Virgin active press feed

Virgin Active shows support for Help for Heroes and Hero Ride

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:27:00 +0100

Help for Heroes is delighted to announce their partnership with Virgin Active in support of the charity’s latest fundraising challenge: Hero Ride.

Between 27 May and 02 June, Virgin Active health clubs across the country will be offering the opportunity for members to get involved in their local club’s Hero Ride activity, such as group static cycle or boot camp, with all funds raised being donated to Help for Heroes.

On 02 June, the main Hero Ride event will see cyclists from all corners of the country stage fundraising bike rides and meet on mass in Blackheath and ride together into central London in support of our wounded.

Led by thousands servicemen, women and veterans, Hero Ride will be the biggest cycling demonstration of national support for the wounded this country has ever seen and the British public are being encouraged to brush off their bikes and sign up to be part of this very special event.

All funds raised through Hero Ride and Virgin Active will provide support for those who have suffered and survived injuries in recent conflicts and for their families, for life.

Bryn Parry OBE, CEO and co-founder of Help for Heroes, said: “We are delighted to be working with Virgin Active to ensure that Hero Ride allows as many people as possible to get involved in what will be a fantastic day. We have no doubt that Virgin Active will do a great job in drumming up support for Hero Ride and we hope that our work with them will continue to the future.

“The money raised is greatly needed to enable us to provide long term support for those who have suffered life-changing injuries. The war in Afghanistan may be coming to an end but for those whose lives have changed as a result of their service to this country, the battle is only just beginning. On behalf of everyone at Help for Heroes and all those who the funds raised will benefit, thank you and best of luck for your Virgin Active events.”

Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Active Health Clubs, said: “Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity and it is our pleasure to get involved and help to drum up support, participation and ultimately raise money for our troops. I would encourage anyone to come along to their nearest Virgin Active club and get signed up for this event, it doesn’t matter about your level of fitness – it’s about getting involved and showing your support.

“Best of luck to all participating in Hero Ride and the Virgin Active events and classes across the country from myself and all at Virgin Group.”

To find out how to get involved in Hero Ride, to sign up and to donate up please visit www.helpforheroes.org.uk

Team Freespeed Virgin Active:
Search for Number 12

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:15:00 +0100

In the last three years, Team Freespeed Virgin Active has grown to be the highest performing and most aspirational amateur team racing in the UK and is set to expand further for the 2013 season.

The recent additions of Charlie Pennington, Dion Harrison and Catherine Faux to the existing eight members – Stuart Anderson, Tim Bishop, Jenny Gowans, Declan Doyle, Sam Baxter, Matt Molloy, Alison Rowatt and Richard Hobson – leaves the team with one more place to fill that the team are opening up exclusively to a Virgin Active member.

Richard Melik, Team Manager of Team Freespeed Virgin Active, explains:

“We are very proud of our association with headline sponsor Virgin Active and have decided that the twelfth member of the team should be one of their 500,000 plus club members. We are not necessarily looking for high performance – simply someone who has the ability to inspire and to train and race with a smile on their face.”

The chosen person will receive and enjoy the benefits* of an existing team member including:

A Virgin Active Classic membership providing access to all Virgin Active Health Clubs in the UK
Full Team Freespeed Virgin Active training and race kit
Entry to the Virgin Active London Triathlon 2013
A Sailfish G-Range wetsuit worth £575
A selection of Compressport compression clothing
A season’s supply of Clif Bar nutrition
A personal hydration test and supply of product by H2Pro
A choice of a Speedfil hydration system
A selection of Lezyne products
Additional support from theTrilife.com and California Raisins

Nick Stocker, Sponsorship Manager at Virgin Active Health Clubs commented;

“Triathlon is such a key part of our offering at Virgin Active; no matter what your level of ability. As an amateur team, Team Freespeed Virgin Active are living proof that it is possible to successfully balance training with a job and family commitments. This competition takes that principle a step further, providing one lucky member with the ultimate Triathlon prize.”

To enter visit: http://www.virginactive.co.uk/campaigns/team-freespeed

Do not contact Team Freespeed or Virgin Active direct with race CVs - only applications through the official competition page will be considered.

*See terms and conditions for details

Virgin Active Group Results

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:00:00 +0100

Continued growth in number of clubs, revenue and earnings

Benefits from significant investment in Esporta estate

Exciting opportunities for future growth

London, 7 May 2013: Virgin Active, the leading branded international health club operator, today announces summaryresults for 2012.

Virgin Active today filed its first set of statutory financial statements following the acquisition, in October 2011, of a majority stake in the Company by funds advised by CVC Capital Partners (“CVC”). This summary provides commentary on the Group performance for the twelve months ended 31 December 2012 and includes references to the comparable period in 2011, all on a constant currency basis. The data used has been based on Group management information as the statutory report covers a non-comparable 16 month and 30 day period.

Summary

Another year of strong performance with continued growth in the estate, revenues and profits

13 new clubs opened and total membership grew by 7%, including a 3% growth in like-for-like membership
Continued expansion in existing and new territories:
United Kingdom: total membership +3% including the effect of 1 new club and 3 disposals
South Africa: 6 new clubs and membership +8%
Continental Europe: 6 new clubs and membership +13%
Asia Pacific: four acquired clubs fully integrated and performing well, a new lease signed in Raffles Place, Singapore, and further openings targeted
Revenue increased across all territories with total revenue increasing 26% to £641.5m (2011: £510.6m) driven by like-for-like sales growth, new club openings and a full year’s trading from Esporta and Australia
The turnaround of the Esporta business, which has traditionally traded on lower margins to Virgin Active, is well underway. £30m has been invested to date in upgrading the Esporta estate, with further significant investment planned for 2013 and beyond. The benefits of this investment and cost synergies are driving strong membership and profit growth
EBITDA grew by 6% to £124.4m (2011: £116.9m)
These results include the costs of a number of new arrangements put in place following the acquisition of a majority shareholding by CVC, including a new global licence agreement with the Virgin Group. On a comparable basis the underlying EBITDA growth was 11%
Following the acquisition of the group by CVC, new long term loan facilities to 2018 were secured. This new long-term capital structure will enable further expansion in both existing and new territories
Net bank debt at the year-end was 2.3 times EBITDA, down from 2.4 times in 2011
2013 has started strongly across all territories and particularly in the UK
Continued investment in the existing estate and a strong new club pipeline makes the Board confident that 2013 will be another year of growth

No. of clubs at end 2012

South Africa & Namibia / 104 / +6

UK / 120* / -2

Continental Europe / 41 / + 6

Asia Pacific / 4 / -

Total 269 / + 10

* The UK opened a new club in Aldersgate London, and closed three smaller dry clubs which no longer fitted with the strategic direction of the business.

Commenting, Richard Baker, Chairman of Virgin Active said:

“I am pleased to report another good set of results for Virgin Active. We have continued to expand our international footprint as well as investing in our existing estate, while retaining strict financial disciplines. Given the strength of the business, our current momentum and the opportunities available to us, we look to the future with confidence.”

Matthew Bucknall, Group Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Active, added:

“2012 was another successful year for Virgin Active as we grew our estate, revenues and profits for the thirteenth consecutive time. Our outstanding value for money, well-invested clubs and focus on meeting our customers’ needs have continued to differentiate us in a competitive market-place.

We have had a strong start to the current year, particularly in the UK where the benefits of our investment in the Esporta estate are really starting to come through. We are well-placed to take advantage of exciting growth opportunities in South Africa and Europe. We will also be opening in Singapore in the summer – our first club in Asia – and are planning further clubs in the Asia Pacific region in the near term. Overall, we expect to deliver another year of profitable growth in 2013.”

Meet your match with Tencap

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:56:00 Z

As part of the inclusive and unmatched tennis offering across its portfolio of 21 Health and Racquet clubs, Virgin Active is launching Tencap, a tennis player-rating system which will guide members to find the perfect opponents at their local club.

Not only will Tencap offer a dynamic, accurate, and objective player rating system, it will also provide an online platform for members to arrange and apply for tournaments, and host a social network for members to contact each other if they fancy a match. On joining, members will complete a brief online questionnaire sharing their current playing ability and aspirations, followed by an induction session with their local racquet manager which will confirm their level of skill before being introduced to the full tennis programme.

Tencap adopts a similar approach to a golf handicap, whereby the lower your score the better your ability. Beginners will be given a score of between 80-70 whereas a touring player would find themselves between 10-0. Tencap also offers the opportunity to be rated as a single player or as a doubles team, giving members the chance to get involved by themselves or with a friend.

Tencap is available exclusively at Virgin Active and allows members to progress as they pick up the sport, making tennis an enjoyable, but also rewarding experience. The player rating system will cover the entire tennis programme, as members of the same ability can get involved in Tennis Xpress, Cardio Tennis or Shot of the Day.

Gary Stewart, Head of Racquets at Virgin Active Health Clubs said, “We wanted to introduce a system that can make tennis accessible for everyone and enjoy the fantastic courts available at Virgin Active Health & Racquet clubs. The beauty of Tencap is that you can either work your way up to a highly competitive standard or simply have a fun game with your family and friends.”

