NEWS
News and views from the New Zealand fitness industry.
Record numbers and record diversity
Recently ExerciseNZ hosted three major events in
one three-day weekend: the FitEx Conference and the
Exercise Industry Awards (both in their 14th year) and the
inaugural Hauora Yoga Conference.
Collectively over 1,000 individuals attended the three
events held in Auckland between 23-25 November -
marking a significant milestone in our development
and growth. But, just as important as overall attendee
numbers is our commitment to serving the entire exercise
community in all its diversity of locations and modalities,
as well as the diverse client base that ultimately the
exercise industry serves.
Part of this commitment was the launching of the
first Hauora Yoga Conference this year. At this event,
ExerciseNZ also announced another key commitment
to the yoga community: from February 2019, Yoga
New Zealand will be relaunched, and come under the
umbrella of ExerciseNZ (until now it has been supported
and umbrellaed by Yoga Australia). Yoga NZ will continue
to work with Yoga Australia and be able to leverage off
many of its excellent and robust structures and guidelines
pertaining to industry standards, but it will also focus on
making Yoga NZ truly ‘Kiwi’ and ensuring that it meets
the needs, wants and aspirations of the New Zealand
yoga community. In addition to this, ExerciseNZ has
taken over the very popular The Yoga Lunchbox social
media platform, and will be using this, together with the
Hauora Conference, to support the yoga community in
New Zealand.
On the awards front, 2018 broke a number of records:
record number of entrants, including a massive 65%
increase in PTs; more female than male entrants in every
category (and more women winners overall too!). The
awards also had the highest number of Maori finalists
and winners since the awards inception. Once again
we had an impromptu haka to acknowledge one of the
winners, which was both powerful and full of emotion.
Moments like this make me truly proud to be a Kiwi.
Of course, our industry is much more than just awards
and conferences. Ultimately, as an industry, we are
about improving the lives of those living in New Zealand
through exercise and wellness – be it one-on-one as a
PT, to a group of participants in a class, or by running a
gym or other exercise business that helps get, and keep,
people active. The awards are a way of recognising
some of this amazing work done by individuals, groups,
and businesses, and the conferences are a way of us
supporting those at the coal-face by providing them
with the professional development and networking
opportunities to collectively get more people moving and
achieving fitness and wellbeing goals.
Perhaps the collection of conferences and awards
can be best summed up by my response to the question
of how I was feeling after all three events had wrapped:
‘exhausted and re-energised’ (and then I added ‘And in
need of a workout – I haven’t exercised for 4 days!’ - the
irony of hosting an exercise convention!)
We’ve started planning our 2019 schedule, which will
include both Hauora and FitEx, as well as our annual
roadshow in June when we go out to the regions and
cities to provide further education opportunities and
industry updates.
Until next year, a very Merry Christmas!
Richard Beddie
CEO, ExerciseNZ
[email protected]
NETWORK SUMMER 2018 | 69