Podcasts about fitness industry association

For decades, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association has been polling Americans about their participation levels in more than 100 sports and activities. The data, released annually in their Topline Participation Report, breaks those numbers down by individual sports and activities, types of sports like water sports, winter sports or racquet sports, and also by gender, age and income levels. The result is an incredibly comprehensive look at who is playing what and what the barriers might be for others based on their gender, age and income levels among other factors. Their latest report, whose research was led by senior director and head of research Alex Kerman — our guest on this episode — is filled with interesting data. [article_sidebar]As far as the headlines go, the great news is that people are moving more. For the first time, the report concluded that over 80 percent of Americans are active in something, which means they participate in one of those sports or activities at least once last year. And what are they playing? Well, once again pickleball is by far the fastest-growing sport, at least by percentage of new people reporting that they play. Pickleball, however, isn’t the only success story. Team sports in general are trending upward, including many that were on the program at the last Olympic Games or that will make their debut at the 2028 Olympic Games, like flag football, which was another winner. In this conversation, we break down the numbers from this fascinating report, talk about why the growth sports are growing and what the next big thing may be in the years to come. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laura Gainor’s background in pickleball is significant, as she was around the sport in some of its earlier days before it became a national phenomenon. During her time in marketing at USA Pickleball, she witnessed first-hand how the sport was taking off. Today, of course, the numbers speak for themselves. In last year’s Topline Participation Report produced by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the group’s researchers reported that pickleball grew 58 percent in participation in the previous year. And over the past three years, that participation has grown by some 223 percent. As a result, brands are looking to get involved with the sport any way they can and event organizers are searching for ways to activate a pickleball experience around their events as well. And development is coming in, too. Entire communities around the country are being planned with pickleball courts in mind to allow people more access to play. Gainor saw the writing on the wall for all these trends and launched Pickleball in the Sun as a way to help brands, event organizers and others navigate the fast-evolving world of pickleball. In this conversation, we discuss how those brands look different today, what you should know about including pickleball as a component of your event, where the sport is going and what, if anything, may slow its momentum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, or SFIA, takes on a number of research projects designed to offer insight into the world of sports through the lens of participation, equipment sales and other metrics. But the Topline Participation Report is one of the longest-standing and most ambitious surveys the organization conducts. Each year, thousands of people are surveyed about which one of 124 different activities they participate in and how often. The end result is a wealth of data and trends that tracks which sports are gaining popularity and which are struggling. You may have heard the stat that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. That's true, and that stat comes from and is verified by this report, which shows the wildly popular sport up another 50 percent in participation in the past year. We'll go into why that remains the case, but the pickleball data only scratches the surface of this report. And in an Olympic year when many otherwise obscure sports get their highest visibility, you can expect some interesting things in the year ahead, which we'll go into as well. Another trend that's on the rise: team sports. More and more people are participating as a group and loving it. And we'll go into which team sports they are liking the most. All of this information is invaluable for those who are in the business of organizing and hosting sports events. And the best news of all — both for the industry and for humankind — is that overall, participation in sports events is up and inactivity is down, a trend that we can all get behind. So sit back and enjoy this conversation with SFIA President and CEO Tom Coveas we dive into the data to pick out all the trends you need to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America's fastest growing sport is feeling growing pains.  Pickleball has exploded in popularity in the last few years, especially among older people looking for ways to socialize and keep in shape. Described as a mashup of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, the sport is relatively easy to learn and fun to play.  In 2022, there were 8.9 million U.S. pickleball players over age six, according to a 2023 Sports & Fitness Industry Association report referenced by USA Pickleball, the sport's national governing body.To keep up with demand, cities across Minnesota have been adding pickleball courts. Life Time, the Chanhassen-based fitness chain, has built about 500 courts nationwide and plans to double that to 1,000 by the end of 2024. And private pickleball clubs are popping up to offer beginner classes, leagues and tournaments.  But with popularity have come challenges, including injuries, complaints about noise from neighbors, fights over court time and a struggle to keep the game friendly and affordable for beginners.  MPR News host Angela Davis talks about the popularity of pickleball and its future.   Guests:  Fuyei Xaykaothao is the founder of PikNinja Sports in Eagan, Minn., which makes pickleball gear and paddles. He's also a former college tennis player and a former associate director of the non-profit St. Paul Urban Tennis.  Justin Hammerback is co-owner of Dropshot Pickleball Club in Shakopee, Minn., which opened nine indoor pickleball courts this summer.  Trent Stensrud is a pickleball player and physical therapist with TRIA in Bloomington, Minn. He just self-published a book called “Pain-Free Pickleball” on how to avoid injuries.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS. Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

