This policy lets you know what happens to any personal information you give to us, or that we may collect from you.

Consent to this Privacy Policy

When you use or access our services and Studios, you agree to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy, so please do take the time to read it.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may change this policy from time to time, depending on changes in the law and our internal privacy processes. We encourage you to check it from time to time when you visit our website.

Who we are, and how to contact us about data protection

Ten is the trading name of Ten Health & Fitness, which has sites across London. We are a data controller of your personal data.

We have a dedicated data protection officer (DPO) who you contact with any questions regarding our privacy policy by emailing dpo@ten.co.uk

Page Contents:

• What kind of personal information we collect
• Sources of personal information about you
• Our personal data philosophy
• What we use your personal information for and the legal grounds
• Third Party Vendors
• What to do if your personal information changes
• How long we retain your personal information for
• Your rights
• Your marketing preferences and how to change them

 

What kind of personal information we collect:

• Personal and contact details including history such as first name, surname, email, address and phone number
• Your date of birth, gender and age
• Family members (if they also use our services and products)
• Emergency contact information
• Information about your health – only when relevant to the provision of our services to you (see ‘What we use your personal information for and the legal grounds’)
• Purchase information – including any products you currently hold with us and/or have purchased in the past
• Visit information – including past and future appointments and class attendance dates
• Insurance information – where relevant, for example if you have visited us for Physiotherapy
• Records of your contact with us  
• Marketing information including history of communications with you by email, and whether you open them or click on links
• Financial and transactional data – when you make a payment with us in studio, over the phone, or on our website or app the transaction is processed by our business management software MindBodyOnline. When you make a payment or store billing information with us your personal information is collected by their third party payment processors directly and not by us, and will be subject to the third party’s privacy policy. We have no control over, and are not responsible for, third parties’ collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Information.

 

For more information please refer to MindBodyOnline’s Privacy Policy and Security Policy 

 

Sources of personal information about you

There are a number of ways in which we receive personal information from you:

• Directly, either in person, over the phone, via our website*, or our app
• From third party platforms you have used to discover and book our services including MindBodyOnline (including their branded app), ClassPass (including their branded app), GymFlex, and Incorpore.
• Information generated about you when you use our studios, services, and website
• Referral letters/correspondence from your respective 3rd party referrer (Consultant/GP/Insurance company) if you visit us for Physiotherapy 

 

Physiotherapy at Ten

As part of patient management, your Physiotherapist will communicate with your referring consultant/GP, and if required, will make referrals to a Consultant/GP as part of your ongoing treatment. Personal information (name, DOB, address, email, phone) will be included as part of this communication. This will be shared via the following mediums, post, email or egress switch. This will be communicated with you beforehand.

If you do not not wish for your Physiotherapist to do this, please inform him or her directly.

 

The Ten website

Cookies – We collect Cookies from you when you visit our website. These are small text files that are downloaded onto a computer, tablet or mobile device when someone visits a website. They allow the website to recognise that visitor’s device and store some information about the visitor’s preferences or past actions on our site.

We collect cookies so we can analyse how you and others use our site so we can improve it for you and understand our business.

You can switch off cookies off in your browser. We also offer the ability to switch off cookies at the bottom of our website – however that will only apply to cookies collected by us, and not from other sites.

For more information on how we use cookies please see our Cookie Policy.

Registering and your ten.co.uk account

When you register an account with ten.co.uk all personal data is processed and stored by MindBodyOnline and by registering with ten.co.uk you agree to to their Privacy and Security Policy.

We use personalised software which is powered by MindBodyOnline to collect your data when you register on our website. The security of that collection is also reliant on the security of MindBodyOnline API whose Security Policy you agree to when you register with ten.co.uk

 

Our Personal Data Philosophy

We follow industry agreed best practice on data collection, processing and storage for any data we collect from you and we only collect it if it is necessary to provide you with one of our services or if we think it will help us improve our service to you.  

We never buy information about you, or anyone else.

Other than the disclosures referred to in this policy, we will not disclose any personal information without your permission unless we are legally entitled or obliged to do so (for example, if required to do so by Court order or for the purposes of prevention of fraud or other crime) or for fraud and security monitoring purposes, for example, to detect and prevent cyberattacks or attempts to commit identity theft.

Our policy is not to share data unless necessary to manage your bookings with us – for instance with third party platforms as detailed here (anchor link to third parties.)

We never have, and never will, sell our clients’ data.