Tencap is available for health & racquet members at all 21 Virgin Active Health & Racquet clubs across the UK.

Perfect doubles: Virgin Active teams up with Lawn Tennis Association

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:00:00 Z

Virgin Active, the UK’s leading health club operator with over 100 clubs nationwide has partnered with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to become the Official Health Club of British Tennis, in a three year agreement.

Virgin Active is introducing a number of LTA tennis products, which will be available to all racquet members, including Mini Tennis, a fun programme for 3 -10 year olds and Cardio Tennis, an up-tempo group fitness class that takes place on a court.

Virgin Active is committed to making tennis more accessible and is investing heavily into the sport, including over £1million into 81 new courts.

Commenting on the partnership, Gary Stewart, Head of Racquet Sports, Virgin Active Health Clubs says; “It’s an absolute privilege for Virgin Active to partner with the LTA. As a governing body, the LTA’s overall purpose mirrors that of Virgin Active - to continue to grow and sustain the sport, nurture young talent and increase participation while highlighting that tennis is a fun, affordable, family sport as well as a great way to get fit.

Virgin Active Health & Racquet Clubs offer an inclusive and innovative tennis programme that caters to all ages and levels of play. We provide members with the highest quality of coaching and facilities and we continue to invest in our portfolio to become THE leading tennis provider of choice in the UK. ”

Lawrence Robertson, Commercial Director, Lawn Tennis Association adds; “We're delighted to have this opportunity to partner with Virgin Active. We're especially excited to work with a company with such a deep understanding of its customers and a recognition of how tennis can offer everyone a great experience and a fun way to get fit. I'm confident our partnership with Virgin Active will help get more people playing and enjoying our sport both in and out of their clubs."

The agreement follows Virgin Active announcing British tennis star Laura Robson and former British number one player Andrew Castle as tennis ambassadors for its inclusive and unmatched tennis offering, across a portfolio of 21 Health and Racquet clubs.

Virgin Active Health and Racquet offering

Mini Tennis - a fun tennis programme for 3-10 year olds that uses smaller courts, nets and rackets, offering a quality introduction to tennis.

Cardio Tennis - a series of tennis-based drills and activities played to up-tempo music on a tennis court. It doesn’t require tennis skills - it’s all about keeping heart rate up, burning calories and having fun.

Tennis Xpress - an active and dynamic introduction for starter adult players and recommended by the ITF as the best way to learn the game.

Other Virgin Active tennis programmes which sit alongside the LTA classes are;

Junior Tennis Academy - open to members 3-16 providing talented youngsters with a place to hone their tennis skills and really get going in a safe, nurturing environment.

Shot of the Day - master every shot in the tennis repertoire with intense stroke-learning fast classes. These sessions last for 30 minutes, each focusing on a new shot.

Adult tennis lessons - giving members the chance to learn tennis skills on a one-to-one basis, with a highly qualified professional.

Following induction, members are also able to participate in Group Coaching sessions alongside a similar standard player, focusing on game tactics rather than technique.

Members are also encouraged to track their own progress using Tencap, a cutting-edge online rating system, available exclusively to members of Virgin Active, which matches the user to other players of a similar level as well as monitoring performance.

Virgin Active launched its inclusive tennis programme on World Tennis Day, 4th March 2013.

British tennis star Laura Robson becomes Virgin Active's first Tennis Ambassador

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 17:29:00 Z

Virgin Active Health Clubs unveil unrivalled racquet offering for 2013.

Virgin Active, the UK’s leading health club operator with over 100 clubs nationwide has partnered with British female tennis star Laura Robson and former British number one player Andrew Castle to launch an inclusive and unmatched tennis offering across the portfolio of 21 Health and Racquets clubs.

Laura, who trained at the Virgin Active Chiswick Riverside club in her early years, will also act as an ambassador for the Virgin Active Junior Tennis Academy, which is open to all members, aged 3-16. There are currently over 4,000 members of the academies including 200 who receive LTA funding to train in the clubs. Robson hopes to motivate and inspire a new generation of tennis stars, especially teenage girls who are known to drop out of sport at an earlier age.

Commenting on her role as tennis ambassador, Laura Robson says, “I am really excited to be working with such an innovative company as Virgin Active. With someone as passionate as Sir Richard, I am sure we will be able to entice more Virgin Active members to get on the court and give tennis a go. I have many fond memories of training at the Riverside Club, being on court was always fun - it's a very social club.

"Tennis is such a fun sport and has so much to offer for all ages and standards - plus it’s great for your all-round fitness.”

Virgin Active founder, Sir Richard Branson comments, “It’s no secret how much I love playing tennis – it’s such a fantastic sport and a wonderful way to stay active and be social at the same time.

"Our Racquet Clubs are now very much part of the Virgin Active family and with the innovative, fun approach the team at Virgin Active are bringing to the game they are proving they will do ‘Anything for Tennis’!

"It’s a joy to welcome Laura – after all she represents the future of UK tennis – she’s young, vibrant and on course to do very well this year – go Laura! It’s great to also be joined by Andrew Castle – he brings a wealth of experience and sports heritage and maybe he’ll give me a game!”

Virgin Active is investing heavily into its racquets programme following the acquisition of new sites in 2012, including over £1m on 81 new court surfaces and facilities, making Virgin Active one of the leading racquet operators in the UK.

On 4th March 2013, World Tennis Day, Virgin Active is set to launch a comprehensive range of tennis programmes, aimed at the entire family, across its portfolio of 21 dedicated Health and Racquet clubs.

Virgin Active Health and Racquet offering

Mini Tennis - a fun tennis programme for 3-10 year olds that uses smaller courts, nets and rackets, offering a quality introduction to tennis

Junior Tennis Academy - open to members 3-16 providing talented youngsters with a place to hone their tennis skills and really get going in a safe, nurturing environment

Tennis Xpress - an active and dynamic introduction for starter adult players and recommended by the ITF as the best way to learn the game

Shot of the Day - master every shot in the tennis repertoire with intense stroke-learning fast classes. These sessions last for 30 minutes, each focusing on a new shot

Adult tennis lessons - giving members the chance to learn tennis skills on a one to one basis with a trained instructor

Members are also encouraged to track their own progress using Tencap, a cutting-edge online rating system, available exclusively to members of Virgin Active, which matches the user to other players of a similar level as well as monitoring performance.

Andrew Castle, who joins Laura as the ambassador of the adult tennis programme continues, “2012 reignited the nation’s interest and passion for all sporting disciplines, notably tennis following Andy Murray’s success with the US Open and the 2012 games.

"Our shared goal is to dispel the myth that tennis is an elitist sport by opening the doors to a whole host of people from all walks of life, including the introduction of tennis academies for underprivileged children and adult beginner lessons.”

Gary Stewart, Head of Racquets at Virgin Active Health Clubs concludes, “Virgin Active is dedicated to ensuring that its racquets offering is the best in the UK, which is why we have taken the unprecedented step of creating a complete package that falls within the membership cost.

"Laura Robson and Andrew Castle will both help to give tennis and other racquets sports broad scale appeal across all age ranges. We look forward to following Laura’s success in the lead up to this year’s Wimbledon.”

Wattbike launches into Virgin Active

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:50:00 Z

Wattbike, the indoor cycle trainer, has launched its group cycling class into Virgin Active’s flagship Central London Health Club at 200 Aldersgate by Virgin Active Classic Collection. With a training suite of eight Wattbikes set up in a dedicated zone, Virgin Active is able to offer its members the premier indoor group cycling experience.

Wattbike enables each participant to train at the optimal level for their own personal fitness but within a motivating group training environment.

Classes are performed around key performance parameters including power, heart rate and cadence, with data drawn from the on-board Wattbike Performance Computer displayed on a large screen to assess performance and communicate feedback to members.

With accurate fitness data, the feel of riding a real bike and its unique pedal technique analysis, Wattbike brings a new level of structured training to Virgin Active Aldersgate members. Virgin Active will have timetabled ‘How to Wattbike’ and ‘Wattbike Fast Classes’, alongside 1-2-1 sessions with Wattbike-trained instructors and a range of specialised training and testing programs for cyclists and triathletes.

Richard Baker, Sales Manager, Wattbike said: “It’s fantastic to see Wattbike taking pride of place in Virgin Active’s brand new Central London flagship Classic Collection Club. Virgin Active chose Wattbike because of the quality of ride, detailed feedback and its versatility in different training scenarios, from high-intensity group sessions to an individual member simply being able to jump on and ride.”

Alan Holl, Head of Fitness, Virgin Active said: “Health club users have become more sophisticated trainers in recent years. They push themselves harder, are more technically knowledgeable and demand the best available equipment. Wattbike’s pedigree as a training device for elite athletes makes it a natural choice for use by our members and personal trainers. The Wattbike’s graphical display of accurate real time data makes for precision training sessions and a great member experience.”

Wattbike is currently available at 200 Aldersgate Health Club, Kensington Health Club and Twickenham Health Club and will play a key role in helping members to train for this year's Virgin Active London Triathlon.