Pickleball fever has swept Philly — and the nation. A mix of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong, the game is now the fastest growing sport in America, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Philly alone is home to more than a dozen public and private pickleball courts. Host Trenae Nuri speaks with Andrew Freedman, an instructor and ambassador for USA Pickleball, about why this sport is so popular and how you can start playing. For more information about Andrew's pickleball meetups in Seger Park, click here. Want some more Philly news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Philly. We're also on Twitter and Instagram! Follow us @citycastphilly. Have a question or just want to share some thoughts with the team? Leave us a voicemail or send us a text at 215-259-8170. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Designated “the fastest-growing sport in America” by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association in the last three years, pickleball is blowing up here in the Bay Area, too. Local enthusiasts say the sport has helped them stay active during the pandemic and find community.  Today on the Bay: a field trip to Bushrod Park, the heart of Oakland's pickleball scene, to see what all the hype is about.  Guest: Alix Wall, Freelance writer, Darlene Vendegna, Oakland's USA Pickleball Association Ambassador Links:  A look inside Oakland's booming pickleball scene This episode was produced by Maria Esquinca and Jehlen Herdman. Molly Solomon guest edited. Ericka Cruz Guevarra is the host.

Max Ade is the co-founder and CEO of Pickleheads, the #1 online destination for pickleball. Pickleheads helps players find nearby courts and organize games. The company is backed by Ardent, Overline and Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman's Boardroom Pickleball. Max previously founded and sold a freelance marketplace called Growth Collective. Pickleball has cemented itself as the fastest-growing participation sport in the US with 36.5 million people playing between August 2021 and August 2022. According to research from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, participation nearly doubled in 2022 increasing by 86% year-over-year, and by an astonishing 159% over three years. Learn more about the rapid growth of Pickleball: https://sportstechfeed.substack.com/p/participation-vs-consumption-or-why -- Subscribe to Sports Tech Feed, your source for sports technology insights, news, and analysis: https://sportstechfeed.substack.com/

Pickleball is America's fastest growing sport. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, pickleball has seen a 156.7% increase in players over the past three years.  Described as a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball is attracting fans of racquet sports from across the country. And this increase in interest has come with both serious problems and incredible opportunities.   Takeaway producer Cat Sposato takes a quick journey through the world of pickleball at Lifetime fitness club locations across New York state. She finds out the appeal behind the game, learns about its possibilities for professional opportunities, and uncovers the challenges the sport still has to overcome.

Pickleball is America's fastest growing sport. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, pickleball has seen a 156.7% increase in players over the past three years.  Described as a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball is attracting fans of racquet sports from across the country. And this increase in interest has come with both serious problems and incredible opportunities.   Takeaway producer Cat Sposato takes a quick journey through the world of pickleball at Lifetime fitness club locations across New York state. She finds out the appeal behind the game, learns about its possibilities for professional opportunities, and uncovers the challenges the sport still has to overcome.

If you've ever watched Shark Tank or pitched your own business, you're familiar with the concept of addressable market, or total addressable market (TAM). It's an ever important metric to determine whether the thing you're talking about has room for growth or - to put it simply - a way to quantify how many people care or could care about the thing you're selling.I told you that to tell you this: Pickleball is booming.A couple of facts point us in that direction, but most importantly, market size. According to Marketwatch, The global pickleball Paddle market - that's just paddles - was valued at $126.5 million in 2019 and is expected to reach $218.2 million by the end of 2026.People are making pickleball a business and business is booming. But outside of that, regular humans are loving the game: according to the Sport and Fitness Industry Association, it's the fastest growing sport in the US. How big is it? 4.8 million people played it in 2021.There's even a major league of pickleball, which - get this, wants to bring the number of people playing pickleball in the US up to 30 million by 2030.Investors in Major league pickleball include Naomi Osaka, Kevin Durant, Patrick Mahomes, Lebron James, Tom Brady, Heidi Klum, and Budweiser just to name a few. By the way, pro Pickleball is going to be interesting - there's going to be relegation and promotion - if you've watched Ted Lasso (or European football in general), you're familiar with the drama of that.So, on this week's episode of the podcast, we dig in. We talk about how we found the game, Chris shares what led him to build a business in the racket sports space, and we generally just have a fantastic time.References: Toss and SpinToss and Spin on InstagramChris on aSweatLife, Why is everyone you know playing PickleballThe New York Times, Pickleball WarsFrom aSweatLife, A workout to prepare to play pickleballFrom market watch, Pickleball paddle market sizeThe Wall Street Journal, Pickleball investmentsNPR, Inside America's Fastest Growing SportKevin Durant and pickleballForbes, celebrity Pickleball investmentsBloomberg Business of Sports Podcast, Celebrity investors in Pickleball (ft. Jason Kelly who has also been on this podcast) A Global overview of the Pickleball Market SizeBreakpoint on NetFlixTennis player, Nick KyrgiosTyson McGuffin, Pro pickleball player sponsored by Sketcher Kelly's thing she loves Flora Hemp SpiritsJeana's thing she loves, The State of Fitness

