#TrainerTip – Revisit your space periodically with fresh eyes. Is it physically safe for all bodies? Are there any places where people might trip or get caught on a piece of equipment? Is it tidy with the equipment all put away regularly? Is there enough space between racks so folks in larger bodies can pass through with ease? Do you have any heavy equipment is a tight spot that might encourage clients to pick it up with poor form? And so on…
When clients come into our spaces, they are spending a lot of their mental awareness on getting used to a new place and they don’t have much left to notice a tripping hazard etc. It’s our job as trainers and gym owners to make it hard for them to get hurt just walking around. It’s also our responsibility to set up clear expectations for how to use the equipment and navigate the space safely from their first day.
What actions have you taken or protocols have you put in place to make your space safer for all bodies? Need suggestions? Ask your clients if they have ideas or send us a message. We’re happy to help brainstorm! info@bodypositivefitness.org
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Friday is the LAST DAY to SAVE $50 with the EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT when you register for the BPFA Inclusive FitPro Summit! We’re bringing together fitness professionals of any movement discipline who are transforming the health and fitness industry into a space that is welcoming and inclusive for all bodies. At Summit you can expect business skills workshops led by industry trailblazers, inclusively minded fitness demos, and social time to network. May 19-21st in Toronto, Ontario and online.
The traditional fitness industry is saturated with businesses fighting over the same small percentage of people who fit the mold of what fitness “should look like”. As more and more participants and pros realize that fitness can and should be accessible to all people, we’re finding a dramatic increase in the potential market. Clients who see themselves thoughtfully considered become loyal customers. By sponsoring the BPFA Inclusive FitPro Summit, your brand will be in front of an amazing group of FitPros in the US and Canada that are already connected to this burgeoning market of loyal shoppers/clients.
We’d love to work with you to create a mutually beneficial partnership. In exchange, we are providing various levels of exposure and access to a large and committed audience in the inclusive fitness community. Additionally, BPFA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so financial contributions from US entities are tax deductible. Please see the attached sponsorship package for details.
We rely on sponsorships like yours to make this event possible. To lock in your sponsorship package, just send an email to info@bodypositivefitness.org
Our annual summit returns to York University in Tonronto, Ontario! May 19th – 21st, 2023, In-person and Online.
BPFA Inclusive FitPro Community Members are invited for a weekend of networking, education, fellowship, and fun in Toronto!
As in years past, we are filling the weekend with engaging workshops led by BPFA Professionals. We’re also planning to spend some time with our Canadian fitness friends for some hands-on inclusive fitness sessions, putting our inclusive coaching skills into practice.
There will be smaller breakout sessions with members of the BPFA fam on various topics throughout the weekend, as well as numerous opportunities to move and play.
We’re pumped to make 2023 our best Summit yet, and we can’t wait to see you there!
More details will be announced in the coming weeks, such as hotel room blocks and Summit pricing. (For reference, we’ll be in the same pricing ballpark as prior years.) A more detailed schedule of events for the weekend will hit this page in the coming months. But it’s safe to go ahead and save this date on your calendar, and plan to fly into Toronto Pearson Airport (Code YYZ) if you’re excited to hang with the BPFA crew!
BIG NEWS! We’re thrilled to announce our collaboration with the incredible kettlebell coach and community organizer, @Damali.Fraiser!! Her new program, Coaches Corner Xpress, is an online kettlebell teaching course for coaches and personal trainers who are kettlebell curious and want to ensure that they incorporate kettlebell skills into their coaching safely and for all bodies. Safety is a matter of efficiency and skill. This course will help you to guide people to use the kettlebell effectively and efficiently to reduce the likeliness of injury, pain, and discomfort. And always remember, kettlebells are for every BODY!
CCX is more than just a self-paced online program. You’re learning from one of the best coaches in the biz. Registering for this course also includes 6 months of access to group training sessions for coaches with Damali AND 6 months of access to BPFA Inclusive FitPros, our online learning community.
