It is true that many Portuguese are beginning to embrace physical exercise (largely thanks to fitness professionals who try to instill this need in athletes!), but it is also true that many Portuguese still maintain a dangerous sedentary lifestyle.
Perhaps this is why the General Directorate of Health (DGS) wants to encourage doctors at local health centers and units to prescribe more physical exercise while assessing patients' physical activity and sedentary behavior, with a focus on evaluating physical activity in children under 15 years old. It is certain that this entity already operates a nationwide initiative, the National Program for the Promotion of Physical Activity, and there has even been a significant increase in patient monitoring by doctors. But it's not enough! According to DGS figures: only 3% of adults have their physical activity assessment recorded in the National Health Service system.
Several reasons may explain these numbers: doctors are unaware of or have difficulties accessing the tools for data recording. In fact, the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine states that the system is slow and requires filling out various parameters and information.
But the issue that deserves the most attention is the extension of physical activity assessment to children under 15 years old: after all, one in three Portuguese children is overweight, which may signal a lack of physical exercise among kids.
What is the role of the Personal Trainer?
Various shortcomings can be pointed out in a scenario where, according to the National Statistics Institute, only 36.2% of Portuguese people exercise at least once a week. What about the other 63%?
This question is legitimate when, in Spain, 49% of Spaniards engage in some sport activity at least once a week and, in France, this percentage rises to 60%.
Moreover, with social media being part of life and professionals sharing fitness tips completely free of charge, along with the growing offers in the fitness sector—gyms opening and new professionals creating a market in all areas—what could be going wrong?
It is true that the sector is growing healthily, but there is still a lack of clear awareness among the population about the benefits of physical exercise. Social and economic conditions also weigh in; many do not see exercise as useful but rather as an unnecessary or meaningless expense.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to create knowledge and awareness about the positive impact physical exercise has on our lives, instilling this understanding in everyone, especially children and young people.
As a Personal Trainer, you have the right knowledge to play a role as a catalyst and spokesperson for the benefits of physical exercise. Over the past months, we have been committed to helping create this knowledge by giving some tips on how to help athletes—and also Personal Trainers—achieve goals in various fitness areas.
But more is needed:
👉 Share the benefits
Your training plans should reflect the concern not only to meet your athletes' expectations but also to promote a healthier life. Instill the importance of physical exercise and how it is an ally for people to feel good about themselves.
👉 Content
More than building a personal brand or promoting services or even adding value, sharing practical content (such as exercises or advice) for free can be an excellent way to spread the importance of fitness. Your content can reach people who, lacking financial means to practice supervised sports, might feel inspired to create a training plan on their own.
👉 Partnerships with public and private entities
Why not create a support and promotion program for fitness and present it to schools and public institutions? Establishing partnerships that spread the benefits of physical exercise to key audiences can help increase sports participation in certain areas. The involvement of health institutions can also give these programs an even greater boost, ensuring specialized monitoring for each potential athlete.
👉 "Low-cost" plans without being "low" in quality
Just like BOOMFIT equipment, which is very competitively priced without compromising quality, you can also create a personalized low-cost training plan for your athletes, ensuring they can access coaching that does not compromise results or the quality you provide but at a lower price. This support can be offered through videoconference sessions or videos explaining each exercise, with biweekly or monthly meetings.
This type of plan reduces your investment, allowing you to offer a balanced plan accessible to all.
Final considerations
Promoting physical exercise as a way to achieve a healthy life is the right way for more people to avoid sedentarism. Instilling this idea is as important as, or more important than, having a super well-equipped gym. The athlete must feel good, safe, and respected at all times during their sports practice.
Your role as a Personal Trainer will be to ensure these pillars remain solid, creating a relationship of true trust, showing your athlete that physical exercise is not an expense but an investment that will change their life.
At BOOMFIT, we want to help you in this mission. That is why we work every day, with a dedicated team ready to help find the best solutions: contact us! We also want to be part of this mission.
Good workouts!