What we use your personal information for and the legal grounds for doing do:

Where it is needed to provide you with our products or services, such as:

• Administer and manage the product or service you have with us
• To process new orders you make and the management of your client account
• To manage the product or service you have with us 
• To monitor and keep records of our interactions with you and our staff
• To improve the quality of our service provision to you  

 

Where it is in our legitimate interests to do so, such as:

• For management and auditing of business operations
• For market research and analysis
• To develop new products and services and review/improve current products and services
• For direct marketing communications so we can make you aware of any offers, products and services we think of you might be interested in by email or via Google Custom match (small text ads which you might see on Google Search Network sites if you are logged into your gmail account). We will only contact you and show you offers in this way if you have given your consent to receive news and offers from us.  

 

To comply with our legal obligations

• To understand any injuries, illnesses or medical conditions you may have to  ensure your health and safety in the use of our services and products

Although we do not make it compulsory to give us every item of information we ask for and will always make it clear what information is and isn’t optional, the more information you volunteer (and the more accurate it is), the better we can tailor your experience with us.

Please note: if you withhold information from us relating to any injuries, medical conditions or other issues that could affect your ability to exercise or to perform specific exercises safely, we cannot be help responsible or liable for any injuries you suffer as a result.

Third Party Vendors

At Ten Health & Fitness we don’t share your data with any third party other than platforms and technology utilised to service our business. We have no control over, and are not responsible for, third parties’ collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Information.

Below details the third parties we share personal data with and why – and links to their Privacy Policies and Security Policies (where relevant)

 

MindBodyOnline (MBO)	MBO is our business management software in which we store and manage your personal data to enable us to provide our services to you.	https://www.mindbodyonline.com/privacy-policy https://www.mindbodyonline.com/security-policy
The Ten app (MBO and Flurry)	The Ten app is powered by MBO software and the same Privacy Policy and Security Policy applies.   At times we may send you notifications to your phone via the app. You can switch these off for our app, or any other, in the Settings section of your phone.   Analytics of app data is powered by Flurry analytics and includes the collection of non-personally-identifying information like number of bookings, what model and type of device a user is accessing the app on, what device the app is being accessed on, etc.	https://www.mindbodyonline.com/privacy-policy https://www.mindbodyonline.com/security-policy https://developer.yahoo.com/flurry/legal-privacy/terms-service/flurry-analytics-terms-service.html
ClassPass	In booking with us via ClassPass personal information is shared from ClassPass to us. We will only share back information about whether or not you attended your class and/or were late.	https://classpass.com/privacy/uk
Gymflex	In booking with us via GymFlex personal information is shared from Gymflex to us.	https://www.gymflex.co.uk/privacy.php
Incorpore	In booking with us via Incorpore personal information is shared from Incorpore to us.	http://faircare.incorpore.co.uk/members/?page=privacypolicy
Mailchimp and Mandrill (Rocket Science Group)	When you use our services your email data is transferred to our email marketing platform Mailchimp through which we send you marketing communications such as our newsletter and Studio news, and Mandrill which uses data about how you use our services to send you relevant offers to improve your experience with us. You will only receive these Communications if you opt in to receive them. Information about how to opt in and out of the email communications we send can be viewed here.	https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy
Google Analytics	We use Google Analytics to analyse how users interact with our site to improve our business processes and your experience with us.	https://policies.google.com/privacy
Loyalsnap	We use Loyalsnap to be able to send you targeted offers by email, only with your explicit consent	https://loyalsnap.com/privacy-notice

 

 

We cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other websites even if you access them using links from our site and recommend that you check the policy of each site you visit.

What to do if your personal information changes

We aim to keep our information about you as accurate as possible. If you would like to review or change the details you have supplied us with, you may do so at any time, simply by contacting us.

How long we retain your personal information for

We will retain your information for as long as we have reasonable business needs and in line with legal and regulatory requirements or guidance.

Your rights

• You have the right to object to certain purposes for processing, in particular to data processed for direct marketing purposes and to data processed based on our legitimate interests.
• You have the right to request access to personal information we store about you and to obtain information about how we process it.
• You also have the right to request that we erase all personal data about you (“right to be forgotten”)

To do any of the above please contact our Data Protection Officer directly at dpo@ten.co.uk

Marketing preferences and how to change them

There are several types of emails you can receive from us, ranging from the functional (confirmation that you’ve booked a class) to the fun (details of upcoming offers, discounts, launches etc).

You can opt in or out of any of them, but to allow us to offer you the best possible sevice, it helps if you’re opted in to them all.

