EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW

• 20 x IC7 indoor cycling bikes

• Coach by Color® consoles

• MyRide® VX Group

• ICG® Connect

THE CLIENT

In February 2018, Withdean Sports Complex in Brighton, operated by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council, re-launched its indoor cycling studio in partnership with Life Fitness and the Indoor Cycling Group (ICG®).

Open since 2013, the revamped studio is now home to 20 state-of-the-art IC7 cycles, advanced digital programming through Coach by Color®, MyRide® VX Group and ICG Connect, and a new group exercise timetable.

Central to the re-launch was Freedom Leisure’s intention to ‘create different experiences in the same space’ with enhanced technology and an updated timetable to meet the needs of the wide-ranging member demographic - from the complete beginner through to the advanced indoor cyclist.

THE AIMS

For Freedom Leisure and the Withdean Sports Complex, the primary aim for re-launching its already established cycling studio was to create new, enhanced and unique experiences for its members.

Freedom Leisure is a not-for-profit leisure trust which manages leisure and cultural facilities on behalf of partners across the UK. In the last year it has invested more than £6 million in its leisure facilities as part of a commitment to providing higher quality buildings and a greater variety of equipment. The decision to upgrade the indoor cycling studio at Withdean forms part of this investment and the trust’s strategy to support its clients and positively impact the communities within which it operates, to inspire people to be more active, more often.

The existing studio was popular but only had capacity for nine bikes, so through monitoring class attendance and member feedback, a real opportunity for increasing its indoor cycling offering was recognised. Withdean aimed to achieve greater member engagement and satisfaction, alongside an increase in new memberships and engagement with local sports clubs.

WITHDEAN SPORTS COMPLEXFreedom Leisure Brighton

INDOOR CYCLING

THE SOLUTION

Ross Philipson, General Manager at the Withdean Sports Complex, knew the importance of training staff to a level so that every member, no matter what age or ability level, would feel encouraged and motivated to participate in the new indoor cycling classes. Whilst upgrading the facility’s equipment and technology, extensive time was also spent to further develop the indoor cycling instructors’ knowledge to ensure that they had the technical skills and understanding required to coach the ICG experience.

Ross also qualified as an ICG Master Trainer following the studio upgrade, having been inspired by the combined equipment, technology, music and visualisation offered by ICG to match his passion for delivering outstanding member experiences.

Having identified Coach by Color as the cornerstone of the new timetable, staff were given training which not only covered the principles of the programme, but also how these were best communicated to members at varying levels of interest, ability and experience. This was central to the gym’s targeted, on-the-ground strategy to promote the use of the new technology, including the ICG Training App.

In the weeks leading up to the re-launch, the team at Withdean added in extra sessions for FTP testing to not only support in building members’ understanding but to also generate interest on the gym floor with current non-cycling members. The site introduced seven sessions a week before going live with the new timetable.

THE CHALLENGES

#1 Empowering staff to educate members

The expansion and upgrade of the indoor cycling studio was an investment in its members’ fitness journeys and staff would be central in conveying the benefits of its growing indoor cycling offering, powered by ICG.

Comprehensive staff training would consequently support members in getting the most out of the new technology and programming and generate interest on the gym floor with current non-cycling members.

#2 Moving away from ‘traditional’ indoor cycling classes

Freedom Leisure made the decision to move away from ‘traditional’ indoor cycling classes to maximise its offering of ICG programmes. It was therefore essential that members understood the differences and benefits of the new classes, which include:

• Greater training engagement and an improved user experience through ICG’s equipment and technology

• Better accessibility to classes with a more comprehensive timetable and varied programme, supported by the new virtual class offering

• Ease of tracking workouts and monitoring progress through Coach by Color and the ICG Training App

With such a shift in the indoor cycling offering at Withdean, it was important that these benefits were communicated effectively to encourage member engagement, particularly with those who favoured – or had only ever experienced – ‘traditional’ classes.

Immediately we saw a rise in site visits, with our ICG Connect classes in particular proving very popular, with almost every class at maximum capacity. We have

increased member engagement whilst also building our relationships with external groups and sports clubs, further supporting our drive to raise awareness

of Withdean and attract new visitors to the site.

ROSS PHILIPSON General Manager

INDOOR CYCLING

PROGRAMMING AND TECHNOLOGY

Following consultation, the new indoor cycling timetable was created comprising Coach by Color, MyRide VX and ICG Connect classes.

Coach by Color will allow Withdean Sports Complex to optimise its studio space with explosive, power-based programmes that allow exercisers of all levels to participate in the same class, either on the same team or against each other. The excitement created around the programme aims to better engage members and in turn, improve retention rates and new acquisitions, whilst also supporting revenue generation for the facility.

Myride VX Group provides a fully immersive, cinematic and virtual indoor cycling experience with coach-led workouts enhanced by music and terrain-focused footage. The programme will help Withdean to maximise its studio space with highly motivating virtual workouts without increasing staffing costs, whilst simultaneously impacting positively upon member satisfaction.

ICG Connect delivers a variety of programmes, modes and features to engage all indoor cyclists in a truly interconnected user experience. The immersive qualities drive greater training engagement with the technology by amplifying the class energy visually, bringing riders closer to their goals and each other. Participants can ride for, with and against each other to meet the group target, win team battles and achieve personal bests creating a competitive edge.

WORKING WITH LIFE FITNESS AND ICG

For Freedom Leisure, a longstanding client of Life Fitness, the immersive, digital experience matched with state-of-the-art technology meant that they could ‘create different member experiences in the same space’. The innovative programming would lead to a new timetable that enhanced the exercise experience of all abilities without stretching the facility’s resources.

INDOOR CYCLING

RESULTS

On re-launch in February 2018, the team at Withdean Sports Complex devised a new timetable focussed upon creating new experiences for its members that can be realised in the same, rejuvenated studio space.

The timetable consists of 63 classes each week; 37 virtual, 14 Coach by Color, 10 MyRide VX Group and 2 ICG Connect classes, with the plan to monitor and review class take-up as members become more knowledgeable about the new programming.

An improved member experience

The re-launch of the studio helped to drive a rise in site visits, with almost 500 more in March compared to the month previous and prior to the re-launch of the indoor cycling studio. Members who had participated in the new classes were becoming more knowledgeable and shared their positive experiences with peers, a key element to growing member engagement.

The MyRide VX Group sessions proved particularly popular, with members reporting positively on the experience of riding the scenic routes.

On Coach by Color, members have referenced the ease of monitoring progress via the colour-coded training system and crucially, how inclusive they feel the classes are. Staff proactively communicated the benefits of the programme and that zones are personal to each exerciser, so members understand the workouts are unique to their relative level of fitness.

It has been the ICG Connect classes that have proved most popular, with almost every class at maximum capacity. Consequently, Withdean plans to review its indoor cycling timetable periodically to make amendments based on member demand.

Working together with the local sports community

Since re-opening, the indoor cycling studio has also helped the facility further engage with local sports groups and clubs. Already known to the centre, Brighton Triathlon Club hired the studio exclusively twice a week during winter and spring months to incorporate ICG programming into athletes’ training. Since doing so, the club has reported a 30-40% improvement in overall FTP scores which, significantly, is being matched by road performance improvements.

Because of the positive impact that the indoor cycling training has had, Brighton Triathlon Club has extended its exclusive hire into the summer, with plans to introduce extra sessions in the autumn.

Local side Sussex County Cricket Club have also used the facility for off-season training, taking part in weekly ICG Connect sessions.

Such relationships are examples of what the ICG experience can do for a facility, creating new revenue streams and wider relationships in the community.

INDOOR CYCLING