Joining one of the many fitness centers in your area can have a lot of benefits, but can also be a big expense. Since most centers ask you to sign contracts that can be difficult to cancel, make sure that joining a fitness center is for you and that you are happy with the one you choose, before signing on the dotted line.

Deciding on your Needs

Since you are reading this I guess you would be more interested in weight training than aerobics, swimming and other things. Now those are important but it does not matter to some people whether there is a swimming pool available. You might not be concerned with the number of aerobics classes held each day.

All you want to do is weight train. So choosing a gym that has a wide variety of exercise equipment is idea for you. Now if you are still not sure, you need to look for a location that has a variety of programs and exercise equipment. Maybe once you get started you can decide on your specific needs.

Shop Around

There are many fitness centers out there, too many to review individually. But keep in mind that they are not all alike. If you want to join, make sure to find a club that suits you. Do your homework and comparison shop–it will definitely be to your advantage. Here’s what to look for:

* Make sure it’s convenient to work and/or home. If it’s not, you won’t go.

* Request a free or guest pass to try out the facility.

* Ask about the qualifications of the staff. Unless you already know what you’re doing, you want to work with professionals.

* Visit your choices during the times you would most likely go to exercise and check for crowding conditions.

* Check out the cleanliness of the exercise areas as well as the locker rooms and bathrooms. Make sure exercise equipment appears to be in good condition.

* Ask for operating hours and class schedules to make sure they fit your needs.

* See if child care is available on site.

* Talk to other members and see how they like it.

Joining a fitness center can be a major expense, so use these tips to avoid any financial surprises and get the most for your dollar.

* Before you shop, determine how much you’re willing to spend. Don’t go above this amount. Working out should not break the bank.

* Find out exactly what is included in the monthly fee and what is considered “extra.” Be sure to get a price list of services.

* Skip low-cost “trial memberships.” You will most certainly be pressured later on to continue at a higher fee. Don’t join until you’re ready to make the commitment and only pay what you’re willing to pay.

* See if you are eligible for discounts through your employer or health insurance company.

* Completely understand all refund and cancellation policies before signing a contract.

* Review the contract at home, without the pressure of a salesperson. Ask questions and make sure you understand what you’re signing.

The Benefits of Joining

Fitness clubs allow you access to equipment that you could not afford to purchase or have no room for at home. Many also offer a variety of classes led by trained professionals, therefore increasing the variety of exercise options available. You also have access to fitness professionals who can provide guidance and help you develop a personalized weight training program.

For those who HATE to waste money, joining a fitness center can be a good motivator, feeling compelled to go so they get their money’s worth (this is true only for those who really go out of their way to get value from their money, no matter what they’re spending it on). Those who would just be constantly interrupted trying to work out at home may find getting out of the house to exercise the only way to go.

Alternatives to Fitness Centers

Remember, the large fitness center chains are not the only way to go. Some employers as well as local hospitals or wellness centers have fitness facilities.

Also, make sure this is the best value for you. A few hundred dollars investment in work out equipment you can use at home will still give you excellent fitness results. Or you could join a fitness class through your local YMCA or community center, where membership is not required.

Conray Knox is the owner and webmaster of Weight Training Info Discover how to eat and training for maximum weight loss and muscle gain.

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Rest assured that there are a lot of reasons why you should join a fitness club but there’s only one reason that you’ll even feel marginally reluctant to join a fitness club and it’s called MEMBERSHIP FEES.

Still, don’t let this dissuade you. After all, you can’t expect to reap all the benefits of joining a fitness club for free right?

Fitness Clubs – Helping you Achieve your Fitness Goals

Fitness clubs motivate you. Exercising alone is no fun and even if you are not with an exercise buddy, the atmosphere in fitness clubs alone is often enough to energize you into ‘getting back on track’ with your fitness goals. However, don’t worry that you won’t find your own ‘personal space’ in fitness clubs. Most people, like you, appreciate the ambience but are quick to leave you alone.

