Photo By: Louis Dobson

Bravo’s TV show Workout, portrays Jackie Warner and the Skysport Spa trainers working in a unique environment to create “experiences” with clients. (See review)
This is a key strategy for building profitable fitness service business.

The show offers personal trainers clues to how Jackie Warner built her success.

Below are two of the Skysport best practices. How can you apply these “client experience” building examples to build your own personal training business?

1. Connect Nutrition
Providing clients with solid nutrition information is the backbone of the Sky Sport & Spa approach.  The Skysport trainers provide clients with actionable low-glycemic nutrition information.  Jackie Warner’s Protein Shake Recipe is an example.

She simplifies the client’s nutrition while at the same time making them think about her & Skysport every time they have the shake for breakfast.  Do you have a special nutrition recipe will help your clients stay connected to you away from the gym and allows them to pass along to their friends?  Do you have reputable supplements that you can sell to your clients at great prices to compliment your recipes?
2. Exercise With Style
Skysport Spa is an exclusive gym. Everything about it sells style and fashion. How can you incorporate style into your business? How you dress, the materials you provide clients, your website, business cards, how you talk – it all combines to create an impression. What impression are you making on potential clients?

3. Create Symbols
Perhaps you’ve noticed the necklaces the trainers and clients wear at Skysport. They are nothing more than a washer on tastefully knotted leather. But the circle is symbolic and it’s a nice touch that connects the client to the Skysport brand.

In reality, you can go to a hardware store, buy a washer and leather strip for a dime, replicate the leather knot and you’ve got the official Skysport necklace. If you sell them for $25 like Skysport does – you’ll have a nice supplement to your income.

But just in-case you want an original:

THE SKYSPORT TRAINER NECKLACE

This stylish sports necklace is like the ones worn on WORKOUT by the SKY trainers, but only better! Upgraded with premium black leather for better durability, this necklace has an easy slide knot closure for adjustable length. Each piece is hand-made so no two are exactly alike.Approx

Approx. 20″ in length at longest. Designed specifically for SKYSPORT&SPA byFrancoeurncoeurdesignsbymarquis.comis.com.

Price $25.00

Brian “Peeler” got his big break and fitness made it happen. He’s one of the trainers on Bravo’s Workout – a reality (maybe) Docu-drama about Jackie Warner, her girfriend Mimi and building her Skysport spa business.

Flashback a year: Peeler, 27, is a drifter with a dream wallowing in Salisbury, NC. He wants to break into acting but can’t make it happen.

The Charlotte Observer tells the tale:

Peeler grew up in Granite Quarry, just outside Salisbury, and dropped out of East Rowan High in 10th grade. An athlete and certified trainer, he tried working in construction, as a flight attendant and as a model, without much success.

So he sold his stuff and left for California in his beat-up Isuzu, with just enough gas money to get there. He spent his last $20 on a photo to help him get cast as a movie or TV extra, he said.

The casting calls led to few roles. But Peeler made friends, and one told him to capitalize on his trainer experience instead of pining for his dream role. Peeler got a job at a gym and was recruiting customers when he heard about tryouts for the Bravo show.

Peeler said he crashed the audition for kicks. He nailed the gig by being himself. Now he’s on TV, doing what he loves and hoping for his next big break.

“I came out here with nothing, and now my life is so great,” said Peeler, soon to be married.

If you’ve watched the show just ask yourself what Peeler has that you don’t? Really nothing…

1. He had a dream.
2. He took action and risk to pursue it by changing his environment and knocking on doors. (Hey, 70% of anything is just showing up)
3. He used what he knew about (fitness) as a way to get to something he didn’t know about (Acting)

What can personal training do for you?

The press release is a powerful marketing tool for fitness professionals. Used correctly a press release partners with a media outlets desire to offer real value to their readership.

You’ve got to love press releases filled with business babble and market speak. I’m all for branding and sub-branding when it provides meaning and communicates value with brevity. But you’ve got to know where to draw the line.

In my opinion, the PR writer goes a little too far with their Nautilus, Inc. Debuts First-Ever Branded Apparel Line Press Release. Here’s a sample of a press release where many words say little.

“We have combined our unrivaled expertise in human exercise mechanics and our experience with leading-edge fabrics and styles to create the first-ever line designed exclusively for fitness enthusiasts who work out indoors,” said Juergen Eckmann, President of the Nautilus Apparel and Footwear Business. “This signals the beginning of a new category of dedicated, purpose-built fitness apparel, where apparel must work with and for the body of fitness enthusiasts who train five or six times a week.”

Diamond Cut Revision (and above press release translation): New apparel line offers a fit that makes you fit. Nautilus announces it has applied key knowledge gained from decades of experience in working with fitness enthusiasts to create a new category of active apparel. We call the unique technology behind the clothing Responsiv because it adjusts to the conditions of the person wearing it.

Responsiv apparel is designed to keep you cool and maintain its flattering fit wear after wear, even through the toughest of workouts.

But alas, I leave you with more of their press release. Then you be the judge – which do you think the press and consumers will respond to?

