Body Pump is becoming the fitness-class-of-choice for many around the world. This is great news if you run a Body Pump class, however it does also mean you can expect an increase in competition as more fitness studios take on the class.
Hang tight though, because there are a multitude of ways that you can differentiate your Body Pump class from the rest, stay competitive, and even acquire new members. Read on to find out how.
Invest in Your Equipment
Barbells and aerobic steps can be expensive, but it is critical you invest in good quality equipment for your class. High-quality equipment will reflect a high-quality class. Plus, more often than not, you will actually save money by opting for the higher-market equipment as it won’t break so easily, and you won’t need replacements as often.
Gym equipment that is susceptible to breakage can also pose a health risk to your members. Particularly for classes that use weights, such as Body Pump, it is advisable to seek more up-market equipment.
Set a Pumping Atmosphere
It’s called Body PUMP for a reason, so you want your atmosphere to reflect this. Put together a playlist that motivates your class and gets the adrenaline going. Consider pop music, electronic music, and remixes. Look for songs that have a fast tempo.
Remember though, that a great playlist is nothing without a solid sound system. The choice for many gyms these days is to get a custom designed and installed sound system. This creates that immersive audio environment that motivates members and gets them results! If this is slightly out of budget for you, a few good quality speakers positioned around your studio should do the trick.
A fitness microphone is also an important component of your sound system, particularly for Body Pump. If your members cannot hear you properly, they won’t be able to do the class correctly - and this can be a huge make-or-break for them.
Having a fitness mic will also prevent you from straining your voice as you won’t have to yell over the music.
Explain What You’re Doing
It’s always nice to be reassured that the strenuous exercise you’re doing actually does something beneficial - particularly for those new to training. So don’t shy away from explaining what each exercise does to your class. Let them know what muscles they should be using, and where they should feel it.
Incorporating your exercise science knowledge into your class will also help your clients build a greater level of trust in you. They will see you as the expert that you are and will broaden their own exercise science knowledge along the way.
Consider More Intimate Classes
Classes that have a lower client-to-trainer ratio tend to be more popular. The added support that comes from more 1-on-1 attention is important to many clients, plus most people feel more comfortable when they are working out in a smaller group.
It is for these reasons that you should consider holding smaller, more-intimate classes. This will also help you build stronger relationships with each member, making them less likely to change gyms or classes.
Incorporating these steps into your Body Pump class will help you provide your clients with a better, more memorable experience. For more information on Body Pump sound systems, contact the Fitness Audio team today.
We’ve all seen fitness businesses that were killing it pre-pandemic, suddenly close after losing the battle with the ever-changing uncertainties, due to an inability to 'pivot', or a lack of response to its members’ new needs. In the Les Mills 2021 Global Fitness Report, Les Mills Executive Director Phillip Mills said, “Across every industry, COVID-19 has forced businesses to re-think their go-to market strategy. For fitness providers, this has meant ripping up the rulebook and using the pandemic as the catalyst for a completely new approach to meeting people’s fitness needs.”
The Global Fitness Report found that tapping into consumer demand for live fitness experiences by funnelling more members into group fitness can level-up your club’s recovery. Previously, the Les Mills Groupness Study found members’ experiences increased levels of individual enjoyment, exertion and satisfaction from fitness classes – dubbed ‘the group effect’ – explaining why group fitness participants are among the most valuable type of member that clubs can have. By staying longer and pulling in more new members, group fitness members form the bedrock of a successful club – driving both retention and acquisition.
In the current pandemic-affected landscape, you need to be aware of the following three key dangers that your club may be at risk of, this year (and beyond).
DANGER 1. Your classes are not available in the way your members want them to be.
Insights from the 2021 Global Fitness Report showed 65 percent of gym prospects say offering quality live (in-person) or virtual (on-demand and/or live-streamed) classes would encourage them to join a facility. Among members, 85 percent are interested in trying a live group fitness class in their facility, while 80 percent aim to use both digital workouts (40 percent of the time) to complement their live classes in the gym (60 percent of the time). It makes sense therefore, that the way you do things and what you offer must also change, in order for your fitness business to succeed in this new landscape.
