Business

People often ask us what the Greco experience is about. Greco members come to our studios for personalized training, accountability & results. Plain and simple.

Before the lockdowns, our members trained with us in-studio 4-6 times per week, the Greco Method addiction, a healthy one at that. When all of our studios were mandated to shut down in March, we made it our mission to bring that same addiction from our in-studio experience to member’s homes as quickly and with the highest quality as possible. We started by committing to continue servicing our members at the highest level. This meant that an On Demand workout library or a build your own workout template were not going to cut it – we needed to go BIG.

So, in the first week of April 2020, our Virtual Studio Experience was born and has since evolved to offer 42 LIVE Interactive classes weekly with over 1,000 workouts (and counting) available 24/7. Our Virtual Studio offers circuit-style workouts using little to no equipment and workouts focusing on building muscle, burning fat and improving the way you move. We have classes that focus on targeting specific areas as well as full body circuits that are always fresh and unique. Each workout is different from the last ranging from 20-45 minutes, ready to accommodate anyone’s schedule. Our Trainers continue to provide motivation & technique improvements in real-time from the comfort of your own home. Learn more about Greco Method At-Home HERE.

3 Lockdowns and 11 months later…

Greco Fitness has become the #1 results-based hybrid training model in North America – offering results-based fitness programming online and in-studio to the everyday athlete. We know at-home workouts are here to stay, and we are excited that 2020 pushed us to develop an online training system that continues to deliver results with equipment varying from body weight to dumbbells to household items. We are excited to continue innovating our offerings and enhancing our member experience as we enter 2021.

The Future of Boutique Fitness is Hybrid/Omnichannel

We do not see a return to the old Greco group fitness model of large class sizes in a small space, anytime, if ever, as we believe the fitness industry has been changed forever with the pandemic. We see small class sizes, ‘on the spot’ training, clean, well ventilated boutique studios, no sharing of weights, awesome trainers focused on your personal improvement, weekly progress check-ins, personalized fitness and nutrition and the best member experience in-studio and online. To learn more about how we reinvented our in-studio experience watch our reopening video HERE and see how we are keeping our members’ and employees’ safety our #1 priority HERE.

Starting in March 2020, we’ve fully pivoted our business model, transitioning our in-studio only group training, specialty programs and personal training services to our Virtual Studio Experience where we offer On Demand & Live Interactive workouts. Our Greco Method results-based personalized experience will continue to deliver Real Results to Real People whether our members train with us in-studio, online or a combination of the two. You can listen to our podcast discussion on how we pivoted our business, the lessons we learned along the way, and where we see the Greco brand moving forward in the future HERE.

Exclusive canfitpro Offer

For a limited time, you can see what all the hype is about with our 5-day Greco Virtual Studio Experience HERE. We look forward to welcoming you to the Greco Fam! If you have any questions or want additional information, reach out to us at welcome@grecofitness.com and read more on our website at www.grecofitness.com.

Yours in Health,

The Greco Fam

Quick links

Listen to how we pivoted and the lessons we learned along the way in our podcast episode.

Learn more about our Virtual Studio Experience.

Unlock our Greco Method At-Home 5 Day Experience.

How we reinvented our in-studio experience – watch our reopening video.

Learn how we are making our members’ safety a priority.

Visit our website, or find us on Facebook, Instagram or Linkedin.

By Beth Yarzab, canfitpro Certification Development

Put your learning into action! There’s an optional CEC Quiz available for purchase to assess the knowledge you gained from this blog post. You’ll earn 1.0 CEC for all the certifications you hold upon successful completion of the Quiz (PTS, HWL, FIS). Login to your member portal. Click ‘Get Education’ and ‘CEC Quizzes’ to purchase. Need help navigating your member portal? Watch this quick video for help in purchasing the CEC Quiz.

Samantha Montpetit-Huynh

There are so many opportunities for fitness professionals during the pandemic. “More than you think!” said Samantha Montpetit-Huynh, the host of canfitpro’s at-capacity webinar on January 14^th.

The State of Fitness in 2021 brought together industry leaders who are changing the fitness landscape, in response to the pandemic, while supporting social change.

Highlighting the results of canfitpro’s 2021 Fitness Trends survey, the panelists spoke to a range of business and service delivery models – from big box gyms to boutique studios, and in-person, online, and hybrid fitness offerings.

Some of the topics from The State of Fitness in 2021 included popular training modalities, pivoting online, monetizing a fitness community, marketing, and making fitness more accessible to marginalized groups. Catch the on-demand replay here.

What types of training are the most popular right now?

Maureen Hagan

As Maureen Hagan, COO of canfitpro, explained, Canadians are relying upon exercise that requires little to no equipment during the pandemic. Canadians miss their gyms and the specialized equipment in them, so they are making do with simplicity. This means Personal Trainers and Instructors can help people by programming exercise that can be done at home or outdoors. When focusing on programming bodyweight and functional exercise, clients can return to their gyms having maintained, or even gained strength, stamina, and endurance while avoiding injuries.