Fitness clubs offer savings. There is no doubt that various fitness machines have proven themselves to be extremely effective. However, to buy them all would cost a fortune! This is really one of the main reasons to go for a fitness club membership. Sure, you might pay a steep amount especially if you are going for a well-equipped fitness club, but considering that you get access to numerous equipment, consider it a worthwhile investment to your overall fitness goals.

Fitness clubs give you access to fitness professionals. Fitness centers truly worth their salt are staffed with professional nutritionists, dieticians, fitness consultants and personal trainers. Most of the time, access to these people are included in your membership fee so do take advantage of them!

Fitness clubs offer pleasant pleasures. Great amenities such as saunas, steam rooms, spacious shower and changing rooms, and perhaps a swimming pool are all great ‘perks’ that come with a fitness club membership. So exercise and enjoy!

What to Look for in a Fitness Club

All geared up to join fitness club. Following are a couple of pointers you should consider.

Consider your own fitness goals and what particular type of activity really encourages you. For instance, if you are more into aerobic workouts, join a fitness club that offers aerobics classes and offers a host of aerobic fitness machines. On the other hand, if you’re idea of an overall body workout is swimming ensure that the fitness club has a great swimming pool.

Location, location, location. The best fitness club to join is to the one that you have ready access to. Believe me, if that ‘perfect’ fitness club is all the way across the other side of town, chances are, you will NOT go as often as you should and you would have just wasted money joining it.

Friendly and reliable fitness club staff. Although one of the main factors to join a fitness club is the range of fitness equipment they offer, it is important that they have professional staff that are accessible to you all the time. For instance, some fitness clubs claim that they have in-house trainers and consultants but many customers are never able to ‘consult’ with them. If you are a novice with fitness equipment or are just starting out on your fitness goals, this point should be big consideration with you.

Brad Howard is the most prolific health and fitness marketer of this generation. His new book, “Health Club Secrets” is currently being featured in many news stories for it’s groundbreaking information on fitness clubs and fitness club scams. To get this free resource, go to http://www.HealthClubSecrets.com

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Every one understands the importance of exercise on a daily basis to ensure our body stays young and healthy; however, many of us do not want to get out in all kinds of weather to go for that walk. This is the main reason that treadmills have become so popular. Other reasons are the location we live. Those living in a big city may not feel safe jogging in a park or down the street. Those living in the country may feel exactly the same if there are no homes nearby.

Treadmills give us the ability to exercise in the privacy of our homes, even in our pajamas if we desire. Today, you can find a large variety of treadmills for the home including brands such as Bowflex, Healthrider, Horizon, Image, Landice, Nordic Track, Precor, Proform, Reebok, Smooth, Sole, Star Trac, Spirit, and Weslo.

The main thing to remember when choosing a treadmill for your home is to find one that will fit properly in the area you have, one that is a space saver, or one that can be folded up when not in use. Some of the features many look for in their home treadmill include Mach Drive Motor, QuickSpeed Control, Power Incline, 2 CrossWalk Calorie Workouts, CrossWalk Upper-Body Arms, Built-in Workouts, ProSoft Plus Impact Reduction, LCD Display, EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor and Space Saver Folding Design.

As you start your search, you should know there are two main types of treadmills, manual and electric. With a manual treadmill, you are the engine, so to speak. The belt will only move when you are walking or jogging and will increase in speed as you walk faster. Electric treadmills can be adjusted to various speeds and you will need to keep up with the moving tread belt.

Today, you can find all kinds of features such as ones that are programmed to go faster as you do, keep track of your heart rate, and ones with impact reduction to protect your joints while exercising. Another awesome feature found with many revolutionary treadmills is the integrated EKG sensor, which provides feedback on heart rate while other metrics are displayed on a LCD display that tracks your time, speed, distance, pulse, and calories burned.

According to the type of treadmill you desire you can features such as ones allowing you to compete with virtual competitors, easy shock drop assisted folding mechanism, adjusting cushioning system which is less stressful on hips, knees, and ankles, convenient button system to change from speeds 1 to 10 mph, power incline with a touch of a button, and even a nice sized treadbelt.

