Your members have one goal, and that is to get fit. There are countless ways for them to reach that goal and every year there seem to be new ways to get in shape. There were many fitness trends in 2014, but only some of them have the staying power to make it to 2015. Here is what was hot, and might be cooling down, for 2014:

High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, classes involve exercise done in short bursts but at a very high intensity. Short periods of rest follow the bursts of high-intensity activity. CrossFit and P90X fall into this category, and were the number one most popular trend in 2014. There is a high potential for injury from this type of exercise, though, and it is only good for people who are already fit. This could begin to discourage new exercisers from joining these types of classes.

Body Weight Training

Body weight training is for those who want to get strong, but do not want to carry around a great deal of equipment. The exerciser?s own body weight is the resistance, and this is a back-to-basics kind of training. Pushups and lunges are good examples of body weight exercises. This type of class helps build strength, muscle, heart health, and helps burn fat. Body weight classes have been popular for years, and will most likely become more popular in the coming year.

Small Group Personal Training

Most people think of personal training as one-on-one. Many trainers are holding small group classes that allow more individualized attention than large boot camp style classes, but are more affordable than one-on-one personal training. Small group training is usually two to six people, and participants split the cost of the personal trainer?s time. The more people in the small group, the less expensive the training session is, but the less individual attention each person gets. Personal training is expected to grow in popularity for the near future.

Fitness Programs for Older Adults

Baby boomers are aging into retirement, and many of them have more disposable income than younger gym goers. Many gyms are creating fitness programs that are tailored to older adults. Most gyms are slow mid-morning between the early morning exercisers and the lunchtime crowd, and this is an ideal time to encourage older adults to come in and exercise. Not only is this good for the older clientele because they can exercise when the gym is quiet and not crowded, but it brings in additional revenue for the gym during a time of the day that is normally slow.

Running all of these different types of programs can be a balancing act for any gym. The right fitness club software is essential to making sure you are getting the most out of your fitness class revenue. The New Year?s rush is right around the corner and you do not want to turn off new clients with poor scheduling and long lines at the front desk. Check us out today and see what we can do to help make your gym the most popular in town.

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Today we strive not only to be the foremost resource for leading-edge technology in the fitness industry, but also to collect the most dues from the most club members, every day. We’re devoted to staying on the cusp of industry evolution in service and technology. Plus, we’ll continue to uphold only the highest level of commitment to our customers and their success. Because the strength of our company depends on the health of our relationships with customers, they remain a top priority at all levels of service.

We are ABC Financial.

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We may not include the word usability in our everyday discussions but the concept of the word is a factor in nearly every product we use ? or don?t use.  The success of any product in our world is absolutely dependent upon its usability.

It stands to reason, then, that the usability of health club software is what truly determines not only if you will select it ? but if you will continue to use it.  Your club may have the latest and greatest health club software package available in terms of features offered ? but if the usability isn?t there ? any set of benefits can become rather irrelevant.

So what are the elements of usability that you should be looking for when selecting or choosing to retain your health club software?

Usability consultant Jakob Nielsen and computer science professor Ben Shneiderman offer a simple litmus test for usability which can provide an ideal framework:

1. Learnability ? How easy is it for users to perform tasks the first time they encounter the design?

This is probably the most important feature of any software, especially in an environment as dynamic as a health club. The dynamic nature of any club demands that new employees get up-to-speed as quickly as possible ? especially on the software being used to manage day-to-day operations.

2. Efficiency ? Once users understand the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?

Any health club manager can appreciate this aspect. All you have to do is hang out at the front desk on a Saturday morning in January and you can see that efficiency is the one thing you can?t do without.

3. Memorability ? How easy is it for users to perform tasks proficiently after they?ve been away from the design?

Multi-tasking is the name of the game when running a health club.  Employees need to jump in and perform a variety of jobs to keep the club running smoothly. The best health and fitness club software needs to fit into such a fast-paced environment seamlessly ? especially if we are discussing a club with multiple locations.

4. Error Manageability ? How many do users tend to make and how quickly can they recover?

The viability of your club relies upon an information flow that is consistent and readable across all channels — whether that?s your inventory data, employee management, scheduling or member services. Your software has to operate efficiently at all times.

5. Satisfaction Achievability ? How pleasant is it to use the design?

The satisfaction surrounding health club software is dependent upon its ease of use and its level of performance. When operations are humming along, everyone from member to employee to manager is happy.

Usability shouldn?t be a happy coincidence. It should be a reliable part of your health club processes ? and it should be especially ingrained into your software package. Your operations depend upon it.

To learn more about the capabilities of health club management software we offer, request a demo from ABC Financial.

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