wellness magazine 22 2006

Magazine

NUMBER 1 YEAR 9

WELLNESS TRENDS, INNOVATIONS AND LEADERS

22

MAGAZINE FOR OPERATORS

TURIN 2006The Olympics,

passion aplenty

• Successful clubs:Getting staff trained

and qualified

• Products:Easy Line, circuit

training has arrived

Wellness

echnogym has played an important role at yet another Olympics. Turin2006 was a successful encore to both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004Games. As a testament to the increasingly close relationship between our company

and the International Olympic Committee, Technogym was invited to equip all 19training centres for use by the Olympians throughout the winter sports event. Once again, there were a variety of emotions that accompanied these events, butTechnogym felt immense pride in the knowledge that with Turin 2006, our companyhad achieved its ambition of having trained all the world’s Olympic athletes, byvirtue of our presence at both the summer and winter games.The Turin Games marked the Olympic debut for CardioWave and Kinesis, whichboth received the unanimous approval of Olympians, trainers, journalists andorganisational staff: in fact, the whole Olympic Family. Technogym also introducedthe new Corporate Wellness Initiative at Turin, a Technogym-equipped training cen-tre reserved exclusively for staff of the Olympic Organisation Committee. Althoughnew to the Olympics, this initiative is increasingly popular on a corporate levelworldwide, thanks to the positive benefits it has in terms of greater staff efficiencyand productivity, reduced absenteeism due to ill-health and the social benefits ofexercise. Even more proof of these benefits have been highlighted from the studycarried out by Brazilian company Petrobras on its own corporate wellness centre.We have analysed the results in detail in the Evidence-Based Wellness column inthis issue of Wellness Magazine. In a word, being fit and healthy is beneficial for everyone. We've said it time andtime again (and indeed reiterated it during the last Wellness Congress organisedby the Wellness Foundation in January in Holland), defining and highlighting thesocial role that clubs could and should play in the coming years. This can beachieved by differentiating what clubs offer customers and embracing thedemands of that growing segment of population that perceives physical exercise asa veritable ‘medicine with positive side effects’ for health and prevention. In orderto achieve this, what is needed once again is investment in club staff. The key wordsare ‘training’ and ‘specialisation’, which are the only ways in which clubs can distin-guish themselves from the competition and achieve true customer satisfaction. Still on the subject of differentiation, the start of 2006 heralded the launch of EasyLine, to which we dedicate ample space in this issue. Inspired by circuit training,Easy Line is a flexible solution that responds to the needs of new operators andusers of any age and gender, who are put off by traditional gym environments. I would like to round off this editorial by returning to events that took place inMarch. The tumultuous reception received at the grand launch of CardioWave atIHRSA, Las Vegas is still ringing in our ears. Initial reaction from the market, report-ed in this issue, strengthens our conviction that the Wave truly heralds the start ofa new era in cardio workouts.

Wishing you all Wellness,Nerio Alessandri

President, Technogym

TEditorial

Nerio Alessandri President of Technogym

ContentsOlympic Games: Turin 2006 6

IHRSA 2006: Cardio Wave world launch 11

Sport & Performance: Muscles in the driving seat 14

Special event: Wellness Convention in the Netherlands 16

Successful clubs: Staff specialization 18

Customers give their views: Fitness First Dubai 21

Products: Easy Line gives everyone access to Wellness 22

Products: Cardio Wave, they love it! 24

Evidence-Based Wellness: Corporate Wellness,the Petrobras project 26

Kinesis Case Histories: Germany and Japan 30

Mywellness: The key to success 32

Total Wellness Solution: After-sales service 34

ColumnsClub Layout 36

Wellness Lifestyle 38

Welcome to the Wellness Family 40

Calendar - Fairs and Events 41

Focus 42

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Contents

Magazine

NUMBER 1 YEAR 9

22

22

MagazineWellness

O L Y M P I C G A M E S

6

he curtain has already fallen on the XXXXWWiinntteerr OOllyymmppiicc GGaammeess aanndd PPaarraallyymmppiiccssTTuurriinn 22000066. It is often said that the mostsublime and intense emotions stay with us

forever; in that case, some of this year’s Olympicimages will certainly linger long in our memories.There were so many memorable moments duringthe Games. They included the awe-inspiring andmmaaggnniiffiicceenntt cchhoorreeooggrraapphhyy from the opening andclosing ceremonies, linked by the emblematic‘‘SSppaarrkkss ooff PPaassssiioonn’’ theme and a host of symbolsdepicting Italian culture, not to mention spellbind-ing ffiigguurree sskkaattiinngg performances and of coursejubilant scenes at the MMeeddaallss PPllaazzaa aawwaarrddss cceerree--mmoonniieess .. But ever y Olympiad i s t inged wi thmoments of drama and tragedy. When perfor-mance is everything, the probability of errorincreases and years of sacrifice can all come tonothing. In spite of this, wwiillllppoowweerr can overcomesuch tr ibulat ions, as demon-strated by the moving exampleof CChhiinneessee ffiigguurree sskkaatteerr ZZhhaannggDDaann . Fo l lowing a d isas troustumble on the ice, she kept hernerve and continued with herperformance with her partner,eventually going on to win thessiillvveerr mmeeddaall. There were plentyof unforgettable memories, notjust for the aatthhlleetteess who tookcentre stage, but also for thethousands of vvoolluunntteeeerrss,, ssppeeccttaa--ttoorrss and all those who had theopportunity to mmaakkee aa ttaannggiibblleeccoonnttrriibbuuttiioonn to the success ofthe event.This included the TTeecchhnnooggyymmtteeaamm, who played their par tonce again. Drawing on its expe-

rience gained during Sydney 2000 and Athens2004, Technogym fully deserved its re-appoint-ment as ooff ff iicc iiaall ssuuppppll iieerr ttoo tthhee XXXX OOllyymmppiiccGGaammeess aanndd PPaarraallyymmppiiccss ooff TTuurriinn 22000066.

PASSION MADE IN ITALY ‘‘PPaassssiioonn LLiivveess HHeerree’’ was the motto which accompa-nied the 2006 Turin Games. The slogan was a per-fect ccoommbbiinnaattiioonn of OOllyymmppiicc ssppiirriitt, which comprisesloyalty, an enthusiasm for life and challenges, dedi-cation and sacrifice in the name of one’s chosenobjective; and IIttaalliiaann iinnggeennuuiittyy, comprising ssttyyllee,,ccrreeaattiivviittyy and iinnnnoovvaattiioonn. These vvaalluueess have alsobeen the cornerstone of the TTeecchhnnooggyymm pphhiilloossoopphhyyand mission. The company was especially proud toassist with the event, having been given the idealplatform to showcase the quality of its IIttaalliiaann--mmaaddeepprroodduuccttss aanndd sseerrvviicceess to the world, on its very owndoorstep.

Ability, willpower and heart: this was the winning cocktail served upby the XX Winter Olympic Games and Paralympics Turin 2006. Once

again, Technogym took charge of the champions’ athletic preparation

T

One of the most movingchoreographic performancesfrom the opening ceremony.Hundreds of volunteersbrought a giant image of aski jumper launching intothe air to life

After Sydney 2000 andAthens 2004, Technogym wasonce again re-appointed asOfficial Supplier to the XXWinter Olympic Games andParalympics Turin 2006

by Luca Ravaglia

Turin 2006:passion on ice

THE GAMES IN STATISTICSDuring fifteen days of Olympic contests, from 10 to26 February 2006, 22,,660000 aatthhlleetteess from ffiivvee ccoonnttii--nneennttss (Africa and Oceania included) went head-to-head in 1155 rriivveettiinngg ddiisscciipplliinneess. These ranged from thetraditional winter events including ddoowwnnhhiillll sskkiiiinngg andthe sskkii jjuummpp, to typical North European events suchas NNoorrddiicc ccoommbbiinneedd, ccrroossss--ccoouunnttrryy sskkiiiinngg and thebbiiaatthhlloonn; featuring events on ice, including iiccee hhoocckkeeyy,sskkaattiinngg, bboobbsslleeiigghh, lluuggee, sskkeelleettoonn and sshhoorrtt ttrraacckkssppeeeedd sskkaattiinngg, to newer, spectacular and intriguingevents such as ssnnoowwbbooaarrddiinngg, ffrreeeessttyyllee and ccuurrlliinngg.Such sports require endurance, power and dexterity,years of training and sacrifice, not to mention thetenacity to exceed oneself and go that extra mile.The total number of mmeeddaallss aawwaarrddeedd was 11,,002266,with GGeerrmmaannyy finishing top of the pile thanks to aattoottaall ooff 2299 mmeeddaallss, including 1111 ggoollddss.

7


Even the Paralympics, which ran from 10 to 19 March 2006, wrotean important chapter into the history of the Turin 2006 Games,once more underlining the universal value of sport and its abilityto break down all cultural barriers, bringing people of allbackgrounds together in friendship. This IX Paralympic Gamesfeatured over 600 athletes competing in 5 disciplines – downhillskiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, curling and ice hockey –174 medals were awarded, of which the Russian Federation tookthe lion’s share (33 medals, including 13 gold).

Just as for the Olympics, Technogym was nominated as the officialsupplier of cardio and power training equipment and made a valuablecontribution to the training of competing athletes. Having equippedthe training facilities of the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004Paralympics, the company once more reaffirmed its commitment bylining up alongside the disabled athletes of Turin 2006.

Within each of the Olympic Villages of Turin and Sestriere, Technogymequipped a cutting-edge training facility with special equipment forthe disabled athletes. This included the Selection power line, designedfor use even by people in wheelchairs, as well as the Top XT upperbody ergometer, which combines a cardiovascular workout withstrengthening for the upper body muscles, and above all Kinesis, aninnovative cable system which allows a full range of exercise andmovement, which is also suitable for wheelchair users.

Technogym has always paid close attention to the more vulnerablemembers of the population, in keeping with the company’s mission toimprove the quality of people's life through physical activity. Eversince 1997 Technogym has produced specialised equipment fordisabled people, whilst at the same time promoting variouscommunity initiatives within Italy as part of its project entitled‘Technogym for Social Aims’.

Kinesis allows for a full range of exercises and liberal bodymovements, even for wheelchair users

The two symbols of theOlympics. The five

illuminated rings andgreat Olympic torchpositioned over theOlympic Stadium in

Turin, were lit by finaltorch-bearer, Olympic

champion StefaniaBelmondo

The photo shows the ‘Sparks of Passion’, whichfeatured daring skaters sporting speciallyconstructed, fiery helmets. This was the symbolwhich incarnated the Olympic motto ‘PassionLives Here’ during the opening and closingceremonies of the Games

TTUURRIINN 22000066 PPAARRAALLYYMMPPIICCSSTTEECCHHNNOOGGYYMM OONNCCEE AAGGAAIINN AALLOONNGGSSIIDDEE DDIISSAABBLLEEDD AATTHHLLEETTEESS


For power training,Technogym supplied atotal of around 600machines from thePersonal Selection Classicline, in addition tobarbells, free weights andhand weights. At theOlympic Village in Turin, anumber of Canadianathletes using the Selectionbenches. In the foregroundis Italy's Fabio Carta on LegExtension

The honour of taking part, enthusiasm, human warmthand a sense of belonging to one big family, all in thename of sport. These were some of the most stirringemotions experienced by guest customers ofTechnogym at Turin 2006. In order to share the feelingof living close to the Olympic spectacle for the guestcustomers, Technogym actually organised numerous3 day hospitality packages in Turin. Each package comprised a tour to the city as well asto the Olympic Village, entry to several contests andparticipation in cultural events organised throughoutthe Games.

The customers, from the United States, Europe andJapan, expressed their wholehearted satisfaction withthe hospitality afforded to them, and congratulatedthe company on its level of organisation. Thecompany was also praised by John McCarthy, IHRSAPresident, who was impressed by the dazzling arrayof Technogym equipment at the Olympic Village inTurin and by the work of the entire Technogym staff:“My greatest memory, really beyond allexpectations,” explained McCarthy. On a sportinglevel, he was particularly struck by the physicalcondition of the Italian winners in the men’s 4 x 10 km

TTEECCHHNNOOGGYYMM TTAAKKEESS CCEENNTTRREE SSTTAAGGEE AATT TTHHEE OOLLYYMMPPIICCSS

TECHNOGYM WAS BEHIND THE CHAMPIONS’ PREPARATIONSIn order to best meet the demands of athletes andtheir entourage, TTeecchhnnooggyymm installed oovveerr 11,,000000mmaacchhiinneess, including cardiovascular and powertraining equipment, benches, barbells and otheraccessories, which were distributed over 1199 ttrraaiinn--iinngg ffaacciilliittiieess. TThhrreeee of these facilities were locatedwithin the OOllyymmppiicc VViillllaaggeess iinn TTuurriinn,, SSeessttrriieerree aannddBBaarrddoonneecccchhiiaa; nniinnee at the competition venues; oonneein the OOllyymmppiicc FFaammiillyy general quarters; ttwwoo in theMMeeddiiaa VViillllaaggee and ffoouurr in the general quarters ofcertain national teams – CCaassaa IIttaalliiaa,, tthhee NNeetthheerr--llaannddss,, UUSSAA and RRuussssiiaa. The training facilities, origi-nally intended for the pphhyyssiiccaall pprreeppaarraattiioonn ooff aatthh--lleetteess from 8800 ccoouunnttrriieess, were also put to good use

by the 22,,770000 tteecchhnniicciiaannss aanndd nnaattiioonnaall tteeaammeennttoouurraaggee, as well as the 99,,000000 jjoouurrnnaalliissttss on handto document the Games. The equipment used to furnish the Olympic gymna-sia notably included the latest technological inno-vations CCaarrddiioo WWaavvee and KKiinneessiiss. Cardio Wave, arevolutionary cardio training machine internation-ally patented by Technogym, simulates the actionof skating and combines three movements into asingle exercise for the very first time. Above all,CCaarrddiioo WWaavvee works the gglluutteess,, lleeggss aanndd wwaaiissttlliinneeand offers oovveerr 2200%% greater efficiency comparedwith other cardio training equipment, given thesame usage time. Equally innovative is the designof KKiinneessiiss, a genuine ppllaattffoorrmm ooff ttoottaall bbooddyy ffrreeee--ddoomm. It allows thousands of motions to be per-

8

Training on Run Excite in the Olympic Village gymnasium in Turin. Technogymsupplied a total of 400 machines from the Excite line, the most comprehensive rangeof cardio equipment in the world

Olympic torch bearers Nerio Alessandri with his brother Pierluigi (left). On its way to Turin,the Olympic torch stopped off at the Technogym head office before being carried onwardsto Cesena by the two company representatives

formed and embodies the concept of 360 degreefreedom of movement. Finally, thanks to the TTeecchhnn--ooggyymm WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm, coaches and athletes wereable to customise training and monitor final prepa-rations in the run up to the Games. Some impres-sive statistics demonstrate the popularity of the 19gyms: 3300,,000000 kkmm ttrraavveelllleedd on the cardio machines,giving a total 55,,000000 wwoorrkkoouutt hhoouurrss, 2266,,000000 ttoonnss ooffwweeiigghhttss lliifftteedd, and an estimated 22,,550000,,000000 ccaalloorriieessbbuurrnntt!!

THE FIRST OLYMPIAD OF THE WELLNESS ERAPPeerrffoorrmmaannccee and wweellllnneessss went hand in hand: inthis sense, Turin 2006 could be defined as ‘tthhee ffiirrssttOOllyymmppiiaadd ooff tthhee WWeellllnneessss eerraa’. In fact, whilst ath-letes made full use of Technogym equipment to putthe finishing touches to their physical preparation,journalists and organisers of the TTOORROOCC (Turin2006 Organising Committee) and IIOOCC (Internation-al Olympic Committee) were able to keep in shapethanks to an active CCoorrppoorraattee WWeellllnneessss pro-gramme, including mmeeddiiccaall cchheecckk--uuppss and ttaarrggeetteeddaanndd ccuussttoommiisseedd ttrraaiinniinngg for the improvement oftheir psychological and physical wellbeing.

TURIN 2006, A SUCCESSWHICH WAS RICHLY DESERVED993300,,000000 eennttrraannccee ttiicckkeettss ssoolldd, final gate receipts ofaallmmoosstt 7700 mmiilllliioonn EEuurrooss; it was clear that theTTOORROOCC mmoorree tthhaann aacchhiieevveedd its objective. This wasdespite the gloomy predictions of some who expect-ed a downturn in spectator numbers. Even moreimportant was the endorsement of none other thanJJaaccqquueess RRooggggee,, CCIIOO PPrreessiiddeenntt, according to whomthe Turin 2006 Winter Olympics were aann uunnddeennii--aabbllee ssuucccceessss: in addition to outstanding sportingperformances, tthhee cciittyy ooff TTuurriinn, the IIOOCC,, vvoolluunntteeeerrssand ooffffiicciiaall ssuupppplliieerrss aallll iimmppeeccccaabbllyy ppeerrffoorrmmeedd thetasks and responsibi l i t ies assigned to them.Undoubtedly, TTeecchhnnooggyymm deserves some of thecredit as it looks towards the next challenges whichlie ahead: BBeeiijjiinngg 22000088 and VVaannccoouuvveerr 22001100.

