An open approach to data will help get more people active

Dominic Fennell

co-founder,

imin

Speaking last November at the Open Data Institute (ODI) Summit 2016, the inventor of the World Wide Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, noted that, in order to help people “find their way towards being healthy, we should...put sports data online”.

The thinking is that an open approach will allow people to more easily find information on physical activities (simple things like what’s happening, when and where) across a wide range of online platforms – from health-focused apps and local authority websites to the wave of emerging chatbots.

This message came after nearly three years of work by imin to garner support for this open approach. In 2015, imin co-founded OpenActive with the goal of bringing together public and private organisations from across the UK and beyond to work towards an open data approach to physical activities. Today, OpenActive is an ambitious, sector-led initiative co-ordinated by the ODI and supported by Sport England, working to increase the understanding of, and grow the momentum towards, using open data to help more people be more active.

For the fitness sector, OpenActive represents a huge opportunity. By putting real-time information about physical activities at people’s fingertips, we mirror consumer-centric models seen in sectors like travel. We can finally bring to our sector the much-revered holiday-booking experience whereby people can easily find and book their holidays across a multitude of apps and websites.

This satisfies a key feature of Sport England’s new strategy, that says we must “keep pace with the digital expectations of customers, making it as easy to book a sports court as a hotel room”.

And this is where imin is now focusing its attention – facilitating the ‘one-click buying’ experience on a wide range of online platforms, including the Olympic Park website and London Sport’s Get Active London activity finder. imin enables the consumer to find and a book a physical activity without leaving their platform of choice.

The benefit is not solely to the consumer, however. For those looking to attract more participants to their activities or facilities, this approach means that real-time, bookable activities can be advertised across a wide range of online services. A number of leisure operators have backed the OpenActive initiative, and one with nationwide coverage has already agreed to work with imin on a pilot early this year.

And for those organisations building online communities, behavioural change tools or the next big app, there’s now easy access to real-time activity data, helping consumers immediately find ways to be active and healthy.

“This open approach means that real-time, bookable activities can be advertised across a wide range of online services”

It should be as easy to book a sports court as it is to book a hotel room online / PHOTO:shutterstock.com

Sports Coach UK should clarify how REPs purchase will affect industry

Jenny Patrickson

Managing director,

Active IQ

I am concerned that the news about Sports Coach UK purchasing the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) may cause confusion in the active leisure industry. The recent launch of the CIMSPA Exercise and Fitness Affiliate scheme has been clear and concise: training providers, awarding organisations, trainers and trainees can all see what it offers.

With the sale of REPs there is likely to be a period of adjustment, and people currently training on courses that carry REPs points may be unsure where they stand. I sincerely hope that Sports Coach UK will clarify this at the earliest opportunity.

The fitness industry is under scrutiny at the moment with employers calling for more robust training and comprehensive, reliable endorsements from established and respected bodies. We welcome this, as it would ensure people are trained to a high standard and able to perform effectively and professionally.

While the CIMSPA Affiliate scheme establishes itself and while REPs undergoes whatever changes are planned, I would urge training providers to refer to Ofqual-regulated awarding organisations to ensure their training is absolutely fit for purpose and their trainees are receiving the best possible professional tuition with a qualification that will stand the test of time.

“There is likely to be a period of adjustment, and people currently training on courses that carry REPs points may be unsure where they stand”

Providers must check their training is fit for purpose / shutterstock

Body scanners are key to changing perceptions of health

Elaine Denton

I was pleased to read the Editor’s Letter in Health Club Management February 2017. Kate Cracknell’s points on making metrics more user friendly and understandable are key to helping people become healthier. The V02 max measurement means very little to most people, but being able to climb the stairs without getting out of breath is both a clear goal to strive for and an indication of improvement.

Adding a metric that shows exactly what the individual’s heart and lung health currently looks like and how this could affect them in the future is hugely motivating.

We have introduced Boditrax in David Lloyd clubs, and taught our personal trainers to assess and explain the metrics in an easy-to-understand way that relates to specific goals. In response, we have seen a huge change in the perspective of our members, who have moved from focusing just on their weight and body fat percentage to thinking about their overall health.

As Kate mentioned, when people learn their metabolic age compared to their real age, the focus shifts to trying to reduce that. Gym members are now looking at levels of visceral fat, hydration, bone density and muscle mass instead of just weight and body (subcutaneous) fat. This is a positive result, not just for the fitness industry, but for the NHS.

I believe that if Boditrax and similar systems were accessible to the general public, this would improve people’s understanding of their own health, giving them the motivation to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

“Our members have moved from focusing on just their weight and body fat percentage to thinking about their overall health”

Boditrax turns your health data into a metabolic age