<span style="font-weight: 400;">Statistically whichever data / research you read there is always less than 15% of the population reported to be members of gyms. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">So if you are struggling to gain, &amp; retain, more clients but work from a gym space it may be time to start thinking 'outside the box'…s’cuse the pun.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">With long term conditions creating increased demands on the NHS it’s time we, the health &amp; fitness sector, consider continuing our adaptations even post lockdown restrictions. </span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What am I talking about?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Much of our education/training is about teaching clients to be strong, how to use machines, how to lift weights &amp; be active. But what if your promotions, instagram videos &amp; testimonials are actually putting people off?</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">No matter how great your video skills, or how much you spend on fancy editing apps or particularly how challenging those funky moves are they are very likely to switch a huge % of the population off. Possibly even 85%!!</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes we ‘gym fanatics’ are the rarity &amp; it's tough to consider, &amp; empathise with, individuals who have absolutely no interest in joining a gym &amp; yet, they may still need our help. They just don’t know HOW we can help because they dont look like, nor do they feel they can look like, your Instagram clients, HIIT class participants &amp; those success story testimonial video of your amazing client, Barry, on facebook. </span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember if you are busy &amp; doing great in your gym this blog is NOT for you….</span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How do we reach the 85% NOT in the gym?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you ever considered the language &amp; images you are using both publicly &amp; on social media? Are you able to show empathy to individuals who do NOT want to join a gym, EVER?</span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where are they?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">They wont be in your facility, so we have to look elsewhere. So where are they? GP surgeries? Village halls? Supermarkets? </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Do you advertise there?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Could you? </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">And what would you advertise?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember they don't want to join the gym! </span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What do they want?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">To move without pain, to reduce symptoms, to feel healthier, to have more energy, to not feel so alone, lose weight, to not have diabetes, to reduce their risk of having a heart attack….but they struggle to move so ‘exercise’ can create anxiety, fear or the sense of pending failure. </span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How can we help?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">GP Surgeries hold regular meetings that their patients can go along to. You could find out when they are held &amp; go along, listen &amp; learn about the problems they have. Once you know the problem, you are in a better position to offer a solution. </span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider the old school model of flyers, posters, leaflets in your community, village hall, supermarket, local paper or at a local event/fete. </span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider organising a coffee morning during which you will share your solutions &amp; services. Which maybe low cost entry options or even free group sessions - if they come to your coffee morning what more could you educate them on during their coffee / social?</span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do we need additional education or special skills?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes - possibly or probably - it depends upon the audience you are looking to reach &amp; serve. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Programmes like GP referral, Obesity &amp; diabetes training, cardiac rehab training, mental health first aid, long covid rehabilitation &amp; of course iMoveFreely are all superb programmes to serve individuals with long term conditions, who may NOT want to join a gym but do want to help themselves or are just starting to explore solutions. </span>

&nbsp;
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where do I start?</span></h2>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Look for a long standing reputed education company, research options, talk to their sales teams, don’t just buy the cheapest!</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Do some research locally about what is missing in terms of services, can you be the solution to fill a gap &amp; unburden the local surgery?</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider (&amp; research) asking for funding as there may well be opportunities for those who can demonstrate ways to get people more active. Speak to the right people at your local council/borough.</span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Collect the data! Whatever your measuring tools are from health screening, biomechanical assessment, psychometric testing, pain questionnaires, satisfaction questionnaires etc this is all evidence of your ability to support your community in being physically more active &amp; healthy. Be sure to make it easy to analyse!</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">This is when evidence has the potential for bringing funding opportunities &amp; of course the bi-product is some great marketing information!</span>

&nbsp;

How will you up skill to enhance your reach?

How could you upgrade your marketing messages to engage 85% of the community NOT entering the gyms?

How will you serve them?

What do you need?

Who can help?

Can we help?

If you are still reading &amp; feel you have done this successfully already we would LOVE to hear from you. So please please do get in touch &amp; tell us about your experience!

info@biomechanicseducation.com

<hr />

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&nbsp;

References

(No date a) <i>Overview of the UK population - office for national statistics</i>. Available at: https://backup.ons.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/08/Overview-of-the-UK-population-August-2019.pdf (Accessed: 27 September 2023).
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(No date b) <i>Why and how are we living longer? - wiley online library</i>. Available at: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/EP086205 (Accessed: 27 September 2023).
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(No date c) <i>9 surprising gym statistics | realbuzz.com</i>. Available at: https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/fitness/article/9-surprising-gym-statistics/ (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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<i>ACSM Fitness trends</i> (no date) <i>ACSM_CMS</i>. Available at: https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/acsm-fitness-trends (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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Hattie (2022) <i>The changing demographics of gym members</i>, <i>IDS Media</i>. Available at: https://www.idsmedia.co.uk/news/changing-demographics-of-gym-members/ (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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Ihrsa (no date) <i>2021 IHRSA media report</i>, <i>2021 IHRSA Media Report</i>. Available at: https://hub.ihrsa.org/2021-ihrsa-media-report (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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Thompson, W.R. (no date) <i>Worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2023 : ACSM’s Health &amp; Fitness Journal</i>, <i>LWW</i>. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2023/01000/Worldwide_Survey_of_Fitness_Trends_for_2023.6.aspx?context=FeaturedArticles&amp;collectionId=1 (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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<i>The UK fitness report – 2022/23 gym statistics</i> (2022) <i>PureGym</i>. Available at: https://www.puregym.com/blog/uk-fitness-report-gym-statistics/ (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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White, D. (2021) <i>Gym statistics: How many people go to the gym UK 2021</i>, <i>Our Sporting Life</i>. Available at: https://oursportinglife.co.uk/gym-statistics-uk/ (Accessed: 24 March 2023).
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