Every good endurance athlete knows that nutrition is every bit as important as training. If you aren’t properly fueled, you won’t be performing at your best—and will even risk crashing mid-race or workout. Whether your M.O. is running, cycling, or swimming, that quick ‘n easy snack or supplement during a long training session should be packed with nutrients to keep you going. With too many options out there, just finding the right fuel can be tiring. Here are eight of our favorite mid-workout energy boosters.
Courtesy Image
1. GU Energy Gel
Designed to supply energy and key nutrients lost during exercise, GU Energy Gels are one of most convenient, mid-workout snacks. Available in a wide variety of flavors, GU gels contain the perfect blend of complex and simple carbohydrates that help sustain you during long workouts. They’re portable and easy to eat (and digest) while in motion, making them ideal to munch on mid-race or mid-workout. Pro tip: if you have a hard time with the consistency, mix them with some water for an easier swallow.
It’s probably ingrained in your mind that sodium is bad for you—but for endurance athletes especially, salt is your friend. Sodium is essential because it helps maintain fluid balance in the body. Salt and electrolytes are rapidly lost through sweat, so it’s important to replenish them during long workouts. As the name suggests, SaltStick Capsules are packed with salt and electrolytes, working to reduce muscle cramping and boost stamina while maintaining the five electrolytes lost through sweat (potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride). Take one capsule every 30-60 minutes to sustain peak performance.
Tailwind’s Endurance Fuel mixes with water and provides athletes with essential calories, electrolytes, and hydration. Made with all-natural ingredients and natural flavors, the combination of water, fuel, and electrolytes has a synergistic effect, allowing the body to absorb more of each and keep you sustained for longer periods of time and at higher intensities. Simply mix some of the powder into a to-go bottle and stay fueled and hydrated during those longer workouts.
It may sound disgusting, but if you’re prone to cramps pickle juice could be the elusive solution. Why pickle juice? It contains 10-15 times the electrolytes of traditional sports drinks, contains zero calories and zero sugar, and is packed with vitamins and minerals. Although there isn’t science yet to prove it, researchers believe pickle juice is effective at stopping and preventing cramps because it triggers muscle reflexes when it hits the back of the throat. This in turn prevents the misfiring of neurons that trigger cramping. If you tend to cramp, try packing a shot of pickle juice for your next workout.
BonkBreaker Energy Chews work like energy gels—combining fast acting carbohydrates and electrolytes to support muscle contraction. But while energy gels are traditionally eaten in one go, energy chews come in small bites and can be eaten in whatever portion the athlete requires. Packed with 240mg of vital electrolytes and 100mg of caffeine from all-natural white tea sources, BonkBreakers provide a much-needed boost of energy while remaining easy to digest. If you struggle with the taste or texture of energy gels, here’s your chewable alternative.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more classic trail snack than a Clif Bar. Although they aren’t as quick to eat as some options out there, they’re sufficiently filling and packed with essential nutrients, making them a great mid-workout snack. Available in a wide range of flavors, Clif Bars blend carbohydrates, protein, and fat to provide long-lasting energy for lengthy workouts. Made from sustainably sourced ingredients, Clif Bars contain simple sugars, organic oats, plant protein, nuts, seeds, and oils, providing a time-tested blend of flavor and energy.
As the name indicates, Kate’s Real Food energy bars are made with organic, all-natural ingredients to keep you nutritiously boosted. Every bar contains organic almond or peanut butter mixed with organic oats, brown rice crisps, and organic honey for a nutritious snack with flavors that you’ll actually recognize. Bars take a little more time to consume than gels or chews, so they’re better suited for workouts than races.
Weird as it may sound, baby food is gaining popularity as a snack for endurance athletes. Made with simple and natural ingredients, it’s packed with sugar and carbohydrates, easy enough for a baby to digest, and offers quick and reliable energy for larger humans. Many brands of baby food are available in convenient, “on-the-go” squeeze pouches that are as easy to carry as they are to eat. Plus, maybe you forgot, they taste surprisingly okay. You can buy squeeze pouches from different sport snack manufacturers or simply pick some up from the baby food aisle at your local grocery store.
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At the same time that the pandemic upended the local economic landscape, it also increased our focus on mind and body health. But with all the tight restrictions on gyms that began in March of 2020, it’s often been hard to even get a workout in during the pandemic.
With that in mind, it might seem like a crazy time to open a gym. But three budding fitness entrepreneurs in Santa Cruz are betting that our drive to boost our health is here to stay.
‘MAD’ ABOUT HEALTH
Case-in-point is a planned Scotts Valley fitness studio from Santa Cruz resident Peter Malek, slated for 262 Mt. Hermon Road.
The tech engineer secured the rights to launch the first MADabolic franchise in all of California.
He explains it’s concerned with “Momentum,” “Anaerobic” and “Durability” workouts—a concept developed by former pro hockey players Brandon Cullen and Kirk DeWaele.
“I think it’s going to bring something that’s really needed,” he says.
While some people were able to achieve new health heights during the last couple years, others who were in good shape found themselves losing ground, he notes.
“Folks had a hard time disciplining themselves to keep those healthy habits,” he says. “Keeping yourself in the best shape that you can is absolutely one the best defenses for living a longer, stronger life.”
Malek’s already scored the necessary permit from the Scotts Valley Planning Commission for his Hangar at Skypark location, next to an ice cream shop, a gift boutique and a taproom.
