Fitness + Technology

Today on the podcast get ready for an in depth interview with not just one, but three high-level fitness industry professionals from EXOS, a leader in the field of human performance employing more than 3,500 people in over 400 locations worldwide.

We're exploring how new technologies are force multiplying the reach and efficacy of fitness professionals to deliver an intimate and powerful experience for both clients and athletes across the world.

This interview is going to inspire you and be quite thought-provoking as we challenge the conventional wisdom in the fitness industry for one of the most powerful conversations we trust this industry must go with the use of technology to finally scale a trainer and a team's services to a level of sustainability through what team EXOS calls "force multiplied fitness training."

As you know if you been listening to the show for a while or if you spent years in our space, the hour-for-hour trainer model is undergoing the largest disruption in over 50 years. In our opinion, it's right on time because there are too many of our fitness professionals leaving the space with an incredible amount of service and passion left inside them. The technology we're discussing today has the power to shift the service models upside down and radically transform how our industry will grow.

You'll learn what force multiplication means to fitness, how technology can multiply a fitness professional's and club's service to clients, how to harness mobile technology and cloud-based services, and why the future of sustainable excellence in our industry lies within the data sets that we're talking about in depth today on the show

Just how much time do we have until the "dream dashboard" comes to fruition, including all the biomarkers, steps, activity, machine learning and artificial-intelligence-coaching combined with the irreplaceable human connection from a professional breaks ground in our space?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Marty Weems, Stefan Underwood, and Tristan Pierce on this episode of the fitness + technology podcast.

Marty joined the EXOS team (formerly Athletes' Performance) in 2006 as its first Vice President of Sales. His business experience includes the telecom, wholesale distribution and pharmaceutical industries before joining EXOS. Since 2009 he has focused on developing international export business to new markets. Marty earned his undergraduate degree at Furman University (South Carolina) in addition to a MS Education and MBA from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He now specializes in developing strategic solution plans for elite international sports organizations utilizing the services and products of EXOS and its partners.

Marty is a leader in three areas of the business: Education for industry professionals; Consulting and support services for international sports teams; and developing EXOS facilities in foreign markets. Marty's international business experience includes China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Australia, Russia, Germany, UK, Colombia, Brazil, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Israel. As a services exporter, EXOS has been recognized as 2015 "Exporter of the Year" from the City of Phoenix; 2015 "Export Excellence" Award from Arizona District Export Council and 2016 President's (POTUS) "E" Award for Exporting Excellence. Fast Company magazine has recognized EXOS in its "Top 10 Most Innovative Companies" lists in 3 of the past 7 years.

Stefan Underwood has been with EXOS (Formerly API) since 2011 and brings 14 years of experience as a Performance Specialist to the EXOS team. Currently, Stefan serves as the Director of Continuous Improvement at EXOS, sitting within the Performance Innovation Team.

Underwood oversees all internal education efforts within EXOS. Prior to this latest role, Stefan served as a Performance Specialist for EXOS and applied his diverse skill set to a variety of opportunities including Tactical Education, Performance Education and Movement Coach for the NFL Combine program in Florida. Stefan is a certified USA Track and Field coach (USATF), NSCA Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC), and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). Prior to EXOS, Underwood has stops throughout his career as the Manager of the NSCA HQ Performance Center in Colorado Springs, the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Colorado College Men's Hockey (NCAA Div 1), and experience working in the private setting with professional athletes from NHL, MLB, UFC, IndyCar, NFL, NBA, Olympic Sport, in addition to extensive experience with youth developmental programming.

Throughout his career he has brought his practical experience and passion for performance to presentations on 4 continents and has been a speaker for EXOS, the NSCA, NASM, and other private events.

Tristan Pierce helps drive the design of EXOS product and programs with thought leadership, research, and cross-team collaboration. His education background is in kinesiology and his professional experience includes two years of product and program design and seven years of performance coaching in a variety of settings with primary focus on general population. He loves to mountain bike, and so far has only had to get stitches once.

EXOS is a leader in the field of human performance, a category it created more than 15 years ago. Today, EXOS employs more than 3,500 people in over 400 locations worldwide. With award-winning facilities, technology, and services, EXOS helps people take control of their health and performance so they can achieve what matters most to them. EXOS is trusted by hundreds of clients, including one-quarter of Fortune 100 companies, world champions in sports, and leaders in health care, military, and community organizations.

• What is force multiplication in fitness and where does fitness technology plug in?
• Skillset: The future of sustainable excellence in the industry lies within the data.
• Frustration from trainers: "The business I thought I was getting into is not what I thought it was going to be."
• Price: Why a race to the bottom on price in fitness facilities makes trainers burn out
• Disruption: Being able to force multiply yourself as the coach or trainer through the use of technology to deliver a intimate and powerful experience for the client or athlete.
• Education: Train The Trainer - Why EXOS has delivered CEC's for over 10 years with technology
• The bleeding Edge of Technology + Fitness: What will we do to connect these gaps?
• Destination Business Model: Exploring the delivery model without the 4 walls with traveling teams
• Why only 5-6 % of EXOS business exists within the 4 walls of the club
• Understanding the Team EXOS Services:
  • SPORTS PERFORMANCE TRAINING
  • TACTICAL PERFORMANCE TRAINING
  • ADULT TRAINING
  • YOUTH AND HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING
  • PHYSICAL THERAPY
  • ON SITE EDUCATION: including Human Performance Technology
  • NUTRITION
  • CORPORATE WELLNESS "Journey" Platform
• What is the JOURNEY Platform for EXOS?
• Uncovering Corporate Wellness programs for Google, LinkedIn, ITEL, and a 300+ Staff for the US military bases to keep armed forces healthy and sustainable.
• Medical Fitness Centers: How will technology and trainers close the gap between gyms and hospitals?

• Team EXOS reminds us that embracing technology is just the beginning to mass adoption and transformation. For a success, a tech-minded fitness professional must execute on "simple things done savagely well" and not allow themselves to get lost in all the noise and programs out there. Marty Weems reminds us that no matter what tech you use, you must do the things that get the job done each day by executing forward.
• The danger of technology disconnecting us on a personal level is real, but only if we choose to not be mindful and have high integrity behind the usage of fitness technology tools. Team EXOS believes that when there's an opportunity for human interaction in the club, it needs to happen as part of a great relationship with old-school tools like enthusiasm and customer service combined with some of the most powerful technology we've ever seen.
• To truly force multiply fitness training it takes an open mind and a clear vision about what is possible when we combine humanity and technology. With the work of team EXOS in an industry with a high value on transforming people's lives through fitness and health, there is no doubt that we are on the path to the most incredible digital transformation of our lives.