Quizmasters Lee and Marc meet for a trivia quiz with topics including Sports, Food, Tarot, Biology, Medical, James Bond, 80's TV, Shakespeare, Wine and more! Round One SPORTS - What racket/paddle sport was invented in the 1960's in the Pacific Northwest, is played on a doubles badminton court and was named the fastest growing sport in the United States by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association in 2021 and 2022? FOOD - Hasenpfeffer is a stew made from what animal? TAROT - Tarot cards are often classified into which four suits? ANIMAL BIOLOGY - Metachrosis is the ability for an animal to do what? MEDICAL - Often removed during medical emergencies, what worm-shaped organ do humans share with chimpanzees and is believed to have once-aided digestion of course plant matter in early humans? NFL - This year the NFL made history by hosting its first football game in what European country on November 13th, 2022? Round Two JAMES BOND - For how many 007 films did Timothy Dalton play James Bond? 80's TV - Which actress on The Golden Girls was born a year earlier than the actress who played her character's daughter on the series? FRUITS - Used to make a red liqueur when soaked in gin, what is the fruit of the Blackthorn or prunus spinosa? FIGURE SKATING - Named for the Austrian skater who invented and first performed it in 1913, what is the highest-point value jump in figure skating? WORLD LEADERS - In 2005, Yulia Tymoshenko became the first female prime minister of which country (the second largest in Europe)? SHAKESPEARE - Which of Shakespeare's tragedies has an ending that was wholly rewritten in 1681 due to audience's perception that the original was "too depressing" before returning to popularity in the 19th century, and whose title character has been played on-screen by Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen, Brian Blessed and Burgess Meredith? Rate My Question WINE - Originally planted during the Turkish invasion, the Bleu de Cologne is the world's oldest producing grape vine and is located in which nation along the Adriatic? Final Questions FISH - A member of the halfbeak family, what funny looking silver baitfish has a name which means "extravagant publicity or fuss"? GEOMETRY - A hendecagon is a plane figure with how many straight sides? Upcoming LIVE Know Nonsense Trivia Challenges December 14th, 2022 - Know Nonsense Challenge - Point Ybel Brewing Co. - 7:30 pm EST December 15th, 2022 - Know Nonsense Trivia Challenge - Ollie's Pub Records and Beer - 7:30 pm EST You can find out more information about that and all of our live events online at KnowNonsenseTrivia.com All of the Know Nonsense events are free to play and you can win prizes after every round. Thank you Thanks to our supporters on Patreon. Thank you, Quizdaddies – Gil, Tim, Tommy, Adam, Brandon, Blake Thank you, Team Captains – Kristin & Fletcher, Aaron, Matthew, David Holbrook, Mo, Lydia, Rick G, Skyler Thank you, Proverbial Lightkeepers – Elyse, Kaitlynn, Frank, Trent, Nina, Justin, Katie, Ryan, Robb, Captain Nick, Grant, Ian, Tim Gomez, Rachael, Moo, Rikki, Nabeel, Jon Lewis, Adam, Lisa, Spencer, Hank, Justin P., Cooper, Sarah, Karly, Lucas, Mike K., Cole, Adam, Caitlyn H, Sam, Spencer, Stephen Thank you, Rumplesnailtskins – Mike J., Mike C., Efren, Steven, Kenya, Dallas, Issa, Paige, Allison, Kevin & Sara, Alex, Loren, MJ, HBomb, Aaron, Laurel, FoxenV, Sarah, Edsicalz, Megan, brandon, Chris, Alec, Sai, Nathan, Tim, Andrea, Ian, Aunt Kiki, Clay, Cam, Littlestoflambs, Seth If you'd like to support the podcast and gain access to bonus content, please visit http://theknowno.com and click "Support."