The Nautilus® Responsiv Fitness Apparel line is crafted utilizing proprietary Responsiv Moisture Management fabrics and Responsiv Motion Engineering, that are reflected in 38 styles and four custom fit collections for women and men. They include:

— Responsiv Compression, for a tight body fit
— Responsiv Active, for a trim and tailored fit
— Responsiv Relaxed, for a loose and comfortable fit, and
— Responsiv Transit, for travel to and from the workout

The line will be available in limited quantities at http://www.nautilusapparel.com

“The first thing you notice when you put on the gear is that it’s comfortable to wear, and it’s durable so you know it’s going to do the job,” said Skip Jennings, a master fitness instructor from Laguna Beach, Calif. His choice was long-sleeved silver and black top from the Responsiv Active collection. “You can wear this in the morning, and you can keep it on when it gets warmer. It’s the right weight and blend.”

Nautilus acquired the highly-respected cycling and running apparel company Pearl iZUMi USA about a year ago with intentions to broaden the reach of its expertise in high performance apparel. Eckmann said this week’s introduction is the first outward expression of the business transitioning from a ‘branded house’ to a ‘house of brands.’

Read Full Press Release

We’ve been getting alot of requests for info regarding a Jackie Warner Workout DVD. So far this is the closest we can get.

Head on over to ebay and cast your bid for the Bravo Workout DVD Press Kit.

Get more info on Jackie Warner, Mimi and the SkySport Spa Trainers at FitnessGuardian.

 

 

 

Ebay photos by auctiva.

Mr. Rodgers neighborhood was never like this. CNNmoney reports:

For those who want to achieve or maintain healthy lifestyles, there are now planned “wellness” communities springing up around the United States.
They create atmospheres where regular exercise, nutritious diets and avoiding unhealthy habits is the norm.

“Wellness” communities go beyond just having facilities such as golf courses, spas, gyms and biking trails.

These new places hire trainers, nutritionists and wellness directors who lead workshops on avoiding disease, put together work-out regimens and diets, lead hikes and biking trips, teach rock-climbing and show residents how to get the most out of their workouts. They act as gurus as well, leading spiritual exercises and demonstrating stress-reduction techniques.

“What we’ve tried to do is create a wellness culture,” says Sam Varner, director of wellness for the Cliffs Communities, a series of new developments built near Asheville, North Carolina.

While the U.S. population is aging and overweight, at the same time longevity is increasing and more Americans are leading active lives deeper into their old age.

Wellness communities seem uniquely positioned to capture the demographic of Americans who would like to fully immerse themselves in a life-prolonging culture of health and (no small point) have the means to indulge that desire.

Full Story

Nearly 300 IDEA fitness business and program directors across North America responded to the organization’s annual Fitness Programs and Equipment Survey.

The respondents are fitness professionals who represent a blend of small and large health clubs, specialty studios, personal training facilities, colleges, corporate and hospital fitness centers as well as parks and recreation programs.  Among the findings:

Fitness Services

• Personal training remains the most frequently offered program. One trainer working with one client is offered by 84 percent of the respondents. Optimism remains high that personal training will continue to grow, as expressed by 64 percent of those polled.

• Personal training sessions with two to five clients are emerging as a popular option as people seek greater variety or value from their workouts. With 68 percent sharing sessions with two clients and 44 percent working out with three to five clients, it’s clear multi-client personal training continues to climb.

• While Pilates and yoga remain very popular (offered by 64 percent and 58 percent of the respondents, respectively), the survey revealed that after a brisk increase in availability over recent years, the number of these classes might be leveling out.

• Pilates and yoga appear to remain independent activities. Only 32 percent reported a fusion of yoga and Pilates, 24 percent a fusion of Pilates and traditional strength training and 23 percent a blend of yoga and traditional strength training—numbers that have not changed over the past three years

• Those who offer Gyrotonic® or Gyrokinesis® exercise feel it has significant growth potential. While presently only three percent of respondents said they offered these programs, 63 percent of those respondents expect this area to grow.

• Fitness assessments, while a low-profile activity, maintain a role among the most offered options according to 84 percent of those surveyed.

• Traditional “aerobics” classes continue to decline, with all types combined (high-, low- and mixed-impact) still being offered by roughly half of the respondents.

• Boxing-based and kickboxing classes dropped nine percent over the past year and now are offered by only 39 percent of the respondents.

Survey Findings Regarding Equipment

• Barbells and/or dumbbells as well as resistance tubing and bands are the most frequently offered equipment, provided to clients by 90 percent of the respondents. The number of personal trainers and the prevalence of equipment-based classes likely heighten the usage of free-weights.

• Stability balls were favored by 89 percent of respondents and 45 percent said they believed usage would continue on the upswing.

• Two-thirds of respondents said they expected the use of Pilates’ equipment to grow.

• Over the past nine years, elliptical trainers have shown a 30 percent growth to where they now are close to the ubiquity of treadmills. Stair climbers and upright cycles, meanwhile, both have suffered 23 percent declines.