"With fitness technology, I still firmly believe in people and the connections between them. One of the elements within our human performance philosophy that we've authored is really about member segmentation. As we start looking at different generations, the first actionable step is to have a very honest appraisal of who your primary demographic is that you're trying to market to by understanding your member segmentations including active aging, youth athletes, and others to identify where they fall is the first part in deciding anything else." - Stefan Underwood on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"We all know to drive sustainable and impactful change for folks you have to address upstream behaviors. If you do that, then downstream things will start to shift in the right direction. So how can you leverage technology to better understand who a person is across a lot of different critical behaviors that are important to human performance? For fitness professionals, if you can deliver a digital assessment to really understand who someone is and what their habits are, this will empower you as a coach like never before to be able to deliver high value." - Tristan Pierce on the Fitness + Technology Podcast=

"In terms of what to do, first, embrace technology and find the tool or few tools that can work for you and then execute on those. So often it comes down to simple things done savagely well and not getting lost in 500 different evaluation and programming tools. With fitness technology, pick your angle, approach, and methodology and do the things that get the job done each day by executing forward." - Marty Weems on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• IHRSA Fitness Technology Predictions
• EXOS on the web
• EXOS on Facebook
• EXOS on Twitter
• Bryan O'Rourke - IHRSA Technology
• Team EXOS HQ - Phoenix, Arizona
• EXOS Technology
• Human Performance Technology
• EXOS Clinical Performance
• EXOS Team Segments
• JOURNEY Platform
• Gretchen Rubin: Social Contagion
• Wearable Tech Market To Be Worth $34 Billion By 2020
• Bobby Cappuccio: Fitness + Technology Podcast Episode 027

• 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

• Contact the Fitness Industry Technology Council to become a Podcast Sponsor
• Review our various options for Sponsorship
• Send us a Facebook Message

For episode 42, we tap into the roots of what technology is making an impact on the floor of one of the fastest growing studios in our space, Delta Life Fitness with CEO, Josh Cherry.

In our previous episodes around fitness studios and making fitness fun through tech and gamification with Lindsey Rainwater and Shannon Fable we've talked about what various cloud-based solutions and tactical approaches are important to create an enhanced user experience, but on today's podcast we take an even deeper dive into what is driving the growth of this up-and-coming franchise that is utilizing data sets for an outside the box gamification fitness experience for the growing niche of female-focused training.

You'll learn from Josh Cherry on this episode how Delta Life Fitness uses a digital leaderboard in the lobby to harness the social contagion factor for their female members to engage inside the four walls and create the emotional hook to make better choices in the other 23 hours of their day.

You'll also learn some of the biggest lessons that Josh experienced firsthand in growing Delta Life Fitness from a hot asphalt parking lot to just a few years later having multiple successful facilities nationwide, what are the three pillars of gamification success for all studios to deploy, how the utilization of private Facebook groups is shifting customer expectations when it comes to real human connection, and why Josh believes that a digital assessment for posture and client intake is pivotal to convert a new member into a lifelong customer.

With all the technology solutions out there that claim to "gamify" the fitness studio experience, what are the most powerful actions that leading-edge facilities are taking through technology?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Josh Cherry.

Josh Cherry is the Director of Franchising and CEO and Co-founder at Delta Life Fitness: a women's only group training workout segmented into intervals of cardiovascular and strength training. By incorporating the science of the female metabolism, Delta Life's training is specifically designed to maintain a target zone that stimulates metabolism and increases energy.

Josh spent almost 14 years in the Marine corps before helping co-found this female-focused boutique studio and graduated from Texas A&M university.

Led by skilled trainers, participants use a variety of equipment including TRX suspension training, free weights, and battle ropes, burning up to 900 calories including after-burn. The results are more energy, visible toning, weight loss and extra calorie burn post-workout.

Women throughout the United States are seeing the changes, both physically and mentally. As Delta Life Fitness grows, they continue to look for franchisees to assist with their expansion.

• Why Josh believes that most colleges prepare Club Owners to be "perfection-minded" that hurts them
• Understanding the real definition of "gamification" in the fitness industry
• How to use data sets to make female fitness a truly enhanced experience
• Why having gamification data through automated technology (zero touch from the clients) can up engagement
• Understanding the key pillars of gamification that prove member success at Delta Life Fitness:
  • Steps (lifestyle)
  • Water (lifestyle)
  • Sleep (lifestyle)
  • Heart Rate (training specific)
• How habit tracking will yield not only the optimal results for weight loss, but also when used in a virtual coaching program, will give more revenue opportunities to fitness professionals and clubs
• How a private Facebook group can radically transform the engagement in a group fitness environment
• Why Josh believes that having a digital assessment for posture and client intake is pivotal to convert a new member to a lifelong customer
• What is the mindset of a fitness studio owner when looking at new technology solutions
• How the use of a leaderboard in the lobby of a studio can tap into social contagion
• Understanding the personality types of our female focused exercisers: what do they want and why
• What it really takes to maintain long-term success using technology as a fitness studio owner
• What all fitness professional get to pay attention to for fitness technology in 2018

• Josh reminds operators and fitness professionals that when it comes to choosing technology to gamify your facility's experience, in order to transcend overwhelm you must keep it simple: know what makes you different, and find one or two really great things that allows you to gamify the process for your niche clientele. Accept that it may not work perfectly the first time and that you may have to revamp a few times to learn what works best. It's not just about people and is not just about technology, you get to accept that it will take time to find the balance between the two.
• When it comes to the moving the needle of profit through gamification, knowing exactly the type of member you are serving and exactly how you want to serve them is paramount. Josh believes whether you use technology or not, the gamification model has to be driven from specificity to succeed..
• As the technology around fitness and medical services continue to grow, Josh speaks his truth that the days of trainers and doctors only working face-to-face with clients are about to be a thing of the past. Gamification is one of the necessary components of a bigger ecosystem that will provide apps for a mobile experience that is 100% seamless and based on the data of biometrics. This will allow the professionals to monitor us, the end-users, without us frenetically monitoring ourselves. In the same regard of enhanced medical and fitness service delivery models we also know that the intention of saving people time, money, and delivering better health through new technology will always be more powerful than just the technology itself.

"College almost prepares us to be perfection minded, whereas in the Marine Corps, we have to get the job done today with what we have. A good plan executed violently today is better than a perfect plan executed two weeks from now." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Successful fitness gamification has to be twofold, both inside the four walls of the club and in what's going on the other 23 hours that you're not in the gym." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"We've decided that at Delta LIfe Fitness we do not serve the 8 to 80 men, women, and children. We know exactly who we serve and we spend all of our time trying to identify the needs of our clients and building a program specifically designed to maximize the metabolism of our Delta Life Fitness ladies. We don't want to train everyone, we're building one training program for one specific person and by doing that we can really serve that one person well." - Josh Cherry on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Josh Cherry on LinkedIn
• Delta Life Fitness on the web
• Delta Life on Facebook
• Delta Life Fitness on Twitter
• Nudge Coach
• Go-Giver Book
• Nutrino App
• Delta Life Fitness: the "Go To" Gym for Women Looking to Tone Up and Get in Shape
• NPE: A Marine Corps pilot and a draftsman grow from park bootcamps with 5 people to a MILLION DOLLAR business with 850 clientsprocess and fitness
• FTP Episode # 018 w/ Nudge Coach Co-Fouder, Mac Gambill
• CBI Magazine: Delat Life Fitness
• Delta Life Fitness on YouTube
• MYZONE
• InBody Assessment Tools
• Gretchen Rubin: Social Contagion
• Bobby Cappuccio: Fitness + Technology Podcast Episode 027

• 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

• Contact the Fitness Industry Technology Council to become a Podcast Sponsor
• Review our various options for Sponsorship
• Send us a Facebook Message

For episode 41, we're take a deeper dive into the ethical considerations of artificial intelligence inside and outside the fitness industry with expert guest John C. Havens and his work at the IEEE: a global technology organization with over a half million members in 160+ countries.