Virgin Active makes a splash with launch of Kids' snorkel school

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:26:00 Z

Virgin Active, the UK’s leading family health club with 114 life guarded swimming pools in the UK, is launching an STA (Swimming Teachers Association) accredited snorkelling club for children (years 8+) this February half term – a first within the health and fitness sector and part of Virgin Active’s ongoing commitment to making fitness fun and getting children active.

The three stage syllabus will see up to ten water-loving kids per session learn skills including working with buddies, underwater communication and safety whilst submerged.

Each class, which lasts for thirty minutes, takes place at Virgin Active clubs nationwide alongside a STA Snorkel CPD (Continued Professional Development) accredited Virgin Active Swim Instructor.

Participants will receive a certificate, badge and mini snorkel kit on completion of these fun filled sessions.

Shani Whittaker, Swim Development Manager at Virgin Active Health Clubs comments, “Virgin Active is the first health and fitness provider to offer a ratified, qualification course for kids in Snorkelling and currently teach over 21,000 children to swim each year.

"Snorkelling provides a fun, active option for kids during half term, helping them with confidence, team work and a new skill, as well as the obvious health benefits.

"Our dedicated team of Swim Instructors are always looking for new, fun ways to get kids active in the pool and the Snorkel Club provides an opportunity for them to try something new and get going in a safe and inspiring environment.”

Each course runs over five days and there are three levels to suit ability, from beginner to expert. To find out when the next course runs at your local Virgin Active or to book a place, simply call the club directly or speak to someone on the reception desk.

The course is available for members and non-members at Virgin Active Health clubs nationwide from £40 for members and £50 for non-members.

Read more about our snorkelling course at Netmums.com or Mummy Travels

Virgin Active Encourages Members to HIIT Their Health Club

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:29:00 Z

Virgin Active suggests HIIT training to make sure you enjoy the recommended 150 minutes of activity a week

Following the success of the 2012 summer games, which saw Great Britain win a staggering 63 gold medals and Virgin Active health clubs noting a 15% increase in new members, millions caught the sport and fitness bug. Athletic training and HIIT (high intensity, interval training) workouts satisfied the nation’s appetite for keeping active and burning those extra calories and Virgin Active has seen a shift in focus to lifestyle, not just fitness.

With 35% of adults claiming to only have time to exercise for an hour a week, HIIT is a great way of ensuring time spent working out is beneficial. In addition to Fast Classes (20 minute instructor-led intensive sessions on the gym floor), last year Virgin Active launched 30 minute studio classes at its clubs.

The Puma Faas class is a 30 minute studio class which utilises plyometrics, a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements and comprises a series of exercise drills focusing on speed, agility and quickness. Gillian Reeves, National Group Exercise Manager at Virgin Active comments, “Traditionally group exercise classes last between 45-60 minutes but this class fits into people’s busy schedules while providing them with a high intensity workout. The Puma Fass Class helps to maximise fat and calorie burning as participants are put through their paces, like an athlete.”

Government guidelines now state that the total recommended exercise time (of moderate activity) is 150 minutes per week, but that this can be built up in smaller blocks of 10 minutes or more. Gillian Reeves adds, “These new guidelines align with our Fast Classes perfectly, which are popular with members who enjoy coming to the club but are looking for an effective whole body workout in a short space of time, before picking the children up from school, meeting friends for a drink or rushing back to work from lunch.”

Other HIIT classes introduced at Virgin Active include, CXWORX™ from the popular LES MILLS™ fitness franchise, a new 30 minute studio based class - a short, sharp workout that tightens and tones core muscles, improves functionality and strengthens the body for mobility and injury prevention. The 30 minute class, set to chart-topping music, combines the best of personal training with the energy of a group exercise class. Participants can expect to burn around 230 calories per class.

Ugi, another short duration, high intensity class from Canada, is currently exclusive to Virgin Active Health Clubs. The barefoot 30-minute workout uses a 15cm diameter ball available in various weights to suit individual needs. The workout combines strength, cardio and core training to help people become functionally fit. Ugi creator Sara Shears claims, “Ugi is happiness training. There are 1,440 minutes in every day, and if you use 30 of them for physical activity, the other 1,410 feel better”.

“High intensity interval training workouts (HIIT) was a big trend last year and this type of exercise is only set to become more popular” explains Gillian Reeves.

Anyone for (Cardio) Tennis?
Virgin Active Launches Cardio Tennis in Extensive Racquets Programme

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:04:00 Z

Virgin Active, the UK’s leading health club, has launched Cardio Tennis classes in Health and Racquets clubs across the UK, as part of an on-going investment into its racquets facilities.

Cardio Tennis, which can burn up to 600 calories in one hour, provides a unique take on the traditional game; featuring high energy moves on a tennis court against a soundtrack of fun filled, fast tempo music and adding a party atmosphere to a fantastic all-body workout.

Cardio Tennis classes are taught by qualified tennis and fitness coaches, and make the game accessible to all members: both tennis players and fitness fans alike. Participants do not need to have any prior tennis experience - just lots of enthusiasm and the ability to swing the racquet! Each session lasts an hour and features short high intensity bursts followed by periods of rest, keeping the heart rate up and burning fat in the process.

Gary Stewart, Head of Racquets for Virgin Active, said: “Here at Virgin Active we are dedicated to making racquets sports accessible and enjoyable for all of our members, and Cardio Tennis allows us to do just that. The successes of the likes of Laura Robson this summer has given rise to a whole new generation becoming interested in the game, which makes this modern and fast paced class the perfect workout choice. The beauty of it is that you are working out but without realising it, it really is great fun.”

Oliver Scadgell, Head of Competitions and Programmes at the LTA, said: “Cardio Tennis is a great way to get involved in tennis and get fit at the same time. We’re delighted to be working with Virgin Active to encourage more people to try this tennis work out on court at tennis venues across the country.”

Virgin Active Makes a Splash with Zumba® Fitness

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:38:00 Z

Virgin Active, the UK’s leading health club has launched Aqua Zumba classes in clubs across the UK, taking the party from the studio to the pool and showing that although summer may be in the past, the fun needn’t end there!

Zumba Fitness’ revolutionary pool based class, Aqua Zumba, takes the high energy and fun of a traditional studio Zumba® class to the water. The international and Latin music combined with high energy moves led by a charismatic Zumba® instructor creates an atmosphere reminiscent of a Miami pool party.

Known as the Zumba® “pool party,” Aqua Zumba gives new meaning to the idea of an invigorating workout. Splashing, stretching, twisting and laughing are all common characteristics of an Aqua Zumba class. Integrating the Zumba formula and philosophy with traditional aqua fitness disciplines, Aqua Zumba blends it all together into a safe, challenging, pool-based workout that’s cardio-conditioning, body-toning, and most of all, exhilarating.

The unparalleled success of Zumba classes, has prompted fans to ask what else does Zumba Fitness offer, and Virgin Active has the answer.

Virgin Active’s national group exercise manager, Gillian Reeves comments: “Following the success of Zumba classes at Virgin Active, we knew that we wanted to bring Aqua Zumba to our members.

"The classes bring a whole new aspect to the aqua group exercise class arena - they are energetic, fun and dynamic, and will no-doubt continue to be a huge trend in 2013 along with the original studio based Zumba classes.”

As with the original Zumba program, Aqua Zumba classes are between 45 minutes and one hour long. The instructor presents the class from pool-side, directing the movements to the increasingly popular Zumba® music.

The class combines Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggeton and other rhythms, whilst using the water’s resistance for an effective and invigorating workout. As always the aim is to have fun and getting fit is an additional bonus!

Virgin Active members set to have a ball with brand new thirty minute workout class Ugi

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:43:00 Z

Virgin Active Kensington Health Club, part of Virgin Active’s Classic Collection is proud to exclusively launch Canadian HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) class – Ugi in the newly £1.1million refurbished premium health club.

Ugi is a challenging 30-minute class set to music, combining strength, cardio and core training into the most fun, challenging, stylish way of becoming functionally fit.

All exercises focus on a fifteen inch diameter ball (weighted to suit individual needs) which has the squish of a beanbag and the bounce-back of a stress ball.

The Ugi ball is a tool you can stand on, kneel on, sit on or plank on, pick up, throw, or use as a weight.

The class comprises of a series of one-minute exercises efficient enough to change your body completely — from warm up, cardio, strength conditioning, balance and flexibility to cool down.

There are several variations of the exercises meaning that members will never get bored, stay motivated and continue to see results from Ugi.

Says Gillian Reeves, Group Exercise Manager: “Ugi is about working out for real life, for health and happiness. It's functional training that helps you operate better and feel better every day. It's health training that helps you benefit from the relationship between good eating and exercise.

"It's happiness training that helps you get more joy out of each minute, based on the idea that there are 1,440 minutes in every day, and if you use 30 of them for physical activity, the other 1,410 feel better!!”

Alan Holl, Head of Fitness at Virgin Active adds: “HIIT classes are growing in popularity at Virgin Active Health Clubs. People are time poor and lead busy lives – they want a total body workout that takes the shortest amount of time to do.

