HEAT, SWEAT & VENTILATION

WHAT WE KNOW:

We know how heat will raise heart rate. We also know that increasing heart rate has nothing to do with extra power output; it isn't due to your physical effort to harder. It simply means your body has to work harder at the same power output to dissipate heat. Why? Because excessive heat is not a desirable thing – your heart rate increases so it can send more blood more quickly to the skin for the evaporative cooling effects of sweat and convection. This higher heart rate can translate to not being able to work hard enough, reducing your ability to train, reducing your potential power output.

And, contrary to what your heart rate monitor might indicate, this higher heart rate does not translate to an increase in caloric expenditure.

Heat Index

We know that the Heat Index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature – in other words how hot it feels. The result is also known as the “felt air temperature” or “apparent temperature”. For example, when the temperature is 32 degrees C with very high humidity, the heat index can be about 41 degrees C.

Body Cooling

The human body normally cools itself by perspiration or sweating. The evaporation of water needs heat that is absorbed from the body to yield water vapour. However, a higher relative humidity reduces the evaporation rate because of the higher vapour content. This results in a slower heat removal from the body, hence the overheat sensation.

The following information has been taken directly from the INDOOR CYCLING ASSOCIATION Guidelines:

Physiology:

The human body temperature is 96-99 degrees F (98.6F/37C is only an average). Body temperature is automatically regulated through a process called thermoregulation. Our bodies are able to balance heat production and heat loss to keep a relatively stable body temp of about 98 degrees F. When we exercise the body temp rises. Our bodies convert chemical energy from food into mechanical energy, which is what allows us to move, but 25% of this energy is lost to heat. The higher the intensity of the workout, the higher the body temp becomes.

Exercising in average conditions (indoors or out) allows the body to adjust to the increase in body temperature. But, as the external temp increases, the body cannot radiate heat from the surface of the skin as well. If the ambient temperature exceeds 98 degrees, there can be a net gain in heat from the environment, potentially raising the body temp even more. The body's cooling mechanism is the ability to sweat – millions of sweat glands on the surface of the skins secrete liquid. As this liquid (H20) evaporates into a gas form, the process lowers the temperature of the skin. This in turn cools the blood and ultimately the body.

As the body releases fluids through the skin (sweat), it can quickly reduce blood volume due to fluid loss. There is a very real potential for dehydration if it is not replaced. Dehydration in turn leads to a higher body temperature and a higher heart rate, which in turn increases body temperature. This is a very risky situation if the body isn't hydrated and cooled down quickly.

Extremely warm and humid temperatures can quickly overwhelm your body's cooling system – particularly when the air is not circulating, as is the case in many studios with inadequate ventilation.

ACSM facility guidelines

The following are the guidelines for temperature and ventilation provided for health and fitness facilities.

- Facilities should provide all physical activity spaces with sufficient air circulation and fresh makeup air (i.e. outside air) which will allow the facility to maintain air quality, room temperatures and humidity at safe and comfortable levels during times of physical activity.

- Air circulation is one of the most critical elements when designing and operating a health/fitness facility. When a room is filled with members and users exercising at a moderate to high intensity, the heat and humidity load increases dramatically. This can place an increased level of heat stress on the members and users and may result in dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or (in rare instances) cardiovascular emergencies. In addition to the increased heat load that can result from improper air circulation, a risk of poor air quality exists than can expose members and users to airborne pathogens that can increase the risk of respiratory disorders or other airborne illnesses. Facilities can provide sufficient air circulation by taking into consideration the following factors.

The Spinning^® and Indoor Cycling Studio

Many cycling studios are often smaller than the group fitness studios. Oftentimes they are an afterthought, especially in the older facilities, and are converted from a squash court, which can mean there is insufficient ventilation.

Intense indoor cycling sessions can raise the body temperature higher than many other forms of group exercise classes. Multiply that by 15, 20 or more exercisers, and you can see how these smaller rooms packed to the maximum with sweaty bodies can become very hot and stuffy in a very short time.

For this reason, a baseline temperature a degree or two below the standard guidelines is warranted to allow for the expected increase once the class gets going. Ample ventilation is extremely important. Providing fans is essential to the comfort and safety of students, however, how many are available and where they are directed is a potential firestorm of discontent among students!

Summary

We are approaching summer right now. It's hot inside the cycling studio. However, it isn't only in the heat of summertime when one must be concerned about working out in a room that is too hot. Exercise studios, especially crowded indoor cycling rooms, can get especially hot even in the middle of winter if there is improper ventilation and cooling. Therefore, this topic is not just for summer.

