COO Jane Riddell slips anonymously onto the front lines of GoodLife Fitness to see just how fit the Ontario-based firm is.
Check your local listings for reruns of Undercover Boss Canada featuring GoodLife COO Jane Riddell.
And if you haven’t already, read my Keeping Fit column on Riddell by clicking HERE.
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Timely tips from our good friends at GoodLife …
The key to fitting a workout into your already busy schedule is commitment and ingenuity, according to Jaimie Chapman, manager of GoodLife Fitness for Alberta.
With long work hours, families, commuting, errands and socializing, it’s increasingly difficult to find time to work out on a regular basis.
GoodLife Fitness has come up with tips to stay motivated and find time for fitness in your busy routine. The results are worth it — increased productivity, stress relief, more patience and perspective for your family, and of course, a healthier you.
Jaimie Chapman, manager of GoodLife Fitness for Alberta, says the key to fitting a workout into your already busy schedule is commitment and ingenuity.
“The easiest thing is to find a pocket of your day where it could work, and then commit to it. Put yourself first, and think of yourself as a elite athlete. Nothing should stop you,” she says.
The following are some of Chapman’s tips for success:
Find the time, and stick with it
Many people find time first thing in the morning — before work and before their families wake up. Others find it easier to fit their workout in at lunch or after their kids go to sleep. Workouts don’t have to take long. The important part is to carve out an hour to get there.
Mix it up
There’s no need to spend all your time on the treadmill. Fitness Clubs offer a range of group classes, like the latin dance-inspired Zumba, and the military resistance workout TRX. There are a range of machines and personal trainers available to help you achieve on your fitness goals without losing interest.
Bring your kids
For parents with young kids it can seem impossible to find time for a workout when your child is first priority. Look for a fitness club with a child care facility and make a trip to the gym part of your routine. Chances are your child will enjoy the experience and you’ll feel good knowing you’re finding time for exercise.
Build in social time
We’re so busy it’s hard to find time to see friends or family. Try booking time to workout together. You’ll have a chance to catch up and you will help motivate each other to keep going. Plus, it’s harder to cancel when you’ve arranged a meeting.
Join the group
With hours spent in front of a computer, or at home watching the kids, today’s busy lifestyle can also be isolating. Group fitness classes are a chance to be social, meet new people and benefit from extra motivation. And when you’re part of a group, you’ll be more inclined to return regularly … your fellow members are expecting you!
Reward yourself
Set your fitness goals and identify a reward for when you reach your goals. Maybe it’s shopping, an evening out, or relaxation time. It’s important to celebrate your own progress and maintain your motivation through positive reinforcement. You deserve it!
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Top 10 fitness trends for 2012
So what’s hot for fitness in 2012?
Good question.
The experts at GoodLife Fitness have peered into their crystal balls and here’s what they’ve come up with:
Top 10 Canadian Fitness Trends for 2012
GoodLife fitness experts predict the Top 10 Canadian fitness trends for 2012
LONDON, Ont. — Hot yoga, stress release, population-specific training programs and exercise prescriptions on the pads of health care practitioners will be top priority in 2012.
For the first time, 25 of Canada’s leading fitness experts weighed in on the top 10 Canadian Fitness Trends for 2012. Experts with backgrounds in physiotherapy, kinesiology, exercise physiology, health promotion, fitness and information technology, fitness facilities and equipment and almost 400 years of combined experience in the fitness industry, reported on what they feel will be the key trends in fitness for the coming year.
Small group training in the form of a coach/personal trainer leading a group of participants ranked #1 overall in fitness trends for 2012.
Access to educated and experienced fitness professionals ranked in the top 5 key trends. This item has held top spot for five consecutive years on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) survey of the top fitness trends.
Zumba and dance-infused group exercise classes came in a close second as exercisers want to blast away the ‘work’ in workout and pack their workouts with energy and fun.
Top 10 Canadian Fitness Trends predicted for 2012:
1. Small group workouts. Many individuals want the benefits of working with a personal trainer and the motivation that comes with working in a group/group setting. Working out in small groups of three to 12 with a certified coach (small group training instructor) is an economical solution for a lot of people. Examples include TRX® Suspension Training (www.trxtraining.com), Boot Camps and CrossFit (www.crossfit.com).
2. Zumba, SH’BAM™ and Dance-focused Group Exercise Classes. People want to have fun and enjoy their workouts and have the freedom to move. ZUMBA FITNESS® is an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health (www.zumba.com). Featuring simple but seriously hot dance moves, SH’BAM™ is the perfect way to shape up and let out your inner star – even if you’re dance challenged. Each 45-minute SH’BAM™ class is vibrant, unique and varied.
3. Demographic-specific programming. Fitness professionals understand that programming needs to be targeted to specific populations to engage and maintain participation. Older Adult Programming, Child and Youth Programming, Sport-specific training, Rehabilitation and Cardiovascular Health Programs are populations that top the list.
4. Educated, experienced fitness professionals. Fitness professionals are continuously specializing and expanding the services and programs they provide. It is important for consumers to choose a fitness professional that is certified through internationally recognized organizations like canfitpro (www.canfitpro.com).
5. Workplace Wellness Programs. Workplaces are focusing a lot more on employee health and wellness. Due to the increasing costs of absenteeism and health insurance and the negative impact on a company’s bottom-line of an unhealthy workforce, many companies have instituted comprehensive health promotion programs to encourage a healthier workforce. GoodLife Fitness Workplace Wellness offers a wide-variety of customizable options like on-site Group Exercise Classes, wellness workshops, on-site flu clinics and organizational health audits. Special corporate fitness club memberships are also a popular option with Canadian employers (www.goodlifefitness.com/CorporateWellness/).
