Case Study


Aspria Hamburg-Uhlenhorst

ALEXANDRA HAASE GENERAL MANAGER

 

What sets your fitness centres apart?

Aspria in Hamburg-Uhlenhorst is not a traditional gym but a members' club where people of all ages can spend their leisure time engaging in fitness, wellness activities, tennis, beach volleyball, classes, social events and even have a space to get work done if need be. The complex spans almost 20,000m², and what is particularly special is our green outdoor space, featuring sauna facilities and swimming pools, which keeps members coming back time and again. 

 

For how long have you been offering the Les Mills class formats and how do the classes compare in terms of popularity?

I personally have known about Les Mills for 20 years, since I started in the fitness industry. Aspria has been working with Les Mills for almost as long - in some clubs more than in others. When I switched to our club in Uhlenhorst in 2019, there was only BODYPUMP. Since then, we've also introduced BODYBALANCE, BODYATTACK, LES MILLS SPRINT and our virtual programme, THE TRIP. The classes make up a crucial part of the club, as almost 40 % of our weekly visitors opt to participate in a class.

 

What are the top trends that your members are showing interest in and how do you respond to them?

Over the past 1.5 years at Aspria Uhlenhorst, we've seen a revival in dance classes, with Zumba, salsa and barre being particularly popular among our members. At our studio in Uhlenhorst, the demand for aqua gymnastics and the full spectrum of Body & Mind activities has always remained high. We consistently monitor the occupancy levels of the classes, engage with instructors and participants whenever we observe any changes, and make an effort to respond promptly. If there is high demand for a programme, we try to make more space for it in the class schedule.

 


What prompted you to modernise your existing gym?

In the last year, we have invested roughly €250,000 in two new studios. First of all, we built a new indoor cycling studio, which has a club-like atmosphere and has a more modern take on indoor cycling, so it feels more like a party in a club than traditional training. Naturally, in order to appeal to all types of fitness enthusiasts, we also offer traditional watt-based training and in September 2023 we even introduced the new cycling programme, LES MILLS SPRINT, and our virtual solution, THE TRIP. Our members highly value all of these options, as indoor cycling is now much more accessible than before and is a great way to train.

 

"The switch to SMART TECH equipment was generally very positively received and members always enjoy seeing new features and innovation."

 

The second new facility is a Body & Mind studio, which has a natural, organic style, it offers ample breathing room and space for meditation, and is also equipped with ceiling panels for hot yoga. This investment was very important to us, as we've observed our members' enthusiasm for all Body & Mind classes for a number of years now, and we finally wanted to give these programmes, like BODYBALANCE for example, the space they deserved. 

 

 

How has SMART TECH improved group training for you and your members?

In any case, the studio looks a lot tidier now. Members effortlessly return all belongings to their designated areas and very little is left lying around after a class. On top of that, it's simply more comfortable for participants and changing weights between tracks in BODYPUMP takes a lot less time than before. 

 

What kind of feedback have you received from members and instructors?

The switch to SMARTTECH equipment was generally very positively received and members always enjoy seeing new features and innovation. Our instructors were of course thrilled, because any job is a lot more enjoyable when working with professional equipment.