Fitness statistics right now are a little grim for gyms. How does physical activity stack up though? Pretty well. It seems the public is discovering they don't need gyms, trainers, or at least onsite, in order to move more.  The best news is that those who were least active are getting more active. And not detrimental for immune system-sake, the most active, perhaps most reliant on gyms, are now exercising slightly less.  This episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Ronto from runrepeat.com. If you haven't visited the site, check out the articles they're publishing now.  My guest: Paul loves adventure. Over the past 20 years, he has climbed, hiked, and ran all over the world. He’s summited peaks throughout the Americas, trekked through Africa, and tested his endurance in 24-hour trail races. He has worked in the outdoor industry for over a decade and continues to focus on athletic pursuits. Our Conversation: Share a little about the survey methods, who you surveyed, how you did so for listeners. Demographics of those surveyed? What did you notice about age groups, and genders? What qualified as “exercise”? Other questions we answer in this episode: Do we know if this is active being more active, occasional exercisers becoming more intentional, or inactive becoming active or any breakdown of that? With an increase in exercise 88%, the big question is, especially for my listeners -at risk for losing muscle and bone in a big way during menopause - "are they exercising right"? Muscle loss and bone loss are accelerated for women in midlife not exercising with optimal exercise prescription. What are your thoughts on that?  "Walking" for instance and yoga or Pilates.. while wonderful exercise will not sustain muscle or bone for women with accelerated losses due to hormonal changes. Who knew there'd be a dumbbell shortage?! What do you think about the solution to that supply- demand problem?  Fitness Statistics Right Now A couple weeks ago now Business Insider published an article on 5 major fitness chains and athletic stores declaring bankruptcy. What are your thoughts for privately owned fitness businesses?  Is there a difference in the "umbrella" fitness business (serving all ages, full service childcare, pool, gym, group fitness, training) vs. boutique niche studios (Pilates, yoga, small 1:1 training) and projected success rate?  Major at home equipment and programming retailers like Peleton have gained great success during this time. What are your thoughts about the future of fitness? Beyond that point when a vaccine is discovered that's then proven, tested, and return of confidence by consumers what do you think about fitness centers as we've known them to this point?  Will what is now known as online, hybrid, or brick-and-mortar business be forever changed?  The message:  Health and fitness are more important than ever. You're not irrelevant if you're a trainer, as long as you're not using the same message you were pre-pandemic.  No one "needs" you to move more. We're learning that people do prioritize exercise and when they have the time, they do it.  Certain populations stand the most to lose (bone density, muscle, strength, mobility) without exercise. So while there's still a need, if you're focused on getting back to what you were doing you could be missing a huge opportunity.  Connect: Runrepeat.com Resources:  Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist  Create Your Best Bio | Stand Out Beyond Alphabet Soup