biggest loser

biggest loser

Fitness Technology is at a ‘Tipping Point’

Ed Trainor emerges from New York Sports Club in Manhattan after a rigorous morning workout. He peers down at his heart rate monitor to check how many calories he’s burned so far: a little over 1,000. He’s nearly halfway to his daily goal and he’s determined to reach it.

His methods? Well, they’re a bit unorthodox.

“I commute through Penn Station each day,” Trainor says. “If I’m behind on my calories I’ll walk around the block to go up another staircase.” After his commute on the train he reaches the parking lot. He zigzags through cars, taking the most indirect route possible to his vehicle. Every step counts!

“Here I am, changing my behavior because I’m wearing this device,” he says.

The root of his obsession is the perfect marriage he’s found between human behavior, fitness and technology. He even helped start a group of like-minded people from the fitness and technology industries to vet his interests. It’s called the Fitness Industry Technology Council (FITC).

The members of the FITC include Trainor, Kevin Steele, Ph.D., principal of Communication Consultants, Inc., Dave Flynt, principal interaction designer of Precor, Don Moore, embedded fitness market segment manager of Intel, Jon Zerden, chief technology officer (CTO) of Athletes Performance and Arlen Nipper, president and CTO of Eurotech, Lloyd Gainsboro, of Dedham Health and Athletic Complex, Joe Cirulli, of Gainesville Athletic Club and Mike Motta, of Plus One Health Club Management.

The goal of the group is to create a platform that allows for innovation, or, as Jon Zerden likes to say, to create the “plumbing” behind fitness equipment.

In order to create the plumbing, the FITC has split into three different groups designed to solve three different problems: the data standards group has set out to define a precise way to measure fitness data, like how many calories are burned during a workout; the cost-optimization team exists to ensure that any new technology is affordable, to facilitate the scale needed to achieve ubiquity; and, the communications specifications group aims to make fitness data accessible for web developers.

In the software world there is a term for what the FITC aims to accomplish; it’s called an “Applications Protocol Interface” (API). An API is simply a guide to creating a piece of software that can work with another piece of software. Apple, for instance, publishes an API for their App Store, which allows developers to create pieces of software for iPhone users. The set of standards the FITC is setting out to create will serve as the API for fitness equipment manufacturers to create a more seamless user experience for gym members.

The group has launched headfirst into the quixotic search for principal technology standards in the fitness industry. If they succeed, they’d have accomplished a feat that could expand the entire industry. “We could really capture more than the 15 percent of consumers we do currently,” explains Trainor.

Of the companies represented in the FITC, Intel is by far the largest. They have an obvious interest in the group: if equipment manufacturers produce smarter machines they’ll need computer chips to do so. Still, the number of pieces of fitness equipment produced each year pales in comparison to the amount of computers, laptops and net books sold to consumers. When asked why Intel had taken an interest in the fitness industry, Edward Hill, director of marketing for Intel’s embedded computing division, replies, “The volume is still interesting enough for us to participate.”

“I think we’re looking at an opportunity for the fitness industry to move into a new frontier,” says Trainor. “The health care industry is about to break and prevention is the way to go.” Exercise is, of course, what Trainor really means by prevention. Hill thinks when fitness data is available, health care insurers will be less interested in visits to the gym than, say, heart rate, which provides evidence not only that a person visited the gym but did more than sit in the whirlpool for 30 minutes.

“Does that mean every time they’re active they have to walk through the front door of our gym?” Trainor asks the question rhetorically. “Of course not.”

When he’s not working out at New York Sports Club, you can find Ed Trainor surfing off of New York’s coast. “I’m usually in the water for an hour and a half… Never have I gotten out of the water without burning at least 1,200 calories.”

The challenge for the FITC is to take two different activities, like lifting weights and surfing, and capture the essence of each workout in a set of data that says something meaningful.

How, exactly, the FITC plans to accomplish that is largely theory at this point. Questions are in greater supply than answers, but Trainor promises that’s about to change. At this week’s IHRSA convention and trade show the FITC will deliver a position statement that, according to Trainor, “will be the tipping point for us moving forward.”

Fitness Technology is at a ‘Tipping Point’

Ed Trainor emerges from New York Sports Club in Manhattan after a rigorous morning workout. He peers down at his heart rate monitor to check how many calories he’s burned so far: a little over 1,000. He’s nearly halfway to his daily goal and he’s determined to reach it.

His methods? Well, they’re a bit unorthodox.

