29th August 2016 | Portsmouth

Manager’s Welcome

September is here and we have so many activities going on this month you just have to get involved…..

This Friday the 2nd of September we will be holding a member and team party BBQ at the club to celebrate our 15th anniversary – more details can be found in this newsletter but I do hope to see you on the night.

On the 7th September we are getting involved in National Fitness day. During the day we are running 2 boot camps with our expert Personal trainers taking you through a challenging outdoor workout. Rumour has it Sgt Pink will be making an appearance!! To finish off the day we will be holding a fun family friendly 3 and 5k event on the grounds of Roko with a BBQ to finish. See club notice board for more details.

I would like to say a big thankyou to you all for your patience whilst we refurbished the showers in July and August – for those that have experienced the new showers I am sure you will agree they look and feel fantastic.

Best regards

Alun Davies
General Manager

View our event at https://www.facebook.com/events/617458461747595/ to learn more about how we're getting involved with National Fitness Day.

National Fitness Day on the 7th of September is the biggest and most visible annual celebration of physical activity.
To help celebrate it, we are having a club open day all day where everybody is invited to get active for the day.

Roko will be holding challenges to get More People, More Active, More Often. These will include:
- Free tennis and squash all day, equipment will be provided – coaching sessions taking place throughout the day and cardio tennis at 6pm.
- Morning and evening boot camp with the Roko PT drill team – 7am & 6:30Pm.
- Fun 3k for Kids and 5k for adults on the grounds at Roko and PCFC – 5.30pm.
- Evening BBQ – 5 – 9pm.
Register your interest to keep up to date with this event.
Please share our event and invite your friends. Let's celebrate being active together!

You Said, We Did

Your ongoing feedback is much appreciated at Roko, and it is one of the driving factors behind change and improvement around your club. Feedback cards left at reception have already helped towards many improvements around the club. We aim to respond to all feedback within 48 hours so please leave your contact details.

You Said - “Can we permanently swap the male and female changing rooms over”.
We Did – To make this possible we will need to remove and replace the urinals and add additional cubicles to the down stairs toilets. There has been mixed feedback over a permanent change thus far but it is an area I am looking to budget for in 2017 should this be the majority vote.
You Said – “Can we look to replace the tiles at the top of the poolside stairs as they are becoming dangerous?
We Did – On the completion of the shower area we intended to replace the tiles but had to hold off the works for access purposes. I am pleased to say that these works have now been finished and are a huge improvement.
You Said – “Why do members leave shampoo bottles, razors and hair in the showers after using them? Can you put up signs reminding them to leave it clean.
We Did – I do not want to put up too many signs up for basic hygiene, safety and etiquette reasons it can be an endless list and I would run out of wall space. As a private members club it is important that each member remembers the basic rule of leaving the area they have used in a good state for the next user. I have used this newsletter section to remind members of this rule.
You Said - “several members have commented on not being happy that the Friday 5:30pm body Combat class was removed from the September timetable”.
We Did – Following several member meetings we have agreed to continue the class as 17 people returned to do the class this week. We measure class attendance on a weekly basis and operate a red, amber, green traffic light system on classes’ that indicate if they are decreasing in popularity. Our aim is to keep the programme fresh with as many people attending group classes as possible. We will always give the instructor and those attending every opportunity to lift numbers by promoting the classes before taking any decisions to change classes, times and instructors. On this last change we agree that not enough time was given for it to improve during the holiday season. I have asked Alison the studio co-ordinator to publish class occupancy numbers to ensure no surprises in the future.

Club News and Events

September

October

Fitness News

Benefits of fruit and veg There are many benefits of including fruit and veg in your diet. Here are a few to help you make the decision to add them into your daily food routine! 1. Eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. 2. Eating a diet rich in some vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain types of cancers. 3. Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. 4. Eating vegetables and fruits rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss. 5. Eating foods such as vegetables that are lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake. Training Tip Bored of just jogging on the treadmill for long periods? Try interval sprints to mix up your workouts and see improved results! Why interval sprints? This type of training not only burns more calories and builds up your oxygen capacity while exercising, but it also produces an ‘afterburn’ affect that can leave your metabolism operating at a higher level of efficiency for hours and hours after you’re done exercising. Which means you’ll still be burning calories whilst watching TV! Interval sprints is way more efficient as it can be completed in just 20 minutes, this gives you another 40 minutes to complete an extra workout which again will add to the amount of calories you are shredding.

Group Exercise

Every month we monitor class attendance and feedback and strive to update the class timetable accordingly. This means that there will always be ongoing changes. If you have any feedback then please let us know achase@portsmouth.roko.co.uk. Please remember to pick up a timetable at the beginning of each month to be aware of any timetable changes, or take a look on the Group Exercise board outside the studios.

Class of the Month

Last month our featured Group Exercise class was Bodybalance. We hope that reading more about Bodybalance inspired some of you to give it a try for the first time! If you did and would like to share any feedback please do! This month’s featured class is Grit! Les Mills Grit Grit is a 30 minute High Intensity Interval Training class. Les Mills Grit takes cutting edge HIIT and combines it with powerful music and inspirational coaches who will be down on the floor with you, motivating you to go harder to get fit, fast! There are three different formats:
Grit Strength: This is designed to improve strength and build lean muscle. This workout uses barbell and weight plate and body weight exercises to blast all major muscle groups.
Grit Plyo: This is a plyometric based workout designed to make you perform like an athlete. This workout uses a bench and combines explosive exercises with agility training to increase explosiveness and to build a lean and athletic body.
Grit Cardio: This workout uses a variety of body weight exercises and provides the challenge and intensity that you need to get results fast. Take a look at our timetable (in club or online) for class times.

Les Mills Class Launches
The new class releases will be on the weekend of 24th and 25th September. Take a look at the studio board for more details! This is an ideal time to try a class that you have never been to before, when the routine is fresh to everyone! So if you can’t wait to get going on your new Bodypump, Bodyattack, Bodycombat, Bodybalance, Bodystep or GRIT release, or you would like to come along and join the class for the first time, then make a note of the date!

Club Lounge

Children’s Activity News

Roko Ravers is back on!
Every Tuesday at 1:30-2pm; Starting Tuesday 13th September until 18th October 2016. For ages 2-4 years; have fun moving and learning dance moves to your favourite pop tunes. Members £3.50 and non-members £4.50, all welcome to join us for some fun.

NEW Junior Activities will return in full in September! Don’t forget to pick up your NEW timetable to see what’s on for ages 5-11 and Teens.

Swimming News

What are the benefits of having swimming lessons here at Roko?
Maximum 6 per class (10 per parent/Toddler)
Siblings or friends of different abilities can swim at the same time
Structured awards scheme enabling your child to progress from beginner to advanced levels
The swimming programme is delivered by professional, highly trained, motivated teachers who are passionate about teaching swimming
All swimmers are continuously assessed through ASA programme and badges are awarded when achieved
Priority booking system for existing swimmers
Heated 20m indoor pool and children’s splash pool

The current 10 week course started in August. We still have spaces in some classes and a waiting list for the classes starting in October. To book your classes or for more information call 02392 651 400 or speak to reception