According to Eric Wong Kai Pun, Sr. Personal Training Divisional Manager at GoodLife Fitness, trainers are helping clients get back to the gym in better condition than ever before. Trainers can program for mobility, stability, and speed, all of which can be easily trained at home.

How can fitness professionals benefit from the increased demand for at-home fitness equipment?

Eric Wong Kai Pun

While many people are relying on bodyweight training, there’s also a huge demand for fitness equipment. Still, consumers don’t always know how to use equipment properly. They need certified Personal Trainers to ensure proper use and to stay accountable.

Eric sees an opportunity for trainers to create service packages together with equipment companies. For example, a starter package with a sandbag and gliders, plus 10 Personal Training sessions on Zoom. An intermediate package could include training sessions plus a set of adjustable dumbbells. Finally, an advanced package idea involves a squat rack and barbells.

As Robert Robinson, canfitpro’s head of business partnerships discussed, club owners are finding revenue by selling or renting their fitness equipment that isn’t being used during closures. These business owners are leading the way with a customer-first mindset to help members replicate the gym experience at home.

Building the community-feeling of a gym within online platforms

Nathalie Lacombe

Every panelist emphasized that members appreciate customer-first, caring interactions, and become loyal when they know they’re cared for. On-demand, live/online, and outdoor fitness are now highly valued experiences. There’s nothing like a client hearing their name being called out in a virtual class, with love and encouragement. People need connection and want to be seen. Nathalie Lacombe, the VP of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada Board of Directors and canfitpro PRO TRAINER, inspired fit pros to connect with their clients in a meaningful way. It’s the strength of these relationships that will also bring members back to in-person fitness when it’s safe to open clubs again.

Take this opportunity to become pandemic-proof in your service offering

Nathalie knows that the fitness industry has the opportunity to create stability for people with the variety of ways we facilitate movement. Be it with safety protocols and physical distancing in a traditional gym, or outdoors. Or on virtual platforms. “When the pandemic is causing something to change everyday, fitness can be the constant support for people to trust and rely upon,” she says. It will take creativity in how you package your services, but this is our chance to focus “less on the bodies we sculpt, and more on the lives we save.”

Monetize your community so you’re there to serve them for the long-term.

Brady Johnson

Brady Johnson, CEO of Encompass Fitness, closed her boutique gym the day before the provincial mandate required it. Then she and her staff called every member to check-in with them and to explain the virtual offerings they had planned. As a result, they retained over 85% of their paying members.

“People come for the commodity and they stay for the community,” she says. A fitness community is transactional with constant giving and receiving. It is crucial that fitness pros receive financial compensation for their time, talent, and for the community they facilitate.

Brady suggests every business has two communities. An internal community made up of paying clients and an external community of non-paying followers. Serve both with the same quality, but with a different quantity. Nathalie affirmed that free workouts can be marketing, but not programming. You can add a short clip of your virtual class on social media but save your programming for your paying clients.

Your marketing message can be empathetic while also authoritative

As an empathetic and authoritative fit pro, Brady means you can be the compassionate expert who safely leads participants through exercise and holds them accountable to consistent movement. With the right blend of empathy and authority, you offer far more value than any free YouTube workout can.

Diversity & Inclusion: everyone deserves to be served and cared for

Robert Robinson

Robert as the Chair of canfitpro’s Diversity & Inclusion committee, encourages the fitness industry to accelerate their assessment, measurement, and response to creating safe, welcoming fitness spaces for all. Are you doing enough to ensure marginalized groups feel like they belong? He encourages each of us to acknowledge privilege, uncover unconscious bias, and make space for underrepresented groups. We are all better when we create a culture that fosters and encourages differences.

Maureen “Mo” Hagan encourages all fitness professionals to “step into the gap in 2021”. If you don’t know what to say, or do, be vulnerable about how these times of massive change, uncertainty, and much-needed social disruption are affecting you. Go deeper in your learning and admit where you have room to grow. Then take action and stay positive.

“Keep the fire lit, and more people than ever will pay you for your services” says Nathalie. No matter what the obstacles are, continue to build trust by showing up for current and future clients. The State of Fitness in 2021 from that perspective, is looking brighter than ever.

Five steps to becoming a sought-after Personal Trainer, even when you’re just getting started online.

Eric Wong Kai Pun’s vision to becoming an online trainer with a waitlist, will also pay off when you’re back in-person.

Step 1: Develop your winning mindset and know your “Why” (see Simon Sinek’s video “Start with Why”).

Step 2: Build your coaching connection abilities to create deep relationships that quantum leap your retention and referrals. (Reference: Joey Coleman “Never Lose a Customer Again”)

Step 3: Run your Personal Training practice like a business by focusing on your strengths and outsourcing your weaknesses. (Reference: Strengths Finder Assessment)

Step 4: Program to help clients self-regulate by selecting exercises, sets, reps, etc. that they can kinesthetically connect with the correct form.

Step 5: Focus on exercise execution – since we can’t physically cue correct form, we must use strong verbal cues and relatable analogies to explain safe and effective movement.

What type of business are you in?

onlythestrong is a Personal Training & Fitness Education organization with two locations in Toronto and Etobicoke.

Tell us about your business?