6. CORE Training and Functional Fitness. As the Canadian population ages, people understand the great value of fitness and core strength for preventing injury and illness and being able to do everyday activities with ease, like climbing stairs and playing with children. CXWORX™ is a 30-minute group exercise class that is based on cutting-edge scientific research. It combines the best of personal training with the energy of a group fitness class. CXWORX™ is ideal for tightening your tummy and butt, while also improving functional strength and assisting in injury prevention.
7. Hot Yoga and more accessible Yoga. Hot Yoga continues to be a key trend for exercisers who are looking for the mind-body-spirit benefits of activity and enjoy the health benefits of the heated studios. YogaFit® is Yoga for the Fitness Industry. It is a new program in Canada that makes Yoga easy to understand and more appealing to a greater number of people (www.yogafit.com).
8. Lifestyle Coaching. The role of the fitness professional continues to expand to include lifestyle coaching, nutrition counselling and stress management. Allied health services like massage therapy, chiropractic care and services like one-on-one yoga are also emerging to compliment the programs and services provided by fitness clubs, personal trainers and group exercise instructors.
9. Exercise and Fitness integrated into the traditional healthcare system. Physicians and allied healthcare professionals increase prescribing exercise and activity to their patients. Fitness becomes a key part of injury and disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
10. Express Workouts. Life is very busy and most people want their workouts to be quick and effective. Many group exercise classes and strength training circuits provide 30 minute express-style options which not only help you achieve your health and wellness goals, but are also great for the beginner exerciser. GoodLife Fitness suggests you try the Fit Fix Circuit 2 to 3 times per week to get a full-body strength training workout that takes only 20 to 30 minutes (www.goodlifefitness.com/FAQ.aspx).
“Prioritizing your health and wellness should be at the top of everyone’s resolution list for the new year,” said Kim Lavender, Director of Team Training for GoodLife Fitness. “The top fitness trends for 2012 have something for everyone whether you are a seasoned exerciser or it is your first time lacing up running shoes. My advice is to get started, keep moving, do it with a friend, and find something you love. Make this the year you take control of your health and wellness and reap all of the incredible benefits of being active. Everything you need is within your grasp.”
With these Top 10 fitness trends, the experts agree, Canadians of all ages and fitness levels can look forward to making 2012 their healthiest year ever.
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Today marks the start of the grand opening weekend for GoodLife Fitness in Sherwood Park.
Here are all the details:
17092_Sherwood_Grand Opening Flyer2
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Residents in and around Sherwood Park, just east of Aberta’s capital, soon will have a chance to live the “GoodLife.” A GoodLife Fitness facility is planned for Sherwood Park Mall, at 2020 Sherwood Dr., in the spring of 2011.
GoodLife Fitness, with more than 275 locations across Canada, arrived in Edmonton this past March with the opening of a southside facility.
I’ve been told that there are several more GoodLife facilities planned for Edmonton and area.
Hardy
Patchell-Evans
Former Club Fit owner David Hardy — extremely well-respected throughout the fitness industry — is a friend of GoodLife CEO and founder David (Patch) Patchell-Evans — who is extremely well-respected himself.
As the story goes, Patch purposely stayed out of Hardy’s territory as a favour to his friend.
However, when Hardy sold his majority stake in Edmonton-based Club Fit to Calgary-based International Fitness Holdings, well, all bets were off. And now GoodLife is moving in.
It’s shaping up to be an interesting battle between gym chains.
But more importantly, it’s a win-win for local gym-goers. The growing GoodLife-vs.-World Health competition will force both fitness clubs to offer their utmost in customer service as they battle to retain customers and win new ones.
So, back to Sherwood Park in Strathcona County.
The new 32,500-plus-square-foot club will boast both co-ed and ‘for women’ sections, according to a press release issued today.
“We are thrilled to be opening our second location within a year in the vibrant region surrounding Edmonton,” Patchell-Evans said in a release.
“We are committed to playing an active role in the community and helping all Edmonton and area residents get healthy and active.”
That excitement, of course, is echoed by the mall.
“Sherwood Park Mall is excited to welcome GoodLife Fitness,” said Sherwood Park Mall marketing director Tineke Buiskool-Leeuwma. “We are looking forward to a partnership to add value to our customers.”
GoodLife’s 23rd club in western Canada will offer all of the amenities the fitness firm is known for, including:
• Cardiovascular and strength-training equipment;
• Cardio theatre entertainment system with plasma TV’s;
• Group EXercise Studio;
• Group Cycling Studio;
• Hot yoga;
• Deluxe locker rooms;
• Child minding
• Large exterior windows and skylights;
• More than 75 pieces of cardio equipment;
• Access to the shopping mall;
• The edgy Les Mills group exercise programs such as BodyFlow (yoga moves), BodyJam (dance-based exercise to great music) and RPM (indoor cycling);
• Personal training;
• A virtual reality fitness and health assessment tool called the Visual Fitness Planner.
About GoodLife Fitness
GoodLife Fitness dubs itself “Canada’s largest and most successful fitness company and the largest fitness club chain in Western Canada.” It celebrated 31 years in business this year and was recently honoured with Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures award. David Patchell-Evans, GoodLife founder and CEO was also recently named Entrepreneur of the Year by Canada’s Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (CCVA).