I know you're really going to enjoy this podcast with our expert guest in artificial intelligence, as one of the most requested topics during our IHRSA FIT-C roundtable discussion earlier this year was the technology considerations and policies for artificial intelligence and machine learning in outside industries that are effecting our space.

So whether you are a brand new listener to the show who is an owner, operator, or fitness pro interested in how artificial intelligence will empower you to serve your clients with more context, or you've been listening to the show for a while and will use the information you receive to help drive the change we need in our space, this podcast is delivering much more than just industry trends. It's giving a deeper look towards how artificial intelligence is changing our industry today and in the future.

Make sure to check your show notes by heading over to www.fittechcouncil.org/podcast to take a deeper dive into the resources mentioned that are impacting your career.

With the exponential growth technology is driving in our space, what are the ethical considerations, governmental policies and regulations surrounding the use of artificial intelligence that will impact the fitness industry across the world?

The answer to that very big question and so many more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with artificial intelligence ethics expert, John C. Havens.

John C. Havens is the Executive Director for the IEEE Global AI Ethics Initiative: A Global Initiative for Ethical Considerations in Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems. He is a writer, speaker, activist and consultant focusing on the intersection of technology and culture. John aims to help people increase their wellbeing by taking a measure of their lives.

• Understanding the impact and modern day definition of AI:
  • Cognitive Computing
  • Machine Learning
  • Deep Learning
• AGI and ASI: Artificial General Intelligence vs. Artificial Super Intelligence
• Why successful wearables combined with AI enable not distract the fitness consumer
• Why John believes that simplicity of design is the most powerful benefit of AI
• Privacy and personal data: understanding the implications and guidelines for AI
• Why John believes that augmented reality and artificial reality will combine with artificial intelligence to help grow revenue and customer experience in the fitness industry
• Understanding "choice or consent policy" when opting into SaaS solutions
• Understanding Affective Computing: AI and machine learning being designed to measure human emotions
• Why club operators must pay attention to the 2018 EU data policy that will affect the fitness industry

• For our club owners that serve members outside of the United States in 2018, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation Act is the most important change in data privacy regulation we seen in 20 years. Be sure to click in the resources section below to learn more about how this will affect your fitness business.
• John reminds us that we look at artificial intelligence one of the key factors to consider in how our fitness industry will benefit is by allowing the user experience to be as simple as possible. In a world of multiple data sets and limitless wearable devices, John believes that will separate the great fitness companies from the good is how they will use AI to achieve the most intuitive and simplistic user experiences for their customers.
• Regardless of how much you already know at the intersection of machine learning and artificial intelligence, the time to take a serious look at this technology was yesterday. Be sure to contact the Fitness Industry Technology Councilby heading over to the website or sending us a message on Facebook if you have any questions about how this technology integrates into your business so you can serve your customers in the age of exponential technology.

"No data lives in isolation, and for HIPAA and any other regulations especially in the USA, we have no access to our data. This is not to put down any app creator or organization, because I am a huge proponent for AI, but data access should be up to the individual." - John C. Havens on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Well-being can be a confusing term because a lot of people associate well-being with mood, while other people will know there is more of a fitness oriented aspect to well-being as an industry. In the economics of well-being there are indicators like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals OECD or for environmentalists the Happy Planet Index." - John C. Havens on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• John C. Havens on the web
• John C. Havens books on Amazon
• John C. Havens on Twitter
• John C. Havens on Linkedin
• John C. Havens on Mashable
• John C. Havens on The Guardian
• IEEE on facebook: Advancing Technology For Humanity
• IEEE on Twitter
• IEEE on LinkedIn
• The Cult of Biohacking: Outside Magazine
• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• The Ethics of Using AI in Advertising
• Top 10 Artificial Intelligence Companies In Health and Fitness
• Fitness Tracking on your Finger
• Facebook Shuts Down AI Program
• Google Deep Mind
• Moore's Law
• Rock My Run
• Ethically Aligned Design: Prioritizing Wellbeing for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems Webinar
• Data Policy that will effect the fitness industry: GDPR - European Policy
• IEEE P7006
• IEEE P7008 "Nudging"
• Go - AGI story
• Term of Adhesion: In Law Practice
• Craig Bradley: Fitness + Technology podcast
• Bobby Cappuccio: Fitness + Technology Podcast Episode 027

• 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

• Contact the Fitness Industry Technology Council to become a Podcast Sponsor
• Review our various options for Sponsorship
• Send us a Facebook Message

For episode 40 we're pulling back the curtain to see what successful fitness operations and new technologies are creating loyal customers from the co-owner of one of the top 10 gyms in the United States, Rachel Cosgrove from Results Fitness.

For all sizes of clubs across the industry, we realize now more than ever how truly important it is for operators to focus on personalized communication and engagement through social media, email, and text to meet the demands of the fast-evolving customer experience our members are asking for.

In this show, you'll learn from Rachel why she believes it's the hand-crafted emails and time-capped Facebook contests that can deliver high value to members outside the club, what lessons she's learned from over 20 years in fitness, what are the best practices in the transitions from trainer to a successful operator, and why the boomer generation are now requesting more text communication for fitness as their digital literacy increases.

It's clear that even with a high performing facility like Results Fitness and many others, there are still some very large gaps to be filled when it comes to integrating technology solutions seamlessly into both the fitness professional's toolbox and to a customer's journey.

But what does one of the top 10 gyms in America do to for both human touch and technology integration for successful fitness operations?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Rachel Cosgrove.

Rachel Cosgrove is the co-owner of Results Fitness, voted one of the top 10 gyms in the United States three years in a row by Men's Health Magazine. She is a consultant for Nike, on the advisory board for Livestrong.com and Women's Health Magazine, and is a featured columnist for Women's Health Magazine and the Huffington Post. Rachel is the best selling author of the "The Female Body Breakthrough," and has also been featured in numerous magazines including Men's Health, Women's Health, Oxygen and many many more including Dr. Oz.

As one of the featured speakers for Perform Better, she lectures nationally and internationally on topics such as strength training, fat loss, business in the fitness industry and nutrition specifically for women helping them to reach their potential in all aspects of their life.

She is also the best-selling author of the book, Drop Two Sizes: A Proven Plan to Ditch the Scale, Get the Body You Want & Wear the Clothes You Love. Extremely goal oriented, Rachel is always looking for a new physical challenge and draws from experience making her a better coach. Rachel and her team at Results Fitness strive to be the best part of their members' day every day, achieving results, changing lives, and having fun while doing it. They are on a mission to "Change The Way Fitness Is Done."

• How Club operators can deal with overwhelm at the intersection of technology and fitness business operations
• As a club operator why if you're not delegating, you're being selfish
• Where to start if a club owner is feeling overwhelmed by depending on your core values
• Understanding the new member orientation process and which category the client falls into:
  • Look better
  • Feel better
  • Perform better
• Understanding the personality types of the new client: outgoing, introvert, ect
• Why at Results Fitness, Rachel and her staff send clients an email breakdown of their heart rate training zones after each session or class
• Why at Results Fitness, Rachel and her staff use handwritten cards and personally written emails for a higher level of service and client experience
• How beyond giving a phenomenal workout experience, why a personality matrix to understand the type of communication a new member wants and what type of personality they have will create a loyal fitness customer
• How Rachel uses Facebook to engage current members with "club bucks" and attract new members
• How to use Facebook to increase the digital literacy of members 50+
• Why Rachel specializes in working with women and communication in the fitness industry
• Why heading into IHRSA with a game plan will be yield more success when researching and discovering new technology platforms for clubs
• How Rachel transitioned from being a trainer to a business operator: what systems and change were involved

• Rachel reminds us that when it comes to fitness and technology, change is inevitable. It's part of growth and it's part of running a business. If you're not somebody who embraces change and who really wants to find a better way constantly then you're not going to be in business for too long.
• The new member orientation process is pivotal in securing a long-term customer. Rachel believes that using a combination of personality typing and personalized communication via heart rate monitors, intimate emails sent after workouts, as well as speaking to the new member in the language they most understand will create a loyal customer who becomes an advocate for your fitness facility.
• As successful club owners like Rachel take a deeper look into the technology solutions that are rapidly entering our space, it's not just about collecting data for data sake. What's most important is that we collect data with the primary intention of constantly improving and enriching the customer experience.

