
This article is brought to you by Ben Hackney-Williams, Head of content at Myzone.
As we begin to open facilities around the world, think about how our industry has been dormant at the time when health services have needed us most. That can’t happen again. The global banner of physical activity has never had more attention than in the past year. More people are moving; now it’s our job to make sure they stay on the move with encouragement and support.
Connecting with members in and out of clubs through both traditional service offerings and digital Remote classes is how we grow communities, even when some people aren’t comfortable coming back to a gym. Making sure that gyms have access to accurate live heart rate data for every training session is what creates experiential classes with an element of healthy competition. Having these classes take place at home, outside and in the gym – at the same time – is what gets more people through the gym doors in the long-term.
Taking the time to talk to people without selling to them will bring the longevity of trust that ultimately leads to success. Technology and tracking physical activity out of the gym offers much more of the social element than the conversations in the gym alone.
It’s no secret that being at home has been a challenge, but we’ve found a way to help each other back to the upward trajectory of real opportunity. We can’t just rely on “getting back to normal.” We have to be in the community, talking to new people and welcoming more social groups to new ways of moving. Giving them a platform to document their journey and see every workout in real time is the catalyst to engagement, especially when individuals have more ways to move and more ways to track their physical activity in one place.
Opting for a motivation tool that adheres to physical activity standards set out by global professionals such as the World Health Organization is another vital element. It’s now that we must embrace digital instead of fearing its functionality as operators. We can be community ambassadors for activity; we can support national health services in treating more conditions and preventing many diseases from taking hold, and we can grow our industry beyond what we’ve ever known before.
Now look at the first letter of each paragraph in this article. We need to take action before we miss this opportunity that will not come again. For more information visit www.myzone.org