1. Newsletters, studio updates, offers and rewards
Weekly (or so) newsletters from Ten, including details of new classes, products or services, information about promotions, discounts or offers that we’re running, along with articles, blogposts, and any other news we hope you’ll find interesting.

You may also receive the occasional update from the Managers of the Studio(s) you train at to keep you up to date about any staff changes, Studio-specific promotions, open evenings or general community news.

If you’re opted into these, you’ll also receive emails relating to your blocks and visit frequency – rewards and thank-you presents from us whenever you reach a particular milestone, for instance, your 50th, 100th, 200th, 300th plus classes (yes we have clients who have done this many classes with us!) and also reminders when your block or package is running out.

These can be opted into in the sign up box at the bottom of our website, and opted out of by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email campaign you receive.

You’ll only ever receive these emails if you asked to receive them with us when you registered or when you subscribed pn our website or at an event.  

2. Account Management updates
If you hold a rolling contract with us, you can opt out of receiving notifications about that – such as when your contract is up for renewal or if the credit card on your account is about to expire. You can ask not to receive these, but it might impact our ability to offer this service to you. You can opt out of these by asking your preferred Studio when you’re next in or by emailing them.

3. Reminders and schedule changes such as:
– class and appointment booking confirmations
– class and appointment booking reminders
– confirmations of any appointment or booking cancellations or changes that you’ve made, or asked to be made (we will never cancel or change a reservation you have with us without getting in touch personally)You can opt out of these by asking your preferred Studio when you’re next in or by emailing them.

How we decide what emails to send to you

We know you’re busy – so we use various methods to decide how and when to email you. These methods include data analysis, best practice, common sense – and last but by no means least, your feedback. We really do want to provide you with the best experience as possible, so please don’t hesitate to send any feedback about any aspect of your experience with Ten to team@ten.co.uk

The idea of there being a perfect posture for sitting, working or doing something for a sustained period is a myth. And, as with all myths, a little myth-busting can’t hurt.

If you are anything like me, any time someone starts talking about posture, you hear echoes of your parents saying, “Sit up straight,” or “Don’t slouch!” We’ve been indoctrinated with the idea of ‘proper’ posture, that we should always sit up straight and squeeze our shoulders back.

But nobody can ever sustain this type of posture. Why not? If that really is the way we are supposed to sit, shouldn’t we be able to train our bodies to sit like that for prolonged periods?

The reality is that there are many factors that influence our posture and its effect on function. Some of these are related to how active we are (and how we’re active), our movement patterns and even the impact of any injury we’ve sustained. Others are more related to how we were put together – our genetic make-up. There is also a growing body of evidence that suggests that our state of mind is also a significant factor in determining our posture (think about how a person looks when they are stressed or fatigued).

Another important point to acknowledge is the role of symmetry when it comes to posture. Most of us are one side dominant and weren’t made to be perfectly symmetrical. Asymmetrical muscle bulk and strength, and then joint position, can be the result of this dominance and there is no evidence that this is going to cause you problems.

But what actually causes posture-related pain? All of the tissues in your body (just like any physical material) are subject to the stress-strain curve. This means that tissues under significant mechanical load, or load over a sufficiently long period of time, will deform and are likely to cause pain.

In fact, time is one of the key factors to consider.

It’s not stress itself but stress over time on a tissue that will eventually lead to increased strain on that tissue and possible deformation and pain.

Time also impacts on the function of mechanoreceptors. These receptors sit within your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint capsules and help your brain understand where your body is in space. This feedback allows your postural muscles to turn on and help absorb some external forces. Staying in one position for too long causes your mechanoreceptors to become less effective; we’re then less cognisant of our posture and almost inevitably fall into less-than-ideal postures.

So, instead of trying to maintain a perfect posture, we should be trying to avoid prolonged postures. The quote I like most is “the best posture is your next posture”.
There’s a widely held belief that sitting and maintaining a neutral posture is effective in preventing or treating pain. However, some of the latest research doesn’t support that belief.

A study by Pape et al in 20081 demonstrated that sitting slouched can actually have a positive effect on the hydration status of the intervertebral discs in the spine. Another, by Claus et al2 and published in 2016, showed sitting with the spine in neutral is rarely adopted by healthy people without back pain. They were sitting with more of a slumped posture compared to when standing, but apparently without experiencing problems.

