Welcome to the May 2009 UK GCA Newsletter.

The search to find the Ultimate Gym Athlete

Introduction

Sitting back and having a meal at Upchurch Golf Club recently in their clubhouse, you couldn't help but notice lining the walls and in cabinets, the many trophies and scrolls of previous winners in the various golf meetings. Obvious signs of many many Golf Challenges. What a glowing tribute to all those that are members here I thought - years of experience and then recognition for it. Well, at the end of the day this is a Golf Club and members come to play golf and here on the walls and in cabinets is recognition of what their members have achieved.

What is interesting is that most of the gyms I have gone to the walls are bare. Nothing to indicate that any member of a gym has achieved anything at all. Obviously I do not include the major championships for Body Building - but one of pure fitness - using all the facilities the gym supplies to achieve improved fitness and ones that target Speed, Strength and Endurance.

Interesting isn't it? A Golf Club will have its walls covered with scrolls of honor - Swimming Clubs - again the same - trophies and recognition, Athletic Clubs also , but Gyms? Nothing ! This is on top of the constant bombardment of personal training sessions to get you fitter - help you achieve what you want to in fitness and and as far as I can make out - that only includes a running event - a swimming event - a cycling event or all three ? Strange isn't it? The only events that gyms it would seem train you for - are those that are all done outside of a gym! Whereas Gym Challenges are all done in a gym.

There is also a slight bit of confusion with regards to gym challenges in the media. For instance , take a look at Women's Fitness  magazine - in fact this months issue (June) and have a look at their events page - I think in the region of 95% of their events are running, cycling or Triathlon challenges. Isn't this a little confusing ? A magazine dedicated to the gym bunny or lady sports enthusiast and not one gym challenge that I can see anywhere in the country - on top of this is one of their tips for a high intensity work out is good for burning calories - well train for a gym challenge and combine both !

I  am not pointing the finger at Women's Fitness - it is a brilliant magazine and I have spoken to Christina Neal the editor on many occasions and it is not their fault that the gyms in the UK do not put on gym challenges - but the evidence to ask a few simple questions is mounting up as to why not? Why are gyms not running gym challenges? It burns calories as a high intensity workout, it gives you the motivation and the entire infrastructure is in place for it to be carried out - more worryingly - thousands of gym studios or even school gymnasiums, , lie dormant at the weekend and trophies and course records are just waiting to be set, along with a massive charity event just waiting to happen.

The UK GCA is here to promote the sport of X Training as a Gym Challenge. To date it is totally funded by the competitors who take part by way of an entry fee - not one sponsor or gym has offered a prize in the UK - every trophy is funded by those who take part and they are the true champions of the UK fitness industry- the UK Gym Elite. They are leading the way in the new sport of X Training - where to test your Speed, Strength and Endurance takes hours of commitment in the gym and the UK GCA recognises their hours of dedication to achieve their incredible fitness levels and publishes their results.

Gyms like Gorton (Manchester) , Camberley (Surrey) and Rochdale Fitness First - Calso in Bromley Kent - The Hampshire (Esporta) are champions of this sport - The Gym Elite travel the whole of the UK to compete and they are single handedly increasing awareness of the sport - But the major big guns in this sport are The Royal Marines - last year they hosted a X Training Challenge to find the UK's Fittest Royal Marine and Chris Lord won. It was a X Training Challenge that decided the winner. If it's good enough for the Royal Marines , its good enough for the UK GCA.

The search is on to find the UK's Ultimate Gym Athlete - Male or Female.

What do I have to do?

Be motivated and focused and enjoy the raw element of any gym challenge.

Where can I do it?

There are a number of challenges on the WGC website. The next one is at Luton Fitness First 16th May.

It's too far - where else can I do it ?

Simple in your own club. Get a group of friends together and just set up the challenges in your own gym - your manager can have  access to the site and you can publish your results on line .

Can I get graded?

Yes, a personal trainer who is REP's registered and is registered on the WGC website can verify your times and get them into the database.

What are the levels of grading ?

The WGC database has it's own grading's based on the times of the Elite X Trainers in the UK.

Male

Under 15 minutes Premier

Under 17 minutes Advanced

Female

Under 16 minutes Premier

Under 18 minutes Advanced.

The equipment being used this year is Life Fitness for the Bikes and the Treadmills. But your gym can use whatever manufacturer they have and as everybody will be using the same equipment - specific times will count at your gym.

What if I am outside those times?

Very few people in the UK will be able to achieve Premier times . This is a three year program to improve your levels of fitness in a gym environment. Maybe you will start off very slow - but whose to say where you will be in three years? If you take on board those that have stuck with X Training as a sport - you will see what they have achieved and the times they have improved by - and that is what this site is all about - achieving improved levels of fitness and having the times to prove it.