There is nothing quite as valuable to sports organizations and destinations that host their events than data. And one of the leading organizations that has been diving into data analysis for years is the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. The association, whose members include sporting goods and fitness brands, manufacturers, retailers and maerkters, has one of the deepest data pools in the country, annually surveying Americans 6 years old and up about their levels of participation in a list of sports that now tops 120 different activities. Every year, the association issues a Topline Report detailing which of those sports and activities are on the upswing and which are headed down. Toss in a worldwide pandemic that has fundamentally shifted the way everyone participates in the activities they love and you've got a data set that is ripe for analysis and contemplation for all who organize sports events at all levels. Tom Cove has been the assocaition's longtime president and CEO and his take on why some sports are doing better than others is always worth a listen. In this episode, we discuss with him those activities that are faring well and why, what impact the Olympics is having on sports that are part of the official program, what sports-event organizers should be thinking about when it comes to retaining athletes, and how age and income can determine not only your level of activity but the types of things you might go out and try. It's a fascingaitng conversation and one with considerable takeaways for anyone who has their hand in the sports events industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sports and Fitness Industry Association has made it official in its latest trends report: pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country. Over the past two years, participation is up 39 percent, including an increase of more than 20 percent from 2019 to 2020 when the pandemic helped drive the sport's appeal. Leading the charge on the sport's growth is USA Pickleball, which boasts 50,000 members and a robust events series that is also gaining momentum. Stu Upson, a veteran of the sports-events industry has been CEO since December 2020 and is leading the organization into the future with new sponsorship deals, broadcast deals for its largest events and a steady hand as the sport navigates questions of a gap in venues and a rapid rise of manufacturers and others wanting in on the action. In addition, professional leagues are sprouting, including some that are inking impressive hosting deals in some of the largest sports venues in the country. In this conversation with SportsTravel Executive Editor and Publisher Jason Gewirtz, Upson discusses what has accounted for the sport's growth in popularity, when venues will catch up with demand, what the event landscape looks like and what the biggest threats may be to the continued power of pickleball to gain new followers and fans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Mark and I spoke to Noah Rubin.  Noah used his family network to get started with a job at a sports trade association and moved on to a job at The San Jose Sharks. He just landed a major job in client services with the Washington Nationals.Guest Bio: Noah Rubin originally comes from Northern Virginia and grew up with a major passion for sports, specifically hockey and baseball. Attending the University of Delaware, and participating on the Division 2 hockey team, Noah found his passion for sports on the business side of things as he majored in Sport Management and Marketing. During his college years, he used his summers to participate in internships to learn more about the sports industry.Noah spent time as an equipment manager for the UD Football Team, working with the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, Alliance Sport Marketing, and the Philadelphia Eagles, and eventually entering into the professional world working as a Ticket Sales Associate for the New Jersey Devils. After taking a jump to San Jose to work in Inside Sales, he was able to pursue his passion for customer service by working in the Client Development and Retention side of the Sharks organization. From there, Noah worked to continue to progress in his career to earn a position at the Washington Nationals as an Inside Service Manager.

Terry Lefton is joined by Tom Cove, President of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. They discuss the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports equipment manufacturers and marketers.

If you think your fitness career or business is endangered because of COVID-19 (or if you aren’t sure you want to stay in the fitness industry), you’re not alone. Most fitness professionals and studio owners are feeling tons of pressure right now. And while the virus might be out of your control, you still have the power to decide how to protect and grow your fitness business. In this podcast episode, Association of Fitness Studios Founder & CEO Josh Leve discusses why now is the time to stay connected with the right people and resources–and the importance of remembering your WHY–the reason you started your fitness business in the first place. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When you think of the fastest-growing sports by participation, you might be surprised by which activities are gaining the most traction. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the sport seeing one of the biggest increases over the past three years has been BMX, up nearly 9 percent in participation over that time. That's no surprise to USA BMX, the national governing body for the sport, which has seen not only participation grow, but also the number of venues that cities are investing in to attract the sport and its largest events. And there are plenty of events. USA BMX sanctions more than 12,000 races a year and organizes its own national event series that has had cities reaching out to get a piece of the action. The world is taking notice as well. In 2020, Houston will host the UCI BMX World Championships at a new venue about to open. One of the key leaders in all of that growth and development has been John David, the chief operating officer of USA BMX and a longtime board member of the National Association of Sports Commissions, now known as the Sports Events & Tourism Association. In this podcast with SportsTravel Editor and Publisher Jason Gewirtz, David explains how the NGB has partnered with the sports tourism industry to grow its events, how the governing body has changed its approach to entry-level participants, the organization's upcoming move from Arizona to Oklahoma and how USA BMX engages with cities that may not even have a track.