Posture is meant to be dynamic. The body is built for mobility and is not meant to remain statically in any one position for an extended period of time. If you work in an office or at a desk, no matter what position you are in (seated or standing) there will be some stress occurring on various structures. Changing your posture allows the stresses on those structures to be intermittent.

Our motto at Ten is “Move Better”. So, stop worrying about holding that perfect posture, stop trying to relieve neck and back pain by sitting still, and free yourself to move.

Top three tips for pain-free posture:

1. Experiment with different ways of sitting: sit up straight, recline or sit on a stability ball.
2. Experiment with alternatives to sitting: stand up, kneel with one knee on the floor or both on a chair, adopt a wide-feet stance, etc., and make use of the other furniture in your office (especially when your office is at home).
3. Take mini-breaks and move! Do 30-60 seconds of movement (squat, hang, bend over, etc.) every hour or so.

This article reproduced by kind permission of Fitpro magazine

I was having Physio before the lockdown started. What happens if I don’t continue my treatment?

If your underlying condition is something that requires Physiotherapy to fix, it is unlikely to get better on its own. You may find it stabilises, particularly if you continue to follow the programme your Physio gave you, otherwise it could also deteriorate and any progress you’ve made may be lost.

If I can’t go to my Physio at the moment, will online sessions still be effective?

The short answer is yes.

Our approach during an online consultation via Zoom, WhatsApp video or other video platform is very similar to a face-to-face session.

We’ll still diagnose you the same way. We’ll ask you a number of specific and targeted questions about your symptoms – including how they present themselves, any movement restriction or stiffness, and the pain levels you may be experiencing. This will help us understand the likely cause and identify any contributing factors.

This is followed by a process of objective physical testing and observation, to confirm a diagnosis, and agree a pathway forward to resolve the issue. These tests are injury-specific and will include an assessment of movement patterns and imbalances and reproduction of pain symptoms. This can generally be done effectively via video.

In terms of treatment, 80% of rehabilitation is actually strength and conditioning work – applying specific exercises in a specific way at a specific time. You don’t need to be in the same physical spaces as your Physio for them to manage your rehabilitation effectively.

Your Physio can still prescribe the necessary exercises, and with Zoom or a similar platform they can demonstrate them to you, and watch you doing them yourself, to make sure you’re performing them safely and effectively – just as they would in the clinic.

I’ve been having Physio elsewhere, but my clinic has now closed.

That’s not a problem. We’re happy to treat you. If you want to have sessions with us but still go back to your previous Physio when they reopen, that’s OK, too.

We’ll even write a report that you can take with you. It will detail the treatment programme we put in place, and the improvements you’ve made as a result, so that you can pick up with them where you left off with us.

Are you taking on new Physio clients or just continuing to treat those who were coming to you beforehand?

We’re definitely open for both. In fact, we’re seeing a number of new clients, some coming to us directly, others are referred by their doctors, consultants or clinicians.

One of the side-effects of so many people working from home is the rise in back and neck pain. For many people the home office is anything but an office. They’re working hunched over kitchen tables, slouched on sofas, or from any other convenient, but inevitably unergonomic spare bit of space they can find. The impact on postures and supporting joints and musculature, and the resulting pain and dysfunction is inevitable.

The other issue we’re seeing more of now is from people who’ve used the current situation as motivation to start (or restart) exercising more regularly. Whether that’s running, cycling or home workouts, its common to experience some joint pain 4-6 weeks in. Treated promptly, its effects can be minimised. Left untreated it can lead to more significant injury and pain and bring your new regime to a grinding (and painful) halt.

Our Physios have a breadth of experience treating both postural and sports-related conditions.

Can I get online Physio sessions on my health insurance?

Yes. All major PHI providers have agreed to fund these sessions. At Ten we treat clients covered by Bupa, Allianz, Axa, WPA and Cigna, amongst others. Please see our website for full details.

Of course, we’re also treating self-paid clients too.

Is an online Physio session as good as a face-to-face session?

Obviously, it’s not the same, but it can be as effective. Don’t forget, you’re pretty much face-to-face on Zoom anyway.

Your Physio won’t be able to deliver the hands-on element of your session, but he or she can show you how to do some specific stretches or tissue manipulation work yourself, using a foam roller, a spiky ball or something similar.

Other than the small talk that often happens while you’re face down on the physio couch, the rest will be pretty similar.

Your Physio use most of the same techniques to diagnose the underlying cause of your condition or injury. He or she will still prescribe and demonstrate the strengthening or mobility exercises you’ll need to do to resolve the problem. They will still watch you carefully while do them, and will give you any tips and cues that you’ll need to make sure you’re performing them correctly and effectively. They’ll still be able to monitor and measure your progress and adjust your programme as you improve.