DANGER 2. You’re not retaining or attracting Rockstar Instructors.
When it comes to winning new members, 30 percent of club prospects say “a good atmosphere” is a key factor in choosing a gym to join, while 59 percent say staff are also a consideration. Two-thirds of prospects say the presence of quality classes would encourage them to join a facility.
Live fitness classes are the single most popular gym-type activity and for members, the quality of the Instructor is the single most important factor when choosing a group fitness class; 40 percent of class participants look for an Instructor who coaches intelligently. Additionally, the presence of a great Instructor makes members 2.5 times more likely to refer their friends to the club.
What this all illustrates is that the quality of your team has a direct impact on member attraction and retention, as well as class attendance. So, what are you actively doing to recruit and retain the cream of the Instructor crop?
DANGER 3. Your equipment is letting you down.
Research has shown that great equipment is considered one of the top two reasons as to why people attend their fitness facility, with 33 percent saying equipment is a key factor for choosing a gym and 22 percent saying the quality of equipment is a key factor for choosing a class. This confirms that your fitness equipment plays a critical role because its quality directly impacts your members’ group fitness experience; clarifying that equipment is not a sunken cost but rather, an opportunity to grow your business by enhancing the member experience.
Les Mills Asia Pacific provides the Ultimate Group Fitness Solution to help you avoid or overcome all of these dangers. To explore these solutions in more depth visit www.lesmills.com.au/news/3-dangers-your-club-is-at-risk-of-in-2022 or contact your local Business Partnership Manager in Australia or Southeast Asia.
Courtesy of Les Mills Asia Pacific.
Sydney’s historic Toll House has recently been transformed into Moore Park’s newest health and wellbeing hub - and Fitness Audio had the pleasure of designing and installing its sound system.
Situated between the Moore Park golf course and the Centennial Parklands Sports Centre, the original sandstone landmark has been cleverly renovated and restored to become a state-of-the-art gym and group fitness space.
The historic building’s restoration and reuse has been overseen by Greater Sydney Parklands and the facility will be operated and managed by Clublinks, who also manages Moore Park Golf and Centennial Parklands Sports Centre.
Clublinks Chief Executive, Anthony Lawrence believes the unique offering of the Toll House will be a hit for those passionate about health and wellness, combining a unique history with modern facilities in a centrally located area.
“We are so proud to be operating such an exceptional and unique facility that holds such a strong history in the development of Sydney, recently transformed into a contemporary and fresh fitness facility.
“The Toll House can host both high energy interval training sessions in the fresh open-air courtyard through to tranquil reformer Pilates classes within the confines of the 150yr+ heritage walls. Not many facilities can boast a similar sensory offering.
“Our aim for the space was to combine sophisticated sleek with legacy charm, which paid homage to the contrast of heritage listed building, comprising high calibre modern equipment and classes.
“Clublinks have been the managing operators of Moore Park Golf since 2009 and we’re excited to be given the opportunity by our partners Greater Sydney Parklands to bring this previously unutilised special building back to life.”
The Toll House’s boutique facility will offer both high-quality performance TechnoGym equipment and group fitness classes for beginners through to advanced. Classes on offer include Reformer Pilates, Yoga, Spin, HIIT, Boxing, and Mobility.
Legendary dance workout to celebrate 100th edition with global dance fiesta, social media challenge and eagerly-anticipated digital launch.
Fitness fans will get their bodies and pulses pumping throughout the month of May as part of a global celebration of iconic dance workout BODYJAM®.
Group fitness leader, Les Mills has announced a raft of international events, activations and content drops to mark the 100th edition of BODYJAM – its flagship dance program.
The celebrations kick off on International Dance Day (29 April), with the long-awaited launch of BODYJAM workouts on the LES MILLS+ fitness and workout app. The landmark celebration also sees a series of dance fiestas take place across Les Mills’ global network of 21,000+ gyms and studios, as fans strut their stuff to the new BODYJAM 100 workout.
