If you were to pick one industry expo and conference to attend, the Fitness Show and FILEX should be that choice. Playing host to hundreds of companies and industry experts willing to give away their knowledge, expertise, demonstrations and product samples, for to you absorb.
The Fitness Show, previously known as the Australian Fitness & Health Expo, is the largest fitness and health event in Australia, spanning over 3 days. This year it’s back in Sydney from Friday 28th – 30th bringing together the latest fitness and health trends, products, events and experiences including live workouts, fitness classes, seminars and cooking demonstrations. With all that and being surrounded by thousands of likeminded individuals, you’ll leave feeling inspired and motivated.
But with so much going on, and in such a large space, you’ll want to make sure you don’t miss that which interests you. This year, the Fitness Show is broken down into 3 zones: Strength, Active and Industry. With the Strength zone being targeted towards bodybuilding and strength training enthusiasts. The Active zone targeted more towards those interested in a healthy and active lifestyle. And the Industry zone focusing on the latest in education, commercial equipment and business services.
It is a good idea to have a look through the Fitness Show website. My advice is to first look through the highlights and make a note of what interests you, then to dig deeper into each category. For example, if you want to watch some impressive calisthenics (body weight movement) and bar work from Mike Vazquez, head to muscle beach on Saturday from 10-11am. If powerlifting is your thing, head to Bukiya powerlifting stage, where there are a number of competitions taking place throughout the expo.
Within the Active zone, our clothing partner, 2XU, will be demonstrating and explaining the science behind compression apparel. You’ll be able to chat with the 2XU experts, who will help you find the perfect style and fit for you. Also within the Active zone is the Healthy living stage, where you can learn more about nutrition and healthy living. You might be thinking that the advice will all be about cutting out the foods you enjoy, but there is actually a seminar hosted by Lindy Olsen which is all about eating ALL foods you enjoy, including ice cream, chocolate and cheesecake. Whilst staying in shape of course. So if you want to have your cake and eat it too, make sure to check that one out.
With the Industry zone, which is where we come in, you’ll be able to walk around the expo talking to all the companies that are providing the products and services you want more information about. Come over and see us on Stand K27, where you can hear all about our courses, professional development and career options. We are also running regular prize draws, where you’ll be able to win 2XU vouchers. We have $600 worth to give away over the weekend.
There will also be many supplement brands tending their own stands, and many will be giving away free samples to try. As you’ll probably know, lots of these supplements are quite expensive to buy, especially if you simply want to try it. This is a perfect opportunity to collect some of the things you’ve been wanting to try as well as get the info about them. I would advise you to ask questions about each of the supplements you’re planning on trying, as this will help you understand more about what is happening when you ingest them. And you might even learn something about the human body. Obviously, take what they say with a pinch of salt, as at the end of the day they are trying to sell their product to you. It’s also polite to show interest in something companies are giving out for free.
Within the Industry zone, there is the FILEX component. FILEX is the educational side of the expo. A conference that will teach you the latest trends, research, and innovative thinking to help with the success for your business. With lectures, workshops and master classes in business, personal training, group fitness & training, mind body, nutrition, physio & exercise therapy, lifestyle & exercise medicine, aqua and coaching & behaviour change, you’re bound to find something to spark your interest. But likewise, with so much choice, it’s important to be prepared.
Much like going to a music festival, you need to be aware of who is speaking, where and at what time in order to make it to all the lectures and workshops you want to see. You can view all that is being offered by visiting the FILEX website and looking into sessions—by hovering over the Sessions tab, you can choose the areas that interest you and explore what’s on. As we’re more focused on personal training, you might want to look into that section of the Sessions list. Bret Contrearas kicks the listings off with ‘the art and science of glute training’ at 8.15am on the Friday. So for those interested in exploring the latest science and cutting edge in gluteus maximum research, be sure to check that one out. One of the final sessions on Sunday at 3pm is hosted by TriggerPoint on foam rolling, where you’ll be able to learn all about why you should foam roll and have that knowledge to pass onto your clients.
Summary
To round things up, my advice would be to make a big list of everything and everyone you want to go and see, where they are located, and what time (if they have an allocated time) they are on. Once you have that you can prioritise and build a schedule, fitting in all that you want to see from both the Fitness Show expo and FILEX. This will inevitably give you the best chance of seeing everything you want to and need to see, leaving you full of passion and motivation for this great industry!
And make sure you come and say Hi to us on Stand K27! See you there.