"They need a workout that’s functional and effective, yet enjoyable at the same time. Ugi is about small time commitment, yet big results."

Keep abreast of your strokes with Swimtag® at Virgin Active Health Clubs

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:49:00 Z

Virgin Active has introduced Swimtag®, an interactive tracking device for swimmers, into four of its Health Clubs: Kensington, 200 Aldersgate, Riverside Health & Racquets Club at Chiswick and Northampton Riverside.

Swimtag is a web-based interface that enables swimmers of all levels to track their activity in the club’s plush 20m swimming pool, including lengths; splits, stroke rate and stroke type.

Members collect their Swimtag wristband upon arrival at the club and return it to a specially designated docking station at the end of their session, where all data is uploaded to their personalised online profile.

As well as improving technique, tracking progress and monitoring personal bests, Swimtag allows Virgin Active members to interact with each other and compete with other users through competitions and social networking.

Alan Holl, head of fitness at Virgin Active Health Clubs, says, “Swimtag provides a value added benefit to our health club members. We first installed it at our Northampton Riverside health club where it really resonated with our members. Our new Classic Club at 200 Aldersgate has raised the bar in terms of health clubs and Swimtag will enable members to improve their swimming experience and technique.”

CXWORX™: Run faster, play harder, stand stronger at Virgin Active Health Clubs

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:44:00 Z

Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate has the largest group exercise studios in London and is introducing a number of innovative new classes to its timetable this year including CXWORX™, the latest offering from LES MILLS™, home to BODYPUMP™ and BODYATTACK™

CXWORX™ is a short, sharp workout that tightens and tones core muscles, improves functionality and strengthens the body for mobility and injury prevention.

The 30 minute class, set to chart-topping music, combines the best of personal training with the energy of a group exercise class. Participants can expect to burn around 230 calories per class.

No ordinary workout, CXWORX™ hits many of the top fitness trends:

Shorter duration workouts
Core training
Strength training
Functional fitness
Educated and experienced fitness professionals
Group personal training

Highly-trained instructors explain the science behind each exercise and challenge participants to reach beyond their limits. Like all LES MILLS™ programs, a CXWORX™ class is released every three months with fresh music and choreography.

Queenax: The adult climbing frame launches exclusively at Virgin Active Health Clubs

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 18:15:00 Z

Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate, the new £8m flagship “gym of the future”, is the first UK club to exclusively launch Queenax – the revolutionary climbing frame for adults. The Queenax Training System, reminiscent of a playground climbing frame, is multi-functional in that members will be able to swing, hang, do tractions, eliminate or moderate the effect of gravity, and much more.

Queenax is a unique system across the world. With Queenax the space around you becomes a tool: the ceiling, the walls, the pillars – everything is interactive. The structure of the frames means you can enjoy suspension training, oscillation and support training, as well as stretching and joint mobility exercises. It is designed to accommodate the latest training trends such as suspension training and functional training.

At Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate, Queenax will be situated on the gym floor. As well as being free for members to use at any time, there will also be timetabled “How to” classes and fast classes – twenty minute small group sessions lead by a Fitness Coach.

During Queenax fast classes, members will work out on different stations within the Queenax frame. Various resistance training tools such as TRX Rip Trainer and TRX Suspension Trainer will be incorporated to give members the ultimate whole body workout.

TRX Suspension Trainer

Born in the Navy SEALs, TRX Suspension Training bodyweight exercise simultaneously develops strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, and core stability.

To find out more, check out our top six TRX moves for an all over workout.

TRX Rip Trainer

Rip Training utilises a lever bar and resistance cord to provide a unique mix of rotation, core stability, control, power, strength, mobility, metabolic conditioning, balance and coordination challenges.

Says Alan Holl, Head of Fitness at Virgin Active,

“The key factor when choosing an exercise regime is enjoyment. At Virgin Active we want to keep members interested and stimulated. Queenax is a multi-faceted workout in a small space that will enable members to jump, climb, swing and enjoy a number of exercises – no matter what their fitness level”.

Core-Tex™: The ultimate three dimensional workout tool exclusive to Virgin Active Health Clubs

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:14:00 +0100

Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate is launching USA fitness innovation Core-Tex™ exclusively to the UK market. The Core-Tex™ does what nothing else in the fitness, sports conditioning or rehab worlds can do: Create a truly three dimensional surface for functional movement. Its versatility enables users of all levels and abilities to train the entire body in multiple positions using the unique motion to increase strength and mobility.

The Core-Tex™ allows for an almost infinite number of moves ranging from sport specific applications to maximise training and minimise injury risk. The patented design and motion allows the user to self-mobilise joints and increase dynamic flexibility.

The Core-Tex™ encourages movement and change of direction to maximise the integration of the body’s receptors from the foot and ankle all the way up to neck, eyes and inner ears. This causes the body to react and respond just as is required with real world activities and sports. All other balance devices on the market strive for improved static stabilization.

Says Alan Holl, Head of Fitness at Virgin Active,

“We are thrilled to be the only UK provider of Core-Tex™, starting with our club at 200 Aldersgate and soon to roll out to other national clubs. In order that our members gain maximum benefit from this great innovation, we’ll be hosting “How To” sessions and fast classes on the gym floor.”

Richard Branson unveils his celebrity team for the 2012 Virgin Active London Triathlon

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:44:00 +0100

The Virgin Active Riverside Health & Racquets Club in Chiswick was buzzing with excitement this week as Sir Richard Branson was joined by a host of celebrities from the worlds of TV, film, music, radio and theatre to launch the 2012 Virgin Active London Triathlon.

This is the second year that Virgin Active has sponsored the annual event, set in London’s Docklands and sees over 13,000 participants swim, cycle and run around a specially designed course that winds through some of London’s most famous landmarks such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. This year’s event will take place on 22nd and 23rd September 2012.

STARS JOIN HUNDREDS OF FITNESS FANS FOR VIRGIN ACTIVE’S TURF’S UP! AT TWICKENHAM STADIUM

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:36:00 +0100

Mass workout took place on Twickenham Stadium rugby pitch

On Wednesday 30th May 2012 for the third year running, Virgin Active Classic Health Club in Twickenham hosted a mass workout on the famous turf at Twickenham Stadium ahead of it being re-laid for next season. The fun packed event saw 500 participants take part in a 60 minute circuit class, raising money for children’s charity, Sparks.

Sir Richard Branson launched the event, thanking all in attendance alongside BBC presenter Chris Hollins and fitness fan Nell McAndrew. Participants tried their hand at a number of different fitness specialities available at the UK’s leading health club chain including V-Cycle, Rip Trainer, tug of war, football skills, tennis, and Virgin Active’s brand new classes, Beaming and Puma Faas Class. Each station was run by a Virgin Active Fitness Coach to keep participants motivated and music was provided by DJ John Warren.

General Manager at The Twickenham Club by Virgin Active Classic, Joy McLoughlin said: “We were really proud to be hosting Turf’s Up for the third year running, raising over £1,000 for Virgin Active’s charity Sparks. It was a great opportunity for our members and non members to take part in this extraordinary fitness challenge on the iconic Twickenham Stadium pitch.”

Virgin Active: Taking the Classic Health Club Experience to a New Level of Luxury

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:07:00 +0100

VIRGIN ACTIVE CLASSIC HEALTH CLUB AT 200 ALDERSGATE

On Friday 1st June, 2012, Virgin Active opens the doors to its flagship Classic Health Club in the heart of London City, boasting some of the most advanced equipment, new and innovative group exercise classes and outstanding facilities in a spacious, premium setting.

The club, which cost £8 million to design and build, is the biggest launch for Virgin Active, having listened to member feedback to create the ultimate health club boasting more space, more showers, the best fitness equipment and the largest group exercise studios in London. Designed with luxury, space and comfort in mind, Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate is so much more than ‘just a gym’.

The large gym floor is home to some of the most cutting-edge equipment including Core-Tex™, a three dimensional balance tool, Freedom Climber, which allows users to climb using a rotating wall and Power Plate® Pro6™, combining vibrations and resistance training. Other innovations include Queenax which combines the new trends for suspension training with functional training, Kinesis Stations and Wattbike.

New technologies MYZONE and Swimtag will allow members to measure and track every heartbeat and swim stroke, in and out of the club. Results are automatically stored online, enabling members to share results with friends, set personal challenges and take part in online competitions.

A fully comprehensive group exercise timetable will include popular classes such as Zumba® Fitness, BODYPUMP™, Puma Faas Class and Beaming™. Joining these on the timetable will be AntiGravity Yoga, which takes yoga to new heights and CXWORX™, a strengthening and toning core workout set to high energy and inspiring music.

After a workout, members can relax and unwind in the five star pool and spa facility which includes complimentary Molton Brown products, a 20m swimming pool, feature showers, massive hydrotherapy spa pool, sauna and steam room. Alternatively, members can socialise, network and grab a coffee in the concierge serviced lounge which includes iPads, Wi-Fi and a private meeting room.

Taking inspiration from the style and elegance of Virgin Active’s International Classic clubs in Italy, South Africa, Australia and Spain, everything is designed with the member in mind. Top lighting designers and architects were employed to ensure that the member journey is exemplary, from start to finish. Mood lighting in each area of the club from the changing rooms to the gym floor creates the perfect environment for all activities.

