Can exercise bring hope to people afflicted with something as serious as Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and parts of the body controlled by the nerves?

People are saying that regular exercise helps those afflicted – particularly exercises associated with boxing, as my guest today will explain.

Chris Timberlake was there at the beginning of Rock Steady Boxing Inc., which is based in Indianapolis and has affiliates in all 50 states and 17 countries. It followed the diagnosis of Chris’s husband and their friend about 20 years ago, and their mission is one of hope and community for thousands of people with Parkinson’s and their families.

Resources

Rock Steady Boxing

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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Are women over 50 engaged in a war against their bodies?

They’ve spent decades being told – by society, the media, their families – what a healthy woman is supposed to look like.

It’s always thin, right? And young.

But how can a woman over 50 – or anyone, really – live a healthy lifestyle, eating right and moving her body … without beating herself up for falling short of some oppressive notion of what she’s supposed to look like? Why should fitness professionals care about what’s going on in the minds and hearts of their clients?

Nina Manolson, a counselor, nutrition coach and author, has some fascinating ideas about all this, and she’s shares her perspective – for mature women and for anyone interested in helping them live healthier lives.

Resources
Nina Manolson

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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Rocky Snyder has been providing fitness services to the over-50 demographic in Santa Cruz, California, for 30 years. He’s also an author, podcaster, radio host, public speaker — and even the unofficial “Mayor” of the seaside town known to millions as a Mecca of the surfing community.

Rocky and his wife have been active in civic and community groups for decades. Everybody knows his name, as the song goes, and it’s not because he’s out there talking about himself all the time, saying Look at me!

It’s because he’s out there talking about his community all the time, drawing attention to how great it is, the achievements of his neighbors, and how they can all make Santa Cruz a better place to live.

You'll get tons of tips on how to integrate yourself into your community for long-term business growth.

Resources
RockySnyder.com
Rocky's Rehab, Fitness and Conditioning

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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Do you ever feel like a broken record when talking about fitness in general, or specifically for people over 50? Like you're repeating the same messages over and over and wondering, doesn't everybody already know about all of this, about strength training and basic nutrition, at least? It's a common suspicion that we have whenever we're communicating repeatedly over time about anything.

It makes you wonder if there's a limit, like, can I even talk about this thing again? Well, that's what I'll be addressing today on Optimal Aging, the show for gym and studio owners who want to grow their businesses by engaging more people over 50.

One of the mainstays of your marketing approach must be content that your prospects and clients find useful, relevant, motivating, or entertaining about the idea of healthy living as they age, and how fitness is crucial to that, how you can help them have a better life.

That's the whole premise behind my business, Prime Fit Content, which sends you heaps of premium material to use in your blogs, newsletters, and social media every week.

And after writing hundreds of articles and interviewing countless gym owners, studio owners, trainers, authors, experts, and, most importantly, fitness consumers, I'm convinced there are  four topics you can never discuss too much.

Resources
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

People often ask me where I get ideas for content.  It's a good question and I want to talk about it in this week's episode of Optimal Aging, the show to help fitness professionals grow their business with people over 50. 

Today,  I'm going to give you 15 tactics to ensure that you always have plenty of ideas for your blog posts, social media accounts, email newsletters, and other content channels.

But first, I want to tell you a story that will illustrate the broader point I want to make. And that is this: Take inspiration wherever you find it, and once you train yourself to start looking, you’ll see it everywhere.

I spent last week at my mother’s house near Nashville, where a bunch of my family had gathered. Now, the gathering wasn’t anything unusual, but the date was determined by something a little bit different: Taylor Swift.

Resources
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

I just got back last night from the first professional conference I’ve been to since before the pandemic.  You know how these things are. If you’re lucky, there are so many smart people around, great ideas are flying by you one after the other, and you leave with a head full of information, perspectives and contacts. 

Now, Im going to share some of that information on the show today – the bits that struck me as being relevant for gym and studio owners who are working with people ove 50 and want to grow their businesses.

Chief among them -- the 'Fans First' approach behind the wild success of the Savannah Bananas baseball team, and how what we can learn from it in promoting fitness over 50.


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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

The internet, social media and emails are great ways to spread content about your business, of course. 

But don’t forget about the real world.

On today’s episode of the Optimal Aging podcast, I’m going to share 10 ways to get your content out to the community IRL – in real life, as the kids say, haha.

Not INSTEAD of using the internet, social media and emails – but IN ADDITION TO THEM.

I’m your host, Jay Croft, from Prime Fit Content – which creates marketing material speciafically to engage people over 50. And I advocate my customers use the material on their websites, Facebook pages, and email newsletters.

But that’s not ALL they should be doing to spread their content. The real world is crucial, too, y’all, so let’s go over these 10 ways to promote your business as the fitness solution for people over 50 in your community.

Resources

Alloy
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Fitness industry veteran Rami Odeh shares the story of his physical transformation from an ultramarathon runner to a rippling weightlifter.

He spent the year leading up to his 60th birthday packing on muscle, getting lean, and popping a major six-pack. And he’s a big proponent of strength training for people over 50 as a key to health, fitness and longevity – for everybody, not just fitness professionals or extreme athletes.

It’s a key message in the over-50 fitness game, and one we can’t stress enough.

Enjoy this conversation about Rami’s journey and the undeniable power and benefit of strength training after 50 – and how we can communicate the most motivating messages to help more people over 50 live their best lives.

Resources
Rami Odeh -- coachrami.com
Alloy
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Celebrate our 100th anniversary with 10 inspiring and educational clips from guests about various aspects of marketing fitness to people over 50.

• Dan Ritchie of the Functional Aging Institute
• Scott Michelle of Orange Shoe Fitness
• Ray Glier of Geezer Jock
• Lindsay Valdosta
• Amy Lang
• Rick Mayor of Alloy Personal Training Franchise System
• Selene Yeager
• Chris Cooper
• Rickey Banks of SFX Fitness
• Ann Gynn

Resources
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Who should be the focus of your fitness business? Is it you, the owner? One of your trainers? The client? Before we get to that, let's discuss a storytelling model that's been the roadmap for countless books, movies and shows -- and more -- throughout time.

This storytelling model is called The Hero’s Journey. It’s the basis of countless novels, plays, movies and other stories throughout the ages. It was defined by Joseph Campbell, a mythologist and writer who examined the history of stories around the world and mapped out this universal tool, the hero’s journey. 

Who's the hero that I'm talking about? It' not you! But you still have a HUGE role to play, and it's important for your client AND YOUR BUSINESS.

Resources
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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market