Tom Cove is the President and CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), where he represents the interests of more than 500 leading manufacturers, brands, licensors, distributors and retailers of athletic equipment, footwear and apparel. Mr. Cove oversees SFIA initiatives to promote sports participation & safety, health & fitness, international trade, and product standards, and serves as liaison to international and national sports federations and government agencies. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association is the trade association of leading industry sports and fitness brands, suppliers, retailers and partners.

We're in trouble. Diseases related to obesity are riding into our communities at an alarming rate. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer... all on the backs of fat cells. Last Monday, the American Cancer Society released a report on a study published in The Lancet Public Health that examined 12 obesity related cancers between 1995 and 2014. They found a disturbing trend in adults between the ages of 24 to 49. Obesity related cancers - cancers that usually affect older adults in their 60's and 70's, are hitting Millennials to such a degree, that it's actually outpacing the medical progress we're making against those cancers. In other words, we're losing the battle. They found that the risk for colorectal, endometrial, pancreatic, and gallbladder cancers was about double the rate that baby boomers had at the same age. A CNN article titled For Millennials, cancers fueled by obesity are on the rise, study says explains "Millennials are on their way to being one of the heaviest generations on record.""Obesity during childhood actually is a major predictor of adult obesity"Dr. George ChangOncology Surgeon, MD Anderson Cancer CenterConclusion: recently published articles and trends are sending us a dire warning:  Get kids off the couch. Get them from out from in front of video games. Give them a fun reason to put down their cell phone and start interacting with the physical world and other humans around them. Let's take a look at the arguments.What's Going On?In short, we're getting fat. We're also getting sick and spending a lot of money because of it. The source cited is the 2007 Forbes article "World's Fattest Countries", written by Lauren Streib and dated February 8, 2007, using 2007 data from the World Health Organization Author: Mike HaltermanWhat's Causing This?The World Health Organization says very simply:"The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been:an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; andan increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing, and education."I won't go into all the reasons why we're struggling with obesity, but the usual round of suspects are featured all over the internet and in the news. Poor nutrition, environmental concerns (bad stuff getting into our food supply), and lack of exercise are the main villains. Basically, our kids are spending more time on the couch, head's down on their phones, and not eating well. The antidote seems pretty simple: get out and play! But instead of seeing more kids getting involved in youth sports, we're seeing fewer. Participation Rates in Youth Sports Are FallingI'd like to call out a recent article published in Forbes magazine by Seth Everett on December 25, 2018 titled Youth Soccer Facing New Challenges in Battle For Kids' Waning Attention. Seth references a study by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. They revealed a 14% decline in the percentage of kids from 6-12 years old who are playing soccer. Tom Farrey, the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program told the New York Times in an article titled Youth Soccer Participation Has Fallen Significantly in America that soccer has lost about 600,000 players. Looking at both articles, it would seem that both the pay-to-play phenomenon, the lack of good nutrition, and a more sedentary lifestyle are things that you and I can target right now to help us get ahead of this.

