Health sports: the next fitness trend

How to develop a sport-health offer in a fitness club or for an independent sports coach?

 

The fitness industry is moving fast. As a fitness professional, you need to be nimble and adapt to new industry trends.

The next trend in the fitness industry is undeniable; it's called Health Fitness.

We actually held a Webinar on the subject. So, if you'd rather listen to the content than read this article, here's the replay of that Webinar.

Where does this conclusion come from?

Health sports was the main topic of the Hexfit Tour

In October 2022, Hexfit organized the first edition of its "Hexfit Tour:
5 evenings in "afterwork" mode around discussions on the issues in the fitness world that are most important to you.

The subject that was on everyone's lips: sport and health.

These exchanges, rich in ideas, deserve their own article: here we offer you a summary of the major issues related to the development of a sport-health offer in gyms/fitness studios.

Regardless of what they are called, the common objective is one of size:
to attract and retain a clientele that wants to move
for their well-being, not for their figure.

The radical change in the fitness industry

The notion of sport-health is a clear break with the traditional vision of fitness. 

Internationally, fitness has always been focused on the primary goals of physical appearance or performance. This is one of the reasons why the industry was so hard hit during the Covid crisis - it was seen as non-essential.

The results of traditional fitness are obvious to the naked eye - perhaps that is why it has grown so much - BUT it does not have the long-term health objective.

Health Fitness, on the other hand, has the opposite objective. The priority is to be in good health by practicing an adapted physical activity, whatever one's morphology or age.

Developing an offer oriented on this health objective is at the heart of the concerns of independent sports coaches and fitness club owners. It is a change of culture, of methods, of approaches for all the professionals in the field.

A few years ago, the classic fitness talk was:

  • Lose weight
  • Move to feel better
  • Live longer by moving
 

Since then, the discourse has changed a lot:

  • Move to reduce stress
  • Move for your mental health
  • Move to feel better about your body

5 ways to develop a sport and health offer

Whether you are a fitness club or an independent sports coach, it is possible to develop a sport and health offer. Here is a summary of the main actions to be taken to achieve this!

Develop a structure
sport-health structure

  • Advise teams of the health issue and the path to follow for the future
  • Develop listening skills and empathy
  • Integrate notions of personal development into one's support
  • Define an adapted management of the client according to his pathology

Develop partnerships
with other health and wellness professionals

  • Create a link with the medical profession on the importance of the coach in the care loop
  • Present yourself to them with scientific evidence
  • Get closer to alternative medicine professionals
  • Choose a location close to prescribers, such as doctors, osteos, physiotherapists, etc.

Changing mindsets:

Deconstructing the general public's apprehensions

  • Raise public and professional awareness of the importance of cardio, diet, rest and biomechanics in everyday health
  • Become a member of Active FNEAPL and Union Sport Cycle to federate coaches and professionalize

Learn about existing ways
existing ways of doing things

To go further: view the Webinars below!

Take collective action to change the system!

This is a long-term ambition, of course! But it can bear fruit if it is carried out collectively. 

As we have seen, the health and wellness ecosystem in France, Quebec and around the world is united. So even if this objective is ambitious, it is achievable!

Raising awareness among the general public 

  • How can we promote sport through health, make people aware of the positive impact of physical activity on their health and ultimately attract patients to the clubs?
  • How to change mentalities and get people to pay for their health?

 Getting the government to move

  • How to raise awareness among public authorities?
  • How can we reduce the financial burden to remove the budget barrier, develop sports on prescription and encourage reimbursement by the social security?
  • To insert the approach in a system similar to the SAP with AICI

Guaranteeing the quality of sports and health coaches 

  • How to develop a quality certification for sports coaches in health sports?

A new lease on life for the fitness industry

During the Hexfit Tour, many ideas were brought forward about health and fitness; thank you all again for your active and enthusiastic participation!

They have given rise to this article which, we hope, will give rise to the wellness fitness, health sport, physical activity for all...

In short, a movement where everyone moves, even the most sedentary, at an adapted pace, and develops healthy habits to prevent the diseases and pains of age!

The community spirit that has been created around the events paves the way for great ambitions: we all contribute, hand in hand, to a world in better shape. Even the industry's biggest dreams seem achievable, so strong is the union! Thank you for this energy.

 

Camille Boutin

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