One on One Racing

The UK GCA offers a free database to any gym in the UK to run a Gym Challenge totally free of charge. As times are recorded, so falls into place a measure of overall fitness and this is where the fun element of racing kicks into place EFR (Equal Fitness Racing) Nobody wants to race somebody who is obviously far fitter then them - what's the point? It's not entertaining to watch and depressing for the athletes taking place - but just imagine racing a friend in a football team for instance, or a friend that you go to the gym with regularly, that has a similar time to you ? One on One racing with EFR gives the perfect race match at every meet.

GYMXTC™

GYM  X  TRAINING  CHALLENGE

Run your own Challenge in your own gym for free. It's easy to arrange a challenge for your members and results are published on line. It's quite simple really - You have the members, the equipment and the venue - and we supply you the challenge and the means to publish your results on line.

Is this UK's Fittest Gym?

UK's 'Fittest Gym' and UK's 'Fittest Gym Member'

The clue is in the title ! Along with the phrase you have to be' init' to 'winnit'. You may well possess elite status in Running, Cycling or Swimming - or all three. But lets remember one thing , this is a gym challenge for members of gyms!

The above picture is Gorton Fitness First in Manchester, the birthplace of the modern day X Training Event 'The Gorton Grueller', considered by many to be where X Training was reborn and Micky White (now in Australia) the founder of Gym Challenges in the UK.

The UK GCA will be hosting the first ever UK's 'Fittest Gym' Challenge and 'Fittest Gym Member' in 2010. It's trial year is already proving to be a success and development of this unique award is well underway - remember , it is only the gym member or personal trainer who can earn points for your gym in the gym challenges that are published on the WGC website.

Battle of the Gyms

Could you compete against somebody of equal fitness?

Based on up to four local Gyms in your area this is another initiative to get Gyms competing against each other in a gym challenge. The Award will go to to the gym who has competed against three other gyms in the area on home turf and away during the course of one season (Jan 2010 - Dec 2010). With teams being made up of just 10 Gymathletes (5 male - 5 female) Publish results on the WGC database and just see who has the fittest Gym in your area.

Then again, maybe your gym hasn't got the member or personal trainer who is fit enough to compete - but we are pretty sure your competition has!

More details will be released later on in the year.

Luton Fitness X Treme and the Gorton Grueller

The Luton event is only two weeks way - interest is mounting from new and old X Trainers to enter this event - a true test of fitness.

Creeping up shortly behind it is the famous Gorton Grueller - the ultimate fitness test with it's sixty shoulder press and sixty bench - doesn't sound much does it ? Take a look at these pictures and ask ...

... Just how hard are you prepared to push yourself?

These events are open to anybody who has the determination and spirit to prove to themselves what can be achieved when you are focused and have the motivation to enter anyone of the gym challenges up and down the UK. They are set at three levels - to cater for all levels of fitness , for both male and female - you do not need a particular skill - just a good heart! Simply put, you cannnot consider yourself part of the UK Gym Elite if you do not enter a gym challenge unless other people from other gyms are also competing. You may be the champion of your gym or even gym chain and UK GCA says well done - but the bigger picture is way , way way beyond and to test yourself, against those that are the Gym Elite is the only test of true fitness.

To enter the Gorton Grueller is only one click away. You will need to start training today.

The Orbital

The Orbital, The UK GCA's Premier annual event is waiting for confirmation of the venue - but the date is the 26th Sept. Here you will find the UK's members for WGC getting graded and competing from gyms all over the UK - more details will follow in the upcoming months.

The Future of X Training

The sport of X Training has had many events in the past 15 years. It has had many champions, both male and female, but nobody really knew who they were, or where they competed. Now finally comes the time where results are published and any member's of the UK GCA have a personal folder to record their challenges in and a on line diary to chart their progress. Personal Trainers and gyms can access and publish results from all of their events by a click of the mouse and entering events for competitors has never been easier with the on line entry system.

If the sport is to gain recognition and the gyms to support their members and their incredible achievements in the only sport for gyms - X Training, it is obvious that funding needs to be secured and a very exciting oppurtunity now presents itself in a climate of a health and fitness conscious UK. Because the future young Gymathlete is now turning up at events and watching very closely how to become a better all rounded athlete - one where, today he watches his Mum or Dad, brother or sister compete, but tomorrow he is the next competitor and one where he doesn't need a particular skill to do well in - he or she just need's a good heart - the very essence of fitness and healthy living.

Good luck to all at Luton Fitness X Treme 2009

Sean

UK GCA Gym Challenge Coordinator