This will be backed by a ‘100 Beats of BODYJAM’ social media celebration, where fans can learn 100 iconic moves from the history of BODYJAM and upload their own interpretations of the routine, with standout submissions to feature in a special BEATS OF BODYJAM video launching across LES MILLS channels at the end of May.
Launched in the late 90s, BODYJAM has become one of the world’s best-loved dance workouts, combining the freshest moves with the latest drum and bass, house and hip-hop to get your body moving, your heart pumping and your endorphins flowing.
BODYJAM program director Gandalf Archer Mills has spent his entire working life delivering the legendary dance workouts – collaborating with some of the world’s best dance talent and choreographers, as well as Hollywood star Nina Dobrev.
“We’re stoked to reach this milestone and can’t wait to see the BODYJAM community come alive around the world this May for a month of movement and crazy celebrations,” says Gandalf.
“We wanted to make BODYJAM 100 feel special for all of the Instructors and participants around the world who love the program. This release is all about celebrating BODYJAM’s history, as well as its future and the exciting places it’s heading towards.
“We filmed BODYJAM 100 using this insanely beautiful new technology where the cameras and computers talk to one another to create this incredible three-dimensional world around the presenters on the stage in real-time. When you see the release you’ll know what I’m talking about because it looks completely bonkers, which I think is a cool way to showcase where BODYJAM is going.”
To celebrate BODYJAM 100, Les Mills is creating a mash-up video featuring BODYJAM Instructors and fans from around the world – all doing the 100 BEATS routine. Check out the Les Mills Asia Pacific Instagram or Facebook pages, for details of how to get involved. Fitness facilities that want to attract, engage and retain more members, should contact their local Les Mills Asia Pacific Business Partnership Manager in Australia or Southeast Asia to find out how BODYJAM can help.
About Les Mills Asia Pacific
Les Mills is a global market leader in group fitness and team training solutions, delivered by 140,000 certified instructors in 21,000 clubs across 110 countries. Les Mills Asia Pacific services the Australia and Southeast Asia region including Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Maldives, Guam, Laos, and Papua New Guinea.
Les Mills Asia Pacific offers the Ultimate Group Fitness Solution to keep your members connected to your club, and to reach new audiences with omni-channel fitness solutions, both inside and outside your physical location. These include live and LES MILLS® Virtual classes in fitness facilities; on-demand classes for use at home or while travelling via LES MILLS+; LES MILLS Content (enabling you to host over 100 Les Mills workouts on your own website or app); award-winning, premium SMART TECH fitness equipment (for use in facilities or at home); live-streaming solutions; comprehensive marketing support; world-class Instructor training; and a proven Group Fitness Management system to help clubs achieve their maximum business potential. To find out how Les Mills Asia Pacific can help you create a healthy and sustainable business, contact your local Business Partnership Manager in Australia or Southeast Asia for a no-obligation consult.
Courtesy of Les Mills Asia Pacific.
When it comes to installing lights into your gym, there are many options you can choose from. If you ask us, however, we always recommend LED lights. Here’s why:
Low Glare
Most gyms are full of reflective surfaces such as equipment, machines, and mirrors. These things reflect glare from lights super easily, which can be very distracting for your members.
If you’ve just purchased an Aeromic and are a little unsure about how to get started and how to best look after it, this guide is for you.
Step 1. Inspect Your Aeromic
First things first, you want to inspect your Aeromic prior to using it. To do this, run your fingers down the wire to ensure there are no cuts or kinks. Make sure the plug is intact, not loose and that the clip and the button is working.
Why does Fitness Audio recommend Bluetooth over aux cables for fitness sound systems?
For years, Group Exercise Instructors have used audio cables to connect portable music playback devices to fitness sound systems. In the early days of iPods & other Mp3 players, using an aux cable was the only way to connect your device.
Vicious Cycle and Infinite Cycle are amongst a long list of fitness centres we have worked with in designing custom light and sound installations. Known for their dynamic classes and vibrant fitness environments, both Vicious Cycle and Infinite Cycle were recently written about in Pro AVL Asia and What’s New In Fitness.
