This is the year to break out the hula hoops, master the tango, hire great people for your club, put together a marathon team, add more bench pressing benches, fall in love with pomegranates and more. Here’s your one-stop guide to making 2008 your best year ever.
Fun Factor
For 2008, look for fitness trends that incorporate a little fun to be a big hit with members.
Don’t be surprised if your members start reminiscing about the joys of their days on the trampoline or ask you if you happen to have any hula hoops lying around. It’s not early senility setting in-one of the biggest trends of 2008 looks to be a return to fun in fitness, starting with a craze for retro-inspired classes that remind members of the fun they had as children. You’ll see mini trampoline, jump rope and old-school gym class-style workouts popping up at clubs across the country. Even the pros are jumping on board-fitness industry powerhouse Denise Austin includes a retro aerobics workout on her new Burn Fat Fast: Cardio Blast exercise DVD.
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Looking for ways to add a little fun to your club?Consider:
Club kickball teams. Nothing says old-school fun like a rousing game of kickball-and sprinting from base to base is a pretty good workout. Old-school aerobics. Let your members unleash their inner Jane Fonda (and break out their suddenly-cool-again legwarmers with an old-fashioned aerobics class. Hula hooping. Pick up a couple of hula hoops and keep them in a low-traffic area of the club. There’s no way your members will be able to resist.
Brand-Name Personnel
Look for certifications and accreditation to become more and more important for members in 2008.
If you’ve been putting off sending your club’s trainers or nutritionists for certification or if you’ve been reluctant to hire accredited personnel because of their higher salary demands, now may be a good time to consider your strategy. As the health and fitness industry continues to grow, more and more members are seeking clubs where the staff has documented experience. Being able to show members that your staff is officially qualified to do their jobs can be a big plus. So if you have nutritionists or personal trainers already on your staff who aren’t certified, consider sending them to an accredited program to earn their certification. And when you hire new personnel, look for those who’ve graduated from a program recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Especially if regulation becomes an industry mandate, certifying your staffers will put you ahead of the curve.
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Personal trainers are still the number-one fitness club program. To find trainers who will keep your members coming back, ask these key questions before you hire:
Can I talk to your references? Everybody has to have a first job, but you don’t want an unproven trainer learning on the job with your members.
Through what organization are you certified? You’re looking for official certification, from a group like the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
What is your training philosophy? A good trainer should be able to articulate his exercise philosophy.
Greener Pastures
The health and fitness industry-just like everybody else-is trying to clean up its global footprint.”2008 isn’t simply about keeping people healthy-it’s about keeping people healthy as well,” says Nanette Francini, president and founder of The Sports Club Company. Sustainable living practices can improve your club environment, appeal to green-minded members, save you money in the long run-and make the world a better place to live.
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A few easy changes can make a big eco-difference for your club.
Mind the lights. Whenever possible, turn off the lights in unused areas >> of your club, and encourage your staff to do the same. (If you’re worried about making areas seem unfriendly or inaccessible, you can install sensors to turn the lights on when someone enters an area.) You can also opt for Energy Star-rated light bulbs when the time comes to switch bulbs-they use at least two-thirds less electricity than the standard kind.
Quick Fixes
Members are looking for fast results-and if you can provide the results they want, your members will put in the effort.”Our most popular class is our 6-week Bikini-Ready body class, which we run all spring and summer, starting in February,” says Ann Cronmiller, who directs programming for three clubs in the southeast. “We have members who renew their memberships based on this one class-we don’t see them the rest of the year, but for those 6 weeks, they’re our most loyal members.” Boot camps and other quick results classes can inspire members with short commitment times and big results-and like Cronmiller, you may find that they create strong member loyalty.
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Considering implementing a boot camp program? Swimsuit season always works, but if you’re looking for other ideas, consider:
– Kickstart your New Year’s resolutions
– Reunion slimdown
– Wedding day body workout
Plug In
As technology becomes an integral part of everyday life, clubs that adapt quickly are more likely to retain members. A “Web presence”-a website with your club’s name and contact information-isn’t enough anymore. Members are looking for an online experience that gives them more. They’re also looking for a club that’s tech-savvy, from media equipment that lets them choose their own programs, to downloadable iPod workouts to places to check their email mid-workout.
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Getting tech-savvy doesn’t have to be hard-or expensive.
Update your site. Consider adding a blog, downloadable workouts or an online newsletter to give visitors the feeling that you’re the expert.Wire your club. It’s worth investing in wireless technology for your club, since many members will appreciate the convenience of being able to work out and plug in at the same time.