“I commute through Penn Station each day,” Trainor says. “If I’m behind on my calories I’ll walk around the block to go up another staircase.” After his commute on the train he reaches the parking lot. He zigzags through cars, taking the most indirect route possible to his vehicle. Every step counts!

“Here I am, changing my behavior because I’m wearing this device,” he says.

The root of his obsession is the perfect marriage he’s found between human behavior, fitness and technology. He even helped start a group of like-minded people from the fitness and technology industries to vet his interests. It’s called the Fitness Industry Technology Council (FITC).

The members of the FITC include Trainor, Kevin Steele, Ph.D., principal of Communication Consultants, Inc., Dave Flynt, principal interaction designer of Precor, Don Moore, embedded fitness market segment manager of Intel, Jon Zerden, chief technology officer (CTO) of Athletes Performance and Arlen Nipper, president and CTO of Eurotech, Lloyd Gainsboro, of Dedham Health and Athletic Complex, Joe Cirulli, of Gainesville Athletic Club and Mike Motta, of Plus One Health Club Management.

The goal of the group is to create a platform that allows for innovation, or, as Jon Zerden likes to say, to create the “plumbing” behind fitness equipment.

In order to create the plumbing, the FITC has split into three different groups designed to solve three different problems: the data standards group has set out to define a precise way to measure fitness data, like how many calories are burned during a workout; the cost-optimization team exists to ensure that any new technology is affordable, to facilitate the scale needed to achieve ubiquity; and, the communications specifications group aims to make fitness data accessible for web developers.

In the software world there is a term for what the FITC aims to accomplish; it’s called an “Applications Protocol Interface” (API). An API is simply a guide to creating a piece of software that can work with another piece of software. Apple, for instance, publishes an API for their App Store, which allows developers to create pieces of software for iPhone users. The set of standards the FITC is setting out to create will serve as the API for fitness equipment manufacturers to create a more seamless user experience for gym members.

The group has launched headfirst into the quixotic search for principal technology standards in the fitness industry. If they succeed, they’d have accomplished a feat that could expand the entire industry. “We could really capture more than the 15 percent of consumers we do currently,” explains Trainor.

Of the companies represented in the FITC, Intel is by far the largest. They have an obvious interest in the group: if equipment manufacturers produce smarter machines they’ll need computer chips to do so. Still, the number of pieces of fitness equipment produced each year pales in comparison to the amount of computers, laptops and net books sold to consumers. When asked why Intel had taken an interest in the fitness industry, Edward Hill, director of marketing for Intel’s embedded computing division, replies, “The volume is still interesting enough for us to participate.”

“I think we’re looking at an opportunity for the fitness industry to move into a new frontier,” says Trainor. “The health care industry is about to break and prevention is the way to go.” Exercise is, of course, what Trainor really means by prevention. Hill thinks when fitness data is available, health care insurers will be less interested in visits to the gym than, say, heart rate, which provides evidence not only that a person visited the gym but did more than sit in the whirlpool for 30 minutes.

“Does that mean every time they’re active they have to walk through the front door of our gym?” Trainor asks the question rhetorically. “Of course not.”

When he’s not working out at New York Sports Club, you can find Ed Trainor surfing off of New York’s coast. “I’m usually in the water for an hour and a half… Never have I gotten out of the water without burning at least 1,200 calories.”

The challenge for the FITC is to take two different activities, like lifting weights and surfing, and capture the essence of each workout in a set of data that says something meaningful.

How, exactly, the FITC plans to accomplish that is largely theory at this point. Questions are in greater supply than answers, but Trainor promises that’s about to change. At this week’s IHRSA convention and trade show the FITC will deliver a position statement that, according to Trainor, “will be the tipping point for us moving forward.”

Buff, tough and feminine: Women’s body building

Months of dieting, countless hours in the gym and weekends spent at home to avoid drinking temptations are sacrifices University of Idaho senior Angel Sigman has to endure for a few minutes of competitive-fitness fame.

In less than a month Sigman will compete in her first National Gym Association fitness competition in the bikini division. As it is her first competition, she said it can be difficult to balance all the while in college.

“It’s hard as a college student because there’s not a lot of students who watch what they eat or work out like I do … I really don’t have much (of) a social life. I stay home on the weekends to avoid the temptation of the bars and drinking,” Sigman said.

Sigman said it’s hard because her friends normally have free time on the weekends and they want to go out to the bars, but said she still goes to movies with them or has gym dates to get in social time. The temptations of beer, pizza and other college staples aren’t the end of the struggles Sigman faces. The price of competing without sponsorship is high and difficult for a college student to afford.