You can now begin your search and find all the features you desire in your treadmill for your home. You can find small ones that offer the basics to commercial ones with a space saver design.

Paul Reeve is a Personal Trainer, Presenter, and Lecturer for Fitness Professionals. Get FREE advice on treadmills from his Online Assistant team at www.treadmilladviser.com – providing informed advice on exercise treadmills. You can learn more by visiting exercise equipment, Treadmill reviews, and Sole treadmill reviews.

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The fitness weight climbing machine has been overlooked as a valuable piece of equipment that promotes a more ‘natural’ weight loss routine.

Running has played a large part in our lives, especially those of us who wish to keep fit and keep that gut down before we get too old and too tired. For many people, especially overweight individuals, running is a high impact workout that can be damaging to their joints, especially their ankles and knees. Jogging or running can also be difficult for those suffering from a variety of medical conditions.

Benefit No. 1 Low impact The pressure on the joints during a run is tremendous, especially for beginners and overweight people looking to shed a few inches of their waist. This is why many fitness professionals and health doctors have been weaning people towards the ecclesiastical post modern silhouette of the fitness climbing machine.

Benefit No. 2 Good Cardiovascular Exercise For those who raise the flag of running high in the air, the cardio vascular benefits of fitness weight climbing machines are excellent, comparable and sometimes exceeding that of normal running. And because it is low impact, there is a reduced chance of injury and it gives the end user a boost, allowing him or her to stay on the machine that little bit longer.

Benefit No. 3 Excellent Total Body Workout Fitness climbing machines also strengthen a whole host of lower body muscles, including quadriceps, gluteals, calves, hamstrings and basically everything below the waist. Furthermore, these machines have variable resistance which can be adjusted by the user, which means he or she can tailor the workout to meet their individual needs. Also, it means that fitness climbing is a progressive experience, improvements are tangible the end user can tailor the next workout for differing fitness objectives, once one has already been met.

The best benefit of a fitness weight climbing machine is the fact that it is a ‘closed kinetic’ chain movement. This means that the machines offer the user a more natural movement in their joints, closely matching daily activities like climbing the stairs or striding. The body weight is also ‘leaned into’ the machine, promoting distribution all over the specific supporting joints, diminishing the possibility of fatigue on a single body part and lessening the risk of serious or mild injury.

Start learning about the proper guidelines and bio-mechanics of using such machines, optimising them for the best result. There are many guidebooks that offer exercise variations, movements that will give you a fresh perspective on fitness climbing machines. Their potential is limitless in the hunt for a healthier lifestyle. Online directories and information suppositories offer a wealth of advice.

Unfortunately, there are many websites that offer lack-lustre training methodologies. For years I have advocating cutting edge methods of losing weight and staying in shape. If you want to shape your body now, you should simply visit “Shape Your Body Now”!

Running will always be the mainstay. But it isn’t for everyone. The alternative is just as good, and in some cases twice as safe. The option is really up to you, but if you are an individual who either wants a change in their workout routine – fitness weight climbing machines give a fresh new perspective.

Click Here to watch FREE fitness videos online now! Liam Murphy is a celebrated authority on Fitness Toning, providing power-packed videos of Free Online Workouts.

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I don’t know the real statistic, but I would be willing to bet the overwhelming majority of men and women are disappointed with the way they look, feel and perform. Some attempt to correct this with diets, exercise or other methods. Here are the 3 steps you must know to get fast and lasting fitness, fat loss and muscle building results.

Get Control Of Your Diet

When I say “diet”, I am not talking about a restricted calorie diet designed for fat loss. I mean diet as in what you eat.

The fact is, many people are overeating, so reducing the quantity of calories is necessary. But I want you to pay attention to what you eat.

Focus on lean meats, fish, chicken, vegetables and fruits and you’ll find it is hard to eat too many calories. Calorie bombs usually come from processed foods, sweets and high calorie drinks. Avoid them.

