TIME TO RE-IMAGINE THE INDUSTRY?

A recent white paper entitled The Future of Fitness written by Nielsen/Synergia and sponsored by Les Mills, explores some key demographics and trends that may shape the industry going forward.


This report is a fantastic read for those of us who think that the future of the industry is limited only by its ability to re-imagine itself (as the leadership guru Tom Peters would say).

Here are a few interesting thoughts:

The Future of Fitness authors put it like this: “It is no exaggeration to say that many consumers will expect all their experiences, including fitness, to deliver ‘what I want, when I want it, and where I want it – oh, and I may want it differently tomorrow’.”

Les Mills CEO Philip Mills concurs, adding that tomorrow’s consumer will want fitness shaped around them, and they will therefore ask our industry to become much more customer-centric.

I think he is right, except they won’t be asking, they’ll be telling.

In a society that is increasingly shaping itself around individual preferences, it would be incredibly naïve to think that the commoditised gym-based model that dominates the current fitness landscape will be anywhere near robust or flexible enough to meet consumers’ needs in a few years time.

With this in mind many of speakers at the FIA Conference – including Phil Dourado, Tim Fearon, Derek Barton, Paul Bedford, Pete Cohen, Simon Walker and Ilona Boniwell – will (at one level or another) be challenging the industry to think differently about the way it presents itself.

In fact the whole event is designed to make delegates question what they are doing and why.

If, as the report suggests, we can’t even take for granted that solving the growing health problems of ageing, obesity, heart disease and diabetes will provide a robust future for the industry then where do we go from here?

Well, the report says there are a number of groups that should appear on the fitness radar in the coming years, if they aren’t there already.

These include those who simply don’t like exercise (dubbed the “Activity is not for me” group). Nice as it is to think that we could change the mindset of the average couch potato, we have failed miserably so far and I see no reason for this unhappy state of affairs to change any time soon.

Then there is the “Activity for Fitness’ Sake” group. Actually we already have these people in our facilities but the report says that holding on to them will not be easy. We are going to have to think creatively about how we package and deliver the fitness product just to keep the members we already have - but it can be done.

The “Play Drives Activity” group is interesting in that these people will demand something from us that is a lot more exciting than the current fitness experience. According to the report, this will happen as a result of a fusion between games, sports and dance that will create activities that are driven by “fun, pleasure and sociability – not by effort and hard work.”

The “Activity Offers Something More” audience consists of people who want to live out their values and are seeking a better quality of life physically, mentally and spiritually. In order to reach this potentially huge group, advanced operators (or maybe new operators) will need to take a much more holistic view of the fitness proposition by expanding their offering into areas as diverse as brain training to life skills, which can be offered at the club or online.

We live in interesting times.

See you at the FIA Conference is being held on Wednesday July 14th at Cheltenham Racecourse.


Tim Webster

Consultant at Fitness Professionals

NEW EHFA BOARD

Once again elections are on my mind.


No not the gladiatorial spectacle on TV – fascinating as it is – but something far more humble.

I was recently elected onto the EHFA Board and I started to think about what my manifesto promises would look like as a ‘deliverable’. I am realistic enough to know that my presence on the board is a reflection of my position at the FIA and not a testimony to any political machinations. Therefore, what are my goals.

As a representative of the UK health and fitness industry I think they are twofold:

- How can we, as a UK industry, benefit from a European health strategy, in much the same way as we have from the UK one

- Think MoreActive4Life, Let’s Dance...., Know your Limits, Fit 4The Future, etc

- How can our European peers benefit from our learnings in the UK.

The reality is that the health agenda is as important to Europeans as it is to us and European politicians are as desperate to find a pathway to a healthier Europe as ours’ are. Therein lies our opportunity.

We have much to share and much to learn – which is why I am quite enthusiastic at the thought of my quarterly jaunts into a market which is not only bigger, but far more complex than anything I can even envisage. But think of the upside. Imagine what impact a European Change4Life could have on the value and reputation of our industry – in this country and across Europe.

Imagine the impact on a healthcare sector which still contains luddites who either don’t or rarely acknowledge/appreciate the value of exercise in the ‘healthcare-mix’.

We know that we have a huge role to play in both (health) prevention and remedial strategies... my challenge is to be part of the Executive to take that message to politicians who are committed to developing long term strategies and healthcare professionals who need convincing.

Small ambition then!!

Finally, speaking of remedial issues, a quiet and unashamed plug for a hair brained initiative I’m involved in - Help For Heroes, the charity set up to help returning servicemen and women wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq, need your support (read ‘money’). A team of six misled and over ambitious people plan to ‘climb the equivalent of seven of the highest peaks on the seven continents’ in just 24-hours.

This attempt to climb 6,250 feet an hour.... on a VERSA CLIMBER might be ill conceived for a man in his forties, but it is for a very good cause. So please do support us to sign up or find out more just visit http://www.justgiving.com/davestalker.

David Stalker
Executive Director
Fitness Industry Association