Meaning Business

Embody-meant Embody-meant

A counterpart to virtual livingA counterpart to virtual living

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TopicsTopics

The nation’s Health & Fitness 2000The nation’s Health & Fitness 2000 DisembodimentDisembodiment Body modelsBody models Rethinking what H&F meansRethinking what H&F means

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Health & Fitness - Status Health & Fitness - Status 2000 2000

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Health & Fitness?Health & Fitness? Health awareness is risingHealth awareness is rising Brits are living longerBrits are living longer

but...but... Getting fatter:Getting fatter:

17% of men in 1999 (13% in 1993) 20% of women (16% in 1993)

Osteoporosis is increasing:Osteoporosis is increasing: 10% increase per year (source: NOS) Decline in bone-mass-developing

exercise

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Health and Fitness paradoxesHealth and Fitness paradoxes Living longer <> mistrusting doctorsLiving longer <> mistrusting doctors High-tech science <> faith in “alternative” High-tech science <> faith in “alternative” Nutrition awareness <> junk foodNutrition awareness <> junk food Fitness education <> unfit childrenFitness education <> unfit children Booming H&F <> Brits getting fatter Booming H&F <> Brits getting fatter ““Men’s Health” <> 38” average male waistMen’s Health” <> 38” average male waist Know what’s “right” <> do what’s “wrong”Know what’s “right” <> do what’s “wrong”

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DisembodimentDisembodiment

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Disembodiment definedDisembodiment defined Dictionary definition:Dictionary definition:

“Freeing from the body or physical matter.”

Meaning Business definition:Meaning Business definition: Losing touch with the body Living less physically, more virtually, more

remotely

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Disembodiment at workDisembodiment at work Technology, efficiency = less Technology, efficiency = less physicalphysical

efforteffort Head work replaces body work:Head work replaces body work:

robots and machines new jobs = “information” jobs call centres - 2% of UK workforce computers everywhere

Look no hands! VA computers Look no hands! VA computers Presence at work not needed:Presence at work not needed:

e-mail, mobile devices work from home EVAs - electronic virtual assistants

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Disembodiment at home Disembodiment at home Domestic appliances = less Domestic appliances = less physicalphysical

efforteffort Central heatingCentral heating Convenience foodsConvenience foods Remote controls Remote controls Rising car ownership:Rising car ownership:

car used for ever shorter trips roads dangerous drive kids to school

On-line shoppingOn-line shopping Telephone sexTelephone sex

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Disembodiment at playDisembodiment at play Less physical activity at school:Less physical activity at school:

playing fields sold off/developed curriculum encroaching on PE time

Roads + public spaces more dangerousRoads + public spaces more dangerous Exciting immersive entertainment:Exciting immersive entertainment:

TV, video, DVD Computer games - home and arcade Internet

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The shape of Brits to come...The shape of Brits to come...

Like him? Or like them?

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Disembodiment - sci-fi scenarioDisembodiment - sci-fi scenario The body is increasingly less relevantThe body is increasingly less relevant Physical effort increasingly less the normPhysical effort increasingly less the norm Huge market for magic H&F solutionsHuge market for magic H&F solutions New horizons for pharma + bio-medical:New horizons for pharma + bio-medical:

effective therapies for obesity tissue engineering - organs, bones etc. gene reprogramming “Runner’s High” in a pill

Health and Fitness without the sweat!Health and Fitness without the sweat!

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H&F ThreatsH&F Threats Rush - no time for the club Rush - no time for the club Less tolerance of physical exertion ...Less tolerance of physical exertion ... ... income and fun don’t require it... income and fun don’t require it Less childhood experience of PE and gymLess childhood experience of PE and gym More expectation of quick, easy fixesMore expectation of quick, easy fixes Acceptance of extra inches - U.S. LeadsAcceptance of extra inches - U.S. Leads DISEMBODIMENTDISEMBODIMENT

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H&F OpportunitiesH&F Opportunities Co-opt technology (as already):Co-opt technology (as already):

add entertainment/experience to the grind appeal to Playstation generations

Rethink frames of reference: Rethink frames of reference: 1.1. What’s a club?What’s a club?2.2. What’s a body?What’s a body?3.3. What’s the context? What’s the context? 4.4. What’s the offer?What’s the offer?

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1:1: What’s a club?What’s a club?

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1: What’s a club?1: What’s a club? Is it the facility + equipment?Is it the facility + equipment? Or is it staff + expertise?Or is it staff + expertise? If it’s the facility:If it’s the facility:

is 6% penetration the limit? Traffic congestion home kit competing more conveniently?

If it’s the staff and expertise:If it’s the staff and expertise: scope for creating off-facility, on-site value more motivating to the weak-willed majority easier to spot needs and opportunities

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1. Formalised H&F club role?1. Formalised H&F club role? Health crisis - demographics, funding etc.Health crisis - demographics, funding etc. Cures getting costlier - prevention vitalCures getting costlier - prevention vital H&F industry positive impact on healthH&F industry positive impact on health H&F club usage link-up with insurance :H&F club usage link-up with insurance :

health benefit makes insuree a better risk justifies discount on premium incentivise insuree’s H&F club usage

What stops H&F from taking an What stops H&F from taking an integral roleintegral role

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2: What’s the body?2: What’s the body?