TTHHEE NNEEXXTT CCHHAALLLLEENNGGEE:: TTHHEE GGEERRMMAANNYY 22000066 FFOOOOTTBBAALLLL WWOORRLLDD CCUUPP


cross-country skiing relay (Giorgio Di Centa, FulvioValbusa, Pietro Piller Cottrer and Cristian Zorzi). Meanwhile Toshihiro Kutuna from Japan, owner of theHoliday Sports Club (Nagoya), took pride in noticinghow all the athletes were training on Technogymequipment, much like the ones used every day bymembers of his own fitness club; the all-new CardioWave was especially popular. He was interested bythe idea of selling off the Olympic gym machines as‘single’ collectors’ items. Catherine and GuillaumeCorbière of the Forest Hill France Club (Paris), havingdelighted in one of Turin’s historic cafés, the ‘Bicerin’,

were then treated to an inspiring visit to the TurinOlympic Village gymnasium. In their view, Technogymhas shown itself “capable of supplying equipmentwhich combines high quality, high performance,safety and unmistakeably Italian design”. Finally,Tatiana Karaboikova of the Atama company,Technogym distributor in Bulgaria, was keen tounderline the wide-ranging variety of fittedequipment: “I think that Kinesis should be betterpromoted amongst athletes and trainers because it isthe best solution for multi-disciplinary training andpreparation”.

Catherine and Guillaume Corbière (Forest Hill France, Paris) enjoyed the atmosphere inTurin and its historical attractions. During their visit to the Olympic Village, they

appreciated the professional quality and Italian-made design of Technogym products

9

One of the sports champions who train withTechnogym equipment is Italian slalomist

Giorgio Rocca. After missing out at the TurinOlympics, the Italian made amends by winning

the slalom title at the 2006 World Cup

Netherlands in the Athens 4x relays, and the

Italian Giorgio Rocca, recent winner of the

World Cup slalom, who achieved the feat of

five consecutive World Cup slalom victories.

Technogym’s next challenge will be the

Germany 2006 football World Cup, in which

the company will once more reaffirm its

position as benchmark supplier of physical

exercise technology and services.

Further information regarding Technogym

sports sponsorship may be found at:

wwwwww..tteecchhnnooggyymm..ccoomm//ccoorrppoorraattee

A decade has passed since Technogym first

made its debut alongside sports champions,

sponsoring the Formula 1 driver Micheal

Schumacher, who was driving with Benetton

at the time, followed by footballer

Ronaldo, before becoming official supplier

to the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004

Olympics.

To this day, the company boasts an

impressive list of prestigious partnerships

which features Scuderia Ferrari and the

McLaren Technology Centre in Formula 1, the

Alinghi, Prada and Mascalzone Latino teams

in the America’s Cup yachting challenge

and the world’s greatest European football

clubs including Ajax, Real Madrid,

Liverpool, Juventus, Milan and Inter.

However, Technogym is also active in

basketball, volleyball, swimming and

skiing. In terms of the latter two

disciplines, Technogym provided its most

innovative machines for training the

European and Olympic champion Inge de

Bruijn, gold medal winner for the

Russians Tatiana Navka and RomanKostomarov didn’t give their opponentsa chance in the Figure Skating, runningaway with the fourth Olympic gold oftheir careers. The pair fully deservedtheir victory, electrifying spectatorswith a performance in time to Bizet’sCarmen.

Czech athlete Katerina Neumannova wasfirst to cross the finish line of the 30 kmCross-country event, marking the end of avery tactical race. The 33 year old, aveteran of four Olympics, made a returnto the podium after giving birth todaughter Lucie in 2003.

Frenchman Vincent Defrasne (aged 28)was the surprise gold winner in the

Biathlon, coming first in the 12.5 kmmen’s pursuit. He outpaced Ole Einar

Bjoerndalen, gold medallist at SaltLake City, in a thrilling finish to an

inspiring and closely contested race.

Despite not being in top physicalcondition, Norwegian Kjetil Andre

Aamodt, beat his rival Hermann Maierinto second place by 13 seconds,

winning his third Super-G gold medalat the age of 34, following his

previous victories at Albertville ’92and Salt Lake City 2002. This was his

fourth Olympic gold and eighthOlympic medal in total, earning him a

place as an Olympic skiing legend.

O L Y M P I C G A L L E R Y

10

Enrico Fabris (aged 24) won the biggest haulof Italian medals during this Olympiad,capturing two gold’s in the 1,500 m SpeedSkating and men’s team pursuit and a bronzein the 5,000 m race.

Estonian Andrus Veerpalu (aged 35) won the 15 km men’s Classical Cross-Country race 14 seconds ahead of Czech Lukas Bauer and 19 seconds aheadof Tobias Angerer from Germany. The Baltic nation proved itself a force to

be reckoned with in this category, also winning the women's event

Japanese skater Shizuka Arakawa(aged 25) captivated everyone in the

Individual Figure Skating event,winning a gold medal at the Palavela

arena. Italian goldsmiths crownedher ‘Queen of the Ice’, presenting her

with a tiara of gold and diamondsmade in her honour.

Snow and fog didn’t prevent 21 yearold Julia Mancuso from winning the

women’s Giant Slalom in Sestriere. Theathlete finally provided the USA with a

women’s Olympic skiing medalfollowing the country’s eight-year

barren spell. In the WorldChampionships the previous year, Julia

achieved two bronze medals in theSuper-G and Giant Slalom.

Champions !The victories of some old

and new protagonists at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics

n addition to it being IHRSA’s 25th anniver-sary, the global launch of CCaarrddiioo WWaavveegrabbed the headlines at this important UStrade fair: following European sales of over

5,000 units within the space of a few months,Cardio Wave has finally aarrrriivveedd oovveerrsseeaass..Accompanied by MMaaddoonnnnaa’’ss hhiitt Hung Up, CardioWave – which the pop legend has alreadyordered for her home – was the real attraction ofthe 2006 IHRSA fair, enticing thousands of peo-ple to gather around the Technogym stand andconference area, which featured seminars dedi-cated to ‘Wave Science’. The US operators, work-ing in a mature and highly competitive market,couldn’t fail to appre-ciate the undeniable‘wow factor’ of Car-d io Wave and thegreat appeal whichthis product promisesto offer their clubs.Of course, the Techn-ogym stand featuredthe entire range offirst-rate fitness andwellness equipment –Personal Select ion,Excite, Element, EasyLine, Kinesis , Wel l -ness System and IsoControl – but pride ofplace was given tothe Cardio Wave

area, which buzzed with music, applause, energy,smiles and fun, thanks to the crowds who packedthe fair. “This launch was designed to communicate tomanufacturers within this sector that a new Car-dio era has begun”, explains KKaarrii IInnggaallllss of theTechnogym USA Marketing Department. “It is anera characterised by a new cardio movement,with its comprehensive three-dimensional system.We wanted people to realise just how much ffuunnyyoouu ccaann hhaavvee wwiitthh bbooddyy mmoovveemmeennttss. In particular,one of our trainers, Chris, showed us that on Car-dio Wave you really can ddaannccee, which drew gaspsof appreciation from the audience”.

by Giulia Muttoni

I H R S A 2 0 0 6

I

Cardio Wave’s global launch at IHRSA marked the sector’sbiggest arrival, confirming Technogym as the market leader in

terms of manufacturing innovation

The New Cardio Era hasreached the USA

s-do

nt

A scene from the Cardio

Wave launch presentation

at IHRSA. The Technogym

stand was one of the

event’s major attractions

and buzzed with music,

rhythm and entertainment

11

I H R S A 2 0 0 6

CARDIO WAVE, EAGERLY AWAITEDBY OPERATORS AND THE MEDIAThe launch of Cardio Wave at IHRSA marked themost eagerly awaited new arrival in the sector,ccoonnffiirrmmiinngg TTeecchhnnooggyymm aass tthhee mmaarrkkeett lleeaaddeerr iinnmmaannuuffaaccttuurriinngg iinnnnoovvaattiioonn.. This was confirmed bythe popularity of the dedicated Cardio Wave semi-nars, which were very well attended, as were theKinesis seminars. The machine’s enthusiasticreception was further demonstrated with oovveerr11,,990000 nneeww ccoonnttaaccttss bbeeiinngg rreeccoorrddeedd,, aass ooppeerraattoorrssggeett rreeaaddyy ttoo llaauunncchh aa wwaavvee ooff nneeww iinnssttaallllaattiioonnssaarroouunndd tthhee wwoorrlldd.Even NBC, the major US television network, pro-duced a special report on Cardio Wave during thefair ’s early morning workout on Wednesday22 March. It conducted interviews with variousmembers from the Technogym team and present-ed Cardio Wave as a genuine revolution in car-diovascular training, suitable for all types of user.

A SILVER JUBILEE FOR IHRSA AND ITS MEMBERSThis grand occasion was capped by the presti-gious 2255tthh aannnniivveerrssaarryy ooff tthhee IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall CCoonn--vveennttiioonn && TTrraaddee SShhooww, the sector’s most impor-tant international event. The original mission ofIHRSA (IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall HHeeaalltthh,, RRaaccqquueett aanndd SSppoorrttss--cclluubb AAssssoocciiaattiioonn) was to increase, protect andpromote the wweellllnneessss aanndd ffiittnneessss iinndduussttrryy, provid-ing members with a competitive edge to aid thegrowth of their business. Statistics prove that theassociation and its members form a happy mar-riage that reaps significant rewards: 6,500 mem-bers in over 67 countries (4,800 in the USAalone), of which 604 are product suppliers, inaddition to partnerships with 15 similar interna-tional organisations. These figures state that the

overall revenue for the US wellness and fitnessindustry in 2004 totalled $$1144..88 bbiilllliioonn. With suchimpressive figures and significant cash flow inplay, it was no surprise that the 25th AnniversaryInternational Convention & Trade Show registereda record number of par t ic ipants : a lmost450 exhibitors set up stands at the Las VegasConvention Centre (over 22,000 m2) for the 4-dayconference and tradeshow. The action-packed fair(which included over 150 events including work-shops, forums, presentations and discussion)offered participants an opportunity to warm upeach morning with an early one-hour workout ses-sion. Participants could also make full use of therelaxation zone, loosening those weary muscleswith a ten-minute neck and back massage at theclose of each day.

The buildings of the Las

Vegas International

Convention & Trade Centre,

which hosted the 2006

edition of the IHRSA fair,

which was also its 25th

anniversary celebration

Jim Collins gave the keynote

speech, sponsored by

Technogym, pointing out

exactly what makes a

successful business

12

I H R S A 2 0 0 6

13

The photo shows Steve

Tharrett explaining how to

maximise the business

opportunities created by

Cardio Wave

THE TECHNOGYM CONTRIBUTION TO CULTURE WITHIN THE SECTORBBiillll CClliinnttoonn made a highly significant contribu-tion with his opening address. The former USpresident began his fight for health promotionduring his term in the White House, striving toincrease awareness in the importance of physicalexercise. The speaker line-up also included JJiimm CCoolllliinnss, aspecialist in the research of large-scale corpora-tions, which was sponsored by Technogym. Hemade two points which revealed the secretsmantras for running a successful business: GGooooddttoo GGrreeaatt aanndd BBuu ii ll tt ttoo LLaass tt . H i s f i r s t po in tanswered the question ‘Can a company becomegreat, and if so, how?’, whilst the second dealtwith the issue ‘What distinguishes the really

exceptional firms?’. As mentioned previously, Technogym also organ-ised numerous sseemmiinnaarrss aabboouutt CCaarrddiioo WWaavvee aannddKKiinneessiiss, which involved the participation of oovveerr550000 ooppeerraattoorrss. Speakers tackled the theme of’TThhee iinnnnoovvaattiioonn aanndd iimmppaacctt ooff CCaarrddiioo WWaavvee’f rom three d i f fe rent angles : AAnnttoonnyy CCaarreeyytouched on the biomechanics of the Cardio Wavemotion, CCeeddrriicc BBrryyaanntt, spoke about training ses-sions and finally SStteevvee TThhaarrrreetttt looked at the in-depth business aspects of Cardio Wave. Leadingthe second session was EErriinn CCaarrssoonn, with anaddress entitled ‘How to Create a SuccessfulKinesis Business Model’ followed by GGrreegg NNiieeddeerr--llaannddeerr with ‘Kinesis Programming’, and finallyTTiimm SSooddeerr looked at ‘Kinesis Rehabilitation andSports Conditioning Applications’. ■

The IHRSA seminars, organised by Technogym about Cardio Wave and Kinesis,

generated a great deal of interest amongst the operators. Over 500 participants

attended the various sessions

The Technogym stand occupied

an area of around 800 m2.

Besides Cardio Wave,

Technogym showcased the

entire range of first-rate fitness

and wellness equipment:

Personal Selection, Excite,

Element, Easy Line, Kinesis,

Wellness System and Iso Control

by Helena Shirley and Jemma Baker

S P O R T & P E R F O R M A N C E

Even racing drivers have to stick to a tough trainingprogramme before they are ready to compete on the track:

this revelation comes from Juan Pablo Montoya

Muscles in the driving seat

our Grand Prix victories since 2001, 24 podi-um victories, 72 Grand Prix races, 221points, 11 pole positions: these numbers sumup the success enjoyed by the Columbian

Formula One driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, who hasbeen driving for the McLaren Mercedes team since2005. After a season that brought him fewer victo-ries than hoped – he finished the year in 4th place,behind Alonso, Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher– the thirty year old from Bogotà is determined tostart next season on the right foot, thanks also to ameticulous training regime. In this interview hereveals his new training strategy, put into action withsignificant contribution from Technogym fitnessequipment.WWeellllnneessss MMaaggaazziinnee ((WW..MM..)):: WWhhaatt eelleemmeennttss ooff yyoouurrttrraaiinniinngg ddoo yyoouu ccoonnssiiddeerr mmoosstt iimmppoorrttaanntt??Juan Pablo Montoya (J.P.M.): They're all equallyimportant, really. As a Formula One driver, I use allthe main muscle groups of my body. I can't train in aspecif ic way l ike amarathon runner or aswimmer for a breaststrokerace. As my personal train-er says: I need to have thepower of a boxer in theupper body, the lightningquick reactions of a fighterpilot and the stamina of arunner.People don't usually realisethat Formula One racingdrivers need to be just asfit as any other athlete. Thecockpit is a tough environ-ment, there’s a lot of pres-sure on the body. In addi-

tion to the physical pressure applied by corners,braking and accelerating, there is also the heat,which can actually cause you to dehydrate. To facesuch extreme conditions, you have to be super-fit.WW..MM..:: HHooww ffaarr aahheeaadd ddoo yyoouu ppllaann yyoouurr ttrraaiinniinnggrreeggiimmee??J.P.M.: The programme is tailor made for me by mypersonal trainer, who nearly always travels with me.He sets me specific activities each week, but heensures that I never repeat the same activities twodays in a row. He's a critical figure for me because Ican only devote a limited amount of time to training.He actually works out with me and this adds a com-petitive element to the training, it makes it easier forme, plus I like knowing that he's suffering along withme! As there are often last minute changes to myschedule, his planning has to be very flexible.WW..MM..:: HHooww ddooeess yyoouurr ttrraaiinniinngg ddiiffffeerr wwhheenn yyoouu aarreeccoommppeettiinngg,, ccoommppaarreedd ttoo wwhheenn yyoouu aarree rreessttiinngg??J.P.M.: When I'm not racing, my training focuses on

F

14

JJuan Pablo Montoya on the

race track. The thirty year

old Columbian has been

driving for McLaren

Mercedes since 2005

cardiovascular capacity and stamina in order toachieve maximum fitness. Each year, I strive toimprove on my previous year’s level. It's the mostintense time for training, particularly because it'swhen I have most time. During the racing season, onthe other hand, the purpose of training is simply tomaintain that fitness and to avoid injury. We usuallyhave three or four days in between races duringwhich time we can train. We need this time to recov-er from the strain of the previous race, for exampleworking on specific aches and pains.WW..MM..:: IIff yyoouu ccoouulldd ppiicckk jjuusstt oonnee ooff tthhee mmaacchhiinneessyyoouu uussee ffoorr ttrraaiinniinngg,, wwhhiicchh oonnee wwoouulldd yyoouu cchhoooossee,,aanndd wwhhyy??J.P.M.: The FF11 TTrraaiinniinngg. It was designed by Techno-gym specifically for Formula One drivers and itrecreates the same conditions I'm faced with in thecockpit. You work out on a seat that's very similarto the one in my racing car, the McLaren MercedesMP4-20. You wear a special helmet connected toweights by means of a system of cables, aa ddeevviicceeddeessiiggnneedd ttoo aappppllyy ssttrreessss ttoo tthhee nneecckk ffrroomm ddiiffffeerreennttaanngglleess in order to simulate the stress upon drivers’necks on the track. The same technology is used forthe steering wheel to ssttrreennggtthheenn tthhee mmuusscclleess iinn tthheeuuppppeerr bbooddyy aanndd aarrmmss..On the race track, the force of lateral accelerationis so strong, it feels as though your head is aboutto be torn off! You have to be extremely fit, so theFF11 TTrraaiinniinngg is crucial, since it's the only piece ofequipment that comes close to simulating the con-ditions your neck is exposed to while driving. WW..MM..:: WWhhaatt aarree tthhee mmoosstt ccoommmmoonn iinnjjuurriieess aammoonnggFFoorrmmuullaa OOnnee ddrriivveerrss aanndd hhooww ddoo yyoouu pprreevveenntttthheemm??J.P.M.: J.P.M.: More than actual injuries, aches and

pains are theproblem. In ourspor t , lowerback pain isquite commondue to pressureand sharp brak-ing, especiallyon the left side.I work on thatquite a lot withmy personaltrainer when I'mnot racing,using the TTeecchhnn--ooggyymm WWeellllnneessss

