Optimal Aging
Episodes
Menopause and Fitness over 50: What Gym and Studio Owners Need to Know, with Selene Yeager
19 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re talking about a topic that is rarely discussed, either in society generally or in the fitness world specifically.But it’s one of the m...
Do You Need to be on Every Social Media Channel to Reach Fitness Clients over 50?
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m going to answer a question I hear over and over again from gym and studio owners who indeed do want to grow their business by serving this...
What Gym Owners Can Learn from Picasso about Setting Prices and Communicating Confidently.
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A great story about Picasso goes something like this.The genius painter was at a Paris café when a fan approached and asked if Picasso could draw som...
How 1 Email Brought in 8 Clients and Untold Value to This Fitness-over-50 Studio
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a story for every gym or studio owner who says he doesn’t have time to manage an email list or send out emails to prospects and clients on ...
Why Your Gym Member Profiles Suck – and How to Make Them Sing.
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Your members and prospects want to see people like them succeeding – they want to relate, to say, Hey, maybe I could do that. They want an ordinary ...
Here's the Most Important Thing to Consider Before You Start Writing Anything for Your Fitness Business.
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re in business these days, then you’re a writer – like it or not. So you better learn how to do it well. That’s the premise of a terrif...
Are You Talking to Your Over-50 Fitness Clients and Prospects Enough? And Are You LISTENING? Ep. 81
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve been on a mission lately to learn more about my prospects and clients – specifically what they want help with regarding their content and com...
Content Marketing vs. Advertising: Which Is Best for Your Gym or Fitness Studio? Ep. 80
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you th`ink you don’t need content in your marketing, think again.You do – even if you regularly advertise on Facebook. You can’t rely on that...
Here's the BEST Way to Learn the Most about Growing Your Fitness-Over-50 Business Quickly. Ep. 79
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This not an overstatement: I would not be here today if it weren’t for the Functional Aging Institute’s Mastermind group.So, I want to encourage e...
Exercise vs. Dementia Part 2: How a Fitness Studio Launched with Its Unique Mix of Physical and Brain Exercise. Ep. 78
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We talk here every week about how fitness and health businesses can communicate their messages to the over-50 market. And one of the most fascinating ...
How Fitness Helped Save This Bodybuilding Gym Owner's Life in a Medical Crisis. Ep. 77
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever had a near-death experience? I haven't. But Ricky Banks has.Ricky is a 57-year-old gym owner and bodybuilder near Atlanta. He'...
Expert Tips to Grow Your Fitness-over-50 Business Now, with 3 Gym Owners Who Are Nailing It. Ep. 76
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s episode provides a rare triple threat. Three gym owners from three cities share their secrets for success in bringing fitness to people ...
'Medically Prescribed Fitness' Could Be Key in Linking Healthcare and Exercise. With Brian Prendergast of MedFit Care. Ep 75.
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Medfit Network has been promoting the idea that “fitness is medicine” for a long time. And now, the organization has launched MedFit Care to r...
How This Atlanta Gym Included People Over 50 and Recently Celebrated a Milestone Anniversary. Ep. 74
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In these days of big box gyms, boutique proliferation and, you know, global pandemics, it’s worth celebrating anytime an independent, neighborhood g...
Why You Must Make Your Marketing Clear about the Importance of Fitness over 50.
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been two generations since fitness became part of the broader culture, but still most of us don’t exercise regularly.We see evidence of fitne...
'You Look Good for Your Age' and the 4 Types of Over-50 Fitness Consumer. Ep. 72
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In my business, Prime Fit Content, I help fitness professionals who want to reach the over-50 market. But is “over 50” actually a niche?I don’t ...
This Brooklyn Couple Is Helping Active Agers Find the Right Place to Retire. What They're Finding Might Surprise You. Ep. 71.
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Gil Chan and Gene Preudhomme are married New Yorkers, both lawyers by training, one retired and the other counting the days.Like a lot of people right...
How an Online Learning Platform Helps Older Adults 'Get Set Up' in Fitness, Tech, Cooking and More. Ep. 70.
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lawrence Kosick’s dad wanted an Apple watch for his 90th birthday. Lawrence, in his 50s, worried he’d be stuck with teaching his father how to u...
