experience Director at Les Mills, the world’s largest supplier of group exercise programming. The instructor-turned-quality assurance expert is a firm advocate for making Instructors feel valued, and she’s adamant that most gym owners today are […]
Rob Knox is product director for Matrix Fitness, part of the Johnson Health Tech Group and one of the world’s largest and fastest growing innovative fitness equipment manufacturers. Rob has been with the business for 21 years and involved from […]
John Halls is the Managing Director of Physical Company. Physical Company provides complete fitness solutions to the leisure industry supplying functional, results driven, innovative equipment for fitness, sports & rehabilitation. It produces high quality, fully commercial fitness equipment and also […]
Having spent 20 years developing her career in the leisure and hospitality industry, in roles ranging from operations to sales to senior management, Wendy Coulson stands out through her ability to drive solid business performance by harnessing the power of […]
Nick Mitchell is an author, writer, fitness expert and founder of the world’s leading personal training business Ultimate Performance. He is widely recognised as one of the world’s foremost personal trainers, body composition experts and for being a huge success […]
Ashley Verma is the founder of the boutique studio Define London. Ashley suffered an injury during her broadway dance career and following her recovery was a journey into developing a fitness program designed to be gender, age and fitness-level inclusive. With […]
Duncan Jefford is a luminary in leisure management and is currently Regional Director with Everyone Active, a leading operator managing 150 leisure facilities nationwide. Renowned for his ability to positively impact business profit, without compromising on quality or service, Duncan […]
Rory Lawson is a former international rugby player and owner of Coco Pro. After a career-ending injury in 2013, Rory was fed up with the number of brands on the market claiming to be ‘healthy’ while packed full of artificial […]
Jake Saunders has worked within the leisure industry for 19 years starting out as a fitness consultant and has spent the last five years at leading leisure solutions supplier, The Pulse Group. Jake is currently Pulse’s National Account Manager for […]
Matt Lovell is widely regarded as one of the top nutritionists in the world, having worked for over a decade with the England Rugby team as well as UK Athletics, Leicester Tigers, Saracens, Man City, Tottenham and the England Women’s […]
James Alexander-Ellis (WBFF Pro) has been a Personal Trainer for 8 years and is now a leading Strength Coach and Prep Coach. He made his name in the industry with fierce history of top placings at WBFF Pro shows, where […]
Sam Cole is the co-founder of FitXR, along with Sameer Baroova. Their main product, Box VR, is a rhythm-based boxing inspired workout app with regularly updated workouts by professional fitness instructors. The very first time Sam and Sameer met, while studying […]
Mo Chaudry is an entrepreneur, property investor, leisure investor and sports manager. He is Chairman of M Club Spa and Fitness chain, owner of the UK’s most successful Waterpark, Water World Leisure Group in Stoke-on-Trent, owner of Adventure Mini […]
As Strategic Projects Officer, Will Smithard oversees ukactive’s strategic projects function which delivers work across health, major brands and research. Prior to joining ukactive, Will spent the previous decade in the management consultancy industry and predominately at Deloitte, where he specialised […]
Ludovic Rossignol is the co-founder of The London, Amsterdam and New York Coffee Festivals – he’s also the mastermind behind Balance Festival and The Balance Urban Triathlon. His vision is to create a cutting-edge portfolio of urban fitness and wellness […]
Tom was a city worker fed up of unhealthy and unbalanced breakfast options. Spotting this gap in the market he started a sampling activity of a homemade oat recipe at Waterloo station. One converted filing cabinet, an old BT van, […]
Geoff Bamber is the CEO of Digme. Geoff studied at the University of Oxford and Stanford University in California before embarking on a career finance. An entrepreneur at heart, Geoff set up his own hedge fund firm in 2010, but […]
Ben Porter is the manager of F45 Wandsworth, just one of the sites that represents the world’s largest growing functional training network. Ben has a wealth of experience in the fitness industry, from creating a clothing brand to personal training, […]
Ben Steadman is the Business Development Director at EXF Fitness. Since his arrival in September 2017, Ben has built strong strategic partnerships which have set EXF Fitness for an exciting year ahead. EXF Fitness have launched a new website, streamlined […]
The founder and lead trainer of famous London gym Reach Fitness, Richard Tidmarsh is one of the leading names in the UK Fitness Industry. Rich has over 12 years of experience in the industry, delivering over 10,000 one to one […]
Matt Lovell is a registered Nutritionist with a wealth of experience in the Sports Nutrition industry. Matt’s past and present clients include London Wasps, London Irish, Saracens and Leicester Rugby Clubs. Matt is also developing a range of sports supplements under the trade […]