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2: What’s a body?2: What’s a body? Body:H&F industry = Cars:motor industryBody:H&F industry = Cars:motor industry View varies by era, culture even in Europe:View varies by era, culture even in Europe:

France, Italy: Liver Germany: Circulation Britain: Intestines

Science extending understanding:Science extending understanding: blurring body-mind divide interaction of complex systems

Prevailing body “model” sets the Prevailing body “model” sets the agendaagenda

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2: The Body - current H&F view?2: The Body - current H&F view?

The Body BeautifulThe Body Beautiful Western, scientificWestern, scientific Mechanical modelMechanical model Pecs, glutes, Pecs, glutes,

deltoidsdeltoids DevelopmentDevelopment PerformancePerformance

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2: Another view2: Another view

The Qi bodyThe Qi body Chinese, Chinese,

pragmaticpragmatic Energy modelEnergy model MeridiansMeridians RegulationRegulation BalanceBalance

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2: Another view2: Another view The Subtle bodyThe Subtle body Indian, mysticalIndian, mystical Energy modelEnergy model ChakrasChakras Accumulate Accumulate

energyenergy Raise Raise

consciousnessconsciousness

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2: New Body-Mind thinking2: New Body-Mind thinking Challenging traditional Body-Mind splitChallenging traditional Body-Mind split Body-Psychotherapy:Body-Psychotherapy:

Alexander Technique Bioenergetic Analysis Biosynthesis Bodynamics, Biodynamic Psychology Hakomi Energy Stream and Chiron

Body at work:Body at work: office gyms, nap spaces massage breaks <www.workmassage.nl>

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2: What body? - implications2: What body? - implications Power of the mental modelPower of the mental model Model determines:Model determines:

what/how we feel about/in our body how we experience it - what it means to us what we do with it what we focus on, what we ignore

Growing interest in different body modelsGrowing interest in different body models New ways of experiencing the bodyNew ways of experiencing the body New takes on health and fitnessNew takes on health and fitness

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2: What body? - questions2: What body? - questions

The industry frame of body reference?The industry frame of body reference?

How far does H&F remit + credibility extend?How far does H&F remit + credibility extend?

How far is the industry willing to extend?How far is the industry willing to extend?

Potential demand for other body experiences?Potential demand for other body experiences?

Who will capitalise on it?Who will capitalise on it?

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3: Context3: Context

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3: Perception depends on context3: Perception depends on context e.g. Suntanned:e.g. Suntanned:

pre-20th century: peasant, worker post-war: jet-setter 2000: melanoma candidate

e.g. Thin:e.g. Thin: before: poor, underfed now: virtuous, fashion model (or anorexic)

e.g. Physical tiredness:e.g. Physical tiredness: pre-Information Age: weary end of a day’s work now: glowing end of a day’s play

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3. Changed context 3. Changed context THENTHEN

HealthHealth: pot luck, : pot luck, falliblefallible

FoodFood: basic, sufficient : basic, sufficient

Body functionBody function: work, : work, locomotion, survivallocomotion, survival

ExpectationExpectation: grow : grow oldold

NOWNOW

HealthHealth: fixable : fixable

FoodFood: varied, : varied, excessiveexcessive

Body functionBody function: : pleasure, attractionpleasure, attraction

ExpectationExpectation: stay : stay youngyoung

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3: Re-embodiment3: Re-embodiment We’re still physical beings - still animalsWe’re still physical beings - still animals New context doesn’t change our nature:New context doesn’t change our nature:

makes physical living less necessary, makes it more difficult, but more valuable

Need to “reconnect”, “re-embody”Need to “reconnect”, “re-embody” Clues: Clues:

rave and dance culture activity holidays extreme sports

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3: Re-embodiment opportunity3: Re-embodiment opportunity Huge scope for new body attitudes + Huge scope for new body attitudes +

practicepractice health appearance feeling

H&F industry already up and running:H&F industry already up and running: body experts trusted, familiar, not weirdThe obvious resource for a new lease of The obvious resource for a new lease of

body life in a disembodied agebody life in a disembodied age

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4: What’s the offer?4: What’s the offer?

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4: What’s the H&F offer?4: What’s the H&F offer?

70s-80s : looking good70s-80s : looking good 80s-90s : enhancing health80s-90s : enhancing health 90s-00s : unload stress, invest for 3rd 90s-00s : unload stress, invest for 3rd

ageage

What’s next?What’s next?

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Can H&F extend?Can H&F extend?

Beyond the hardware? Beyond the hardware? Beyond the bio-mechanical?Beyond the bio-mechanical? Beyond optional to essential?Beyond optional to essential? Beyond the session into everyday Beyond the session into everyday

life?life?

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Meaning Business

Stuhar@meaning-business.comStuhar@meaning-business.com