The common saying ‘only the strong’ is generally understood as a reference to physical strength. This could not be further from the truth in our business. We have structured our focus around education of both our clients and our students in order to empower them to continue to grow and evolve in whatever way they choose in the industry.

Our Personal Training programs are designed to focus on the teachables as we believe the key reason why people ‘quit’ is a lack of why. Therefore, we have constructed our programming to give clients educational takeaways about their personal fitness each and every session. In addition, our courses are designed for students to bridge their understanding of fitness education by challenging and improving their depth of knowledge in ways they never considered. Thus, when we reference ‘strength’ at our organization we are speaking about wealth of knowledge. The more you have, the stronger you are and only the strong survive.

How long have you been in the industry?

I have been in the industry for over 10 years.

What attracted you to the fitness industry?

My attraction to the fitness industry began as I transitioned from professional sports. I recognized soon after beginning my first job in the industry that there were definite gaps in the way we interacted with clients at a professional level as well as what we taught as core concepts for new Personal Trainers. After earning my way through my first few years I finally opened my own business with the unique design of being client friendly and completely transparent for the new fitness professional. We have seen nothing but growth ever since.

What has been your greatest challenge as a business owner/operator and how did you overcome it?

The greatest challenge in our organization is the narrative. Not changing it, challenging it. So much of the fitness industry (as is the same in many others) is created by influence. We are told where to work. We are told what constitutes good work. Told what we should learn and where we should learn it from. All of these things are driven by a narrative constructed by mass marketing or big box agenda.

I strongly believe that if you want any opportunity you can make it happen for yourself regardless of any of the variables presented to you. In fact, I would suggest the conventional way is conventional for a reason and the true value of this industry is doing what you want, not what you are told you should want. At onlythestrong we have created a ‘think tank’ approach that has challenged the narrative by providing Personal Training & Fitness Education that is cost effective and forward thinking so there are no barriers to entry and zero dips in quality. We have created a market in a void formally untouched and because of this our clients and students continue to thrive in their fitness and their careers. As I said the narrative still exists and I like that. What we are doing is showing you that there isn’t only ‘one way’. Consumer choice is paramount.

What do you hope your buyers achieve within your product/service?

I hope that anyone who interacts with onlythestrong is able to see that our organization provides a dynamic revitalization of what it means to be a client. In addition, I hope that our students are able to appreciate the importance of their role as a mentor and recognize the value of their contribution to our industry. Heightened awareness is how we create quality. Regardless of how you interact with onlythestrong, my hope is that we are able to create an environment for you to thrive whether you are a person or a professional.

Tell us your greatest memory/highlight in your career?

The greatest highlight of my career was getting up one day and walking away from a job that was paying me 100k+ with zero plan of action. That moment made me. It allowed me to finally live the way I wanted to and made me realize that everything I created after that point was solely the construction of the universe as I saw it. This allowed me to take who I was as a person and turn it into a product. Obviously it is clear the decision paid off. For anyone else who may have the desire, always remember to bet on yourself. You will never lose.

How long have you attended canfitpro events?

I’ve been attending canfitpro events for 15 years.

What is the percentage of Canadian business you currently have?

I currently have 100% of Canadian business.

How do you plan to grow your Canadian business in the next 12-24 months?

Getting back to what we do best. Service, service, service. We have survived on service and will continue to make that our focus as Canadians deserve better. We look forward to the future of fitness and welcome all of those looking for a change. Whether it is in-person, online or in-home, our team will be the solution for years to come.

Visit our website, find us on Instagram or email us for more information.

By Nathalie Plamondon-Thomas

The global pandemic bombarded the fitness industry with bad news after bad news. It is expected that your brain gets in what I call prefrontal cortex overload. Fear is taking over. How are you supposed to motivate and inspire others when you personally feel stuck? Do you feel like powerful emotions are having the best of you? Do you feel overwhelmed sometimes or angry, sad, afraid? Your clients look up to you for motivation and inspiration. You practically have written the book on confidence. So why is it that these emotions seem to have the upper hand? Why do they linger and keep us stuck?

How long should a powerful emotion last?

The full course of a powerful emotion is between 30 and 90 seconds. When you experience fear, or any other powerful emotion, you go through one loop and then you exit the loop so that you can move on with your life. The unconscious mind comes to the rescue. It removes the emotion from your prefrontal cortex and moves it at the back of your brain. You have surely witnessed that with children. They’re super happy. A second later, they are going through a full temper tantrum. A moment later, then they’re happy again. Emotions should not last for more than 30 to 90 seconds. So why do people get stuck for months at a time in an emotion cycle? Why are we still upset at the guy that cut us off on the highway, three hours after we arrived at work? Why do we maintain our state of negative emotion and don’t exit the loop like we used to do when we were children?

Here is how fear and other powerful emotions are generated inside your brain.

