Barbara Hoots suggested that I share this article from Fluff Magazine about fitness entrepreneur Fatima Batook. She and her partner have opened Studio 55 – a women's only fitness studio in Saudi Arabia 🙂
Meet Saudi Arabia's Female Fitness Pioneer
Fatima Batook is the leading authority figure in Saudi Arabia's burgeoning Spinning® industry. Not only is she a pioneering female in the space, she's cultivating a community of happy, inspired ladies and proudly watching them blossom through a new love for fitness. Fatima worked with a passionate team from the United States for over a year via email and Skype to recently open Studio55, Saudi's first women-only Spinning® studio. In addition to overseeing the studio Fatima also runs award-winning clothing line, Tima Love Life. We spoke exclusively with Fatima to celebrate the opening of Studio55 and her trailblazing health and fitness platform pushing for the empowerment of Saudi Arabian women.
When and how did your love for fitness (and Spinning® in particular) grow?
“I was 18 when I was personally facing health and weight issues. I was morbidly obese for my height and age; doctors told me I was prone to diabetes and heart problems. Their advice was to go to the gym. I saw a great big poster on the gym’s billboard saying Spinning® burned 800 calories per hour and I thought this was my solution! I went into this intimidating room of bikes, sat on a bike for 10 minutes, then decided to never ever come back! Next day I pushed myself and attended 15 more minutes, till one day I finished a whole class. And that was my ‘turning point,’ that’s when everything made sense to me. Health and weight management was hard work that depended on progressive and consistent efforts like Spinning®. In 2007 I became a certified instructor to share my new passion with everyone.”
You tried opening a small indoor cycling studio several years ago but were forced to close it. What kept your dream for a new location alive?
“I actually never tried to open one on my own, I was teaching part-time at the only Spinning® affiliate center in my city, Al-Khobar. I never even thought I would want to open my own place. The thought came to me only when the place I was teaching at closed down for legislative reasons, because in Saudi Arabia at that time we didn’t have the legal license to operate a women’s health club. It was closed down in November 2013 with little effort from their management to re-open; I was on a mission to get the license not only for Studio55 but also for all health clubs for women across the country. Being a member of Young Saudi Business Women of Eastern Province, we had raised this matter with all the supporting documents of why we needed this and presented to the minister who issued licenses for men’s health clubs, and that’s when we had our triumph and received approval that all women can have a license to open a fitness/health club.”
How did you get your new project, Studio 55, off the ground?
“Studio55 was born out of three things: 1) Legal circumstances that forced the only health club I could teach Spinning® at to be shut down. For two years till Studio55 was open, I was training women from private properties (homes and recreational centers) till we were able to get the studio up and running, but it didn’t stop women from training and didn’t stop me from pursuing the dream of opening up soon to all women. 2) Fate! God put me at the right time at the right place. I was presented with a business opportunity from a male entrepreneur who witnessed the idea of cycling studios being a success in the US and wanted to bring the model to his home country, and today he’s my business partner at Studio55. Both of us have a marketing and branding background and we had the right vision for Studio55 to make it a reference for women all over Saudi Arabia for Spinning® and fitness. With that vision in mind we started from zero building a brand, a concept, interior and systems that go along with it. I have to say that Barbara Hoots (owner of Atlanta-based company, Indoor Cycle Design) played a huge role in directing us the right way and giving us the knowledge and know-how. 3) Passion drives every single move I do and bringing that passion throughout the studio was my goal. Instructors are the heart of the studio; with recruiting and training being scarce in Saudi Arabia they were our top priority. We had all the instructors fly to the World Spinning® & Sport Conditioning conference in Miami to meet, engage and train with the masters. After a month from soft opening I can say our passion spills over to the members and the whole environment in the studio. It’s a never-ending chain of positive reactions.”
I noticed a class you have called “Bokwa.” What is that exactly?