Martin Pugh, Managing Director of Virgin Active comments; “We pride ourselves at Virgin Active Health Clubs on bringing the best new innovations and classes to our members. We have invested £8 million into designing and building the new Classic club at 200 Aldersgate, creating a world class lifestyle and fitness club in the heart of London. Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate clearly demonstrates that we have listened to members who are looking for something more than just a gym. Inspired by our International clubs, our newest launch cements our plans for the Virgin Active Classic brand – offering the best of everything for our members. We continue to invest in our clubs with plans to refurbish many over the course of 2012, including a £500,000 investment in the Kensington Classic club.”

Elliott Lyons, General Manager at Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate adds; “Virgin Active Classic Health Club at 200 Aldersgate raises the bar for a modern day health club offering. We wanted to take our Classic brand and push the boundaries to provide something even better for our members. We recognised that our Classic members want the best of everything in life and we have strived to deliver this with our new concept club. Everything from the layout of the club, the group exercise timetable and the concierge service has put the member first, creating the best health club in the UK.”

There are various membership options available including a founder member offer of £99 per month.
For more information visit www.virginactive.co.uk/200aldersgate or call the club on 0845 270 9119

Virgin Active Group Unaudited Results for the 12 months ended 31st December 2011

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:37:00 +0100

Strong revenue and earnings growth

Acquisition of Esporta completed and integration well underway

Acquisition of Virgin Active Australia creates platform for expansion into Asia Pacific

Milton Keynes, May 2012:

Virgin Active, the leading international health club operator, today announces summary results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011.

12 months ended 31 Dec 2011 Revenue £536.2m

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 Revenue £445.2m

Change +20%

LFL Change +4%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2011 EBITDA £126.8m

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 EBITDA £114.6m

Change +11%

LFL Change +9%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2011 EBITDA margin 24%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 EBITDA margin 26%

Change -2%pts

LFL Change +1%pts

12 months ended 31 Dec 2011 No. of members 1,214,000

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 No. of members 975,000

Change +25%

LFL Change +4%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2011 No. of clubs 259

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 No. of clubs 194

Change +34%

LFL Change n/a

2011 Highlights

Strong financial performance with Group revenue up 20% and EBITDA up 11% versus prior year
Like-for-like group revenue increased 4% and EBITDA 9% versus prior year
Acquisition of Esporta’s UK business completed in July 2011 and integration progressing well:
- Adds 53 clubs with complementary footprint, including 20 racquet clubs
- All clubs rebranded Virgin Active and £25m capital investment programme now underway
- Virgin Active’s culture and operating practices successfully introduced
Continued expansion in existing and new territories:
- 10 new clubs opened in 2011 in Italy (5), South Africa (4) and Iberia (1)
- Entered the Australian market with the acquisition of 4 clubs, providing Virgin Active with a platform for further expansion in the Asia Pacific Region
Underlying like-for-like EBITDA margin was 1 percentage point ahead of 2010, however total reported margin was down 2 percentage points due to the introduction of the lower margin Esporta estate. Improving the margins in the Esporta estate is a core part of Virgin Active’s acquisition rationale
In October 2011, Funds advised by CVC Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in Virgin Active, investing to support further growth and development of the business. Virgin Group remains a significant investor and, as part of the transaction, Virgin Active agreed a new 30 year global brand agreement for use of the Virgin Active brand.
Net bank debt at year end reduced to 2.4 times EBITDA even after completing the Esporta and Australian acquisitions. Subsequent to the year end, the Group extended its banking facilities (comprising of separate European and South African banking facilities) until June 2018, thereby providing a secure long term capital structure to support further expansion of the Group.

Commenting, Richard Baker, Chairman of Virgin Active said:

"2011 was another busy and successful year for Virgin Active with the acquisition of Esporta’s UK operations and CVC’s investment in a majority stake in our business. Since the year end, we have successfully extended our bank facilities in Europe and South Africa which, together with the support of CVC as a new majority shareholder, provides us with a strong financial platform from which to continue our growth into the future."

Matthew Bucknall, Chief Executive of Virgin Active, added:

"We have delivered another year of double-digit revenue and profit growth, the twelfth consecutive time we have achieved this, driven by a strong organic performance and investment in new clubs. Virgin Active’s clubs offer outstanding value for money, with large, well-invested facilities providing a broad range of activities. This has allowed the business to grow through a challenging consumer spending environment.

The expansion in our club membership to over 1 million members and the growing club usage by our existing members has demonstrated the increasingly important role health and fitness plays in people’s lives.

In the coming year we will be completing the integration of the Esporta sites, and making significant capital investment in the acquired clubs to improve all areas of the member experience. Overall, we see exciting opportunities to continue to grow the business internationally in both existing and new territories, underpinned by a great product, a powerful brand, a strong balance sheet and two supportive shareholders."

Overview

Virgin Active delivered a 20% increase in revenue and an 11% increase in EBITDA in 2011, the twelfth year of double digit earnings growth.

This result has been achieved against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment, which underscores the strength of our business model and strategy, focused on four key success factors:

People - we aim to attract the most talented people into Virgin Active and then invest in their development to ensure that they are the best in our industry.
Service - we place significant emphasis on understanding what our members want from health and fitness and then ensure that our offer is built around these needs.
Value - we offer outstanding value for money to our members - providing comprehensive multi-use facilities at competitive prices.
Location - we situate our clubs in large catchment areas where we know the demand will support large facilities that offer a broad range of activities, and which will facilitate reciprocal club usage at facilities close to home and work.

This model is flexible and scalable as we seek leading positions in new markets where we can match the right consumer positioning with strict financial disciplines.

Organic growth of the business has been supplemented with a number of targeted strategic acquisitions that have been effectively integrated to improve the overall quality of our business. These include our successful acquisition of 46 clubs from Holmes Place in the UK in 2006, six clubs from Esporta in Spain in 2005 and a further ten clubs in the UK in 2004/5.

In July 2011, we completed the acquisition of Esporta’s UK business for a total consideration of £77.6 million, adding a highly complementary estate and greatly enhancing our position in the UK market. The acquisition has broadened the offering available to members, with reciprocal rights across an enlarged UK estate and access to 20 racquets clubs.

In October 2011, we acquired four clubs in Australia previously operated by Virgin Group under the Virgin Active brand. This acquisition provides a platform in an important health club market from which to further grow our club footprint, both in Australia and more broadly in the Asia Pacific region.

Club Portfolio

In 2011 we acquired 57 clubs, sold 2 and opened a further 10 clubs, closing the year with 259 clubs across Europe, South Africa and Australia as follows:

South Africa: 98 (+4)
UK: 122 (+51)
Italy: 24 (+5)
Iberia: 11 (+1)
Australia: 4 (+4)
Total: 259 (+65)

Financial Review

2011 revenues increased by 20% to £536.2 million compared to £445.2 million in 2010. Like-for-like revenue, which compares the results from health clubs in operation for a full 12 months in the prior year, increased by 4%.

The increase in total revenues was driven by growth in membership subscriptions from both existing and new clubs and a part year contribution from the acquired Esporta estate.

EBITDA increased by 11% to £126.8 million (2010: £114.6 million). Like-for-like EBITDA improved by 9% in the year. Underlying like-for-like margins were 1 percentage point ahead of 2010, however total reported margins were down two percentage points as a result of the acquisition of the Esporta estate, currently operating at a lower margin to the group.

2011 was a landmark year for our UK operations with the acquisition of Esporta’s UK business increasing our UK portfolio by 33 health and fitness clubs and 20 racquet clubs, with a total membership of 154,000. We completed the acquisition in July 2011 and integration into Virgin Active is progressing well. All of the Esporta clubs have now been rebranded Virgin Active and the group’s culture and operating practices have been successfully introduced. A significant capital investment program is underway to improve all areas of the customer experience.

Our strategy in the UK is focused on operating multi-use facilities in the mid to upper market segment. We continue to see high levels of club usage in the UK which demonstrates the importance our customers put on health and fitness, and underpins our resilient performance against a challenging economic backdrop.

South Africa

The South African economy has continued to expand despite the slowdown elsewhere in the world, and our business there has delivered another year of excellent growth. Our market positioning allows us to capitalize on the positive dynamics of an active culture and a growing middle class. We also continue to benefit from the close relationships we have with the leading health insurance providers in the region, who offer discounted gym subscriptions to their customers.

We opened four new clubs during the year, including our landmark club in Soweto at Maponya Mall, and we continue to see significant opportunities for further club openings in this market.

Italy and Iberia

Our Italian and Iberian businesses continue to grow. In Italy we opened five new clubs in the North and in Iberia we opened a new club in Lisbon. All of these clubs are trading well.

The challenging economic environment in Southern Europe has inevitably led to a slowdown in new developments where we generally site our clubs, and where we are frequently chosen to be anchor tenants. As a result, we have taken the decision to focus our new openings on high quality locations in major metropolitan centres.