• The popularity of many pieces of fitness equipment remains stable, if not growing. This is an indication that businesses are probably using the gear and experiencing an advantageous return on investment for their purchases.

• Specialized balance equipment, foam rollers and small balls have continued to gain favor over the past three years, probably because more fitness professionals have learned how to use them and see applications for a wide variety of clients.

Survey analysis from July – August IDEA Fitness Journal

Jackie Warner shares her abdominal toning secret in an interview with the Dayton Daily News. (Subscription required)

Q: (DDN)
How do you get those killer abs?

A: (Jackie Warner)
I actually do not do crunches. This is one of my buzz phrases, ‘Crunches are a waste of time.’

Crunches are not going to get those abs. How you get those abs are actually lifting with a big muscle group such as chest, back, legs and butt. The more muscle that you have on your frame, the more fat you literally lose or shrink.

The only way to truly get shredded is to have a pretty balanced diet with a nice balance of cardio, but most importantly, weight lifting.

I don’t agree with everything Jackie Warner does. However, as reviewed here I believe she is spot on. If personal trainers spent more time on compound exercises and less on crunches, their clients would enjoy flatter stomachs and better looking physiques.

Get Jackie Warner’s Protein Shake Recipe as seen on Bravo’s Workout.

Get all the protein shake ingredients for less here.

Having been in fitness for almost two decades I can think of no better time to get into the field.  If you’ve been thinking about taking a leap into fitness services here’s why the water’s fine: 

TREND ONE:  FITNESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE “ON TREND”  

The Trend Is Your Friend
We’ve all heard about aging baby boomers having a greater need for health and fitness services.  It’s plain common sense that demand for health and fitness services will increase.  Instead of quoting you reams of statistics – just ask yourself who represents the “Ideal Customer” and largest market for personal fitness service companies?

If you said upper middle middle class Americans age 45 - 70 you win. (We’ll call this the Ideal Customer for fitness services)  Now that entire cohort is not made up entirely of baby boomers, but a big chunk is.  That’s major opportunity for fitness entrepreneurs several reasons.

1. MONEY – IC’s (Ideal Customers) have disposable income.  They’re white collar professionals who have reached their peak earning years.  They’ve also benefited from a ten year bull market in stocks that have increased their net wealth. 

Fitness services like personal training are still viewed as luxuries to many (though that perception is changing).  But IC’s have discretionary income that makes fitness service purchasing an affordable luxury.

2. TIME - An increasing number of IC’s have flexible schedules, are semi-retired or have left the work force.  This is priceless to personal trainers who now have access to a larger pool of clients available to hire them during the day.  This allows trainers “normal work hours” instead of the before 9am and after 5pm and weekend hours they are forced to take with clients working typical business hours.

3. PHYSICAL IMPACT – Yes you can take a 25 year old and make a tremendous impact on their health and fitness.  Yet all things being equal, those over the age of 45 have the most to gain by getting fit.  Even more important, your Ideal Customer has THE MOST TO LOSE BY NOT GETTING OR STAYING FIT.

If a 25 year old doesn’t exercise they don’t face the same health risks, physiological decline and obesity risk a 55 year old does.  Again, I can throw out stats on lean muscle tissue loss, metabolic slowdown, bone density etc…  but let’s just trust our common sense. 

4.  Attitude of Prevention
IC’s (Ideal Customers) also embrace and value prevention strategies.  They hire financial professionals to prevent loss of income in their retirement years.  They purchase more insurance of various types to prevent economic disaster.  Typically when taking the mandatory insurance physicals they get wake up calls toward their health. 

This lets them quantify the savings in insurance premiums when their blood chemistry and vitals are in an optimum healthy range.  Connecting health to dollars is data that makes a big impression on an ICs.  It makes them appreciate the financial power of prevention.  And the consequences of not having it.

You Can Make Your Fitness Business Free and Still Get Paid
I remember the first time a client told me I saved him money on his insurance.  He came in smiling and said because we stripped thirty pound off him, which among other benefits got him off beta blockers and cholesterol meds his insurance premium dropped by $5,000.00.  (Not to mention his out of pocket cost of his medications)

I smiled and told him that his savings meant he had just paid for his next 50 sessions.  Not a bad deal – working out 50 times for free.  Everybody wins.

Think About It
I’m sure you can recognize more reasons fitness related products, services and companies will enjoy the support of multiple Social, Physical and Demographic trends.  These trends will certainly drive demand and put big profits in the pockets of those fitness professionals that are able to ride the wave.

Remember, the fitness water is fine.  Build a ship, get a raft or surfboard.  An ocean of Ideal Customers awaits you!

Sky Sport and Spa trainer Rebecca shows moves probably inspired from Jackie Warners abs and oblique workout.

Thanks to Livin’ La Vida Low-Carbâ„¢ for the heads up.

Personal trainers who are watching these video clips – what do you think of the movements and how the Skysport trainers are explaining them?

Video: Jackie Warners abs and oblique workout.

Get all Jackie Warner protein shake ingredients for less here.