features
New opening: March of the microgyms
Following on from our June issue, in which we reviewed three of London’s growing body of microgyms, Dawn Tuckwell pays a visit to another three clubs and gives her verdict
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Club: Heartcore
Location: Fulham, London
Heartcore isn’t a specific class or workout – it’s a belief in, and commitment to, four primary ideals: that supervised training delivers superior results compared to do-it-yourself training for the vast majority of people; that the community aspect of group training in smaller studios has positive effects on motivation and commitment levels, resulting in happier clients and improved length of engagement; that full-body functional training using compound movements delivers better results than targeted training using isolated movements; and that working muscle groups to failure in specific sequences enhances results.
When founder Jess Schuring moved from LA to London, she brought with her the Heartcore method: a fun, effective workout that delivered real results in the shortest possible timeframe. “When we looked at the market in 2007, we saw a lot of opportunity. From a fitness perspective, traditional gyms worldwide, and in particular DIY training, weren’t delivering real results – they still aren’t – so memberships termed out and attrition rates were 50–60+ per cent.
“In London, consumers had world-class standards when it came to other experiences – restaurants, hotels, entertainment – but were settling for a sub-par fitness experience by training in sweaty, grey-carpeted basements. When we put both those factors together, we knew where to position our business and that it would be well received.”
All studios occupy prime London locations – the first Heartcore studio opened in Kensington in 2007, with Fulham the fifth studio to open (June 2014). Studios offer the signature Heartcore reformer pilates class using custom-made reformers designed to Schuring’s specifications. Other classes include barre, kettlebells and TRX, with a HIIT cardio class launching soon.
Heartcore has positioned itself in the middle ground between more expensive one-to-one PT and less focused large gym classes. Prices range from £17.50 to £27 per class, depending on how clients choose to pay – they can buy single sessions or blocks of up to 40 classes.
“The upmarket locations of our studios, intensity of the workout, price points of our classes and focus on results act as natural filters that support the development of a really fun community of motivated, like-minded individuals with the means and dedication to improve their bodies and their lives,” explains Schuring. “Our attention to detail, continual focus on improving client experience and our in-house trainer development programme all combine to ensure that every client receives the best experience possible.”
Clients come from a variety of backgrounds but share one common trait: a lack of time. There are currently more female than male clients but that is shifting. “One of our fastest growing demographics is our Alpha Males – hedge fund managers, board-level execs and City high-flyers who want to look great but don’t have three hours a day to spend in the gym,” says Schuring. “They give us 55 minutes three to five times a week and we give them the best body in their office.”
Plans for further expansion are well underway: in the next six months alone, Heartcore aims to grow to nine London studios. It acquired its sixth and seventh sites in July, buying a 288sq m club in Notting Hill from celebrity fitness trainer Mark Anthony and a separate site in Moorgate in the City. Both clubs are due to open in autumn 2014.
It will also launch a new website, open at least one international studio and announce at least one transaction with a strategic partner that will accelerate its UK and global roll-out. “Beyond the next six months, we think and plan in terms of innovation and meeting needs creatively rather than studio counts and markets entered. If we’re growing Heartcore by making as many people as possible healthier and happier, we’re doing the right things,” says Schuring.
SHAPING UP NICELY
Club: Movers & Shapers
Location: Queen’s Park, London
Since opening its first site in London’s Stanmore in 2007, Movers & Shapers has expanded and now covers six London high street locations. Billed as the smart alternative to the gym, studios are designed to create a familiar environment – more like a retail store or boutique – handily located to pop in while working, shopping or between the school run.
The model is based on 30-minute small group classes, placing client convenience at the heart of the offering in terms of both time commitment and location. Classes are run every 30 minutes from the moment the studio opens until it closes each evening.
The first sites offered Power Plate-only workouts, but the Balham studio – which opened last year – included an expanded offering which proved popular. According to Ben Margolis, CEO of Movers & Shapers, Power Plate classes are still the most popular classes, but the huge success of the Balham site gave them the appetite to open more studios with a wider offering.
The newest site in Queens Park is split into three zones and offers a mix of classes. The cardio zone runs elliptical classes based on HIIT principles, with the option of heart rate monitoring. The functional zone runs circuit classes using a variety of equipment provided by Physical Company, Escape and TRX among others, while the core zone uses Power Plate machines. The club also offers specialist classes such as small group barre, yoga and pilates. Class size is limited to ensure everyone benefits from a strong focus on technique and motivation.
Margolis attributes Movers & Shapers’ success to the relevance of its offering. “People have little time to spare, they want results and they want it all to be convenient,” he explains. “There’s also a real demand for great service, which larger facilities can’t offer due to size.”
Classes are sold in blocks of 10 (£149) or 20 (£259), with a monthly membership available for those who are happy to commit to doing more (from £99 a month). Around two-thirds of the membership base is on a monthly contract. Clients are typically professionals or mums, aged 30–45, with a strong female bias. The high street locations and word of mouth is the main means of attracting customers.
New clients have an initial one-to-one consultation, where measurements such as body fat, visceral fat, resting heart rate, blood pressure and muscle mass are taken. Clients receive advice on which classes are most appropriate based on their lifestyle and goals. A review consultation is completed every six to eight weeks and progress charted using bespoke software. “Regular feedback is very important and motivational, and very much part of the personalised service we offer,” explains Margolis.