And lastly, they will still follow up with your home rehab programme and liaise with your referring clinician, surgeon or consultant whenever necessary.

What are other clients saying about online sessions?

The majority of the feedback we’ve received is very positive

Pretty much everyone we have spoken to has told us that they value being able to keep progressing with their recovery. Particularly when they might not have had access to Physiotherapy otherwise.

Most were – understandably – a little uncertain about how it would work beforehand. But having tried it, but the overall response has been that clients are surprised and impressed at how well the sessions actually work, what we’ve able to cover, and what the follow-up has been like.

What are the doctors, consultants and clinicians who refer patients to you saying about online consultations?

They’re really happy that we’re able to do this. From the feedback we’ve received, they appreciate that it allows and supports their patients’ recovery, and enables continuity of care with the cases that we have in common.

They also see it as the ideal opportunity for busy people to take some time to focus on themselves and to get problems resolved – particularly when they have time on their hands.

What equipment do I need for an online Physio session?

You will need to be able to take part in a Zoom or WhatsApp video call, so you’ll need a computer, tablet or phone, and a stable internet connection.

You’ll also need to have enough space around you to move about (around 2.5m square is fine) as your Physio may need to observe you while you perform some simple movements or exercises.

However, you don’t need any fitness or specialist physiotherapy equipment. Your Physio will be able to design your programme around whatever you have available at home.

Something’s hurting, but I don’t know whether it will need treatment or will go away by itself.

We can help. We offer 15-minute consultations for just £25.

It’s usually plenty of time for us to help you understand what the likely cause is, explain what treatment – if any – is needed, and if not, what you can do to ease it yourself.

If it does need treatment, we can get you on the route to recovery. And if it doesn’t, it’s a small investment in gaining some peace of mind.

The impact of Covid-19 is unprecedented – in the UK we have not seen this level of limitation on movement and social interaction for decades – centuries, even.

And as we try to adjust to the new self-isolated normal, our natural response is to try to compensate through increased activity – whether that’s deciding to exercise more, clean out the loft, dig a vegetable garden, learn Spanish, or any other actions that allow us to feel busy and useful.

This is entirely normal. But counterintuitively, the most useful action we can take is to slow down and recalibrate, rather than rush full pelt into these new activities.

Whether you’re in shared accommodation, living alone, or with family, we’re all facing new levels of anxiety and stress. While those stresses will be different for each of us, to the body, stress is stress – and irrespective of where it comes from, it affects our bodies in the same way.

Specifically: inflammation, a surge in stress hormones and a state of a heightened awareness.

Stress is a normal and natural response but unless we take steps to recover from its impact, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

And for the next few days, there are some simple things that we can do to help manage the mental and physical impact of stress.

OUR STUDIOS

Notting Hill Chiswick St. James’s Mayfair Hatton Garden City Little Venice Fitzrovia

Originally featured on WELLTODO, written by Laura Hill

London-based boutique fitness operator Ten Health & Fitness has launched a new programme aimed at bridging the gap between the fitness sector and the medical community.

In addition to highlighting the importance of exercise as rehabilitation, the initiative hopes to encourage a wider recognition surrounding the need for this type of service within the fitness industry – and the role operators can play.

With over 2.5 million people living with cancer, 7 million living with cardiovascular disease and 4.5 million people suffering from diabetes in the UK alone, the need for wellness providers to offer solutions for individuals post-diagnosis is growing. In creating those services, innovative wellness brands are shaping the future of the healthcare industry.

TenClinical; a bespoke, scientifically proven and clinically approved exercise prescription, is doing just that.

Designed for clients suffering from medical health issues, the programme is offered within a supportive and empowering boutique environment. Each one-on-one session is led by a qualified clinical specialist and incorporates a range of factors including the physical and emotional impact of the client’s condition, the effect of medication and treatment cycles on the body’s ability to tolerate exercise, along with mood, lifestyle issues and any external factors.

“From the outset, we’ve always wanted Ten to be more than just another boutique fitness provider,” Justin Rogers, Creative Director at the brand, tells Welltodo.

“Founder Jo Mathews was inspired to set up the business back in 2006 in response to the lack of any genuine end-to-end solution, to help people from rehabilitation to full functional fitness. So our goal from conception was always to help bridge the gap between the fitness community and the medical sector.