BBaallll, which develops stability and strength in themid-section of the body. It helps prevent injury andstrengthens my upper body and lower backregions.WW..MM..:: DDoo yyoouu pprreeffeerr ttoo ttrraaiinn aatt hhoommee oorr iinn tthheeggyymm??J.P.M.: To tell the truth, it makes no difference tome. I travel for much of the year, so I work outwherever I happen to be. The MMccLLaarreenn TTeecchhnnoollooggyyCCeennttrree gym, developed jointly with TTeecchhnnooggyymm, isan awesome place and I use it whenever I can, butunfortunately that's not very often. I like to dosome of my training outdoors too, for examplemountain biking and combining that with the gym.WW..MM..:: DDiidd yyoouu uussee aannyy TTeecchhnnooggyymm eeqquuiippmmeenntt wwhhiilleerreeccoovveerriinngg ffrroomm yyoouurr sshhoouullddeerr iinnjjuurryy?? J.P.M.: The FF11 TTrraaiinniinngg ppllaayyeedd aa ffuunnddaammeennttaall ppaarrttiinn mmyy rreeccoovveerryy. I suffered a nasty injury last yearand I couldn't move because of the pain. But assoon as I got some mobility back, I began a work-out regime using the FF11 TTrraaiinniinngg, which allowed meto work on my damaged shoulder muscles and pre-pare for getting back behind the wheel again.WW..MM..:: WWhhaatt cchhaarraacctteerriissttiiccss ddoo yyoouu llooookk ffoorr iinn tthheeeeqquuiippmmeenntt yyoouu uussee ffoorr ttrraaiinniinngg??J.P.M.: It has to be simple, functional and make mecarry out the specific exercise I need for that partic-ular area of the body.WW..MM..:: DDoo yyoouu ddoo aannyy ootthheerr ssppoorrtt ttoo mmaakkee yyoouurrttrraaiinniinngg ccoommpplleettee??J.P.M.: A significant part of my training consists indoing other sports: mountain biking, snowboard-ing, also I've just started water skiing, which workson all the main muscle groups. ■

Thanks to Jemma Baker, Technogym UK, for hercontribution

S P O R T & P E R F O R M A N C E

15

Montoya during a pause in

his regular training

programme, designed for

him by his personal trainer

Technogym equipment plays a fundamental role

in Juan Pablo Montoya's training strategy: he's

pictured here watching a Leg Curl

by Monica Malatesta

S P E C I A L E V E N T

Wellness:a social responsibility

he international event took place on 18 Jan-uary at the PPaappeennddaall CCoonnggrreessss CCeennttrree iinnAArrnnhheemm,, NNeetthheerrllaannddss, where a range of fit-ness experts and professionals gathered to

discuss themes relating to the concept of wellnessconcerning the world’s economically deprivednations. The event focused on the world of wellness,offering reflections, ideas and analysis on tthhee mmeeaann--iinngg ooff tthhee ccoonncceepptt ooff wweellllnneessss iinn oouurr ssoocciieettyy today,on an individual and cultural level, as well as the dif-ferent roles it can and ought to play.Now in its 12th Edition, tthhiiss yyeeaarr’’ss WWeellllnneessss CCoonnvveenn--ttiioonn hhaass rreeaacchheedd iinntteerrnnaattiioonnaall ssttaattuuss, as confirmedby the variety and quality of speakers ranging fromEErriiccaa TTeerrppssttrraa, president of the Dutch Olympic Com-mittee, and EEddddyy EEnngglleess of the Dutch Ministry ofHealth and Sport, to swimmer PPiieetteerr vvaann ddeenn HHooooggee--

bbaanndd and professor PPaauull ddee KKnnoopp of the University ofTilburg, and not forgetting NNeerriioo AAlleessssaannddrrii in hiscapacity as president of the WWeellllnneessss FFoouunnddaattiioonnand chief promoter of the event.In fact, it was the Wellness Foundation, a non-profitmaking organisation set up in 2003 by Alessandri,that created the study day, in partnership withNNOOCC**NNSSFF ((NNeetthheerrllaannddss OOllyymmppiicc CCoommmmiitttteeee**NNeetthheerrllaannddss SSppoorrtt FFeeddeerraattiioonn)), an important organi-sation that brings together various groups and bod-ies of Dutch sport. The Wellness Foundation broughtprofessionals together with diverse backgrounds todiscuss hhooww ttoo mmaakkee gglloobbaall wweellllnneessss pprroojjeeccttss aa rreeaallii--ttyy aanndd wwhhaatt ttaannggiibbllee bbeenneeffiittss ccaann bbee ddeerriivveedd ffrroommaappppllyyiinngg tthhee pprriinncciipplleess ooff WWeellllnneessss oonn aa wwiiddee ssccaallee.These topics were explored in response to the themeof the day: how being fit and healthy is beneficial to

In the centre, Nerio

Alessandri, president of the

Wellness Foundation, and

Erica Terpstra, president of

the Dutch Olympic

Committee, flanked by

Marcel Boots, manager of the

Dutch branch of Technogym,

and well-known TV presenter

Humberto Tan (right)

T

The Wellness Convention 2006, organised by the Wellness Foundation in partnership with the

NOC*NSF (Netherlands Olympic Committee* Netherlands Sport Federation), took place on

18 January 2006 in the Netherlands, at the Papendal Congress Centre in Arnhem, near Utrecht

16

Individual wellness does not merely improve the quality of life ofindividuals, but that of the whole of society: this was the messagethat emerged from the Dutch Congress of the Wellness Foundation

17

Some of the speakers pictured

at the Convention, which has

now reached its 12th edition.

From left, Marcel

Sturkenboom, director

ofNOC*NSF, marathon runner

and former European

champion Gerard Nijboer,

professor Gertjan Schaafsma,

sales manager Food and Health

TNO, Evert van Hardeveld,

editor of Men’s Health

magazine and swimmer Pieter

van den Hoogeband, Olympic

champion, also nicknamed

‘The Flying Dutchman’

all. Being healthy is of benefit to individuals, compa-nies, public bodies and society as a whole.This central theme was debated and discussed andthis vision was particularly embraced by NNeerriiooAAlleessssaannddrrii, who focused on the role that the conceptof wellness must play in our everyday lives. Startingwith the importance of prevention in order to main-tain a healthy lifestyle, Alessandri reminded atten-dees of the fundamental steps required to makewhat may seem dream, become a reality: bbyy eedduuccaatt--iinngg ppeeooppllee ttoo ccaarrrryy oouutt pphhyyssiiccaall eexxeerrcciissee wwee wwiillll ttrruullyyiimmpprroovvee tthhee qquuaalliittyy ooff lliiffee ooff eeaacchh aanndd eevveerryy oonnee ooffuuss. These steps must be urgently undertaken, giventhe grave risks we run if we continue to follow ourcurrent lifestyle: an unhealthy way of life, which ischaracterised by sedentary living, a poor diet, smok-ing, alcohol consumption and stress, coupled withthe overall ageing of the population, has led to asteady increase in serious illnesses and diseaseincluding obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems,tumours and depression.Alessandri's speech highlighted the ‘‘ssoocciiaall ddiimmeenn--ssiioonn’’ ooff wweellllnneessss,, wwhhiicchh mmuusstt bbeeccoommee aa pprriioorriittyy aarreeaanot just ffoorr sseeccttoorr ooppeerraattoorrss but also ffoorr iinnssttiittuuttiioonnss,,mmeeddiiccaall sscciieennccee aanndd uunniivveerrssiittiieess. The presence ofrepresentatives of these sectors at the Congress wasa welcome sign reflecting the growing awareness ofthis social dimension.The opportunities for everyone in the wellness sec-tor are significant and Technogym explores them inthe most comprehensive manner possible throughthe Wellness Foundation, so much so that this workearned company president Alessandri formal thanksfrom EErriiccaa TTeerrppssttrraa. This acknowledgment is justreward for Technogym’s hard work over many years.In conclusion, Alessandri reminded the Congress oofftthhee iimmppoorrttaannccee ooff ccoonnttiinnuuiinngg ttoo pprroommoottee pphhyyssiiccaalleexxeerrcciissee in schools through physical education pro-grammes, in Ministries of Health with public healthprevention programmes, in town planning withincentives for those who perform sport, in compa-nies, sports associations, the press and mass mediato communicate the benefits of a wellness-orientedlifestyle, and lastly in all sports clubs to promoteawareness of wellness.At the Congress, it transpired that wellness is a verybroad concept. During Professor Paul de Knop’stalk, he highlighted the different meanings attrib-uted to the word ‘wellness’ by different cultures: inthe hyperkinetic West it is synonymous with relax-ation, tranquility and leisure, whilst in Asia itdenotes a life lived with energy. This is as if it were acounter-opposition to what is missing in the predom-inant lifestyle of a given society. In other words,

wellness is basical-ly the achievementof balance. But it isalso discipline, asemerged from thestory recounted bythe 100 m freestyleOOllyymmppiicc cchhaammppiioonnPPiieetteerr vvaann ddeennHHooooggeebbaanndd, whoselifestyle is dictatedby a combinationof steely determi-nation and dedica-tion to achieve hisgoal. Psychologicaland mental bal -ance leads to phys-ical balance, and his testimony once again high-lighted how only combined perfectly, can it lead tovictory on the podium. The common denominator would appear to be theachievement of a perfect balance between theparts: between mind and body and between theindividual and the social fabric in which we live. AsAlessandri himself says, “iitt iiss nnooww vveerryy cclleeaarr jjuusstthhooww iimmppoorrttaanntt llooookkiinngg aafftteerr oonneesseellff aanndd one's well-ness is, and how this creates a virtuous circle where-by iinnddiivviidduuaall wweellllnneessss lleeaaddss ttoo ssoocciioo--eeccoonnoommiiccggrroowwtthh ooff ssoocciieettyy. Because in a world like ours, wweellll--nneessss is no longer merely a narcissistic concept relat-ing exclusively to the individual, but aa ssoocciiaall rreessppoonn--ssiibbiilliittyy ooff uuss aass iinnddiivviidduuaallss,, ooff iinnssttiittuuttiioonnss aanndd ooffoorrggaanniissaattiioonnss, who must pursue the goal of well-ness at a social level”. ■

S P E C I A L E V E N T

by Carolina Durante

S U C C E S S F U L C L U B S

Staff specialisation

here is a mmiinniimmuumm ccoommmmoonn ddeennoommiinnaattoorrwhich links successful clubs: tthhee ssppeecciiaallii--ssaatt iioonn ooff ii ttss ssttaaff ff . The resoundingresponse we received from our survey of

clubs is that the ‘human resources’ factor isessential for both cclluubb ddeevveellooppmmeenntt and ccuussttoommeerrrreetteennttiioonn. Even if high standards of professionalism are notyet as widespread as they might be within the fit-ness and wellness sector, there is nevertheless agrowing awareness of the need for improvementin all-round service quality. This has led to theincreasing success of pprrooffeessssiioonnaall ttrraaiinniinngg ccoouurrss--eess ooffffeerreedd bbyy tthhee WWeellllnneessss IInnssttiittuuttee. This trainingschool and consultancy has set itself the task of

developing highly-qualified staff for the marketand increasing business opportunities for opera-tors, thereby creating culture within this sector. With twenty years experience, the Wellness Insti-tute is about to broaden its hor izons: s incebecoming a benchmark for those Italian clubsaiming to offer outstanding service – such as theSSwwiimm PPllaanneett––AAccqquuaa && FFiittnneessss CClluubbss in Lombardyand XXLL WWeellllnneessss AArreeaa in Faenza, which both fea-ture in these pages – the Wellness Institute willshortly be ready to step onto the internationalstage with a truly innovative project, which will beexplored in greater detail in the next issue of WWeellll--nneessss MMaaggaazziinnee.The need for greater staff specialisation is notactually specific to the Italian market, but thissentiment is also shared abroad, as demonstratedby the experience of the CCoommmmuunniittyy AArreennaa AAggeeooin SSaaiittaammaa, Japan.

CHATTING WITH CUSTOMERSIn Japan, hospitality is sacred. Even in the gym.This is confirmed by SShhiiggeeyyuukkii AAkkiiyyaammaa, managerof the CCoommmmuunniittyy AArreennaa AAggeeoo facility, which wasestablished in March 1988 in SSaaiittaammaa. It coversan area of 272 m2, of which 198 m2 are dedicatedto the gymnasium. It was inaugurated for a sec-ond time on 21 February last year, following itstotal renovation and outfitting with the TTeecchhnnoo--ggyymm EExxcciittee and SSeelleeccttiioonn lines.Not all gym owners are experts in the sector, asdemonstrated by this club which belongs to IIttoo--YYookkaaddoo, one of the biggest hypermarket chains inJapan. TTeecchhnnooggyymm JJaappaann, through its FFiittnneessss CClluubbBBuussiinneessss SSuuppppoorrtt GGrroouupp division, assisted by pro-viding both qualified staff and consultation formanagement of the gyms – in fact, it can counton a pool of 50 trainers and 200 instructors in

T

18

Human resources are vital to a winning formula and one organisationstriving to raise standards is the Wellness Institute, a benchmark for

wellness clubs aiming to deliver outstanding service

specific disciplines, who are assigned to variousclients according to their requests. The Community Arena Ageo customer base is pre-dominantly local – around 800 members – com-prising regular customers of the hypermarket.“TTwwoo rreecceeppttiioonniissttss aanndd eeiigghhtt iinnssttrruuccttoorrss ffrroommTTeecchhnnooggyymm JJaappaann wwoorrkk iinn tthhee ffaacciilliittyy,, ooff wwhhoommttwwoo aarree ffuullll--ttiimmee aanndd ssiixx aarree ppaarrtt--ttiimmee”, explainsAkiyama. “Once a month I attend a leaders meet-ing, which is held in Tokyo near the TechnogymJapan offices”, continues Akiyama. “All the seniorinstructors meet up to share their experiences anddiscuss ways of improving the quality of service ineach facility. Furthermore, TTeecchhnnooggyymm oorrggaanniisseessttrraaiinniinngg ccoouurrsseess on specific subjects ranging from‘LLeeaaddeerrsshhiipp’ to ‘TTeeaamm wwoorrkk’. For my part, I ppllaann aammoonntthhllyy mmeeeettiinngg wwiitthh mmyy ssttaaffff and provide newarrivals with a standard induction which dealswith topics such as ‘IInnssttrruuccttoorr dduuttiieess’, ‘HHooww ttooddeevveelloopp aann oorriieennttaattiioonn pprrooggrraammmmee ffoorr nneeww mmeemm--bbeerrss’, and many more besides. Most important ofall, in my view, isn’t so much the specialisation ofcourses but ccoommmmuunniiccaattiioonn aanndd tthhee aabbiilliittyy ttoo ccoonn--vveeyy iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd iiddeeaass”.“I feel that the fitness industry shares many com-mon features with the hospitality industry”, statesAkiyama, “and instructors need to be aware ofthis. In Japanese culture we place a great deal ofimportance on motenashi-no-kokoro, which meanshospitality, and I always remind my staff never toforget this. The result is that oouurr ccuussttoommeerrss ccoommeettoo tthhee ggyymm nnoott jjuusstt ttoo eexxeerrcc ii ssee bbuutt aallssoo ttoossoocciiaalliissee, which is something we take great satis-faction in.“I’d like to underline that during staff meetingsover the last year, there has been a noticeablechange in attitude”, concludes Akiyama. “VViieeww--ppooiinnttss aarree aaccttiivveellyy eexxcchhaannggeedd aanndd tthhiiss ccoonnttrriibbuutteessttoowwaarrddss mmaakkiinngg oouurr cclluubb aa mmoorree pplleeaassaanntt aannddaappppeeaall iinngg ppllaaccee. The posit ive ef fects of thischange include a reduction in the membershipdrop-out rate, which stood at around 5-6% permonth last year. We have now reduced it to 4%,which is a notable improvement”.