“Women always love to have fun everywhere, but especially here in Saudi! Women are always finding an excuse to party and Bokwa is a great and healthy way to do so. Bokwa is an intense cardio workout combing elements of African dance, kickboxing, light boxing and step. It’s a unique dance fitness workout using letters and numbers as placement combined with the use of hand signals and American Sign Language. It’s refreshing and builds strength and endurance driven by the pulsating rhythmic beats of African, Latin, popular dance and house music. Bokwa is an innovative dance workout that’s an abundance of fun and does not feel like a workout!”
Can you recall a heartwarming story (or stories) that stand out to you from the women you’ve instructed over the years?
“I have so many touching stories. One of the stories I always share is one I had encountered with an older female who was very traditional and religious. Just to give you a background, Saudi fitness instructors were not very popular 10 years ago and may be seen as a degrading job but today we’ve been gaining a lot of respect and many, many Saudi women are getting the training to become instructors. So I was faced with some negativity at times but it was with one lady who was against me from day one assuming I came from a background of “liberating” women in the incorrect way, “stepping” out of the cultural norms and traditions, so she wouldn’t attend any of my classes. She always put in a complaint to management that I was inappropriately dressed for a Saudi instructor while other instructors were fine because they weren’t Saudi! This was till one day when she didn’t have an option but to attend my class, which was a Spinning® ride dedicated to overcoming climbs as challenges in life. I shared a lot of my own personal challenges throughout the ride and that was her moment. That was the moment where everything changed to her, all the stereotypes she had in her mind, all the walls she had built, and all her guards dropped and faded away! After the class she came to me for the first time ever and thanked me, then opened up her heart to me with her personal challenges in life and apologized for judging me the way she did. That was a successful turning point because we came from different backgrounds but had so much similarity. As much as she was judging me I was too, due to her appearance and different cultural background. She actually inspired me to be more open to every type of woman because at the end of the day, we are one. Today she’s one of the most active women supporting Studio55 and myself.”
Why is your vision for female fitness health clubs so needed in Saudi Arabia at this time?
“It is needed, indeed! For many reasons, one of them being that obesity is higher in women than men and lifestyle-related diseases are increasing causing early deaths amongst women in Saudi Arabia. Women in Saudi need an outlet to vent and let go because they are super women–they are full-time mothers, full-time daughter, full-time sisters and full-time wives, plus they have jobs and many other cultural and social commitments. We have a huge responsibility as women in the family and we don’t live independently, therefore we are always in need by someone at some point of time. Female fitness clubs are a place where they can dedicate well-earned time to themselves and free themselves from all the worries and stress of their daily lives, reenergize themselves and become stronger to take on the rest of their days.”
In the Western world we’re all too familiar with the daily restrictions placed on the lives of Saudi women. What we don’t hear about enough is the sisterhood you share. Can you talk about how you empower each other?
“Women around the world have the same needs, dreams, ambitions and aspirations. One thing we’re blessed with in this part of the world is that even with our busy lives we have strong bonds, we stand for each other, support each other and connect with each other on many different levels. I’m blessed to see this first hand at the studio; the bond women have between each other is so strong and built purely on unconditional relationships. If anyone needs anything, there will be 20 women standing right by her side.”
What are your long-term plans for Studio 55?
“The plan is simple: open twenty studios by 2020 and inspire women to come together and have their own space to evolve and be more.”
NEWS RELEASE Nash, Macgowan Join AFS Advisory Council (CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 7, 2015) — The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) today proudly announced the addition of fitness industry leaders Frank Nash and John Macgowan to the AFS Advisory Council.
John Macgowan is a consultant and owner of Deep Breath In, LLC – publisher of ICI/PRO, the online Indoor Cycling educational resource for Cycling Studio owners, managers and Instructors around the world. He has been leading Indoor Cycling classes since 1997 – with certifications from Schwinn, Stages, Heart Zones, ICG, Life Time Fitness and Cycling Fusion.
“We welcome John Macgowan to our Advisory Council with open arms,” said Leve. “He’s a true indoor cycling guru, with a dedicated following. He will be a tremendous AFS resource for this segment of the studio market.”
