PERSPECTIVE: REFLECTIONS OF INDUSTRY LEADERS
KEEP MOVING, KEEP GROWING,
KEEP SUCCEEDING
Exercise trends come and go, then come around again. By moving with
the flow and continually honing your skills you can build a fluid yet solid
career, writes group fitness guru and FILEX Presenter of the Year 2018,
Marietta Mehanni.
smiled recently when I overheard
a class participant ask a friend
‘Do you remember the grapevine
we always used to do in classes?’ I certainly
recall that! I also remember that before the
grapevine we used to run around in circles
– an activity that I had just been observing in
a BODYATTACK class.
Exercise fads and fashions come and
go, and then come again, taking it in turns
to have their moment in the spotlight before
shuffling to the back of the class and waiting
quietly to push their way back to the front a
few years, or decades, later, decked out in
some fancy new gear.
I remember the dreaded burpee in PE at
school 35 years ago, and now it seems to
be a go-to exercise for many high intensity
workouts (despite still being dreaded by
many!) People often scoff at the concept of
‘aerobics’, yet it has simply changed names
to ‘group fitness’ or ‘group ex’. I taught
circuit classes in the late 80’s and early 90’s
before it fell out of favour. It’s back from
the wilderness now though, and with a little
rebranding has become the cool thing to do.
Trends may cycle, but with each
revolution the industry has become more
mainstream. In the early 90’s ‘being in the
fitness industry’ was a part time job that you
did on the side of your ‘real’ job. In my neck
of the woods I was one of the very few career
fitness professionals. Now it’s a desirable
industry to work in, fuelled in part by that
juggernaut of our times, social media, which
has created Insta-celebrities that share their
‘fitspo’ training tips and tricks to achieve six-
packs and poppin’ booties.
Active wear (formerly known as ‘workout
gear’ and before that ‘aerobic outfits’ and
worn strictly in the aerobics studio) is now
common attire for just about any occasion,
regardless of whether or not a workout
is planned. I frequently overhear people
chatting in cafes and other non-fitness
environments about what exercise program
they are doing and who they are following.
I
I never used to hear people talk about
exercise outside of the gym.
It appears that the concept of moving
for health has needed to be branded to
encourage people to move, and the more
sedentary society has become, the more we
have to sell it. In fact, moving for health now
appears to be more like moving to achieve
the currently desired look, ripped muscles
for men and, now, also for women. The
social media workouts are intense and focus
on grit and determination, yet this seems to
have polarised the market. While some take
inspiration and motivation, others turn away
from what appears to be an impossible task.
Positively, though, more members of our
growing older population are participating
in physical group activities and enjoying
the benefits of healthier eating in a bid to
continue living independently for longer
and avoid the ravages of ageing that they
witness in friends and family.
What will be the ‘next big thing’? Who
knows, but I can guarantee that exercise
itself will not be unfashionable – it will just
be a case of what is ‘cool’ to do right now.
Ensuring that you are always delivering
what your demographic are ‘into’ right now
is key to a thriving fitness career. Ongoing
education and events like FILEX keep
you up-to-date and make sure that you
are both ahead of the pack with regards
upcoming trends, and equipped with
the knowledge to answer the ‘why’ that
your savvy clients will want to know.
Marietta Mehanni
Marietta is a multi-award-winning presenter with
over 30 years’ teaching experience in both land and
water-based group fitness. She is also an instructor
mentor, World Master Trainer and education
coordinator for Gymstick International, co-creator
of MyGroupMove and mSwing, and Pelvic Floor
Ambassador for Continence Foundation Australia.
mariettamehanni.com / mygroupmove.com /
mswing.com.au
12 – 14 APRIL 2019 / ICC, SYDNEY
THE FITNESS INDUSTRY’S BIGGEST WEEKEND
IS BACK AND NETWORK MEMBERS SAVE!
Marietta, named Presenter of the Year at FILEX 2018, is back in
2019 to share more of her wealth of water exercise and group
training experience:
• All Floor
• Only One
• Heart Pumping H2O
Go to FILEX.com.au to check out the full program, featuring sessions
on everything from PT and Business, to Group Fitness and Nutrition.
Network Members get the best available prices: simply register for the
Member Rate using your Network Membership number.
NETWORK AUTUMN 2019 | 7