In recent years, High Intensity Interval Training has blown up in the market and has been a powerful tool for all types of fitness facilities. It offers the chance to adopt new engaging programs and affords facilities exciting new marketing opportunities. Tapping into the HIIT market can be a great source of revenue, however, the rise in HIIT programs also means it is more important than ever to distinguish yourself against a backdrop of hundreds of similar programs.
One way a rec center can stand out from the crowd is to incorporate competition into their HIIT programming. Competition is an incredible tool that can encourage goal setting for students, progress tracking, accountability, and offer positive reinforcement to keep them returning to grow individually. Few things get people fired up as much as good competition and there are many effective ways to add competition to your program in a way that excites and motivates students, builds community, and allows them to track and visualize their progress. The intensity behind HIIT workouts lends itself well to competition.
The simplest form of competition that can be utilized in HIIT is encouraging participants to compete against themselves. Use markers, score boards, fitness trackers, or whatever tools you have available, just make sure participants have visible and accurate means to keep score and record personal records. “When programs emphasize measurable results, any athlete who is repeating a workout will be competing with their score from the previous time they performed the workout,” explained Jake Petersen, Director of Products for Core Health & Fitness. “The first time I did 100 calories for time on the HIIT bike, it took me over 9 minutes. A couple weeks later I was able to do it in 8:38. A couple months later, after practice and after getting in better shape, I was able to do it in 7:19. Seeing improvements in workout scores is a big motivator.”
While competition will light a fire under some, others may need additional motivation to keep with their routines. Offering a cutting edge HIIT program at your facility will not only keep members engaged it will drive new traffic and revenue into your club all year long. Take Equinox’s killer new Firestarter class as the perfect example. Equinox and Amy Dixon, a co-creator of this new HIIT program, says this blazing dose of cardio is the next generation of HIIT training. This class is a complete cardio challenge that demands everything you’ve got and incinerates your goals in thirty flat. The workout focuses on pyramid intervals where you push for 15, then 30, then 45 seconds at high intensity – then back down the “pyramid” with just a 15 second rest in-between. “Because you never fully recover between sets, you are working at a level of intensity that will make you fitter and improve your performance,” Dixon explains in her recent interview with SELF magazine. A program that not only keeps participants interested but includes a big calorie burning reward is just what your facility needs to distinguish itself against nearby competition.
As exciting as a new HIIT program can be, how a rec center incorporates it in their current facility can be a daunting task. Programs like StairMaster High Intensity Interval Training offer you the ability to leverage StairMaster’s unique line of High Intensity equipment, which includes products like the BoxMaster™, HIITMill, HIIT Bike and HIIT UBE, to promote your rec center and attract new students but also offers a complimentary, comprehensive training manual to educate your staff to ensure its success. By offering education on the science and intricacies of HIIT, trainers can understand not only how to incorporate this program but why it is important for your members. StairMaster’s HIIT Program offers a service to supplement the training program with a live 4-hour, hands-on workshop led by a team of world class Master Trainers. Additional education and training on any new HIIT Program is highly-recommended and serves to empower your training staff so that they can create the best possible experience for your clients.
A cutting edge and engaging HIIT Program is important for the growth of your facility but even the best of programs can fall short without the right trainers delivering the content. By offering a knowledgeable and experienced personal training staff to keep members on their game, a quality HIIT training program can make a difference for both the student and the facility.
Core Health & Fitness Master Trainer, Wayne Gordon, is not only an experienced HIIT trainer, but also has a wealth of first-hand experience using HIIT in his personal workouts and while training as a professional athlete. Wayne’s experience as a HIIT instructor has given him a first-hand look how effective HIIT programs can be for engaging clients and keeping them interested in the workout. “HIIT workouts are important because they work,” he explained. “They offer variety and keep my clients interested and guessing as I try to change the routine from one workout to the next.”
Beginner or athlete, young or old, the variability of HIIT programs allows you to cater to all types of people. A HIIT workout for your class may look different than one you tailor for an individual in personal training; and both may differ from your personal routines. Wayne expanded on this idea saying, “I must consider each person individually. Once the participants are ready they are then exposed to the various types of HIIT training depending on how many sessions they can fit into their busy week. The most popular format for trainers is High Volume Interval Training where you have a fixed time (1min work) with a short recovery (30sec rest).” Understanding the individual needs of an athlete in a HIIT program may be the catered content that makes your facility stand out among the rest. Having the right trainers who are both well-educated and experienced in their training is sure to drive any HIIT program to success.
Want to see how HIIT programming can make a difference in your rec center?
