Through a Myzone challenge themed around the Olympics, Cedardale Athletic Club has been motivating its staff and gym members to move more, through healthy competition and momentum building.
Below, we speak to Mary Lynch, member services director at Cedardale, who gives us the lowdown on how to reconnect gym members with Myzone, how to get staff leading by example, and how to make a difference with initiatives that unite a community.
How a community challenge can engage gym members
“Our participation in the Myzone Olympic Challenge was sparked mainly by the fantastic marketing materials that were provided. Interestingly enough, while these materials inspired us, we didn’t end up using them!
“What truly motivated us was the realisation that we hadn’t been very active with Myzone for a while. The challenge became the perfect opportunity to kickstart our engagement with Myzone again and to spread the word among our members.”
Building excitement and encouraging participation
“The timing of the Olympic Challenge couldn't have been better. Our members were thrilled to reconnect with Myzone, especially since we hadn’t promoted or supported its use much in 2024.
“To ensure that the challenge had a strong impact, we even launched an employee challenge before the MEPs to Medals event itself. This got our staff talking about and using Myzone which, in turn, amplified the enthusiasm among our members.
“We've noticed that when our staff is genuinely excited about an event, product, or challenge, it significantly boosts member engagement and excitement.”
Do you need prizes for a gym challenge?
“Interestingly, we decided to launch the challenge without announcing any prizes or rewards. This was a bit of an experiment and, to our surprise, very few members even inquired about rewards.
“The focus remained purely on the challenge and the personal satisfaction of participating and getting back into the swing of regular workouts.”
Gym member reactions to the Myzone challenge
“The overall feedback has been incredibly positive. Members were excited to use Myzone again and found it a helpful tool to get back on track with their workouts. The challenge also sparked a lot of great conversations about heart rate training, max heart rates, and other fitness-related topics.
“Additionally, we advertised MZ-Open by placing a QR code on our screens, which definitely increased member curiosity and engagement. Having 17 employees involved in the challenge also added to the fun; there was plenty of good-natured hallway trash-talking, which only fuelled the excitement among members.”
Better never stops with positive community engagement
“Looking ahead, there are a few things we would do differently next time. We had initially planned to incorporate Olympic-themed events and classes during the challenge, but we simply didn’t have the time to execute these ideas.
“This time of year is particularly busy for us at Cedardale due to our large summer complex, which includes pools, tennis courts, pickleball, camps, and more. As a result, our focus tends to be more on these activities during the summer months.
“Next time, we’d love to dedicate more time to planning and executing these themed events to enhance the overall experience for our members. Despite the hurdles, this Olympic Challenge was a great success, and we’re excited to continue building on this momentum in the future.”
For more information visit the Cedardale Athletic Club website.
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