Through its core offering of Dynamic Reformer Pilates, in-house physio and sports massage, combined with its Circle of Care – a collaborative and integrated partnership between TenPilates’ trainers and TenPhysio’s therapists – Ten Health & Fitness has carved out a unique space for itself within the boutique fitness market. Building on its existing model, the launch of TenClinical was a natural next step for the business, says Rogers.

Now, Ten Health & Fitness is in the unique position to enable its clients to transition from illness through rehabilitation and clinical exercise to mainstream exercise and fitness, all under one roof.

With the wellness world, especially the fitness sector, currently underserving those suffering from diseases or significant injuries, Ten Health & Fitness has ambitions to spearhead a new movement based around the expansion of the whole clinical sector, as it did in the early days with Dynamic Pilates.

“Perhaps it’s because this is as far as you can get from the typical ‘workout in a nightclub’ boutique experience, so it’s not fashionable or Instagram-friendly, or perhaps it’s because Clinical is difficult,” explains Adam Hewitt Trainer/Group OPS manager at Ten Health & Fitness. “But currently, the fitness industry focuses way too much on training fit people, and many PTs are uneasy and unskilled at dealing with people who have injuries or complex issues,” he adds.

To help shift this landscape, TenClinical wants to educate the wider fitness industry that the right exercise, tailored for the client can lead to life-changing results.

“As an industry, we shouldn’t be scared of clinical exercise, we should be motivated to help but be fully appreciative of the science, methodology and guidelines behind what we do. We’d also like to see more involvement and referrals from GPs rather than just from specialists, consultants and hospitals. And we’d like more providers to see that if we can do it, maybe they can too,” argues Hewitt.

In order to reach its goals, Ten Health & Fitness is already working in conjunction with leading surgeons, consultants and medical practices, to better understand how it can best meet clients’ needs and requirements.

“We’re convinced that the only way TenClinical can work is as an even and trust-based partnership with health practitioners,” explains Rogers.

“Their involvement and input was – and still is – crucial. Clients come to us following diagnosis, so the practitioners know first hand where the demand is – and the feedback and data we can provide back to them on client progress is valuable for supporting ongoing treatment and care.”

This means all sessions are closely monitored, with regular measurements of key clinical indicators (including blood pressure, resting heart rate, and blood glucose/cholesterol), functional performance statistics and body composition percentages to assess performance and measure improvement. This information is fed back to clients’ medical professionals, giving them regular detailed and quantified feedback on progression and outcomes.

However, beyond the procedures and protocols, Ten is keen to emphasise that the key to the success of a programme such as this requires a shift in mindset that places the person at the center of the equation rather than the product.

“The end goal is to make people feel good, get stronger and more able to fight whatever their personal battle is. Everything we do is to ensure that our clients have a genuinely bespoke programme that is the safest for their needs,” explains Hewitt.

For Ten Health & Fitness, that means being able to offer both wants-driven and needs-driven services, within a boutique environment —  a model that is noticeably absent in today’s fitness market.

“We don’t see this as a competitive situation,” explains Rogers.

“Demand outstrips supply by a huge margin. Even at our best, we can only hope to scratch the surface, but hopefully, by being visible and vocal about clinical exercise we can encourage the wider fitness sector to get more involved.”

Originally featured on WELLTODO, reproduced with permission.

Originally featured in GymOwnerMonthly

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Have you thought about adding yoga or pilates to your offering? Justin Rogers, Creative Director at TEN Health & Fitness, explains the how’s, why’s and why not’s.

Two of the oldest disciplines in fitness, Yoga and Pilates are enjoying greater popularity over the last few years than ever before – complete with A-list ambassadors and legions of instagram fans. Their growth and appeal continues unabated, with new Pilates and Yoga studios launching and expanding across the UK on what seems like a weekly basis.

From a fitness operator’s perspective, there are a number of advantages to adding either or both disciplines to your offering including:
– increasing the number of services available under your roof
– adding extra revenue lines
– gaining access to a wider range of potential customers
– providing more variety to your existing customers

But should you?

Let’s assume you’ve already done the basics. You’ve run the numbers, and you’ve looked at the opportunity cost – the revenue lost either by not using the same space for something else, or because adding these classes means repurposing or reducing a space that’s currently generating revenue as say, gym space, a café or retail.

Assuming it stacks up financially, the next question is how well either or both disciplines fit with your brand and the rest of your business. Whichever you choose, it needs to be aligned with your values, approach and the rest of your products and services. If it’s not, your customers are unlikely to embrace it and your staff will be less keen to support it.