Regardless of personal preferences the science is clear:

It is incumbent on the health & fitness facility to provide an environment that is safe and comfortable for participants in regards to temperature and ventilation. An instructor who denies students air conditioning or fans is putting his or her students at potential risk while also reducing the potential of their workout.

The resources for this information are below:

1. Exercise, Heat, Hydration and the Brain. R.J. Maughan, S.M. Shirreffs and P. Watson. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. October, 2007.
2. Exercising in the Heat. Dr Stephen D Ball, PhD, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri Extension 
3. National Weather Service, Online information on the heat index. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=noaaexcessiveheat#heatindex 
4. ACSM Health/Fitness Facility Standards and Guidelines, ACSM (Human Kinetics, 2007), page 35

Group Fitness and Science!

It's more than just a people job.

We came across this news release from Charles Sturt University. They are on a (scientific) mission to find out what kind of exercise class provided the best workout:

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

"CSU steps up fitness research

New research underway at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange will precisely measure for the first time which group fitness classes give the best work-outs.

More than four million Australians regularly undertake aerobics, fitness or gym workouts, making group fitness the second most popular physical recreational activity after walking according to the Fitness Australia Industry Report 2012.

That popularity translates to an expected $1.2 billion in revenue this year, but gym-goers are still largely on their own when it comes to deciding which class gives the best bang for their buck.

Physiology lecturer Dr James Wickham from CSU’s School of Biomedical Sciences http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/science/biomed hopes to change that by measuring the muscle response, heart-rate and caloric expenditure of ten volunteers as they each take a step class, stationary bike class and an aerobic weights class.

The electrodes, which are attached with double-sided tape, each relay 2,000 measurements per second for a total of about six million measurements per class.

Dr Wickham said group exercise classes are typically set to ‘tracks’ which gyms purchase from companies which design a routine and match it to music.

“The companies that sell the tracks design them to deliver an over-all work-out so they don’t over-tax a particular muscle more than any other,” he said.

“But I’m not aware of any research that has directly compared muscle activity and caloric expenditure between group exercise programs.

“This research will pinpoint the differences between the classes so participants know which class burns the most calories, or which class is most effective for working a particular muscle group.”

Body Training Solutions Australia national program director Garry Hart said his company welcomed Dr Wickham’s use of its ‘Group Step’, ‘Group Ride’ and ‘Group Power’ programs in the research.

“This research has tremendous potential, both in terms of helping us better communicate to consumers what each of our programs can offer and in terms of helping us ensure each of our workouts is targeting the major muscle groups in sequence,” he said. 

Participants between the ages of 18 and 40 are being sought to take part in the research, which is expected to be finalized by the March 2013."

Media note: Contact CSU Media to arrange interviews or photo opportunities with Dr James Wickham or Mr Gary Hart.

Further information: Mark O’Brien, CSU Media on phone (02) 6365 7813 or mobrien@csu.edu.au. Read CSU News www.csu.edu.au/news

 Stay posted! We will share the results of this study as soon as we get hold of them. The Group X Movement. 

If you want to back a winner - then why not back yourself?

Here’s an idea - Turn back the clock

As the Spring racing carnival is now upon us and Spring is often the season of renewal and making a fresh start it got me thinking about the state of the fitness industry and the doom and gloom that we hear about all the time -- “there are too many gyms opening up”, or “ too much competition, not enough profit”, or “ wage costs too high”, or “ R.O.I. just not like it was back in the “hey day” of the late 80s early 90s”.

Then I thought about the Blue Ocean Strategy.

Blue Ocean Strategy is often defined as:

- the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost.

- not to out-perform the competition in the existing industry, but to create new market space or a blue ocean, thereby making the competition irrelevant.

* Companies have long engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth. They have fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled for differentiation.

* Yet in today’s overcrowded industries, competing head-on results in nothing but a bloody “red ocean” of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool. In a book that challenges everything you thought you knew about the requirements for strategic success, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne contend that while most companies compete within such red oceans, this strategy is increasingly unlikely to create profitable growth in the future.

  

                                                                   © Kim & Mauborgne, 2012

So, how does this management concept relate to the individual Group Fitness instructor or have any real impact on their lives?

Isn't this strategy stuff just corporate jargon for big companies looking to position themselves in an ever changing business landscape, where nothing stays the same from day to day let alone from year to year?

Well, here’s a discussion topic that may incite or inspire.

