At Fitness On Request, we're trying to walk the walk as much as we talk the talk. So in June, our employees are participating in a month long SQUATATHON, designed to get our buns and thighs in killer shape by mid-bathing suit season. Join us in our mission to get from 50 to 250 squats in June!! 

Does your facility have the "X Factor"? Check out Club Solutions April Editorial about video based groupX!

Ironman Triathletes Train With Health Club Technology 

Group fitness classes at Bodyworks Fitness in Parksville, British Columbia are in high demand. Like many fitness centers, their goal with group fitness is to attract members and keep current members better engaged. The difference, however, between what most clubs offer and what club owner Dale Nagra offers, is significant. 

In January of 2012 Dale made the decision to add the amenity that would change the way his club operated. Fitness On Request is a comprehensive, video-based group fitness platform that allows Dale to offer classes all day, every day in his facility – and it’s costing him less than 50 cents per class! On a touch-screen kiosk users browse through dozens of classes, select the class that interest them, and within minutes watch it begin in front of them on a massive HD screen. The system allows Dale to increase offerings for his members and simplify the management process, all while saving money – a win-win for Dale, his members, and his bottom line.  “We used to have to increase our membership prices to cover the costs of group fitness. Fitness On Request is affordable enough that we can keep our prices low and still offer MORE to our members. We’re definitely increasing sales because of it. It impresses people a lot.”  

Judy Richardson, Jackie Allen & Kim Williamson

At Dale’s facility, his members are taking approximately 300 classes per month! Among his active members is Jackie Allen, who, along with two partners Judy Richardson and Kim Williamson,  is currently training for her first Ironman Triathlon. These women have been using Fitness On Request to train for their competition by taking classes together and individually. “These classes are a great option for us. We usually take the 50 minute cycle classes together because we need to build our endurance and we need a tough workout,” Jackie says. “By the time I finish one of those classes, I’m drenched! It’s a really great workout.”


Jackie has been an athlete her entire life and is always looking for solutions to her fitness routine. “Besides just training for the Ironman, I was really interested in the Fitness On Request programming because there is so much variety.” Jackie participates in wide variety of class genres including yoga/Pilates, strength and conditioning, cycle and more. “Normally I’d wonder how I would have time to do all of these activities, but with this program, I have all of those options right in one spot and I can do it whenever I have time available.” 

Dale Nagra, Bodyworks Fitness Owner 

The flexibility and convenience of Fitness On Request is a critical piece for Jackie’s schedule. “I like that there are different class lengths. If I come in on my lunch hour I may only have time for a 20 or 35 minute class, but then on the weekends or at night I can take a longer class.”  She goes on to admit, “Sometimes when I work out, I don’t want to have to think. But if I can just go to the gym and press a button and have an instructor tell me exactly what to do...it’s great. I’m constantly telling people what a great tool Fitness On Request is. I just love it!” 

The benefits of Fitness On Request come full circle in Dales club as it benefits his bottom line, the value offer for his members, and even the relationship he has with his members. “Throughout the 11 years that my club has been in business, I’ve never had as much positive feedback or as many “thank-you”s from my members as I get because of Fitness On Request. We’ve had such awesome feedback from them. It’s definitely been worth it for us.” 

My Members Take 400 Classes Per Month

In Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, a group of enthusiastic employees are finding out what high member involvement in their health club really feels like. The club installed Fitness On Request to increase the availability and convenience of their group fitness program, but hardly anticipated the incredible member response.

Fitness On Request is, like many of their amenities, free for members to use. But Marklyn Behling and fellow employees saw it as a huge opportunity to leverage and create an experience that differentiates them as a fitness facility. They installed Fitness On Request in January of 2012 and in three months following the installation they saw that group fitness classes were played over 1200 times, averaging to be about 415 class plays per month! With unlimited class plays available on their kiosk, they can offer this many classes and more, without worry of increased expenses.

This extreme level of involvement didn’t happen by accident. Marklyn and fellow employees worked hard to spread the word about their system, both throughout the community and in their facility. They make sure to show the system at the beginning of every tour as well as at the end. “Double exposure puts it back into their minds as the tour is ending.” Marklyn is confident in her sales pitch promising people, “This is a feature you will absolutely love.” And they do.

