We are all pleasure seeking individuals. I think we can all agree on that much. So when trying to tackle the issue of member retention and attracting new members it may help to bear this in mind.

Unless motivated by a health situation, the majority of people almost have an ingrain detachment between inspiration and perspiration. The way round this? To provide them with something that they find so enjoyable that they bypass any of the negative feelings and emotions associated with it and so it becomes totally about pleasure.

A quick browse around the web and you’ll find that the majority of studio classes that take place are around the 45 minute to 60 minute mark. To any beginner, or fitness “newbie”, this can be an intimidating prospect. So, when it comes to working out, is it any wonder that the majority of people associate it with pain and, therefore, politely sidestep round the issue?

Using this as an example then, to appeal to as wider demographic as possible, maybe classes could be offered that last just 20 minutes? Arguably a more attractive proposition, more “pleasure” than “pain” on the scale. But what other factors can help turn pain into pleasure?

How about the environment in which you are asking people to work out in? To bypass any negativity regarding working out a motivating, inspiring and stimulating space can do wonders. It can help people push themselves that little bit harder, and feel good at the same time. If an individual is getting results then they’ll keep coming back for more – very few people, if anyone, cancel their membership because they were achieving too much!

We wrote recently about putting yourself in the shoes of your members and it’s a vital exercise to do. If you picked up a piece of equipment in your club, and were unsure how to use it effectively, is someone on hand to assist, and do they have the knowledge to inform, demonstrate and guide? An IHRSA survey stated that 84% of members said staff were the key to them renewing their membership. Competence and professionalism of staff is vital as members will gain confidence from them.

We’ve touched on just a few factors here but there are many things to get right to ensure your club or PT studio is as appealing as possible. However, if you get it right then the rewards can truly separate you from your competition.

To find out more then get in touch with us today, contact us via email – sales@escapefitness.com -  or give the team a call on +44 (0)1733 313535.

If you are looking for a piece of equipment that people of all ages and abilities can benefit from then your search is over. Battle Ropes are fun and dynamic and appeal to all.

They are an effective tool to train for endurance, power and core stability and excellent for anaerobic workouts. They are the perfect universal training tool because of the simplicity of the exercises that are involved.

The design means they are extremely durable and suitable for use in health clubs or outside as an addition to a group circuit or in boot camp style workouts! They are ideal for any club looking for something a little bit different in their small group workouts, challenging their members in a new and exciting way. Needless to say they also work perfectly in PT Studios!

They are a popular product for people interested in Cross Fit training and are hugely popular with both professional athletes and beginners who are looking to develop explosive power and endurance; for example, boxers, mixed martial artists and rugby players. They are great when combined with kettlebells, Bulgarian Bags and Steel or Sand Bells to make the ultimate functional training zone!

If you think that battle ropes would be the perfect addition to your club or PT studio – and who could blame you – then get in touch with the Escape team today! Drop us a line for more information or give us a call on +44 (0)1733 313535.

We have been back through the Escape Fitness video archives to unearth some awesome clips that we filmed back in the day.

This week we wind the clock back to May 2010 and take a glimpse into the world of speed and quickness. Whether you are a professional athlete or just starting out, speed training coupled with balance and power can bring amazing benefits to the end user.

The beauty is that this video is still 100% relative to today! See for yourself…

No club or PT area is complete without a variety of SAQ kit and we have the perfect range to keep your clients and members engaged and help push them to the limit! Check out our dedicated Speed Training area and get involved!

If you need more information then contact the Escape team. Drop us an email or call +44 (0)1733 313535.

Jatomi Fitness is a leader in offering luxury exercise space and recently expanded their club portfolio into Asia and produced a truly awesome free weight area.

Earlier this year on these pages we covered the installations that took place in two of their clubs but it seemed only right to revisit them and explorer deeper exactly what they have done with their free weight area.

In Kuala Lumpur at The Weld, Jatomi were acutely aware of the problems of retention and approached us with the need to tackle this problem head on. They acknowledged the importance of making sure their trainers were correctly educated and available, recognising that if members were getting results then retention numbers would improve. They also wanted to attract a wider demographic.

How did they do this? They strongly emphasised small group training and incorporated colour in the weighted products, so not to make them too intimidating to first time users.

The equipment was chosen to appeal to every member, to be attractive for the beginner but still satisfying the most experienced users. The result is an area kitted out with coloured and soft core bags, brightly coloured and coordinated dumbbells and bumper discs. They decided against traditional plates and went totally for bumper plates, a unique approach which has allowed them to focus their training on functional moments. They also installed our SBX T600 dumbbells, which carry TÜV certification, in keeping with the high quality feel of their facility.

To ensure staff were trained to the highest standards our training partners, Ushomi, were given the task of creating unique education programmes through fun, fast functional training with bumper plates at the heart of it.

Courses were developed in line with Jatomi’s aims and services to allow all members to take part. All the programmes were designed to be progressive, allowing a beginner to develop to more advanced levels.