The drywall is in and painted, and next up is the bathroom and shower tile.
Malek, who has a personal training certificate through the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association, grew up playing sports and got involved in high-intensity activities like CrossFit and Ironman over the years.
Malek says the MADabolic model works for both top-notch athletes as well as less-experienced individuals, because it balances pushing yourself and resting.
According to municipal documents, the business plans to operate from 5:30am-7:30pm weekdays and 8am-noon on weekends.
The studio expects to hire four people and offer hour-long classes, with a maximum of 20 people in each session.
And while Malek saw a pandemic-sized brick-and-mortar opening and went for it, he also used the coronavirus pandemic as a chance to do some reflecting, too.
He catalogued his own fitness thinking in a book he just published with New Degree Press called #PerFORM: The Path to Becoming Unstoppable and Achieving Fulfillment.
“It was a validation of sorts—and a self-realization,” he says, explaining how writing the book helped clarify his decision to launch the business. “The book is a testament to me finally taking that leap of faith.”
Malek hopes to open by the end of February.
Ain’t High-Falutin’
Over in Soquel, James Smith, the new owner at Lola’s Fitness Gym—Strive in its pre-pandemic life—says he could’ve gotten involved in another, more profitable enterprise.
But after years as a professional poker player and in the casino world, he was excited by the prospect of running a business that actually helps people.
“I’m thinking, ‘Why make people fat, when I could make people skinny?’” he says. “I thought it would be a good idea to get into something that would help people get healthier.”
Gyms have been one of the pandemic’s hottest potatoes, with every jurisdiction seemingly taking a different view of just how “essential” the industry is, and whether vaccine mandates and masking requirements should apply. In June 2020, 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy and closed a quarter of its locations, following on the heels of Gold’s Gym’s Chapter 11 move the previous month. Meanwhile, at-home exercise options like Peloton have seen surges in demand, although even that sector’s faced rocky roads.
So, was Smith perturbed by the coronavirus landscape?
“Actually, I didn’t take it into consideration,” he says. “In a short-range scope, obviously it’s a pain in the ass. In the long-range scope, I don’t think it’s going to be something we’re going to be worried about.”
The small, no-nonsense neighborhood workout space is able to do what even many corporate players cannot: provide 24/7 access.
With three levels and about 200,000 square feet of space, there are plenty of ways to get the blood pumping on-site; but there are no showers—and there’s definitely no fancy juice bar.
“It’s not a high-falutin’ gym,” Smith says. “Girls and guys come in, and they work out.”
But when he took over at 4061 Soquel Dr., he didn’t raise prices, either.
They also offer a discount for firefighters, police officers, registered nurses and emergency responders.
Smith says he’s dedicated to making sure the people who use his facility feel safe and comfortable at whatever hour they decide to drop by.
Since he opened late last year, Smith says he’s already seen members make serious progress.
“It gives me a sense of accomplishment if I can help people,” he says. “That’s one of the positive benefits that comes from me owning a business like this.”
Capitola’s Agility Boulders is building a community of indoor climbers. PHOTO: AGILITY BOULDERS
Climbing Ambition
Down the road at Capitola’s Agility Boulders, John Hester has seen a community of indoor climbers start to thrive, even amid the constant ebb and flow of pandemic protocols.
He co-founded the bouldering gym with his partner, Shirley Yang.
They’d actually been looking at starting something before the pandemic started, and at first it seemed like it might throw their dream into jeopardy. But in the end, they say they were encouraged to extend towards their next crimper handhold by supporters.
They pushed on through several difficult sections, like only being allowed to schedule a single building contractor in the space at a time.
“We have amazing landlords that really believed in our vision and wanted this climbing gym—this community center—to be part of the area,” Hester says of their startup, which opened last year at 1404 38th Ave. “We’re all craving a little bit of community.”
Because bouldering doesn’t rely on the ropes-and-harnesses tag-team approach, like traditional climbing gyms, social-distancing is a cinch, he says. You climb without wearing protective gear up to 15 feet, and if you fall, you land on a padded surface.
It can also be quite the mental workout, too, he adds.
“We tend to call the line you climb ‘boulder problems,’” he says. “You have this cryptic path that you want to figure out.”
In fact, they reconfigure a segment of grips each week—turning the entire gym over in six. And their hand chalk options help maintain the antiseptic environment.
“The community’s been growing,” he says, noting it’s common to hear people cheer each other on as they scale the walls. “It’s a hell of a lot of fun. It’s a very engaging activity.”
Many Australians have spent the last couple of years dramatically shaking up our workout routines every time a new lockdown is imposed, displaying impressive ingenuity despite being shut out of our gyms.
In 2022, Australia’s gyms remain open (…for now). Despite this, there were somefitnesshabits I picked up in lockdown that I’m keen to hold onto.
(Some of you readers may live in a state thatneverlocked down for an extended period — lucky you! While you count your blessings, you might also consider incorporating some of these strategies into your everyday routine.)
Home workouts can be just as effective as the gym. (iStock)
COVID walks
Almost every day during Sydney’s almost four-month-long lockdown, I’d lace up my shoes and go for a long walk with no specific destination — often listening to a podcast, or joined by a friend. Since lockdown ended, I can count the number of localwalksI’ve undertaken on one hand.
While I don’t miss lockdown, I do miss those walks. For starters, it was a great way to explore undiscovered pockets of my neighbourhood. More importantly, walking is one of the best ways to get and stay fit: it’s free, it’s low-impact, and it delivers significant benefits inas little as 10 minutes a day.