For instance, if you’re currently running a testosterone-heavy weights-based gym, it’s unlikely to be an environment that a spiritual, mindful, and 75% female Yoga audience is going to feel comfortable in. Let alone what your existing customers and staff will think about such a drastic change to the vibe they’re accustomed to.

Assuming you’re still with me, the next question is which discipline to offer (or both). And that’s down to a number of factors, including:
– the amount of competition around you
– which you think you could do differently, or better, than anyone else in your area
– which fits best with everything else you offer
– your appetite for managing class schedules and trainers
– how much space you have available
– how much time you have available within any existing class schedules (better to add one new

The differences – from an operator’s point of view

This isn’t about the differences in approach, techniques or methodology – you can find plenty of people online who’ll define those more neatly than I can – though from experience, don’t expect them all to agree with each other!

Here, I’m talking about the operational differences – what it will mean for you as a fitness business owner or manager. How much investment, how much space and what facilities you’ll need.

Yoga
Yoga comes in many different forms, from dynamic and vigorous (Ashtanga and Vinyasa,) precise and detailed (Iyengar) to the restorative. Not forgetting the various Hot Yoga options. So you’ll need to decide which to add to your schedule – and if you choose more than one – what to schedule when. There can also be significant differences in the standard of instructors.

Pilates
At least at first sight, Pilates is a simpler proposition. There’s less ‘woo’ and less variation between one interpretation and another. Instructors are also more consistent in standard and approach, particularly if they’ve qualified through a reputable body – Stott or Body Control are both excellent.
There’s definitely a bigger audience for Yoga, but there’s also much more competition. And perhaps because of the differences between instructors, keen yogis are often more loyal to an instructor than a studio.

Space and equipment

The space you have available will have a bearing on what you can offer.

Unless you’re going for the Hot option, a yoga Studio can be set up with the minimum of investment. The same is true of Mat Pilates. A room, mirrors and some mats is pretty much all you need for either.

Pilates’ greater focus on individual attention and hands-on correction means classes are usually smaller than with Yoga – at Ten, we limit numbers to 10 clients per class. (For Yoga providers, 30 or more people in a session is not unusual.)

So the bigger the space, the more attractive Yoga becomes from a revenue point of view at least.

While both disciplines can be taught with the minimum of props, Pilates can be also be taught using specialist equipment – the Reformer, the Chair, the Tower and the Ladder Barrel are the most popular. This enables greater variety and challenge in a session – and a higher class price as a result. However you will need to allow more floor space per person than in a standard mat class.

At Ten, we’re all about the Pilates Reformer. While it offers a lot more flexibility and capability for both functional and rehabilitative work than a mat does, it’s a large and heavy piece of kit. Ours require 7-9 square metres of room space each depending on room proportions, and at 55 kilos, they’re not something you’d want to be moving around too often.

So think about what else you’re going to be using the room for. If you’re planning to run a mix of different classes, Pilates and/or Yoga alongside, say, Barre and dance classes, you’re better off keeping any equipment to a minimum to allow easier changeovers between classes.

Staff

Last but most definitely least, it goes without saying that specialist classes require specialist instructors. Properly qualified and experienced. So unless you already have Pilates or Yoga teachers on your books, you’ll need to find and hire them.

At Ten, we have our own industry accredited in-house Academy where we train all our Pilates instructors. But that’s not a necessary (or even advisable) route for anyone who’s just looking to add some variety to an existing fitness business.

Luckily there are plenty of really good trainers available in both disciplines. The vast majority are freelance, so likely to be visible online, and potentially open to offers.

Key things to look for are their level of qualification within their discipline, who they trained with, how long they’ve been teaching, and where else they teach. You can judge a fitness operator by the quality of its instructors – and vice versa.

But you can’t beat first-hand experience. So get a feel for their teaching style and skills, either by observing one of their classes, or asking them to teach a trial class to friends or staff (paid, of course).

Last but by no means least, you’ll learn a lot about them by looking at their social media feeds. What they say will tell you a lot about their interests and expertise. How they say it will tell you a lot about them as a person.

And that matters because bad energy is bad energy. And whatever they’re teaching you don’t want that.

Qualifications:

• Bone stress injuries and fracturesMSc Physiotherapy
• BSc Health Sciences
• Pilates
• Dry Needling
• VALD

Favourite things to treat:

Shoulder injuries (instability, stiff, painful) and post-op rehabilitation.
Lower back pain, hip, sacroiliac and pilates.