The prefrontal cortex of your brain creates all emotions equally. The brain does not know the difference between overwhelm and excited. If you decide that the emotion you are feeling is anxiety, your brain will send 1400 chemicals (including cortisol) in your body to pollute it, to slow you down, which will make you feel deprived of energy. However, if you decide that it’s excitement, then your brain will send very different type of chemical in your bloodstream. Dopamine, endorphin, oxytocin or serotonin are feel-good chemicals that will be released in your bloodstream when experiencing a positive emotion. The specific type of chemical released will depend on multiple factors, i.e. if there’s people around you, if you’re moving or not, etc.

So how do we “decide” that what we are experiencing is a positive emotion?

I like to explain how powerful emotions work with using the analogy of a delivery truck. When a powerful emotion enters your prefrontal cortex, it’s like you have a delivery truck in your driveway bringing you a package. The only thing the delivery guy wants to do is for you to open the door of your house so that he can give you the package and be on his way. The “package” represents a positive learning. Something that will make you grow. This parcel is like a gift that you should be excited to receive. Unfortunately, we are usually not very welcoming when it comes to powerful emotions like anger, fear, hurt, etc. Instead of opening the door to receive our gift, we ignore it. We are sometimes in front of co-workers or clients, so we keep on smiling and we pretend the truck isn’t there. We get home and the kids ask us: “Are you okay mommy?” and we answer: “Yes, mommy is fine!” with a huge pretend-smile. By not letting the delivery guy in, we postpone the delivery.

Unlike real life, the truck doesn’t leave the driveway. It stays there and idles until we open the door. Fear stays in the pre-frontal cortex. We keep going through life and The Show Must Go On, right? Sometimes, another truck drives in with another package that we ignore again. We don’t have time for these deliveries. Soon, our whole driveway is blocked with trucks and we feel stuck. We can no longer walk around them. There are too many trucks, too many unopened packages.

It seems that the pandemic has brought us many gifts. Many unexpected packages. There may still be many trucks waiting for us to accept to open the door and discover our positive learning.

If you feel there are a few delivery trucks in your driveway, get excited instead of overwhelm: “Oh, I’m receiving a parcel.” Enter your 30-second loop and go from “Oh no, what’s happening? I am uncomfortable!” to immediately remembering the delivery truck and repeat to yourself: “Okay, if I am feeling this way, it must be that I am receiving a gift. This is awesome. I’m going to grow.” Who doesn’t like gifts? Right? Ask yourself: “What is it that I’m going to learn? How will that make me grow? What am I going to become better at? What could be the silver lining?”

Remember that in order for the delivery truck to leave your driveway, you need to open the door and open the parcel. Receive the package. Take a moment to sit back and breathe and be excited about what you will learn.

You can now go through your life with more confidence because you know how emotions work and you know out to get out of the emotional loop whenever you feel stuck. Find the positive learning and the truck will leave your driveway.

Understanding powerful emotions is one of the 15 keys to finding confidence that I present in the course THINK Yourself® CONFIDENT. If you want to learn more about confidence, check out the course here: www.thinkyourself.com/canfitpro

canfitpro members get 50% off THINK Yourself® ACADEMY online courses.

In part 1 of our email marketing series, we went over the basic understanding of an email as well as the types of emails you can send. Read Part 1 of our Email Marketing 101 series.

In part 2, we’ll conclude by telling you about the best times to send emails, what key metrics to look for, best practices and which email platforms you can use to send emails.

BEST TIMES TO SEND EMAILS

Your customers and audience will tell you when they’d like to receive your emails simply by looking at your analytics (see below).

However, the general rule of thumb is to send an email earlier in the day – between 4 am – 6 am.

This ensures that people who like to read emails get it in the morning. If your customers check their inboxes in the afternoon or evening, it will also be waiting for them.

If you want to be certain that you’re sending it at the best time, you can either test different times (e.g. morning, afternoon and evening). You can also change your email client settings to automatically send the email at the best time based on their inboxes.

ANALYTICS

You want to know that your hard work is paying off. Optimizing and testing your emails will ensure that you can continue to improve the messaging for your audience. Although every email client is different, there are some things that you should watch for.

Pick one or two metrics to watch for a few weeks to get comfortable before moving on to the others.

Open rate – This indicates how many people opened your email. If you have a high open rate, it could mean you have a great subject line or people know you, the sender.

Clicks – This shows how many times people clicked on links in your emails.

Click-through rate (CTR) – The CTR of your emails is more detailed than just counting clicks. Simply, this means the percent of people who clicked on the links in your email. If you’re not sure which metrics to track first, start with CTR as it is one of the most – if not the most – important metrics. This gives you direct insight on how many people on your mailing list are engaging with your content.

Unsubscribes – Unsubscribes shows you how many people unsubscribed from your mailing list after receiving an email. If you sent an email and immediately saw a lot of people unsubscribe, it could mean that they didn’t like what you sent them.

BEST PRACTICES

Here are some best practices to build your emails.

Consistency – Try to send your emails on a consistent basis. Weekly or monthly newsletters are a great way to do this as people will come to expect your emails on a particular day.

Don’t send too many emails – Unless you have a really good reason to send an email to the same list every day, don’t do it. Where you can, try to segment your audiences based on different interests to make the emails more targeted and relevant to each audience.

Make sure you have permission to use images – If you’re going to use images or photos of your clients, make sure they’re OK with you using them. Alternatively, stock photos are a great way to convey your message.