“It’s hard in college because it’s hard to afford rent without working your butt off, but to balance it out with school, work and everything else, that’s tough,” Sigman said.

The price of women’s bodybuilding competitions vary depending on entrance fees, lodging and travel, but some of the essentials necessary for catching the judges’ eyes are also pricey. Spray tanning that will show under the bright stage lights is approximately $100, and Sigman’s custom-fit bikini cost $200.

“I’m hoping that maybe someone will see me in the audience, like a supplement company or just a really nice, generous person that’s like, ‘I want to make your dream come true,’” Sigman said.

One of those dreams, Sigman said, is becoming a professional model for the International Federation of Body Building and to appear on the cover of Oxygen, a women’s fitness magazine.

Sigman said competing in events such as the Northwest Natural Pro-Atlas Bodybuilding and Figure Championships April 30 are opportunities to make her known in the fitness world.

“Competing opens so many door because if a photographer sees you, and maybe will go up to you later on about a shoot,” Sigman said.

Getting the attention of sponsors or photographers is always a goal for Sigman when competing because she said they would help her fitness career.

“It’s who you know and who you meet, you have to pretty much be your own agent when you start out in this sport,” Sigman said. “You have to sell yourself because in the fitness industry it’s a very dog-eat-dog world.”

There are four different categories in the competition Sigman is entering: Women’s body-building, figure, fitness and bikini.

“Figure is not as muscular as the women body building. They wear five-inch heels and have two-piece suites. They’re symmetrical and you can see their muscles,” Sigman said.

The fitness category is almost exactly like figure but contestants do gymnastic routines on stage to music.

“Bikini is the last category and they’re not as muscular as figure or fitness, but they still have that tone,” Sigman said. “They look like fitness models and it’s pretty much like a fitness pageant.”

Sigman said the fitness and body building categories have poses to do in order to show off their muscles where as the bikini contestants do a “model walk” across the stage.

In order to get ready for the stage Sigman said she works out two hours a day, six days a week.

Sigman also eats a strict diet consisting of six to eight healthy meals a day. She said she prepares these meals on Sunday so they are packed and ready to go for her busy week. Currently Sigman is carbohydrate-cycling, which means she rotates between a day of high-carb intake, normally around 120 grams, and low-carb days, around 60 grams of carbs. Sigman said she will adjust her workouts to her diet so she has more energy for the days she works large muscle groups like legs.

“Today is a low-carb day and I feel sluggish, fatigued — well more than usual,” Sigman said. “Sometimes I’ll get confused, just have slower thinking.”

High protein, low-carb diets are proven to shed fat, but Sigman said it alternates every day, and fluctuating between high and low carbs helps so the body doesn’t get used to a certain way and hit a plateau.

Sigman encourages anyone who has a passion for fitness to give body building a try.

“If you have the drive, compassion dedication and discipline then go for it. Because not only will you be happy with how you look but you’ll be so much more confident as an end result,” Sigman said.

Sigman said the change has to come from within, and no amount of nagging from a spouse, family or friends can change someone.

“It’s your competing against yourself. It’s being the best you can be,” Sigman said. “Husbands telling their wives, ‘You’re fat, go work out’ won’t work, you have to want it for yourself.”

Buff, tough and feminine: Women’s body building

Months of dieting, countless hours in the gym and weekends spent at home to avoid drinking temptations are sacrifices University of Idaho senior Angel Sigman has to endure for a few minutes of competitive-fitness fame.

In less than a month Sigman will compete in her first National Gym Association fitness competition in the bikini division. As it is her first competition, she said it can be difficult to balance all the while in college.

“It’s hard as a college student because there’s not a lot of students who watch what they eat or work out like I do … I really don’t have much (of) a social life. I stay home on the weekends to avoid the temptation of the bars and drinking,” Sigman said.

Sigman said it’s hard because her friends normally have free time on the weekends and they want to go out to the bars, but said she still goes to movies with them or has gym dates to get in social time. The temptations of beer, pizza and other college staples aren’t the end of the struggles Sigman faces. The price of competing without sponsorship is high and difficult for a college student to afford.

“It’s hard in college because it’s hard to afford rent without working your butt off, but to balance it out with school, work and everything else, that’s tough,” Sigman said.

The price of women’s bodybuilding competitions vary depending on entrance fees, lodging and travel, but some of the essentials necessary for catching the judges’ eyes are also pricey. Spray tanning that will show under the bright stage lights is approximately $100, and Sigman’s custom-fit bikini cost $200.

