Working on the Frontlines of the Physical Inactivity Epidemic - Fitness Warriors [Podcast Series]

• [:58] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Jacki Quinlan

  • Jacki Quinlan is the Director of Community Outreach at Sports Backers.

  • The Sports Backers’ Fitness Warriors program serves communities with the highest rates of physical inactivity with fitness classes that are free of cost.  

• [1:46]  Report from the frontlines of the physical inactivity epidemic

  • “If you really want to talk about frontlines, that’s what it is. It’s life or death.”

  • “Our warriors that are out there recruiting folks to get moving and leading these free fitness classes. They are literally on the front lines. We have classes in Gilpin Court, where no one else is out leading classes. There's no gyms. There's no, you know, healthy place to go get food. That's where our warriors are.  We go where really no one else has gone to bring physical activity right to the communities that need them the most.”

• [4:51]  Reaching people where they are

  • “For us, we offer classes in places where people are already comfortable going in their communities. So that is churches, community centers, libraries, apartment complexes, that is where the people already frequent those places. They're centered in their communities so we're not saying, hey, come to us, we're coming to you. We're stepping onto your turf, where you're comfortable. And we're bringing what we have to offer to you.”

• [7:14]  Drawing fitness warriors from the community

  • “So we recruit folks that are from the community, average people, they're not people who have already gone through a certification. They are folks that have a passion for fitness, and have a passion for giving back to their community.”

• [10:26]  The role of social support

  • “So from our survey that we do with our warrior instructors, 75% attribute friendships and connections that they have built to our program. So it's way more than just physical activity. It's connecting them to this active living network of people who think like them, believe like them, and serve like them. And so there's this connection between the warriors that, it's deep, it's a deep connection and that filters down into their classes that they lead in the community.”

• [14:32]  Fitness warriors making a difference in the community

  • “That is what I think, to our warriors, makes it all worth it. And so it's really like knowing that they're making a difference in the community is, you know, making a difference in someone's life is what really impacts our warriors the most.”

• [16:01] Implementing the fitness warrior train-the-trainer model in other communities

  • “And so when you're going to recruit new people for the program or mentors for the program, you need someone who's well versed in the landscape of the fitness industry in your region.”. 

• [17:29]  Diversifying fitness

  • “So I think that for people to feel more comfortable and for people to feel like physical activity and fitness is for them, they need to be able to see people that look like them doing what we're asking them to do. And so I think that's another piece that, you know, as a whole, the industry has to address and has to do a better job of diversifying the face of fitness.”

• [19:56] Bringing about sustainable behavior change

  • “But when you have a warrior checking in on you, when you are, you know, starting to get to know the people in your class and they're also holding you accountable, and then they're challenging you to do the next thing.”

• [24:44] The fitness journey

  • “And so there's that progression too. And of course, as you are going through that, that's just furthering your own fitness journey. And now, it's this ripple effect. It's like you started out as a participant. Now you're going to go through the training to become a warrior, and then you're going to reach a whole other group of people that we wouldn't have reached before.”

• [26:35] Scaling up affordable programs

  • “There's lots of ways that we have gone about making this affordable and sustainable. And I think a crucial piece is being really creative, and being willing to go out and tell your story and ask people to help support in the ways that they can.”

• [29:05] Evaluating the impact of the Fitness Warriors program

  • “One of my favorite data points is that 97% of our class participants would recommend a fitness warriors class. That ripple effect that we talked about, that's crucial. That's how that happens, is people talking, that word of mouth.” 

  • “78% of our class participants are overweight or obese. And so, I am proud of that number, not because, because you might be hearing that a different way than I hear, what I hear is that we're reaching the right people. Our classes are open to anyone, anyone can come to the class, but we're really trying to reach those people who need the class the most, who are either living sedentary lifestyles, or are overweight or obese and need a place to feel comfortable coming to work out.”