ICI/PRO has been at the forefront of the explosion of boutique Indoor Cycling studios. Many successful studio owners can point to one of multiple interviews John has conducted, as being the “spark of inspiration” they needed to launch their new fitness business. “I love what I see AFS doing to help connect, educate and encourage independent fitness studio business owners,” said Macgowan. “There's power in numbers and all modalities of fitness will benefit from being a part of this well managed organization. As a member of the Advisory Council, I'm excited to help AFS develop the Indoor Cycling vertical within the umbrella of the greater association.”
History of AFS
Toward the end of 2011 two life long friends, one a fitness industry veteran and the other an attorney and business consultant, got together to fill a void they observed while working with colleagues and clients alike. Despite the major industry trend towards the development of freestanding fitness studios, there was a lack of support for the owners. The reality was these businesses — opened by great fitness professionals — could benefit greatly from the sharing of business ideas and best practices.
The Association of Fitness Studios (AFS) is the only membership community dedicated to the business of fitness studios. We provide studio owners and developers a wide array of business-specific products, services, and benefits that will enable them to more effectively manage and grow their businesses, building on the passion, compassion and courage they’ve already shown. Previously, there was no such business-centric, trade association dedicated solely for fitness studios.
We created AFS to do for our members what studio trainers and instructors do for their clients — help them achieve their objectives.
Most of the challenges of studio ownership are universal. Through sharing of information, best practices and delivery of the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability AFS is the direct link between studio owners, suppliers, fitness professionals, and consumers – connecting all segments of this vibrant industry. Welcome to the AFS community!
Mission Statement
The mission of the Association of Fitness Studios is to create a community of studio owners by equipping them with the tools necessary to enhance management efficiency, marketability, and profitability while promoting the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle through education, information, and technology.
My goal is to help AFS develop a strong & vibrant membership of all types of Cycling Studios. I'm planning an interview with AFS founder and CEO Josh Leve in the near future to help you learn more about this vital organization.
The “Barn” as it's affectionately known, is run by first time business owner / Instructor Karen Casler. Karen shares with us a number of the secrets of her success in the interview below:
Her total focus on customer service.
Using technology effectively.
Offering a diverse mix of classes to reach the broadest audience.
Recruiting and retaining instructors.
Some Instructors don't fit – what to do next…
Not all customers fit either…
Studio details:
CB Cyclebarn 372 Camino de Estrella San Clemente, CA 92672
(949)303-3112 Email: karen@cbcyclebarn.com
Indoor Cycles: FreeMotion S11.9 with Carbon belt drive
In class display system of rider performance metrics: Performance IQ
Listen to Karen's interview below or and have every new episode delivered straight to your portable device.
Sometimes, with the best intentions (and a lot of effort), new fitness businesses don't work out as planned. Which leads to sending out a sad email like this one:
John, sadly I have to close down 2 of my studios and consolidate to one due to landlord doubling the rent. Is there anywhere I can
post that I have 30 slightly used RealRyder Spin bikes available so I do not have to put them into storage?
Bob
My initial response was; I'm sorry Bob, I really don't have anyway to help you 🙁
But then I remembered seeing an email from a company who offers a service that I could add to our Pedal-On.com forum. It creates the marketplace that would help Bob (or you for that matter) advertise and sell used Indoor Cycling bikes and/or other equipment.
UPDATED 9/2014 these are sold.
Are you looking for help with your new or existing studio?
We've helped dozens of new studio owners and we can help you too.
All you need to do is ask – click here for our contact form.
Does your Health/Fitness Club have a sign like this in the locker room? And a similar sign in the parking lot saying essentially the same thing? You shouldn't leave your your new 4G iPhone or wallet in your car or the club's locker, so what do you do?
Bring them on the gym floor safe and snug in the waterproof pocket of the new TowelMateâ„¢
Watch the video below to see why you might want one for yourself and possibly recommend them to your club.
