Fitness & Health Expo fit for business

Australians are continuing to spend on fitness products and services according to a survey conducted among thousands of consumers at the 2011 Australian Fitness & Health Expo.
Highlighting that consumer interest in fitness is good news for those offering health and fitness services, the organisers of the Australian Fitness & Health Expo highlight that, for those managing a centre with fitness services, or considering offering fitness services at your facility in 2012, consumers spent an average of $2,153 over the last year on their health and fitness.
The most popular activities that consumers are directing their spending towards are: running (44.6%), cycling (42.3%), walking (40.3%), boxing (38.7%), swimming (32.2%), team sport (31.9%), adventure sport (31.2%), aerobics (27.3%), dancing (22.8%), CrossFit (19.5%), triathlons (18.1%), yoga (16.9%), Zumba Fitness (9.1%) and tennis (7.8%).
The 2012 Australian Fitness & Health Expo will highlight the best of these activities while also revealing new products and fitness classes that are about to hit the market.
Among these, Jungle Body is a new fitness class incorporating moves from Latin and contemporary dance, hip hop, boxing, Pilates, 70s disco and football training while Zumba Fitness has now branched into Aqua Zumba in the pool, Zumba Toning using weights and Zumba Gold for active seniors.
There's also some exciting new exercise equipment available like the Spirit E-Glide, which combines the best from spin bikes and cross trainers to offer a great upper and lower body workout with the same cardio benefits of a high intensity spin class and the Green System by Summit Fitness Equipment offers a great workout for the environmentally conscious. Each group of machines can generate up to 2000 watts of power per hour during full use ï¾ power, generated by the users movement, is fed back into the power grid while the user completes their workout. A typical health club that replaces all of their ellipticals and cycles with Green Systems could see savings of over $3,000 per year on electricity bills and help the environment.
Australian Fitness & Health Expo Director Jon Perry said an interesting shift was seen in people's motivations for exercise ï¾ and this was something that should be considered by those marketing related products and businesses to consumers.
Perry explains "we were surprised to see a shift in the motivations behind why people exercise. In the past, looking good has been the primary aim ï¾ but an increased understanding of overall wellness and the link between multiple areas of our lives - health, mental health, stress management etc ï¾ has seen people shift the importance to feeling good."
This year the Expo will feature a Fitness Business Advice Centre supported by Fitness Australia, providing the opportunity to meet with a Business Expert for 30 minutes, free of charge, throughout the three day Expo.
Delegates will need to book in with an expert to discuss topics including professional insurance, business insurance, risk management, HR, recruitment, marketing and mentoring.
For more information on the Fitness Business Advice Centre click on the link below.
The Australian Fitness & Health Expo is being held at the Sydney Convention Centre from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th April.

http://www.fitness.org.au/expo2012