“I’m hoping that maybe someone will see me in the audience, like a supplement company or just a really nice, generous person that’s like, ‘I want to make your dream come true,’” Sigman said.

One of those dreams, Sigman said, is becoming a professional model for the International Federation of Body Building and to appear on the cover of Oxygen, a women’s fitness magazine.

Sigman said competing in events such as the Northwest Natural Pro-Atlas Bodybuilding and Figure Championships April 30 are opportunities to make her known in the fitness world.

“Competing opens so many door because if a photographer sees you, and maybe will go up to you later on about a shoot,” Sigman said.

Getting the attention of sponsors or photographers is always a goal for Sigman when competing because she said they would help her fitness career.

“It’s who you know and who you meet, you have to pretty much be your own agent when you start out in this sport,” Sigman said. “You have to sell yourself because in the fitness industry it’s a very dog-eat-dog world.”

There are four different categories in the competition Sigman is entering: Women’s body-building, figure, fitness and bikini.

“Figure is not as muscular as the women body building. They wear five-inch heels and have two-piece suites. They’re symmetrical and you can see their muscles,” Sigman said.

The fitness category is almost exactly like figure but contestants do gymnastic routines on stage to music.

“Bikini is the last category and they’re not as muscular as figure or fitness, but they still have that tone,” Sigman said. “They look like fitness models and it’s pretty much like a fitness pageant.”

Sigman said the fitness and body building categories have poses to do in order to show off their muscles where as the bikini contestants do a “model walk” across the stage.

In order to get ready for the stage Sigman said she works out two hours a day, six days a week.

Sigman also eats a strict diet consisting of six to eight healthy meals a day. She said she prepares these meals on Sunday so they are packed and ready to go for her busy week. Currently Sigman is carbohydrate-cycling, which means she rotates between a day of high-carb intake, normally around 120 grams, and low-carb days, around 60 grams of carbs. Sigman said she will adjust her workouts to her diet so she has more energy for the days she works large muscle groups like legs.

“Today is a low-carb day and I feel sluggish, fatigued — well more than usual,” Sigman said. “Sometimes I’ll get confused, just have slower thinking.”

High protein, low-carb diets are proven to shed fat, but Sigman said it alternates every day, and fluctuating between high and low carbs helps so the body doesn’t get used to a certain way and hit a plateau.

Sigman encourages anyone who has a passion for fitness to give body building a try.

“If you have the drive, compassion dedication and discipline then go for it. Because not only will you be happy with how you look but you’ll be so much more confident as an end result,” Sigman said.

Sigman said the change has to come from within, and no amount of nagging from a spouse, family or friends can change someone.

“It’s your competing against yourself. It’s being the best you can be,” Sigman said. “Husbands telling their wives, ‘You’re fat, go work out’ won’t work, you have to want it for yourself.”

The little black dress of fitness

It’s 7:20 a.m. and Carl Daikeler hasn’t worked out yet. Not a big deal for the 49% of Americans who don’t exercise regularly, but it’s going to bother him all day.

The problem is the CEO of Beachbody, the company behind P90X and Insanity, doesn’t like to work out. So much so that he sometimes has to “trick” himself into the gym. Like the time he decided he couldn’t brush his teeth before he worked out for at least 10 minutes. That little ploy inspired Beachbody’s 10-Minute Trainer program.

The fitness industry is constantly coming up with similar tricks to get more of us off the couch, Daikeler said.

The result is a rotation of incoming and outgoing trends — from Jane Fonda’s VHS tapes in the early ’80s to Beachbody’s DVD programs that are popular today.

Daikeler compares fitness to fashion. “Somebody starts wearing a certain shoe in Milan or Japan and suddenly everybody wants to wear it,” he said. “It doesn’t just solve the problem — like shoes cover your feet. It makes you feel like it’s (a part of) your identity.”

Starla Kay teaches youth video classes at the Indiana Black Expo in Indianapolis. She has a 19-month-old son and not a lot of time for a workout program that doesn’t work.

P90X has earned $420 million in sales for Beachbody since 2005.She tried kickboxing, aerobics and just going to the gym, but nothing really stuck until she got one of this year’s hot trends, P90X.

“This is the first actual program I’ve done,” she said. “I feel stronger. I feel like I have more energy. I’ve lost 9 pounds so far.”