David Stalker pioneered change in the country’s not-for-profit health body for the physical activity sector, bringing a fresh face to its thousands of members. Today, he’s joined the Myzone team as CEO of EMEA, passionate about saving communities with fitness technology, experience and understanding. Watch the full episode on YouTube – https://youtu.be/kMG-_n7f6D0 Born and brought up in Kenya, David Stalker has been in the UK since 1988, after falling in love. He joined the fitness industry on a YMCA fitness instructor course and started out as a PT before transitioning to eventually become an award-winning fitness manager.  David’s continued success saw him rise through the ranks of the UK fitness industry in successful chains on both sides of the corporate and local authority fences. As CEO of ukactive, he led the fight against the nation’s obesity epidemic, while pioneering change from the Fitness Industry Association through its rebrand. Even after his time at ukactive, David’s enthusiasm to get more people, more active, more often is at his the heart of everything he does. He’s passionate about sharing his core values about wellbeing with the Myzone team and beyond. Myzone is an innovative wearable heart rate based system that uses wireless and cloud technology to accurately and conveniently monitor physical activity. It is successful due to its accuracy at 99.4%. This is the tool for anyone who wants an accurate, gamified and motivating wearable. Myzone monitors heart rate, calories and time exercising that convert into Myzone Effort Points (MEPs), with a focus on rewarding effort rather than fitness.     Episode Highlights:  Differences between fitness business in the corporate world and local authorities, and how the challenges of each can change. How the fitness industry overall has changed and what all the advances have left behind. The ways in which a new generation shifts how the industry needs to react, what benefits it provides and how customer education affects business. Why boutiques may be perfect for bigger cities and continue to grow, but how their growth into smaller cities may not be as successful. How we can learn from past mistakes in order to benefit the health of the nation. The effect of the pharmaceutical companies and other companies on why fitness isn’t more available to nations when it comes to accessibility. How businesses based around junk food and sugar have changed their models to parallel healthier options with their own products. How best of breed insights have been implemented in fitness equipment, and how the standards of training and facilities has improved dramatically through industry communication.   Join Matthew Januszek in conversation with David Stalker…

Follow us on Instagram (@sports.nerds), Twitter (@_SportsNerds), and Facebook (facebook.com/sportsnerds). John Peters of the Sports and Fitness Industry Association joins Brian and Sam to talk about trends in fitness and exercise and more. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sportsnerds/support

The SVP of government and public affairs for the Sports & Fitness Industry Association talks trade, tariffs and a new development with the PHIT Act.