Liam has recently moved to London from Adelaide, Australia where he attended Flinders University and graduated with a Masters of Physiotherapy.
Passionate about the mechanics and physiology of the human body, Liam is an avid learner with a broad interest in health and performance optimisation.

Early on, Liam gained insight into competitive sports through his participation in wrestling and football. Liam believes all people deserve the same high quality, personalised care that elite athletes receive.

Since graduating, Liam has worked with the Australian Defence Force and a premier sports and musculoskeletal clinic in his hometown of Adelaide. Further, Liam became involved as the Head Physio for Element Martial Arts in Adelaide.

Having experienced the impact of injury firsthand through his own martial arts training, Liam deeply understands how injuries can affect every aspect of life. He knows not gust the challenge of returning to sport, but also to daily valued activities. He recognises that effective rehabilitation requires a holistic understanding of the individual and the factors influencing their recovery.

Liam has specialised training in managing shoulder conditions, particularly those involving instability, stiffness, or pain. He has completed Dr. Jared Powell’s comprehensive shoulder course, focusing on science-backed treatments.

Additionally, he is trained in Pilates, and loves helping people gain confidence in their bodies and see improvements in strength and flexibility.

In his practice, Liam is passionate about empowering clients to understand their bodies and his treatment. Liam recognises that everyone is different, and deserves to be met with kindness and an appropriate management for the stage of their condition.

Liam is a strong advocate for using objective measurement tools like the VALD ForceDecks system. He believes the real-time feedback and in-depth analysis is key for identifying the root cause of injuries, enhancing performance, and reducing injury risk for both athletes and the general public.

Overall, Liam utilises a combination of treatment methods including mobilisation, massage, dry-needling and rehabilitative exercises. Liam believes rehabilitation should gently challenge people to cause a positive adaptation of the body.

Outside of work, Liam stays active by continuing his training in wrestling and martial arts, and he enjoys the occasional run. He’s also excited to immerse himself in the cultures of the UK and Europe and looks forward to exploring new destinations with his partner, Cheyenne, on weekends.

Qualifications:

• Diploma and Certification of Registration in Massage Therapy (Canada)
  – Deep tissue
  – Prenatal
  – Sports massage
  – MET (Muscle Energy Technique)
  – Myofascial Release
  – Manual Lymph Drainage
  – Joint Mobilization
  – Therapeutic Exercises

Favourite Thing to Treat:

Shoulders/neck and hips.

Bio:

Hailing from Toronto, Ruth was trained in Massage Therapy in Canada where it is a regulated Healthcare Profession in the way Physiotherapy and Chiropractic are in the UK. Graduating in 2011, Ruth’s practice is focused on the mind-body connection and treating the body as a whole. Her treatments can best be described as combining the knowledge of a Physiotherapist with a massage-based approach, resulting in an effective yet soothing experience.

Over Ruth’s career, she has worked with a range of clients, from the average desk-bound office workers to women in all stages of pregnancy, not forgetting many amateur and professional athletes who use regular massage therapy for injury prevention and recovery. While she can decrease pain stemming from injuries, pregnancy discomfort, or a bad night’s sleep, her passion lies with empowering the person to become aware of where they are in space and understand that how they move their body can contribute to their pain or it can help them heal. She promotes Massage as a Preventative Health Care modality and she is a staunch supporter of the benefits of touch therapy in terms of mental health. Just as the mind listens to the pain in the body, the body can and does listen to the pain in the mind.

Ruth’s unique style of massage treatment is based on her formal Swedish training, and also borrows from fascial stretch and diaphragmatic breathing techniques to release locked tissues and de-stress the mind allowing the body to move more freely. She prides herself on listening to each client’s body and using its feedback to give the right amount of pressure, whether deep to get through the layers of tissue or lighter for those more tender areas.

She stays away from the notion of no pain-no gain in her work and would rather work with her client’s, mind, body and breath to break the pain cycle and restore movement to get them back to the life they want to have. Every treatment starts with an intake to help focus the treatment and ends with home-care exercises, stretches, or activities that will help each client feel better for longer.

Ruth is registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and takes part in additional learning. She has done training in Cranial Sacral Therapy, Reiki and Fascial Stretch Therapy –  a neuromyofascial therapy that focuses on the connective tissue system to assess passive, active and resisted movements in functional positions as well as on the treatment table.

In her spare time, she loves exploring the nooks and crannies of London and getting lost on road trips down the smallest roads possible.