Asia Pacific

We acquired the four Virgin Active clubs in Australia that were being operated by Virgin Group during the year. These clubs are performing well and represent a unique offer in the mid to premium segment of the Australian market. We see significant opportunities to expand our presence there and in the broader Asia Pacific region.

Outlook

2012 will be a year of significant investment in the future growth of the business, including a £25m upgrade of the Esporta estate and major operational and capital investment in new customer insight systems. We see exciting opportunities to continue to grow the business organically in our existing territories and in Asia Pacific. We will also benefit from the full integration of Esporta and from the major investment that has now started in these clubs to improve all areas of the member experience.

Trading since the beginning of the year has been in line with expectations and we are confident of delivering further growth in the future.

And the winners are...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:51:00 +0100

The award winners of the first ever Body Confidence Awards were announced 19TH April at the Houses of Parliament. The event which was held under the auspices of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image which Central YMCA co-ordinates was a celebration of the winners’ inspirational and deserving efforts to promote body confidence, diversity and the acceptance of broader beauty ideals.

Attendees included representatives from industry, the voluntary sector, media, celebrities and the worlds of fashion and fitness.

Rosi Prescott, Chief Executive of Central YMCA who attended the awards said: “We’re delighted that these awards are taking place and it demonstrates how aware organisations are of body confidence issues and recognises good work in this area. Central YMCA has been at the vanguard in pushing this agenda forward and it is encouraging to see how different sectors are taking action to address body image issues.”

Central YMCA’s Sports, Health and Fitness Award was won by Virgin Active for their fantastic “oomph” campaign which emphasised the many benefits of exercise, not just achieving the body beautiful and in using diversity in their advertising.”

Steve Dick, Sales and Marketing Director at Virgin Active adds; "We are thrilled that Virgin Active's Oomph campaign has been recognised by these awards. One of our core beliefs is that the health club industry should be inclusive no matter what gender, age or level of fitness. We pride ourselves on offering something for everyone at the clubs and outside at events such as the Virgin Active London Triathlon."

Jo Swinson MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Body Image said: “The Body Confidence Awards were established to recognise best practice within industries and we are delighted that Virgin Active’s “oomph” campaign has won the Central YMCA award for sports, exercise and fitness. Research from Central YMCA shows that 2 in 3 people think gyms are intimidating and they need to do more to attract people of different shapes and sizes. Virgin Active’s “oomph” campaign is a brilliant example of how to tackle this by using real people and promoting the intrinsic benefits of exercise.”

The award categories and winners included the following:

Advertising: ‘Growing up’ by Dove – for communicating the 2012 campaign for Dove Self Esteem Programme whereby Dove brings self-esteem education to girls in the UK.

Beauty: Boots No7 ‘Ta Dah’ range – for their decision to eschew retouching for their Ta Dah range and for celebrating the idea of real women

Broadcast/Print/Publishing: Caitlin Moran for How to be a Woman – the book that argues for more diversity in society’s ideals of what a beautiful and successful women should be

Campaigner:Changing Faces – for their fight to change public attitudes for people with disfigurements and their ongoing support for those with disfigurements and their families

Central YMCA Health, Sport and Fitness Award; Virgin Active’s Oomph campaign – for the marketing campaign that used a range of shapes, ages, sizes and ethnic diversity in the advertising and pushed the more extrinsic benefits of being physically active

Education: Body Image in the Primary School by Nicky Hutchinson and Chris Calland – for their

All Walks Beyond the Catwalk Fashion Award: Mark Fast – for his use of diverse models on the catwalk and the design of clothing that celebrates women

Retail: Debenhams – for their ongoing Inclusivity Campaign that celebrates and showcases imagery that is both inspirational and realistic to modern day British women.

Mumsnet Award for promoting body confidence in children: Pink Stinks – decided by the votes of Mumsnet members.

Celebrity Ambassador of the Year Award: Davina McCall – decided by public votes

ENDS

Virgin Active predicts 2012 fitness trends

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

The experts at Virgin Active the UK’s leading health club operator have used industry insights to predict the UK’s fitness trends for 2012.

Tim Foster, Virgin Active’s head of fitness predicts that fitness trends in 2012 will be lead by the latest government guidelines for shorter duration, higher intensity workouts, “At Virgin Active we have recognised the physical benefits of shorter duration workouts since the introduction of Fast Classes (20 minute instructor-led intensive sessions on the gym floor) several years ago. Fast Classes are popular with members who enjoy coming to the club but are looking for an effective whole body workout in a short space of time, before picking the children up from school, meeting friends for a drink or rushing back to work from lunch.”

2012 will see the introduction of 30 minute studio classes at Virgin Active clubs. These will fit well into most people’s busy schedules and will be designed for effectiveness in burning more calories and fat in a shorter space of time. Tim Foster highlights that this is not an ‘easy’ option, “the challenge for people will be that the workout will be tougher. We all know you don’t get results without putting the effort in.

Training needs to be enjoyable and impactful; people need to see results in order to stay motivated so our fitness professionals will be pushing members to work harder in these sessions.” The Virgin Active experts have recognised that this form of workout increases both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, meaning that metabolism is increased, even at rest, giving better results long after the workout has finished.

The world of fitness will move online, in tune with all other areas of modern life. In 2012, people will have much more access to online goal setting, tracking and competing. This will enable people to see more evidence of results from their training. Another clear way of tracking progress and increasing motivation is with full biometric and body composition testing. The scales are misleading in tracking performance in health and fitness. Full body composition testing will track percentage body fat and muscle changes.

Tim Foster explains what Virgin Active will be doing to help members stay focused on their goals, “We will be educating all of our gym floor fitness coaches to guide members towards achieving goals; they will help members achieve an end goal, by coaching, motivating, guiding and reviewing. The trend for more goal focused workouts will compliment the access to online tracking. People will be able to compete against themselves or their peers. Training should always be progressive and never stagnant. Driving our members online to record their progress will ensure constant motivation and achievement.”

Tim continues “Never before in our history have we invested so much resource into the education of our Fitness Coaches, ensuring they set appropriate goals for our members and that they create truly personalised programmes to help get our members to their chosen goal. We’re also allocating huge training resource to help our Fitness Coaches motivate and encourage our members whilst they are at the club – we call it Oomphing and it’s having a huge impact on our gym floors.

Industry experts at Virgin Active have seen trends in group exercise rotate full circle. The 80s approach of freestyle aerobics developed into a rigid exercise structure into the 1990s. Class attendees became familiar and therefore comfortable with a specific style but in the last year, classes such as Zumba® fitness have led people into a less structured group exercise format. Less structure allows instructors to interpret their own style and participants to have more fun, lowering barriers to entry and making group exercise more accessible. The growth of social networking, allows instructors to have instant feedback on their classes in groups and forums, making group exercise much more interactive rather than a one way conversation from an instructor at the front of a class.

Gillian Reeves, Virgin Active’s national group exercise manager, comments, “Incredibly, the trends for group exercise have very much been led by the hugely popular Zumba Fitness. The Zumba philosophy of fun with fitness as an additional benefit fits wholly with Virgin Active’s goals and works perfectly for our members. This has led to there being more dance classes than ever on offer to our members. People are looking for a community in their group exercise class, which drives a social environment in the classes and the clubs in general.”

“Fusion will emerge as a trend in group exercise in 2012. We witnessed the beginnings of this in 2011 with classes such as Krank Fusion (Kranking and Spinning) and martial arts with dance classes. The style of class is set to grow even further next year.”

As the 2012 Olympics approach, people are naturally starting to think about athletic fitness. Virgin Active will be working with a very high profile British athlete to create classes for members that will be made up of athletics based drills, designed to focus on speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) in both a 20 minute Fast Class format and 30 minute studio class. The classes will be inspired by professional athlete training and include plyometrics that fire up muscle fibres in order to create maximum impact from movement.
Inspired by the Olympics, people are looking for more excitement and variety from their fitness, this leads to more innovation. Virgin Active, as the UK’s most innovative health club will be looking to excite members with the introduction of the TRX Riptrainer, Aqua Zumba®, mind and body inspired suspension training and the nationwide rollout of willPower & grace®.

TRX Riptrainer
TRX Riptrainer is a piece of kit that provides a total body workout emphasising rotational power and high velocity movements. A baton shaped object that is attached to a frame, challenges the core muscles with varying levels of resistance. The kit can provide hundreds of different sport based exercises. Whilst most traditional weight training and resistance tools employ a single plane of motion, TRX Riptrainer mimics the real world 3D range of motions and rotations commonly found in sport and everyday life, offering a total body workout in just 20 minutes.

The kit consists of a 12 foot long ‘sports cord’ attached to a double handed pole which is anchored to a secure surface. The users move the pole in a multitude of three dimensional directions and planes that require the use of muscles throughout the legs, core and upper body to help maintain an upright, balanced posture.