Butmostimportant arethe mental health benefits of walking. Those COVID walks were an opportunity to reset and reflect that would be welcome in 2022.
Outdoor workouts
I know you running aficionados have been training outdoors for years, and willkeeptraining outdoors for years regardless of COVID restrictions. But during lockdown, many of us switched our workouts from gyms and studios to parks — which have largely been empty of exercisers since lockdown ended.
This is a shame, because outdoor workouts in the fresh air add terrific variety to a workout routine. Every Friday lunchtime during lockdown, I’d meet a mate in the park between our houses for a 20 or 30-minute cardio session, which we’ve attempted to continue, mostly because it’s a perfect opportunity to catch up. The only thing we’ve changed is the timing: in summer, dodge the midday heat (and take advantage of lighter days) by scheduling your outdoor workouts in the early morning or evening.
Before the age of coronavirus, I’d almost never streamed a video workout from the internet. At the height of lockdown, I streamed multiple workouts a day to stay active. I’ve maintained the habit, mixing at-home virtual workouts with my “real” workouts in the gym — a strategy I highly recommend to get the most out of your exercise.
My go-to virtual workout isApple’s Fitness+, which requires an Apple Watch on top of the monthly subscription fee. But virtual fitness is a crowded market, so you can find something that suits your budget (from free YouTube workouts up toPeloton’s bells-and-whistles bike, which costs nearly $3000) and your preferred training style (such as cardio, weights, yoga or Pilates).
Nick Kyrgios has sparked riotous scenes never witnessed before at the Australian Open — and the world is not happy.
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are through to the semi-finals in the men’s doubles draw after they stirred up a crowd atmosphere never seen before at the Australian Open.
Each match in their doubles campaign has ramped up and the brand new Kia Arena was treated to absolute madness.
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Their doubles battle against No. 6 seeded pair Tim Puetz, from Germany, and Michael Venus, from New Zealand went berserk when the Aussie duo took the opening set and it was completely off the rails by the time they wrapped up a 7-5 3-6 6-3 after more than two hours.
With the crowd pumped up, there was no way for officials to contain the mayhem with fans yelling out in the middle of points and even repeatedly in the middle of Venus’ service action.
There were a series of dramatic moments in the second set which further whipped the crowd into a frenzy inside Kia Arena.
And the Special K’s want the atmosphere to continue into the rest of the grand slam because, as Kyrgios eloquantly put it, the Aussies “want to win this f***ing thing”.
Kokkinakis added he wanted the crowd to “sink p*** and come here.”
“When we walk through that tunnel, there is no feeling like it. We don’t want anything else. This is perfect,” Kokkinakis said.
“I haven’t played in a doubles match, even a singles match with this kind of atmosphere.”
So semi-final opponents and third seeds Horacio Zeballos from Argentina and Spaniard Marcel Granollers may want to watch out.
It was a drama packed match which included Kyrgios being warned for time violations on his serve with a tactic of tossing up the ball several times before entering into his true serve motion.
That prompted an angry outburst from Venus who demanded chair umpire Eva Asderaki do something about it.
A short time later, Kyrgios was also seen complaining to the chair umpire about Venus’ serve — and the time he was taking in between points.
The pair were seen jawing away at each other multiple times in every service game towards the end of the second set.
The heated exchanges only further turned the crowd against Venus — who appeared to delight in the barrage of verbal abuse.
Former Aussie star Sam Groth was stunned watching the game from inside the court.
“This is unprecedented,” Groth said on Channel 9.
“Have you ever seen a tennis match go this way? I haven’t. Kyrgios and Venus are completely at each other right now here in the third set.”
Nine commentator Tom Rehn said: “This place has reached a level even we have not seen or heard before. Not sure I have ever seen anything quite like this”.
9 News Melbourne’s Corey Norris added: “If only all doubles matches were this spiteful! How bloody good. Love that Venus is giving it back to Kyrgios.”
However, many other commentators were scathing of the behaviour from the local fans — and Kyrgios’ exuberant reactions.
Veteran Australian journalist Monica Attard posted on Twitter: “The crowd behaviour made it unwatchable. What a disgrace. Do something @TennisAustralia @AustralianOpen”.
Sports media commentator John Dean wrote: “I have never seen a doubles game like this in my life. Insane”.
Nine Newspapers reporter Sam Phillips also described the atmosphere as “farcical” in a post on Twitter.
Sports broadcaster Mark Gottlieb pointed to the fact it had replaced the Nadal-Shapovalov match on the main Nine channels.
“It feels like there could dead set be a fight on the court just days after there was almost one in the dressing rooms. This match has gone off the rails,” he wrote.
“Justifies the decision to show the doubles over Nadal. This is must watch TV – like watching a car crash.”
Comments Off on ‘What a disgrace’: Kyrgios act crossed line MELBOURNE. 24/01/2022. Australian Open Tennis. Day 9. Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis vs Tim Puetz and Michael Venus on KIA Arena. Photo by Michael Klein
I waited for hours in emergency last night with this dreadful headache, but eventually gave up and left. Should I have kept waiting at the hospital?
This is a surprisingly common scenario I encounter as ageneral practitioner. If you’re wondering how bad your headache needs to be to go to hospital, here’s the advice I give my patients.
