Healthy New Year

Healthy New Year Studio Pilates (above) and exercise prescription in action (below).

Nigel Benton looks at trends in the fitness industry for the coming year

The end of the year and the beginning of a new one - or decade according to some reckonings – sees the fitness industry look to predictions of how the upcoming 12 months will unfold and the trends that the industry will follow.

Traditionally led by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), which has published its Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends annually for the last 14 years, the final months of 2019 has seen others - including Fitness Australia, technology platform MINDBODY and Shaun Krenz, Event Director for the Fitness Show – give their own analysis of prospects for the market.

Largely concurring with the ACSM’s survey (see page 40), but in a somewhat different order, a Fitness Australia survey of its industry business members asking for predictions for next year anticipates that ‘Exercise is Medicine’ will be the hottest trend in the fitness industry for 2020.

Commenting on the significance of the results, Fitness Australia Chief Executive, Barrie Elvish advised “having our

members identify exercise as medicine as the top trend for 2020 reinforces that preventive health should be at the top of the Australian health agenda.

“Through the Exercise is Medicine program, doctors are provided resources to assist with recommending exercise to their patients - as obesity levels continue to rise it has never been more important for primary care practitioners to take a proactive approach to exercise prescription as a form of preventive medicine.”

Within Australia’s Top 12 Fitness Trends for 2020, the additions for this market were exercise for stress management and inclusive fitness - something that Australia may be more accepting of than the USA.

Patented by the ACSM in 2007, the origins of Exercise is Medicine go back to the early 1990s when GP referral and ‘green prescription’ initiatives were pioneered in the United Kingdom.

That Australian fitness businesses see linking health care providers with fitness providers is of massive significance with implications that not only see fitness providers reach new sections of the population but also go towards governmental goals to get Australians more active and healthy.

Such potential has frequently been boxed as a ‘must do’ for fitness but it is significant that business operators now see it as a key issue.

With Fitness Australia reporting that almost four million Australians are members of fitness clubs - around 15% of the population - for these business owners as well as the rest of the industry, reaching a portion of the remaining 85% of the population has to be a goal.

With Fitness Australia’s vision of having more people more active more often comes reaching a broader user-base, with Elvish noting “what we also see is a large shift towards

The first health club group to list on the ASX, Viva Leisure is one of the largest club owners in Australia with over 40 facilities within the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, with the majority operating under the Club Lime brand.

Viva sites are company owned not franchised.

guaranteeing the accessibility of inclusive fitness services - addressing inequality, offering a supportive and welcoming environment where people share a common goal of improving their fitness and health - they are not judged or discriminated against based on their immutable characteristics.

“These characteristics can include race, religion, age, gender, and disability status or body weight.”

Linking with Wellness

While IBISWorld’s market research, most recently its latest Gyms and Fitness Centres – Australia report suggests the industry is reaching saturation, the potential in reaching new markets, this 85%, is crucial for fitness. A pathway to activity for people from their primary care practitioners through to activity providers creates a significant market opportunity and will also see a true fusing of fitness with wellness.

Encapsulating this change opportunity, Silke Frank, Event Director for Germany’s FIBO industry exhibition (which owners Reed Exhibitions also delivers in China, the USA, South Africa and, as of 2020, Singapore as well as operating Australia’s Fitness Shows) explains FIBO consider the notion of wellness to have long since moved beyond being a feelgood program with it now being part of an active and healthy experiential lifestyle.

Frank advises “wellness encapsulates how we live, eat and work, the way we play, travel and maintain our vitality, our methods for dealing with stress and our response to illnesses.

“Today, wellness is rarely viewed as a separate discipline or simply as a supplement to fitness. It is now recognised as a holistic attitude to life that encompasses fitness, nutrition, relaxation, stress reduction and social connectedness.”

The Ageing (and Baby Boomer) Market

With even the youngest members of the ‘Baby Boom’ generation - considered as those individuals born in the period from the end of the Second World War (1946) and 1960 or 1964, depending on definitions – reaching the second half of their 50s, industry entrepreneur Tony de Leede, the original Managing Director of

Plus Fitness 24/7 opens in Singapore.

Fitness First in Australia and founder of FitnFast Health Clubs (recently sold to Viva Leisure - see below) sees massive potential in this market, commenting “more people are now turning 55 each year than are turning 25 and this is a massive market that wants to stay active and healthy.”

Recent Fitness Australia research shows they are the nation’s most active generation, racking up 364 hours of physical activity each year, beating out their younger counterparts with those under 40 averaging 281 hours of activity each year.

The research suggests that, by comparison, younger generations could also learn from their older counterparts when it comes to overcoming internal barriers to being active, with those under 40 more than twice as likely as Baby Boomers to avoid physical activity because they feel they don’t fit in or are too embarrassed.

Explaining that while the majority of Baby Boomers (a sector also identified in the ACSM’s trends) are getting physically active to improve their health, confidence is also a huge driver. Here Barrie Elvish explains “our research found that for half of older Australians a key benefit of being active is proving to themselves that they can still do it. As a Baby Boomer myself, it is extremely gratifying to see this generation embracing physical activity, challenging themselves and enjoying the physical, mental and social benefits.”