Some great paid websites for stock images are iStock, Adobe Stock and Stock Photo Secrets. There are also plenty of free stock photo websites like Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplash, but you’re limited in the choice.

Include your social links in the footer – If you have active social channels, put them in the footer of your emails. This will help widen your social media audience and give your followers another way to stay in touch with your business.

EMAIL PLATFORMS

There are a lot of email platforms available on the market, each with their own pros and cons. Most email platforms will charge you based on the number of contacts you have in your email database, so the bigger your database, the higher your fees.

Some email platforms which are less costly include Constant Contact, MailChimp and Get Response. Full marketing automation systems like Marketo and Hubspot also have email functions, but are more expensive.

Whatever email platform you choose, make sure you get familiar with all its features.

No matter what kinds of emails you send, make sure to be consistent and deliver what your audience wants to hear. Don’t be afraid to test different parts of the email, whether it’s subject lines, colours, or CTAs.

With the right email strategy, your fitness business can attract new customers, build trust and engagement, and help your business grow.

AT CANFITPRO, WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF ADVERTISING OPTIONS THAT CAN FIT YOUR FITNESS BUSINESS. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE.

When ‘social’ distancing becomes an ever growing term not only in our everyday lives but the ways in which we lead group fitness classes, it can be easy to lose momentum and motivation, or just not feel inspired. As humans, we crave human connection, we want to feel a sense of belonging. As group fitness instructors, one of our jobs is to lead safe and effective classes where we can deliver not only the ‘workout’ but the magic behind it all.  The ‘feel good’ reward of connecting students, helping them relieve stress and feel part of something bigger. It’s what keeps us going and gets us up and ready to teach each day. The pandemic has provided us challenges, but our POUND® Pro community has adapted creatively and kept their students rocking in more ways than we could have imagined.

We believe the key to keeping your students motivated, encouraged, and inspired during the new year and the new normal is to give a little more kindness, love and opportunities to share:

• Be there for them. Whether you lead virtual classes or not, reach out to your students by phone, email, or social media to check in on them. Going beyond the class and truly being there for our students, showing them we care, treating them as family, will deepen those moments and not only lead to forever students but create relationships that will be lifelong. We believe mental health is just as important as physical health and for us to be there for our students, we need to focus on our mental state. Looking for ways to reset? Here some tips for a mental health reset.
• Spotlight a student on social media. This could be a post or even a story. Not only will this help build those bonds and human connection, it will keep your students engaged with you and your classes. Maybe it’s tagging them on social media, giving reasons why you love having them in class and having them respond with a reason why they love it. They feel seen, like they still belong, and loved. Building those relationships will encourage students to keep coming back!
• Provide a safe and secure environment. At POUND® we honor imperfection and celebrate NOISE. During these days, honor the feelings of your students. Give them a place where they can release some emotion while feeling safe, secure, and included. Maybe this is a virtual class, maybe this is during your intro or creating a separate time to share.
• Create some incentives or fun community challenges. We just finished our annual 12 Days of POUND, our engaging marketing campaigns are ways for us to give back to them, stay motivated, while giving away some fun prizes. It’s important to remember to keep your students accountable by providing them incentives to move each day.
• Be the example. It’s okay to feel and honor emotions, while also staying positive in-person and virtually, on social media platforms. When we sit back and see the good that is coming out of this year, the additional virtual connections gained, we can begin to see what is truly important to us. Choosing to highlight the positives will go a long way to keeping students inspired and ready to stay on path.

POUND® has transformed its training and class opportunities to support virtual fitness instruction in this new ‘socially distanced’ time.

• Virtual Trainings: POUND® now delivers the same training and experience as we would with in-person, virtually. Which takes away the need for travel and lets new Pros from all over the globe to certify with ease. Using a video conference platform to deliver content while maintaining connection and engagement in a virtual environment, these training experiences can be done in one or two day options from absolutely anywhere. We’ve witnessed incredible connections being made with new Pros from all over the world, who meet in training and become family as they go on to share the magic of POUND®. To find out more on our virtual training offerings, click HERE.
• Virtual Classes: For our Pros to continue to feel successful and to offer classes to their students, we have given them the opportunity to lead virtual classes. We’ve created meaningful content including  additional education and resources within our online education platform, the Label. If you’re an instructor that is getting started, here are 5 Simple Ways to Set Up a Virtual Studio.
• Virtual Master Classes, Workshops, and E-Courses: For our Pros to truly lead with success and for their students to continue to feel like rockstars, we’ve added additional learning opportunities in the form of virtual courses and workshops, as well as on-demand E-courses. Topics range from how to lead and promote virtual classes to ways in which to elevate your cueing both verbally and visually. We’ve also provided free master classes as a way to learn and grow from our ICON team.
• POUND Backstage: Backstage is an online platform and app, offering our community Rockout Workouts, on demand. There are 25+ videos with unlimited access to workouts including; full jam sessions, intervals, and targeted quickies! The music is different from our in-person or virtual classes which helps differentiate and create an at home unique experience – and a reason to do both!