Margolis adds that further expansion is definitely on the table. “We’ve identified five areas in London into which to expand as a priority, and one of those is close to completion.”
ENTERING THE MATRIX
Club: TRAIN Fitness
Location: Southwark, London
TRAIN Fitness offers a 16-week, results-focused, personalised coaching journey at its new studio in London’s Southwark. Clients receive three to four personal training sessions each week, comprehensive body composition analysis, access to timetabled group exercise sessions including fitness fx, Animal Flow and MyRide, as well as one-to-one nutritional coaching and selected supplements. Clients are set monthly goals and receive re-assessments to monitor progress every four weeks.
The programme was developed by international fitness presenter Richard Scrivener, who continues to lead the programme supported by a host of handpicked coaches including Team GB triathlete Felicity Cole.
The TRAIN Fitness ethos is that robust health underpins every single objective a client will have. As a result, coaches complete a detailed initial consultation to assess multiple facets of a client’s health and fitness capacity. These holistic measures – including functional movement screening and anthropometric body measurements – are used to create the most appropriate and effective exercise and diet programme.
TRAIN Fitness claims that what sets it apart is the truly personal service it offers: coaches aim to understand their clients as best they can, using a variety of tools to develop a ‘client matrix’. This places the client at the centre of their own journey and creates a truly bespoke programme for each client.
Director Steele Williams explains: “Understanding how the individual interacts and responds within their given environment – including nutrition, stress, sleep, psychology and so on – allows a practitioner to devise specific protocols. No stones are left unturned with this comprehensive and supportive programme.”
Coaches are able to call on cutting-edge equipment to deliver the fitness element of these programmes. The club offers FreeMotion Live Axis equipment, which allows the user to train in a way that replicates how we move in life and sport. The gym also features an Olympic lifting platform, sprint track and functional training zone incorporating two rigs.
The facility opened in October 2013 as a spin-off from the company’s existing businesses, Fitness Industry Education (FIE) and fitness fx, as Williams explains: “As our training courses continued to grow in popularity, it became evident we should have our own venue in which to run them.
“At the same time, we recognised an opportunity to develop the sort of health-focused private training model that we’ve always believed to be necessary to make real and long-lasting improvements. TRAIN was designed and built to provide the optimal environment to meet both those needs.”
TRAIN Fitness finds that the majority of its leads come from referrals. “The results we achieve, coupled with the concierge service we offer, provide a reputation that drives many referrals,” Williams explains.
The 16-week TRAIN programme costs from £5,500 inclusive of all supplements, PT sessions and group exercise classes. At the end of the programme, any clients wishing to extend the relationship with the studio are able to do so by signing up for another 16 weeks and setting a series of more advanced goals.
THE VERDICT
Dawn Tuckwell shares her first person experience of visiting the three clubs….
Heartcore
The Fulham studio has a very relaxed feel about it – there’s no reception desk, but someone from the team is there to welcome you on arrival. It feels more like a home from home than a gym, especially downstairs in the changing rooms with bare brick walls, wooden floors, candles and butler sinks. Downstairs is also home to the spacious TRX studio.
The pilates class takes place in the airy upstairs studio which houses 10 of Schuring’s custom-made CoreFormers – these are much more robust than reformers I’ve seen before. Schuring explains that she has designed these specifically so they are sturdy enough to support the weight of exercises that comprise Heartcore’s full-body workout.
The hour-long class is challenging but great fun, and we do exercises I’ve never done in a standard pilates class. With a small group of eight, Schuring is able to check technique and make adaptations according to our ability. This training isn’t for the faint-hearted, but judging by the members in the class it works and they all seem hooked. I know I am.
Movers & Shapers
Queen’s Park has a similar feel to the other Movers & Shapers studios – light, bright and friendly. My first visit consists of an initial consultation with a trainer, where measurements such as height, weight, body fat and muscle mass are taken using Tanita scales. I then complete a questionnaire about my exercise history before we discuss and set my personal goals.
I return later that day to take part in a dynamic Power Plate class that incorporates power bags and medicine balls. I also try a circuit class in the functional zone – and lots of clients do the same. Both classes are great fun and our instructor, Lenka, is careful to check everyone’s form throughout and make sure we’re all pushing ourselves. The variety of exercises and equipment used keep us all engaged and before we know it, it’s time to cool down.
The concept makes complete sense – most people look as though they’ve come in on the way home from work, and half an hour later their workout is done.
TRAIN Fitness
My TRAIN experience starts with a detailed questionnaire completed prior to my first visit, so my coach can tailor our first meeting to my needs. I was then invited to my assessment session, which included a detailed body composition analysis and functional movement screen.
My coach asks lots of questions about each element of my lifestyle in order to create my own ‘client matrix’. This process seems more detailed than many consultations I’ve had previously, reinforcing the holistic approach that TRAIN takes to improving overall health.
We agree a set of goals – improved movement, weight loss and improved strength. To make sure I achieve these I will receive three one-to-one sessions a week with my coach, as well as a range of supplements. I will also take part in one virtual fitness fx class each week – I can’t wait to start!
TRAIN is much more than a hi-tech microgym that also offers great classes: the personal service provided by Scrivener’s holistic programme is second to none. This system is for the seriously committed individual, with the cash to spare.
“The hour-long class is challenging but great fun, and we do exercises I’ve never done in a standard pilates class”
