Interview with Esa Tainio and Anu Sandkvist‑Niemi, at SC ROK, Finland
When SC ROK moved into new premises in the summer of 2024, expectations were high. With modern group fitness studios, we anticipated a clear increase in participation. However, despite the upgraded facilities, attendance levels remained stable throughout autumn 2024 and spring 2025.
While our overall membership base was strong, our goal was ambitious: to attract an additional 100–200 members into group fitness.
A Strategic Focus on the Member Experience
To support this objective, we established a Group Fitness Leadership Team of four experienced professionals. Our priority was to understand our members more deeply, what they want, what they may not yet realize they want, and what kind of experiences truly inspire them to join group fitness.
By combining four different perspectives and areas of passion, we were able to create a more distinctive and engaging group fitness offering, tailored specifically to our club and community.
Esa Tainio and Anu Sandkvist‑Niemi, SC ROK.
Staying Relevant with the Right Timing
We actively follow group fitness trends through multiple channels, with Les Mills serving as our most important and trusted source of inspiration and insights. However, rather than adopting trends automatically, we carefully evaluate how they fit our club environment.
Timing is critical. Sometimes it’s wise to observe trends before acting, other times, bold early adoption delivers the greatest impact. Finding the right balance between analysis and action allows us to keep our offering relevant, modern, and sustainable.
A Long-Term, Structured Approach
Instead of isolated initiatives, we built a long‑term, goal -oriented development plan, working in clear six‑month cycles. Each phase is guided by careful analysis, participation data, and customer satisfaction surveys, ensuring that every action genuinely improves the member experience.
SMARTSTEP: A Game-Changing Investment
One of the most successful initiatives came in autumn 2025 with the introduction of the LES MILLS SMARTSTEP. From the moment we first encountered them, we were impressed. The ease of use, exceptional stability, and innovative height‑adjustment system stood out immediately, and our members felt the same.
BODYSTEP participation increased instantly to record levels, leading us to add more classes to meet demand. Today, we offer all three class lengths 30, 45, and 55 minutes, as well as both Functional and Classic BODYSTEP formats.
Investing in new equipment was a deliberate part of our strategy to elevate the overall experience of our group fitness classes, and in this case, it exceeded expectations.
Our confidence in making this investment was strengthened by past experience. A few years earlier, we had introduced LES MILLS SMARTBAR, which delivered a similar boost in engagement and satisfaction. That success played an important role in our decision to bring the new LES MILLS SMARTSTEP into the club.
Results and Feedback
Participation increased following the upgrade, and feedback from both instructors and members has been overwhelmingly positive. The new LES MILLS SMARTSTEP are widely praised for being stable, user‑friendly, and free from loose parts, features that enhance both performance and confidence in class.
Some member comments captured the excitement perfectly:
“The new SMARTSTEP is wonderful! Because the height is so quick and easy to adjust, you can even change it according to the track, sometimes in the middle of a BODYPUMP track.”
“What an amazing SMARTSTEP! The moment you walk into the room, you can feel the joy and energy that BODYSTEP brings, both from the participants and from the energy you personally receive.”
Building Experiences for Long-Term Success
At SC ROK, we believe group fitness should always feel like an experience, not just a workout. Community, connection, and energy are at the heart of everything we do.
Upgrading equipment is just one piece of a larger strategy, but in our case, investing in the new LES MILLS SMARTSTEP has proven to be a highly successful one, supporting both immediate engagement and long‑term growth.
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