The American College of Sports Medicine publishes a yearly survey of the top worldwide fitness trends. The top 10 list for 2011 includes boot camps and programs aimed at older adults.

Trends depend on many factors, said the survey’s lead author, Walt Thompson. Take Pilates, which dropped off the survey’s list from No. 9 last year. Thompson believes the economy made Pilates equipment and specialized instructors too expensive for clubs to maintain. He’s not sure if Pilates will make a return to the top 20, but he doesn’t expect a few of this year’s trends to stick around long.

“The problem with the high-intensity kind of programs is that they deliver a punch like severe weight loss programs do, but they’re difficult to comply with in the long haul,” he said.

A huge key… is to make people feel like ‘Wow, I get it.’

–IDEA editor-in-chief Sandy Todd Webster
Remember the slide board? Tae Bo? Step aerobics? All trends Houston, Texas, YMCA senior program director Karen Behrend has seen come and go in her 28 years of teaching group fitness.

“The reason why programs like that don’t stick is because they’re too hard to do,” she said. “The things that really stick are programs that cross over multiple (ability) levels.”

Kay said when she first attempted the P90X DVD program it was “too much” so she dropped it after two weeks. But when she started attending a class with an instructor who taught her how to modify the moves, she found herself returning six days a week at 7 a.m.

Behrend cites classes like Zumba, body pump and spinning as success stories. They’re consistent, easy to follow and include that always important element of fun.

“They make people feel successful,” IDEA Fitness Journal Editor-in-chief Sandy Todd Webster said. “That’s a huge key in good programming is to make people feel like ‘Wow, I get it.’ “

IDEA is the world’s largest association for fitness and wellness professionals. It also does a yearly survey of fitness trends. This year, aerobics, water fitness and martial arts-based classes had the largest decline in popularity. Dance and boot camp classes showed the largest growth.

Judi Sheppard Missett, right center, continues to choreograph all the routines for Jazzercise.”Think Jazzercise classes — they’re fun. They combine good music, easy choreography (and) social aspects,” Webster said.

Jazzercise is one of those trends that stuck. Judi Sheppard Missett founded the company in 1969 and the dance-based classes are still popular across the world. In fact, Entrepreneur Magazine recently named Jazzercise 2011’s most successful fitness franchise.

“It’s not like you can take a six-week course and be fit the rest of your life,” Missett said. “It’s really good that people are coming up with different ways to move. I’m happy for anybody doing anything, anything that gets them off the couch and on their feet.”

She continues to choreograph routines to approximately 30 new songs every 10 weeks to keep her high member retention rate.

It is the beauty and curse of the industry, Behrend said. Old trends evolve into new ones, forcing gyms to stay cutting edge, but keeping customers excited about working out.

“The trick only lasts so long,” Daikeler said, going back to his fashion analogy. “The best designers aren’t looking for trends; the best designers set the trends. Will this capture a market audience or is this like Lady Gaga’s meat dress?”

Daikeler said he just hopes whatever the industry comes up with next is the end of the biggest trend in America right now: obesity.

Increasing Customer Retention at Health Clubs with Predictive Analytics

A major problem in the health club industry is customer retention – it may well be the industry’s single largest issue. Hence the constant aggressive push to get members signed up and in the front door, at a rate faster than they are exiting out the back door. I have seen figures showing that as many as 40% of members churn in the average health club, regardless of the exact numbers, it is a known fact in the industry that it is a higher number than any health club manager wants it to be; and obviously any reduction adds directly to the club’s bottom line.

Equally plenty of members renew their memberships year in, year out. Accordingly, any member retention strategy should involve two key components: 1) identifying those members at risk of leaving and 2) targeting those at risk with appropriate interventions.

It is beyond the scope of this article to go into intervention methods. However, I will address the identification of members at risk of terminating their memberships (‘at risk’ members) – and how predictive analytics can be applied to help with this.

Like all businesses health clubs have limited resources, and it is absolutely pointless for a club to invest resources to try and retain each and every member, when a good deal of them are not at risk in the first place. If a member is identified as ‘at risk’ there is a strong business case to be built around investing resources in trying to retain that specific member (theoretically you could afford to invest up to $1 less than the cost of acquiring a new member, and still be ahead of the game), conversely if they are not ‘at risk’ and are going to re-sign anyway, you may just as well burn the money as hand it over to that specific individual in the form of an incentive or time invested.

The other consideration is, it is far easier to pro-actively try to retain 2,000 members than 4,000 member, so by segmenting, and making the size of the task more manageable, it increases the likelihood that a health club will do something – and if we know nothing else, we know that doing something is usually better than doing nothing.