Go to hospital immediately if you’re experiencing a sudden onset of the worst headache you’ve ever had. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Go to hospital now
Let’s start with when you definitelyshouldgo to hospital for a bad headache.
Serious and urgent causes of headaches include infection, bleeding, clots and tumours. Don’t hesitate to go straight to hospital (via ambulance, or with a trusted driver) if you notice one or more of the following:
sudden onset of the worst headache you’ve ever had
headache that worsens with exercise or sexual intercourse
neck stiffness (new since the headache started)
high fever that doesn’t lower with over-the-counter pain medication
headache after trauma to your head or neck
personality changes and/or strange behaviour
weakness/numbness on one side of your body.
Pregant or recently pregnant women who develop a sudden and severe headache should also go straight to emergency. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Three specific situations are also urgent:
pregnant or recently pregnant women who develop a sudden severe headache
people who are immunocompromised (such as someone living with HIV or on strong immune-suppressing medications)
Take a record of your headaches before your visit to your GP. (Getty images)
It’s helpful to take a record of your headaches for your doctor’s appointment: a “headache diary“.
The most important tool doctors have to diagnose headaches is yourhistory. You may feel they are asking a lot of questions, but that’s because there areso many possible causes. Bear with your GP as they try to get you the most accurate diagnosis.
Here are the kinds of questions a doctor may ask, or be asking themselves while they assess you:
Is the pain caused by something straightforward?
Possible common causes include dehydration, eye/neck strain, teeth grinding, lack of sleep or caffeine withdrawal. Even taking regular painkillers can cause “medication overuse” headaches; the cure can become the cause.
Sometimes the location of the pain gives a clue. For example,about 35 per centof headaches are “tension headaches”, which feel like a tight band around both sides of your head. Another 4 per cent are “cluster headaches”, which start behind one eye (which can go red and watery) and are often associated with a stuffy nose.
Do you have any other symptoms accompanying the headache?
Amigraineepisode may be preceded by an “aura” (such as flashes of light), and often includes symptoms like nausea or vomiting, extreme sensitivity to noise and light, and blurred vision.
Some people experience ‘aura’ or flashes of light before a migraine begins, as well as sensitivity to light and sound.
Fevers, an altered sense of smell, fatigue and pressure in your ears are features associated with acute sinusitis.
Is there a pattern to your headaches?
Certain headaches, such as migraine episodes or tension headaches, may have triggers that set them off, including certain foods, sleep deprivation, particular smells, or emotional stress.
Hormonal headaches track with menstrual cycles. Once an association is noticed, you may be able to pre-empt and treat headaches early.
Do you have any other medical conditions?
Rarely, very high blood pressure (a hypertensive crisis) can cause a headache. However, raised blood pressure during a headache is usually simply your natural response to pain.
High blood pressure or certain medications you might be taking could also be a reason for recurrent headaches. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
It’s essential to have chronic and recurrent headaches diagnosed properly by a doctor. Your GP may send you to another specialist (such as a neurologist or ear, nose and throat surgeon) depending on how complicated your situation appears.
Even if you’re sent for further testing, a specific cause may not be found. If that’s the case, your doctor’s goal will be to help you manage your headaches and lessen their impact on your life.
Many people self-diagnose “migraines” incorrectly. But a bad headache isnotthe same thing as a migraine attack, and some migraine attacks do not even include a headache!
If you think you have migraine attacks, get them diagnosed and treated properly.
Why headaches can be so costly for us all
If you can avoid going to hospital unnecessarily when you have a headache, you’ll benefit yourself and Australia’s healthcare system.
Presenting at an emergency department or even calling an ambulance costs vital public money, so it’s best to do as much as you can before turning up. (Flavio Brancaleone)
Every time you present to an emergency department, it costs you hours of your life, and the communityan average of $561.
Seeing your GP is obviously more time-efficient and instead costs the community between$38to$75.
If headaches interfere with your life, please prioritise your health. See a doctor, get a management plan for them — and save yourself a painfully long wait in emergency.
A desire to create breakthrough brand messaging that stands out in a sea of sameness has led Anytime Fitness to embark on a transformative diversity and inclusion program across the organisation.
Anytime Fitness CMO, Caitlin Bancroft, told CMO the initial brief for the new ‘Any body, Any time’ campaign has its roots in an advertising audit that highlighted the challenge gyms such as Anytime Fitness face achieving distinction in the category.
“Anytime has the biggest national footprint of any network but we get lost in the clutter of functional messaging and a sea of sameness. A key objective for us was to standout creatively,” she said. “For me, I wanted the agency to challenge us to be brave and do something really different within the category.”
The secondary motivation was to improve Anytime Fitness’ franchise satisfaction. An annual survey conducted six months prior showed that while franchisees saw the importance of marketing and campaign assets, their belief in its effectiveness was low.
“It was clear that while marketing was important, it wasn’t doing a good enough job. There was a real disconnect between importance and effectiveness of marketing,” Bancroft said. “We needed something that would inspire them [franchisees], while improving those scores.
What also came from that survey was a catalyst for changing the marketing roles and ways of working across support office, local marketing and into the clubs. This has seen Anytime restructure marketing into support ‘zones’ backed by its support office. Previously, head office supported the network and clubs primarily through lead generation.
“We have changed this marketing structure so that we will drive brand awareness and consideration, while the marketing zones, or local marketing areas and clubs, do the lead generation piece,” Bancroft said. “We were providing the ‘why’ of anytime, then they focus on the why for their specific clubs. It’s a significant shift in how marketing works.”