"If you're not delegating responsibility to your staff and trying to run everything on your own, you're actually keeping your team from stepping into roles that they can accel at and bring even more value to your company. When you choose to not let go and have your staff take over the roles they deserve, you're essentially being selfish as an operator." - Rachel Cosgrove on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Change is inevitable, it's part of growth and running a business. If you're not somebody who embraces change and who really wants to find a better way constantly, then you're not going to be in business for too long." - Rachel Cosgrove on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Members are craving personal connection now more than ever. If we ever start to get replaced by online trainers, artificial intelligence or an app, then the truth is we must elevate our game." - Rachel Cosgrove on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Result Fitness on the web
• Rachel Cosgrove on LinkedIn
• Rachel Cosgrove on Facebook
• Rachel Cosgrove on Twitter
• Rachel Cosgrove on the web
• Rachel on IDEA Fitness
• Rachel on LIVESTRONG
• Thomas Plummer - Fitness Industry Consultant
• Zappos Company Culture: Creating Core Values
• Jim Collins: Good To Great
• Delivering Happiness: Tony Shea, Zappos
• How Successful People Think: John Maxwell
• Mind Body Software
• In-Body
• FitMetrics
• Skipio Texting Application
• Perform Better Series
• Fitness Business Summit
• IHRSA
• Bedros Keuilian: Fitness Business
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report
• Results Fitness University
• Bobby Cappuccio: Fitness + Technology Podcast Episode 027

• 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

For episode 39 we take an in depth look at the current landscape to demystify the common misconceptions at the intersection of group fitness operations and technology solutions.

For an increasing number of Group Fitness Managers in 2017, it's the growing demand to seamlessly tie in the scheduling, communication, metrics and substitution of fitness instructors through the cloud that is causing a major disruption in our industry.

To help uncover what will be of most service to our industry's GroupX space, we're learning from the Founder of GroupX Pro, Shannon Fable, an experienced business and program developer in the health and wellness space with over 20 years in the industry who specializes in group fitness operations.

As you'll learn from Shannon, with all the fragmented offerings, types of classes, fitness instructors, number of studios, equipment fees and other variables needed to run a successful Group X program, we identify just how the landscape has changed so dramatically over the past two decades and why now the hardest part for operators is stepping back to understand the best technology solutions and what continuing education courses will support their GFI's.

What are the core competencies for Group Fitness Managers and instructors at the pivotal crossroad of technology, personality, and programming?

The answer to that question and many more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness pros in this episode with Shannon Fable.

Shannon Fable is an experienced business and program developer in the health and wellness space. With 20 years in the industry, she has presented and educated in six continents on group fitness, personal training, management, business development and time management.

With a proven track record for assessing needs and developing programs, systems, and structure for a wide variety of businesses in the fitness industry, she has also carved out time to write, mentor, and star in over 25 fitness and management related DVDs.

Shannon is a certified Book Yourself Solid® Business Coach interested in helping fitness professionals navigate the industry and find their place. She owns both Balletone® and Sunshine Fitness Resources. Most notably, along with her developer husband, she co-created and founded GroupEx Pro®, a revolutionary software designed to streamline and operationalize the management and marketing of group fitness programs for health clubs.

• How SaaS solutions can seamlessly tie in the scheduling, communication, metrics and substitution of fitness instructors through the cloud
• Understanding the project management side of GFM/GFI technology: How to give yourself a good timeline and carve out space for implementation
• Exploring the 3 core competencies of the GFM/GFI landscape
• How being able to see "past the dollar signs" drives long term revenue and member retention
• Why GFM's must hire and inspire the right team that's willing to embrace technology first
• Why setting up technology requires such an interesting skillset
• Shannon's method for reducing inputs for better outputs: How to distil down to what you need to the desired result
• Why Shannon believes that core competencies for group fitness is knowing the body and how it works but the other is how they interact connect and communicate with customers
• Why Group X are "scared to rock the boat"
• How technology disruption is changing the GFM/GFI landscape
• How to adapt and integrate new technology for serving the group fitness environment
• GroupEx Pro® Case Study: YMCA Twin Cities

• Shannon believes that the technology barriers to entry in the fitness industry have never been lower, but at the end of the day we must to educate fitness professionals and teams about how they are going to use integrity and intention behind the technology.
• No matter what technology solution a club deploys, it is essential for leadership to focus on the outcome and ask" "What do we need to do in the on-boarding process and in training to truly get to the outcome we want?"
• From 20 years of working in GroupX, Shannon teaches operators to first hire and inspire the right team that's willing to embrace technology instead of saying "this is how we've always done it let's just keep doing it this way." The biggest core competency of group fitness is ultimately to motivate and inspire people and groups to move more, and more often. The use of cloud-based fitness technology helps to support this by increasing gamification, communication, and engagement to the members that need it most.

"We have a lot of people trying to infiltrate the fitness space that know technology but that don't necessarily understand the nuances of what happens in clubs." - Shannon Fable on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"It's making sure that you hire and inspire the right team that's willing to embrace technology instead of saying 'this is how we've always done it, let's just keep doing it this way' and I think that's tough, because a lot of group fitness managers and personal training managers don't get into the space from a traditional business background so they may not have had to deal with technology." - Shannon Fable on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"Setting up technology requires such an interesting skillset because it's not just about being able to utilize the program, it's about being able to see the big picture and what you want to accomplish with the technology, to then distill it down to what you must input to get to the desired output." - Shannon Fable on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Group Ex Pro
• Group Ex Pro on Facebook
• Shannon Fable's Website
• Shannon Fable on Linkedin
• Shannon Fable on IDEA Connect
• Shannon Fable on Twitter
• Shannon Fable on Instagram
• Shannon Fable in Club Industry
• FTP Episode #015 Dave Wright: MYZONE & The Current State of Wearables
• Club Industry: Shannon Fable - Should Your Fitness Studio Be Dependent on Personalities or Programs?
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report
• Orange Theory Fitness
• Stages Flight Cycling
• David Allen: Getting Things Done
• IHRSA Leadership
• Fitness Industry Leadership Council - ILC

• 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

In this podcast, we're excited to bring you two expert guests at the intersection of fitness, technology, and education. So many of the leaders we've had on the show have given us a powerful inside look behind the curtain of what fitness tech apps, platforms, and devices are positively impacting our space, but many in the health, wellness, and fitness worlds still have looming questions about exactly how these technologies will plug in into our healthcare ecosystems.

A bigger and even more specific question around fitness technology is how will the education and integration of these new innovations support long term behavior change for our industry's members?