THE WELLNESS INSTITUTE, SYNONYMOUS WITH PROFESSIONALISMSSwwiimm PPllaanneett––AAccqquuaa && FFiittnneessss CClluubb is a group of sixmulti-functional sports facilities, five of which arelocated in the Province of VVaarreessee and one in MMoonnzzaa. “Our facilities have a characteristic standard”,explains MMaarriioo CCaacccciiaappaagglliiaa, General Manager, “agenerous pool area and a sizeable fitness section(between 300 and 500 m2), fully equipped withTTeecchhnnooggyymm SSeelleeccttiioonn and EExxcciittee machines. ‘Fitnessfor family’ is our mission: the feature which setsSwim Planet apart from the competition is our abili-ty to devise an all-round package for families basedon the various sports, fitness and wellness servicesavailable here. EEaacchh ffaacciilliittyy iinncclluuddeess 2200--3300 mmeemm--bbeerrss ooff ssttaaffff: a General Manager, an Administrator,7-8 Fitness Instructors, 7-8 Swimming Instructorsand Trainers, 2-3 Lifeguards, 5-6 Receptionists, 2-3Consultants, as well as Service and MaintenancePersonnel.“We believe that continued research into improve-ments that can be made is fundamental for everybusiness; this is why iinn oouurr oorrggaanniissaattiioonn,, iinn--hhoouusseettrraaiinniinngg iiss oonnggooiinngg aanndd iiss ddiivviiddeedd iinnttoo vvaarriioouuss sseecc--ttiioonnss. For the fitness section, our pprriimmaarryy ttrraaiinniinnggccoouurrssee pprroovviiddeerr is Technogym and its WWeellllnneessss IInnssttii--ttuuttee. We organise a 44--55 ffuullll ddaayy iimmmmeerrssiioonn pprroo--

Mario Cacciapaglia,General Manager of Swim

Planet–Acqua & FitnessClub, a group of six

facilities in Lombardy

Around 20-30 staff work ineach Swim Planet–Acqua &

Fitness Club facility, forwhom the Wellness

Institute trainers holdperiodic seminars on

specific topics

Shigeyuki Akiyama (centre), manager of the Community ArenaAgeo club, with some of his staff members


The Community Arena Ageo facility in Saitama occupies a total area of 272 m2 and is

owned by Ito-Yokado, one of the largest hypermarket chains in Japan

19

ggrraammmmee wwiitthh TTeecchhnnooggyymm tthhrroouugghhoouutt tthhee yyeeaarr iinn oonneeooff oouurr ffaacciilliittiieess. This offers advanced courses in tech-nology and methodology for all our trainers who areinterested in self-development and who wish to stayon with us.“Last year we organised various events at our facili-ties with mmoonnootthheemmaattiicc sseemmiinnaarrss run by WellnessInstitute trainers. The topics have been planned incollaboration with Technogym and our fitness man-agers. IItt hhaass bbeeeenn aann eennrriicchhiinngg eexxppeerriieennccee becausethese high-quality seminars have succeeded inadding value to both experienced and new trainers.They have pprroommpptteedd iiddeeaass ffoorr aa pprrooaaccttiivveeddiissccuussssiioonn, which has been the impetus to motivateour staff as whole. WWee bbeelliieevvee tthhaatt TTeecchhnnooggyymm pprroo--vviiddeess aa hhiigghh--qquuaalliittyy ccoonnssuullttaannccyy aanndd ttrraaiinniinngg sseerrvviicceeby trusting in trainers who make ongoing researchand improvement their top priority”.

COMPREHENSIVE AND ESSENTIAL TRAINING“The human resources factor is paramount to thesuccess of the business”, says FFrraanncceessccoo MMaarraabbiinnii,owner and club manager of XXLL WWeellllnneessss AArreeaa inFFaaeennzzaa (Ravenna), a 1,000 m2 club which includesa 220 m2 gym room entirely fitted out with TTeecchhnn--ooggyymm SSeelleeccttiioonn equipment, as well as a 55 m2

KKiinneessiiss area. The entire club has been fully com-puter ised and integrated into the WWeell llnneessssSSyysstteemm. TThhee tteeaamm ccoommppoosseess ooff 1122 ssttaaffff mmeemmbbeerrss: twoReceptionists, nine Trainers and a Cleaner, in addi-tion to the owners and Club Managers Francescoand Alessandro Marabini.“IInn tteerrmmss ooff rruunnnniinngg tthhee cclluubb,, ttrraaiinniinngg tthhee tteeaamm iissoouurr pprriioorriittyy. Over the last few years, we have invit-ed the Technogym WWeellllnneessss IInnssttiittuuttee to providetraining to our technical staff”, explains FrancescoMarabini. “TThhee vvaarriieettyy ooff ttrraaiinniinngg ccoouurrsseess ooffffeerreedd

aanndd tthheeiirr eexxcceelllleenntt vvaalluuee tthheeyy ooffffeerr,, ffuullllyy ssaattiissffiieesstthhee nneeeeddss ooff aa cclluubb lliikkee oouurrss. We believe thatTechnogym provides a comprehensive, essentialyet simple training service, which is relevant on adaily basis and is of interest to all professionalstaff working in a wellness club.It ranges from basic ffiittnneessss ttrraaiinneerr courses(required for assistant trainers to become trainers,even if they are sports science graduates) orrreecceeppttiioonn mmaannaaggeerr courses for those providingfirst line contact with the customer.More specialised courses are also recommended:ppeerrssoonnaall ttrraaiinneerr aanndd mmeettaabboolliicc ffiittnneessss courses forthose thinking of going freelance; tteecchhnniiccaall mmaann--aaggeerr oorr cclluubb mmaannaaggeerr courses for those who wishto expand their skills whilst working for us, withthe added benef it of improving their careerprospects”. ■


20

A scene from the AcquafitnessMarathon which was held inthe Swim Planet–Acqua &Fitness Club in Monza

The XL Wellness Area facility in Faenza (Ravenna) extends over 1,000 m2 including a 220 m2 roomentirely fitted out with Technogym Selection equipment, as well as a Kinesis area of 55 m2. The spa

area occupies 160 m2 and includes a sauna, steam bath, whirlpool, cold water immersion tub,aromatic showers and a relaxation area

he f i rs t FFiitt --nneessss FF ii rrssttfacility in theMiddle East

recently opened inDDuubbaaii in the UUnniitteeddAArraabb EEmmiirraatteess, on 21January 2006.The c lub aims toattract a variety ofc u s t o m e r s : “ O u rgoal” , explainsVViikkrraamm BBhhaattiiaa, Gen-

eral Manager of Fitness First in the United ArabEmirates, “is to attract both those who have neverbeen members of a gym before, as well as thosewho want to tone up and boost their muscles orjust keep fit in an environment where it's alsoeasy to meet new people.The gym measures 2,500 m2 and boasts 80machines belonging to the cardio EExxcciittee rangeand 40 items of equipment from the PPeerrssoonnaallSSeelleeccttiioonn range in metallic blue, which comple-ment the Fitness First colour schemes.We have three training rooms: the CCyycclliinngg RRoooomm,which is fitted out with 35 bikes, the MMiinndd && BBooddyyRRoooomm for yoga and Pilates and the MMaaiinn RRoooomm,which can accommodate 60 people, and is usedfor all other classes. We installed Kinesis, and wealso have over 2,000 kg of weights, a wide selec-tion of DDVVDDss, a members lounge with wirelessInternet connection, drinks and magazines formembers' enjoyment.HHiigghhllyy ttrraaiinneedd pprrooffeessssiioonnaall ssttaaffff aarree eesssseennttiiaall tothe success of Fitness First: the facility employs ageneral manager, 6 membership consultants, fit-ness manager, 11 personal trainers, group train-ing coordinator, 8 receptionists, administratorand around 8 freelance trainers for group class-es. The facility also employs an accountant, mar-keting manager and a group activities manager,headed by a general manager.Approximately 26,000 euros was invested into theprofessional training of heads of department,which took place before the centre opened. Somestaff even received training in our facilities inAsia. These f itness professionals will attendrefresher training courses every two years. Training is extremely important, it is a vital part

of our business. Health & fitness is a dynamic sec-tor in which customer needs are constantlychanging: this makes it necessary to ensure staffare always up-to-date with the latest industrydevelopments.IInnssttrruuccttoorrss aarree aa bbiitt lliikkee rroocckkssttaarrss, they have togive a top performance every time. And not just5 star, but a 7 star service for members: that iswhy the ‘human resources’ factor is criticallyimportant to us.TTeecchhnnooggyymm proved to be not just an excellent gymequipment manufacturer, but also a consummate-ly professional supplier and a good ally withregard to our after-sales needs. They were veryproactive in providing us with key resources fortraining, particularly with the new format KKiinneessiiss.They provided ongoing help to teach us about theproduct, as well as useful information about itscharacteristics and benefits, which not only helpsus attract new members but also keeps existingmembers happy”. ■

wwwwww..ffiittnneessssffiirrsstt..aaee

Special thanks to Michele Moro, Regional SalesManager of Technogym Middle East

Fitness First Dubai

T

Top left, Vikram Bahtia, General

Manager of Fitness First in the

United Arab Emirates

Below, the extensive cardio

area welcomes 80 machines

from the Excite range

21

C U S T O M E R S ’ T A L K

aassyy LLiinnee is a range designed to make life thatlittle bit easier, as the name suggests. How-ever, ‘Easy’ does not just refer to the eeaassee ooffuussee of the equipment, but also the eeaassee ooff

sseett--uupp aanndd mmaannaaggeemmeenntt for the club.Most people want to lose weight, improve theirhealth and get into shape, but often feel daunted bythe complicated functionality of some of the equip-ment on offer at gyms. So TTeecchhnnooggyymm has developedEEaassyy LLiinnee specifically for this type of user. Easy Line isa circuit consisting of 1166 ssttaattiioonnss (eight machines

and eight steppers) that are ssiimmppllee ttoo uussee,, eesssseennttiiaalliinn tthheeiirr ddeessiiggnn and above all, far from daunting.It's a line designed to aappppeeaall to a customer groupthat probably doesn't visit a gym. The focus is onsseenniioorr cciittiizzeennss,, oovveerrwweeiigghhtt mmeenn aanndd wwoommeenn andtthhoossee wwhhoo aarree nnoott ppaarrttiiccuullaarrllyy ffiitt, a group which untilnow has, by and large, avoided the world of fitnessbecause of they have felt intimidated within a gymenvironment.The circuit has been developed to provide ssiimmppllee,, nnaatt--uurraall mmoovveemmeennttss for people who aren’t very familiar

by Marta Giovannelli

P R O D U C T S

Easy Line gives everyoneaccess to Wellness

A circuit comprising 16 pieces of equipment which aresimple to use and manage and essential in their design.

Easy Line is created to appeal to people who are intimidatedby the complexity of traditional gym equipment

the two pushing and pulling movements, thatcan be performed, without losing contact orresistance during the exercise.

•• EEaassyy PPaadd:: this is an ergonomically designedcushion, designed for the Leg Extension/LegCurl, which allows short users to perfectly alignthe knee joint with the fulcrum of theequipment. It is also featured on the Leg Press.

•• EEaassyy oonn tthhee KKnneeee:: thanks to extensive testscarried out by Technogym's Study and ResearchCentre during the development of previous rangesof professional equipment, particular attentionhas been paid to the design of the poplitealsupport on the Leg Extension/Leg Curl apparatusin order to minimise pressure in this area.

•• EEaassyy FFeeeell:: Easy Line's hydraulic resistanceadapts to the physical condition and fitness ofall users, varying in accordance with the speedof execution of the movement. It enables users

to tone agonist and antagonist muscleseffectively and in complete safety. Technogym®has chosen ZF Group – SACHS as a partner, oneof the world's best producers of suspension andhydraulic systems for the automobile andmotorcycle sector. All Easy Line pistons featureadjustable resistance. A ring nut with agraduated scale makes it possible to reduce orincrease the resistance offered by the piston,giving trainers the opportunity to adapt thecircuit to their own customers.

•• EEaassyy 22 MMoovvee:: Each machine has built-in wheelsto ensure it can be moved around with thegreatest of ease, optimising management ofspace within a gym.

•• CCoolloouurr:: Frames and padding come in onecolour solution: champagne for frames and acombination of brown and nabuk for padding:the seats and headrests are brown, and the sidesections are nabuk.

22

TTEECCHHNNIICCAALL SSPPEECCIIFFIICCAATTIIOONNSS

Technogym has supported the development ofall the products that are included within thiscircuit, focusing on the interaction between thehuman body and the equipment to guaranteethe best performance possible at all times.

•• EEaassyy SSeeaatt: the design of the seats is acharacteristic element of Easy Line. The shape ofthe seat guarantees stability and comfortduring exercise. The shape of the backrestensures optimum stability for all users,respecting the physiological curve of the spinalcolumn.

•• EEaassyy AAnnggllee: the angle between the seat and thebackrest is a generous 95 degrees, to comfortablyaccommodate any user, so even overweight clientscan easily access the equipment.

•• EEaassyy FFiitt:: the shape and position of the cushionsand shin pads is designed to guarantee users ofdifferent builds a perfect grip when carrying out

Bio-mechanics and ergonomic design,

principles traditionally associated with the

Technogym brand, provide the Easy Line

circuit with comfort and ease of use.

Technogym has chosen as its partner the ZF

Group – SACHS, one of the best worldwide

producers of suspension and hydraulic

systems for the automobile and motorcycle

sectors, turning them into the driving force of

Easy Line. Equipped with a ring nut that can

be adjusted even by the untrained, the

pistons allow trainers to reduce or increase

resistance, adapting the circuit to their own

clients’ needs

E

FFLLEEXXIIBBLLEE SSOOLLUUTTIIOONNSS FFOORR VVAARRIIOOUUSS BBUUSSIINNEESSSS MMOODDEELLSS

CCLLUUBB WWIITTHHIINN CCLLUUBBThis is the model recommended for established clubsseeking to attract new clients, specifically targeting newmembers within that large group of out-of-conditionindividuals who have avoided traditional gyms until now.

SSTTUUDDIIOOThis solution makes it possible to optimise managementof space within small fitness studios. At certain times ofday, the Easy Line circuit can be set up in the studio,while the rest of the time the Easy Line stations can simplybe moved aside to leave room for traditional classactivities.

SSTTAANNDD AALLOONNEE BBUUSSIINNEESSSSNot only does it require a minimum start-up investment,but also a very modest amount of space, adapting to anysetting. The current trend in quick training offers excitingbusiness opportunities for trainers keen to open a stand-alone club.

P R O D U C T S

with operating gym equipment or complicated train-ing programmes.Training with EEaassyy LLiinnee is rreellaaxxiinngg aanndd eennjjooyyaabbllee. Thedesign of the equipment is attractive and welcomingand makes the user ffeeeell aatt eeaassee. In just 30 minutes,users can complete a full, satisfying training routine.What's more, with the EEaassyy LLiinnee circuit, users canstart wherever and whenever they like and repeat thecircuit as many times as they like, in the time allocat-ed. Users set their own pace, in line with their individ-ual physical condition and fitness.

EEaassyy LLiinnee aallssoo mmaakkeess lliiffee eeaassyy ffoorr ttrraaiinneerrss. The circuitcan be supervised by just one trainer, who can assistall the users at the same time. The equipment is ssttuurrddyyaanndd rreelliiaabbllee, but importantly, it is also eeaassyy ttoo aaddjjuusstt.Finally, EEaassyy LLiinnee ssiimmpplliiffiieess lliiffee ffoorr cclluubb oowwnneerrss ttoooo. Itonly requires a mmiinniimmuumm iinnvveessttmmeenntt, whilst offeringthe bbeesstt ssttyyllee aanndd ddeessiiggnn available on the market aswell as excellent qquuaalliittyy,, dduurraabbiilliittyy aanndd ssaaffeettyy. In addi-tion, because it is extremely vveerrssaattiillee, it requires vveerryylliittttllee mmaaiinntteennaannccee and is easy to move, allowing gymsto free up space as and when required. ■

The Easy Line circuit represents the perfect quick training product solution for metabolic and power workouts. The circuit has been developedto offer simple and natural movements to people who are intimidated by traditional equipment and training programmes

23

The innovative Technogym cardiovascular training machine iscurrently all the rage in Europe and is all set to take the UnitedStates by storm, where it has already found a special admirer...

by Monica Malatesta

P R O D U C T S

Cardio Wave,they love it!

aarrddiioo WWaavvee is fast becoming tthhee cclloosseesstt aallllyyooff ggyymm eenntthhuussiiaassttss aaccrroossss EEuurrooppee, and itisn’t stopping there. It has already won overrenowned Olympic champions including

Dutch swimmer IInnggee DDee BBrruuiijjnn and slalom worldchampion GGiioorrggiioo RRooccccaa, who use it for their pprreeppaa--rraattiioonn. Even oovveerrsseeaass, where Cardio Wave wasrecently launched at the IHRSA Trade Show, it hasalready found one high-profile fan: none other thanpop legend MMaaddoonnnnaa!!One of the first European facilities to feature CardioWave are the prestigious SSoohhoo GGyymmss, five Londonclubs located in the capital’s most exclusive districts.Cardio Wave is a new concept of equipment: it

al lows for a multiplanarmovement, which eennaabblleessuusseerrss ttoo wwoorrkk oonn tthhrreeee ssppaattiiaallppllaanneess ssiimmuullttaanneeoouussllyy. This isin contrast with traditionalequipment which only worksthe sagittal plane. This inno-vation represents a ttoottaallllyynneeww ttyyppee ooff ccaarrddiioo ttrraaiinniinngg.Furthermore, as pointed outby Gordon Parker, Duty Man-

ager at Soho Gyms’ flagship site in Waterloo: “Car-dio Wave is the best equipment for toning thegluteal muscles. And even whilst it works on theseimportant muscles, it also trains the other muscles inthe lower body”.So it’s easy to understand why the Technogym equip-ment at Soho Gyms is such a resounding success.“CCuussttoommeerrss lloovvee iitt!!” explains Michael Crockett, Man-aging Director. He adds, “we focused on CardioWave as part of a precise strategy by our Group,which is to offer unique and distinctive benefits toour members, which sets us apart from other gyms.Constant innovation is the key to our success andCCaarrddiioo WWaavvee iiss ppeerrffeecctt ffoorr aaddddiinngg vvaalluuee ffoorr oouurrmmeemmbbeerrss, some of whom come here just to use it!Installing CCaarrddiioo WWaavvee hhaass aallssoo aalllloowweedd uuss ttooiinnccrreeaassee oouurr mmeemmbbeerrsshhiipp bbaassee, because it has agreat appeal even for people who aren’t so confi-dent in handling gym equipment. In fact, CardioWave eevveenn ssuuiittss ppeeooppllee wwhhoo ddoonn’’tt ccaarrrryy oouutt rreegguullaarrpphhyyssiiccaall eexxeerrcciissee: it has no impact on the joints andis so easy to use”.According to experiences in the capital, women havehailed it as “the Wonderbra for the bottom” and arequeuing up to give it a go; nonetheless, even sporty

people have been won over by CardioWave. They love it because it enables themto work on different muscle groups andallows for much wider movement thanother equipment. Even Christopher Schwarz, director of theNeptunbad centre in Cologne, Germany,believes it is the ppeerrffeecctt ssoolluuttiioonn ffoorr aallllkkiinnddss ooff uusseerr,, ffrroomm aatthhlleetteess ttoo sseenniioorr cciittii--zzeennss. The Neptunbad (Neptune’s Bath) is an

CThe instructors at London’s

Soho Gyms are impressed with

Cardio Wave: “It has enabled

us to increase our

membership because it has

great appeal even for people

who are not so confident in

handling gym equipment”.

