About Sara Kooperman, JD

Showing 1 - 10 of 10 Articles

"Insider Speaks"
Body Diversity: Its Impact on Fitness Marketing
July 2023 - In recent years, there has been an increase in the range of body types companies have begun to include in their advertisements. One such example is Peloton's recent rebranding in a new advertisement. In a 90-second video promoting Peloton's app, real people of all shapes, sizes, fitness levels and ages were seen using the app to take classes at home. Previous advertisements were predominantly filled with extremely fit athletes using their equipment, so this rebranding is a significant change for the company and its audience. The portrayal of overweight participants in marketing campaigns has become a subject of debate. While inclusivity and body positivity are both extremely important, concerns arise regarding the potential health and economic implications that could follow promoting individuals with obesity in marketing campaigns. Read Article...

An Open Window Into 2022
March 2022 - With 2021 in the history books and 2022 well under way, it is not too late to reflect and embrace the full potential of this year. While the past two years have presented some of the most difficult challenges the fitness industry has ever faced: the shutdown, gym closures, fierce cleanliness demands and the rise of hybrid fitness platforms, it's also created unique opportunities for growth and innovation. Ongoing COVID waves forced us to take a deep look at not only how we exercise but why, creating an overall shift in the approach of health and wellness. While home gyms and digital workout platforms are here to stay, consumer behaviors will continue to shape the industry's landscape. Let's look forward and break down some of the top fitness trends gracing our fitness world... Read Article...

Finding Group Fitness Pros to Facilitate Growth
July 2022 - Health clubs are facing great challenges in staffing, especially in the group fitness arena. Group Fitness Instructors left their respective positions in droves during the pandemic. This is primarily because our group areas were forced to close, and virtual training is not something that comes naturally to all instructors. Also, this happened in large part because Group Fitness Instructors get paid the least amount of money for their time and efforts, and unfortunately, they are not respected by our industry as a whole. They usually appear as the last on the importance totem pole of our clubs. Our owners, CEOs, CFOs, Directors and Managers still look at group fitness as a non-revenue generating line in our chart of accounts. Yet, we all know that community connectors are in greater demand than ever. Read Article...

Fitness as Wellness
April 2023 - Growing up as a child in the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s, U.S. public schools required children to take yearly Presidential Physical Fitness Assessment Tests. It was essential to make sure youth achieved necessary fitness levels to pass as "healthy." Yet, today, fitness is deemed "non-essential" by government regulators and other health care experts. Interestingly, a study recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (December 2022) advocates that those who suffered the least and experienced less severe outcomes due to illness and complicated infections, including death, from COVID-19, were individuals who were physically active before the pandemic. Exercise is conclusively seen as an extra layer of protection against disease and unforeseen illness. As a result, it appears that many people are finally now prioritizing fitness. Read Article...

Foam Rolling and Myofascial Release for Recovery
November 2023 - Foam rolling, also known as self-myofascial release, is a method that has transformed from a once mysterious performance technique used only by professional athletes, coaches and therapists, to a familiar practice used daily in gyms for many types of training and performance enhancement. Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle, sustained pressure into the myofascial connective tissue to help eliminate muscle and soft tissue restrictions, support recovery, eliminate pain and restore range of motion. Read Article...

Franchising
Plan Your Pre-Nup!
November 2022 - Fitness chain Fit Body Boot Camp Inc., a provider of indoor boot camp classes, is suing one of its former franchise owners, Miranda Lynn Downey. Downey was accused of "blatantly and egregiously" violating her franchise agreements by stealing customers, operating a competing business (calling it "Fit Nation") and failing to pay franchise fees. The lawsuit is Fit Body Boot Camp Inc. v. Downey, Case Number 2:22-cv-02402, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. And, it raises serious questions about how to approach a franchise agreement, especially during financially trying times we find ourselves. Read Article...

Not a Boom, but a Slow Burn
The Return of Our Gyms
January 2023 - As 2023 begins, and our world continues to recover from the pandemic of the past 2+ years, reflections on several aspects of the fitness industry are only natural. Particularly, thoughts on how fitness facilities, its employees and members are beginning to come out the other side. Are members back to their regular workout routines, have employees returned to work, have systems been altered and what direction is the future of fitness taking? Read Article...

Rising Up - Rising Out - Rise Together
October 2022 - It seems like every organization, every company and every inspired CEO is providing us a guide towards emerging from the pandemic. I have read multiple articles, all with numerous different approaches but none that target what I believe to be the most important elements: balance and patience. The pandemic has been a completely new experience for our society. It has emerged not as a copy of the 1920s, nor as a duplication of our 2007 - 08 recession, but as a world situation like no other. Surviving any unique event requires patience. Patience means constant review and evaluation. It reminds me of balance. Balance is not static. Balance is constant movement. Little shifts of weight, small hedges in one direction or another, constant slight corrections. Read Article...

The Fitness Industry is Looking Up!
March 2023 - As the first quarter winds down, 2023 has only just begun! And, it is looking up! While many facilities are still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and are navigating challenges like staffing, membership sales and operational costs, things are trending in a positive direction. As management and leadership set their focus forward, they are looking for what to watch when it comes to programming, trends and procedures. Read Article...

The Sport of the Summer
How to Train to Be a Pickleball Pro
September 2023 - Five years ago, I didn't even know what Pickleball was; now I play regularly. Over the past few years, Pickleball has become one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), over 8.9 million people played pickleball across the country in 2022, which was nearly double the 4.8 million players reported previously. While the game had been on the rise prior to COVID-19, the pandemic definitely helped further spread its popularity as seen in a report by the Association of Pickleball Professionals, which found that more than 36.5 million people played pickleball from August 2021 to August 2022. Pickleball is a fast-paced and highly addictive sport that has taken the world by storm. The game combines elements of tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong, making it an accessible sport for players of all ages and skill sets. Read Article...

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