exercise trends
Group exercise specialist Les Mills is launching a portfolio of HIT programmes for clubs
system’ – it’s time-efficient and incorporates strength, flexibility and cardio in the same workout.” So who exactly will we target –
will it appeal only to existing, fitter members? Might HIT even help make gyms more relevant to people who thus far have seen them as a little tame for their liking – the sort of people who have been more attracted by CrossFit clubs than by the average treadmill-heavy gym floor? Alternatively, could we use HIT as
a more engaging tool to get quicker results for those who aren’t yet all that fit – and if so, how do we manage this group’s expectations? Anyone who saw the Horizon documentary on the BBC – The Truth About Exercise (see info panel, p43) – will know that HIT can hurt. So how do we make that appealing? How can instructors keep participants of all levels motivated throughout these tough workouts – as well as keep them motivated to come back again? According to Huntington: “If the instructors are trained well, there will be a longer adaptation period allowed for the sedentary, unfit individual – they need to modify accordingly. This is the biggest complaint levelled at CrossFit: some CrossFit facilities modify
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quite well, but the majority have a very real problem here. “Given the recent deaths in soccer,
I would also be in favour of doing an EKG on every member who starts this sort of programme.” Operators may also need to
offer improved nutritional advice, as Kravitz observed at the ACSM’s annual summit in March: “The fitness industry is currently experiencing a surge of interest and growth in high-intensity interval training and conditioning. It’s important for fitness professionals to understand the dietary requirements and variety of training programmes to safely and effectively meet their clients’ needs.” Huntington agrees: “Nutritional needs are very different if you move into a very high-intensity programme. Magnesium is one example of a nutritional need that rises with increased intensity.”
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INCORPORATING HIT However, provided these boxes are all ticked, the potential is there for HIT to make a lasting impression on health clubs and leisure centres. Phillip Mills, CEO of group exercise specialist Les Mills, explains: “We’ve proven that group fitness is hugely motivational and gets results, but traditional group exercise doesn’t appeal to everyone – young men in particular. Our research shows that male satisfaction with fitness programming is directly related to the intensity of the workout; you can expect HIT to appeal to this audience. “But in fact HIT is ideal for anyone who wants to push their fitness to the next level. Small group training can be safe and challenging at the same time – it’s about designing the workouts properly, training the trainers properly, and constantly and consistently providing an experience for your customers that gets them the results they want. Ultimately, HIT isn’t any different from any other form of exercise – results are the best motivation. “HIT is also a great complement to other training and exercise. When people hit a plateau with fitness, they typically just work out for longer. What they should really do is increase the intensity, so this should be a real driver for clubs to offer HIT as part of a weekly programme. It definitely doesn’t have to be an ‘either/ or’ experience for members. “The biggest challenge for any HIT, personal training or small group training is how to design it as a consistent,
august 2012 © cybertrek 2012
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