The Optimal Aging Podcast

Curious about how small group personal training can revolutionize your fitness business and attract clients over 40? Join us as Vince Gabriele, an acclaimed gym owner, Fit Biz coach, and marketing expert, shares his transformative insights from his latest book, "The Ultimate Guide to Small Group Personal Training." Vince reveals why small group training is a win-win for trainers and clients alike, offering financial benefits and unique advantages tailored to an older demographic. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies for creating a cohesive training environment that keeps clients coming back, including those in the coveted "older" market, over 40 or 50 years old.

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Get Vince's latest book here for free, "The Ultimate Guide to Small Group Personal Training"
Vince Gabriele's website
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Imagine if your job was to review restaurants, test recipes, and hobnob with the foodiest of the foodies in a major American city.

Well, my friend Jill Silva has had that job for decades. She was the Food editor of the Kansas City Star for more than 20 years and now has a PR business focusing on food and dining.

Now, at 60, Jill has a new passion: Powerlifting.

Jill’s is the kind of story you need to be sharing with your prospects, clients, and communities. It’s relatable and inspiring. She says she feels, moves, and looks great, and she’s finding new confidence — even a little swagger, if you ask me. 

“I might never be that skinny young thing again, but that’s OK,” she says. “I’m strong, I feel great, and I won’t need to use a walker when I’m 80.”

Find Jill Silva on LinkedIn
Prime Fit Content

I was at a little dinner party the other night and the conversation turned to fitness for people over 50. All four of us at the table are in the demo and we’re all healthy and active.

My partner and I are in the fitness industry and I quickly realized that we were discussing things on a different level than our friends, more familiar, in shorthand. It reminded me that the messages about fitness over 50 are still unfamiliar to most people. I think about them so much that I forget that not everyone else does so, as well.

It made me wonder if gym owners and others in health and fitness make the same mistake.

And it reminded me of a podcast episode I recorded a while back about the topic, so I decided to re-publish it this week. It was interesting how the topics circled back — providing a good lesson for me as a communicator and for anyone trying to convince people to get fit after 50. Here it is.

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Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Unlock the secrets to optimal mobility and injury prevention for those over 50 with Andrew Menter, the visionary CEO of Physmodo. Discover how a simple overhead squat assessment captured through your smartphone can revolutionize fitness routines by measuring and enhancing mobility, stability, posture, and symmetry. Andrew enlightens us on the concept of movement as a vital sign and the paramount importance of addressing asymmetry to stave off injuries. This conversation is brimming with actionable insights for both fitness enthusiasts and professionals eager to maximize their potential and well-being.

We also trace the fascinating evolution of motion tracking technology, from the cumbersome days of Xbox Kinect to today's sleek, software-driven solutions. Andrew shares how strategic partnerships with fitness pioneers like TRX and Stretch Lab helped refine Physmodo's cutting-edge technology, making it accessible for fitness chains and small gyms alike. The pandemic-driven shift from a hardware-software hybrid to a purely software approach is particularly noteworthy, demonstrating adaptability and innovation. Tune in to learn how the Physmodo app can be seamlessly integrated into your fitness regime or professional practice, and how it stands to transform the landscape of personal training and health optimization.

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Physmodo
Andrew Menter on LinkedIn
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

My grandmother, who was born in 1905, lived at home until the end of her life at 95, but she was always afraid her children would send her to an old folks home, as she called it. 

Nowadays, things have changed so much we might even need a new vocabulary to discuss communities for older people.

But whatever we call them, they’re offering a more attractive environment for people to live later in life, with individual homes, nice amenities, and lots of fitness and recreation activities.

What’s it like at one of these communities? Do they seem appealing to you? Well, that’s what we’re looking at today on Optimal Aging, the show about fitness, health and wellbeing for people over 50. Each week we explore what healthy living means for millions of people in this lucrative yet underserved market, with a focus on communications, content and making powerful connections. I’m your host Jay Croft of Prime Fit Content, which helps connect businesses with people over 50.

My guest today is Sara Carbonell, director of marketing at Amblebrook at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Amblebrook solves the “what do you call it” problem directly and simply: 55+ active adult living. It touts amenities like a pool and fitness center to social spaces, with lots of activities, including tons of exercise opportunities. Prices start in the 300 thousands and residences include single-family homes and villas that share a common wall.

It couldn’t be more different from my grandmother’s nightmares. 

