Summary
Fitness trade fair ends a success
Six-hundred people exercising at the same time during a fitness work-out... Impossible? Not at all! Such a feat was achieved by stepping, dancing, stretching and stationary bicycle riding fans in the halls of the Poznań International Fair. Over three-days in May, during the fitness trade fair FIT-EXPO fitness & sport park, one not only had a chance to see super modern equipment for gyms and fitness clubs, but also pour some sweat.
Poles don't like sport? Everyone who dropped by during 8-10 May 2009 at the Poznań fair would find this myth particularly hard to believe. The fair attracted 5,000 visitors (25% more than the previous year). Organizers themselves admitted that such a crowd of active lifestyle enthusiasts dressed in sportswear and waiting for the chance to try-out the latest equipment or fitness activities had not yet been seen at the fair. This is despite the fact that FIT-EXPO is already the largest fitness trade event in Poland.
Trade leaders who attended the fair are forecasting that fitness in Poland will be experiencing dynamic development. FIT-EXPO's growth year after year emphasizes a rising trend in Europe - more and more people are exercising regularly in clubs. In Western Europe it is presently 8-9% of society. In Poland the situation looks somewhat worse (2%), but this number is continuously growing, which indicates a bright future for the trade in our country. Poles are just beginning to convince themselves of the benefits working out brings - for fitness clubs this is a great chance to gain clients.
How to do it? FIT-EXPO was created especially to give entrepreneurs a response to this question. Modern equipment is certainly important. Seventy suppliers from Poland and abroad presented the equipment of the most popular brands. Conforming to prevailing trends there was somewhat less gym equipment, dominated instead by cardio equipment. Stationary bicycles, treadmills - the most innovative technological solutions were implemented in each of the equipment presented. As many as thirty products premiered during the fair.
FIT-EXPO is a fair directed at professionals. Organizers were able to create a meeting place for people engaged in fitness as a career - manufacturers and distributors of equipment for clubs and gyms including essential sports accessories, club owners and mangers, instructors, trainers and presenters. Spotted among visitors was Jacek Wszoła - athlete and fitness club owner.
The fair also did not lack interesting offers for fitness club customers. Women above all gathered around stalls with the latest sports fashions -fashionable this season loose t-shirts and wide pants were sought-after. This should not be unusual - already at FIT-EXPO one could ascertain their advantages. At exhibitor stalls one could not only admire the sophisticated equipment that care for each and every muscle, but also try them out. Many companies invited visitors to take part in a regular fitness session!
Among the exhibitor offers there was no lack of dietary supplements, home exercise equipment and massage accessories.
Starting a fitness club requires not only a sizable financial investment, the purchase of professional equipment, and above all the priceless skill of attracting customers. How can one create a competitive offer, how to motivate people who till now only sporadically visited fitness clubs or gyms - these important topics were touched on during the Fitness & Sport Marketing Conference, organized by both the Sport & Business Foundation and PIF. Effective fitness club management, the most effective fitness marketing techniques, opportunities for improving and enriching offers - all these problems attracted an audience of 300 - three times more than last year!
All day participants took part in lectures and workshops led by trade professionals. Lectures during the conference were given by such authorities as Prof. Henryk Mruk (Poznań University of Economics), Prof. Ryszard Panfil (University School of Physical Education in Wrocław), Dr. Dorota M. Opoka (University School of Physical Education in Wrocław), Dr. Piotr Kwiatek (Poznań University of Economics), Piotr Matecki (President of the Board, Sport & Business Foundation).
The fair was accompanied by a conference in the series "Polish Rehabilitation Promotion", under the banner of "Problems with Complex Rehabilitation in Developmental Disorders", organized by the Rehabilitation and Social Integration Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences' Poznań Branch and the "Bratek" Association.
The most spectacular event at the fair was the 3rd EU4YA International Fitness Convention - organized by the Poznań International Fair and Fitness Music Poland. This year over 600 participants came to PIF to exercise. Fascinating dance, movement to one rhythm, provided an unforgettable experience.