So we have a clear business case for identifying which members are most at risk of churning. Our next mission then, would be to take our database of current members and identify which ones specifically are ‘at risk’ and which ones are ‘loyal’. Ideally we would take it one step further than this, and be able to rank our whole customer database in rank order from those statistically ‘most at risk’ to those ‘least at risk’. The benefit of doing this, is that it provides our sales/retention staff with a sequenced work list, which they would start at the top of and work their way down sequentially. This simple act in itself would give us comfort that our resources are being focused on those that most require them – a form of retention triage if you will. This can even be taken one step further, and we can – again using statistical methods – determine the statistically optimal place in the list to stop.

Though we have a business case, and a reasonably clear vision of what would be useful, the problem is that for the managers of most health clubs, the scenario outlined above is closer to science fiction, than something they perceive they can practically deploy within their club. So the status quo prevails: 1) do nothing, 2) treat all customers as equally at risk, or 3) perform some random haphazard interventions with no real science behind who is targeted and who is not.

So to get to the point of execution, and movement from theory to reality, let’s discuss how we would take this utopian vision and turn it into an actionable reality. Ironically for many health clubs this vision can be actualized faster than it took me to write this article – literally.

Most health clubs have a reasonable amount of data on their members. Let’s imagine that we have all the data about every member of our club for the last five years, lined up in an Excel spreadsheet. Every row is a unique member, every column is the information we know about that member. The columns we call input columns as they are the inputs that help us make our prediction about that persons future behaviour, these would contain things such as: her age, her marital status, change of marital status, # of visits in January 2010, number of visits in January 2009, etc. payment method, # of address changes, average time she spends in health club, etc, etc it would be no problem to have 100 or even 500 columns, and in the very last column (our target column) we add a label ‘loyal’ or ‘at risk’. Anybody that terminated their membership previously is labeled ‘at risk’ and ‘anybody’ who re-signed is labeled as ‘loyal’. We would eliminate from the spreadsheet anyone who had not had been with us a year yet, as we don’t have any conclusive information about their behaviours.

Now I will skip over the math here, which nobody would want to try at home, but you can take it on good authority that there are patterns within all the input columns that can help to predict the customers propensity to churn. This is as you would well expect, for example prior to terminating a membership, a member may start coming in less frequently, and if this data is recorded this would show up, or a change in marital status may impact an individuals propensity to re-sign, and most likely it is an aggregation of many factors. Typically a human cannot detect these patterns, but there are software applications that can, and once the patterns are defined, the software can look at the patterns in an unseen group of members and make a prediction as to each individuals propensity to churn, and then output these members in a sequenced list as described previously, complete with the optimal point in the list to stop making interventions.

To explain it a slightly different way, we are: 1) consolidating historical data about behaviours that we think may be correlated to an individual churning from historical members 2) we are letting software examine that data for patterns and how they relate to how a member churned or did not 3) that relationship is frozen in a ‘predictive model’, and finally 4) the model is applied to unseen members to statistically predict their behaviour (vis a vis churning or not).

I would encourage anybody interested to visit www.11AntsAnalytics.com and watch the 11Ants Model Builder QuickStart tutorial video, which will better show the process (the data is different, but it won’t require much imagination for it all to make perfect sense). Feel free to email me if you have questions about this – doing this sort of thing is ten times easier than most people imagine.

Treadmill VS Elliptical Trainer

In today’s world of fitness crazes and new-fangled exercise tools, many fads come and go. But, occasionally, an idea is hit upon that really works! An exercise machine is created that actually does what it says it will do. It promotes fitness and wellness. It helps fitness enthusiasts reach their exercise goals. It has ‘staying’ power!

Two of the most popular fitness machines used today are the treadmill and the elliptical trainer. What makes these machines so popular? Why are they favored over other exercise devices?

The treadmill has been around for a number of years and remains popular among experienced and new athletes, alike. Obviously, the appeal is that it accommodates both runners and walkers. Two of the most popular forms of exercising.

A newer exercise machine, the elliptical, is gaining on the treadmill in popularity. How do treadmills compare with elliptical training equipment? What benefits do each type of machine offer? Which one is right for you in obtaining your fitness goals?

Treadmills
According to Webster’s Dictionary, a treadmill is “a device worked by treading an endless belt.” That sums it up briefly. However, there is much more to most of today’s treadmills than merely “an endless belt” to be treaded!

