EXTREME FITNESS REVEALS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FITNESS TRENDS FOR 2011

TORONTO, Dec. 21 /CNW/ - Extreme Fitness, Toronto's leading fitness club chain, today announces the top fitness trends for 2011 based on an informal survey of its staff of over 1000 group fitness experts, personal trainers, fitness consultants and nutritionists.

"Whether it's inventing our own unique fitness classes or adapting new proven concepts from the best in the fitness world into our club culture - It's our goal to always be on the cutting-edge of what's happening in fitness world," said CEO of Extreme Fitness Jim Solomon.  "This list of trends provides a platform on how we will run our business in 2011."

TREND # 1 BOOTCAMP - Bootcamps work your entire body - heart and muscles.

From outdoor bootcamps to specialty bootcamps for women only, bootcamp workouts are efficient because you work your entire body-- heart and muscles--by going from one exercise to another with no rest. The workouts involve calisthenics like pushups, jumping jacks, crunches and other body weight exercises. The difference between bootcamps lies in the intensity and how hard you push yourself. In bootcamp, your challenge is to take your body to its limit. You work, you sweat and, best of all, you burn calories like crazy. At Extreme Fitness bootcamps are a very popular item on the Group Fitness Calendar - Coming this January, Extreme Fitness has accelerated Bootcamp to the next level by launching the ExtreME bootcamp series. "Watch the pounds melt off as your intensity level increases with a combination of traditional Bootcamp, combined with Tabata, the latest intense training sensation," says Extreme Fitness VP of Group Fitness Jacqueline Walters

TREND # 2 TABATA - In personal training and in bootcamp

The Tabata protocol is a high-intensity training regimen that produces remarkable results. A Tabata workout (also called a Tabata sequence) is an interval training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of four minutes.  At Extreme Fitness, members can learn the best of Tabata by booking a one-on-one session with a personal trainer. Or, starting on January 03rd 2011, Extreme Fitness will be launching a series of ExtreME Bootcamps, where Tabata will be the key training focus. These bootcamps will run as a compliment to the ExtreME 60-day Challenge and will be the most intense and comprehensive workout on our schedule.

The ExtreME Bootcamp will be sponsored by GP8 Sportswater-  www.gp8.ca GP8's advanced oxygen delivery process helps you work out longer, recover faster and perform better.

TREND #3 - WEIGHT LOSS COMPETITIONS - From NBC's "Biggest Loser" to MTV'S " I Used To Be Fat" to Extreme Fitness' very own "ExtreME 60-Day Challenge" North American pop culture is on a mission to live a healthier lifestyle.

"The Biggest Loser" has been one of the most inspiring TV shows to hit the airwaves in the last few years; unlike most reality shows, this one creates a positive life-changing impact for a lot of its viewers - and its popularity has certainly contributed to new members joining Extreme.  "When people see contestants weighing in at over 200lbs, some reaching into the 300s, their own weight loss goals now seem more attainable," says Walters.  At the end of December, MTV will launch its new reality TV show "I Used To Be Fat", a documentary series profiling teenagers desperate to shed their unwanted pounds before heading off to school.  The hype in the US has been huge and like most American reality TV shows we will likely see a Canadian version of "I Used To Be Fat" sooner than later.

In January 2011, Extreme Fitness is launching their own "Biggest Loser" rendition in the form of the ExtreME 60-Day Challenge - a citywide fitness and lifestyle challenge to give incentive to members to reach their fitness goals. In June 2011, the ExtreME 60-Day Challenge grand prizewinner will walk away with over $100,000 in prizes including a 2-year lease on an Endras BMW and a urbanrealty.com condo furnished by remotestylist.com.  Click to watch the ExtreME 60-Day Promotional Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwuhz8iDVZE

"It takes at least 30 days to form a habit and 60 days to get any major results," says Solomon. "We are hoping our ExtreME 60-Day Challenge will encourage people to stay on track with their fitness goals and get some serious results."

TREND # 4 - MAKING GROUP FITNESS FUN - From Firefighter Workout to Kangoo Jumps

In 2010, each month, Extreme Fitness launched a new and sometimes quirky fitness class to keep the group fitness program fresh and the members engaged. Some of these classes included: The Firefighter Workout, Kangoo Jumps, Hot Hula, The Sex And The City High Heel Workout and Kama Aerobics.

"For many people, working out is hard, but if we can disguise it with something fun they are more likely to participate and they will keep coming back," says Extreme Fitness VP of Group Fitness, Jacqueline Walters.

For 2011 Extreme Fitness expects to stay on point with fun fitness programs - stay tuned for the Billy Elliot Ballet Boxing class and GLEE FIT coming to an Extreme Fitness studio near you.

TREND # 5 - PERSONAL TRAINING - 2011 brings a stronger economy and people are investing in their health.

At the end of 2009 and the first half of 2010 we saw a decrease in the economy.  "2011 is off to a much more economically promising start and we have already been seeing an increase in personal training," says Regional Health Centre Manager John Foulkes.

Not only does Personal Training provide an effective way to reach your fitness goals it also offers the opportunity to learn and be educated about fitness so that you can do it safely on your own.

"Members who hire personal trainers typically have 80 per cent greater success rate in reaching their fitness goals than those who workout alone," reports Foulkes. "They also use the club more often and stay longer as members."

