Are We Chasing the Wrong Kind of Growth in the Fitness Industry?

 

Are We Chasing the Wrong Kind of Growth in the Fitness Industry?

For years now, we’ve heard the same rallying cry repeated across the fitness sector: We can help the NHS. We can support public health. We can be part of the solution.

And at its core, that belief is absolutely right.

We know we can play a vital role in helping people get fitter, healthier, more mobile, more resilient — physically, mentally, emotionally. There’s no doubt that movement, community, and lifestyle support have an enormous part to play in solving the public health crisis we face.

But here’s the uncomfortable question: Are we chasing the wrong kind of growth by continually directing our energy at the NHS and central government?

Because let’s be honest — the NHS is in crisis. Chronically underfunded. Overwhelmed. Fighting fires. And government after government has shown a clear reluctance to engage in any meaningful dialogue about long-term prevention, let alone a credible funding model that includes fitness operators.

So why do we keep waiting to be invited to the table?

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Are We Asking the Wrong Question?

Rather than asking, "How do we get funding from the NHS?" — maybe we should be asking:

"How do we create something so valuable, so outcome-driven, and so well-delivered that the NHS has no choice but to engage?"

The current strategy — hoping for investment, waiting on pilots, or clinging to inconsistent partnerships — feels reactive, uncertain, and fragmented.

It’s time we stopped looking up for validation and started looking inward to build a stronger, more unified industry with its own momentum.

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Time to Refocus on Us

Instead of lobbying endlessly for budget scraps, we should be doubling down on what we control:

• Raising standards across the industry, so excellence becomes the norm, not the exception

• Creating national campaigns that unite independents, franchises, and chains under one voice — not just to sell, but to shift perceptions

• Developing our own programmes and outcome frameworks that mirror the kind of impact the NHS wants to see — delivered with our funding, on our terms

• Professionalising our delivery, our data, and our communications, so public health bodies want to work with us — not because we asked, but because we’ve proven we’re the right partner

We’ve waited long enough for external validation. It's time to lead.

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Imagine the Power of a Unified Industry

What would happen if — instead of 500 clubs working in isolation — we aligned on delivery models, data tracking, and outcome reporting?

What if we stopped trying to convince government and simply showed them the impact we’re already having?

What if we created open-source frameworks, playbooks, and member journeys that any club could use to deliver health-focused programming — whether in a boutique gym or a community sports hall?

We talk a lot about collaboration, but rarely do we act on it. Maybe it’s time to change that.

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Let’s Stop Waiting for Permission

The truth is: we don’t need the NHS’s money to start making an impact. We need clarity, consistency, and confidence in our own direction.

Let’s build the structures first — then invite others to join us.
Let’s stop competing for attention and start collaborating for action.
Let’s stop asking for funding and start showing undeniable value.

If we do that, the NHS won’t need persuading — they’ll come looking for us.

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Ryan Charlesworth
Black Raccoon Consulting
📧 ryancharlesworth@blackraccoon.org
🌐 www.blackraccoon.org