Treadmill machines are created for performing functions such as walking, jogging, or running, as well as simulated hill climbing. (Some treadmills are better suited for walking and are not made to support users over a certain weight limit.) Higher quality treadmills tend to be suitable for walking or running and can handle larger and heavier users. Commercial units that are found in gyms are generally capable of supporting more weight than most home units. However, high-end models of home treadmills can be quite sturdy and comparable to a commercial unit.

Exercising on a treadmill is a great way to burn calories, build bone density, maintain good cardiovascular health, and increase your energy level. Of course, if you engage in a less intense workout, you will have to increase the length of your workouts to get the most benefits.

Most power treadmills offer a number of pre-set programs and intensity levels from which to choose. On these particular machines, you may program in your personal information (i.e. age, weight, height, fitness level, etc.). Then, you may choose a pre-set program (such as ‘killer hill’ or ‘weight-loss’), and the unit will automatically adjust the workout to fit your specifications.

If you’d rather manually control your treadmill, you can bypass the pre-set programs and adjust the incline, speed, and the duration yourself. And, even if you’ve chosen a pre-set program, you have the option of changing the incline level or speed level at any time.

If you’re just beginning a treadmill exercise program, you should begin at a lower intensity level and work your way up to a higher one, as your fitness improves. For the seasoned athlete, increasing the incline and the speed to accommodate your level of fitness can challenge your body and produce the benefits you desire.

Running on a treadmill with a nicely cushioned running surface provides less impact on the knees, shins, ankles, back, and joints than does running on pavement or concrete.

As a result, the runner who uses a treadmill is less likely to sustain a running injury than a runner who runs upon a harder surface. (Nonetheless, a runner’s body will still experience impact when the foot lands on the belt. Up to 2 1/2 your body weight)

When running in the great outdoors, you could possibly trip over a rock or twist your ankle in an unseen hole in the ground. You don’t have to worry about road or trail hazards when exercising on a treadmill. You need only maintain your rhythm on the moving belt.

It is true that some people have a difficult time feeling at ease when treading on a constantly rotating belt. If you’re a little nervous about keeping up with the belt’s motion, try holding onto the handrails until you feel comfortable about letting go. And, keep your pace nice and slow until you are ready to pick it up. However, try not to depend upon the handrails forever. By doing so, you are limiting the benefits your body will receive from your exercise sessions.

Another fabulous reason for working out on a treadmill is that you can do it indoors …regardless of the season or weather. You don’t have to brave the extreme heat of summer or the brutal cold of winter to get your walk or run in. You can work out in a climate-controlled environment and be comfortable. (To learn more about treadmills go to Treadmill Ratings and Reviews)

Elliptical Trainers

Elliptical trainers are relatively new to the family of fitness equipment, as compared to treadmills. They have increased in popularity during the last few years. And, perhaps at the rate they are going, these fitness machines will someday surpass the treadmill in popularity! But, do they deliver what they promise?

Elliptical trainers allow the athlete to burn a similar number of calories as jogging…but without the risk of injury to the back, knees, hips, or ankles. Your feet never leave the pedals. As a result, this type of machine is quite low-impact and goes easy on the joints. In fact, whereas exercising on a treadmill requires your body to absorb the impact force of walking or running, exercising on an elliptical can be compared to running in midair.

Because ellipticals are so low-impact and easy on the joints, this type of exercise equipment may very well be one of the best choices for older people or for individuals who are recovering from a joint injury.

Elliptical machines mimic the normal elliptical motion of the foot, the extension of the leg, and the rotation of the hip during walking or running. This motion uses all the leg muscles, giving you a total lower-body workout.

But, WAIT! There’s more! Elliptical motion machines ALSO simultaneously work the upper body (unlike the treadmill, which works only the lower body)! As the feet go through their elliptical motion, the hands grip the moving handlebars, exercising the arms. The movement of the dual handlebars mimics cross-country skiing. Now, this particular type of workout may not necessarily pump you up to look like a bodybuilder. However, because you are including the upper 30% of your body in your workouts, the results will be more efficient. (And, those arms will be toned in no time!)

Because elliptical trainers DO work the upper and lower body simultaneously, the heart rate climbs more quickly. Thus, less time is required to achieve more results. The amount of energy expended is optimized. As the legs are being worked, the back, shoulders, chest, biceps, and triceps are also working …making it possible to burn more calories in less time. (An optimal workout need only be about 20-30 minutes long.)