With the rise of technology, how is the academic world answering the call to create that trusted bridge between the knowing and the doing when it comes to applying technology and facilitating positive health outcomes?

We're answering these questions and much more in this episode with fitness technology expert Ted Vickey, for his return to the show from episode 008, and Jessica Matthews, an award-winning and industry leading health and wellness educator.

You'll also learn about applying evidence-based coaching strategies with behavior change techniques to facilitate meaningful lifestyles, how health and fitness pros can collaborate with colleagues in a wide variety of settings to provide an integrative approach to health, and why Point Loma Nazarene University has created the Kinesiology, M.S., Integrative Wellness, to teach students about using technology that provides lifestyle interventions to prevent and effectively manage chronic disease.

For over 20 years, Ted Vickey has immersed himself in fitness technology. Starting as the Executive Director of the White House Athletic Center through his fitness consulting company, FitWell, and continuing with his latest project as a Ph.D. researcher on Social Networking and Exercise at the National University of Ireland, Galway, Ted has proven to be an early adopter and advocate in technical systems and their applicability to fitness.

Ted believes we can take advantage of technology to not only motivate individuals across the globe to get out the door and move but to be in closer contact with healthcare providers.

He is an emeritus member of the Board of Directors for the American Council on Exercise and has consulted with key organizations such as the Department of Commerce, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Fruit of the Loom, TSA and more. He is an emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the American Council on Exercise, the largest non-profit accredited certification organization in the fitness industry. In his role as senior advisor for disruptive health technologies with Canyon Ranch Institute, he is committed to improving the health of all people through the use of wellness and fitness technology, including wearable technology, to enhance and further innovate new and existing CRI partnerships, programs, initiatives, and evaluation. Ted's work with the Canyon Ranch Institute catalyzes the possibility of optimal health for all people by translating the best practices of Canyon Ranch and its partners to help educate, inspire, and empower every person to prevent disease and choose a life of wellness. By education, Ted is an Exercise Scientist, by experience an Entrepreneur, and by passion a Connector.

Jessica Matthews, M.S., E-RYT 500 is an award-winning, industry leading health and wellness educator. As a seasoned yoga teacher and innovative college professor, she has developed and implemented graduate degree programs as well as comprehensive 200-and 500-hour yoga teacher training programs at the college level in addition to teaching a variety of associate, undergraduate, and graduate-level health and exercise science courses.

A former exercise physiologist and licensed educator based in San Diego, California, Jessica serves as faculty of kinesiology and integrative wellness at Point Loma Nazarene University where she developed the Master of Kinesiology in Integrative Wellness program. She is also a yoga studies professor at MiraCosta College where she co-created the advanced 300-hour yoga teacher training program.

Jessica has a genuine passion and unique ability for transforming people's lives. Armed with a wealth of practical, proven and science-based information through 17 years of work in the health and fitness field, her mission is to positively shift people's perspectives about themselves, their lives, and what they are capable of achieving.

A well-known and trusted expert in establishing and supporting vibrant, conscious awareness of each dimension of well-being, Jessica's holistic approach to wellness is rooted in mindfulness and includes physical, emotional, mental and spiritual components. Jessica is a top level instructor, accomplished writer, captivating speaker and respected educator.

Kinesiology, M.S., Integrative Wellness

At the heart of your interest in the study of holistic health and well-being is a passion to serve others in body, mind, and spirit. PLNU's one-year, online Master of Kinesiology in Integrative Wellness will prepare professionals who can improve health in the U.S. through interventions in behavior change, nutrition, and physical activity.

No matter how the degree is applied, it can become the vehicle that health and wellness professionals will use to apply evidence-based strategies that facilitate sustainable health behavior change that can lead to weight loss, healthy eating, regular physical activity, stress reduction, and overall improvements to health and well-being. The integration of lifestyle medicine within healthcare systems is not just effective, but powerful and life-changing for individuals and society.

• Why PLNU's online Master's in Kinesiology, Integrative Wellness is at the bleeding edge of fitness technology education
• What new wellness technology innovations will impact the educational programs in colleges over the next 2 years
• What self-monitoring strategies will create impact for students in the PLNU program
• Why Ted Vickey believes the current personal training model is not sustainable
• The common misconceptions about wellness and fitness wearables
• Why the INTL Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching has partnered with PLNU
• How to serve millennials with a shorter attention span through technology
• Devices and apps that will engage millennials in positive health outcomes
• The morphing of fitness trainers into wellness coaching
• Why Jessica believes we are now in a time where fitness pros are more empowered than ever before
• Exploring: Technology Education For A New Era of Fitness Professionals

• Jessica believes that as an industry we really now have to understand that when it comes to wellness, a lot of the things that will manifest physically often are things that come from what we're dealing with mentally, emotionally, or perhaps even spiritually. This connection is a big step for the fitness industry. First to accept, and secondly, to now work with clients from a "whole person" approach that supports meaningful changes in all of those areas through collaboration with other niche professionals inside the integrative care model.
• Point Loma Nazarene's Master's Program for Integrative Wellness is on the bleeding edge of the needed education in fitness technology segment. This knowledge will support corporate wellness program directors to facilitate health change at the workplace and ultimately save their companies money, will support personal trainers and other fitness professionals by using technology to learn how to better lead their clients, and in registered dietitians, RNs, and medical assistants who use the degree to deliver obesity interventions to patients.
• Ted & Jessica both believe that it is the education and integration of health technologies that will ultimately lead to a better planet. For anyone who is interested in being of service in our health and fitness world, educational programs like PLNU's online Master's in Kinesiology, Integrative Wellness will support professionals to improve health in the U.S. through interventions in behavior change, nutrition, and physical activity.

"The iPhone 6 is one million times more powerful than the computer used to put the man on the moon. What I suggest is that we as the fitness industry, the health industry, and the healthcare industry realize this is our moonshot. This is how we can make a difference, and that is by using technology to make a difference in the lives of those that we have the opportunity and the privilege to serve." - Ted Vickey on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"There is certainly a missing piece in our healthcare system, and honestly, a missing piece in the fitness industry. We really have to understand that we work with "whole people," encompassing the body, mind, and spirit. In order to really impact meaningful changes in behavior and improve health outcomes we must understand the dynamics of what it is that motivates people to make these changes and how they can be sustainable. That strategy essentially boils down to our evidence-based practices." - Jessica Matthews on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• PLNU - Online Kinesiology, M.S., Integrative Wellness
• PLNU - Integrative Wellness on facebook
• Ted Vickey on Linkedin
• Jessica Matthews on LinkedIn
• Ted's "The Wireless Future of Wellness Is Now" TEDx Talk
• Ted Vickey's Website
• Jessica Matthew's Website
• FTP Episode #008 Ted Vickey: How New Technologies Are Changing Our Fitness Landscape
• UCSD Center For Integrative Medicine
• International Consortium For Health and Wellness Coaching
• Moore's Law
• You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish
• Fitness Industry Leadership Council - ILC
• Heal App: Interview With Dr. Renee Dua
• 011 Live From CES 2017: Fitbit Group Health - Amy McDonough
• Mio Wearables
• Nokia Wellness Devices
• Jessica's favorite books: Jon Kabat-Zinn Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
• Wellness and fitness technology regulations for 2017
• Tech disruption in the fitness industry by Amanda Vogel

• 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

For episode 37 we're learning about the exponential benefits and current progress of the #PHITAct, and why it is so vital to fitness industry growth, with the Vice-Chair of IHRSA and the Owner of Newtown Athletic Club, Jim Worthington.

