London-Based Boutique Studio Chain Frame Launches Training Academy

LONDON, United Kingdom — London-based boutique studio operator Frame has launched its own instructor training courses aimed at raising the standard and quality of fitness training in the UK.

Frame Academy, which is Active IQ certified, aims to provide the highest level of fitness training taught by leading instructors. In addition, courses will focus on more relevant business tools such as social media and self-marketing.

“Since opening Frame 8 years ago we have seen huge changes in the quality of fitness offerings, particularly in class-based exercise, but sadly the education system for the industry has failed to keep up, with qualifications failing to equip new graduates with the skills required to make it in the fitness industry,” explained Frame Co-Founders Pip Black and Joan Murphy.

“As the number of fitness classes on offer continues to rise, the supply of great instructors will fail to meet the demands from studios, gyms and other fitness offerings, unless the qualifications and CPD courses start to reflect the huge leap in standards of classes across London and the UK. This is where Frame Academy comes in. We plan to educate new instructors, with the aim of increasing the volume of incredible trainers who will go on to inspire the population to keep fit, strong and healthy,” they added.

Renowned for its feel-good, fun approach to fitness, Frame opened its first studio in London, in 2009. Eight years on, the boutique fitness brand offers over 1000 weekly classes across 5 stand-alone studios, attracting over 7,500 bookings per week.

Employing a team of 36 full-time staff in its head office, alongside a network of over 150 instructors, with a further two sites in West London and Fitzrovia set to launch over the next 12 months, the brand continues to play a significant role in London’s fitness scene.

Now, having cemented Frame as one of the capital’s leading fitness operators, Black and Murphy have decided to turn their attention to the Fitness and Wellness Education Industry, which they argue doesn’t reflect the current needs of the wellness industry.

“The health and wellbeing market has exponentially grown in the last 5 years, however, the fitness industry education has not evolved with it,” Murphy told Welltodo.

Because of this, “it’s important to us that the training is relevant to today’s industry and taught by instructors currently teaching and at the top of their game,” she added.

Having previously offered all of Frame’s instructors in-house training, Frame Academy progresses the brand’s offering with qualifications that take into consideration all of the different tenets that are vital to becoming a high-quality fitness instructor. From the technical aspect and choreography to ‘entertaining’ a class and using music to motivate, each course will give “instructors tools to help them grow themselves as a business while staying in touch and connected with people,” explained Murphy.

For Frame however, by following in the footsteps of London-based boutique chains Triyoga and Ten Health and Fitness, in selling educational courses not only will it generate a new revenue stream, but having identified the hiring of qualified instructors as a potential risk for business growth, it will also create a pool from which it can source trainers.

“We hire a cross section of instructors from yoga, Pilates, dance, fitness and PT and each has their own challenges. Finding qualified teachers with the right kind of experience and training is a challenge, this was a key driver to launching Frame Academy,” explained Murphy.

With that in mind, the company has plans to roll out a roster of courses that reflect its diverse range of fitness classes.