Why the Fitness Business Association Went All-Virtual for Conferences, and How Fitness Businesses Are Evolving. With Josh Leve
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When I started writing in the fitness industry a few years ago, the Association of Fitness Studios was one of the first organizations I found.I went t...
How to Help Active Agers Stay 'In Control at 50+' in Fitness, Finance and More, with Author Kerry Hannon.
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that two-thirds of workers over 50 and almost 80 percent of the self-employed don’t plan to retire at 65? That’s according to a study...
Remember to Keep Workouts Fun for People Over 50 If You Want to Build Steady Habits.
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said, “We don’t quit playing because we grow older; we grow older because we quit playing.”But what does “fun”...
What's Coming Soon In Fitness Technology and How Gyms Can Make the Most of It, with Natalia Karbasova of FitTech
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Natalia Karbasova is founder of the Fit Tech Summit and the Fit Tech Club, which helps promote knowledge about coming developments in fitness technolo...
How a Broadway Actor Conquered NYC Fitness with His Colorful Approach, and What Gym OwnersCan Learn from Him.
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Fisher didn’t set out to become a personal trainer or to run a successful gym in New York.He wanted to be an actor, and was making a pretty goo...
Preaching the Power of Content in Growing Your Gym, with Business Coach Chris Cooper
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Cooper is a veteran coach of fitness businesses. And he’s as much an evangelist for content as I am. He says just 5 percent of the gyms he’...
Virtual Reality Is Connecting older Adults with Each Other, Travel, Fitness and More, with Kyle Rand of Rendever
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I have been all about Virtual Reality fitness lately. I got my own headset at Christmas, and another one right away for my 85-year-old mother after sh...
Money Tips from a Gym Owner and Financial Coach to Keep Your Fitness Business Fiscally Fit
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine the doorbell ringing at your home one day. You wonder who could it be and go answer, only to find a scary-looking dude loading up your car to ...
7 Keys to Showing You Want People over 50 in Your Gym or Studio
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, I share the story of Bruce, a retired doctor who encountered some unwelcoming gyms before finding the right one.It shows how important it i...
Veteran Fitness Business Adviser Pat Rigsby on Coaching Gym Owners to Success
25 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Pat Rigsby has been coaching fitness business owners for more than 15 years — after spending some time as a personal trainer and an earlier career a...
Building Healthy Habits for Sustained Weight Loss, with Amy Lang of Moxie Club
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amy Lang is one of my favorite people in fitness and wellbeing — and she’s a favorite of listeners of this podcast, too. More people downloaded my...
Don't Stop Now: 22 Tips for Promoting Your Fitness or Health Business in '22.
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, did you hear that now is the time to stop marketing your business?Yep – it’s January, after all. People are always tired of hearing about you...
A Look Ahead at the New Year with Dr. Dan Ritchie of the Functional Aging Institute
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s guest was also my very FIRST guest when I started the podcast more than a year ago — Dr. Dan Ritchie of the Functional Aging Institute.We ...
No Joke! 'Laughter Yoga' Is Seriously Good for You. With Gerontologist Celeste Greene
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been told that laughter is the best medicine, and we probably have learned along the way that a good laugh really does make you feel bette...
Sportswriter Ray Glier Turns His Focus on Older Athletes with GeezerJock Newsletter
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ray Glier is a veteran sportswriter for some of the country’s leading newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Atlanta ...
Robert Linkul on Training People over 50, Fighting Sarcopenia, and Closing His Gym Because of Covid.
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Linkul is the owner of TrainingTheOlderAdult.com, an online continued education provider for fitness professionals. Robert is an internationall...
Fitness Veteran Eric Tepper on How He's Building GenStrong Fitness to Serve the Over-50 Market.
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Tepper is a veteran of the fitness industry, with more than 25 years in business development, operations, cost management and more. He’s curren...
After World Series Win, Washington Nationals Coach Tripp Keister Keeps Fitness A Priority At 51.
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tripp Keister is a former professional baseball player who’s now a coach and manager for the Washington Nationals, the 2019 Series champions.We spok...