Guest post by Instructor & Studio Owner Pauline Geraci
According the Administration for Community Living (ACL), people 65-plus represented 12.4 percent of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19 percent of the population by 2030.
Let’s face it, we are not getting any younger. As we age, the more important it is for us to stay active. But the older we get, the harder it is activity becomes.
We start developing muscle and joint pains and other issues which we sometimes use as an excuse to become less physically active which in turn makes us more prone to injury and the aging process. What to do?
Indoor cycling meets many of our aging population’s needs. For starters, it is a great cardiovascular workout. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that healthy adults ages 18-65 years old should participate in aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes, five days per week or vigorous intensity, aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 minutes, three days per week.
An indoor cycling class will keep your heart rate up long enough to provide health benefits. A physical activity that includes continuous cardiovascular activity can help lower your risk of coronary artery disease, can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, and can help lower your overall resting heart rate.
As we age, we start to develop balance issues because of inactivity or inner ear problems. Maybe we have fallen once and now are afraid to do activities without relying on a walker or cane. You certainly don’t feel comfortable riding a bike outdoors. Indoor cycling eliminates your concerns with balance issues. Indoor cycling removes the element of risk and the fear of falling so you can experience its health benefits. A good cycling class allows you to go at your own pace and push yourself, yet feel safe and comfortable.
Another worry for seniors is finding a cardiovascular workout that is low to no impact. Indoor cycling offers a high intensity low impact workout. Many people who recently have recovered from orthopedic injuries turn to indoor cycling to help them get back on track.
Remember, as with all physical activity you are about to embark on, make sure you get clearance from your doctor. Indoor cycling, when done correctly, provides minimal impact on the hip, knee and ankle joints.
Because of the circular motion of riding a bike, your knees properly flex and extend, while avoiding the high impact pounding of other activities such as running or certain aerobic type classes.
Another issue of aging is age-related sarcopenia. People who are physically inactive can lose as much as 3-5 percent of their muscle mass per decade after age 30. Even if you are active, you still will experience some muscle loss.
A benefit of indoor cycling is increased muscular endurance. This refers to the ability of a muscle to continually and repeatedly exert force over an extended period of time. In an indoor cycling class, you pedal against resistance which increase the endurance of the leg muscles: legs, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and even the calf muscles.
Working out these muscles also will help to strengthen the surrounding bones, tendons and ligaments which also help you with balance issues.
In turn, this increased strength means you’ll be able to perform your daily activities with greater ease.
Riding outdoors is great but there are safety and weather issues to contend with. You can’t make excuses about not working out because of the weather when you ride indoors. Indoor cycling also allows you to be free from concerns such as negligent motorists, narrow road shoulders, going downhill too fast and bike malfunctions (flat tires, loose chains, etc.).
It’s good to get outdoors and exercise whenever possible, but it’s also important to keep from putting yourself at unnecessary risk, especially at an age when each fall is a little harder to get up from than the last.
The ability to choose your own resistance also makes indoor cycling an ideal fitness class for seniors. On an outdoor ride, your resistance level is dependent on your surrounding terrain. On any given route in Sequim you will find inclines that you are not prepared to handle. You also may not feel challenged during an outdoor ride.
Indoor cycling will definitely challenge you! Indoor bikes come with resistance knobs. This allows you to raise or lower the intensity of the workout to meet your physical restraints and/or fitness goals.
Many people, not just seniors, would like to lose some weight. If your fitness goals include weight and/or fat loss, you’ve come to the right place.
According to spinning.com, you can burn anywhere between 400-600 calories per average 45-minute class.
Since it takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of fat, just 5-8 indoor cycling classes, combined with a healthy diet can help you meet your New Year goals!
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to stop the aging process. But don’t let that excuse you from engaging in your favorite activities. Come and enjoy a safe and exhilarating workout experience at indoor cycling classes nearest to you!
Pauline Geraci is owner of Fit4Life Studio, 1245 W. Washington St., Sequim. See www.fit4lifesequim.com.