After the recent report published by PHIT America In 2017 - "The Inactivity Pandemic," it should not come as a surprise that Nike, The Cooper Institute, The American Heart Institute, Shape America, & Pop Warner Football are all joining forces to pass the #PHITAct through both the Senate and Congress.

As you'll hear on today's show with Jim, this legislation has the potential to massively uplevel our industry reach and help put prevention in our healthcare system. Earlier in 2017, you heard from Bryan O'Rourke in F+T episode #020, about how even with as much as we're doing collectively in the fitness industry to help fight the obesity epidemic, the reality is that the current healthcare model is broken.

What we have now isn't healthcare, it's sick care, and the passage of the #PHITAct will bring legislative power to help change that by getting more people active and healthy than ever before. With this turning of the tide, the #PHITAct will also help Americans save 20-30% on yearly expenses related to physical activity.

As an industry professional, we need your help today to make this bill pass.

Be sure to tap on your show artwork and click the link: "Ask Congress To Pass #PHITAct."

What simple yet effective actions can thousands of fitness leaders in our space take to create more revenue and serve large numbers of brand new members?

The answer to that question and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals in this episode with Jim Worthington.

Jim Worthington is the owner of the Newtown Athletic Club (NAC) a 250,000 square foot lifestyle club on 22 acres established in 1978 in Newtown, PA. He is also a real-estate developer and a supporter of start-up entrepreneurs. After earning a Bachelor's degree in 1978 from West Chester University and working as a racquetball pro and club manager, Jim took on an ownership role at the NAC in 1981, building the club to its current status as a Top 100 Club in America for the past 20 years.

Mr. Worthington is now the sole owner of the club which is considered the third largest privately owned individual health club in the nation. As a 40-year industry veteran and a member of IHRSA (International Health Racquetball and Sports Association) since its inception, Jim has contributed to countless industry publications, attended every IHRSA conference and now serves on the IHRSA Board of Directors as the Vice Chair. He has pioneered many club concepts such as bundling membership fees, membership integration initiatives and all-inclusive programming.

His club has received numerous local and national honors as a reflection of his maverick leadership and vision. Jim has also founded the Delaware Valley alliance of Health and Sports Clubs and the NAC Have a Heart Foundation (501c3) which handles all of the NAC's charitable initiatives and oversees the "My Right To Try" advocacy work to help terminally ill patients receive FDA Phase 2 and 3 potentially life-saving trial drugs earlier.

Jim is a visionary and leader not only in the fitness industry but also in his community donating to many charitable causes and generally making the world a better place.

• What the PHIT Act will do for the future of the fitness industry space
• Why the PHIT Act is so vital to our industry growth
• What is the current status of progress for the PHIT Act in Congress
• What is IHRSA doing to support the PHIT Act passage in Congress
• What are the detailed benefits of the PHIT Act for the fitness industry and other sports, health, and wellness industries such as massage, DCT, chiropractic and many more
• How industry professionals can take appropriate actions to help support IHRSA and the PHIT Act in 2017
• Why it becomes easy for busy fitness industry professionals to get involved in their day- to-day roles and miss the "big picture" of how bills like the PHIT Act can help them help more people
• What new possibilities Jim Worthington sees on the horizon at the intersection of fitness and technology
• How club owners, operators, and fitness professionals can leverage their members and networks to spark change
• How to ask your congressional representative to support the passage of PHIT America

• Jim reminds us that our Congressional representatives work for us. As a fitness industry professional, it may feel somewhat overwhelming to believe your vote will create impact for this bill, but the truth is that the IHRSA organization is here to support getting your voice heard. Be sure to tap on the show artwork today right from your phone, and click here: "Ask Congress To Pass #PHITAct."
• IHRSA can only do so much. When it comes to relationships with your Local Senators, State Senators, and Local Congressmen, it's really the obligation of the people in the industry, the club owners, and the operators, to reach out and make this a priority for their representatives. Jim believes this is the biggest opportunity we've ever seen for the fitness industry to grow its participants and change more people's lives.
• The #PHITAct is far bigger than just our space, it's a way to bring fitness down to the levels of the less fortunate and to those who can't afford a health club membership. It allows for lower-economic citizens to have access to more of the same things that everyone else does. The reality is that not everyone has the ability to attend a fitness facility, and the #PHTAct will make a huge difference for the health of so many who need it most.

"IHRSA can only do so much. When it comes to relationships with your Local Senators or your State Senators and Local Congressmen, it's really the obligation of the people in the industry, the club owners and the operators, to reach out and make this a priority to get them on board with the PHIT Act. Frankly, that's where my frustration lies. I feel like this could be the biggest opportunity for our fitness industry to grow the amount of participants and change people's lives." - Jim Worthington on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"I urge everyone to get out there and make that call to push the PHIT Act over the goal line. If we don't do it this year, I don't know if we're ever going to because we've been talking about this for 10 years." - Jim Worthington on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Ask Congress To Pass #PHITAct
• Jim Worthington IHRSA
• Jim Worthington LinkedIn
• IHRSA facebook
• IHRSA Twitter
• IHRSA YouTube
• IHRSA #PHITAct Toolkit
• S.482 - PHIT Act of 2017
• PHIT America: 2017 Inactivity Pandemic Report
• FTP Episode #020 Bryan O'Rourke: How Will The #PHITAct Change Our Industry
• FTP Episode #030 JR Burgess: Medical Fitness
• For IHRSA & Health Clubs The Opportunity Of An ERA Is Here With Passage of #PASSPHIT
• Jim's Favorite Book: "Age Wave: How The Most Important Trend Of Our Time Will Change Your Future"
• FTP Episode #015 Dave Wright: MYZONE & The Current State of Wearables
• Newtown Athletic Club
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report
• Rick Caro IHRSA
• Bryan O'Rourke IHRSA
• Norm Cates IHRSA
• John McCarthy IHRSA
• Helen Durkin IHRSA
• IHRSA Leadership
• Fitness Industry Leadership Council - ILC

• 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

For episode 36 we are remembering the dynamic health and fitness career of our friend and industry leader, Michael Scott Scudder.

"As some of you may know, a very well-known fitness industry consultant passed away unexpectedly early in July. He was a dear friend of mine, and a dear friend of many people. He was a colleague that we respected for his trends, views, and research that he shared openly with the industry. For this podcast, we're sharing with you an interview that Michael and I did 6 years ago on what's happening to the fitness industry and what our thoughts were at the time. We're doing this in his honor because many people are mourning his loss, and we thought it would be a good thing to think back on all of the great things that he's done and reflect upon his views and mine of six years ago. Please keep Michael and his family in your prayers, he will be dearly missed." - Bryan O'Rourke

Michael spent over four decades in the fitness business as Salesperson, Trainer, Manager, Executive Director, Owner, Consultant/Advisor, Conference Speaker, Webcaster, Independent Fitness Facility Researcher. His energy and expertise supported building systems to help clubs become more successful and use internet technology to bring these web based strategies to the industry.

Michael began his MSS network as "Fitness Focus" in 1991. This morphed into Fitness Business Council in 2002 which eventually became MSS Network in 2012. His Network Donating Memberships presently represent more than 1,600 North American independent health and fitness businesses.