The ‘Any body, Any time’ campaign’s narrative focus is on challenging the stereotypical representation of gym goers by showcasing a diverse range of people with different needs and the reasons why they work out. The impetus is to show ‘health’ and ‘fitness’ mean something different to each of us and that this individuality is embraced by the Anytime Fitness community.
The campaign creative was led by Performics Mercerbell, with the agency also tasked with media strategy, planning and buying. The first iteration of the campaign runs from January to June and encompasses large-scale out-of-home, TV, digital videos, social media, search and Web.
Credit: Anytime FitnessCaitlin Bancroft
Bancroft said the campaign is the “line in the sand” for the group’s new way of operating and is designed to drive brand awareness and reshape consideration and perceptions of the Anytime Fitness offering.
“We have always been more of a convenience play and rational messaging – we needed to find a balance of emotive and functional messaging,” Bancroft continued. “I think we’re guilty in the past of being overly functional. It was finding a position that’s more ownable for us that was than price, facilities and 24/7 access – those are the cost of entry. With such a large national footprint, it’s beholden on us to go out with a broader message than just convenience.”
Having a flexible brand platform that could extend beyond a campaign burst was another must for Bancroft, who said the work has been positioned as an 18-month program to the Anytime Fitness network.
“We haven’t really created a ‘brand’ campaign in the true sense of the word before. We used to launch and leave and didn’t have much of a chance to drive brand equity and awareness as we were going from message to message,” she added.
Why inclusivity
Informing campaign messaging was a deep dive research program into Anytime Fitness’ target consumer demographic of 18 to 29-year-olds aimed at understanding what makes them tick, what they value, how they’re consuming media, communication preferences and more.
“Covid impacted by all of us recognising the importance of mental fitness as well as physical fitness and a more holistic approach to fitness,” Bancroft commented. “What we are seeing from this audience is prioritisation on mental health, as well as a refusal to be judged by how they look and push back on the body beautiful stereotypes. Rethinking social norms and standing up for something was also strong across this group.
“Another important shift was rather than just self-care, there was this community care element that was really important. Covid has brought this to the fore – we’re all searching for connection and community that’s bigger than ourselves.”
Performics Mercerbell CEO, Jason Tonelli, said Anytime’s target audience recognises their emotional fitness is just as important as their physical. “They refuse to be judged just by how they look, and are pushing back on fitness industry stereotypes reflecting the same-old representation of what a ‘healthy’ body looks like,” he said.
“It is more than just a brand campaign, it’s a brand action designed to create a real culture of fitness inclusivity.”
Bancroft noted the sobering statistic 50 per cent of everyday consumers are still intimated to walk into a gym, while many women have changed gyms in the past in order to avoid harassment. She saw Anytime’s campaign as decidedly more female friendly in the face of a membership base that skews male (66 per cent).
“ROI for us is changing perceptions of the brand, having consumer reappraise us from being a big box gym, and to drive awareness,” Bancroft said. “We do have high awareness of the brand traditionally due to our footprint, but it wasn’t necessarily that people had warm feeling towards that. It’s about changing that.
“We still want to generate leads for the clubs, but it’s about filling the funnel from the top by driving more emotive brand awareness and appeal to anyone and everyone by ensuring people don’t’ feel intimidated to work out by representing who does actually workout in our gyms.”
Then there’s the significant opportunity around disability. Figures show about 4.4 million Australians live with a disability.
“That’s a huge audience of opportunity for us. We are working with partners, such as WeFlex, to understand and open this up, because it has been so hard for these groups to find places they feel empowered to go,” Bancroft said.
Where the rubber hits the road: Cultural transformation
The marketing work has now triggered a much wider inclusion project for the Anytime Fitness business to ensure it is the most welcoming, inclusive and diverse gym by 2024.
“We’re developing strategy and capability off the back of that. Want to make an impact on the health and wellness industry culture and bring positive change to the Australian fitness industry,” Bancroft said. “Being such a big brand means we can bring others along with us for the journey. To do this, we need to ensure each club is safe, positive and a motivating space to work in no matter what your fitness goals.”
To do this, Anytime has devised the IDEA (inclusive, diversity, equity and action) plan and roadmap. This outlines the group’s intent and journey. Published on the group’s website, it articulates the milestones Anytime is hoping to achieve to get there.
Its first step was partnering with WeFlex and Proud 2 Play. With Proud 2 Play, Anytime has embarked on an outreach program across the LGBTIQ+ community to know how to best connect with these diverse consumers. With WeFlex, Anytime has commenced accessibility audits across its clubs, going through locations to make sure they’re accessible and meet the needs of people with sensory needs and disabilities, from gym floors to changerooms and membership options.
On the education front, Bancroft cited work to certify personal trainers to train people with disabilities. “That’s about clubs co-designing training with people with disability so it’s fit for purpose,” she explained.
“Over the next quarter, we will introduce an IDEA advisory council including members from leadership, clubs and members. We’re assessing all our in-club forms and employment contracts, looking at gender neutral support for working parents and fitness staff. We’re even trying quiet hours for those with sensory sensitivities, like lighting or if the sound is too hard.”
In addition, all staff from top down have access to inclusivity and disability modules on Anytime’s learning training platform, including unconscious bias training.