The biggest stars in fitness appeared at the convention. The first day featured Polish stars from fitness schools IFAA, Inka Szymanski Fitness School, Open Mind Heath & Fitness Idea, Profi Fitness School and Reebok University. Appearing on Friday were: Tomasz Kostro, Marta Tymoszewicz-Bednarz, Aneta Ostrówka, Izabela Gmitrowicz, Magdalena Prieditis (Dąbrowska), Agnieszka Bota, Inka Szymanski.
Saturday and Sunday belonged to foreign fitness celebrities. Leading participants to real sport euphoria were Jessica Exposito, Steve Boedt, Serkan Vural and the wild ideas of Jose Martinez, Luis Rodriguez and Toni Nemeth, while huge amounts of laughter were heard during Enrico Ceron's fitball classes. Saturday on the EU4YA stage, beside the unquestionably famous also stood a debutant - the winner of the FIT PRESENTER competition, co-organized by Internet portal fit.pl: Adrian Pierzgalski. His show, specially prepared for the EU4YA convention, was enthusiastically accepted by exercisers.
The level of difficulty of all activities was very high, yet participants superbly coped with the complicated dance step sequences and almost acrobatic figures. This should be no surprise - convention participants were above all professional fitness instructors from all over Poland. They will take back everything they learned over the three days (which was quite a bit) to their clubs. Fitness club goers are already enjoying interesting choreographies that originated from EU4YA.
A stationary peleton? Such a curiosity awaited FIT-EXPO participants in one of the fair pavilions. 100 participants in Evolution Ride 2009 - an indoor cycling event organized by the Mega Fitness Equipment agency and PIF - conquered several murderous up-hills and relaxed during down-hills - and this all without leaving the air-conditioned interiors of the fair hall. This true cycling challenge was accompanied by musical rhythms mixed by a live DJ.
The beautiful, sunny weather was favourable for moving parts of the exposition outside the pavilions. Nordic Walking classes, in accordance with their philosophy of being active in the fresh air took place, for example, in the beautiful Spring scenery of Wilson Park.
The Poznań International Fair traditionally honours its exhibitors with Gold Medals. The PIF Gold Medal is the most valuable trophy that can be received at the Poznań fair. These prestigious awards are given to products that meet the highest criteria in terms of quality, innovation and attractive design. Honoured with the FIT-EXPO Gold Medal were three products: KINESIS ONE training equipment by Italian company TECHNOGYM S. p. A, submitted by trading company „MATMARCO" Sp. z o.o. from Warsaw, and two products submitted to the competition by Poznań company HABERQ Sp. z o.o.: comprehensive gym machine line - HUMAN SPORT® by American company STAR TRAC® and the fitness club service software program - eFitness by E-Surf Sp. z o.o.
However the honouring did not end there. During the ceremonial gala on the first day of the fair, Internet portal fit.pl handed-out awards to the winners of the competition TOP TEN - POLAND'S MOST POPULAR INSTRUCTOR. The title of Poland's Most Popular Instructor 2008 was earned by Małgorzata Piekarek from Gdynia - it was this instructor who garnered the most votes in an Internet poll.
On Saturday fitness clubs that successfully met the goal of raising pro-health awareness among Poles of various ages walked on the EU4YA stage to receive honorary "Pro-Health Fitness Club" certificates. The project is conducted under the patronage of the professional fitness trade magazine Body Life and Internet portal http://www.fit.pl/. The clubs honoured were Klub Artemis in Mielec, Łódz Traditional Karate Academy and Gold's Gym Fitness and Wellness Centre Warsaw.
The next FIT-EXPO will take place 7-9 May 2010. What kinds of equipment will appear at the fair in a year? What type of fashion will reign supreme? What sort of choreography will instructors present? Judging by the trade's intensive development, we can expect an even bigger fitness show than this year.