Healthy Cooking and Shopping Tips from Cookbook Author and Food Journalist Susan Puckett. Ep. 51.
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Susan Puckett is an award-winning food journalist and cookbook author — and a friend and former colleague from my newspaper days at the Atlanta Jour...
Hit up churches, community colleges, other local resources to sell your fitness-over-50 offerings. With Julian Barnes of Boutique Fitness Solutions. Episode 50.
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Julian Barnes is the co-founder and CEO of Boutique Fitness Solutions. The New York-based company educates and connects people in boutique fitness thr...
How to Build an Email List for your Over-50 Fitness Business, and Make the Most of It.
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Just in time for my 58th birthday this week, I’m sharing 5 tips to build your email list and 8 hacks for making sure you’re sending good stuff.I t...
Focusing on People and Relationships Helps Midwestern Fitness Chain Orange Shoe Grow. Ep. 48
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a cute reason why Orange Shoe Fitness has its name, and the company is smart to repeat it. See ,the founder was a pharmaceutical rep who alw...
Cannabis, CBD Can Play a Powerful Role in Athletic Performance and Recovery after 50, with Don Moxley of Longevity Labs and Mendi.
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Don Moxley was a wrestling champion at Ohio State University in the 1980s, the same time I was in college at Colorado State University. Now, he works...
Let's Talk about Menopause and How to Help Women Stay Fit, Well and Active. With Selene Yeager.
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Menopause is a part of life for half of all people everywhere, but it’s not discussed much in general — let alone in the context of staying fit ...
How to Improve Your Content Marketing and Tell Awesome Stories about Fitness over 50.
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What should you be doing now with your content marketing to establish yourself as an expert on fitness over 50?We’re joined this week by content mar...
How You Can Help People over 50 Get Fit after They Face a Turning Point. With trainer, author and podcaster Christine Conti.
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can you look back on your life and see a moment when everything changed for you?When you suddenly had to decide which way to go, what to do… how to ...
Would You Like an Audience of 2 Million People for Your Over-50 Fitness Business? Here's How One FitPro Did It.
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody’s on social media, sending emails, putting videos on YouTube and all — and that’s great. It’s how we get our word out about healthy ...
Can ‘Nurse-Coaches’ Help Bridge the Gap Between Healthcare and Fitness after 50? With Nicole Vienneau
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Like many of you, I’m intrigued by the growing merger of the healthcare and fitness industries. I wonder where it could take us as a society — and...
Financial Fitness and Physical Fitness over 50 Are A Lot Alike: With Financial Planner Murs Tariq
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you nervous about retirement? If you’re already there, are you enjoying yourself?As much as we might want to focus just on exercise and diet, fi...
Built to Grow, Including Fitness over 50: Gym Owner and Entrepreneur Tim Lyons Knows the Power of Marketing
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tim Lyons is a fitness entrepreneur on the move. He opened his own gym in Scottsdale, Arizona, then started coaching other gym owners on how to succee...
Exercise vs. Dementia, Alzheimer's: Bringing Brain Health and Physical Fitness Together, with Martin Pazzani and John Spence of Act!vate
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Three fitness leaders have combined forces on an innovative approach to fitness for people over 50. Former industry executive Martin Pazzani and forme...
How to Crush the Anti-‘Dad Bod’ Market for Men Who Want to be Fit over 50. With Mike Warren of Australia’s Ditch the Dad Bod.
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve never liked the whole “dad bod” thing… I mean, of course, a lot of mature men are soft around the middle and don’t have much muscle ton...
Let's Talk about Time and Money in Selling Fitness to People over 50.
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about time and money.We all get the same 24 hours in a day, but some people insist they just don’t have time to exercise. It’s the...
Gym Owners, Here's How to Use the Right Words and Images to Appeal to the Over-50 Fitness Market.
21 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you played the role of fitness consumer lately? It might be an eye-opening experience. Just do a quick Google search on gyms and studios in your ...
To Grow a Fit Over 50 Business, Focus on Client Engagement and Retention, with Sumit Seth of Naamly
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I met Sumit Seth a couple of years ago at a fitness conference, and we sort of immediately connected because we were two of the few participants who a...