Take a good look at what you eat and eliminate unnatural foods from your body, and I’m sure you’ll be amazed at the way you feel, perform and look.

Do The Right Exercise Program For Your Goals

Most exercise programs are designed to either lose fat of build muscle. The truth is, to end up looking the way you want, you probably need to do both.

In my experience, fat loss brings about the biggest changes in your body composition. So use an exercise program that focuses on fat loss, but without sabotaging your muscle building efforts. This means no long-slow cardio routines for fat loss.

Look for a fat loss workout that combines resistance training with high intensity cardio for the fastest and best results.

Coordinate Your Lifestyle With Your Diet And Exercise Program

Now that you are paying attention to your diet and exercise, don’t sabotage your efforts with an unhealthy lifestyle. And keeping your lifestyle in check is easy once you have your diet and workout figured out.

All you need to do is remove activities that hinder your diet, workout and recovery efforts. If if is going to hurt your diet, don’t do it. If the activity is going keep your from working out, hurt your performance during the workout or hinder recovery from the workout… don’t do it.

Getting real fitness, fat loss and physique building results for your efforts is a 3 step process. You need to align your diet, workout and lifestyle with your goals. Then don’t stop until you reach them.

My advice: Look for a fat loss workout and diet plan that fits your goals, dedicate yourself to it and coordinate your lifestyle to meeting your goals. Take a shortcut, and use fat loss workouts from fitness professionals already getting great results, and get busy.

Coach Eddie Lomax knows your fat loss workout needs to have a combination of resistance training and high intensity exercise to be effective. He uses this criteria to rate the best fat loss workouts of trusted trainers on: www.bestfatlossworkout.com.

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Salesmanship is a critical skill necessary for all fitness professionals to master. Whether you like it or not, much of your livelihood will depend on whether or not you can “close the deal.” And just like any other skill, you can always improve on your ability to sell others on you and your services.

Here are 6 unique sales tips that will improve your salesmanship:

1) Know the difference between a prospect and a client. A prospect is someone who is interested in learning more about you and your services. A client is someone who has made the commitment and hired you by paying you money to train them.

2) It’s NEVER a sale until you have the money in your hand. That is why it is imperative you obtain payment before the meeting has ended. Too many things could happen to make the prospect change their mind if they haven’t committed any money to becoming physically fit. When money exchanges hands only then does the prospect become a client.

3) Be sure you set a distinct consultation time when you are trying to sell them your services. In other words, don’t try to “sell on the fly.” If you know it takes you a minimum of 45 minutes to close a sale then be 100% certain before the meeting starts your prospect has allotted that amount of time in their schedule. It’s your job to make sure they know exactly how long the meeting is going to take. Never assume anything. People are extremely busy and the last thing you want is for your prospect to leave before you have had a chance to close your sale.

4) Create a list of questions to ask prospects to determine whether or not they would make a good client. You don’t need to meet with every single prospect who in interested in hiring you. If you don’t feel someone would make a good client, someone who would become a “walking billboard” for you, then feel free to turn them away. Your time is too valuable to spend talking to people who aren’t serious about doing what it takes to get the results they claim they want.

5) Find out what your prospect wants to achieve and then explain to them how you can go about helping them achieve that. NEVER abdicate your expertise by allowing them to pick a training package based on price alone. When you present several options and ask your prospect to choose it is the same thing as saying “I’m really not an expert and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

6) If they become a paying client, before leaving your meeting you should give them one last chance to back out of the deal. Why? Because it allows you to alleviate and concerns they may have while you are still face to face. You want to be sure when you leave your meeting the new client is 100% committed to working with you. Otherwise, there is always a chance they will have buyer’s remorse and seek to back out of your deal. This gives you your best chance of eliminating that possibility.

These tips are easy to follow and will improve your salesmanship considerably. They will save you enormous amounts of time and effort.