The other photo shows

Managing Director Michael

Crockett with the President of

Technogym, Nerio Alessandri

24

25

internationally-renown spa complex and wellnesscentre famous for its scenic saunas and traditionalJapanese style, which covers a 2,500 m2 surfacearea. “Our club was established three years agoand has more than 2,000 members”, explainsSchwarz. They also maintain that the secret of theirsuccess lies in “investing in cutting-edge technicalequipment and constantly adapting to the needs ofour members. We believe it’s important to provideour customers with continuous innovation, aanndd wweewweerree iinnssttaannttllyy iimmpprreesssseedd tthhaatt TTeecchhnnooggyymm sshhoouullddllaauunncchh aann iinnnnoovvaattiioonn wwiitthh ssuucchh aa wwiiddee ssccooppee oonnttootthhee mmaarrkkeett. Our members are always shadowed by

highly-qualified trainers, physiotherapists andgraduates in sports disciplines”, just as at Soho,where “instructors are genuinely surprised by thepositive reactions of customers”, confirms MichaelCrockett. In fact, customers have declared that“yyoouu ccaann ffeeeell tthhee ddiiffffeerreennccee ssttrraaiigghhttaawwaayy”. EvenLondoners find it “more entertaining and it doesn’tbore you like some other equipment”. ■

In the Health City wellness club in

Oosterhout (the Netherlands), a

Cardio Wave circuit has been

created to provide trainer-led

group workout sessions. This new

concept exploits the machine’s

versatility and is promoting a

greater sense of fun, not to

mention socializing, during cardio

training. The centre's Zen garden is

in perfect harmony with the

Wellness Design philosophy

What was the best way for Technogym to reach adifferent target market using the most effective means,whilst guaranteeing maximum exposure to a productwhich represents a ground-breaking new era in thefield of cardiovascular training? The Marketing &Communication team at Technogym decided to use theInternet, designing an oonnlliinnee sshhoowwccaassee ddeeddiiccaatteeddeennttiirreellyy ttoo CCaarrddiiooWWaavvee..The totally new product website concept,www.technogym.com/cardiowave has been launched.It features content tailored in part to three specific usercategories: club owners, trainers and customers andprovides visitors to the site wwiitthh vviissuuaall ddeemmoonnssttrraattiioonnooff tthhee nneeww CCaarrddiiooWWaavvee mmoovveemmeenntt, thanks to theinnovative Flash graphics.A model demonstrates how to perform the fourdifferent workout positions and visitors to the site canbrowse through the comprehensive information aboutCardioWave in their relevant section.Let's first take a look at the website dedicated to CClluubbOOwwnneerrss. The tour starts with the WWoorrkkoouutt section, whichdemonstrates how exercises are performed onCardioWave whilst explaining the biomechanicalinnovations behind the new movement (MultiplanarCardio Exercise, Ergostride and Softstride). Within thissection, visitors can also read about the results of

scientific research that provides confirmation of theeffectiveness of CardioWave on muscle toning.The next area of the website, PPrroodduucctt, providesinformation about the technical characteristics of theapparatus, which is integrated into the Excite range,with features and design of CardioWave in line withExcite. The BBeenneeffiittss section, meanwhile, highlights thebusiness opportunities for sector operators, includinggreater club efficiency and resource optimisation.The website also features a MMaarrkkeettiinngg SSuuppppoorrtt section,where visitors can find out about merchandisingspecially designed to provide assistance in marketingthe product within clubs.In addition, the website offers a comprehsive FFAAQQsection including popular questions like: Is CardioWavesafe? Do you burn a lot of calories with CardioWave?Why is CardioWave the most effective workout for theglutes? There is also an Opinions section that includesquotes and testimonials from club managers andtrainers who have already purchased CardioWave.Finally, visitors will find an interesting IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaallPPrreessss section and a FFuunn//DDoowwnnllooaadd area in the CCuussttoommeerrsection, where users can download screensavers anddesktops for their PC or send e-cards with famousendorsements to tell their friends about the CardioWavewebsite!

Some images of the brand

new website

www.technogym.com/cardiowave,

which features eye-catching Flash

graphics and in-depth product

content, designed to respond to

the needs of club owners, trainers

and customers

wwwwww..tteecchhnnooggyymm..ccoomm//ccaarrddiioowwaavvee

In the gym of the

Neptunbad centre in

Germany, the wellness

philosophy combines an

ambiance of ancient

learning with cutting-

edge equipment,

amongst which Cardio

Wave is the crowning

glory

P R O D U C T S

CCAARRDDIIOO WWAAVVEE:: TTHHEE OONNLLIINNEE SSHHOOWWCCAASSEE

new concept of wellness and health hasbecome a priority for large businesses.Whereas work was once recommended asa traditional medicine, today attention is

focused towards promoting overall health amongstworkers.PPeettrroobbrraass, a Brazilian state company at the fore-front of the petroleum extraction sector, is commit-ted to adopting preventative health measures. It istaking social responsibility within the local commu-nity and promoting initiatives aimed at improvingthe quality of life of its own workers.In keeping with this philosophy, the company hasset up the CCeennttrroo ddee PPrroommooççããoo ddaa SSaaúúddee (CPS –Centre for Health Promotion) PPeettrroobbrraass (Edise). Thecentre ddeevveellooppss pprrooggrraammmmeess aaiimmeedd aatt iimmpprroovviinnggtthhee hheeaalltthh ooff iittss mmaannyy wwoorrkkeerrss, as well as their fam-ilies. Employees take part in promotional healthactivities which include nutritional programmesand physical fitness assessments, as well as withrelevant fitness programmes.

GOOD NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESSGO HAND-IN-HANDScientific studies show that combining ggoooodd nnuuttrrii--ttiioonn aanndd rreegguullaarr pphhyyssiiccaall eexxeerrcciissee ccaann hhaavvee aa ppoossii--ttiivvee iinnfflluueennccee oonn aa vvaarriieettyy ooff ddiissoorrddeerrss. On theother hand, a sedentary lifestyle and poor nutrition,for example an increase in lipid intake, have signifi-cant negative effects on health (Robertson et al.,1999; Ramalho et al., 2003).

The need to invest in prevention is undeniably clear.Behavioral changes including a varied and bal-anced diet, together with regular physical activityand stress management, can undoubtedly lead toan improvement in quality of life.The CPS conducts a social and scientific missionwith strategically defined criteria. Its ggeenneerraall oobbjjeecc--ttiivvee iiss ttoo pprroovviiddee aa ddiiaaggnnoossiiss ooff tthhee nnuuttrriittiioonnaall aannddffuunnccttiioonnaall ssttaattuuss ooff ccoommppaannyy wwoorrkkeerrss,, aass aa bbaassiissffoorr pprrooppoossiinngg aanndd mmoonniittoorriinngg cchhaannggeess iinn tthheeiirrlliiffeessttyyllee. The CPS initiative, which aims to support lifestyleadjustments, began in March 2004 and is still inprogress. Functional (anthropometric profile andaerobic capacity), nutritional and clinical assess-ments provide the parameters within which strate-gies tailored to each individual are defined.

AEROBIC CAPACITY, MEN OUT IN FRONTMaximum oxygen consumption during test protocol(VO2max) represents the body’s maximum effort in sup-plying oxygen to active muscles (VO2max – ml.kg-1.min-1):this oxygen consumption index bears a linear andinverse correlation to the development of Non-Transmissible Chronic Diseases (NTCD). MMeeaassuurriinnggtthhee VVOO22 vvaalluuee ooff sseeddeennttaarryy ssuubbjjeeccttss eexxppoosseedd ttoo rriisskkffaaccttoorrss iiss aann eeffffiicciieenntt mmeeaannss ooff iiddeennttiiffyyiinngg ssuubbjjeeccttsswwhhoo mmiigghhtt bbeenneeffiitt ffrroomm pprreevveennttaattiivvee mmeeaassuurreess ttooccoommbbaatt NNTTCCDD,, aass wweellll aass ootthheerr ddiisseeaasseess aassssoocciiaatteeddwwiitthh aa sseeddeennttaarryy lliiffeessttyyllee (Lakka et al., 2003;Wharley, 1999).

EE VV II DD EE NN CC EE -- BB AA SS EE DD WW EE LL LL NN EE SS SS

Evidence-basedWellness

newsletterCorporate Wellness and health promotion: the example of Petrobras

by Mauro Taveira*, Fátima Palha** and Andréa Ramalho***

A* Head of Petrobras CPS

** Head of Functional

Assessment Sector, Rio de

Janeiro State University

*** Head of Nutritional

Sector, Federal University

of Rio de Janeiro

26

The cardio-respiratory capacity of CPS clients isassessed by directly measuring oxygen consump-tion (eerrggoossppiirroommeettrriicc ttrreeaaddmmiillll tteesstt uussiinngg tthheeVVOO22000000--MMEEDDIIGGRRAAFF ssyysstteemm). The heart rate, anaer-obic threshold (the point at which metabolismbecomes predominantly anaerobic) and VO2max

value are the parameters used to determine exer-cise load based on metabolic response. To classifyfunctional capacity on the basis of normative refer-ence values, the AAmmeerriiccaann HHeeaarrtt AAssssoocciiaattiioonn (AHA)table is used.The female group assessed by CPS showed a ‘nor-mal’ average aerobic capacity, with a VO2max valueof between 24 and 30 ml.kg-1.min-1, despite a signifi-cant percentage of the group (24.77%) showingvery poor results.The men revealed a ‘good’ average aerobic capaci-ty (VO2max of between 36 and 44 ml.kg-1.min-1). Ananalysis by age group revealed a higher concentra-tion of men with ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ aerobic capac-ity in the 40-49 year age band (50.7%): a goodsign, given that this is a high-risk group with regardto NTCD. On the other hand, the oxygen consump-tion value of a significant percentage of individuals(34.85%) was classed as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Inview of these results, CCPPSS iiss ccoommmmiitttteedd ttoo eennccoouurr--aaggiinngg tthhoossee wwoorrkkeerrss sshhoowwiinngg ggoooodd lleevveellss ooff ccaarrddiioo--rreessppiirraattoorryy ffiittnneessss ttoo mmaaiinnttaaiinn tthhoossee lleevveellss,, iinn aaddddii--ttiioonn ttoo rreegguullaattiinngg aannaaeerroobbiicc aaccttiivviittyy iinn tthhee rreemmaaiinn--ddeerr ooff tthhee wwoorrkkffoorrccee,, wwhhiicchh iiss ccuurrrreennttllyy bbeelloowwaacccceeppttaabbllee ffiittnneessss ssttaannddaarrddss.

OBESITY, WOMEN AT GREATER RISKCentral visceral obesity was measured based onwaist circumference and WHR – Waist/Hips Ratio.IItt wwaass nnootteedd tthhaatt tthhee ffeemmaallee ppooppuullaattiioonnaapppprrooaacchheedd oorr eexxcceeeeddeedd tthhee mmaaxxiimmuumm wwaaiisstt cciirr--ccuummffeerreennccee vvaalluuee ccoonnssiiddeerreedd nnoorrmmaall ffoorr aadduullttwwoommeenn ((>> 8888 ccmm)),, wwhhiillsstt tthhee mmaallee ppooppuullaattiioonnrreemmaaiinneedd uunnddeerr tthhee tthhrreesshhoolldd ((>> 110022)) aaccrroossss tthheeaaggee bbaannddss. Tests confirmed already published find-ings by revealing that waist circumferenceincreased with age.The breakdown of body mass by means of anthro-pometric techniques provides an estimated rreellaattiivveeffaatt mmaassss. An analysis conducted according to agebands highlighted worrying results for women agedbetween 20 and 29 years of age. These women,who presumably will be with the company long-term, revealed the worst results with a body massindex of 35.8%, and represented 21.18% of the totalnumber of women examined by the CPS. The valuesfor other groups were below the population aver-age and were therefore considered acceptable.On the whole, the body mass values of malesmatched the population average (24.2%). Analysesby age band revealed that men reflect the averagevalues of the population by age group and sex. Assessment of BBooddyy MMaassss IInnddeexx (BMI) showed that35.7% were of normal weight (≥18.5-24.9), 42.1%were overweight, or ‘pre-obese’ (>25-29.9), 21.1%were first and second-degree overweight, in otherwords obese (>30-39), and 0.95% were third-degree


27

Brazilian conglomerate

Petrobas has provided a gym

for its employees and their

families as part of its

Corporate Wellness

programme. The physical

activities offered focus on

improving anaerobic

capacity and strengthening

muscles and ligament

TABLE 1: RESULTS

GENERAL Age Total BodyMass

Perimeters Waist/Hip Body Fat BMI Somatotype RestHeart rate

Arterial Pressure VO2

Abdomen Waist Hip Endomorphy Mesomorphy Ectomorphy Sistolic Diastolic

Years kg cm cm cm cm % kg.m bpm mmHg mmHg ml.kg- .min-

WOMENSAverageStander deviation

MENSAverageStander deviation

AGE GROUPS

WOMENS

MENS

Age Total BodyMass

Perimeters Waist/Hip Body Fat BMI Somatotype RestHeart rate

Arterial Pressure VO2

Abdomen Waist Hip Endomorphy Mesomorphy Ectomorphy Sistolic Diastolic

Anni kg cm cm cm cm % kg.m bpm mmHg mmHg ml.kg- .min-

112

1 12

20-29 63 84 73 101 0.72 36 23 2 85 115 80 3810 10 8 7 0 9 4 2 2 1 13 12 12 20

30-39 66 85 7 102 0.75 31 25 2 78 115 78 2815 11 12 11 0 8 5 2 2 1 12 13 12 7

40-49 67 88 81 102 0.79 33 26 7 1 80 120 84 2912 10 10 8 0 7 4 2 1 1 13 18 19 8

50-59 69 91 8 104 0.81 35 27 7 1 78 126 87 2712 12 11 8 0 7 4 2 2 1 11 21 17 6

> 60 67 92 8 102 0.83 35 26 7 1 78 128 839 9 9 8 0 6 3 1 1 1 12 22 16

20-29 84 94 89 103 0.86 24 27 1 81 127 86 4113 11 9 8 0 6 4 2 1 1 13 13 11 13

30-39 86 97 92 104 0.88 23 28 1 78 128 86 3915 12 10 9 0 7 4 2 2 1 13 14 12 10

40-49 83 97 93 101 0.92 24 27 1 77 128 88 3714 11 9 8 0 7 4 2 1 1 12 18 16 11

50-59 82 98 9 101 0.93 24 28 1 77 130 90 3312 11 10 7 0 6 4 2 1 1 12 18 16 9

> 60 82 101 97 101 0.96 25 28 1 76 136 91 2912 10 10 6 0 5 3 2 1 1 13 24 18 4

46

6

5

5

5

4

6 6

6

6

6

6 6

6

6

6

6

4

5

4

4 83 97 93 101 0.92 [norm.< 0.95] 24 28 1 77 129 89 364 12 11 10 8 0 7 4 2 1 1 12 18 16 9

666

4 67 88 81 102 0.79 [norm.< 0.80] 33 26 7 1 79 121 84 304 12 11 11 9 0 7 4 2 2 1 12 19 17 8

55


28

It is clear from screening

results obtained during 2005

that the women’s 20-29 age

group is characterized by the

highest percentage of body

fat (36%). On average, the

BMI of women is a little above

normal weight (26), men are

more overweight (28)

overweight , in other words extremely obese (≥40).CCoonnssiiddeerriinngg tthhee hhiigghh nnuummbbeerr ooff oovveerrwweeiigghhtt ssuubb--jjeeccttss, of which the majority were classified as pre-obese, ttwwoo ddiiffffeerreenntt iissssuueess mmeerriitt cclloossee aatttteennttiioonn.The first concerns measures to be undertaken toprevent further weight gain; the second issue isthat weight loss is easier in this category. On theother hand, WWiillmmoorree (1996) claims that physicalactivity is more ef fective in preventingoverweight/obesity than in treating it. In fact, whenobesity is already present, diet control has agreater influence on weight loss than an increase inphysical activity.