Aqua Zumba®
Virgin Active will be taking the global success of Zumba classes into their swimming pools with Aqua Zumba. Gillian Reeves believes that Aqua Zumba will take aqua aerobics into a new area of fitness, “Aqua Zumba takes the energy, excitement and fun of a Zumba class into the swimming pool. The classes are out of the studio but the instructors are Zumba-trained and the participants will come along for fun with fitness as additional benefit! The classes are refreshing, dynamic and exhilarating and the Latin and international music transports participants, far away to somewhere exotic and exciting. The beginning of 2012 will see people escaping the winter blues with an injection of various forms of Zumba classes, Aqua Zumba being the latest for Virgin Active.”

Mind and body inspired suspension training
Virgin Active will be offering their members a mind and body inspired suspension training exercise class that involves hammock-like swings hanging from a studio ceiling. The swing supports parts of the body, allowing the participant to carry out strength and flexibility training in an interesting and unique way.

willPower & grace®
willPower & grace is a barefoot, cardiovascular high-energy group exercise class that involves a formatted fusion of postures and drills. Both a foot-fitness conditioning program and a workout, it is as philosophical as it is physical. The class, set to high energy music, integrates barefoot training methods designed to strengthen feet while progressively correcting imbalances in the ankles, knees and hips.

The willPower & grace® programme teaches participants to stretch their toes in order to increase circulation and mobility throughout their feet and ankles. In the class, participants are taught to use their most intrinsic muscles to land on their feet gracefully; reducing pain and injuries in their feet, ankles and knees. Virgin Active will be launching the extremely successful US based class in 2012 to clubs nationwide.

Things are getting wet and wild at Virgin Active, thanks to Zumba® Fitness

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:03:00 Z

Leading health club, Virgin Active is proud to announce that from November, there will be Aqua Zumba classes in over 24 of their clubs nationwide.

Zumba Fitness’ revolutionary pool based class, Aqua Zumba, takes the high energy and fun of a traditional studio Zumba® class into a swimming pool. The world music and high energy moves led by a charismatic Zumba® instructor creates an atmosphere more reminiscent of a Miami pool party.

The unparalleled success of the Latin and international music sensation, Zumba classes, have left fans asking what is next from Zumba Fitness, and Virgin Active has the answer. Virgin Active’s national group exercise manager, Gillian Reeves comments, "Following the success of Zumba classes at Virgin Active, we knew that we wanted to bring Aqua Zumba to our members. The classes bring a whole new aspect to the aqua group exercise class arena. The classes are energetic, fun and dynamic and we predict that the classes will be a huge trend in 2012."

As with Zumba classes, Aqua Zumba classes are between 45 minutes and one hour long. The instructor who is qualified as both a Zumba instructor and an ‘Aqua’ instructor presents the class from pool-side, directing the movements to the increasingly popular Zumba® music. The class combines Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Reggeton and other rhythms, whilst using the water’s resistance for an effective and invigorating workout. As always the aim of the class is to have fun and getting fit is an additional bonus!

Bare your soul at Virgin Active

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:27:00 +0100

Virgin Active launches willPower & grace®, an innovative barefoot group exercise class from the US.

The UK’s most innovative health club, once again brings its members the latest in health and fitness innovation. willPower & grace®, a barefoot group exercise class, exclusively in Virgin Active clubs, which is set to revolutionise the fitness industry.

The class, called willPower & grace® was created by fitness professional of over 20 years, Stacey Lei Krauss in 1999 in New York City. It is a barefoot, cardiovascular high-energy group exercise class that involves a formatted fusion of postures and drills. Both a foot-fitness conditioning program and a workout, it is as philosophical as it is physical. The class, set to high energy music, integrates barefoot training methods designed to strengthen feet while progressively correcting imbalances in the ankles, knees and hips.

Gillian Reeves, Virgin Active’s national group exercise manager comments, “willPower & grace® is a unique and innovative group exercise class that will enable Virgin Active to offer its members even more variety in their active lifestyle.”

Barefoot training has seen a recent surge in popularity as experts recognise that supportive shoes do not allow full articulation of the feet and ankles which can lead to a loss of flexibility and mobility. The willPower & grace® programme teaches participants to stretch their toes in order to increase circulation and mobility throughout their feet and ankles. In the class, participants are taught to use their most intrinsic muscles to land on their feet gracefully; reducing pain and injuries in their feet, ankles and knees.

Already a huge success in the US, willPower & grace® has hundreds of trained instructors nationwide. The class launched exclusively in selected Virgin Active clubs in April 2011.

Virgin Active Kranks it up with fusion classes

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Virgin Active launches Krank Fusion – a dynamic and effective combination workout

Following the successful launch of innovative new equipment, the KRANKcycle, in 2010, Virgin Active Health Clubs is launching Krank Fusion a revolutionary combination of the well known Spinning® class and Kranking®.

Kranking® involves pedalling with your arms, turning two rotating handles separately or together in either a standing or seated position. Resistance can be increased to give your body a harder workout in a similar way to spinning. Kranking® targets muscles in the arms, shoulders, chest and back while the core muscles work hard to stabilise the body, giving you a workout from the waist up.

The Krank Fusion class will take place on the gym floor with four KRANKcycles, four spin bikes and up to eight people. This dynamic workout is 20 – 30 minutes long and participants alternate between a KRANKcycle and a Spinning bike, achieving a calorie-blasting, conditioning workout for both the upper and lower body. Blood is shunted between the upper and lower body during the workout which means the cardiovascular benefits are increased, whilst high levels of muscle activation ensure that muscle toning and conditioning benefits are maximised. The format of the class makes the cardio system work harder and focuses on short duration, high intensity training.

There is no hiding at the back of this class; in select locations, Virgin Active will be pushing members to the max by tracking their heart rate throughout the class. This will enable participants to check that they are working out at just the right level to get optimal results, therefore making the most out of their workout.

Virgin Active’s head of fitness experience, Tim Foster, emphasises the benefits of ‘fusion’ classes, “By fusing different exercise programmes and styles, participants can achieve results across a combination of muscles groups and areas in a short space of time. In the Krank Fusion class, participants can work out both the upper and lower body effectively in a 20 minute session. Fusion classes and shorter duration, higher intensity workouts are emerging fitness trends and are set to grow in popularity during the second half of this year and into 2012.”

Virgin Active Acquires Esporta

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The Esporta business operates 35 health and fitness clubs and 20 racquet clubs in the UK and has 159,000 members. The transaction is conditional on obtaining competition approval (which we fully expect to be granted) and consequently we hope to complete the acquisition in early July. The enlarged business will then have 124 clubs in the UK, in addition to Virgin Active’s clubs in Italy, Spain, Portugal and South Africa.

This is great news for Virgin Active and our members. Not only will we have a much wider spread of clubs around the UK, but it also means that we can offer a wider range of activities in our clubs including indoor and outdoor tennis, squash, badminton and outdoor swimming.

Virgin Active 2010 Financial Results and Esporta Aquisition

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:04:00 +0100

Strong growth in revenue and earnings
Acquisition of Esporta’s UK Business for up to £77.6 million

Milton Keynes, 26 April 2011:

Leading international health club operator, Virgin Active, today announces summary results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2010.

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 Revenue £445.2m

12 months ended 31 Dec 2009 Revenue £391.0m

Change +14%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 EBITDA £114.6m

12 months ended 31 Dec 2009 EBITDA £101.1m

Change +13%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 EBITDA margin 26%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2009 EBITDAmargin 26%

Change -

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 No. of members 975,000

12 months ended 31 Dec 2009 No. of members 919,000

Change +6%

12 months ended 31 Dec 2010 No. of clubs 194

12 months ended 31 Dec 2009 No. of clubs 187

Change +4%

2010 Financial Highlights (Audited)

Positive contribution from all four territories to Group revenue growth of 14%; like-for-like revenue growth of 9%

EBITDA increased by 13% from £101.1m to £114.6m, and by 9% on a like-for-like basis from £103.6m to £113m

The business invested £34.3m (2009: £29.3m) in capital expenditure to further improve our club offering, guided by our members feedback gained from c.25,000 calls to members every month

Membership grew by 6% to 975,000 members

The Group opened seven new clubs in 2010 in South Africa, Italy and Iberia (2009: 10 club openings). Lease agreements have been secured for a further 17 clubs to open in 2011

The business has had an encouraging start to the current year, with first quarter trading positive on a like-for-like basis and total membership passing the 1 million mark

Acquisition

The Group announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Esporta's UK business of 55 health clubs and 159,000 members for a total consideration of up to £77.6 million.

Commenting, Richard Baker, Chairman of Virgin Active said:

“The company is pleased to report another strong set of results, in the face of tough economic conditions. Our strategy of engaging great people to deliver a high quality experience to our members has once again delivered for our shareholders. The exciting acquisition of the Esporta clubs will enable us to accelerate our growth plans in the UK.”

Commenting, Matthew Bucknall, Chief Executive of Virgin Active said:

“I am pleased to announce our 11th consecutive year of revenue and profit growth. This performance demonstrates the resilience of health club demand and the importance our members continue to place on health and fitness. We have been able to sustain this growth over the last 3 years when economic conditions have been difficult and we continue to see excellent prospects for future growth in all our territories. This is testament to the quality of our people, the strength of our offer and the diversity of our international presence. I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to our people for their commitment in delivering our vision and values as well as to our members for their ongoing support.