Jim Labadie is a fitness entrepreneur, sales expert and speaker. You can download a FREE copy of his new e-book “63 Must-Have Sales Tips for Personal Trainers” at: http://www.ptsalestips.com

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When it comes to exercise, I like to try new things and mix it up so I do not get bored. And as the new year gets underway, it looks like there will be plenty of interesting choices to get us all moving. From Latin dancing to water aerobics, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) predicts 2008 will be filled with fitness that focuses on fun.

Here is what ACE lists as the top 10 fitness trends for 2008:

1. Out of the Box Workouts: Gyms are not for everyone. The popularity of TV shows like Dancing With The Stars has dance studios popping up across the country. Hip hop, ballroom, Latin and country line dancing combine high energy music with unique moves that let you get your groove on as you get fit. Outdoor boot camps are also getting more popular. And local boxing clubs have classes filled with people of all ages. These fun activities can make you forget you are really exercising.

2. Body Weight and Equipment-Free Workouts: Equipment can intimidate some people. Others want to add options and flexibility to their workouts. These full-body exercises focus on movement patterns, repetitions, and Plyometrics to target multiple muscle groups. They are perfect for traveling – you do not need any equipment so you can do them anywhere.

3. Event or Sports-Specific Programming: Millions of Americans participate in charity runs and walks every year, and even train for months to get ready. For many people it is a great social event and a chance to help their favorite charity. Health clubs are offering training for surfboarding, golf, football, etc. and at the same time helping members build the strength, endurance, and stamina they need for real-life activities and sports.

4. Boomer Fitness Focus: The 50 age group is redefining our expectations about age, vitality, and the importance of physical activity as we get older. For the aging population, regular exercise is critical in keeping the body limber, injury-free, and more youthful. The nonprofit group, AARP, launched a major fitness initiative in September of 2007 aimed at providing a wide range of affordable fitness services to its 39 million members.

5. Focused Express Workouts: These are group classes lasting 30 minutes or less that focus on one element of fitness or training a specific part of the body – for example, core training, upper-body strength, balance and agility, aerobics/fat burning. You can target a specific goal with little time commitment. Many gyms piggy-back these classes so you can go to two in a row.

6. Total Wellness Programming: More and more people will focus on injury and disease prevention and understanding how food, exercise, weight and a healthier mindset must interact for the body to have balance and total wellness. Maintaining a healthy mind and body from the inside with less focus on physical appearance is steadily becoming a new ideal.

7. Hybrid Programming: Fusion of mind-body techniques like breath work and meditation into traditional exercise continues to be popular. Workouts like Spin-Yoga and Pilates Fusion combine strength, flexibility and endurance – an all-in-one exercise experience.

8. Personal Training: 93% of ACE fitness professionals surveyed say personal training will be more accessible in 2008. Consumers are demanding competent personal trainers to offer them expert guidance and motivation. Many clients view it as a wise investment in their long-term health.

9. Technology-Based Workouts: Consumers are downloading exercise programs that feature illustrations and/or video to their iPods, PDAs etc. And advances in technology makes it possible to more precisely measure your performance and keep track of your results. This helps improve weight management.

10. Functional Strength Training: Whether it is walking, hiking or lifting weights, you need functional strength. More people will be looking for workout programs to help improve their endurance, balance, and coordination. This will in turn help them more safely and effectively perform their daily living activities, work-related tasks, and recreational or sports-specific exercises. Health clubs and trainers offer functional training programs and classes for virtually all levels and types of participants.

I definitely like the focus on fun in the 2008 predictions. Sounds like my kind of workout!

I am a long time TV news health reporter turned online video reporter/blogger on healthy diet and fitness. My website – http://www.FatFighterTV.com – is all about fitness, food, and fun… because losing weight and keeping it off may not be easy, but enjoying the journey is half the battle.

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Many personal trainers have heard a great way to grow their business is by becoming a local fitness celebrity. But many don’t have any idea how to do it. Fortunately, with some effort, it’s very easy to accomplish. In fact, there are two things any trainer can be doing right now to catapult from unknown to “the” fitness expert in their area almost overnight.