Ushomi creator, Tommy Matthews;
“The programming was designed to give all members the chance to take part in group training and experience the benefits of it. The Move Fit programme delivered a variety of sessions using a variety of equipment. However, the corner stone to the programme was getting back to basics and looking after the fundamentals. This is why Jatomi invested heavily in barbells and bumper plates, to allow large groups of people to learn and perform compound movements with correct loading, biomechanics and development”.

If you’re looking at developing, creating or injecting some life into your own free weight area then we’d love to hear from you. Our team are on hand to answer any questions you have so get in touch with us today so drop us a line for more information or call +44 (0)1733 313535.

Rimini Wellness is unlike any other fitness show. Not only is it situated on the coast in a beautiful area of the world but it also has the stamp of Italian style.

There’s substance behind the style though and the number’s don’t lie; 42 stages, 350m² of pools, 500 presenters from around the globe, 1500 hours of fitness lessons and classes and over 40 television transmissions. It’s fair to say Rimini Wellness is quite the show.

Taking place over four days at the Rimini Exhibition Centre, the event is totally unique in the fitness calendar. There’s a real party feel (with actual pool parties) with loads of energy and fun all taking place just off the beach with typical Italian style.

We were standing alongside our Italian partners and distributors, Queenax, and we had tons of positive comments about our equipment and the stand. It was also great to see that group exercise was such a huge part of the whole four days – everyone was loving the community feel of working out in a group, both indoors and out! Cross Fit was also a very popular part of the exhibition and attracted plenty of attention, so too did Les Mills, working out with the SMARTBAR™.

This year dance and aerobic activities were huge, which was awesome news for us as our Reebok EasyTone Step demonstrations were a massive hit! The fact that the ETS is so different to traditional dance studio classes really captured the imagination of the crowds and those that rolled their sleeves up to get involved were amazed by how challenging it was, much tougher than they expected!

That’s the beauty of Rimini though, the crowds just love to get involved and they’re all so enthusiastic. They’re also incredibly fit, constantly demanding more demonstrations so it’s a good job that Steve Barrett was on top form!

The four days were a total success and the party feel meant that everyone had fun and experienced Rimini in all its glory! Whether you want boxing or drag queens (and there were plenty of them on hand to add another colourful dimension to the extravaganza of glitz and glamour!), Rimini has something for everyone, roll on 2014…!

To find out more about the Reebok EasyTone Step, and the whole range of studio equipment that’s available to you, get in touch with a member of our team, they’d love to hear from you! Drop them an email or call +44 (0)1733 31353.

The latest words of wisdom from Ushomi‘s Tommy Matthews…

Find a sport this summer and you are far more likely to hit your goals.The summer is here and the days are longer, so it’s time to make the most of these wonderful months.

We all have our fitness goals and the process of achieveing them can sometimes be a long, arduous one! So here’s a thought…find a sport. You may have never played it before, you might be interested in it, you might see yourself as the next big thing. It may be tennis, cycling, kayaking, athletics or any of the great sports out there, team and individual. It does help if it’s a sport you love, in fact it’s crucial to the success of this method.

So what’s the method? Once you or your client have chosen the sport to play, the next thing is to set some basic goals. Find an event to train for; this competition gives your training complete focus and purpose. With purpose comes results.

You can now work out what areas of fitness, what training sessions, what strength and conditioning you need to perform that sport to the best of your ability. What you will find is that having this sport as part of your training gives you real direction and a reason to train.

As it stands, around 75% of PT clients are training with us to lose weight. According to Dr Ian Campbell MBE (one of the UK’s most respected experts in obesity and weight loss), statistics show that only 16% of obese patients entering a weight loss programme achieve a 10% reduction in weight.

I don’t know what the percentage of people that lose weight and then gain that weight again within a year is, but I expect it will be fairly high. The reason I mention this is that I think there has to be a better way to achieve lifelong fitness. By finding something in our life that delivers fun, play and achievement, not only do we have a great experience doing it, we will lead a fitter healthier life.

Sport gives us purpose to train, a reason to go to the gym and do that leg session, or increase the number of reps with a weight.

Why has CrossFit as a concept worked so well? Because it’s added a competitive element and created a sport out of the gym. I’m not suggesting we all go CrossFit crazy, it’s not for everyone, but there are plenty of sports out there that are. But sport does so much for us as human beings, not just the physical benefits.

What about the physiological and sociological? There’s the hormonal responses to think about, the social interaction and competitive aspects to consider. Sport brings us together. Granted the Olympics may have not got us all moving but, as a trainer, we still have the chance to influence our clients and get them into sport.

So, whatever the sport is, embrace it, enjoy it and get out and play!

Ushomi are specialists in product based education and programming within the fitness industry. We deliver education, programming and learning opportunities to customers via face to face training, online learning and support. Visit www.ushomi.co.uk formore information.

Put yourself in the shoes of your members and clients and take a moment to walk around your club or PT area.

What do you think? What you’re seeing and feeling will be the same as your users and how they are feeling will have a direct impact on how long they are using the space for, how often they use the space and, arguably most importantly, how frequently they return.