ABOUT AMY WARD

Amy Ward is not only one of POUND®’s badass ICONs but she also works at POUND® HQ as the Pro Success Manager, dedicating her time to building relationships with Pros and helping them take their career and skills to the next level. Amy’s heart beats for not only POUND®, but for the people it has brought to her.

ABOUT POUND®

POUND® is a workout revolution and lifestyle brand that aims to change minds before bodies and use beat and alternative movement to launch people to new heights of self-worth, happiness, and human connection. AKA, release their INNER ROCKSTARS.

Turning workouts into fitness concerts and music into movement, POUND® uses Ripstix®, lightly weighted exercise drumsticks to transform drumming into a sweat dripping, full-body workout. Designed for all fitness levels, POUND® provides the perfect atmosphere for letting loose, getting energized, toning up and rockin’ out!

What started as two stix and an idea in Los Angeles, California is now a global fitness family of over 25k+ POUND Pros transforming lives in every corner of the world. You will find our instructors leading over 400,000 participants per week in over 100 countries.

FOLLOW US: @pounfit + @amywardfit 

By Jeff Tiessen, ParaSport® Ontario Executive Director and 3-time Paralympian

First, who are “they”? Well, in this case “they” are potential clients with disabilities for your fitness facility. Build “what” you might be quizzing next? Well, that depends. It could be one of two things, or both. Both would be best actually… particularly if we’re talking about them coming.

If “it” is accessible space – as in ramps and railings ­– that you’re constructing for customers with disabilities, they might come. For some it’s necessary, for many it isn’t. No denying it, someone who uses a wheelchair for mobility needs barrier-free access to your gym, or your pool and your changerooms of course. I’m a double arm amputee, so stairs aren’t an issue for me (lever door handles inside your facility over round ones would be a treat for me, but not a deal-breaker…. I’ll manage, always have).

If “it” is head space – as in attitudes and education ­– that you’ve imparted on your staff with respect to simple and basic sensitivities and sensibilities toward folks with a disability, then there’s even a better chance they’ll come. Put accessible space and head space together, and you’ve got it covered for us… we’re even more likely to come!

As one of the members of our 1,000 Years of ParaSport® Advisory Team succinctly observed: “Inclusion is only partially about design and mostly about desire.” Think about it this way… people with disabilities are adapting to the world we live in every day, at work, at school, at home, and at play. We’ve got this measure of life covered, for the most part anyway! And we’ll figure it out in your gym too, with the help, knowledge and experience of your professionals of course. Give us someone to ask who’s comfortable with helping, and ready to help us adapt to your environment and help your environment adapt to us. With that arrangement, why wouldn’t we come?

Fitness instructors, trainers, facility managers and owners know – probably as well or better than most – about the importance of respecting, accommodating and celebrating individuality and physical differences. Fitness professionals understand about the wide-ranging variance in goals, milestones, motivation and ability among people, your clients most specifically.

And so it is the same for the community of people with disabilities… from the weeknight weight-loss-inspired bunch, to the weekend wheelchair sport warriors, to the extreme and high-performance athletes, regardless of which disability tag we wear – amputee, blind, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, and the rest.

Roll out the “Welcome Mat.” Invite us. Show us what you’ve got for us. Help us figure out how it’ll work for us. That’s what’s most important. That’s all. We’ll come. Maybe not all 1.8 million of us across Ontario, but that might be a little much for starters anyway!

P.S. Need some help with that? ParaSport Ontario is here to assist and inform activity leaders, fitness professionals and facilities whenever you need it. With 40 years of experience as an organization, a thousand more in our Advisory Team and legions of athletes and activity enthusiasts whom we serve across the province, we’ve got answers, solutions and resources for you. And what’s more, we want to learn from you too… your experiences and solutions. Visit www.parasportontario.ca or call 416-426-7187.

Running a fitness business takes a lot of work – whether you’re a boutique gym owner or train clients online. Digital marketing is a great way to help your business thrive, get new customers, build connections and inspire your current and potential customers.

Specifically, one of the best (and low-cost) ways to reach your audience is through email marketing.

Done right, you will see your fitness business take off.

WHY SEND EMAILS?

Establish your business goals first and align your email strategy accordingly.

Some potential email goals are:

Creating brand awareness – If your business is new, you might want to start an email journey by building awareness of your brand.

Generating leads – If you have a great lead magnet, emails are a good way to attract potential clients and get them into your sales funnel.

Lead magnets are free items or services that you can give away to attract clients – this can be a free e-book with recipes, a workout video, or even a consultation! In order to gain access to this free offer, people have to come to a landing page on your website and provide their email.

Increasing class attendance – If you have a class and you want to increase attendance, remind people through emails.

MAIN EMAIL COMPONENTS

All emails consist of several key elements, none of which can be ignored.

From: Is the email from you at your brand, or just your brand?

If you’re running a one-person show, it’s better to personalize the “from” to say Joe/Jane from Fit. Co. However, if you run a studio or multi-chain business, “from” Fit Co. is sufficient.

Subject line: This is the most important part of the email, as it determines whether your email gets opened.