Some of Michael's Accolades:

• One of only 19 persons in "Who's Who in International Fitness."
• Named by "Club Industry" magazine as "an industry leader you ought to pay attention to."
• Consulted to/advised/mentored:
  • 600+ health clubs of all sizes
  • 50+ studios
  • 60+ not-for-profits
  • 100+ top industry leaders
  • 8 states and 12 foreign countries

Bryan O'Rourke is a CEO, board member, advisor, keynote speaker, author and investor, who has successfully expanded global brands for over 30 years. He guides and works with many fitness and health club brands and serves on the IHRSA board of directors. He launched Vedere Ventures, a boutique private equity firm in 2016 and is President of the Fitness Industry Technology Councilwhich supports the Fitness + Technology Podcast . Check it out today. Get his recent book the 9 Partnership Principles written with his partner Robert Dyer and other top fitness industry leaders. Bryan also released with Europe Active the book Customer Engagement and Experience In The Fitness Sector. To learn more visit bryankorourke.com or follow him @bryankorourke .

The Fitness Industry Technology Council in concert with the late Michael Scott Scudder conducted a survey on fitness facility technology Adoption with nearly 1,600 facilities represented in the late Spring of 2017.

The report will be released via the fittechcouncil.org monthly newsletter.

Here are two findings: Only 30% of respondents think they have enough information to make educated decisions about technologies while 42% are not really concerned about falling behind to more technologically savvy competitors.

Sign up for the FIT-C Newsletter & Survey

"Michael would stand on tables and scream at the various industry events where he was presenting at times because he cared so much. A few people thought he was crazy but he was also well connected and quite knowledgable. He could put things in context and always asked great questions. Our calls and talks sometimes were the stuff of William F. Buckley Jr.'s Firing Line; intellectual, rhetorical and quite stimulating if you like that sort of thing; I certainly did. He was also funny and we laughed often together. - Bryan O'Rourke, written in his LinkedIn post honoring Michael.

"There's something that many the veterans of this industry have known for a long time that works, and that is the 20/80 rule. Twenty percent of you customer-base is going to provide you with eighty percent or more of your ancillary revenue." - Michael Scott Scudder

• Fitness Business Canada: Fitness Industry Icon, and dear friend, gone too soon
• Bryan O'Rourke: Michael Scott Scudder Health Club Consultant and Maverick Passes Away
• Michael Scott Scudder: Health Club Operators Are Not Prepared to Serve the Growing Senior Market
• Michael Scott Scudder Had a Passion for the Fitness Industry and Its Future
• Michael Scott Scudder: Facility, Find Thy Niche!
• Michael Scott Scudder: Mastering Management
• Club Insider Online: Michael Scott Scudder Acquires Fitness Industry Group
• Michael Scott Scudder's LinkedIn Page
• Michael Scott Scudder's website
• YouTube Video: Where Is The US Health Club Industry Headed - August 2011
• YouTube Video: Technology & The Health Club Industry - August 2011
• Michael Scott Scudder: Faltering Independent Clubs a Sign of the Times
• Michael Scott Scudder Scholarship Purpose: To honor the life and professional career of Michael Scott Scudder by offering a MANIA® Convention FREE attendance to a worthy budding studio owner needing business advice and industry education. This scholarship is open to those who reflect the passion, high-standards and desire to succeed in the fitness industry set forth by Michael Scott Scudder. The applicant must have a strong commitment to continuing education in the fitness/wellness market.

• 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

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On episode 35 were spotlighting two industry leaders, whom together along with the newly founded Women In Fitness Association, are creating a vibrant space for female leadership in the fitness world.

We're talking to Lindsey Rainwater, an experienced advisor and consultant to the fitness and wellness industry, and Debra Siena, President of Midtown Health. This is a timely subject as the habits, needs, considerations and consumer behaviors of women are so important in the digital age for club owners and operators to understand.

With over 80% of purchase decisions being made by women, we're uncovering in this show how the different segments of technology relate to and how they plug into the way operators and clubs will interact with women inside and outside the club, both today and in the future.

What are women really asking for at the crossroads of fitness and technology? What will the Women In Fitness Association do to support professional women in the fitness industry?

The answers to those questions and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals with Lindsey Rainwater & Debra Siena in this podcast.

Lindsey, also known as Lindsey Rainh2o is a sought after Business Advisor and Consultant, Writer and Presenter. Lindsey loves helping people and organizations enjoy transformational change. Her enthusiasm for leadership, conscious living, and wellness amplified by technology drives the majority of her writing. Lindsey's intuitive and intentional form of communication facilitates unimaginable shifts in the unconscious mind resulting in powerful written, verbal and presentation skills.

As a well thought of advisor to the professionals supporting the fitness industry, she is known for her work in business development, business strategy, digital marketing, content creation and change management. Lindsey is also the Founder of The Women in Fitness Association, an association focused on supporting the professional Women in the Fitness Industry. She flows gracefully within a continually changing environment offering consistent effectiveness while delivering creative results. Her entrepreneurial spirit and drive has created a track record of consistent over-achievements throughout her career.

Debra Siena joined the Midtown Athletic Clubs and Midtown Health, in 1986. She is currently President of Midtown Health, a leader in customized fitness center management and employee health and wellbeing solutions nationwide. During her career with Midtown, Ms. Siena has been involved in health club development, acquisition and management of multiple clubs, ranging from 1,200 to 200,000 sq. ft.

Debra has been a featured speaker at wellness industry conventions since 1989, including the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), Club Industry, the Medical Fitness Association, and the World Fitness IDEA convention, having presented in North America, Europe, South America and Asia. Ms. Siena served on the IHRSA board of Directors from 2003 through 2007, and Co-Chaired the Worksite Wellness Committee for Building a Healthier Chicago from 2006 through 2012. Debra received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree "with Honors" from the University of Illinois in Champaign and taught Kinesiology at Columbia College.

• What is the WIFA doing for the women in our space
• The Women In Fitness Association: Why now more than ever it is important to create female mentorship
• How the attention spans of women and men differ when we look at the the application of technology
• Uncovering the nuances of pregnancy apps and a woman's needs
• Multitasking: Men vs. Women in the modern world
• Connection and socialization: What virtual apps and ecosystems appeal to women
• Relationship and community considerations when using technology in the fitness industry
• Exploring the mindset and roles of managers using new technology in and out of the club
• How in club technology solutions can equip owners and operators with better decision-making power based on real-time data of consumer behavior
• Understanding the national presence of technology segmentation for virtual fitness
• Understanding the differences between wellness and fitness tech responsiveness across the globe
• The acceptance of artificial intelligence combined with smart virtual coaching
• Why we are seeing additional mindfulness and restorative programs in health facilities

• Debra believes that in Europe we are seeing a lot more virtual classes having sweeping popularity, which is slowly making its way as a larger trend in the United States. We are reminded by her wisdom that technology always has its place but as we get more high-tech then we have to stay high-touch, It's the combination of those that is going to make us most successful.
• We are reminded both by Debra and Lindsey that when it comes to wearable technology integrating deeper into the lifestyle of women in the fitness industry and the consumers that we all serve, to keep the visual aspect top of mind. The way that women interact and engage with technology is fundamentally different than men, and we must respect this difference when looking at the user experience and the look and feel of our devices and software.
• Lindsey believes that with 80% of buying decisions being made by women from a consumer standpoint, having a well-rounded representation of women in fitness, and really all types of organizations is just good business practice. Her aim with WIFA is to see more women in the board room, championing each other to achieve, and sharing success through collaboration. WIFA is creating a place where young women entering our space can find mentorship and for every seasoned veteran to have an impact on her peers that ripples out to affect the masses.

