The month of May poses a milestone for Fitness Professionals, as we pause to reflect on some of our most significant achievements over the past 25 years. We hear from our loyal members and key individuals who have been central to delivering our unrivalled fitness education.
Director’s note: Jane Waller, co-founder and director of FitPro
Throughout our 25 years in business, we have always focused on creating personal connections with our members and building their skill base through education. There has always been an emphasis on providing cutting-edge solutions, often ahead of their time, that work at both an instructor and a club level. Key to this success has been our investment in online technology.
At FitPro we are defined by our three core values: performance, network, differentiation.
- Performance is not only how we deliver our products, services and education but also applies to every member of the FitPro team – how we perform on a day-to-day basis for our members and clients. We take this very seriously.
- Network focuses on individuals, groups and forward-thinking brands who drive our industry forwards, as well as supporting our members so that they can connect with like-minded people, build valuable relationships and see their businesses or careers develop. In essence, we are all in business for the same purpose – to help people lead healthier, better lives – and it’s true that, together, we can achieve more.
- Differentiation is crucial to be competitive. This and innovation help to grow the industry. We’re constantly developing better products, programmes and experiences for our members.
Voicing their praise
Member of 25 years Elaine Roles highlights how FitPro is able to provide the instructor with “up-to-date, scientific and relevant” information, all while delivering some of the best workshops in the business. “I remember doing all the ‘AIM’ (Advanced Instructor) modules,” Roles recalls. “They inspired me to keep improving.” Improvement indeed, Roles has been teaching for 28 years and continues to teach her cardiac rehabilitation classes, circuits and 50+ classes with ease.
“FitPro has always moved with the times,” recollects Lynne Thompson, who has also retained her membership since FitPro’s conception. Thompson has also heavily relied on Fitpro magazine, commenting, “The articles could be used for handouts and prove very useful for information on courses and workshops.” Concluding her reflections, Thompson hopes that FitPro will continue to provide leadership to other fitness professionals in the same way that she has been supported.
Fitness industry presenter Greg Sellar, director at gregsellar.com, comments, “To be around this long in the game means you’ve been able to remain relevant and connected. Over its 25 years in business, FitPro has created many of the fitness entrepreneurs in the UK. As these entrepreneurs grew to form their own fitness-related businesses, this brought new opportunities for collaboration.”
He adds, “FitPro was my ‘in’ to the UK fitness industry. I hit the ground running back in 1998 thanks to Jane Waller, who I met in the US at a convention. Within weeks of arriving in London, she and the education team put me on the KK5 tour. I also met my ‘other half’ through FitPro 15 years ago, so getting to work together certainly created a favourite experience. A close second would be almost any Friday night get together at the annual FitPro Convention – or FitPro LIVE as it is now known. It makes you appreciate the role FitPro has played in bringing the industry together and continues to play in creating new working relationships.”
A central figurehead in the group exercise industry is director of Group X Training Jayne Nicholls, who puts it simply by commenting, “FitPro came to the UK with a plan. They knew exactly what they wanted group exercise to look like and they provided a formula.”
According to Nicholls, “FitPro turned fitness into a business” and created the all important education pathway for instructors, allowing them to diversify.
The director summed up her experience overall by commenting, “I have always relied on FitPro for advice and support as our industry’s benchmark organisation. They never made it easy to achieve what we wanted. They made us work for our goals and prove that we had what it takes. Some of my favourite moments in the industry include my first session at FitPro Convention and winning the Fitness Leader of the Year award in 1998 – they are just two.”
“The trailblazer” is how Nigel Wallace, client services director at Lifetime Training, describes Fitness Professionals. “As you have to endure, you have to evolve,” he says. “FitPro has supported instructors from the early years with a great educational platform via its magazines and conference.” Lifetime Training partnered with FitPro earlier this year to create an advanced personal training qualification,
We now turn our attention to the next 25 years and thank our members past, present and future for their involvement in FitPro and all those industry figures who chose FitPro for their career advancement. As a result, you all became part of the FitPro family.
In accordance with our celebrations, the stage for FitPro LIVE 2015 is set and we’re very much looking forward to celebrating our birthday with all of YOU. If you haven’t done so already, you can book your FitPro LIVE ticket here: fitpro.com/live