When writing a subject line, keep it short and sweet. Longer subject lines may get cut off in someone’s inbox.

Be specific – if I open your email, I should know what it will contain. Will it be a fitness tip, a free gift, or something else? How many times have you fallen for “clickbait” – where the email subject line or link promised one thing, but when you clicked on it, you got something else? Misleading your audience will cause you to lose their trust.

Body: Assuming someone opens your email, what will they see? Will it be lots of pictures, text, or a combination of both?

If you’re going to use graphics, make sure the person reading the email doesn’t have to scroll down more than once to see your email on their phone. If you’re not sure, send a test to yourself and check the email on your mobile device.

Call to action (CTA): Make sure you include at least one CTA in your email – whether you want someone to register or sign up for a course, view a blog post, reply to your email – let them know!

Make sure this stands out. A prospect should be able to scan the email and find the action you want them to take.

CTAs are commonly put in buttons in a different colour than the rest of the email.

Red is the most common as it stands out, however, you can make your button any colour you want if it better aligns with your brand.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR EMAIL LISTS

Every fitness business is different. For instance, your customers may be aging boomers, golfers, stay-at-home parents or someone else entirely.

Base your content on what you think your target audience wants to see. Address any pain points or needs they may have.

Alternatively, you can build email lists based on the types of classes you offer. If you run yoga classes, you may want to send emails based on different yoga poses and stretching techniques and sell them yoga blocks and straps.

On the other hand, power lifters may be more interested in tips to lift heavier weight while staying safe.

TYPES OF CONTENT

There are many types of emails that you can send, depending on your goals and what you want action you want your customers to take after reading the email.

Welcome emails – Welcome emails may be the very first impression your customer may get if they found you online. This is a great way to introduce potential clients to your business, so make sure it gives off the impression you want to make.

Depending on your brand, your welcome email can be fun and casual, or serious and professional.

Newsletters – Newsletters are a great way to keep your business top-of-mind with your audience.

If you send your newsletters on a consistent schedule (eg. Weekly, every first Monday of the month), your customers will come to expect them.

Sales – If you have a great deal going on, you can send an email telling your customers know. Make sure to mention the discount, the dates the sale is running and how they can make the purchase.

Some other types of content you can include in your emails are:

• Workouts
• Recipes
• Sales
• Client testimonials or before/after photos
• Special events you’re attending or hosting
• Answering customer questions

This concludes part 1 of the article. You should now have a basic understanding of the basic email components, types of emails you can send and how to build email lists.

In Part 2 of this article, we will go deeper into the best times to send emails, as well as best practices and how to leverage the analytics you get from an email campaign.

At canfitpro, we offer an array of advertising options that can fit your fitness business. Click here to find out more.

Running a business takes guts and a whole lot of risk to step out into the unknown and create something new. There are always new obstacles to overcome, unforeseen risks to conquer and anxiety that has to be pushed aside if you want to see change. Fortunately, the bigger picture – our why – has always been our guiding force… so, when the pandemic hit it was a matter of reassessing and recalculating what we wanted to be bringing to the world. At a time when the global population is experiencing uncertainty, anxiety and spending more time at home than ever before… navigating the challenges that come with living and working from home can be difficult… hey! We’ve got some experience with this!

Being in the yoga industry for over 3 years now, providing natural cork yoga mats, and becoming super zen yogis, we’ve been sharing our expertise on the topic with our community. Mainly about the benefits of bringing wellness into our home, practicing yoga daily, and how creating a space to thrive can have a profound impact on our general sense of well-being.

#WEAREALLINTHISTOGETHER, is top of mind at a time when we are all feeling a little isolated. This is an opportunity to come together and do things differently, to be better!

Our audience can now find online yoga classes by local yoga studios and independent instructors over on our website at our virtual yoga and wellness café and practice in the comfort of their homes. We also have some incredible mini-challenges planned for anyone who is looking to keep it real in the NEW YEAR!!! We hope you’ll join us @theurbivore over on Instagram, we are always excited to connect with like-minded homies <3

Shoutout to all our fellow business homies who have persevered and stayed positive, we see you, we love you, we are in this together.

We’ll see you in 2021!

P.S. We are currently working on offering accessible wholesale pricing on our line of natural cork yoga mats to fellow business owners and studios as we do our best to offer support and continually encourage the switch to non-toxic, eco-friendly alternatives. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we will do our best to work with you <3

Emily + Rebekah

The Urbivore Sisters

What type of business are you in?

XBody is a manufacturer and supplier of Whole Body Electric Muscle Stimulation devices meant for use in the Fitness Industry. This technology is provided by an Educated* professional, giving the end user a highly efficient and effective way to work out without the need for weights.

Tell us about your business?

Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has been utilized in the Health Care Industry for decades as it safely enables muscle contraction in order to prevent muscle atrophy during injury. Over the past +/- 15 years it has been applied via whole body suits such as XBody, for use on healthy people with healthy muscles. It thereby provides a way to get fit more quickly and effectively than most traditional methods, and without putting repetitive strain on the joints.

