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Group exercise: All together now – fitness-kit.net special
We round up some of the latest innovations in the realm of group exercise programming
Tabata speeds up roll-out
The Tabata high intensity interval training programme has just been launched at Glasgow Clubs, part of Glasgow Life, and is now also available at Fitness First, Everyone Active and Active4Less Gyms.
The Tabata system, developed by Japanese scientist professor Izumi Tabata during work with the Japanese Olympic speed skating team, uses short sharp bursts of intense exercise to get participants fit quickly. Tabata group classes last 20 minutes and feature bodyweight moves that have a heart-pumping effect, designed to get participants up to their maximum heart rate over a four-minute interval. Each class includes a mobilisation, warm-up and cool-down routine, and instructors will be introduced to new routines and moves every 12 weeks.
fitness-kit.net keyword: Tabata
WebRacing gets the wheels spinning
WebRacing Peloton is a new indoor cycling group exercise programme that uses computer software to let participants compete against each other. Existing cycling studios can use the technology by adapting their bikes and adding a WebRacing kiosk and screen.
Watching a large TV or projector screen, each rider in the class has an on-screen avatar riding in the Peloton. They also see the other riders in the group. When the member slows down, their on-screen avatar slows down. When they speed up, the avatar surges ahead. Riders can pass other participants on-screen and can ride in teams, as individuals or in an instructor-led training session.
Peloton sessions are designed to appeal to road-riders during winter, group cycling enthusiasts and exercise bike users who need motivation.
British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), the governing body for sport in UK higher education, is partnering with WebRacing. The partnership will allow all its studio bikes to link up online as individuals or teams, with online inter-university cycling competitions planned for the future.
fitness-kit.net keyword: WebRacing
In the zone
MYZONE has recently launched Zone Match, a game-based group cardio class for the gym which uses equipment to take the user through different intensity levels based on MYZONE effort zones.
The exerciser has to try and match the pre-set colour (effort) zones as they change throughout the duration of the class: the closer they match the zones, the higher their score. Designed for all levels, the programme can run with one person to 100 people. It has more than 30 pre-written classes, which clubs can programme to start automatically without the need for an instructor.
Clubs can run 10–50 classes a week and require a visible TV or projector, MYZONE Physical Activity Belts and a MYZONE hub. Zone Match data is automatically uploaded to a user’s cloud-based profile.
fitness-kit.net keyword: MYZONE
MOSSA teams up with Xbox
American group fitness brand Body Training Systems – and its UK distributor Group X Systems – has changed its name to MOSSA and entered a four-year partnership with Microsoft. The new name
MOSSA – Italian for ‘move’ or ‘excite’ – has been selected to echo the company’s tagline “Let’s Move!”
The brand behind Group Power and Group Step has been chosen to deliver video workout programmes for Xbox Fitness on Xbox One technology. MOSSA has created four different workouts for Xbox Fitness – Core Workout, Fight Workout, Groove Workout and Power Workout – to be delivered straight to users’ living rooms.
fitness-kit.net keyword: MOSSA
New updates from fitness fx
fitness fx has released new versions of its group exercise programmes. Latest releases include T3 (Train Track Transform) – a 30-minute, small group team training and PT offer designed to complement the established group exercise formats (except Groove fx).
New fitness fx partners Will’s Fitness in Shanghai and Beijing, China, and Jatomi Fitness in Turkey will take on the new versions, with other new partners also being established in Thailand, Malaysia, Russia and Greece.
Products use the latest training methodologies, including a monthly fitness test carried out in class to give members a visual measure of success for increased retention. The new v14.1 workouts are licence-free for all clubs and come with REPs-accredited training.
fitness-kit.net keyword: fitness fx
Wexer expands virtual classes
Wexer Virtual continues the roll-out of its virtual fitness class system – which provides on-screen, instructor-led group exercise classes – with club chains like Anytime Fitness, Holmes Place and GoodLife Fitness trialling the virtual platform. In the UK, chains like The Gym Group and Xercise4Less are also using the system, allowing them to offer 24/7 group exercise for members.
Classes can be pre-scheduled or played on demand, with more than 300 class options available. Wexer now has over 15 content partners to expand its offering for all types of gym-goers. Partners include Les Mills, Virtual Active, The Sufferfest, Gaiam, CatheTV, Running Unlimited, Epic Rides, Acacia and others.
fitness-kit.net keyword: Wexer
Zumba steps it up
Global fitness group Zumba has launched its Zumba Step programme, with classes beginning this month in gyms and clubs. Zumba Step uses step aerobic variations and fitness movements set to global beats, targeting the glutes and legs for lower-body sculpting. It offers a balance of traditional fitness, dance and step aerobic moves to encourage participants to use more energy by lifting their body weight against gravity, while keeping the moves easy to follow. The choreography works with steps of any size, so gyms can make use of existing equipment.
fitness-kit.net keyword: Zumba
Les Mills
Global fitness brand Les Mills – creator of group exercise programmes BODYPUMP, BODYATTACK, BODYCOMBAT and GRIT – will be the sole UK distributor for Smart Tech group exercise equipment, including the Smartbar, Smartstep and Bodybike.
The Smartbar is designed for use in BODYPUMP and other barbell classes, with its rotating ends and ergonomically designed plates relieving stress on wrists. The plates slide straight on with no need for clips, greatly reducing transition time. Meanwhile the Smartstep is for BODYSTEP and step classes, circuit training or the gym floor. Its lock-in system reduces slide on the floor. The Bodybike is designed to be low maintenance and stable for indoor cycling group workouts.
The deal follows news in autumn 2013 that Reebok and Les Mills have teamed up in a partnership that aims to drive forward studio fitness programming.
fitness-kit.net keyword: Les Mills
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