Features Going the
Gym operators are always looking for the edge over the competition. Whether it is a new class,
a new piece of equipment or simply a change to scheduling, what will set you apart? Sarah Juggins reports
Value added in the gym
extra mile
SPINNING TO THE RHYTHM
Devlin Clarke is a man on a mission. His aim is to make fi tness fun through the medium of music and rhythm, and with his Vibe Cycle concept attracting attention and plaudits from Sweden to Turkey, he has converts to his exercise style the world over. ‘T ere are the people who train and they will always
be motivated to do exercise. T ey will come along if they want to but I don’t need to persuade them. But for many people, exercise classes are intimidating and it takes more than just the activity itself to keep them coming back. T at is where the style of the class and the instructor’s personality comes in.’ Clarke began his lifelong passion for fi tness as a
dancer. In his youth he performed in nightclubs, dance shows and competitions but it was not until he got a lucky break in a health club that he was able to make a career in the fi tness sector. T e health club that gave Clarke his opportunity
was Fitbod Fitness, in Walsall. Once established there as a personal trainer he began to put his own unique style on exercise to music classes, as well as running more conventional fi tness classes. Clarke also began attending fi tness conferences,
and it was witnessing some leading experts that provided him with a direction for his innovative approach to fi tness. ‘I went to the Heart of Fitness Convention in
Derby in 1993,’ he explains. ‘I saw those guys on stage and thought that given a chance I could be a fi tness presenter. Luckily the convention organisers saw the same potential in me and a year later I was presenting Step and Hi and Lo classes at conventions around the world.’ Clarke travelled the globe as a fi tness presenter for
nearly 20 years, and in that time he was able to watch other presenters and see the things that were being done well and those things that were not being done so well. ‘One guy was a brilliant presenter but had not got a
Sportphysical activity &
May 2011 »29
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