DIETARY ASSESSMENT, FAT PROFILE ANDBODY MASS INDEXThe dietary assessment carried out as part of theCPS nutritional programme involves the use oftools such as a 24-hr or 3-day ddiieettaarryy jjoouurrnnaall, aswell as an assessment of the number of dailymeals consumed. Overall consumption of fats,saturated and monounsaturated fats, as well asantioxidant vitamins A, C and E, were examined.The resulting data was then compared withintake levels, as recommended by the IInnssttiittuuttee ooffMMeeddiicciinnee (IOM), and classified as sufficient orinsufficient.The study examined the connection between obesi-

ty and cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteinsLDL and HDL, as well as the dietary intake of lipidsand the quality and quantity of micronutrients withantioxidant functions. For this purpose, tthhee ssttuuddyyttooookk iinnttoo aaccccoouunntt ccaatteeggoorriieess ooff oobbeessiittyy (pre-obeseand obese subjects) aanndd nnoonn--oobbeessiittyy (normalweight and underweight subjects). The average level of blood cchhoolleesstteerrooll was equal to223 mg/dL ± 39.78 in obese subjects and233 mg/dL ± 44.7 in non-obese subjects, withoutsignificant differences between the two categories.Not even average levels of LLDDLL revealed noteworthydifferences between obese and non-obese subjects.On the other hand, average HHDDLL levels revealed anotable difference, with an average level which wasdecidedly higher in non-obese subjects(56.35 mg/dL ± 14,11) compared with obese subjects(45.06 mg/dL ± 11,54). Average ttrriiggllyycceerriiddee levelshighlighted a statistical difference between obeseand non-obese subjects: the former group revealedan average level of 144 mg/dL ± 37.92, whilst the lat-ter group registered 136 mg/dL ± 75.91.As regards the intake of lliippiiddss, it was noted thatthe diet of 50.0% of obese subjects and 51.1% ofnon-obese subjects comprised more than 30% infats, although it did not highlight a notable differ-ence between the two groups. The consumption ofcholesterol and saturated fats was higher than rec-


29

For companies, promotion of

employees’ health has already

been shown to have socio-

economic implications:

increased productivity, lower

healthcare expenditure, a

reduction in absenteeism

caused by illness and increased

satisfaction as regards the

workplace

ommended levels in 41.3% of obese subjects and35.6% of non-obese subjects, but without signifi-cant differences.Consumption of aannttiiooxxiiddaannttss was also measured,including vitamins C, A and E as well as zinc, sincethe breakdown of lipids and obesity are primaryrisk factors contributing to arteriosclerosis.VViittaammiinn CC ccoonnssuummppttiioonn was deemed adequate in39.1% of obese subjects and 40.0% of non-obesesubjects, without differences between the twogroups. VViittaammiinn AA aanndd EE iinnttaakkee was shown to beinsufficient across the board. Vitamin C intake wasconsidered inadequate in 96.7% of obese subjectsand 97.8% of non-obese subjects, without differ-ences between the two groups. Insufficient vitaminA intake was revealed in 68.8% of obese and 71.1%of non-obese subjects.As regards to zziinncc, insufficient intake was identifiedin 79.7% of obese and 75.6% of non-obese sub-jects, without notable differences between the twocategories.

PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON DEMANDA customised physical exercise programme, com-bined with balanced nutrition, is essential for theachievement of sound physical fitness. Generallyspeaking, the init ial proposal of CPS is theiimmpprroovveemmeenntt ooff aannaaeerroobbiicc ccaappaacciittyy by means ofexercises during which the heart rate is main-tained below the anaerobic threshold. SSttrreennggtthheenniinngg mmuusscclleess aanndd lliiggaammeennttss is alsoadvised, by means of muscle-building exercises,the intensity of which is monitored using theTTeecchhnnooggyymm SSyysstteemm (TGS).Also included are ssttrreettcchhiinngg sessions for improv-ing all-round flexibility. Any changes to anthropo-metric, biochemical, nutritional and functionalparameters as a result of the CPS programmesare monitored by means of ppeerriiooddiicc aasssseessssmmeennttsswhich identify progress based on various indica-tors.Periodic assessments also provide an opportunityto change dietary regime and physical activity pro-grammes from time to time, with the aim ofobtaining even more positive results. However,even if physical activity effectively helps reducecardiovascular risk factors, tthhee bbeenneeffiittss aarree ssiiggnniiffii--ccaanntt oonnllyy tthhrroouugghh rreegguullaarr aaccttiivviittyy. In conformitywith AAmmeerriiccaann CCoolllleeggee ooff SSppoorrtt MMeeddiicciinnee (ACSM)directives, we recommend that CPS beneficiariesstick to a frequent programme of physical activityas often as possible, that is to say ffiivvee ttiimmeess ppeerrwweeeekk aanndd nneevveerr lleessss tthhaann tthhrreeee.

MORE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, LESS FATSCPS monitored the diet of company workers anddeveloped iinnddiivviidduuaall nnuuttrriittiioonnaall pprrooggrraammmmeess char-acterised by a balanced and healthy regime. Nutri-tional support offered by the CPS brought ccoonn--ssuummppttiioonn ooff ffrruuiitt aanndd vveeggeettaabblleess into line withWorld Health Report recommendations (2002),ensuring sufficient levels of micronutrients, fibreand other essential substances. Furthermore, anincreased intake of fruit and vegetables leads to areduction in foods rich in saturated fat, sugar andsalt, which may otherwise be consumed in excess.

CONCLUSIONThe results mentioned here confirm the value of thisinitiative, given that aa ssuubbssttaannttiiaall nnuummbbeerr ooff wwoorrkk--eerrss hhaavvee sshhoowwnn ddiissttiinncctt cchhaannggeess iinn tthheeiirr aanntthhrrooppoo--mmeettrriicc,, ccaarrddiioo--rreessppiirraattoorryy,, nnuuttrriittiioonnaall aanndd bbiioocchheemmii--ccaall pprrooffiilleess. Furthermore, additional data (notincluded in this report) demonstrates that CPS ben-eficiaries’ functional, morphological and dietarychanges can already be quantified. These improve-ments reflect the commitment of PPeettrroobbrraass in creat-ing and developing the CCPPSS, as well as in iinnvveessttiinnggttoo iimmpprroovvee tthhee hheeaalltthh ooff iittss wwoorrkkeerrss. A group of specific measures such as those adopt-ed by CPS, in conjunction with other lifestylechanges, may contribute to improved preventionand treatment of NTCDs, which currently affect asignificant number of Petrobas employees. ■

We are grateful for the assistance provided byDr Silvano Zanuso, Technogym Study andResearch Centre

WILFRIED E KRISTIANE UHL, CLUB OWNERS“We chose to install Kinesis for a coupleof reasons: we were interested in it as ininnovative concept which enabled us toexploit our available space for trainingand movement and we also wanted todifferentiate our club from the otherlocal facilities. In actual fact, this ssoolluu--

ttiioonn hhaass pprroovveedd ttoo bbee ssuurrpprriissiinnggllyy ssuuiitteedd ttoo sseenniioorr cciittiizzeennss,because it allows for fluid, natural movements and provides apleasant setting within which to work out. An additional rea-son why we chose Kinesis, was tthhee ooppppoorrttuunniittyy iitt pprroovviiddeedd iinntteerrmmss ooff oorrggaanniissiinngg ppoowweerr ttrraaiinniinngg iinn ggrroouuppss. Group sessionsare particularly important in terms of socialising, which webelieve should be one of the strengths of a fitness and well-ness facility.Our Kinesis area was officially launched in September2005. It occupies a space of around 70 m2 which was pre-viously a squash court and then a women’s-only trainingarea. We haven’t had to do anything with these areas,just reorganise them by moving things around into otherparts of the gym. We are very satisfied with the supportwe received from Technogym throughout the planningand implementation stages. In particular, we appreciatedthe preparation made by the technicians.

WORKOUTS IN SMALL GROUPS OR WITH A PERSONAL TRAINERKKiinneessiiss ttrraaiinniinngg is performed eiitthheerr iinn ssmmaallll ggrroouuppss oorr wwiitthh aappeerrssoonnaall ttrraaiinneerr. In fact, if people want to give it a go, theycan simply join a class or train independently when it suits

them, or they can always book a session with a personaltrainer. We offer small group-Kinesis classes either as an add-on course, or as a separate package. We didn’t raise ourmembership fees following the introduction of Kinesis, howev-er, where personal training is concerned, the service cost willbe borne by the member.

KINESIS INCREASES MEMBER RETENTIONWe believe in the importance of offering our members a wideand continually developing range of services. High qualitycustomer service is our priority, which causes us to focus onincreasing mmeemmbbeerr rreetteennttiioonn. This is key area to whichattribute significant importance. Why should a customercome and try out our facilities? First of all, for the profession-alism and friendliness of our team; also because the Kinesisconcept has been carefully developed and finally, because thecustomer feels at home here, thanks to the friendly atmos-phere which we have worked hard to create”. ■

We are grateful for the collaboration of Ina Schneider andUrsula Vinson of Technogym Germany.

30

KK II NN EE SS II SS CC AA SS EE HH II SS TT OO RR II EE SS

Gym VitafitDreieich, Germania

“We chose to install Kinesis for various reasons, beginning

with its innovative concept of exploiting available space

for training and movement”, explain Wilfried and Kristiane

Uhl, owners of the Gym Vitafit club in Dreieich

TAKAHIRO YAMAMOTO, CLUB MANAGER:“The club, which has been running for anumber of years, is located in a verypleasant residential zone of SShhiibbuuyyaa KKuu,close to two vibrant districts in westernTokyo – Shibuya and Shinjuku.We saw Kinesis for the fist time duringHHFFJJ 22000055, the biggest fitness conven-

tion in Japan, and we literally fell in love with it, because tthheeccoonncceepptt ooff KKiinneessiiss iiss ppeerrffeeccttllyy iinn kkeeeeppiinngg wwiitthh tthhee pphhiilloossoopphhyyooff oouurr cceennttrree, which is focused on luxury and targets a femaleclient base.

WOMEN COME FIRSTAs our current pprriimmaarryy oobbjjeeccttiivvee iiss ttoo iinnvvoollvvee wwoommeenn, wedecided to install Kinesis in our designated ‘Female Area’.Despite it not being exclusively targeted at women, it offersservices which are more directed towards women, includingmassage and chiropractic treatments.Our intention with Kinesis was to make the most out of apreviously under-utilised space. We could have created arelaxation zone in its place, but that wouldn’t have providedour customers anything extra in terms of service. On theother hand, we were convinced tthhaatt KKiinneessiiss wwoouulldd hheellpp uusseexxppaanndd aanndd ggrrooww oouurr ccuussttoommeerr bbaassee. Even our trainers aredelighted, as for them, Kinesis is an ideal forum withinwhich they can demonstrate their skills and express theirindividual style, which isn’t always easy with traditional‘power’ equipment.

ECONOMIC ADVANTAGESOur Kinesis programme comprises a ppeerrssoonnaall ttrraaiinniinngg sseerrvviiccee(since October 2005) and ‘‘RReeggiimmeess’’,, aa oonnee mmoonntthh wweeiigghhtt lloosssspprrooggrraammmmee, which we designed, which begins in January.Our training circuit also features Kinesis. FFoolllloowwiinngg tthhee iinnssttaall--llaattiioonn ooff KKiinneessiiss,, wwee wwiittnneesssseedd aa 2200%% iinnccrreeaassee iinn eennrroollmmeennttss.This isn’t generally achievable without puttingin lots of additional effort. Instead, Kinesishas enabled us to exceed our targets with lim-ited input. A large proportion of memberswho have utilised the personal training ser-vice in the equipment room are now switch-ing to personal training using Kinesis, whichwith its higher fee, has led to an increase inour relative profits. Furthermore, 80% of ourmembers are female, and have no interest indeveloping a muscly physique, so Kinesis isideally suited to their needs.

THE KEY TO SUCCESSWe began talking about Kinesis to our members before we hadeven installed it, as a means to generate awareness and excite-ment about it. We then suggested trial sessions, which were ahuge success, as approval ratings tend to increase the moreconfident the members get with a machine. Members’ com-ments revealed that the sseennssaattiioonn ooff ccoommffoorrtt wwhheenn uussiinngg KKiinnee--ssiiss ccoommpplleetteellyy ddiissppeellss tthhee iimmaaggee ooff wweeaarriinneessss aassssoocciiaatteedd wwiitthhrreessiissttaannccee ttrraaiinniinngg. They also commented that a Kinesis person-al training session lets them work out in a relaxed environment,which is one of the reasons why it is proving so successful. It is important to first define the target market and them pre-pare a promotional plan. I’m convinced that Kinesis is aninvaluable tools for those clubs who intend to fully utilise theiravailable space and those who have had trouble implement-ing personal training programmes. WWiitthhoouutt ddoouubbtt,, KKiinneessiissrreepprreesseennttss aaddddeedd vvaalluuee ffoorr bbootthh aa cclluubb aanndd iittss mmeemmbbeerrss”. ■

We are grateful for the collaboration of Keiko Nishimori,Technogym Japan

KK II NN EE SS II SS CC AA SS EE HH II SS TT OO RR II EE SS

NA Sports Club A-1Tokyo, Japan

“Around 80% of ourcustomers are female andhave no interest indeveloping a musclyphysique, so Kinesis isideal for their needs,”explains TakahiroYamamoto, Managerof NA Sports Club A-1

31

by Francesca Costi

M Y W E L L N E S S

The Key to Success

irst introduced to the market in 1996 withthe aim of giving health clubs a technologi-cal platform to manage their members’training activities, the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm has

established itself as the ssttaattee--ooff--tthhee--aarrtt system inthe field of workout management software.Installed in around 22,,000000 facilities worldwide, itsdistribution peaks are in Europe, the US and Japan.In total, over 22 mmiilllliioonn users trust their wellbeingand physical fitness to the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm. Thisimpressive data tells us that the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm isnow the undisputed bbeenncchhmmaarrkk ssoolluuttiioonn for physi-

cal training management.There is no doubt thatpotential competitors seek-ing to develop similar soft-ware must contend with thehigh standards establishedby the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm, aswell as its widespread distri-bution.

But what is this tool which boasts such a level ofresounding success in health clubs? In short, it is assooffttwwaarree ppaacckkaaggee iinntteeggrraatteedd wwiitthh ttrraaiinniinngg eeqquuiipp--mmeenntt, which assists customers with their workoutand updates them in terms of results achieved.With the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm, trainers are able to iden-tify their clients’ goals, test their initial level of fit-ness and can create a ccuussttoommiisseedd ttrraaiinniinngg pprroo--ggrraammmmee for them. They can also exploit computertechnology and build on prior experience withoutthe need for cumbersome support documents. Eachcustomer is provided with a portable memory, theTTGGSS KKeeyy, which contains their customised trainingprogramme. It integrates automatically with all ofthe training equipment and guides the customer intheir training programme. Furthermore, automaticdata storage enables health club staff to monitor acustomer’s progress, at any time.The software package has been improved overtime, continually increasing its usefulness to healthclubs and their customers. For example in 1998,

32

F

The photo opposite shows the Wellness Expert display,

featuring touch screen technology

To each their own: the TGS Key bears

the holder’s name and can be kept

in the club’s filing system,

eliminating the likelihood of it

being misplaced or left at home

Below, the Wellness Expert.

Training begins once the

TGS Key is inserted into the

slot. The results are then

downloaded and can be

reviewed at the end of the

session

Ten years since its launch, the Wellness System has beeninstalled in over 2,000 facilities worldwide

two years after its release, the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm wasupgraded with technology for compiling rreeppoorrttssaanndd ssttaattiissttiiccss. This is an essential tool for healthclubs, enabling them to monitor customer atten-dance, preferred training methods and the resultsachieved. Clubs could then use this invaluable dataas the basis for developing successful mmaarrkkeettiinnggccaammppaaiiggnnss. In the years that followed, a successionof web solutions were developed which allowedclubs to keep in ccoonnttiinnuuaall ccoonnttaacctt wwiitthh tthheeiirr ccuuss--ttoommeerrss. This solution was subsequently improvedupon, thanks to a mmuullttii--cchhaannnneell mmeessssaaggiinngg ssyysstteemm(email and SMS for use inside the gym), which facili-tates easy and effectively-managed marketing cam-paigns through utilising the collated data.The most recent leap forward by the WWeellllnneessss SSyyss--tteemm has been the addition of specific functions foranalysis and management of health-related data.Today, the Wellness System platform supports acomprehensive management of the lifestyle of thehealth club’s customers. Thanks to these functions,it is possible to build an even closer relationshipwith the customer, limited not only to trainingadvice, but extending to nutritional tips and eventhe prevention of illness and injuries. In short, byhelping to bring people closer to physical exercise,the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm directly has a positive impacton a club’s operational success.There are three factors which have proven to befundamental to the success of the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm:the aappppeeaall which it holds for ccuussttoommeerrss, the oonnggoo--iinngg ssuuppppoorrtt customers receive from trainers and thessaattiissffaaccttiioonn aanndd mmoottiivvaattiioonn which they gain fromthe system. Research into health clubs which makefull use of the WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm solution (ClubHouse PLC, 2001 data) have shown that 3355%% ooffccuussttoommeerrss tteellll nnoonn--ccuussttoommeerrss aabboouutt tthhee ssyysstteemm aannddaarroouunndd 4455%% ooff tthheessee ssiiggnn uupp to give it a try. Theclient-trainer relationship becomes the primary fac-tor in realisation of a genuine “Wellness-orientedclub”. Thanks to continued progress monitoring andimmediate reports, the trainer can establish anongoing relationship with his or her clients, sharingexpectations, action plans and results. This helps torreedduuccee tthhee ddrroopp--oouutt rraattee by directly motivatingclients whilst they are still at the club. Overall, thisvalue-added offer is supported by the unfailing pro-fessionalism of staff, ensuring that clubs can con-tinuously adapt to their customers’ needs andguarantee their satisfaction. These three factorstranslate into what clubs value the most: hhaappppyyccuussttoommeerrss. ■

M Y W E L L N E S S

CCUUSSTTOOMMEERRSS GGIIVVEE TTHHEEIIRR VVIIEEWWSSYYMMCCAA ooff OOaakkvviillllee,, CCaannaaddaa

The organisation opened a new facility in September 2002 and at the same time launched Technogym’sWellness System. 400 of the club’s immediately members transferred to the new facility and today, it has atotal enrolment of 7,400. Of these, around 3,900 members regularly visit the Wellness Department. We askedJJeeaanneettttee HHeeyywwoooodd, Health Fitness & Recreation Supervisor, a few questions:HHooww eexxaaccttllyy ddooeess tthhee WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm bbeenneeffiitt yyoouurr bbuussiinneessss??The Wellness System is an extremely effective system for improving customers’ level of fitness andoverall wellbeing. Being able to continually monitor their progress is fundamental to gaining acustomer’s trust. We have a membership renewal rate of 83% and I am convinced that this owes agreat deal to the Wellness System, being so easy to master, as well as the fact that it turns traininginto a game, urging customers to stay on course with objectives which they have set themselves.DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk tthhaatt tthhee WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemmss aappppeeaallss ttoo ppootteennttiiaall ccuussttoommeerrss??Potential customers who come to visit our complex are always pleasantly surprised by the look of theequipment and by the advanced software capabilities.DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk tthhaatt tthhee ssooffttwwaarree hheellppss yyoouurr cclluubb ssttaanndd oouutt ffrroomm ootthheerrss iinn tthhee aarreeaa??We are the biggest health club in the city in terms of Technogym equipment and software.WWhhaatt ffeeaattuurreess ooff tthhee ssooffttwwaarree ddoo yyoouurr ccuussttoommeerrss mmoosstt aapppprreecciiaattee??It’s easy to use and provides them with an accurate account of their progress and results.WWhhaatt aappppeeaallss ttoo yyoouu mmoosstt aabboouutt tthhee ssooffttwwaarree??The help it gives our staff. It urges them to keep in constant touch with customers, allows them to monitorthe customer’s activity and really helps them to keep on track with their initial objectives.WWoouulldd yyoouu ssaayy tthhaatt iitt’’ss eeaassyy ttoo uussee??From the user’s point of view, it’s incredibly easy. In our complex we have a 3D system (Describe, Demo,Do), which helps customers use the equipment in conjunction with the software.