For episode 044 we're excited to bring you one of the most sought after leaders in our space for an important discussion around data collection accuracy and its relationship to the growing demand for AI and machine learning in the fitness industry. We're talking with our returning guest, Dave Wright, the CEO of MYZONE for his second appearance on the show to explore the impact of collecting fitness data for practical use, the difference between incidental versus concerted activity when we look at fitness consumer activity,  where the gaps are in adoption and how our industry can rise to the demand for true omnipresence. We're also uncovering how MYZONE is proactively educating fitness professionals and leaders on how to take in the right data set, understand it, and use technology to support executing a sustainable health and fitness experience for the new era of our consumers. With more data sets being delivered than ever before, what are the most important ones and what do fitness leaders, trainers, and operators really get to pay attention to not only for ROI, but to deliver an enhanced customer experience? The answer to that question and many more takeaways for club operators, owners, and fitness professionals in this episode with Dave Wright. About Dave Wright  Dave Wright is the CEO & owner of Creative Fitness Marketing, a global company with offices in the UK, Australia and North America that has served the international fitness community since 1990, specifically helping people be more and stay more physically active.  He is also the CEO and creator of MYZONE® - a cloud based and wearable technology "Physical Activity Heart Rate Monitor & Fitness Tracker," used to monitor and increase exercise adherence.  As a health club operator with 10 health clubs, and a board director of the UK’s Fitness Industry Association, an international presenter, Dave is featured regularly in international trade magazines. Listen To Episode 044 As Dave Uncovers Why Dave believes that the wearable accuracy still has room to improve in order to achieve comprehensive functionality through "trustable" accuracy Incidental vs. concerted activity: Exploring the different segments of fitness consumer's movement activity  Understanding the 8 aspects of MYZONE's success for club owners and operators:  Products User communication Group display Intuitive reporting Effort points (MEPs)  Operator resources Best practices User interface Why time sedentary vs. active is one of the top three activity metrics any club owner or operator should be tracking The true standards of what really measures physical activity via World Health Organization Why Dave believes that the future of fitness technology will align with health insurance industry  Exercise adherence: what tech-based programs will deliver in 2018   Artificial Intelligence + Machine Learning: how MYZONE is taking a deeper look into utilizing these technologies to serve the fitness industry New developments around wearable tech in our industry Education for fitness professionals: MYZONE's educational curriculum in fitness and technology Virtual coaching & biometrics remotely monitored by a coaches: how dave sees biometric data being used specifically around coaching  How MYZONE has integrated Facebook to the customer journey Identifying the gaps for improvement and opportunity in regards to fitness data collection What data collection methods will be of most service to both the end-user and the coach or fitness professional Commonality of technology requests in regards to functionality they are looking for What is the deeper technology functionality that will benefit club owners and fitness pros in 2018 Top 3 Takeaways From The Show As operators and owners begin to use wearables and data sets more and more via incidental and concerted activity from their fitness consumers, Dave believes the most important thing is attaining trustable data. Your database in order for artificial intelligence or machine learning to be leveraged powerfully must be cleaned and trustable. Once these data sets are verified as being "clean" then you can start plugging in long-term behavior change strategies for the customer's journey. For savvy club owners and operators, as well as tech-minded fitness professionals, gathering all the right information about fitness and technology can be challenging at times. In addition to the Fitness + Technology Podcast, Dave suggests partitioning time for dedicated research around fitness tech trends by simply going to the Kickstarter website where you will see the intentions and possibilities around fitness tech in our space. Now is the time to set aside calendar blocks for this research, as staying on top of tech trends will help drive fitness facility and career success as AI and machine learning useage exponentially grow. With the rise of demand from all customer segments who want that seamless omnipresence from clubs both at home and inside the 4 walls, Dave sees that we are extremely behind the curve as an industry. He spoke to us about the "frictionless experience," otherwise known as the use of automatic triggers combined with machine learning and AI technology that will deliver seamless interactions required between the customer's exercise, activity, and lifestyle data sets that will change the way we do fitness, forever.  Power Quotes From Dave "Meeting the customer where they are is the most important thing in the age of technology. As an industry, currently one defendable position we have is not our bricks and mortar, it's our knowledge and our motivational skills including the ability for the trainer to spot, help, and support their customers personally."  - Dave Wright on the Fitness + Technology Podcast "If the data is not accurate then it's very hard to apply any form of machine learning. As operators and owners you might have various records on your database, but if that database is not cleaned and checked to make sure you can run credible data off the backend (with the same applying for any data from biometrics) then you can't yet start looking at behavior trends. Yet, that's the most exciting part of it, where we can start to spark really powerful change with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning." - Dave Wright on the Fitness + Technology Podcast "What are the limitations and why is it, as an industry, that for the best part of 50 years that 50% of all the people that join clubs now in January actually leave by November, or even stop exercising for April and May? It fascinates me as a business that it costs seven times more money to get a new member to your club then to keep an existing one, yet so much of the membership campaigns in health clubs around the world are just focused on filling the top end of the bucket, rather than asking how can we stop the flow of members out the back door." - Dave Wright on the Fitness + Technology Podcast #015 Resources Mentioned From Dave The 2017 FIT-C Fitness Technology Club Survey MYZONE website  MYZONE on Facebook  MYZONE on Twitter MYZONE on Instagram Ring: Doorbell company Fitbit: It All Hinges on The Watch KickStarter Technology + Fitness Segment Fitness + Technology Podcast #11 - Tom Cortese, CEO, Peloton Press about MYZONE Dave in Global Sports Jobs Technology Video Stuff Magazine features MYZONE At Midtown Athletic Clubs, MYZONE Engages Members Companies start implanting microchips into workers' bodies HILTON Hotels: Integrating Fitness As A PIllar of the Customer Journey MYZONE Signs on as ClubConnect Education Partner ROCK health digital health funding in Q1 2016 Fitbit accuracy questioned in May 2016 (lawsuit)  How wearable tech will be the heartbeat of the modern gym  Wearable Technology Awards MYZONE 2016  Fitness + Technology Podcast #015 - Dave Wright The Current State of Wearables Fitness + Technology podcast #001 Bryan O'Rourke: A New Era of Exponential Technology Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere Ventures, Integerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com Become A FIT-C Podcast Sponsor Contact the Fitness Industry Technology Council to become a Podcast Sponsor Review our various options for Sponsorship Send us a Facebook Message 