“Once we announced it to the network and the partnerships, people started saying they had relatives with disability who had done this or that – the stories started coming out and people are sharing those proactively,” Bancroft commented. “Everyone sees it as a great opportunity for them as well.”
Aside from this being the right thing to do, Bancroft could see the commercial return from being more inclusive, through more diverse cohorts coming into Anytime gyms, generating more diverse members in turn.
Keeping teams motivated
Throughout this work and her first six months as CMO, Bancroft has had to keep a firm eye on team morale. Gyms and fitness businesses have been a category significantly disrupted by the Covid pandemic, with regular state-based closures and restrictions a weekly occurrence.
Helping keep teams motivated are a strong quarterly KPI process, Bancroft said, incorporating project and professional development, plus personal wellness.
“We did have staff on reduced hours for a few months, so having this structure, going back to the KPIs to deprioritise and adjust so people could achieve them was important,” she explained. “Another thing we do as a marketing team is share weekly key wins, which can be personal or work related. That’s been vital for morale and connection.”
Having never worked in a franchise business previously, Bancroft has also had the learning curve of network stakeholder management during a pandemic. Prior to joining the Collective Wellness Group, Bancroft was head of marketing for the BioCeuticals and PAW brands at Blackmores.
She’s also worked for the likes of Revlon, Vitaco Health Group and Integria Healthcare as well as held roles on the agency side with Sudler and Hennessey and Wieden + Kennedy. For two-and-a-half years, she also ran her own naturopath business.
“Having worked for lots of different businesses, that experience does help set you up for success,” Bancroft said. “I’ve experienced different structures and lots of stakeholders. That ability to build relationships is really key here even if the consultation process is different. I call it influencing without authority.”
As well as the diversity and inclusion agenda, there are plenty of other priorities on Bancroft’s list. Another is ensuring local marketing zones and clubs are utilising the new campaign and marketing assets to drive compliance and consistency in brand messaging. To help, she’s bringing on a new media manager to support at a local marketing and club level.
Data utilisation is a further project, and Bancroft flagged plans to invest in a new CRM platform in the new financial year. She admitted the email journey for members at present is clunky and there’s plenty more to be done to improve member retention and prospect conversion.
“We have low visibility and it’s hard to harness it to create insights,” she said. “We have a big project this year on investing in a new CRM platform, which will help us build personalisation into our programs and help understand members better.”
Anytime launch its Health Hub in the early days of the Covid and Bancroft said she’s keen to build out the content strategy to drive acquisition, culture and member engagement. To this end, she’s exploring external partnerships and third-party offers.
“We also know this hybrid world that digital fitness is here to stay. We have done well on another brand we run, Xtend Barre, with our at-home component,” she added. “People want to continue to come into the gym, but we know we also need to have flexibility. So we have to ensure whatever we offer remains strong.”
In the spring of 2020, travel wasn’t particularly high on anybody’s to-do list. The COVID-19 pandemic had just emerged around the globe, and most of us were tethered to our couches. Things were bleak, but there was a lifeline for cooped-up globetrotters: Zac Efron’s Down to Earth, a show chronicling his journeys around the world in search of healthier, more sustainable ways of living. In its first season, Efron and his co-host, Darin Olien, traveled to places like Iceland, Puerto Rico, and the Amazon rainforest. The two met with innovators coming up with solutions to a wide range of issues, from pollution to hurricane recovery and more. The show became a surprise hit, and Season 2 is slated for release later this year.
But that’s not all Efron’s been up to. He also partnered with AT&T as part of the company’s Life, Gig-ified launch, a creative series highlighting AT&T’s upgraded fiber-optic network. As a part of the launch, he developed his own segment. We recently caught up with Efron to learn more about how he stays connected in an increasingly digital world and what’s coming next on Down to Earth.
Men’s Journal: You partnered with AT&T for its Life, Gig-ified launch. How did you come up with the idea for your segment?
Zac Efron: I met with AT&T and the director, Ira Rosensweig. As we discussed the concept, it sort of took on a life of its own that we all loved…I think it’s a really fun concept and we had a great time doing it.
This launch is all about delivering more content at faster speeds. As a content creator, what does that mean for you?
Speed is huge for the creative process. One of the most challenging parts is the immediacy. Sometimes you’re putting out an hour-long piece of content you filmed yesterday, so every second of the process counts. The less time we have to spend waiting on uploads and downloads, the more time we get to make the content better.
From the rise of streaming platforms to TikTok to virtual reality, there have been so many recent changes in the way we create and experience entertainment. What do you think will be the next big thing? What are you most excited about?
I’m amazed at how quickly tech is changing. Whether I’m working on a film or television project or creating digital content, I want to stay up to date on the technology. I’m fascinated by consuming content in different forms and I love the idea this is a constantly evolving process. I don’t know what lies ahead but I’m excited to discover and utilize the next big thing.
Your show Down to Earth was a major hit. What inspired you to do the show?
It was a dream come true to travel the world and put the spotlight on some amazing people and places.
What was the best and the worst thing you ate in season one?
The homemade pasta in Italy was insane. I don’t think I had a bad meal on that trip. There might have been something iffy I had in Costa Rica.
What’s it like working with Darin Olien on the show?
He’s one of my great mates and mentors. He’s taught me so much about living life to the fullest.