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Amblebrook Gettysburg
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Could targeting the over-50 demographic unlock unprecedented growth for your fitness business? Listen to Jay Croft of Prime Fit Content as he reveals five essential strategies to make your fitness brand stand out in a crowded market. Drawing from his recent presentation at the Functional Aging Summit, Jay delves into the challenges of feeling invisible in the fitness industry and how understanding your brand essence can be a game-changer. Learn how to clarify your identity and purpose, boldly communicate your message, and utilize multiple channels to engage your audience continuously.

Jay also highlights the immense economic potential of focusing on consumers over 50, who control the majority of consumer spending and household wealth. By tailoring your services to meet the specific needs of this influential demographic, your fitness business can thrive. Discover actionable strategies to educate your audience on relevant health topics, ensuring you not only attract but retain loyal clients for the long haul. Tune in for valuable insights that can transform your approach and help you tap into this lucrative market, setting your fitness business on a path to success.

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Marbles Brain Body Fitness
Cody Sipe on LinkedIn
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

Unlock the secrets to a sharper mind and healthier body with our guest, Dr. Cody Sipe, CEO of Brain Body Fitness franchise. Ever wondered how pairing brain games with physical exercise could stave off dementia? In this engaging episode, we dive into the innovative world of Marbles Brain Body Fitness, the pioneering brain gym franchise focused on a brain-first model. Cody, a co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute, reveals how dual-task technologies and unique workout concepts can make fitness more accessible and effective in combating cognitive decline and dementia.

Discover the fascinating world of exergaming, where exercise meets gaming to boost your brain health. Explore groundbreaking equipment like the Cyber Cycle, which blends pedaling with game-play decisions, and the Dividat Senso, reminiscent of Dance Dance Revolution, that enhances balance and mobility through visual stimuli. Learn about the SmartFit system, which challenges users with LED light boards and math-based tasks to emphasize quick decision-making. This episode underscores the critical connection between heart health and brain health, highlighting how factors like high blood pressure and obesity impact both.

Marketing a brain-first fitness program to older adults presents unique challenges, and Cody offers strategies to make these dual-task exercises more appealing. We discuss how Marbles aims to break down barriers and transform traditional exercise into fun, engaging activities that attract adults aged 60 to 80. Whether you're concerned about cognitive decline or looking to maintain sharp skills, this episode offers invaluable insights into Marbles' franchise development and how you can get involved through their webinars and informational resources. Tune in and get inspired to join the brain-body fitness revolution.

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Marbles Brain Body Fitness
Cody Sipe on LinkedIn
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

How old is too old?

How late in life is TOO late in life to get fit, change your life, and improve your health?

Or is the answer, it’s never too late? 

Well, these are the questions we’ll be covering on this episode of Optimal Aging, where we discuss the business of exercise, healthy living and wellbeing for people 50 and over. Each week, we explore what healthy living means for millions of people in this lucrative, yet underserved market, with a focus on communications, content, and making powerful connections.

Gwendolyn Bounds tackles this question head-on in her inspiring new book titled “Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age.”

In it, she tells her own remarkable story of transitioning from deconditioned news executive in her 40s to competitive obstacle course racer in her 50s. A veteran Wall Street Journal reporter and editor, Wendy also interviewed experts in longevity, philosophy, athletic performance and more.

It’s a compelling true story of how Wendy changed her life, but it’s also much more than that, as I think you’ll see from this discussion. So many will relate to her story – even if they have no interest in running obstacle course races. Wendy is a terrific writer and storytelling, and I know you’ll enjoy our conversation as much as I did. 

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Gwendolyn Bounds
Spartan Race
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

On the last episode of Optimal Aging, I shared a recent presentation I gave to the Functional Aging Institute online. THIS episode features the Q&A session that followed, and it's full of smart questions and (I hope) useful replies.

Do you wonder about posting on a blog?

How often you should share on social media?

And what about emails?

Then, this is the session for you, as Dr. Dan Ritchie and I of FAI field questions from other fitness pros serving the over-50 market.

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Functional Aging Summit
Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market

This week's episode is the recording of a webinar I did with Dr. Dan Ritchie of the Functional Aging Institute. Dan was kind enough to let me present on seven "Do This/Not That" communications examples for gym owners who want to grow their businesses with more people over 50.

There were quite a bit of questions after my presentation. I'm going to share the Q& A next week, but for now, I just want to give you this presentation.

I also want to put in a plug for the Functional Aging Summit this July in Los Angeles, where Dan and Cody have invited me to present. If you have any interest in Learning how to grow your business around this demographic, you can't do anything better than go to LA for a couple of days and meet with the FAI folks at the summit. You'll learn a lot, meet great people, and get to visit sunny Southern California. Can' t go wrong!

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Functional Aging Summit

Prime Fit Content – Engage the over-50 market