Dave Wright is the CEO & owner of Creative Fitness Marketing, a global company with offices in the UK, Australia and North America that has served the international fitness community since 1990, specifically helping people be more and stay more physically active.  He is also the CEO and creator of MYZONE® - a cloud based and wearable technology "Physical Activity Heart Rate Monitor & Fitness Tracker," used to monitor and increase exercise adherence.  As a health club operator with 10 health clubs, and a board director of the UK’s Fitness Industry Association, an international presenter, Dave is featured regularly in international trade magazines. Listen To Episode 015 As Dave Uncovers What is MYZONE and what problem(s) does it solve in our industry? Why Dave believes consumer marketing campaigns are inundating club owners  The data behind why 50% of people that start their fitness program in January quit the same year How MYZONE technology guides the fitness pro (effort levels and MEP's)  How MYZONE effort points (MEP's) are used in the group fitness setting How Midtown Athletic Club is using the MYZONE system to attract new members not on EFT to engage in club activities The recent partnership of Club Connect and MYZONE for educating fitness professionals in technology  How health fitness professionals and coaches can use MYZONE and wearable technology in future settings to maximize profit and efficacy on the club floor Understanding machine learning in virtual coaching for automatic messaging systems The landscape of wearables: wrist worn, chest, clothing and activity reminders vs. activity trackers  Incidental activity trackers and concerted activity trackers: accelerometers and phones  How consumers are in pre-contemplation stages of behavior change using wearables   Why heart rate recovery is the true measure of fitness for clients across the industry Why the chest  strap will always be the king in heart rate monitoring because it's not a question of technology, it's a question of physiology The one thing Dave believes the club owners should be looking for around wearable technology in 2017 Top 3 Takeaways From The Show  As the multitudes of technology platforms and wearable devices increase, smart club owners must partition dedicated time to research their best options. What's most important in the age of AI, machine learning, and the internet of things, is that whatever technology solution a club decides to offer to their members, it must work with devices both old and new to deliver a seamless experience that meets the member at their deepest needs. The intimidation factor of new technologies for group instructors and club owners of both small and big-box clubs are being alleviated by forward thinking companies like MYZONE and others in partnerships to proactively educate fitness pros on how wearable technology can enhance their relationships with clients.  Dave believes that education around wearables is the glue that  will hold everything together between the consumer, the device, and the trainer being able to get the most out of these new opportunities. The successful clubs of the future will implement foundational and progressive educational programs that both empower and inspire fitness industry professionals as a whole to adopt new wearable technologies as we move forward. Power Quotes From Dave "The struggles that club owners have is the intimidation factor of any new form of technology. It's one thing to have someone with wearable device, but it's another to be able to analyze the data. That's both the real key and opportunity. Doing nothing is no longer a solution for operators; they don't want to be another blockbuster or Kodak while sitting back to watch." - Dave Wright on the Fitness + Technology Podcast "What are the limitations and why is it, as an industry, that for the best part of 50 years that 50% of all the people that join clubs now in January actually leave by November, or even stop exercising for April and May? It fascinates me as a business that it costs seven times more money to get a new member to your club then to keep an existing one, yet so much of the membership campaigns in health clubs around the world are just focused on filling the top end of the bucket, rather than asking how can we stop the  flow of members out the back door." - Dave Wright on the Fitness + Technology Podcast Resources Mentioned From Dave MYZONE website  Press about MYZONE Dave in Global Sports Jobs Technology Video Stuff Magazine features MYZONE At Midtown Athletic Clubs, MYZONE Engages Members MYZONE Signs on as ClubConnect Education Partner ROCK health digital health funding in Q1 2016 Fitbit accuracy questioned in May 2016 (lawsuit)  How wearable tech will be the heartbeat of the modern gym  Wearable Technology Awards MYZONE 2016  Support This Podcast Leave a 5 star review on iTunes Share this episode with someone you care about Contact FIT-C for podcast sponsorship and partnership opportunities  Download the 2017 Tech Trends report Thanks To Our Outstanding Sponsors Bryan O’Rourke and his family of companies including Vedere Ventures, Integerus Advisors, and many more. If you are looking for unmatched guidance, capital, insights or a great speaker or facilitator, Bryan and his partners are the go to resource for your organization. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com The Fitness Industry Technology Council, your non-profit resource for reliable technology information supported by forward looking brands who are seeking to drive increased technology adoption in the fitness industry. Make a difference and join FIT-C at fittechcouncil.org today Check out Bryan and his partner Robert Dyer's recent book "9 Partnership Principles: A Story of Life Lessons" which is available now on Amazon.com

Given the White House's recent announcement of new tariffs on nearly $200B in Chinese goods, we have special guest Bill Sells, the head of Government Relations for the Sports & Fitness Industry Association on the podcast to explain how the trade war might impact the sporting goods industry.   PermalinkSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/sport-lifestyle-podcast/donations