Your Instructor: Coach Damali is the owner of Lift Off Strength & Wellness (@liftoffstrength) in Brampton, Canada, and organizer of Kettlebells in Black (@kettlebells_in_black). Check out her extensive resume: Trauma Informed Weight Lifting (2022), DTS Level 1 (2021), Certified DV8 Kettlebell Instructor (2020), GGS Contributor, Certified Pre & Postnatal Coach, CPPC (2020), Precision Nutrition L1 Coach (2020), StrongFirst SFG II (2019), StrongFirst SFG I Recertification (2019), Flexible Steel Level 1 (2016), Qualified Poo Choi Kru of Muay Thai (2015), SFG 1 (2014), CSC National Champion (2014) +70kg.
Once every decade or so, I deep clean my closet and take a good, hard look at what I’ve been holding on to “just in case.” In past years, I held on to clothes that were too small for my current body, but since aspirational clothing is no longer part of my body positive worldview, I noticed that what I hold onto these days is more about the kind of athlete I once was and who I might be again.
In the very back of my closet, underneath all the women’s business casual separates from at least two career changes ago, I found the padded shorts I wore playing roller derby. My playing days in the early 2010s are long gone, but my skates, helmet, and safety gear remain in a box in the garage. (I’m afraid to look, but there’s probably still an old mouthguard in there, too.) That gear was expensive, which is one of the reasons it’s hard to let go of, but letting go of the stuff also means letting go of the dream that–like the very inspiration of the name–KateThulu might live again.
What I don’t have anymore are the VHS tapes, DVDs, and infomercial ab-roller-crunch-band-lift devices that I bought when exercise was something I thought I had to do. Every few months, I swore this time would be different. This time, I would get up at 5am every day to do my Insani90X boot camp class at the gym. This time, I would be the kind of person who makes fitness a priority no matter what.
It never happened.
I never set out to be a roller derby queen. I just wondered what would happen if I showed up to tryouts. I never set out to be a runner, either. I just signed up for an 8-week 5K training program. Giving myself permission to follow my curiosity led to experiences that changed my life in ways that no resolution could match.
This time of year, lots of gyms are pushing their 2022 programming with the idea that this time will be different. You will be different. But what if we approached the new year with curiosity instead of dogged determination? Could breaking the cycle be better for business?
Rachelle Clayton of MEE Active uses free, short-term programs as lead generators that help new clients get to know her. Positioned well, these programs lead to longer term memberships that give new clients “plenty of contact/connection with the instructor & community as they learn and share their own path with others.” Here are some tips based on other BPFA members’ experiences with short-term programming:
Keep Your Goals Aligned
Starting a new exercise routine can be intimidating for clients, especially if they come from an “all in” mindset. To meet this expectation, a lot of gyms offer “total body,” “full immersion,” and “complete transformation” new year programs. Trying to recreate that experience in the short-term can lead to burnout. Keeping your short-term offering aligned with your other services is efficient and helps clients see the progression. For example, an intro workshop can lead to a paid trial or directly into regular programming.
Make Them Pay…a Little
It seems counterintuitive, but people tend to be less invested in free services. Not charging any money can also lower the perceived value of your services if you are giving them away. Keep the price in line with your overall goals. It isn’t about offering more than it makes sense to give, it’s about making your services accessible for clients who need to know more before committing.
Connect with the Right Emotion
Every infomercial fitness program and “new year, new you” promo at the gym connects with the same emotion: longing. These programs offer hope that you’ll be able to escape your crummy life once you have visible abs. It doesn’t work that way, but by the time you’ve spent $99.99 on the app, it doesn’t matter anymore.
Curiosity is just as enticing and still gives new clients what they crave: a positive, inspiring vision for the future. Could this change my life? What if I were a person who tried this? Do I belong here? Short-term programs invite new clients to find out.
Marketing Fitness Programs
TIRED
INSPIRED
Emotional Hook
This will change your life!
Could this change your life?
Trigger Words
new, transformation, total, complete, whole, all, challenge, lifestyle, no excuses, work
try, find, connect, wonder, hope, learn, discover, future, first step, small steps, start, go, fun
“I hope that as alcohol substitutes move into the mainstream and abstinence becomes a legitimate wellness tool even for those who may not consider themselves “real alcoholics,” more people will be able to see recovery as a way to stay connected rather than a social death. I believe that this future is possible when the choice to not drink is treated with the same judgment-free generosity already extended to other dietary restrictions in restaurants, at home, and among friends.” By Kate Browne, Ph.D. (she/her)
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