The acquisition of Esporta follows our takeover of Holmes Place almost 5 years ago, which was a transformational and highly successful deal that allowed Virgin Active to establish a strong footprint in London. The location of Esporta’s clubs is an excellent fit with this estate and significantly strengthens our business. The acquisition broadens our product offering and demonstrates our willingness and ability to lead consolidation in the market.

Virgin Active's strong organic growth story, evidenced by the new clubs we are opening in Italy, Iberia and South Africa, combined with the benefits the Esporta acquisition will bring, means that we are well positioned to make significant progress in the years ahead."

For further information please contact: Financial Dynamics: Ben Foster + 44 7776 240 806 Charlie Armitstead + 44 7703 330 269

Overview

2010 saw Virgin Active deliver 14% revenue and 13% EBITDA growth and 9% revenue and EBITDA growth on a like-for-like basis. This result has been achieved against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment in all of our territories. This performance underscores the strength of our business model and strategy.

Virgin Active’s success has been built on a strategy that focuses on four key success factors:

People – Our people are core to our business. We value and invest in our people to ensure that we attract and retain the most talented people who are passionate about what they do.

Service – We place great emphasis on understanding our members. Our ability to build our product around our members’ needs supported by passionate employees and one of the world’s most recognisable global brands enables us to differentiate our proposition from our competitors.

Value – We offer outstanding value for money to our members by providing comprehensive multi-use facilities at competitive prices.

Location – Our clubs are situated in large catchments where we know the demand will support building large facilities.

We opened a further 7 clubs in 2010, closing the year with 194 clubs across Europe and South Africa as follows: Country

No. of clubs at end 2010 South

Africa 94

United Kingdom 71

Italy 19

Iberia 10

Total 194

Financial Review

2010 revenues increased to £445.2m, a 14% improvement on the prior year (2009: £391.0m). Like-for-like revenue, which compares the results from health clubs in operation for a full 12 months in the prior year, increased by 9% to £416.8m (2009: £383.3m).

In addition to an increase in membership subscriptions we have seen good growth in our ancillary revenues in every territory.

EBITDA increased by 13% to £114.6m (2009: £101.1m). Like-for-like EBITDA improved by 9% in the year to £113.0m in 2009 (2009: £103.6m). The EBITDA improvement resulted from underlying revenue growth, ongoing cost management, growth in the contribution from new clubs and favourable movements in exchange rates. At constant currency rates revenue growth was 9% and EBITDA growth was 6%.

Virgin Active remains a well financed company with bank debt leverage immediately after the Esporta acquisition expected to be at a conservative 2.5 times EBITDA.

Operational Review

South Africa

South Africa is our largest territory and Virgin Active now operates 94 clubs, 3 of which were added to the portfolio during 2010. We continue to see strong growth in the country, particularly from a growing aspirational middle class. A new club concept aimed at catering for this segment of the market was successfully launched during the year and 2011 will see Virgin Active open a landmark club in the township of Soweto at Maponya Mall. A total of 8 new clubs are scheduled to open in South Africa in the next 12 months.

We have close and successful working relationships with health insurance providers in South Africa who have pioneered the offer of valuable rewards to their members, including discounted gym membership, to encourage healthier lifestyles. This is a powerful value proposition in the local market which underpins our market positioning.

United Kingdom

The UK business has maintained earnings growth in each of the past 3 years, demonstrating the resilience of our proposition in a tough economic environment.

Our clubs are well positioned and well invested and our members continue to be attracted by our focus on value for money, innovation, and customer service. The business is well positioned to take advantage of improved economic conditions over the medium term.

Italy

Our Italian business continues to deliver strong growth, with 2 new clubs opened in 2010 and a further 7 scheduled to open in 2011 and early 2012. Our growth has focused on increasing our representation and coverage in the key metropolitan centres of Northern Italy and Rome. Our focus is now being expanded to include major cities in the South. There remain good opportunities to grow our footprint and we expect to open between 15 and 20 new clubs within the next 3 years.

Iberia

Our Iberian business has delivered strong like-for-like revenue and earnings growth despite the economic challenges facing Spain and Portugal. Our ability to offer large facilities with a broad range of services at an affordable price has allowed the business to draw new members from both the premium and value ends of the market in one of the world’s largest health club markets.

We believe the market provides attractive opportunities for growth in a market with high health club demand. A further 2 clubs are scheduled to open Iberia in 2011 and we expect to open up to 10 clubs within the next 3 years.

Acquisition of Esporta

Virgin Active also announces today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Esporta’s UK business, which currently operates 35 health and fitness clubs and 20 racquet clubs with a total membership of 159,000, for a total consideration of up to £77.6 million. The transaction does not include the acquisition of the freehold ownership of 17 racquet properties, which will be leased from a Propco entity, which will remain under the control of the vendor.

The transaction remains subject to Office of Fair Trading (OFT) approval. During the OFT review period, Virgin Active will engage with the landlords of the non-Propco leases to determine which leases will be transferred – these will be rebranded as Virgin Active within a 12 month period.

For the year ended 31st December 2009, Esporta's UK business had revenues of £140m. Following the transaction Virgin Active UK will have combined revenues of over £325m and a total portfolio of up to 125 clubs in the UK with over 430,000 members.

Although it remains very fragmented, the acquisition of Esporta significantly strengthens Virgin Active's position in the UK market. The Group will be even better placed to capitilise on the increasing importance that consumers continue to place on health and fitness in improving economic conditions.

Virgin Active believes that the Esporta estate is highly complementary to Virgin Active’s existing business. The acquisition will enable Virgin Active to maintain its strategy of driving economies of scale to offer members outstanding value for money. Furthermore, Esporta's racquets clubs provide additional diversity and enhance Virgin Active's offer to members, the majority of whom will enjoy reciprocal rights between clubs in the Virgin Active estate.

The transaction follows Virgin Active's successful acquisition of six clubs from Esporta in Spain in 2005 and a further ten clubs in the UK in 2004/5. In 2006 Virgin Active acquired 46 clubs from Holmes Place in the UK. Consistent with its approach when it acquired Holmes Place, Virgin Active intends to invest significantly in the Esporta clubs to improve the facilities, service levels and range of equipment for members. Current trading and outlook

Our performance in 2010 continued to demonstrate that our business is resilient in a tough economic environment that has had an impact on consumer spending. The trend that we have seen throughout the recession confirms our opinion that health and fitness is no longer a discretionary spend but instead one that is core to people’s lifestyles, particularly in large urban centres. We have successfully capitalised on this sentiment by offering market leading facilities and excellent value for money. There are exciting opportunities to open new clubs in South Africa, Italy and Iberia and, overall, the business is well placed to further benefit from an improvement in the economic environment.

We have had a strong start to 2011 with positive like-for-like performance. We expect to further strengthen this performance with the opening of 17 new clubs in 2011 and early 2012.

Virgin Active announces three year sponsorship of the Virgin Active London Triathlon

Tue, 10 May 2011 17:28:00 +0100

Virgin Active Health Clubs announces a three year deal to become the title sponsor of the newly named ‘Virgin Active Health Clubs London Triathlon’. The annual IMG Challenger World event, set in London’s Docklands, sees over 13,000 participants swim, cycle and run around a specially designed course that winds through some of London’s most famous landmarks such as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the London Eye. This year’s event will take place on 30th and 31st July.

Commenting on the partnership, Virgin Active’s Chairman, Richard Baker said; “Virgin Active is very proud to be supporting the London Triathlon, given how well it fits with the core sports replicated in our clubs.

This is the world’s largest event of its type, and its reputation as the fastest growing Olympic sport allows us to encourage a wide range of people of all fitness levels, from beginner to elite, to get involved and try it for themselves. We are aiming to dispel the myth that you have to be an elite athlete to participate and it’s our aim to grow the Triathlon sport through many of our club’s fun offerings including a national indoor Triathlon in 2011. ”

In the lead up to the event, Virgin Active will be launching a series of triathlon related fitness products and will be helping its participating members to train and prepare. They will also be offering a large quantity of highly sought after event places for members. During 2011 indoor triathlons aimed at children and families will take place at Virgin Active’s 71 health clubs across the UK and its 122 clubs in South Africa, Italy and Iberia.

Senior Vice-President of IMG Events Julian Brand added; “Every year this event grows in stature and we are delighted to have Virgin Active Health Clubs on board as we continue this journey. 2011 will be the 15th year of the London Triathlon and we have the ideal partner to help the many thousands of participants from across the UK and internationally get ready for the world’s largest triathlon.”

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson added: “The Virgin Active London Triathlon is set to be not only a really fun event, but also a great way for people of all fitness levels to get involved in sport and exercise. Virgin Active will of course be helping me and their members, many of who have signed up alongside me, shape up for the big day. I hope they don't show me up too much!

Following on from the marathon, it will be a chance for me to take on my children - Holly and Sam - who I’m sure will be keen as ever to beat their dad! Not sure butterfly wings will work on a bicycle though - I'll have to get more creative!”

For more information and to book your place at the 2011 visit Virgin Active Health Clubs London Triathlon.