Some elliptical devices offer the option of shutting down the handlebars and working only the lower body. Even when this option is available, it evidently is not used very often …likely because individuals appreciate being able to work the entire body at one time.

The foot pedals can be worked in a forward or reverse direction. When you change the direction of the pedals, you’ll target your lower body in different ways. It is nice to be able to add versatility to your elliptical workouts, and such a change works to ensure optimal training of the leg muscles.

The intensity level can be adjusted on elliptical equipment to fit your personal level of fitness. Resistance may be added as desired to increase the workload on your legs throughout the forward or backward stride. With such an efficient workout, you can say ‘goodbye’ to flabby thighs and derrieres!

Previous studies have shown that working out on an elliptical unit can trick the body into believing it is working easier than it actually is. Therefore, as you’re burning more calories in less time on an elliptical trainer, your body feels as though it doesn’t have to work as hard to achieve its goals. This phenomenon is known as the “Rate of Perceived Exertion.”

Additional benefits of elliptical training include its ability to build bone density and to inhibit the onset of osteoporosis. Everyone needs strong, healthy bones. This is especially a concern as we grow older, and our body’s bone mass begins to deteriorate. Elliptical exercise can inhibit bone deterioration and actually improve bone thickness.

An elliptical device is safe to use (i.e. it stops when you stop). It uses very little electricity and is economical to operate. Because of its lesser impact, there is less wear and tear of the machine, making maintenance quite low. It has a small footprint, so it takes up less floor space than other fitness equipment. And, as with the treadmill, it allows you to exercise in a controlled environment for more comfort and convenience.

With all the benefits and the practicality of elliptical training machines, they just might end up exceeding the treadmill in popularity!

Reminder

No matter what type of exercise or fitness equipment you may prefer, remember to always consult with your health professional before beginning any exercise program!

What Does The President Look for in a Gym?

What was it about the Washington Sports Club brand that prompted Barack Obama to choose to join its clubs over all others when he came to Washington after his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004?

No doubt, the brand, marketing, and advertising relayed an important message to Obama, now the 44th President of the United States: ‘this fitness club has what you need and we can offer it to you in a convenient manner at an acceptable price.’

No need for high pressure sales here. Senator Obama found what he was looking for and signed up.

Wouldn’t you like your branding/marketing/sales effort to be this effective?

Of course! It is hardly an overstatement to say that sales and marketing are the lifeblood of your health and fitness club. To keep your business healthy, you need to keep a constant flow of new members joining to grow your membership while replacing any who leave because they move away or change jobs.

Stephen J. Tharrett and James A. Peterson authors of Fitness Management (Healthy Learning, 2006) estimate that, to be successful, most clubs have to sell between 800 and 1,300 memberships on an annual basis. Larger clubs need to recruit as many as 5,000 new members each year.

Positioning is key
Branding, marketing and advertising help to create and nurture relationships with consumers in your community who are contemplating lifestyle changes, or, like Obama, want to keep up the good work. This is your reservoir of sales leads, people you hope will take the next step—tour your club as a prospective member.

To encourage people to walk through your door, you need to position your business to differentiate it from other clubs with strong branding.

Are you a new, no-frills Planet Fitness franchisor offering a special, one-year, prepaid membership for just $99? Or, is your club part of a well-known mid-range chain, such as the Washington Sports Club, with facilities clustered near home and office. Or, are you, like the Sports Club /LA, known for luxury?

Mere mention of brand names like these and others like Gold’s, Crunch, Lifetime Fitness, East Bank and 24-Hour Fitness communicate to consumers what the club stands for and will deliver for the price of a membership.

Paving the way for sales
Marketing and advertising—whether they utilize print, radio, television, direct mail or the Internet and email—need to be ongoing and relentless to generate the number of leads and prospects you’ll need to meet your sales goals.

As Tharrett and Peterson point out, sales is quite the numbers game. “While the percentages tend to vary from market to market and club to club, the average club can expect to convert 20% to 50% of its leads to prospects, and 20% to 80% of its prospects to actual members.”

It is up to your sales staff to identify what prospects are looking for, and communicate well how your facility, your programs and your staff will satisfy those needs—and close the sale.

Ben Midgely, who once served as team director of corporate sales at 24-Hour Fitness, and is now executive vice president of Planet Fitness, says that hiring sales people with passion is vital.

“You can’t teach passion, you have to find it. Look for people who are committed to fitness, and who care enough to want to spread the good word about its benefits, and help others succeed. If you focus on the member first, rather than the money, the money will follow.”

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