Public Speaking

Nothing builds credibility like public speaking. Nothing. As soon as the speaker stands in front of their audience they are recognized as an instant expert. It’s an interesting phenomenon, but people automatically assume since the person is addressing an entire group they must be a credible source of information. Additionally, most people’s greatest fear is public speaking, so anyone who is able to actually do it is treated with respect and treated as an authority instantly.

Personal trainers who have a fear of speaking to groups can easily overcome it by becoming a member of Toast Masters International. It is an organization with a proud history of helping people overcome their fear of public speaking and improving their skills greatly. For information on them you can research ToastMasters.org

Finding speaking engagements is relatively easy; many civic clubs, networking groups and local associations have weekly meeting which feature a new presenter each time. Fitness professionals actively seeking places to speak can search the Internet for organizations in their area and contact them directly. Most are more than happy to have a presentation on weight loss and well-being.

Writing

After public speaking there is no faster way to be recognized as an expert in your field than publishing content. And unlike the days before the Internet, it couldn’t be easier than it is today.

Simple “how-to” articles can be easily written and published all over the Internet and beyond. These articles are typically 500 words in length and can be used in any number of ways. They can be posted as “deep content pages” of a website to drive search engine traffic. Articles can be submitted to article directory sites, such as EzineArticles.com , to be distributed all over the Web by Internet publishers who need content for their websites and blogs.

And of course, blogging has taken the Internet a step further and made it even easier for a trainer to demonstrate their expertise. Blogs are “loved” by the major search engines (think Google) and can be started with free software such as Blogger.com However, it is typically best to use a blogging program that incorporates WordPress technology, such as Thei360blog.com

At the same time, trainers should not forget about the “offline” world when it comes to writing. They can easily use the same articles they have written for the Internet and print copies to be distributed at places such as physician or chiropractic offices, or wherever their target market frequents, for that matter. Of course, all articles need to include a bio at the end and a strong call-to-action so the reader knows how to take action next.

Becoming a local fitness celebrity is not complicated. It merely takes effort. Any personal trainer who decides to become a prolific writer and speaker will be handsomely rewarded for it.

Jim Labadie is an expert in the business of personal training and has helped thousands of fitness professionals make more money while working less . To learn even more you can instantly download his FREE e-book: 63 Must-Have Sales Tips for Personal Trainers at: http://PTSalesTips.com

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Life Fitness makes some of the best elliptical trainers on the market. They have a variety of models for all different kinds of workouts. Life Fitness Elliptical Cross Trainers are used in gyms and fitness clubs all over the country. That tells you that they make a quality machine.

Life Fitness has several models.

X1 – This is their most basic model, but that doesn’t mean that they cut out any of the high quality they’re known for. Like the other models, the X1 is known for its smooth, natural elliptical feel. What you’re missing with this model are the advanced features and programmable options.

X3 – There are two models of X3; one has a simple heart rate readout, and the other has more features, including realtime interactive heart rate monitoring.

X5i – The X5 goes one step further and gives you adjustable stride length.

X9i – This model is the top of the heap. Actually, this is the commercial grade model used in gyms, but it’s available for home purchase as well.

Why Life Fitness Machines Are Popular

Life Fitness trainers are sturdy. Because they are designed to be used in a gym, their ellipticals are tough. They can hold up to 300 pounds without any trouble, and can be run hard for long periods of time. The parts are high quality and not prone to break.

These ellipticals have a 19 inch stride, which is slightly larger than that of most ellipticals. This makes gives them a much more comfortable and natural feel.

Like most ellipticals, Life Fitness machines have heart rate monitors. They also have the My Personal Trainer software which you can use to create your own workout. This helps athletes who want to make sure they have a full body workout.

Life Fitness Has It Down To A Science

Life Fitness ellipticals are known from their smoothness. Other machines just don’t compare. This remarkably smooth movement is the result of the scientific research that they put into designing their machines. The company has its own biomechanics program to study how the body moves.

They also have the Life Fitness Academy. This is a collection of fitness professionals and experts that the company consults in order to design the best machine possible.