Will Down to Earth Season 2 be different from Season 1 in any major ways? Can you give us any hints
Season 2 has a focus on the environmental dilemmas we’re facing today. We met some great people with fascinating solutions.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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For several years, at four different universities, I beat my brains out, attempting to find the ultimate training plan. Independent of any particular sport, I sought the most logical means of addressing all athletically desirable goals:
How can all of those be addressed within limited training time, unmotivated athletes, and limited resources?
Programming Is More Than Sets and Reps
Let’s break these goals down into their fundamental requirements:
There must be a well-planned program that addresses the desired qualities.
There must be an overload effect from applied stress.
Time must be allowed for proper nutritional intake and healing for adaptation to that overload stress.
The plan must be progressive, increasing the overload over time as the body adapts to existing levels.
So far, so good. However, recovery can throw a wrench in the works. Without as much attention placed on it as the workouts themselves, overtraining can rear its ugly head, leaving you with athletes who have:
Difficulty progressing in workouts
Increased potential for injury
Increased risk of illness
Decreased performance in competition
Apathy toward training
In short, lack of proper recovery or too much training volume destroys everything else you’re trying to do.
Recovery Factors to Consider
Let’s consider some other factors in programming to ensure adequate recovery:
Training components are normally scheduled within the five-day workweek at the college level.
The imposed overload must be strong enough to create a demand on the system(s).
Energy is required to meet that overload, then to recover from it. Many coaches forget that second part.
Athletes also have other daily commitments, and are usually on their own when it comes to proper nutrition and rest (sleep) habits.
Adequate recovery from stressful exercise sessions does not necessarily conform to a 24-hour day, or a five-day work week. The greater the volume of work, the greater the recovery time required. Dig a deep hole, and it will take more time to fill in. Energy stores are depleted that must be replenished; muscle tissue is damaged that must be repaired.
When multiple adaptive responses are desired from one body (i.e., strength, endurance, speed) even more logical planning of the training stresses is required. The athlete doesn’t go to a closet mid-day, pull out a new body, and toss the fatigued one in the laundry basket. It’s the same body that needs to deal with all imposed stresses that day, until there is time for recovery. There is some overlap there, as some training components address multiple qualities simultaneously. For example, increased muscle strength can lead to improved running speed, all other factors remaining equal.
VK Studio/Shutterstock
Even the average Joe Sit-at-a-desk-all-day requires recovery from a less-than-demanding lifestyle to do it day after day. How much more so, your hard-charging athletes?
And recovery isn’t just day-to-day. How long do your athletes rest between sets? Between interval runs, agility drills, and speed work? What work to rest ratios are needed? Moreover, what about two-a-days? Do you program strength training and conditioning on the same day? Speed work on a leg strength day? Which one to address first?
Say that your athletes have total body fatigue from a Monday workout. What should you do on Tuesday? Complete rest? But wait, that leaves only three more days to squeeze in more strength training, endurance running, speed work, etc. Help!
Programming Tips to Ensure Recovery
Don’t panic. Remember, the strength and conditioning coach at rival State U is dealing with the same dilemma. We know that rest days are just as important as work days, and that all training components require energy and create a recovery demand.
Don’t be afraid to take what the calendar gives you. It’s okay (and necessary) to plan occasional complete rest days during the training week. They’ll give your athletes a chance to look after their academic commitments, and a day off can create greater enthusiasm when returning to training. Take advantage of scheduled school breaks (i.e., spring and between-term breaks) to ramp things up. In the offseason, you can challenge your athletes with more volume, and the net positive effects will carry over into the competitive season, when volume must decrease for game-day preparedness.
Example Training Plans for Planned Recovery
I recommend a maximum training segment duration of 8-10 weeks. Below are some example 10-week out-of-season training plans, broken down in terms of stress exposures and recovery time. I’ve laid out two traditional and three non-traditional plans for five days per week, and one non-traditional approach for seven days per week. Strength training (ST) is any weight room work. Conditioning (Cond.) would include any interval running, agility drills, or speed work.
Traditional Five-Day Plan #1
Number of strength training sessions: 40 (20 each upper and lower body)
Number of conditioning sessions: 25
Total number of exercise sessions: 65
Number of total rest days: 25
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 45:25
Traditional Five-Day Plan #2
Number of strength training sessions: 30
Number of conditioning sessions: 25
Total number of exercise sessions: 55
Number of total rest days: 20
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 50:20
Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #1
Number of strength training sessions: 20
Number of conditioning sessions: 20
Total number of exercise sessions: 40
Number of total rest days: 30
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 40:30
Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #2
Number of strength training sessions: 30 (15 each upper and lower body)
Number of conditioning sessions: 15
Total number of exercise sessions: 45
Number of total rest days: 40
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 30:40
Non-Traditional Five-Day Plan #3
Number of strength training sessions: 15
Number of conditioning sessions: 15
Total number of exercise sessions: 30
Number of total rest days: 40
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 30:40
Non-Traditional Seven-Day Plan
Number of strength training sessions: 18
Number of conditioning sessions: 17
Total number of exercise sessions: 35
Number of total rest days: 35
Ratio of actual work days to total rest days: 35:35
Training Plan Comparison and Discussion
If 10 sessions each of quality strength training and conditioning will result in good progress, imagine the results possible with the number of exposures offered in the non-traditional training formats above, especially coupled with a greater number of recovery days.
For example, the 15 upper body and 15 lower body strength sessions in the second non-traditional plan are plenty of opportunity to induce strength gains in a single out-of-season period. Also, 15 conditioning sessions are more than adequate to increase cardiorespiratory fitness. Note that 40 complete rest days are scheduled here to facilitate recovery from the 30 actual training days, making this a sound training plan.