AAsspphhaalltt GGrreeeenn,, NNeeww YYoorrkk

Asphalt Green health club was founded 18 years ago and adopted the Wellness System just over eighteenmonths ago (September 2005). Since then, it has increased its membership by 10% to a current total of 2,100members. MMiikkee QQ.. BBaaiilleeyy was on hand to answer our questions:HHooww eexxaaccttllyy ddooeess tthhee WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm bbeenneeffiitt yyoouurr bbuussiinneessss??Thanks to this tool, our members receive more attention from our club staff. The Wellness System itselfrequires increased interaction between the trainer and customer. DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk tthhaatt tthhee WWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemmss aappppeeaallss ttoo ccuussttoommeerrss??Since we adopted it, the percentage of membership renewals rose from 67% to 90%.DDoo yyoouu tthhiinnkk tthhaatt tthhee ssooffttwwaarree hheellppss yyoouurr cclluubb ssttaanndd oouutt ffrroomm ootthheerrss iinn tthhee aarreeaa??Without doubt. I know that our competition feel the same way.WWhhaatt ffeeaattuurreess ooff tthhee ssooffttwwaarree ddoo yyoouurr ccuussttoommeerrss mmoosstt aapppprreecciiaattee??The fact that they don’t have to make a mental note of anything, it’s all stored in the Key.WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu aapppprreecciiaattee mmoosstt aabboouutt tthhee ssooffttwwaarree??It allows me to monitor the progress and demands of my customers; to deal with issues and recordstatistics.WWoouulldd yyoouu ssaayy tthhaatt iitt’’ss eeaassyy ttoo uussee??What could be simpler! You need only remember to insert the Key and take it with you at the end of yourtraining session.

Correct performance of the

exercise is monitored by a

special display showing the

number of sets and

repetitions, intensity and

range of motion (ROM). The

results are saved onto the TGS

Key at the end of the session

33

by Marc Wielm

T O T A L W E L L N E S S S O L U T I O N

A team of technicians ensures an efficient,ever expanding after-sales service network for a rapid

response to customers’ needs. Especially on-line

After-Sales Servicestrength of teamwork

ike all the best organised and most for-ward-looking companies, Technogym pro-vides a first-class after-sales service. It’s astrategic customer service, which is con-

stantly eexxtteennddiinngg iittss rreeaacchh, for the purpose of solv-ing problems, responding to requests and aacchhiieevv--iinngg iinnccrreeaassiinngg lleevveellss ooff ccuussttoommeerr ssaattiissffaaccttiioonn..TTeecchhnnooggyymm’’ss AAfftteerr SSaalleess SSeerrvviiccee is now one of thecompany’s greatest strengths, because TTeecchhnnooggyymmhas always believed and invested in the goal ofcontinuous improvement of its own standards andlevels of customer satisfaction. This is especiallytrue of its on-line assistance, which has reachedoutstanding levels of organisation and efficiency.

HOW IS IT STRUCTURED?After due reflection, TTeecchhnnooggyymm decided that thebest way to manage the service was through an

iinn--hhoouussee ccaallll cceennttrree, which provides customerswith a ddiirreecctt iinntteerrffaaccee wwiitthh tthhee ccoommppaannyy. “Inevery country in which TTeecchhnnooggyymm operates, qual-ified personnel run a ccaallll cceennttrree dedicated to allthe needs typically associated with after-sales”,explains one of the company’s After Sales Servicemanagers. “What we do”, he continues, “falls intothree main categories: making ssuuggggeessttiioonnss ffoorrooppttiimmuumm ooppeerraattiioonn aanndd uussee ooff oouurr eeqquuiippmmeenntt;;pprroovviiddiinngg tteecchhnniiccaall aassssiissttaannccee,, aanndd hhaannddlliinnggoorrddeerrss ffoorr rreeppllaacceemmeenntt ppaarrttss”.But that’s not all. As well as these primary func-tions, the After Sales Service also deals with thessaallee ooff mmaaiinntteennaannccee ccoonnttrraaccttss according to spe-cif ic conditions, which guarantee that clubs’fleets of machines are kept in efficient and safeworking order, thanks to scheduled maintenancevisits.

L

Thanks to a network of 350

specialised technicians and

professionals, spread over

five continents, Technogym’s

After Sales Service is

extending its reach

34

HOW DOES IT WORK?The AAfftteerr SSaalleess SSeerrvviiccee guarantees interventionwithin 4488 hhoouurrss. Orders for replacement parts areprocessed iimmmmeeddiiaatteellyy and the customer receivesthe oorriiggiinnaall rreeppllaacceemmeenntt ppaarrtt shortly thereafter.“The professionalism of these technicians ensuresthat iinn 9966%% ooff ccaasseess,, pprroobblleemmss aarree ssoollvveedd aatt tthheeffiirrsstt vviissiitt”, says a TTeecchhnnooggyymm spokesperson.These results are achieved through the work of 335500ssppeecciiaalliisseedd tteecchhnniicciiaannss, spread over five continents,which the company trains and updates constantly.All of them, whether internal or external, are oblig-ed to take several refresher courses per year, so asto maximise the level of service provided to cus-tomers.

TECHNOGYM DIRECTFor customers who prefer to use oonn--lliinnee sseerrvviicceess,TTeecchhnnooggyymm has set up a tteecchhnniiccaall aassssiissttaannccee wweebbssiittee, at wwwwww..ttggddiirreecctt..tteecchhnnooggyymm..ccoomm. Here, thecompany offers outstanding levels of efficiency,comparable to those of only a handful of businessworldwide, chiefly from the services sector, whichhave achieved excellent standards of after-salesefficiency by adopting on-line systems. “This sitegives customers 24/7 access to iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn iinn rreeaallttiimmee on the progress of their request, whether it’s areplacement part order (order tracking) or a servicecall-out”, explain TTeecchhnnooggyymm’’ss After Sales Servicetechnicians. ■

We would like to thank Marco Amadori andAlessandro Cavallucci, After Sales Service Managers,Technogym Italy.

35

T O T A L W E L L N E S S S O L U T I O N

35

The After Sales Service

guarantees intervention

within 48 hours and 96%

of problems are resolved

at the first visit

Technogym has dedicated a web site to its After

Sales Service (www.tgdirect.technogym.com), at

which customers can check the progress of their

request in real time

wwwwww..ttggddiirreecctt..tteecchhnnooggyymm..ccoomm

n this issue, we have highlighted a few pprreelliimmii--nnaarryy aassppeeccttss to consider during the design ofa fitness and wellness facility, including the cri-teria essential to help iiddeennttiiffyy tthhee bbeesstt llooccaattiioonn

and ddeeffiinniinngg tthhee mmoosstt ssuuiittaabbllee cclluubb llaayyoouutt, takinginto account the existing catchment area. We willthen take a look at the ideal solutions for eexxtteerriioorrccoommppoossiittiioonn and aacccceessssoorryy aarreeaass including parkingand green areas, taking into consideration theirccoommmmuunniiccaattiivvee rroollee as a first reference point forpotential customers, as well as their ffuunnccttiioonnaall rroolleein terms of their intended use and the service theywill provide.

ESTABLISHING THE IDEAL LOCATIONThis is the first decision that needs to be made andobvious solutions are rarely forthcoming. Neverthe-less, site location is a determining factor in the suc-cess of a facility. TThhee mmoosstt ddeessiirraabbllee ssiitteess ffoorr bbuuiilldd--iinngg aa nneeww ffaacciilliittyy aarree wwiitthhoouutt ddoouubbtt,, tthhoossee tthhaatt bboorr--ddeerr aa cciittyy cceennttrree, in the suburbs. These are densely-populated, built-up areas with high traffic volumes.In fact, new facilities in central suburban areas are

often developed in modernised existing buildingstructures. For a number of years now, the ever-increasing need to identify sites of a sufficient size tohouse facilities for modern fitness and wellness cen-tres (including parking, green areas and publicspaces) has resulted in increasingly ddeecceennttrraalliisseeddllooccaattiioonnss. Furthermore, even well-established sitesthat are strategically located in city centres are dis-advantaged by their restricted exterior spaces, suchas limited parking spaces. Another fundamental cri-teria is the aacccceessssiibbiilliittyy ooff tthhee ffaacciilliittyy, in other words,the ease with which it can be reached from the workplace or home, within the shortest possible time,using the most convenient mode of transport. Thefollowing measurement provides a fairly accuratedefinition of a facility’s ccaattcchhmmeenntt aarreeaa: trace a cir-cumference starting with the club site at its centre,and a radius of 10-15 minutes using the quickestmode of transport. This is the area most likely to pro-vide a stable client base.

MEASURING THE SITE LAYOUTMMeeaassuurriinngg tthhee ssiittee llaayyoouutt iinn rreellaattiioonn ttoo tthhee ccaattcchh--mmeenntt aarreeaa rreeqquuiirreess aa ggrreeaatt ddeeaall ooff tthhoouugghhtt, if youintend to avoid running the risk of creating a ‘cathe-dral in the desert’!A simple solution would be to calculate the numberof people situated within the target area, as wedefined earlier using the time criterion. For this pur-pose, it would be handy to obtain uuppddaatteedd ssttaattiissttiiccssoonn ffiittnneessss aanndd wweellllnneessss cclluubb aatttteennddaannccee ffoorr aa rreeffeerr--eennccee ddiissttrriicctt oorr ggeeooggrraapphhiiccaall zzoonnee. In Italy, figuresfluctuate at between 5% and 8% of the resident pop-ulation (ISTAT survey). Therefore, given a catchmentarea of 10,000 inhabitants, we may empirically sup-pose that the number of potential customers

by Gianluca Baldini

C L U B L A Y O U T

The following is a guideline of criteria for locatingthe best site, selecting dimensions and architectural

solutions for a wellness club: after all, locationand outer appearance are the customer’s

first point of contact with the club

Exterior Design

I

36

The presence of self-sufficient

areas to accommodate

customers plays a crucial role

in the success of the facility.

The guaranteed prospect of

free and available parking

spaces outside the club

brings convenience, saving

customers time and money

equates to between 5% and 8%, in other words 500-800 people. Once we arrive at this indicative figure,the site can be measured based upon experience ofthe area, a business plan and a ratio of oonnee ssqquuaarreemmeettrree ppeerr ppootteennttiiaall vviissiittoorr. Therefore, a site ofbetween 500 and 800 m2 should provide optimumoutlay and return for this focus sector. Creating abigger site would involve greater risks and wouldneed to be strategically motivated.

EXTERIOR SPACES: DESIGN OF FACILITIESCreating tidy and linear facilities without resortingto architectural gimmicks may facilitate internaldivision of space, enable simple construction andtherefore lower costs, and these advantages are notto be underestimated. However, it is just as truethat ffiirrsstt iimmpprreessssiioonnss ggeenneerraatteedd bbyy tthhee cclluubb’’ss eexxtteerr--nnaall aappppeeaarraannccee aarree ooff vviittaall iimmppoorrttaannccee ffoorr mmaaxxii--mmuumm vviissuuaall iimmppaacctt.. FFoorr eeccoonnoommiicc aanndd aaddmmiinniissttrraa--ttiivvee rreeaassoonnss,, aa oonnee--lleevveell llaayyoouutt iiss pprreeffeerraabbllee, but ifthis is not available, planning for a second floor isalso acceptable. Visual permeability of communal areas and collec-tive activity spaces, added to a sense of comfortand all-round visual harmony, are all features whichshould influence the site’s design. Adopting glasspartitions and doors, illuminated signage andscenic walkways are often the best solutions.AAbboovvee aallll,, lliigghhtt iiss aann eeffffeeccttiivvee mmeeaannss ooff ccoonnvveeyyiinnggtthhee cclluubb’’ss iimmaaggee. Enhancing the facility with aclever play on light is highly recommended and cre-ates a positive and overwhelming first impression.For this reason, unique architectural features suchas timber beams or hollows would benefit from sub-tle lighting to draw attention to these areas. Thiswill, without doubt, enhance the external visualimpact of the club, from the perspective of visitorslooking into the club.

SURROUNDING EXTERIOR SPACESTThhee mmoosstt aapppprroopprriiaattee llaayyoouutt ooff eexxtteerriioorr ssppaacceess iissaann iimmppoorrttaanntt ffaaccttoorr iinn ddeevveellooppiinngg aa rreegguullaarr ccuuss--

ttoommeerr bbaassee. The availability of self-suf f icientareas to accommodate customers plays a crucialrole in the success of the facility. The guaranteedprospect of free and available parking spacesoutside the club brings convenience, saving yourcustomers time and money. The number of park-ing spaces required tends to fluctuate at around10-15% of overall surface area in square metres.In other words, if the centre covers an area of1,000 m2, it makes sense to plan for around1,000 parking spaces with accompanying roomfor manoeuvre.If there are undeveloped adjacent areas, tthhee eessttaabb--lliisshhmmeenntt ooff ggrreeeenn aarreeaass ffoorr ccoommmmuunnaall uussee aarree rreecc--oommmmeennddeedd, including gardens, exercise trails orsports areas for practicing open-air activities duringsummer months. PPllaayy aarreeaass ffoorr cchhiillddrreenn oorr rreellaaxx--aattiioonn zzoonneess (benches for taking time out, chatting orreading) will certainly add value to the site. ■

C L U B L A Y O U T

37

First impressions generated by the club’s external appearance are of

vital importance for visual impact. The visual permeability of

communal areas and a clever play on light are touches which create a

sense of comfort and overall visual harmony. Use of glass partitions

and doors is also highly recommended

Green areas for

communal use such as

gardens, exercise trails

or sports areas for

practicing open-air

activities during the

summer months are

features which add

value to the club

In Milan, Dirk Bikkembergs optedfor footballers to showcase hismen’s Autumn/Winter ’06-‘07collection, with a set designfitted by Technogym

Housed within the Panoramahausin Dornbin, Austria, is the Homeof Balance; 7,000 m2 of spa,physiotherapy, medical andbeauty facilities and of coursefitness areas, fitted out byTechnogym

Wellness Lifestyle

38

FFRROOMM IITTAALLYYFOOTBALLERS ON THE CATWALK

The German designerDDiirrkk BBiikkkkeemmbbeerrggss isthe first fashion inno-vator to have recog-nised the value of foot-ball beyond its purelyspor ting aspect, byusing it to draw inspi-ration for his designs.For millions of peopleit represents a way oflife, a symbol ofdynamism; for Dirk, itis both the philosophywhich encompasseshis life’s work but is

also a passion, so much so that he features thedesigns in his own football team, Bikkembergs F.C.Fossombrone. This dynamic spirit was at the heart of a mmeenn’’ssAAuuttuummnn//WWiinntteerr 22000066//22000077 ffaasshhiioonn sshhooww, held onJanuary 17 at the Super Studio on Via Tortona 14 inMilan. Football was the central theme for the show,with the set design fitted by TTeecchhnnooggyymm. In fact, theFFoossssoommbbrroonnee ssqquuaadd players worked out on 10 RRuunnEExxcciittee treadmills whilst famous figures from the worldof soccer (including ex-footballer Fabrizio Ravanelliand referee Daniele Tombolini) became models forthe night and strutted their stuff on the catwalk.Bikkembergs was so impressed with the stage designthat, at the end of the event, he chose to be filmednext to a Run Excite machine during his interviewwith the RRAAII TTVV ssttaattiioonn.