Kara Rosen set up after many years spent running on empty and becoming ill. Failed by traditional medicine, Kara began seeking out nutritional advice to replenish her body and build back immunity and energy. Inspired by the power that intelligent […]
Damien Kennedy is the CEO and founder of Wheyhey! After becoming increasingly frustrated by friends and family digging into so-called ‘healthy snacks’ that were secretly extremely high in sugar, Damien decided to put his science degree to good use. He bought an […]
Sally Dixon is the Founder and Creative Director of British activewear brand Every Second Counts. As a qualified Pilates instructor who is passionate about living a balanced healthy lifestyle, Sally lives and breathes her brand. After graduating from the London College […]
Jenny Patrickson is the Managing Director of Active IQ, a leading specialist awarding organisation for active leisure qualifications. Jenny has over 25 years of experience within the active leisure sector, leading the development of specialist health and fitness related awarding organisations […]
Emma Forward is the Chief Operating Officer for EMD UK and has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. Emma joined EMD UK in 2012 as Development Director and was promoted to COO in 2015. Emma is responsible for the overall […]
Matt Johnson is the Executive Director of Pulse Design and Build, the division of the Pulse Group responsible for designing, constructing, and fitting out state-of-the-art leisure centres as well as completing full refurbishments of existing facilities. Matt has more than […]
Pia Villa joined graze as Global Brand Director in May 2017, a role in which she oversees the overall brand strategy, positioning and innovation. With a background in marketing, innovation, and brand relaunching both at a domestic and international level, […]
Erin Moroney is the founder of Nibble Protein Bites, a lower sugar, high protein, premium snack. Coming from a creative background, Erin ran a top photographic agency in London for over 15 years, selling to the best newspapers, magazines, ad […]
Fitness blogger, practicing PT, and published author, Zanna Van Dijk is the first female UK ambassador for Adidas and recently released her first trainer collection with the brand. Zanna is also a co-founder of the #GirlGains movement, a global community dedicated to educating and […]
Adam Paker is the newly appointed CEO at Swimming Nature, the largest provider of premium swimming tuition in the UK. Adam is the former chief executive of the Commonwealth Games England and Swim England, formally known as the ASA. Using […]
Jenny von Eynern is the Senior Brand Manager at YOGI TEA® . Jenny is responsible for the core business brand portfolio, product innovation and market research. The mission of YOGI TEA® is to make teas that do more than just […]
Eleni Plakitsi is the founder of Esquared, a unique new on-demand fitness app that is helping gym owners make the most out of their under-utilised assets by connecting busy fitness enthusiasts with two-hour gym sessions and one-off classes in real […]
Michael Clark is the Business Development Director at Swimming Nature, the largest provider of premium swimming lessons in the UK. Michael has over 25 years of experience within the sector, which include senior positions at Living Well and Leisure Connection […]
Dr. Paul Bedford is the fitness industry’s leading authority on the management of retention, attrition and the customer experience, and author of the world’s largest retention study. You can find out more at The Retention Guru or by following @guru_paul on Twitter. […]
Paul Woodford is Alliance’s Director of Marketing and Partnerships. With over 22 years experience, Paul is considered one of the leisure sectors top experts in brand development, sales, marketing and customer service. We met with Paul to find out where […]
Matthew Coleman is a new partnership developer at the Teenage Cancer Trust, a global leader in the field of young cancer care. The charity works closely with the fitness sector and is the official charity partner of the 2018 Virgin […]
Sarah Beattie is the Regional Netball Development Manager at Everyone Active. Within her role, she is seeing sport participation growing steadily, and bringing further opportunities for operators. We spoke to Sarah about: how sport can be an effective revenue stream […]
Michael Clark is the Business Development Director at Swimming Nature, the largest provider of premium swimming lessons in the UK. Michael has over 25 years of experience within the sector, which include senior positions at Living Well and Leisure Connection […]
Dr Dane Vishnubala, MBBS PGCME PGDipSEM MRCGPDipSEM (UK&I) MFSEM FHEA, is the Chief Medical Advisor for Active IQ, the UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised Awarding Organisation for the Active Leisure, Learning and Wellbeing Sector which specialises in designing and delivering sector-leading vocational qualifications. He has over 14 years’ experience in the health […]
Hello, nutrition businesses! We interviewed Shivraj Bassi, the founder of Innermost, a London-based brand that’s creating a buzz with their new approach to nutritional supplements. After a successful career in banking and finance, Shivraj launched Innermost with a clear mission to make […]