The Cons

Unfortunately, Life Fitness doesn’t offer much of a warrantee. Their standard warrantees are for only a couple of years, as compared to other companies like Sole that offer 15 year warrantees. While this is a drawback, Life Fitness elliptical cross trainers rarely have any mechanical problems or repairs.

The other drawback is that all this fancy scientific research and biomechanics costs you. Life Fitness machines aren’t cheap, but they aren’t cheaply made either. If you want a Life Fitness trainer, you can expect to pay well over $2,500. Even the mid-range models like the X3’s go for about $3,000 new.

If you’re serious about getting a great elliptical workout, a Life Fitness elliptical cross trainer is for you. This is a durable machine with lots of programmable options for the serious trainer. It’s great for athletes who want to vary their workout. There are lots of ways to use the Life Fitness elliptical.

You can also find more information on Elliptical Trainer Reviews and Nordic Track Elliptical. Bestellipticalreviews.com is a comprehensive resource to get reviews about elliptical.

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There are many people in the fitness industry who believe one-on-one personal training is on its last legs. Small group training and fitness boot camps are not only gaining popularity, they are proving to be much more than a fad. And since it’s impossible to ignore the trend and more and more fitness professionals are creating their own fitness boot camps, as a result competition for “campers” is becoming fierce.

It goes without saying that a website is a marketing requirement for any entrepreneurial personal trainer. But that’s just the beginning. With video hosting sites such as You Tube making it incredibly easy to do so, every fitness professional should be taking advantage of online video to make their marketing efforts that much stronger. Video is, in fact, the future of online marketing. The following tips in this article will point out several simple ways to take advantage of video technology to give your fitness boot camp a serious competitive edge over your competition.

1) Video testimonials

Nothing beats social proof. It’s true that written testimonials are terrific, especially when accompanied by a picture, but oftentimes people are still skeptical if they are authentic or not.

You can’t say that about a video testimonial. Video taping your successful boot campers talking about what a terrific camp you host is exponentially more powerful than a written testimonial. And whenever possible, video tape the campers before and after. Meaning, video tape them before they start the camp and after they’ve gone through it. That makes an even more compelling marketing message.

2) Exercise demonstrations

Prospective campers are going to be skeptical and curious no matter what. Many have no idea what they’re “in for.” Video taping exercise demonstrations and actual portions of your camp to put on your website gives prospects more than just an idea of what to expect. And not only will this increase attendance, it will also eliminate people from signing up who just aren’t willing to work hard enough to get results.

3) Introduce yourself and other instructors

Anyone looking for information on a boot camp is going to want to know more about who will be coaching them. What better way to introduce yourself than by a video? It’s much more personal than a written bio or resume. It allows you to let your enthusiastic personality shine through and immediately bonds you with your prospect.

4) The Video Metamorphosis

Along the lines of the “Before and After” testimonial model, you can pick specific participants from your camp to follow on a regular basis. You would video interview each participant before week of the camp. They can share their story about how they are feeling, why they joined, how much more energy they have, the weight they have lost, etc.

Imagine how powerful a marketing tool that is. It instantly relays to the skeptical prospect exactly what they can expect their experience to be like. And assuming you run a great fitness boot camp they won’t be able to wait to get started!

5) Emphasize the fun and camaraderie

It’s becoming more and more well-known that social support is an essential component of any successful weight loss program. When you add that to the fact people love to have fun and feel a part of something it’s very important to make your camp a very supportive social atmosphere.

Any with video you can do more than talk about it on your website. You can show it! SO video tape your campers having a great time. Show your prospects the team work and the “hootin’ and hollerin’”! Show them the good times – and hard work – that awaits them when you join.

6) The media loves video

Lastly, it’s very important to understand that the media loves to cover boot camps because of all the great visuals. When you approach a member of the media about covering yours it’s going to be a lot easier to get them to come when they see all the great videos on your site!

Jim Labadie is a fitness entrepreneur, sales expert and speaker. To discover the four things you MUST know about running profitable fitness boot camps please visit: http://www.howtoprofitwithbootcamps.com

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