We spoke with Shanna Kane, the director of marketing for O2 Fitness Clubs about Shape Up Downtown’s progress! Shape Up Downtown offers free outdoor group fitness classes to residents of downtown Raleigh, N.C. For more information, click here.
Q: How has Shape Up Downtown progressed since it first started?
A: Well, we started the program in March of this year and since it was such a huge success the first go around in the Spring, we decided to try it out in the Fall. The weather has been perfect (with only a few rainy days) and has overall been a huge success. So many people are talking about it, promoting it, helping us make it successful. Internally we have been able to iron out all of the wrinkles that come with starting a program for the first time, so it [has] been easier for us to maintain and continue to improve this time around.
Q: Have you continued to attract a steady number of participants?
A: Absolutely. In the Spring we had around 300 people register for the program, and this time around we have those 300 participants, plus another 250, totaling over 550 unique registrations! We have around 40 participants per class and even have people who are walking by join in! (Thanks to Nike for coming out and letting people trial new shoes for the classes!)
Most of the participants have been non-O2 members, but a good amount have been O2 members who have been bringing their friends and coworkers for a fun and exciting workout.
Q: Have the classes brought new members into O2 Fitness?
A: Definitely. People see O2 Fitness Clubs doing something to bring health and fitness to our community, for free, and can see that our goal at O2 is really to get people motivated to exercise and better themselves. It makes a huge difference in their decision of what fitness center to join — the one that just wants your money or the one that cares about you and your goals (us!). We have even had people who have a free membership elsewhere through their company decide to join O2 just because of Shape Up Downtown and the affect it has had on the community.
Q: When winter hits, will you bring classes inside? Or resume classes in the spring of next year?
A: Good question. We already offer all of these classes inside through our regular Group X program, so we will continue to have the classes available at all of our clubs, but we will most certainly resume the outdoor version through Shape Up Downtown in the Spring.
Q: Do you see Shape Up Downtown becoming a permanent program for O2 Fitness, for the next year or two?
A: Yes! We love this program and would love to keep it as a permanent feature of O2 Fitness. It has done nothing but bring awareness to the goals that O2 has in mind — making fitness accessible to everyone and keeping your workouts fun and interesting. It’s something new and exciting, something that hasn’t been done in the Triangle, and we love being the fitness club who can bring this event to our community.
If you want to learn more about the program, check it out on our website: http://o2fitnessclubs.com/shapeupdowntown/.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