First A Gym, Then A Podcast, and Now A Book -- Jim Adams Expands His “Masters in Fitness Business” Brand
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Adams is the owner of Catalyst Strength and Functional Nutrition in St. Louis — and the author of a brand-new book, “Masters in Fitness Busine...
Fit-Over-50 Professionals Share Lessons Learned from the Pandemic, and a Look at What’s Coming, with Dan Ritchie, Dr. Emily Splichal, Paul Holbrook and Dianne Bailey
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you find yourself at a perfect moment to look back on the recent past and also look ahead to what might be just around the corner. And we’...
Plant-Based Eating and Living on the Road, with Bruce and Mindy Mylrea of One Day to Wellness
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bruce and Mindy Mylrea are living the life that many couples in their 60s want. They closed up the house in California, live full-time in a motor home...
Building Community, Helping People over 50 Stay Fit and Engaged, and What We Can Learn from Drag Queens, with Lawrence Biscontini
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lawrence Biscontini is many things in the fitness world. He is a Mindful Movement Specialist. He is a philanthropist, speaker, and course development ...
Tai Chi for Baby Boomers and Military Veterans, with Master Instructor David-Dorian Ross
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When David-Dorian Ross was in his early 20s, he had a brief, intense experience that changed his life.It was during his first session of tai chi, and ...
Training People Over 50 for Mountain Biking, Hiking, Spartan Races and More, with TRX’s Renae McCloud
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Some people over 50 like to go to the gym so they can do well in the gym -- and that’s great.But others want to train so they can enjoy something ou...
Make the News: Get Free Local Media Coverage for Your Over-50 Gym or Fitness Studio, and Other Tips for Your Post-Pandemic Marketing Plan
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Too often in the digital age, we overlook traditional media in our marketing plans. But getting an article in the local paper or a segment on local TV...
Creating Your Own Successful Fitness Brand, with Sue Hitzmann of the MELT Method
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of fitness entrepreneurs are trying to do what Sue Hitzmann has already done. She created a thriving brand, wrote a best-selling book, and helps...
How to Get Gym Customers Back after the Covid-19 Pandemic, from Three People Who Are Doing It
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Where are we in the fight against the pandemic?It seems like things are improving, doesn’t it? This week, I invited three fitness professionals fro...
What's Your EQ? Emotional Intelligence Can Grow Your Fitness Business, with Lindsay Vastola
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of fitness entrepreneurs struggle with service offerings and pricing plans. For many, emotional intelligence can help them unlock the challenges...
We’re at a Unique Point in the Global Push for Fitness Over 50 -- with Colin Milner of the International Council on Active Aging
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We seem to be coming out of the worst of the pandemic… and we could be on the verge of a breakthrough — for your individual business and for fitne...
From Trainer to Chiropractor to Integrative Movement Specialist, Dr. Evan Osar Shares Tips for Growing Your Fitness over 50 Business
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Evan Osar began his career as a personal trainer even before he became a chiropractor. Since then, he also has founded the Institute for Integrati...
Does your fitness business have a crisis communications plan? Here's why and how to start, with communications expert Cindy Miller
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A year ago, were you anticipating a crisis to hit your business? You couldn’t have expected what happened, of course -- a pandemic messing up everyt...
The GYMS Act would give $30 billion in pandemic aid to the fitness industry. Here's how IHRSA, CrossFit want gyms to help get it passed.
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new bill in Congress could set up a fund with $30 billion to help fitness businesses hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. It has the backing of the In...
15 Pro Hacks to Always Have Plenty of Content Ideas for Your Fitness, Wellbeing, Healthy Living Business
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I’m often asked, Where do you get your ideas? It’s a good question, and I want to talk about that in this week’s episode of the Optimal Aging P...
Fit Over 50: Vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements with 1985 World Series champion Greg Pryor of Life Priority
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Pryor played Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1986 and was on the 1985 World Series winning team, the Kansas City Royals. In 1991, he was intr...
What's Coming in 2021 for Fitness over 50: Returning to the Gym, Premium Service, and Providing Community -- with Rick Mayo of Alloy Personal Training
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Rick Mayo is a veteran fitness professional and entrepreneur who’s helping to change how the industry approaches the underserved over-50 market. Ri...