Group Fitness instructors, I mean great Group Fitness instructors, have a tough job. They have to simultaneously coach and cajole upwards of 20-30 people in a class whilst being brand champions for their health clubs, the programs they teach and their own “love mark”.

Many instructors have reported over the years that they think and feel that they are worth more money per hour and feel that they are not appreciated by the health clubs they work for.

Here is a very simply solution. Back yourself -- put your money where your mouth is and turn back the clock. Back the days of the “aerobic pioneers”. Back to a time where classes were held in school halls, squash courts, or any space that could be rented for minimal cost.

Not exactly a Blue Ocean, more like a Blue Lake or even Blue Puddle.

Imagine a small group of passionate, inspiring group exercise teachers getting together as a coaching collective and opening a “turn key” group fitness studio.

Imagine positioning that studio in the hearts and minds of potential clients as the ultimate place to come together for that tribal experience called a Group Fitness class? No expensive gym equipment to lease, no wages just a share of the profits after minimal costs.

Imagine “backing yourself” so much that you are willing to put your skills, your personality, and your “client pull factor” on the line to be able to not only pay the rent but also pocket some decent pocket jingle?

Two things are likely to occur:

1. You and your group ex. Buddies will make enough money to keep your “Blue Lake” venture alive and kicking on for as long you continue to attract clients. Independence and autonomy and no one telling you what to do and how to do it.

2. You and your buddies will realise what risk your Health Club owners take to put on classes that attract classes in the single digit category. You and your buddies will discover that every class has to be world class a show stopper to make sure that you are only as great as “your last gig”.

So, I hope you back a winner and the winner is YOU.

Author: Garry Hart

Virtual Group Fitness - The Way of the Future?

VIRTUAL GROUP FITNESS

 Innovative Isolation or I.T. Inevitability?

Stop for just a minute . . . please . . . close your eyes and picture a Group Fitness class.

What is your first image?

What is it you hear?

How do these images in your minds’ eye make you feel?

Pretty simple exercise . . .  would you agree?

Perhaps for many people working in the fitness industry we would all pretty much have similar mental pictures to report?

-A room populated by sweaty bodies moving to a pulsating beat.

-An inspirational instructor calling the shots – guiding, coaching and cajoling class members to challenge themselves to achieve their fitness and health goals.

Did anyone imagine a touch screen point of entry, one or two people in a super tidy room and a 120 cm video screen showing some pretty slick video instructors teaching group fitness programs ranging from cardio funk to Pilates? Welcome to the amazing new frontier of Fitness Classes on Demand.

Mostly everyone in the fitness business will be familiar with Group Fitness providers like Zumba, Body Training Systems, Radical Fitness and Les Mills.

These companies are all innovative and progressive and focus their attention on delivering top quality programming for licensed instructors to teach classes in licensed health clubs. They provide club owners and managers with consistent group fitness products that allow them to prescribe to their members exercise experiences that will help them achieve their club’s value promise.

But, so do the Virtual Group Fitness classes. Don’t get me wrong, these virtual Group Exercise classes are amazingly professional, filmed in sophisticated sets and even taking indoor cycling riders to exotic locations around the world. They fulfil a real market need for the low service 24 hour clubs and even in full service clubs that have staffing challenges.

So, what is the problem? Countless thousands of lounge rooms have Wii fitness; gyms have had cardio theatre for decades, an untold number of people jump on treadmills and exercise whilst watching morning drivel television programs, health clubs have had electronic diversionary tactics for members to take their minds off exercising for so long it is now standard equipment.

The problem is that this style of exertainment is a one way street. There is no person to person contact.

We simply go back to the age old reason why people overwhelmingly choose to join a health club and choose to stay – they come to together in groups. And most importantly with group fitness classes with a “live” instructor you get FEEDBACK. You get monitored, you get nurtured, you get noticed and welcomed, you feel part of a community, you feel a tribal bonding.

There is no disputing the versatility that the relentless technological advances have afforded the fitness industry. Variety of exercises, smart apps, and media delivery platforms will continue to be attractive to certain market divisions of this amazing industry.

However, there is also no disputing that we are still creatures that need interaction and recognition.

Not just progress results on a printout, not just a USB stick that monitors our progress, not just a heart rate monitor that is so clever it can now order you a taxi if you are feeling too buggered to move.

We NEED someone to say, “hey great job, well done”; “awesome to see you back today, you are looking great”; “if you need any help just call me”.

We need the Human Touch.

Author:

 Garry Hart, Program and Training Director, Body Training Solutions Australia.

garry@bodytrainingsolutions.com.au

www.bodytrainingsolutions.com.au

Is Group Fitness Dead?

