Optimal Aging

Ryan Carver learned a key lesson about marketing his gym to people over age 55: Make it about THEM, not about HIM.

Ryan, owner of Leverage Fitness Solutions near Salt Lake City, told me he realized he had to make his content more emotional and follow the “hero’s journey” – with the client as the hero and him as the helper.

They’re Luke Skywalker. He’s Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I loved it when Ryan told me this – because this is a key point I make to gym owners about marketing: It’s not about you!

Ryan recently doubled his gym’s space and is enjoying strong growth with his business. So, I asked him to come on Optimal Aging and tell other fitness professionals how he communicates and serves thiss often-neglected segment of the population. 

Ryan's one of the nicest guys in fitness. I know you'll enjoy our conversation. 

Online Links and Resources

Leverage Fitness Solutions

Ryan on LinkedIn

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness
Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Remember Daisy Duke on “The Dukes of Hazard"? Anyone who grew up in the late '70s and early '80s does. It featured a beautiful young actress named Catherine Bach playing the part of Daisy Duke, who was most famous for her short-short cutoff jeans, curvaceous figure, and legs that went down to Mexico.

Like millions of households every Friday night, Amy Lang and her family would gather to watch the show and, on one of those nights, Amy’s father turned to her, pointed at the Daisy Duke on the TV, and said, "That’s the ideal figure for a woman."

Amy was 14, a petite adolescent, and the message was clear. You ain't it.

Today, Amy is a former gym owner and weight-loss coach. She’s back on the show to talk about her new book, "Thoughts Are Habits, Too: Master Your Triggers, Free Yourself from Diet Culture, and Rediscover Joyful Eating.” Amy’s expertise and enthusiasm are helpful to anyone struggling with weight or helping people to establish better habits, like eating right and exercising. I know you’ll enjoy our conversation.

Online Links and Resources

“Thoughts Are Habits, Too” book site
Amy Lang’s Moxie Club for weight loss
Her Happy & Healthy podcast

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness
Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Fitness success is a lot like communications success. Both involve repeating the same steps consistently over time, making incremental progress, and remaining committed to doing the right thing. Even when a shiny new temptation wants to steal your attention or you'd rather just stay on the couch and forget about it.

Aaron Hines, a gym owner from the Nashville area, who has been putting in the work month after month, year after year. communicating steadily with his prospects and clients, running a good business, networking both online and in real life, writing books and promoting them, all while bringing top shelf training services to people over 50 in his location.

And here's the best part. It's paying off.

Aaron had his biggest month ever last December, and 2024 is banging so far.

What's his trendy gimmick, his sexy trick? Well, uhm... about that...

Online Links and Resources
Premier Performance Training
Aaron Hines on LinkedIn

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness
Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Nothing moves people like a story.

 More than mere facts, and more than promotions or advertising, a good story makes us feel something. We relate to it. We want to take action, even if it’s just talking about the story some more.

 Here’s an example of how powerful storytelling can be – for people trying to improve their lives and for a gym or fitness studio.

Gary shared his story with me, which I then shared with my audience… and the beautiful way it circled back to him was profound.

If you want to grow your audience and move them to join your club, you can’t talk about yourself all the time. Remember the stories are rarely about you, the fitness professional. Make them about your clients and prospects, help them connect to each other and to the power of healthy living — and you can’t go wrong. 

Resources

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness
Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Alloy Personal Training is one of the most exciting brands in fitness. And Nick Garrity is a prime example of why, having launched two successful locations last year and preparing to birth a third.

We discuss the secrets to appealing to the 'older' fitness clientele, the value of communications, and the essential power of providing a first-class, consistent customer experience.

Nick and I really connect on the basics of content marketing. You have to let people know you want their business. It's that simple! And once they agree to try you out, then you have to deliver.

I'm proud to share this conversation with someone who gets it -- and is putting his understanding of this market to good use.

Please note: This is a reposting of the earlier show. The content is the same, but the audio is much improved. Apologies for the previous issues!

Nick Garrity on LinkedIn
Alloy Chastain
My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness
Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

We tend to go to the gym and lift weights in one plane -- up-down, up-down...

But in real life, our bodies move in 3D, up, down and all around, at all angles, across multiple planes of motion.

So if we want to be strong and truly fit, we need to be strong in 3D. And to get there, we need first to measure ourselves fully an accurately.

That's the exciting premise behind Proteus Motion, which is bringing its high-tech, data-driven tool to gyms and other businesses across the country and in Canada. Thousands of people of all ages are assessing their fitness and improving it with Proteus technology.

Founder and CEO Sam Miller joins the show to explain this all. It's fascinating stuff, and I know gym and studio owners will enjoy learning how they can use Proteus to improve their service to people over 50 -- and even use it as a revenue-generating tool. Enjoy.

Resources and Information

Proteus Motion
Sam Miller on LinkedIn

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness

Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Ever felt it's too late to start making healthy changes? This episode of Optimal Aging is for you. We're chatting with three inspiring men, all over the age of 50, who decided to rewrite their health narrative. Listen in as Bennett, Jerry, and Blaine share their stumbling blocks, the catalysts for change, and the practical steps they've taken to reclaim their health. They prove that it's never too late to adopt healthy habits, and even small changes can dramatically enhance your life's quality post 50.

Resources and Information

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness

Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Functional Aging Institute -- Use FAIMM50 discount code
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Have you ever found yourself torn between maintaining your fitness routine and surrendering to the allure of total relaxation while on vacation? Well, this episode of Optimal Aging will simultaneously challenge you and offer solutions to this age-old dilemma. We'll share the fascinating journeys of Rachel and Oliver, two 50+ travelers who have managed to strike an impressive balance between their health goals and their love for travel. We also delve into their secrets of staying motivated and energetic, even while savoring the joys of a Caribbean cruise. 

Shifting our attention to the importance of staying physically fit while globetrotting, we unfold an inspiring narrative of Joanne, an 80-year-old adventurer who fulfilled her dream of exploring the Galapagos Islands. Her tale is testament to the transformative power of regular exercise and its role in making travel plans more achievable and enjoyable. We also offer practical advice on maintaining healthy habits during trips, the challenges of transitioning back to routine post-travel, and the imperative of staying physically prepared for the demands of both leisure and business travel. So, if you're wrestling with the exercise-on-holiday conundrum or simply want to glean insights on managing travel, fitness, and the crucial balance between the two, this episode is a must-listen.

Resources and Information

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness

Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Functional Aging Institute -- Use FAIMM50 discount code
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

This week's episode is all about the intersection where gym management, communications, and customer experience meet.

My guest is Dan Uyemura, who was a serial tech entrepreneur before opening his first gym in 2010 – and then his gym management software platform, PushPress, which helps gym owners scale their businesses effectively.

PushPress streamlines billing, keeps up with attendance, and helps track and improve other operational tasks, as well. And it’s seeing huge and steady growth, with 70% year over year growth since 2013, and more than 3,000 gyms worldwide among its clients. 

Dan and I talk a bit about PushPress and the power of software to help businesses help more people. And we also get into the over-50 market, of course. Dan’s about to join us in the demographic, and he’s seeing how powerful it is to gym and studio owners who are willing to look ahead of the curve to see opportunities that most are ignoring.

Resources and Information

Dan and PushPress
Dan on Instagram and Facebook

My new course to motivate men over 50 to get off the couch and into fitness

Life Priority Supplements -- Affiliate Discount  here
Functional Aging Institute -- Use FAIMM50 discount code
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market