TREND # 6 - LOW G.I. DIETS AND PH BALANCED DIET  - Low-carb and low-fat are too hard to maintain - a shift towards a healthier lifestyle is becoming the trend.

Low-carb and low-fat diets seem to be a thing of the past as they are very hard to maintain for a long period of time.  A shift towards a healthier lifestyle has become the focus amongst nutritionists and weight management consultants - For 2011, you will find that most Extreme Fitness personal trainers and nutritionists will be promoting low Glycemic Index and pH Balanced diets to their clients.

"Not all carbohydrates foods are created equal," says Extreme Fitness nutritionist Lora Jordan. "The glycemic index diet describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low G.I carbs and watching portion size is the secret to long-term health and the key to sustainable weight loss."

In the past year there has also been a lot of talk about our bodies being too acidic. When your body is acidic it decreases your metabolism and affects the hormones related to fat loss.  "By simply making sure you are getting enough alkaline foods to your diet such as dark greens, fruits and vegetables, you can balance your pH and lose weight more easily," says Jordan.

For 2011, Extreme Fitness has partnered with Freshii to offer our members discounts and incentives on fresh, healthy foods that support the principles of the low G.I Diets and pH Balanced diets.

TREND # 7 - ANYTHING DANCE- From Zumba to So You Think You Can Dance

Extreme Fitness is seeing a major rise in the popularity of dance classes.  " In 2010, we paired-up with Broadway musicals and invited dancers from "So You Think You Can Dance" to teach our members how to sway and swagger themselves into a fitter firmer body.  We have also included the much-loved Zumba® classes to our schedule," reports Walters.   Zumba® is a fun, effective, and simple way to burn calories and tone your body. The sexy and explosive Latin rhythms create a party-like atmosphere that delivers results as well as a "feel happy" workout. 

"For 2011 we can expect more dance classes than ever," says VP of Group Fitness Jacqueline Walters.

TREND # 8 - P90X STYLE CROSS-FIT TRAINING IN THE GYM- Trainers are using the techniques with their clients and members are using group fitness programs to get similar results

P90X is a revolutionary system of 12 life-changing home workout videos. These exercises have been extremely popular in the past few years. All you need to do the P90X workouts is a small space (about 6 by 6 feet), a set of dumbbells or resistance bands, a pull-up bar, and about an hour a day.  The challenge for most people is that they don't have the motivation to do these intense workouts at home. Personal Trainers at Extreme Fitness have caught on and are mimicking the P90X cross-fit style workouts with their clients in the gym.   Clients who workout with a trainer also get the benefit of having their trainer make sure they are doing the exercises correctly. Moreover, by attending the different group fitness class in rotation - From bootcamp, to strength training to cardio kickboxing to Yoga you can get the same type of results as promised from the home videos.

TREND #9 - KETTLEBELL CLASS

A kettlebell is one of the most effective tools for getting a bomb body. The secret behind this Russian fitness import? Its weight is centered below the handle, so when you swing it, nearly every muscle in your body has to work hard to counteract the momentum. At Extreme Fitness you can either try Kettlebell on your own, with a personal trainer or in the very popular Kettlebell group fitness class at the Extreme Fitness Delisle location, 1521 Yonge St.

TREND # 10 - EXPANDING YOGA - From "hot yoga" to "hot power yoga dance party"- yoga is here to stay and it's only getting bigger.

For the past ten years, yoga has been and still is one of the leading fitness trends. You will learn to lift, twist, stretch and balance your own body with the postures and techniques of Yoga. Breath work and meditation will help you learn to relax and focus. The great thing about Yoga is that it's suitable for all age groups and fitness levels. In 2007, Extreme Fitness added hot yoga studios to 9 of its clubs and the response has been outstanding. This year, a new class called "Hot yoga Dance Party" has gotten a lot of attention.  "HYDP" provides the same dynamic and vigorous vinyasa flows of power yoga mixed with heavy beats and energy flowing mixes of house, drum and base, trance and/or club music that you can actually feel pulsing into your body while you are practicing.  Currently, Extreme Fitness runs over 140 Yoga classes across the GTA, For 2011 expect to see more renditions of traditional Yoga at Extreme Fitness.

Founded in 1995, Extreme Fitness currently has 13 fitness clubs in the Greater Toronto Area and approximately 100,000 members.( www.extremefitness.ca)  Extreme Fitness is a portfolio company of Falconhead Capital, LLC ( www.falconheadcapital.com), Falconhead Capital, LLC (www.falconheadcapital.com), with $500 million of assets under management, is a private equity firm established in 1998 to provide investors with significant long-term capital appreciation by investing globally in consumer-focused businesses in the sport, leisure, lifestyle, and media categories. In addition to NYDJ, Falconhead Capital's current portfolio investments include Competitor Group, Inc., Extreme Fitness, Inc., Our365 (f/k/a Growing Family), Escort, Inc., and Premier, Inc. Past Falconhead portfolio investments include, among others, National Powersport Auctions, Maritime Telecommunications Network, The Golf Warehouse, and ESPN Classic Europe, LLC.

For further information:

To interview a fitness or lifestyle professional about the top fitness trends for 2011 please contact Alison Stephens at 416-303-0947 or via email at[email protected]