A question of perception ?
In this issue ’ s Perspective feature ( page 7 ) the CEO of Fitness Australia , Barrie Elvish , laments the government ’ s inaction on getting more people moving , despite committing to the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity a few years ago . While welcoming a commitment to funding mental health initiatives , he highlights the continued practice of throwing money at this area after it ’ s become a problem , rather than beforehand in the form of preventative health .
As Elvish points out , throughout the past year , particularly , there has been widespread acknowledgement by the government of the importance of exercise , in terms of both physical and mental wellbeing . Why then , is preventative health not prioritised when it comes to funding and policy initiatives , and health insurance inclusions ? Could it be a problem of perception ?
Is the fitness industry perceived , perhaps , as being more concerned with aesthetics than with health ? Working inside our industry , it ’ s clear that health is a major driver of much of what fitness professionals and facilities do - from individual programs to class timetables . From the outside looking in , however , maybe this isn ’ t so obvious . If we want to become an integral part of a preventative health plan that will get more
people moving , we might need to sell our ‘ why ’ better , and highlight the health effects of everything we do to the policy makers .
On the subject of ‘ why ’, Marietta Mehanni reveals the process she went through to unearth her true motivations for teaching group exercise , which wasn ’ t what she ’ d previously assumed it to be ( page 25 ), and Vanessa Leone discusses its role in creating effective periodisation plans for clients that incorporate both PT and classes ( page 11 ). Elsewhere , because it ’ s that time of year again , we run down what fitness professionals can claim on tax ( page 16 ), take a look at the difference between fatigue and overtraining ( page 47 ) and check in with this issue ’ s Real World PT ( page 54 ).
Have a great Winter ,
Oliver Kitchingman , Editor editor @ fitnessnetwork . com . au
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NETWORK MAGAZINE Editor , Oliver Kitchingman
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