The task of making an area inspiring, but at the same time truly appealing to as broad a demographic as possible, isn’t easy but, if you get it right, can be an extremely rewarding experience, for both you and your members. Escape partners ESC Creative are experts in doing just that, designing spaces that incorporate inclusivity throughout.

The old saying goes that you only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it’s a good one. The design of your facility needs to motivate people to want to work if they’re having a bad day, it must inspire them to go that extra mile so that they’re feeling good when they leave, so much so that they’ll be much more willing to return.

Being surrounded by beauty and comfort makes our experiences better. Your member’s principle goal is exercise, which is always associated with hard work, but it needn’t be that way, make sure their experience isn’t like that. We believe in playing, not working, and design is an integral part of that. Making a workout – or playout- pleasurable and your surroundings inspirational is the surest way to increase member satisfaction.

By getting the design of your business right is a way of differentiating your products and services and, therefore, design is a method of communication. Design will showcase your brand, what it stands for, the emotion it creates.

The art of design is making sure you achieve all that.

When designing your facility or PT area make sure you don’t miss a trick. We’d love the opportunity to work with you so drop us a line for more information and let’s get creative.

Laura Cisneros is the driving force behind the rise of Dynamax and the CEO has been taking time out to talk to us at Escape Fitness.

In the second of our two part chat with Laura she explains further why Dynamax is the choice for so many PTs out there and why, if you’re not already involved, you should be…!

Why should a PT be looking to get involved with Dynamax balls?
People want results. Dynamax delivers not only high intensity training across all ten general physical skills, it does so in a novel and fun way that improves daily life for regular folks and drives performance for athletes. Dynamax is a great tool to incorporate into any trainer’s existing program to see immediate results.  There are endless ways to mix up the medicine ball exercises to avoid muscle fatigue and keep it fun and exciting.  Dynamax exercises address all 10 general physical skills, including cardiovascular endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, speed, power, balance, accuracy, agility, and coordination.

Trainer benefits
•   Maximize hourly earning potential – allows for small group training
•   Leverage affordability – one product for two clients
•   Broader market potential – train across populations, reach a wider audience
•   Maximize word of mouth marketing – its NEW. Fresh from the NFL and NBA to you!

Clients benefit
•   Skill Acquisition, everyone loves to learn a new skill
•   Create training partner relationships
•   Partner accountability

Why should gyms and clubs be investing in a range of Dynamax balls?
Because not all clients and all exercises are the same, there is no single weight Dynamax ball that is appropriate all of the time. A varied weight selection of balls allows your trainers and clients to maximise their training experience.

Group training is all the rage right now, tell us why Dynamax fits perfectly into a group workout…
Dynamax fits perfectly in this environment because it maximises the trainer’s time.  Since many of the Dynamax exercises are partner based, the trainer can have multiple groups going at one time and can focus more on form correction. In the partner based exercises, the trainee becomes the trainer to another trainee and relationships are developed that are essential to developing a good group training environment.  Group training also reduces the need for as much equipment.  Five Dynamax balls can train up to 10 people and are very mobile pieces of equipment (important for outdoor boot camps!).  All of this leads to lower expenses, greater class retention, and higher profits. FUN FUN FUN!

Check out Laura in action with the Dynamax ball in the video below…

Any new exciting Dynamax developments on the horizon that we should be watching out for?
Of course! We are always working on making improvements to the ball and accessory products. Be on the lookout for some exciting product developments that will improve the life of the medicine ball and further enhance your Dynamax experience.

So there you have it! If you want to add another dimension to your small group training then get involved with Dynamax. It’s an awesome tool that really does add interest and intrigue and is a lot of fun to get hands on with.

Visit our dedicated website at www.dynamaxball.com to find out more or get in touch with a member of our team today – email the sales team or call +44 (0)1733 313533 – to have a chat about the range of options available to you!

The clock is ticking with just over a week to go until the action begins at the biggest fitness event in the Polish calendar.

Fit Expo 2013 kicks off on May 24^th and promises to be bigger and better than ever over the three days and Escape Fitness will be on hand to make sure the place is rocking! Last year over 4,500 people visited over 70 exhibitors but if FIBO 2013 is anything to go by then these figures could be blown out the water this year!

You can find us in Hall 7A, Stand 6 and the focal point of our space this year will be the Escape Octagon, our fully functional frame that offers unlimited workout opportunities. We will also have an awesome range of functional equipment for you to experience too as our demonstrations show you how group training creates engagement and enjoyment to keep members motivated and coming back for more!

With an action-packed timetable they’ll be no time for boredom when you hit our stand. We will show you the best that functional training has to offer. We’ll demonstrate what’s possible and give you the full lowdown on the Reebok EasyTone Step thanks to Reebok’s very own Steve Barrett!

You’ll get to experience exactly what it is we believe in, seeing firsthand our unique approach to the industry and learn how the combination of high quality equipment, an attractive design, fantastic flooring and professional education is the secret to a dream facility that inspires and stimulates the imagination of your members.

If you’re in Poland at the end of the month then make sure you visit Poznan and come say hi to the Escape gang on Stand 6. Experience everything that we believe in and get inspired!

Make sure you’re a fan of us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to speed with everything that’s taking place during the show!