Marklyn and her team understand that group fitness can be intimidating for some, and insecurity can prevent people from taking a class. “Most people worry they are being watched while they exercise,” Marklyn says. “Fitness On Request is a way for them to do the classes while feeling comfortable.” Word spread naturally for them, and sales increased with it. “Word of mouth and referrals are big for us,” Marklyn says, “Roughly 1-2 out of 10 will join because of Fitness On Request”

Marklyn and her co-workers are a testament to the power behind proper leverage of a tool like Fitness On Request and the effect it can have on the bottom line. “Being able to do whatever class you choose, whenever you want, is huge!” she says. “People flock to that room. They are instantly comfortable with the system, and it’s way for them to gain confidence before trying other things. I love it, and I can’t imagine our club without it.”

How I Added 300 New Memberships Per Club

Andy Gundlach, owner of over 15 health clubs in the Wisconsin area, entered 2010 with a unique strategy.  Knowing the value of differentiation in his competitive market, he made plans to retrofit eighty percent of his clubs with Fitness On Request, the market leader and innovator in flexible group fitness software.

Andy knew that at the 3 year point of a club’s maturity, a large chunk of memberships fall off.  “We installed Fitness On Request in most of our clubs in late 2010 and early 2011 in order to offer something new and different.  Combining the new attribute with a marketing effort, we were able to average about 300 new members per club!” 

Focusing his energy on adding the new systems and doing little else to his clubs, Andy attributes almost all of his recent club growth and success to his newest amenity, Fitness On Request. He has now installed a system in 13 of his 16 total clubs and has plans to purchase another soon.

In May 2012 Andy, along with hundreds of other Fitness On Request customers, received a brand new (and exclusive) series of classes, produced by Elements Group Fitness. Elements classes are the culmination of years of collaboration with the some of the most respected professionals in the fitness industry. Produced by Fitness Hall of Fame member, Linda Shelton, Elements classes are results-driven and interactive - an exciting upgrade for all Fitness On Request customers.

Last year Andy proudly accepted the “Owner of the Year” award within his franchise corporation, as well as his true prize that comes from a thriving business and happy customers.

Our blog has moved!

To keep all our old stories accessible, we boxed them up and brought them along. They will all appear under July's blog posts (we thought you could handle a few mismarked dates). Enjoy this blog to read about real businesses and real people just like you who are learning how to make fitness convenient, and business profitable. From weight loss to revenue gains , we hope you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoy telling them.

Shocking Weight Loss from Health Club Technology

In January 2009, Nick Guidry looked in the mirror and didn’t like what he saw. It was over the next year that he lost an astonishing 73 pounds. Though consistent workouts and healthy eating are commonly considered “the old fashioned way,” the tools Nick used were anything but old fashioned. He attributes much of his success to a dedicated commitment to his health clubs latest feature: Fitness On Request. On January 5, 2009 Nick weighed in at 232 pounds, and by December 5, 2009 the scale had dropped to 159 – cutting his total weight by almost a third.

The Beginning of Change
His story starts before the weight loss journey as Nick was an active LPN/EMT in the United States Army serving overseas in Afghanistan.  Knowing what being in shape felt like, Nick was able to quickly detect what being out of shape felt like. It was months after his return from overseas when Nick came face to face with his weight gain. “I saw a picture of myself and I wondered what happened.”

Why Fitness On Request
He wanted to learn, wanted to be challenged, and tried every kind of workout he could find. He used multiple extreme home workouts and professional DVDs. “I’ve done them all,” Nick quotes. But after trying so many programs, Nick was asked why Fitness On Request caught his attention and got him hooked. “It wasn’t in my living room,” he responded. “It gets me away from my house and into the gym.” Nick has been using Fitness On Request 2-3 times a week since January 2009.  He compares some of the advanced level classes to “the same intensity and tempo as an actual boot camp”.

Convenience That Made A Difference
As a nursing student, Nick needed a routine that could match his unusual schedule. Fitness On Request provided a solution of flexibility and availability. “I have school at night, so now I can go in any time during the day and take a class.  I like the convenience of being able to take a variety of classes whenever I want to and it accommodates my schedule.” He usually takes a class either by himself or with a small group of others depending on what time of day he’s at the gym.

Nick’s dedication to Fitness On Request proved worthwhile. He lost 8 inches around his waist, dropped his cholesterol by over 100 points, and lowered his blood pressure from 150/90 to 118/60. “Fitness on Request has helped me maintain my weight and improve my health.” The convenience of the system and the professional accountability is provided, gave Nick the extra push to staying consistent. It’s no wonder he got amazing results.