The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (2015) currently form the central focus of the global community’s primary aspirations for a better quality of human (and other) life. SDG 3 concerns ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’. Its nine targets understandably focus on broad components: child health, maternal health, disease prevention. It’s left to the World Health Organization to explore natural ways of attaining good health and wellbeing, beyond medical and technological means.
Read MoreHealth and the Global Community: Part I
The current Covid pandemic has swiped the human species like few events before. In early September, we have 25 m. cases and are heading for 1 m. fatalities. It is an historic challenge to the international community of states. And it is an existential threat to the global community of peoples.
Overwhelmingly, our attention is focused on containment and eradication, through collective response – through both political action (lockdown; tracing) and medical (vaccine development).
Read MoreA reflection on the sport and physical activity sector by David Minton
This interview is from David Minton, Director of the Leisure Database Company who kindly agreed to contribute to the series back in December 2019 when 'Covid', 'Furlough' and 'Social Distancing' were alien and unknown words in our vocabulary.
David is a name that has been in my consciousness for as long as I can remember and when I undertook an MSc in Marketing I would often review some of the many articles that he had written on database marketing, social impacts and technology.
Read MoreWe’ll Use Our Home Advantage
At the time of writing this article, 64% of fitness sites around the world were closed, according to global platform FitnData. An as-yet-unknown number of those will never reopen. Industry body UKActive has warned that a third of the country’s facilities – 2,800 of them – may collapse without government intervention.
Read MoreBig Numbers
Just a few weeks ago I was writing and talking about the ‘golden age’ of fitness. The prelapsarian innocence of fitness, when all sectors across the industry were growing.
Then two decades of growth disappeared in just two weeks when all fitness sites closed.
Trend data, built up over many years of auditing the industry, shows fitness to have been recession-proof, but the immediate impact from the coronavirus is far worse than any recession.
Now is the moment of all moments for the fitness community to outfox the lockdown with innovative ideas, since measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 closed down society as we know it.
Read More230 million fitness members globally unable to attend the gym
2.6bn people, or roughly 30% of the world’s population, are currently living under some form of lock down due to Covid-19. According to the latest statistics this has resulted in 64% of the world’s fitness sites being closed either by decree or voluntary arrangement.
Read MoreLet’s use this crisis to shake up tired institutions
In the same way that there is no Planet B, there is also no second body or personal health system, so why are we not looking after both equally? Climate change has jumped onto every political and social agenda and so has coronavirus. So why hasn’t personal fitness?
Read MoreDavid Minton launches global fitness data platform with backing from Vedere Ventures
fitNdata will be launched by David Minton, founding director of The Leisure Database Company. It will combine real-time supply data with consumer fitness data to offer a series of services enabling solutions and insights for global clients.
Read MoreBuilding a Badass Boutique by Emma Barry
For those of you who haven’t heard Emma speak, this book is a must. She writes like she speaks: a machine gun of ideas, passion and wisdom. On stage and on the page, Emma has only one speed and that’s super-fast. So, this book is a godsend for those who need more time to absorb this creative badass genius.
Read MoreJapan Tour 2019: Ready, Steady, Tokyo
The Japanese archipelago has 6,852 islands but only about 430 are inhabited; in my 16 visits I’ve been to just 8 islands so far. Although the total land mass of Japan is around twice the size of the UK, most of the country is covered by forest and mountains; as a result 90% of the 126 million population live in very concentrated urban areas.
Read MoreAye AI captain
Ground-breaking technology like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is way ahead of fitness industry practices, desires and dreams. The main reason being many fitness sites currently lack the granular data and infrastructure necessary to obtain real AI.
This means our industry is looking through the rear-view mirror on where it’s been, not where it’s going. This is of no use to the consumer and limited use to the operator.
Read MoreDavid Minton's 2020 vision for the fitness industry
The fitness industry doesn’t need a Tom, Dick, Harry or Hugh…it needs a Greta.
The “Greta Thunberg effect” is infectious; it’s one of the driving forces behind global climate strikes and carbon offsetting worldwide. Whilst climate action is a clear and unequivocal necessity, could all industries learn from the 16-year old?
Read MoreBoutique Fitness: Leisure Property Forum Breakfast Seminar
David Minton was invited by Leisure Property Forum to panel their recent breakfast seminar to discuss the booming boutique health and fitness market. Here’s a round up of the event.
Read MoreDublin IHRSA European Conference 2019
David takes a look back at the recent IHRSA Conference in Dublin and shares his insights from the event…
Read MoreThe Digme Tour
Harnessing the appeal of cycling Grand Tours for engaging themed classes – that’s just one of boutique operator Digme Fitness’ eye-catching strategies. Fitness industry observer and cycling enthusiast David Minton climbs into the saddle for its recent Tour de France event.
Read MoreOne Small Step
Fifty years ago, astronaut Neil Armstrong took his one small step for [a] man on the moon. Five days prior to the launch of Apollo 11, David Bowie released Space Oddity, a record inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The BBC used this track during coverage of the moon landing.
A spacewalk, it turns out, is more of a climb than a walk.
Read MoreFitness cocktails and boutique cannibalisation
Fitness and technology expert David Minton shares insights from his latest report on the evolution of boutique fitness and explains how technology will help to power ‘Fitness 2.0’
What were the key findings from your recent report on boutique fitness?
Read MoreWorld Indoor Climbing Summit
Yesterday David attended the World Indoor Climbing Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria. Held at the impressive Sofia Tech Park, the event aims to gather members of the climbing community from all over the world.
David was invited to discuss the UK Fitness market and how the climbing industry can learn from it. He joined a panel with Ivaylo Penchev (Walltopia), Doug Miller (Sales Makers) and Per-Anders Dagborn (Sports Club Vallentuna).
Read MorePeloton is about to IPO
The company’s streaming service, which allows customers to participate in live workouts or stream recorded ones, has been one of the keys to its success, said David Minton, founder of The Leisure Database Company, a market research firm. Those programs have added an element of fun and interactivity to its equipment that rival gadgets typically haven’t had, he said.
Read More2019 STATE OF THE UK SWIMMING INDUSTRY REPORT - OUT NOW
The 2019 State of the UK Swimming Industry Report reveals that the UK swimming industry has not changed significantly in the last 12 months. 26 swimming pool sites have opened and 27 have closed.
The 2019 report highlights that the industry, over the 12 month period to the end of March 2019, has seen an increase in the number of swimming pools opening and a decrease in the number of swimming pools closing compared to the previous year.
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