As an industry we need to stop seeing exercise as the offer, people don’t like exercise, and therefore don’t want the offer. Instead the offer should be about the experience.
This experience should be about the socialisation, the event or context and the enjoyment had. The exercise should be an afterthought, it should just be there. When we achieve this, we will achieve greater activity levels within society.
In January 2019, the UK government has announced its 10-year plan for the NHS however, there seems to have been little reported on the any ties to physical activity or exercise. In fact, the only sound bites to come out so far, revolve around people taking control of their own health and there being a focus exclusively on diet.
Steve Ward from UK Active is reported as saying, ‘the omission of physical activity is disappointing’ and frankly we concur. With so many correlations between physical activity and health, how can there not be a greater focus?
That said, we also have a responsibility as a professional industry to create opportunities, spaces and solutions that make people feel comfortable, completing the activities that they enjoy. For it is only when people recognise the value of the solution on offer that they will build confidence and competence.
Yet, we as an industry assume normal people like physical activity or exercise. We need to wake up and appreciate that normal people really do not! Normal people do not like getting hot and sweaty, normal people do not like getting tired and sore. We just assume they do, because we do. Exercise is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it! Now that’s not to say you can’t grow to love exercise, you really, truly can, however, that takes time.
We also need to be honest with ourselves, gyms are intimidating, scary places and the words, ‘I have to be fit to go to the gym’ have been muttered the world over for decades now.
We must stop building and staffing facilities for the fit. In the UK we best serve 14.9% of the population that already exercise, when we should instead focus more on the 85.1% that do not believe they need or want a gym or health club membership. Now, I’m not suggesting the gym is for everyone, I’m simply highlighting the current solution is neither attractive or inclusive for all.
It is the interim between when motivation fails, and behaviour change is established that we, as an industry we need to begin concerning ourselves. This is where there is a huge void and most cancelled gym memberships occur and our belief is, we are providing the wrong offer.
We know for a gym to be truly, inclusively successful, they have to provide a sense of belonging, deliver a safe environment and provide the opportunity to be part of something more.
This is why, we believe, what is needed are dedicated spaces, that are purpose built to support a different the experience. These spaces should be staffed with people trained in confidence building, community development and who are masters at performing, who can deliver an outstanding experience, that is diverse and enjoyable time and time again.
Think of it this way, you go to a dinner party to see friends, to socialise and have fun. Yes, there will be food and, of course you go to eat, however, your purpose is for the social aspect, the enjoyment and the laughs, there just happens to be food.
Only when people are no longer exercising for the benefits alone will they adhere to the offering, because it is then that they will be coming to the facility, instead for the overall experience, there just happens to be exercise.
As an industry we need to stop seeing exercise as the offer, people don’t like exercise, and therefore don’t want the offer. Instead the offer should be about the experience.
This experience should be about the socialisation, the event or context and the enjoyment had. The exercise should be an afterthought, it should just be there. When we achieve this, we will achieve greater activity levels within society.