Is Group Fitness Dead?

Did Group Ex. peak in the 80s and 90s and is zero service 24 hour gyms the “New Black”?

Many commentators would have you believe that the future of the fitness industry hinges on swipe cards and virtual coaches.  And alas, many more health clubs around the country are suffering fear that their livelihoods, and that of their long suffering staff, is in jeopardy.

This fear has led to a rise in negative self talk by club owners and a knee jerk reaction of shedding staff, reducing services and trying to compete in the rapid race to the bottom end of the membership price point.

The Australian fitness industry has been built by the passion and professionalism of the people -- the PTs, the Group Exercise instructors, and the engaging and encouraging club owner/manager. What has served the industry well and will do so for many more years to come is exceptional customer service that exceeds customer expectation.

In a very interesting article by Lauretta Stace, the Chief Executive of Fitness Australia, she writes:

“Consumers of fitness services have become more demanding and discerning in their choices. In fact, many now want fitness services shaped around them as distinct from the more traditional gym-centric services.”

In Lauretta’s article, in the magazine What’s New In Fitness, she highlights the results of a worldwide survey of fitness trends in 2012 conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine. The survey revealed that out of the top 20 fitness consumer trends the number one aspect they wanted was access to educated, certified and experienced professionals.

One further noteworthy comment Lauretta made in her piece was “the pursuit of innovation must not come at the cost of ensuring a high standard of customer care, safety and service.”

Whilst I 100% share Lauretta’s views and passion, and I have made it my life’s mission to deliver world class customer service through millions of hours of teaching group exercise,  I was intrigued to study another survey in the same magazine by Simon Hall.

Simon was analysing the Australia and New Zealand Fitness Industry Survey. The survey sample was 13,755 gym members. Of that number 68% were female and 32% male.

The survey was fascinating and exposed some very insightful findings.

This is a sample of the facts revealed:

·         35% of fitness clubs members were very satisfied

·         The biggest influence in deciding a fitness club was 81% location

·         42% Members said receiving a motivational call was annoying

·         74% preferred club communication via email and social media

·         Of all the social media channels 76% of members had an active Face Book account

The most revealing aspect of the survey for me was that Group Exercise was not mentioned in any of the featured results.

Does that mean that no one looks for clubs running great group fitness classes?

Quite clearly the answer is NO. We mammals are tribal in nature. We love coming together in groups.

There is power in numbers.

Here are just two simple examples:

·         Corporations wishing to market a product sponsor sporting events because there are tens of thousands of people watching the game accessing a Tribal gathering.

·         If hi tech home entertainment was the death of cinema, theatres and music events, then how come tickets to shows get sold out minutes after they go on sale – accessing a Tribal gathering.

People love coming together with other like minded souls. We enjoy the sound of a chorus. We enjoy the shared experience. We like being liked. We find solidarity and kinship in a group.

Group Ex is NOT dead – it just needs a LOUDER uniform voice

Well managed clubs, with an exciting and diverse Group Exercise timetable, have proven time and again that it is a cost effective profit centre and the only division of a company that will generate endorsed, unsolicited referrals and emotional membership retention based on strong relationships.

You get that relationships from person to person. Not from machine to person.

All managers know that in a highly competitive industry what attracts attention from potential buyers is a unique selling point (USP) or points of differentiation (POD).

There is an obvious POD for clubs running excellent Group Fitness classes compared to zero service 24 hour gyms. – People to people. In other words a Health Club with a community focussed and customer care culture as opposed to a garage of machines, a video screen and a swipe card.

There are many highly successful health clubs in Australia that have outstanding group fitness class attendance. How would you like to have class attendances at your club in the 80 percentile range? These clubs thrive because of a passionate and professional club owner/ manager who also teach group exercise classes. They love people and they love what they sell.

We need to celebrate the growth of the 24 hour clubs in this country. It only serves to help us in our mission to get Australians moving. BUT . . .

Remember that 81% of people list location as the aspect that affects their decision to join a club. This is screaming out the need for clubs to let people in their immediate geographic location know that they have life changing, inspirational, trained & certified, experienced Group Exercise professionals waiting to help them achieve whatever it is they want from a Health Club membership.

Let’s Move and Let’s Move with a unified message of Long Live the Tribal Gathering of Group Fitness.

Author:

 Garry Hart, Program and Training Director, Body Training Solutions Australia.

garry@bodytrainingsolutions.com.au

www.bodytrainingsolutions.com.au