Excited to be back in the studio, Brandon talks about how his business was impacted as a personal trainer during the COVID-19 lockdown. We also talked about the dreaded Quarantine-15 that many Americans were packing on the pounds during the stay at home order. Whether it be from stress eating, boredom, lack of routine, or any other reason many Americans now find themselves looking to return a “normal” state with their fitness without the ability to return to the gym.
We discussed the statistics of people who were polled about how likely they were to return to the gyms when they reopen. A majority, 60+% said they were unlikely to return to their neighborhood gym after the ban is lifted. This could lead to a shift in the industry.
Brandon, like many personal trainers, were forced to pivot their model in the pandemic. Some clients taking a break, others changing to virtual workouts, and some preferring the microgym approach.
Joe, the show producer, talked about his struggle to maintain his fitness regime without a personal trainer and how he had always thought that personal trainers were for the wealthy or people auditioning for a Marvel movie, but after using Brandon and FireWithin for more than six months realized that for his personality and lifestyle a personal trainer has proven necessary to a sustainable approach to fitness.
We also talked about the surprising increase of 266% of the purchase of candy and 50+% increase of alcohol purchasing during COVID-19. It is clear that one way many people process stress is through seeking comfort in food & drinks.
