Personal Trainers Leading New Zealand Ahead of the Game

    AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, February 26, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If you are or were a fitness member in New Zealand, there is nearly a 60% chance that you have experience working out with a personal trainer.

Since 2008, Ezypay, an Australian direct debit billing and financial solutions provider, has been conducting the Fitness Industry Survey annually. Five countries have participated in this survey, including New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Ezypay covers a range of topics including member's reason for joining and leaving a gym, the use of personal trainers, fitness gadgets as well as social media and club communication. This year, the New Zealand Fitness Industry indicated strong growth especially in demand for personal trainers.

Out of the five countries that participated in Ezypay's Fitness Industry Survey 2014, New Zealand was the country that has taken the most advantage of personal training and the services and rewards that they have to offer. The popularity of trainers is perceived from the added value, routine guidance and extra motivation offered to gym members.

More than half of the respondents stated that they currently use, or previously have used a personal trainer (54.7%). A record number of 57.1% of members invest in personal trainers to get better results whereas other members believe that personal trainers can provide the extra motivation needed to achieve their fitness goals.

One member commented that their use of a personal trainer was to "help them achieve a specific health or fitness goal" while another saw them "as part of the 'gym approach' to being fit and healthy". Trainers are also seen as people who have the knowledge and expertise to help "in the preparation for an event, e.g., sport or competition".

According to the 2014 Fitness Industry Survey, the main time length that personal trainers were used was 3 months or less (30.8%). Following this, 18.0% of the respondents surprisingly took advantage personal training long term, staying with their trainer for over 24 months, followed by 13.5% using them for more than 12 months. With such long term commitment, it can only be said that New Zealand personal trainers are continuously adapting to their client's changing goals and fitness levels to remain a relevant and constant fixture of their fitness regime.

However, 25.9% of respondents stopped utilising personal trainer services due to the expense while 13% stopped after achieving their fitness goals and no longer needed required personal attention. 12% of survey respondents ended their personal trainer relationship after moving away or "changed gyms" and 8.3% concluded their personal training sessions after learning the correct exercise technique, highlighting that some members only believe in short-term usage of personal trainers to "learn the correct execution of a particular exercise."

It seems as though most personal trainers are chosen by their members based on referral (32.3%). This is accentuated by one member's comment that their PT was "recommended and matched by the gym owner". 27.8% selected them based on availability while an additional 27.8% was due to the trainer's experience. The 2014 Fitness Industry Survey respondents also value manners and personality of the personal trainer, with one member stating that "they liked their mannerisms, attitude and style", while others "observed how they coached in the gym." One member "felt comfortable with them".

According to these results, New Zealand is ahead of the game when it comes to the usage of personal trainers, paving the way for personal trainers to become an integrated and permanent asset to gyms and fitness clubs worldwide.

Ezypay was founded in 1996 with headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Ezypay has been conducting the New Zealand Fitness Industry Survey since 2008. In 2014, the FIS won the Order of Excellence Award at PMAA Dragons of Asia and continues to provide valuable insight into the fitness landscape in Southeast Asia. You can download the rest of the 2014 Fitness Industry Survey report for FREE at this link: http://www.ezypay.com/fitness-industry-survey/.

Ezypay was founded by George Holman (who was inducted into the Fitness Australia Roll of Honour 2013), Ezypay began with the simple mission of helping businesses solve cash flow issues with direct debit payment solutions. Since its incorporation, Ezypay has helped small and medium businesses grow by regulating cash flow and revenue without the complexities of managing recurring bills or chasing payments every month. Today, Ezypay continues to serve over 4,000 clients across New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

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