Sophie Harriet is a Unity Allstars Competitive Cheerleader who has been training in gymnastics for the past 15 years. With the UK Cheerleading team beating 13 other nations to bag the Gold medal at the World Championships in April, and […]
Tom Gannon is one of the co-founders of Fulfil Nutrition a brand that’s been taking the health bar market by storm. Despite having launched less than two years ago, they’re already being distributed in major retailers throughout the UK and […]
Ben Steadman is the COO of Speedflex, the high intensity circuit training company set up by Sage Software founder Graham Wylie and former Newcastle United and England Captain Alan Shearer. Ben has been pivotal in driving forward three clear markets; […]
Australian athlete, Alanah Yukich, has been competing professionally since she was just 14. Alanah is currently training for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics whilst also using social media to develop her profile and secure secondary sources of income. We spoke with […]
Paul Ferris is the Managing Director of Speedflex, a company that offers high intensity circuit training “with a difference”. In 2011 Paul set up the business with Sage Software founder Graham Wylie and former Newcastle United and England Captain Alan […]
Jenny Patrickson is the Managing Director of Active IQ, the UK’s leading Ofqual-recognised Awarding Organisation for the Active Leisure, Learning and Wellbeing Sector. With over 550 approved centres across the UK and internally, Active IQ is committed to providing first […]
Tom Wallace is CEO of Cute Nutrition, a women’s supplement company launched in March, 2016. Despite being such a young brand, it has already expanded significantly via a large and highly engaged social community across Instagram and Facebook. We met […]
Rob Beale is the leading consultant to multi-site fitness operators, having spent the last decade in senior roles with Holmes Place, Virgin Active, David Lloyd Leisure and Aspria Europe. We spoke with Rob to learn about how clubs should hire, train […]
James Roberts represented Great Britain at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympics, and in innumerable World Championships. He was born with a congenital disability called Femoral Dysplasia, floating hip of the left leg, and Scoliosis of the spine. After […]
Dr. Paul Bedford is the fitness industry’s leading authority on the management of retention, attrition and the customer experience, and author of the world’s largest retention study. You can find out more at The Retention Guru or by following @guru_paul […]
Kristoph Thompson is the director of S8 Training, specialising in tailored training solutions for the fitness industry. Kristoph is the Director of Sideways8, a training provider specialising in creating bespoke training solutions for the fitness industry. Kristoph has worked in […]
Brian Firth is the CEO of MIE Research and Managing Director of FitQuest, an accurate fitness measurement tool that measures a person’s physical capacity and supports operators’ goals by offering tailored exercise programming for gym goers. With over 30 years’ […]
Having launched over 60 separate health clubs, Neil Haughin of Impact Fitness is regarded as one of the UK’s leading experts in gym and health club pre-sales, with huge experience in everything from sales systems and offline media to SEO […]
Jeffrey Young is the Managing Director of Allegra Strategies, a strategic research consultancy, pioneering research in the health and wellness industry for over 15 years. He is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Balance Inc, the group who own Balance […]
Andy Lewis is one of a rare breed of sales and marketing specialist whose experience falls evenly across both disciplines. As the Export Sales Director for Maclaren’s Buggies, Andy took sales in the US from £100,000 to £6 million, before […]
With a background in IT systems, marketing and data analysis, Guy Griffiths from GGFit is regarded as one of the industry’s leading experts in maximising retention rates for health clubs through data mining/processes and targeted communications. We met with Guy […]
Sam Theyers is an experienced fitness director with two decades global industry experience. Most recently Head of Fitness at Anytime Fitness Australia, Sam has been instrumental in the development and rollout of new products and services which increase participation and […]
Joel Burgess is the founder of Nutrifix, an exciting start-up that has recently successfully raised £150k through Crowdcuve the world’s leading crowdfunding website. With so many apps on the market, it’s become more difficult than ever to differentiate your product and […]
Rory McGown is the founder of the award winning GYMetrix who are credited with transforming the industry’s approach to kit selection and floor layout. By tracking the usage of each piece of kit, GYMetrix ensure that operators make decisions based […]
Richard Moore is the Head of eCommerce for USN UK, responsible for their growth and development online. Prior to joining USN, Richard performed the same role for Claire’s Accessories and Cloggs, providing him with tremendous insight into what makes a […]
Adrian Worsley is a Regional Manager with more than a decade of experience. Currently with Bannatyne, he oversees their largest region with 13 sites and 40,000 members. Most recently he has spearheaded the development of a functional class series, created […]