Senior Savvy
With more and more boomers looking for fitness solutions, clubs face new opportunities-and new challenges-in the senior fitness market. “The industry has been giving lip service to the fact that there are 77 million baby boomers out there,” says Ed Trainor, Vice President of Fitness Services and Product Development for TSI. “We’re talking to talk, but there’s been no big effort or initiative made by the industry. And if the big multi-purpose clubs don’t do something, it’s going to be another situation where a small business owner can take business away from us just by giving people what they want.”Trainor is quick to point out that senior fitness “is more than just putting a rotating seat on a recumbent bike.” For a club to appeal to seniors, Trainor says, it’s got to think about what the boomer population really wants, not just what the fitness industry thinks it should want.
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Seniors are a growth industry.
Price it right. Boomers are usually on a budget and very price conscious to boot, so a good deal might sway them. Learn what they want. Assuming that your gym is senior friendly may not be smart.Let them try it. Seniors may be skeptical about your club’s services, so give them an opportunity to try before they buy.
Strong Arm
Thanks to serious results and star-studded endorsements, bench pressing is coming back in a big way.The days of hardcore iron pumping may be over at most clubs, but your weight machines will still be getting plenty of action. Strength training has never been more important to members, who aren’t looking to pump up but to tone up. And with actress Sarah Jessica Parker only the most recent in a long chain of celebs who credit bench pressing with giving them fabulous arms, don’t be surprised if your members flock to the bench press equipment.
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Bench pressing is one exercise that really relies on good technique-for results and for safety. Be sure your staff is trained to show members the right way to use the machines.
Running Man
The marathon is the ultimate fitness goal-and increasing numbers of regular people are getting in on the action.Thanks to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Katie Holmes, the marathon has become an attainable fitness goal for many average athletes. Sure, it’s good for health, but as Ralph Rajs, Club Solutions Most Fit Health Club Professional for January 2008 and Vice President of Operations and Wellness for Leisure Sports, Inc., points out, there are other benefits, too. “Having a goal gives you a reason to keep working out, even when it’s cold and dark or you just don’t want to,” says Ralph. “And when you achieve your goal, that feeling of accomplishment makes you want to start the process all over again.”
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A marathon training class is an inspiration to the people who sign up for and for the people who don’t. And don’t underestimate the value of a motivational goal like marathon training in keeping member satisfaction high.
Mix It Up
Most of your members aren’t looking for just one workout. They want a mix of activities to boost their overall fitness. Most people who hit the gym today are looking for a good cardiovascular workout with a mix of flexibility and strength training thrown in-and they don’t want it to be boring. While it’s easy enough for members to put together their own workout mix from your club’s existing equipment and classes, look for more and more clubs to cater to member needs with fusion classes. Bally health clubs offer a Total Body class that combines resistance training, kickboxing, Brazilian martial arts and yoga, while 24 Hour Fitness blends Pilates and dance in its new 24Pilates Fusion Class.
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Fusion workouts aren’t going anywhere-and the more creative you get, the more members seem to like them. Some elements to consider:
– Kickboxing
– Tai chi
– Martial arts
– Yoga
– Pilates
– Pole dancing
– Belly dancing
Diet In A Box
Forget Atkins and South Beach-dieters are looking for a common sense approach and proven results.Most members aren’t looking for crazy diet plans that they can only keep up for a few months. They want diet plans that can keep their bodies lean and healthy indefinitely. Even if your club doesn’t provide nutrition information-though with today’s close link between diet and fitness, it’s probably smarter if you do-your members probably expect you to be an authority on health and fitness issues. Steer them away from wacky fad diets and toward healthy eating plans.
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Need to name drop??The Lunchbox Diet has popular appeal. Basically, it asks dieters to fill a plastic lunchbox with a healthy mix of foods, about 60% veggies, 30% protein and 10%fat. The idea is to munch throughout the day, ideally every hour, so that you keep your body full and aren’t tempted to binge at meals.
Kidding Around
With childhood obesity a continuing problem in America, look for more clubs to address the kid fitness factor. Childhood obesity isn’t just a problem for parents of overweight kids-as these obese children get older, they increase health costs for everyone thanks to the myriad of obesity-related conditions. Health clubs are in a prime spot to make a difference in this fight, says Ed Trainor. “The trick is going to be figuring out how to combine different populations in your club, since most exercisers don’t want kids running around underfoot while they work out.”
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Your club can make a difference. Consider:
– Adding a fitness component to your club’s childcare program.
– Instituting kid-friendly hours at your club.
– Promoting local fitness activities for kids.