FFRROOMM AAUUSSTTRRIIAAHOME OF BALANCE: EIGHT LEVELS OF FITNESSLast September saw the inauguration of the biggesthotel and spa project ever attempted, and realised, inAustria: it involved the PPaannoorraammaahhaauuss iinn DDoorrnnbbiirrnn,an ultra-modern edifice whose 11 floors make it theregion’s tallest building.The top three floors house the FFoouurr PPooiinnttss bbyy SShheerraa--ttoonn hotel, a brand owned by the SSttaarrwwoooodd GGrroouupp. It’sno coincidence that Technogym is a partner of thegroup, having secured a pprreeffeerreennttiiaall aaggrreeeemmeenntt foruse of its equipment aaccrroossss tthhee EEAAMMEE rreeggiioonn (Europe,Africa and the Middle East). The fact that Starwoodhas decided to iinnvveesstt 7755 mmiilllliioonn EEuurrooss into such anambitious project, located far away from built-up cen-tres, simply goes to show the size of demand for well-ness facilities within the world’s most prestigioushotel companies. In fact, the building is also home tonone other than the HHoommee ooff BBaallaannccee, comprisingeight floors and 7,000 m2 of fitness, spa, physiothera-py, medical and beauty facilities. TTeecchhnnooggyymm pro-

vides the lliioonn’’ss sshhaarree of the equipment. MarketingManager Gianluca Laganà confirms that equipment,vvaalluueedd aatt hhaallff aa mmiilllliioonn EEuurrooss, has been used to fur-nish the cardio fitness area (which during summermonths also spills out onto the open-air terraces), thestrength-building area (including the comprehensiveBiostrength and Personal Selection circuit), and Kine-sis, the new training method created by TTeecchhnnooggyymm.Defined as ‘design for movement’, the club’s Kinesisfacility combines the highest standards of interiordesign with physical activity and its associated bene-fits through the re-discovery of free and naturalmovement.

FFRROOMM TTHHEE UUSSAATAKING ON THE STATESOne of the main ddrriivviinngg ffoorrcceess bbeehhiinndd tthhee AAmmeerriiccaanneeccoonnoommyy is state expenditure and investment: securinga lucrative state contract is an essential goal for everycompany operating within the US market. The US iskeen to prevent capital from leaving its borders, as faras possible, in order to safeguard the country’s man-power. As such, the US administration's decision toaward GG..SS..AA.. ((GGeenneerraall SSeerrvviicceess AAddmmiinniissttrraattiioonn)) certifi-cation to Technogym in December last year was amajor victory for the company, despite the firm not hav-ing established a manufacturing site on US territory.

The certification, which will run through to 2007, tookseven months to secure: it means that TTeecchhnnooggyymm -whose products have been recognised for their origi-nality and in many cases their technical featureswhich are superior to local equipment and full valuefor the increased outlay – will be made available tostate employees. Furthermore, TTeecchhnnooggyymm has thego-ahead to ppaarrttiicciippaattee iinn aallll ppuubblliicc tteennddeerrss (military,Pentagon, state colleges, etc.) on an equal footingwith US manufacturers. So, another leap forward inthe TTeecchhnnooggyymm strategy to raise awareness andappreciation of its products in the world’s referencemarket: the US market.

FFRROOMM SSOOUUTTHH AAFFRRIICCAASPORT FOR UNIFICATIONThe SSppoorrttss SScciieennccee IInnssttiittuuttee ooff SSoouutthh AAffrriiccaa ((SSSSIISSAA))was founded in 1994 and has grown alongside thenew South Africa: its mission was to provide a plat-form which contributed to encouraging understand-ing and unification of the whole nation by increasingthe level of sports services for people of every cultureand ethnicity. Even today the SSISA, based in New-lands (Cape Town), is the leading benchmark forsports education and preparation. Its WWeellllnneessss && FFiitt--nneessss CCeennttrree, already superbly equipped, was recentlyenhanced with the addition of a sizeable TTeecchhnnooggyymminstallation by PPeennttaassyysstteemmss, the company’s distribu-tor for South Africa. An almost complete outfitting of124 machines, for a total value of 400,000 Euros,included the Excite Line, Cardio Wave and Top XT, theupper body ergometer, as well as benches and Per-sonal Selection strength-building machines, handweights and racks, barbells and free weights.It’s clear as soon as you open the institute’s homepage www.ssisa.com, that to the buyer this wasmoney well spent, with a range of photos and theunmissable announcement: jjuusstt aarrrriivveedd……Furthermore between 3 - 6 May and in collaborationwith DDiissccoovveerryy HHeeaalltthh (the number one health insur-ance company in South Africa), SSISA will organisean iinntteerrnnaattiioonnaall ccoonnvveennttiioonn, which will feature highquality, famous speakers including John McCarthy,president of IHRSA and Edwin Moses, gold medalwinner in the 400 m hurdles at the 1976 and 1984Olympics. TTeecchhnnooggyymm will be the exclusive sponsor ofthe convention.

FFRROOMM SSAAUUDDII AARRAABBIIAAWOMEN IN THE GYMGGoolldd’’ss GGyymm GGrraanndd CClluubb iinn JJeeddddaahh is leading the way:not only is it the biggest of all the centres in theworldwide Gold’s Gym chain – measuring 10,000 m2

in surface area – it is also famous for being tthhee ffiirrsstt

ssttaanndd--aalloonnee cclluubb (housed within a specially-designedcomplex) iinn SSaauuddii AArraabbiiaa,, ccoonnttaaiinniinngg ttwwoo sseeppaarraatteecclluubbss,, oonnee ffoorr wwoommeennaanndd oonnee ffoorr mmeenn.Users of Gold’s Gym inJeddah have clearly wel-comed innovation withopen arms, becauseafter only two months inbusiness (it was inaugu-rated on 9 December2005) the club alreadyboasts 5,000 members,70% of which arewomen. The disco-styledesign is modern andappealing, with serviceswhich are focusedtowards entertainment:some of the most successful features have been theWWeellllnneessss SSyysstteemm, the innovative design of TTeecchhnnooggyymmequipment and the various technological gadgetrylaid on for customers. Fitness and wellness appear destined to gain a firmfoothold in Saudi Arabia, thanks to the club’s alterna-tive approach. As a result of the appealing recre-ational and technological design aspects throughoutthe complex, Saudis are able to experience the bene-fits of health and wellbeing in the same way as othernations, becoming a philosophy of life.

FFRROOMM MMEEXXIICCOOWELLNESS PAYSUnder the banner of its motto “Wellness pays”, the3rd Latin American Wellness Conference was heldin February in Mexico. Despite its large expanse, thecountry lacks private and state structures in termsof scientific education and marketing for the Well-ness and Fitness industry. Since 2003, Technogym has endeavoured to sendout an important message to this market and offerdirect support: eventually, even the media took upthe cause, broadcasting it via Sky Latin America bymeans of a prime-time interview. The conferencewas marked by three important and unprecedentedforward leaps: the Ministry for Sport and Healthoffered its support to a ‘commercial’ event; thethree main club chains (Sport City, Casablanca andSportium) all signalled their presence by sponsoringthe Wellness convention; and finally, the event wasbased in the Convention Centre and not a hotel,which gave it a totally different look and feel. Sil-vano Zanuso represented the Italian sector byspeaking on the theme of ‘Education and personaltrainers, a financial solution for increasing salesand retaining customers: the experience of 50,000gyms fitted by Technogym’. ■

Gold’s Gym chose thePersonal Selection Classic

equipment line in thelight blue version to

equip the club’s women-only workout areas

39

The Sports Science Institute of South Africa’s Wellness & Fitness Centre wasrecently enhanced by the arrival of a sizeable Technogym installation

Welcome Wellnessinto the

Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi

family

40

t took just over three years and a 12,000-strongworkforce to build one of the most magnificenthotels found anywhere in the world: tthhee EEmmiirraatteessPPaallaaccee in AAbbuu DDhhaabbii, owned by the Government

and run by KKeemmppiinnsskkii, Europe's most established luxuryhotel group. Designed by leading architects WWAATTGG (Wimberly Alli-son Tong and Goo), who have designed other master-pieces around the world including Atlantis on ParadiseIsland, Bahamas and Claridge’s in London. The granddesign incorporates traditional Arabian elements, suchas the colours of the façade that were designed toreflect the different shades of the desert sand of theEmirates, the breathtaking dome in the atrium, whichmeasures 42 metres wide and is decorated with goldand silver coloured glass mosaics, not to mention theother 144 smaller domes featured throughout thebuilding.Whilst classified internationally as a luxury 5-star hotel,the name Palace gives a far more accurate reflection ofthe reality of the building. The sumptuous furnishingsand faultless service are fit for a king, ensuring thatguests feel like Arabian royalty themselves.The choice of TTeecchhnnooggyymm as supplier for the ffiittnneessss aannddwweellllnneessss centres at this luxury hotel is not just a featherin the company's hat, but further confirmation of thequality of its products, which satisfy even the mostdemanding of customers.Some numbers to give an idea of just how grand thishotel is: 11 mmiilllliioonn ssqquuaarree mmeettrreess ooff ppaarrkkss aanndd ggaarrddeennss,,

88,,000000 ttrreeeess aanndd ppllaannttss and a 11..33 kkmm lloonngg bbeeaacchh;length of the palace 11 kkmm; 77,,000000 ddoooorrss; 114400 lliiffttss; 112288kkiittcchheennss employing 117700 cchheeffss; 22,,000000 ssttaaffff from 50countries; 330022 ddeelluuxxee rroooommss and 9922 ssuuiitteess furnishedwith regal splendour, featuring the highest quality mod-ern conveniences (plasma TVs, touch screen controlpanels for lights and air conditioning, interactive TV forInternet, games, laptop computer withscanner/fax/printer; 11,,000022 SSwwaarroovvsskkii cchhaannddeelliieerrss; aballroom for 2,800 people; over 4400 ccoonnffeerreennccee rroooommss.In the future, it is likely that the suites will be kitted outwith Technogym equipment too!So big you could get lost? Without a doubt, if it weren'tfor the maps that are always automatically handed outto guests upon arrival, or the 30 interactive screenspositioned strategically throughout the Palace andexcellent signposts.Rounding off what the Emirates Palace has to offer,there are 22 ssppaass and 22 ppoooollss (a Leisure pool land-scaped on the east wing and an Adventure pool land-scaped on the west wing with water slides and a jetpropelled river). There are 22 ffiittnneessss aarreeaass, one in theeast wing and one in the west wing of the Palace, fullyequipped by TTeecchhnnooggyymm with PPeerrssoonnaall SSeelleeccttiioonnCCllaassssiicc, the strength line that has become an industrybenchmark thanks to its innovative elliptical design,comfortable ergonomics and smooth, safe biomechan-ics, as well as EExxcciittee LLiinnee, the world's most completeline for cardiovascular training, with built-in WWeellllnneessssTTVV to keep guests entertained while they work out. ■

I

Two pictures of the gym locatedin the east wing of the EmiratesPalace Hotel Kempinski in AbuDhabi, equipped with Excite700 TV and Personal Selection

It took just over three yearsand a 12,000-strong workforce

to build one of the mostmagnificent hotels found

anywhere in the world: theEmirates Palace opened in

February 2005 and offers 302deluxe rooms and 92 suites

MagazineWellnessCALENDAR 2006

Fairs and Events TRENDS, INNOVATIONS ANDPROTAGONISTS OF WELLNESS

Issue 1, Year 9

EDITORIAL TEAMTechnogym S.p.A. via G. Perticari, 20

47035 Gambettola (Forlì) - Italia tel. ++39 0547 56047 fax ++39 0547 650550

e-mail: [email protected]

PUBLISHED BYTechnogym Group S.p.A.

EEddiittoorriiaall ddiirreeccttoorrNerio Alessandri

EEddiittoorr--iinn--cchhiieeffLuca Ravaglia

EEddiittoorriiaall CCoollllaabboorraattiioonnPrimepagine Editing & Consulting

PPiiccttuurree rreesseeaarrcchhIsabella Farnedi

GGrraapphhiiccss aanndd llaayyoouuttFaberi Associati

WITH THE COLLABORATION OFMarco Amadori, Gianluca Baldini, Jemma Baker,

Claudio Bertozzi, Kate Carlisle, Alessandro Cavallucci,Luca Ceccaroni, Franco Cicognani, Francesca Costi,

Carolina Durante, Angelo Goggioli, Marta Giovannelli,Gianluca Laganà, Monica Malatesta, Riccardo Marini,

Michele Moro, Giulia Muttoni, Davide Neri, Keiko Nishimori, Alberto Pacchioni, Fátima Palha,

Maurizio Placuzzi, Andréa Ramalho, Fulvio Sartoni, Ina Schneider, Helena Shirley, Mauro Taveira, Marc Wielm,

Claudia Zanoni, Silvano Zanuso

IMAGESIsabella Farnedi, Isapo, Agenzia LaPresse,

McLaren Press Office, Alberto Narduzzi, Marco Onofri,Rossella Rocchi, Silvia Tenenti, Technogym Image Bank

and special thanks go to Dirk Bikkembergs

THANKS TONatali Aal, Sandra Segers, Michel Van Ooijen, Paul Alart,

Eva Stefes, Ursula Vinson, Michele De Vincenzo, Enrico Manaresi, Cristina Budriesi, Enrico Mauro Nava,Francesco Orselli, Raffaele Menci, Vito De Benedetto, Thomas Zani, Nuria Vendrell, Marta Martìn Gomez,Ivo Grossi, Kari Ingalls, Lina Paselli, Daniele Barbari

PRINTED BYARBE Industrie Grafiche S.p.A.

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FAIR PLACES DATE TYPE

41

Technogym®, The Wellness CompanyTM, ExciteTM, Multisensorial DesignTM, Track ControlTM,Goal TrainingTM, Wellness TVTM, KinesisTM, Cardio WaveTM, My WellnessTM,

Wellness SystemTM (figurative), Wellness ExpertTM, SmartKey (3D)TM and TGS Key (3D)TM,Still NovoTM, Wellness ToolsTM, Wellness BagTM and Wellness Institute (figurative)TM

are trademarks owned by Technogym® SpA in Italy and other countries.Cardio Wave, Kinesis Wall, 3D Pulley System and FullGravity technology,

are patent pending owned by Technogym® SpA in Italy and other countries.

The Technogym stand at IHRSA 2006

Vehicles such as the car and motorbike formpart of our daily lives. TThhee hhuummaann bbooddyy,which is designed for walking, running andmoving by activating all its parts, mmuussttaaddaapptt ttoo bbeeiinngg sseeaatteedd ffoorr sshhoorrtt aanndd lloonnggppeerriiooddss ooff ttiimmee,, iinn vveehhiicclleess wwhhiicchh iimmppoossee aappoossttuurree tthhaatt iiss ffaarr ffrroomm iiddeeaall.Whilst we are driving, we expect both com-fort and safety which is dependent on thefull control and reliability of the vehicle. Con-versely, driving can actually have detrimen-tal physiological effects deriving from anincorrect posture.For instance, driving can cause cceerrvviiccaall aannddlluummbbaarr ppaaiinn and even cause the bblloooodd cciirrccuu--llaattiioonn ttoo ssllooww ddoowwnn (the typical swelling ofthe legs as a result of extended seating in acar or plane).Drawing a parallel between the car as amachine, and man as a machine, we cancompare a car’s chassis to our bones, jointsand muscles. The engine can be comparedwith our cardio-respiratory apparatus (heartand lungs), the gearbox can be compared toour nervous system and petrol to food,which we use to energise us. When we drive, it is necessary for both thevehicle and the driver to be finely tuned. Notonly does this make driving more pleasur-able, but most impor tantly it ensuresendurance, control and safety.

Here are some examples of specific exercis-es that are very beneficial:

ABDOMINAL AND LUMBAR TWISTSWITH A SWISS BALL Stretched out on the floor, face up with armsextended, rest your legs on the ball bent at90°. Slowly roll your pelvis to the right andthen to the left, keeping your shoulders onthe floor.PRACTICAL TIPS: 16–20 total twists to the right and left, for2-3 sets 1 minute rest between sets2-3 times a week

TRICEPS EXTENSIONS WITH DUMB-BELLSAND UPPER BODY STABILISERS WITH ASWISS BALLSitting on the ball, grasp the dumb-bell andflex and stretch the arm, trying to keep yourelbow high and facing frontwards. To intensi-fy the resistance, a cable (Ercolina) can beadded, using the same movements.PRACTICAL TIPS:10–12 exercises, for 2-3 sets 1 minute rest between sets2-3 times a week

LOWER LIMB BENDS CONTROLLINGTHE BACK WITH THE SWISS BALLRest the ball against a wall, holding it inplace with the lumbar region of your back.Bend your lower limbs, allowing the ball toroll along your spinal column, ensuring yourback remains straight. PRACTICAL TIPS:10–12 exercises, for 2-3 sets 1 minute rest between sets2-3 times a week

STOPPING AND RESTINGThe American AAA Foundation for TrafficSafety has compiled a document listing thegolden rules drivers should observe whenplanning a long trip. Among these, it recom-mends ssttooppppiinngg eevveerryy 22 hhoouurrss and above all,during those stops, it urges drivers to per-form ssttrreettcchhiinngg eexxeerrcciisseess,, ttaakkee aa wwaallkk aannddeexxeerrcciissee mmuusscclleess. One last tip: taking in the ‘wrong fuel’, suchas rich or stodgy foods and alcohol, cancause drowsiness and dramatically slowdown your reactions. Never underestimateyour condition when about to drive! Yoursafety and the safety of others is at stake. ■

By Riccardo Marini, Technogym WellnessTrainer

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Safe driving? It’s a question of fitness

Copy from Wellness Magazine No. 1 Year 9

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wellness magazine 22 2006

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