**Introduction:**
Embark on a transformative journey with David Stalker as he discusses the monumental opportunity for the fitness industry post-pandemic. In this episode, Matthew engages David in a thought-provoking conversation on shifting mindsets, embracing the health sector, and becoming true health delivery partners. Join us as we explore the profound impact of COVID-19 as a catalyst for change and the immense potential for the fitness industry to rise above challenges and contribute to global well-being.
**Seizing the Opportunity Post-COVID-19:**
David challenges the conventional mindset within the fitness industry, urging professionals to move beyond merely selling fitness equipment. He emphasizes the need to ask why they are selling kit and encourages a shift towards becoming health delivery partners. COVID-19, despite its challenges, is identified as the biggest opportunity for the industry, providing an 80% increase in the population’s interest in health and fitness.
*”As much as we hate COVID and hate what happened, it’s the biggest opportunity that’s ever been given to this industry without a doubt.”*
**Transitioning to Health Delivery Partners:**
David unfolds the idea of transitioning from fitness roots to true health delivery partners. The focus shifts from selling fitness solutions to delivering holistic health benefits. He challenges operators to move beyond the pre-COVID balance sheets, envisioning a future where the fitness industry becomes an integral part of the health sector.
*”We need to move from that mindset of fitness, of course, we can’t desert fitness, but we need to understand that we need to be health delivery partners.”*
**A New Ambition: Knocking the Balance Sheet Out of the Park:**
David challenges operators’ ambitions, encouraging them to see beyond restoring pre-COVID balance sheets. Instead, he advocates for aiming higher, leveraging the 80% surge in public interest to elevate the fitness industry’s role as a recognized health sector. This paradigm shift positions fitness professionals as competitors against the pharmaceutical sector, offering holistic health solutions.
*”Your ambition should be to knock that balance sheet out of the park because you’ve had a new 80% opportunity of the population taking part and being interested in what you do.”*
**Navigating Challenges in the Health Sector:**
Acknowledging the challenges of entering the health sector, David shares insights from a lobbying session at the European Parliament. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the competition posed by the pharmaceutical sector. The discussion unveils the immense opportunity to impact public health positively, even in the face of formidable competitors.
*”We have stood up and said we’ve got what you can’t put in a tablet. We have got it, and that’s the ability to help people move, get going, and get exercising.”*
**Addressing Mental Health: The Pill of Exercise:**
David sheds light on mental health as a vital component of the fitness industry’s contribution to well-being. With a staggering percentage of the population on anti-depressants, he underscores the role of exercise in mental health. The discussion challenges the prevalent prescription of medication and advocates for a shift towards prescribing exercise as a more effective and side-effect-free alternative.
*”We’ve got a health sector that are just handing them out like malteasers or M&M’s, and we need to change that mentality and get them thinking, no, no, no, no, we must prescribe exercise.”*
**The Professionalism and Pride of Health Delivery Partners:**
The conversation concludes with a call for pride and professionalism within the fitness industry. David urges professionals to stand tall as health delivery partners and to believe in their ability to deliver positive health outcomes. The path to making inroads into the health sector lies in embracing the role of professionals committed to the well-being of their clients.
*”They should be proud of themselves, and they should be standing up and saying we are professionals, and we are able to do this, and then we will start making inroads into this not just say we’re Health delivery Partners actually be Health delivery Partners.”*
**Conclusion:**
Join David Stalker and Matthew as they unravel the transformative potential of the fitness industry, transcending the challenges of COVID-19 and stepping into a new era as health delivery partners. The episode serves as a rallying call for professionals to recognize their pivotal role in shaping a healthier future and to embrace their identity as true contributors to global well-being.
Until next time,
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