"There's no question that women like a virtual fitness community. This has been built off of the group exercise phenomenon and how the majority of women are in classes taking advantage of that community in person, and they've extrapolated that connection into a virtual community where we have more women that check in in the clubs than men, we have more women that follow us under social media than men, I think that there is no question that women like the idea of being connected to a group whether it's competitively or just socially." - Debra Siena on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"There's things that only women track, whether it's body temperature or the relationship to a female specific needs, or even heart rate relative to being nine months pregnant like myself. Whatever it is that we want to track, I don't think that the wearable market or sensor market has totally honed in on how to support us. We've come a ways forward, but I think there's still a big opportunity here." - Lindsey Rainwater on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Women In Fitness Association
• Why The Wearable Device Market Isn't Giving Women What They Want
• Women Are Better Than Men At Multi-Tasking, Study Says
• The Women in Fitness Association (WIFA)
• WIFA on facebook
• WIFA Blog
• Lindsey Rainwater's website
• Lindsey Rainwater on LinkedIn
• Lindsey Rainwater on Twitter
• Lindsey Rainwater on Slide Share
• Lindsey Rainwater on Instagram
• Debra Siena on LinkedIn
• Debra Siena on Twitter
• Debra Siena on Slide Share
• Debra Siena - Midtown Health
• Women in Technology International
• IHRSA
• Fitbit Alta HR
• To-Do List App
• Headspace App
• Hearables Vs. Wearables
• 016 Lindsey Rainwater: Using Group Fitness Technology To Increase Revenue
• The Most Important Fact Every Organization Must Realize
• Group X: Boost Your Group Fitness in 2017 With These Tips
• How To Win Friends And Influence People
• Never Eat Alone
• Good To Great
• Apple News
• Tech Crunch App
• 2017 Forbes Top Technology Trends
• Lindsey's Contribution In the 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

• Turbo-STRAPP is a wearable platform that harnesses the power of wearable fitness devices and seamlessly shares the data with fitness professionals. The platform allows you to connect with users throughout the day and provide professional guidance, workout suggestions, and even nutritional tracking. The potential to grow your business globally through digital content has arrived. Visit their website at www.turbo-strapp.com and enter your email for a FREE GUIDE on how to grow your online business.
• 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

On episode 34 we're taking a 360° look with the VP of Sales for Power Plate, Craig Bradley, at how technology is impacting new training methods in the fitness industry. If you've been curious about whole body vibration training and how this technology along with many others is now changing both the group and one-on-one training experience, you're in the right place.

But were not just talking about the Power Plate on today's show, we're also learning about the impact of new technology in the primary vertical markets, including real direct to consumer, blue-chip clubs, medical, and active aging segments, where Craig explains what he believes the next 24 months hold in both opportunities and growth potential for all fitness professionals.

Craig also presents a handful of controversial ideas around exercise adherence and turns the personal training model upside down, as he shares about a pilot test in one of his former clubs where they gave away personal training, and how it actually earned more revenue for the club than when they charged.

What are the various training methods we're seeing rise up in our space, fueled by new technologies?

The answers to those questions and much more takeaways for club owners, operators, and fitness professionals right here, right now with Craig Bradley.

Craig Bradley is the VP of Sales for Power Plate and Performance Health Systems. As a global business professional capable of blending sales and marketing skills with operational expertise to grow profits, Craig has a reputation for reducing costs and improving customer satisfaction in the fitness industry. With a vast understanding of the global market, Craig has deep expertise in the relationships between fiduciary responsibility and the value of diversity across multiple verticals.

• What is whole body vibrational training
• Understanding the new training methods using technology
• Craig's vantage on the primary vertical markets in fitness:
  • Real direct to consumer
  • Commercial fitness space: elite professional, NFL, NBA, S&C
  • Blue Chip Clubs: Equinox, Lifetime
  • Active aging space
  • Medical space
• Understanding the Power Plate: vibrational platform that essentially helps the consumer prepare faster, perform better, and recover quicker for exercise by stimulating the natural reflexes, increasing muscle activation, and improving circulation
• Why more and more options exist now for the home user like Peloton, Daily Burn, and Power Plate
• Why fitness consumers and members of gyms are supplementing what they do in the club with activities at work or home
• How will the role of trainers will shift as new training methods rise up
• The role of empathy for personal trainers combined with technology
• Why Craig believes that being in a management position actually is a popularity contest, regardless of conventional thinking around the role of this position
• What Craig believes that the next 12-24 months (trends) will create in our space

• Craig reminds us about the important of fitness professionals to practicing emotional intelligence, combined with technology will be in the digital world ahead. The reality is that many fitness pros are gym rats, and they love being in the gym to work out. But the clients they work with don't always share that same mindset. The long-term behavior change strategies from trainers (that want to serve their clients where they actually are) must include smarter touch points through cloud-based accountability and proven behavior change models.
• Vibrational training is currently proving to be a revenue booster for small group training where novelty and individualized programming are valued most. We're also seeing the medical and active aging space rapidly adopt vibrational training due to its benefits and low impact for people who suffer with chronic conditions. Smart clubs and small group training facilities are taking a bigger look at vibrational training in 2017.
• Craig believes that combining member club usage data with the data sets outside the four walls is the future of fitness and represents a major opportunity in both revenue and customer service. Imagine what omni-channel and omnipresence experience could be delivered to our members if we could contextualize their data in and out of the facility; tailored to give them the right message at the right time based on how they actually live.

"Make it fun. I think the more you can engage and coach folks in a fun environment, the more adherence you'll see. There is a reason why most of the fitness brands that are more 'party, playful, and fun' in their orientation do extremely well, and that's the area that I would try and encourage operators to explore." - Craig Bradley on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

"I think diet is the big opportunity for fitness operators out there. What people put in their body is obviously more important than what they do with their body, and I see that as a huge opportunity. Obviously there are diet subscriptions and apps now, but if fitness companies can find a solution whereby they offer a diet solution to their subscriber base, this is a massive opportunity." - Craig Bradley on the Fitness + Technology Podcast

• Power Plate website
• Power Plate on LinkedIn
• Craig Bradley on LinkedIn
• Contact Craig Bradley
• Personal Power Plate
• Power Plate on facebook
• Power Plate on Twitter
• Power Plate on Instagram
• Simon Sinek: Start With WHY
• Power Plate in the news
• Private studios using vibrational training
• New Equinox Facility in Chicago: Crossing the bridge into fitness, wellness and into hospitality
• Apple Watch in Fitness
• Pokemon GO
• Small Group Training Using Power Plate
• ASFS Webinar: Vibrational training
• FTP Episode #030 JR Burgess: Medical Fitness
• The 2017 FIT-C Tech Trends Report

• Turbo-STRAPP is a wearable platform that harnesses the power of wearable fitness devices and seamlessly shares the data with fitness professionals. The platform allows you to connect with users throughout the day and provide professional guidance, workout suggestions, and even nutritional tracking. The potential to grow your business globally through digital content has arrived. Visit thier website at www.turbo-strapp.com and enter your email for a FREE GUIDE on how to grow your online business.

• 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