Connecting Fitness to Healthcare Could Change Fitness Over 50, with Dr. Sean Pastuch of Active Life
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Sean Pastuch, a former gym owner and chiropractor, founded Active Life to create better solutions than the modern medical model can provide. It ma...
How Zeno Gym Entered the Home-Workout Arena with a Solid, Low-Tech Option
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, we’re talking to entrepreneur Will Torrez, who had a furniture company in San Diego when Covid-19 hit -- and he had to pivot h...
Legendary Weightlifting Champ Dan John at 63: Why Gyms Should Cater to the Fit-Over-50 Market
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dan John is a champion athlete and veteran trainer with a ton of knowledge, tips and encouragement to share on being fit over 50. Dan is an All-Americ...
Turn Your Healthy Living Idea into an Online Business, with Keto Coaching Pioneer Kate Bay Jaramillo
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Bay Jaramillo wears many hats as a fitness entrepreneur. She’s a ketogenic lifestyle expert, a master fitness instructor, author, podcast host,...
Do You Hate Selling, Too? Then Fitbiz Coach & Author Ryan McKenzie Has Some Advice for You
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re trying to market fitness, nutrition and wellbeing to people over 50, then you need to get over your fear of selling. No, it’s not immora...
Should Gyms Be Considered Essential Businesses? How Insurance-Backed ‘Prescription Fitness’ Can Help
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
David Rachal III studied Recreational Therapy and earned a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare. His HEALTH-E-FIT company is the first cre...
Fitness over 50 Roundtable: Three Business Owners Share Secrets of Their Success During the Covid-19 Crisis
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A lot of gyms and studios couldn’t make it through the pandemic. But these three did -- and their diverse range of businesses, approaches, and metho...
Fitness & Wellbeing Pros, Here's How to Not Suck at Writing Everyday Stuff
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Everybody’s a writer in the Internet age, whether you like it or not. So take a few minutes to learn how to do it better, with more ease and confide...
Weight Loss for Women over 50: How Amy Lang Closed Her Gym and Opened a Thriving Online Coaching Business
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Weight-loss expert Amy Lang ran a successful gym in San Francisco for 15 years. But toward the end of 2019, she made a big change. She parted with Pac...
Gut Health and Biohacks for Better Holistic Health, with Wade Lightheart of BiOptimizers
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Wade Lightheart is the President and Director of Education at BiOptimizers.com. Education at BiOptimizers.com is dedicated to discovering, presenting,...
Nutrition After 50: What to Eat as Needs and Interests Change with Nutritionist Angel Plannels
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Angel Planells is currently the owner of ACP Nutrition, which helps people transform lives through health, wellness and nutrition. He is the chair for...
To Sell Fitness after 50, Focus on Improving Customers’ Lives, with Marketing Guru Jay Acunzo
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Acunzo helps people navigate a problem that hurts careers and companies alike: In a world of infinite information and endless advice, it has never...
Six Components of Wellness, and how to grow online businesses that sell high-ticket items and services to people over 50. With fitness entrepreneur Chandler Walker
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chandler Walker helps entrepreneurs and fitness professionals build high-performing businesses and healthy habits. He is the co-founder of Stone Age F...
Remote Coaching and What’s Coming Next for Fitness, with Eric Malzone, Level 5 Mentors & Future of Fitness
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Malzone is a former gym owner turned fitness entrepreneur and podcast host. His professional experience stems from a decade in the corporate sect...
Growing a Fitness Studio for Women over 50, with Anthony Wilkins, Alloy Personal Training for Women
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Anthony Wilkins is trainer and co-owner of Alloy Personal Training for Women in Suwanee, Georgia, near Atlanta. The studio serves women with an avera...
Buying Habits and Fears of People over 50, with Jeff Weiss, Age of Majority
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff Weiss is President and CEO of the Age of Majority marketing agency, which helps brands find a competitive edge with consumers 55 and over.As a Ba...
Fitness over 50, with Dr. Dan Ritchie, Functional Aging Institute
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Dan Ritchie is president and co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute, which trains, certifies and supports gyms and studios geared toward peo...