Advising that the desire among Baby Boomers to be healthy, confident and strong has led to an increased demand for experts who understand Baby Boomers’ needs as well as tailored programs, Elvish added “we now have almost 10,000 Fitness Australia registered trainers qualified to specifically work with Baby Boomers and service the increasing number heading to gyms and fitness centres. Boomers are also enjoying a range of other activities including walking, gardening, swimming and playing team sports.”

Tapping into this market, the upcoming Healthy Ageing Summit - being held in Brisbane from the 27th to 29th March 2020 will consider healthy lifestyles for the over 45s.

Healthy Ageing Institute founder Ken Baldwin explains “over 80% of the world’s wealth is controlled by this age group and they have a growing desire to spend money on fulfilling their wants and needs as they age (but) this market is highly under serviced.”

Arrivals and Expansion

Growth among club chains is set to continue in 2020, building on ongoing openings and numerous success stories of the past year, with Australian-founded F45 Training evolving into a global phenomena; Plus Fitness opening its first club in Singapore and further expanding in India; Jetts also growing in the region with its 11th club in Thailand; and wellness franchise Studio Pilates opening its first Western Australian location as well as studios in China and the USA.

As for overseas brands, Gold’s Gym has announced a new master franchise agreement for brand development in Australia with local investment group Colour Capital, aiming to deliver a minimum of 30 new Gold’s Gym Australia locations and 10 in New Zealand, while Planet Fitness has also launched in Australia with a commitment to open 35 locations.

Planet Fitness’ growth is to be driven by a development deal signed with Bravo Fit Holdings - joint venture set up by two existing US franchisees, Bravo Fit and PF Growth Partners – in partnership with Galactic Fitness, a company owned and operated by Dallas Rosekelly, who previously owned, the entirely separate, Planet Fitness Australia based in the NSW Hunter Valley.

With its low cost memberships at $5 a week, Planet Fitness’ ‘Judgement Free’ branding is tailored for the first-time gymgoer, opening the potential for a wide scope of prospective clients.

In addition, Viva Leisure, the first fitness club group to list on

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Now operating over 40 wholly-owned clubs in the ACT, NSW, Victoria and, most recently Queensland, with the majority operating under the Club Lime brand, the group is looking at ongoing expansion. Planet Fitness (above) and Viva Leisure’s Club Lime brand (above right).

Since its ASX floatation on 7th June, Viva Leisure has exceeded its prospectus forecasts. It has also acquired 13 FitnFast clubs (10 clubs in NSW, two in Victoria and one in the ACT), gaining a minimum of 21,500 members and entered the Queensland market with the purchase of 10 Healthworks Fitness Centres in the south east of the state – gaining around 12,500 members.

Wearable technology: Includes fitness trackers, smart health watches, heart rate monitors and GPS tracking devices. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT involves short bursts of activity followed by a short period of rest or recovery. Despite concerns expressed by some fitness professionals, these 30-minute or less sessions continue to be a popular form of exercise around the world. Group training: Group exercise instructors teach, lead and motivate individuals through intentionally designed, larger, inperson group movement classes of more than five participants. Group programs are designed to be motivational and effective for people at different fitness levels, with instructors using leadership techniques that help individuals achieve fitness goals. Training with free weights: Instructors focus on teaching proper form for exercises using barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells and/or medicine balls. Resistance progressively increases as correct form is accomplished. Training with free weights is a new entrant to the list, debuting in fourth place in 2020. Personal Training: The popularity of one-on-one training continues to increase as it becomes more accessible online, in clubs, at home and in worksite fitness facilities. Personal training includes fitness testing and goal setting with the trainer working one on one with a client to prescribe workouts specific to individual needs and goals. Exercise is Medicine®: This global health initiative by ACSM encourages health care providers to include physical activity assessment and associated referrals to certified fitness professionals in the community for every patient. Bodyweight Training: Bodyweight training uses minimal equipment, making it more affordable. Not limited to just pushups and pull-ups, this trend allows people to get ‘back to the basics’ with fitness. Fitness Programs for Older Adults: As Baby Boomers age into retirement, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active. Health/Wellness Coaching: This growing trend integrates behavioural science into health promotion and lifestyle medicine programs. A one-one-one and small group approach provides support, goal setting and encouragement. Employing Certified Fitness Professionals: Hiring health/ fitness professionals certified through programs accredited by the NCCA is more important than ever. ACSM is one of the largest and most prestigious fitness-certification organisations in the world.

Nigel Benton is Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management.

The American College of Sports Medicine Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2020

Other Trends

2020 also looks set to see the fitness consumer presented with massive choice: from low cost clubs to luxury facilities; multi-million dollar local council aquatic, fitness and recreation centres to small specialist studios; backed by data-driven tracking, monitoring and booking technologies.

To drive the many opportunities, the Australian fitness industry will remain fiercely competitive requiring businesses and professionals to remain innovative and entrepreneurial.

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