Kent Sport representatives Graham Holmes (Director) and Oli Prior (Fitness and Performance Manager) recently visited Germany on a fact-finding mission. Graham visited with Directors of other European universities while Oli and colleagues attended the annual European Fitness Industry Trade Show (FIBO).
This year the show was hosted by the City of Cologne in their impressive Exhibition Centre Koelnmesse located on the banks of the Rhine and in the shadow of Colognes impressive two-towered Cathedral.
Oli was accompanied by Chris Payne (Kent Sport Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Jeni Dexter (Kent Sport Studio Co-ordinator), all looking for ideas ahead of the launch of the new Kent Sport Fitness Suite and Studios on 7 May 2013. With hundreds of trade exhibitors, the full spectrum of fitness related products and services were on show and available for the Kent Sport team to experience and question the experts who designed them, during their two-day visit.
As the majority of exercise equipment for the new Fitness Suites has been purchased from Star Trac, the main agenda for this show was to find additional niche products, services and group exercise formats that are trending in the industry; and to consider what more could be introduced at Kent Sport.
The exhibition included new stations, which will be on the market at the end of the year and may well have a place at Kent Sport. Perhaps the most impressive of Star Trac’s new lines is the Boxing Master Station which encompasses 10 fixed target pads positioned for traditional boxing combinations offering a fun, alternative and intense workout station for boxing enthusiasts and beginners. Chris Payne said, “What a brilliant conditioning tool for the upper body. Whilst initially apprehensive looking at the rig, once the Boxing Master had been adjusted to my height you couldn’t keep me off it as I rekindled an old passion for pugilism.”
With the new kit tried and tested by Chris, it was time for Jeni and Oli to check out a range of Group Exercise Master Classes and Showcases; and they were particularly impressed by Drums Alive. They both experienced an hours Master Class that showcased the new concept. Driven by university research into the benefits of both exercise and drumming, this concept is fun and effective for all ages and would appeal to all members at Kent Sport. Drums Alive ultimately combines basic aerobic footwork whilst drumming on a stationary exercise –ball with real drumsticks, the combination of cardio aerobic work and upper body drumming offers a universal workout that is driven by the percussion party anthems playing on the stereo.
As a concept in the UK, Drums Alive is in its infancy and Jeni is working with the founders exploring the opportunity to bring this to Kent’s new studios. The video below showcases the energy and euphoria created by the Drums Alive format and Kent Sport hope that the concept is one the great discovery’s of FIBO 2013.
The team also could not help but be impressed by the FIBO Power exhibition adjacent to the trade show with three halls full of muscle building supplements and bulging body builders flexing their muscles. The jury is out as to what brand of fitness these athletes fit into but the visit to FIBO was certainly enhanced by a browse around the Power exhibition and the eye-popping, jaw-dropping forms of the human body on-show there!
With the Kent Sport Team visiting all of the conference halls there were plenty of other products, class formats and services that provoked thoughts of developing the facilities available to members at Kent Sport further. There is a lot to look forward to at Kent Sport with amazing new facilities opening in a few days and exciting ongoing developments beyond that – watch this space!
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