The technology causes muscle contraction similar to how the Central Nervous System contracts muscle through electric stimulus, only instead, we are applying the stimulus externally. By doing this we are able to innervate many muscle fibers at one time which in turn leads to the effectiveness of the workout.

20 minutes of EMS Training in conjunction with simple movement is scientifically proven to equal approximately 90 minutes of traditional resistance training. It is also extremely useful for people with injuries as they can work around those injuries and strength the corresponding muscles!

How long have you been in the industry?

XBody has been in business since 2010 and has devices in over 83 countries worldwide. Pre-COVID-19, there were approximately 40,000 XBody workouts happening EVERY DAY throughout the world!

What attracted you to the fitness industry?

As the General Manager in Canada for XBody Canada Inc. my background was first as a Registered Nurse, and then as I Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Coach. I made the switch because I felt prevention of illness instead of treating illness was my passion. My personal story has much to do with my working in the EMS industry for over 10 years. With many years of lifting weights, I was having extreme pain in my lower back and neck. On investigation I was found to have serious degeneration in those areas and was advised to stop lifting weights. I was devastated.

Yet I was fortunate that one of my clients found EMS Whole Body Training in Europe. We brought a device to Canada and I used it with huge success. I was able to stop lifting weights and kept fit and strong with the device. Because I was now a believer, I started using the system on my clients, with results that rivalled anything I’d seen before. Finally, I became involved in the business 5 years ago so I could bring the technology to other Canadians!

What has been your greatest challenge as a business owner/operator and how did you overcome it?

Given this was a start up business in Canada, I had to learn everything from the ground up. At the same time, because we were the first in Canada to sell this type of equipment, education for B2B and B2C has always our main challenge. We have found world wide, that at the beginning stages, people simply don’t know the technology exists and once they try it, they love it!

Given in this industry typical advertising generally doesn’t work, the goal is to get people in the Training Suit. With that in mind, one of our major ways to educate was to take part in the canfitpro trade show and other smaller shows throughout the country. Also, through social media creating a buzz and curiosity about the product.

And of course, currently with COVID-19, we struggled initially due to our purchasers being considered gyms and therefore being shut down, even though the training is with small numbers. One trainer usually trains 1-3 clients at one time. Also, our supply chain and shipping was challenged.

However, we took this time to innovate and create new products to respond to the ongoing challenge we will be faced with in the fitness industry.

What do you hope your buyers achieve within your product/service?

I want our buyers to be aware that XBody is a Leader in the industry for a reason. With safe and reliable equipment, infrastructure with second to none service and support, we are committed to ensuring you have all the tools you need to have a successful business. We in fact went above and beyond as a manufacturer with our Acticare 360; a series of informative manuals that can go far in helping you have the best success with your business.

There are many business opportunities with this device. Our purchasers can have a dedicated studio with EMS Training (Microstudio concept), or you can add it as additional offering in your current studio (Shop-In-Shop) which sets you apart from the other gyms or Wellness Centres, or you can do mobile Training and train people in their homes or offices (Personalized/Corporate Training) since the device is now more portable than ever.

We want to provide, now more than ever, Personal Trainers with these business opportunities in a world where often their jobs no longer exist given the challenges that big box fitness facilities are currently and will continue to face.

Tell us your greatest memory/highlight in your career?

Just before COVID, I was at one of the largest Fitness Shows in the world, FIBO in Florida as in 2019 we had received our FDA clearance for sales in the US. I was asked to be on a panel of experts in the Whole Body EMS field. In the end, I was given high accolades on my extensive knowledge of the industry as the questions invariable always came to me.

But what is even a larger ‘highlight’ for me, are all the stories of success the purchasers of the device continually share with me. Hearing how they are able to help their clients achieve their goals and beyond, keeps me working long days to continue to get the message out there!

How long have you attended canfitpro events?

XBody has been attending canfitpro events for the past 6 years.

What is the percentage of Canadian business you currently have?

As mentioned, we sell in 83 countries around the world with over 5,000 devices sold, but XBody Canada Inc. is completely devoted to having all our business focus on Canada with only Canadian Sales Agents and Service and Support in house in Canada.

How do you plan to grow your Canadian business in the next 12-24 months?

XBody has responded very quickly to the current crisis in the world of Fitness. Because we have always been world leaders in innovation with in-house R&D, we were able to reacted quickly by launching a device called XBody GO, only this past month in Canada that can make Training more mobile than ever and works wirelessly to allow for social distancing.

We now also have Training Suits that can be put on by the clients themselves rather than requiring close contact with the Trainer.

With the mobile device, Personal Trainers can more easily get into the business as they don’t need an expensive bricks and mortar location and would not be classified as a gym. Because this is small number training (1 Trainer to 1 Client or 1 to 2) a safe environment more easily controlled.

We are not finished as in the coming year we are launching additional industry changing products which will simplified EMS Training and go even further in ensuring a safe and comfortable experience!

Necessity is the mother of invention and what I am most proud of is how this company rose to the challenges we are facing and have created products that will allow for a more enjoyable, safer experience for the end user and providing our buyers with a more portable and economical entry into this fast growing market!

*Education is provided by XBody through the EMS Trainer Institute, and is part of the terms of purchase of the device.