PERSPECTIVE: REFLECTIONS OF INDUSTRY LEADERS
ISOLATION HIGHLIGHTS POWER
OF GROUP CONNECTION
BOTH REAL AND VIRTUAL
We need to not only provide safe exercise environments, but also
integrate virtual training into our offerings so that our services are
not at the mercy of bricks and mortar restrictions, writes CEO of
Les Mills Asia Pacific, Ryan Hogan.
I
n February this year (which feels
like a decade ago) I was to attend
a large-scale instructor event in
South East Asia that got cancelled at the last
minute due to supply chain challenges out of
China, brought on by something distant and
far away called the ‘coronavirus’. Regardless,
I went on the trip to visit customers and
colleagues in the region. On the way back, in
Singapore airport, I found myself wondering
‘Where is everybody?’, as business travel had
begun a swift slowdown as concern – and the
virus – started to spread.
Upon returning to Australia things seemed
to be ticking along normally with scarce
concern for what appeared to be contained
overseas. And then, over the coming weeks
the entire world was turned upside down.
I’m sure none of us will ever forget where we
were the night of Sunday 22 March, when
Scott Morrison announced that our industry
(along with most of the rest of the economy)
had to close down indefinitely.
The following months were undoubtedly
some of the most uncertain the fitness
industry, not to mention humanity, has faced.
We were told we had to isolate and avoid
groups, and that this behaviour may need to
continue for the foreseeable future. As social
beings, and as an industry built off the back
of bringing groups together, there was a large
question mark over what our future may hold.
For those of us that have invested our entire
lives (and livelihoods) in the fitness industry,
the lack of certainty was daunting.
What became very apparent though, was
that as an industry we are capable of quickly
adapting. This period will almost certainly
be remembered as the moment the fitness
industry embraced digital, as clubs and
instructors quickly learnt how to livestream
classes and personal trainers figured out
how to train their clients via Zoom. Big brand
content suppliers who already had a digital
platform to deliver workouts naturally saw
an explosion of demand for their services,
in some cases reporting growth in the
hundreds of percentage points. What this
showed us is that consumer demand for
our industry’s products and services was
strong, it was just a matter for us to figure
out how to deliver them in this new world.
When clubs and facilities started to
reopen around the world, what also became
apparent was that the social stickiness of
gathering and exercising in groups was
something that our customers had missed.
As a category, group exercise performed
better than most, with studios booked
out full of members thankful to see their
favourite instructor teaching their favourite
class. And for those that did come back
to their gyms, the realisation that working
out in a group in a dedicated facility was so
much better than doing the same at home,
was almost universal.
It would be dishonest of me to conclude
this piece by stating that our industry has been
through its worst days, as the reality is still
uncertain. As I write this, in late August 2020,
Melbourne is in lockdown, three major countries
in Asia are still shut and the virus is still raging
around parts of the globe. What I am certain of
is that the role of exercise in preventative health
and a strong immune system has never been
more obvious or important.
To ensure group exercise, and the
wider fitness industry, remain relevant, we
must provide safe environments for our
customers, while also embracing the digital
revolution so that our services are not
restricted to our bricks and mortar locations.
Those that get it right stand to reap the
rewards of a society that will, hopefully, have
health and a strong immune system as key
priorities for the future.
Ryan Hogan, BCom
The CEO of Les Mills Asia Pacific, Ryan is a senior
and strategic executive who specialises in driving
organisational culture, change management,
strategy development and growth. A thought
provoking and engaging public speaker, Ryan has
also presented numerous times at conferences and
events around the world.
Les Mills workouts are licensed by over 20,000
clubs in over 100 countries, with more than
140,000 accredited Instructors delivering group
workouts to over seven million participants weekly.
NETWORK SPRING 2020 | 7