The 7-day example uses 18 full-body strength training sessions and 17 conditioning sessions coupled with 35 complete rest days. Again, a more-than-adequate number of exercise exposures with plenty of built-in recovery time to allow for optimal adaptation.
Compare these to the traditional examples. In the first, 40 strength sessions and 25 conditioning exposures, but only 25 complete rest days in the 70-day plan. Overtraining may be more likely here. Similarly—and possibly quite worse than #1—example #2 is characterized by 30 full-body strength sessions, 25 conditioning workouts but only 20 complete rest days.
More is not always better when it comes to physical training. Properly planned overloads in the weight room and on the track must be logically placed over a training period, along with built-in recovery days. Train your athletes hard, but also train them intelligently.
And to round it off, another TV show character experienced a heart attack on the interactive bike — this time (spoiler alert) it’s Mike Wagner (David Costabile) on the season 6 premiere of Showtime’sBillions.
Last month, Peloton saw an 11 per cent stock drop immediately after the fictitious Mr. Big ofSex and the Cityfamedied after riding a Pelotonon the show’s streaming reboot.
Peloton said in a statement that although they understand why their products are sometimes featured in television shows, they did not agree for their brand and IP to be used onBillions.”
David Costabile, who stars in the season 6 premiere of Showtime’s Billions, suffered a heart attack while using the Peloton bike. (Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME)
“As referenced by the show itself, there are strong benefits of cardio-vascular exercise to help people lead long, happy lives,” a Peloton spokesperson said.
But unlike Mr Big, Wags survives — and the show even makes a nod to theSex and the Cityplot, which was added in post-production,according to the New York Times.
“I’m not going out like Mr. Big,” Wags says in theBillionsseason premiere.
Peloton’s share price plunged more than 75 per cent in 2021, and the company hasn’t fared much better so far this year. The stock is down nearly 25 per cent and trading at its lowest level in nearly two years.
Peloton’s share price plunged more than 75 per cent in 2021, and the company hasn’t fared much better so far this year. (Peloton)
CNBC reported Thursday that Peloton was considering pausing production of its low-end bike for two months, but CEO John Foleycategorised“rumours that we are halting all production of bikes and Treads” as “false.”
Peloton became a staple for many during stay-at-home restrictions. But now consumers are returning to gyms, and the company has faced some PR headaches involving everything from crises befalling fictional television characters to product recalls. There is also more competition from upstarts selling cheaper bikes.
After Mr. Big’s death on the show, Pelotonreleaseda tongue-in-cheek ad in response. The company soonpulled the adin the wake of allegations against Mr. Big actor, Chris Noth, who was in the ad.
Peloton was trading at US$27.06 at Friday’s close.
Jelena Dokic was left wiping away tears on court when an emotional star stopped her post-match interview to make a gesture of sheer class.
Jelena Dokic has wiped away tears during a touching moment with French veteran Alize Cornet at the Australian Open where both women were left overcome with emotion.
Cornet crashed to her knees and bowed her head in her hands after winning her fourth round match with Simona Halep. She was still clutching her face when she sat down on her chair to take in her special moment.
She was left in tears all over again when she walked out onto the centre of Rod Laver Arena to speak with Dokic.
After hugging Dokic as she stepped up to the microphone, the crowd could her the 32-year-old say: “I’m sorry I’m so emotional”.
Cornet was the first of the pair to choke up with emotion when Dokic referenced a sliding doors moment from the 2009 Australian Open where the pair were one point away from playing each other in the quarter-finals. Cornet had match point against Dinara Safina at the time, but lost the match — and a chance to play Dokic in the quarter-finals.
Dokic said: “I’ve got goosebumps, but tell me, how do you feel right now?”
Cornet responded: “Oh my god, yeah. I wanted to play against you so bad. I was so disappointed. I loved your game and I was so excited about playing a quarter-final against you and I couldn’t and it was really painful. Now 13 years later, you’re here, I’m still here.”
When Dokic cut off the interview after five minutes by encouraging the crowd to give Cornet a round of applause, Cornet put her finger up to have one final say.
Her gesture to Dokic was absolute class.
“Wait, wait. So I just want to thank my box first, but also I want to tell you something, how you moved on in your life, I think we can all congratulate you,” she said.
“You were an amazing player and now an amazing commentator.”
The reference to Dokic’s personal battles and ongoing mental health struggles following on from the trauma of her childhood, as exposed in distressing detail in her autobiography, left the Australian with a lump in her throat.
“You just made me cry. I can’t believe I’m crying. Thank you. Alize Cornet.”
Dokic has repeatedly spoken out bravely about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her dad Damir during her career. The former World No. 4 revealed she suffered physical abuse as a child and teenager almost every time her father was displeased with her performance on the tennis court.
In her 2017 biography Unbreakable, written with journalist Jessica Halloran, Dokic said the beatings were part of a systematic pattern of abuse from the man previously branded the “tennis dad from hell”.
Her ongoing recovery from the trauma is just one of many reasons she remains one of the most popular figures in Australian tennis.
The moment she shared with Cornet left tennis commentators feeling the love.
Comments Off on ‘You made me cry’: Dokic breaks down after star’s classy gesture Alize Cornet embraces Jelena Dokic. Photo: Australian Open, Twitter, Paul Crock, AFP.
