ENGAGE THE AUSSIE YOUTH MARKET & TACKLE CHILDHOOD OBESITY WITH LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™

We also all know that, unfortunately, most people do not exercise enough, even though the benefits of exercise in improving health and mental wellbeing are scientifically proven and widely known. Around 60% of young people don’t get enough exercise, and it follows that the percentage of non-exercising adults will be roughly the same.

Schools and governments promote participation in sport as the key way to encourage children and young people to be physically active from an early age. But this traditional strategy is failing because very few people are naturally gifted when it comes to sport, which means the rest of us who aren’t particularly good at it, usually don’t enjoy participating – and so don’t.

While some adults will pick up the exercise habit later in life – if they discover how beneficial and pleasurable it is – the majority will not. Even in Australia, with our beautiful landscape and enthusiasm for the outdoors and for watching sport, the percentage of people who do not exercise enough is still very high.

What we all need is a program that captivates the attention of children of all ages, so they can fall in love with fitness and develop healthy habits that will stay with them for a lifetime.

Enter: LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™

LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ (BTM) is a series of choreographed programs for children and teens (aged 2 to 16 years), which combines dance, martial arts, plyometrics (jumping), core training, yoga, games and relaxation. This unique program blends fitness in a way that children simply can’t resist – even the ones who might ordinarily be left out of traditional physical education classes due to their lack of confidence or ability in specific activities or sports.

BTM is designed to foster and cement positive physical habits so they’re hardwired for a lifetime. This is achieved by building confidence and developing skills using simple moves, role-playing, stories, games, team building, performance, problem solving and the magic of music. BTM programs specifically cater to the following age brackets: 2-3 years, 4-5 years, 6-7 years, 8-12 years and 13-16 year-olds.

Since its launch in 2014, BTM has achieved major success in the UK and Europe, and in 2020 Australia is set to follow suit. While we all recognise the extensive benefits that participants will receive from regular (and fun) exercise, the program’s resounding success can also be attributed to the benefits received by clubs and facilities offering the program. For example:

• BTM has the potential to boost retention, by enabling members to bring their younger family members along.
• BTM can attract new members, when the community realises there’s a non-sporting opportunity for children to become physically active on a regular basis.
• BTM can create a whole new profit centre
• BTM can rejuvenate and reinvigorate your instructors by challenging them with a new program and introducing a potential new income stream.
• The program can serve as a source of leads for future members because once they’re old enough, BTM participants can effortlessly, and with confidence, integrate into a regular gym and/or group fitness environment.

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It…

Brisbane-based Anna Megueria is a licensed LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ trainer who introduced the program into her local school – Indooroopilly State High School in Queensland – and achieved enormous success among educators, parents and most importantly, the children these classes are designed for.

“In 2019, Indooroopilly was the only school in Australia to have incorporated BTM into its regular curriculum and the only school in Australia to offer the program both during school and after school hours,” explains Anna.

“The program was offered as an elective in the Year 7 sport program. BORN TO MOVE (Strength, Dance & Yoga) were also offered as an after-school activity, allowing students the no-commute, affordable, safe opportunity to exercise; and BORN TO MOVE (Yoga) was offered to Years 11 and 12 students to help them calm their nerves before their Queensland Core Skills Test.”

Inspired by the response and results, Anna is now championing the growth of the program in Australia by inviting gyms, leisure centres, other schools, fitness professionals and educators to join her mission to get our children moving more, and to help them build healthy habits that will last them a lifetime.

“My involvement with fitness started when I became a LES MILLS instructor for BODYPUMP® and CXWORX® and when BTM was launched in 2014, I immediately saw its potential because it counteracted all the negatives of sports programs by being fun and non-competitive, plus it could be done inside or outside,” Anna explains.

“At the time I was living in Papua New Guinea and my own children had the same reluctance to exercise, which was exacerbated by the hot and humid weather that made exercising outdoors virtually impossible. So I lost no time in becoming a licensed trainer and my pupils took to the classes like ducks to water!” says Anna.

“I taught BTM at the International School and my franchise was so successful that when I moved back to Australia, I approached the leadership team at Indooroopilly State High School about holding classes for their pupils. And that’s how they became the first school in Australia to offer LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ as part of their curriculum.”

Here’s How To Get In On The BTM Success

“There’s no downside to making exercise fun for children,” says Anna “and it doesn’t take long before communities realise just how many benefits there are. Honestly, everyone wins with BTM – the children are healthier with improved mental wellbeing, while also developing a habit of exercise is which is highly likely to stay with them through adulthood. Parents are happier because their kids are healthier. Of course, society wins, when the population is healthier and less money needs to be spent on treating lifestyle diseases. And clubs and facilities win, when they offer the program to their members and local community.”

Right now is the time to encourage your trainers to become licensed LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ trainers. By doing so they’ll get to help children become better versions of themselves, while establishing an additional income stream for themselves.

To become a licensed trainer, your instructors simply need to complete Initial Module Training (IMT), which is delivered over three full days. The great news is, for the LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ program, a new training format means your instructors will learn how to teach all school ages by attending just one IMT.

Please note: your instructors do not need to have any previous training with LES MILLS in order to become a licensed trainer in the BTM program.

The next 3-day IMT for LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™ is being held on Saturday 15 February, and Saturday 18th April 2020, at Indooroopilly State High School, Queensland.

For more information about LES MILLS BORN TO MOVE™, contact

WA: Lee lee@lesmills.com.au 04 2494 7199	NT, SA, ACT, VIC (Great Ocean Road): Scott scott@lesmills.com.au 02 62158 116
NSW: Miriam miriam@lesmills.com.au 02 62158 141 / 04 81 213 176	TAS & QLD: Kathryn kathryn@lesmills.com.au 02 62158 121 / 04 3222 0792
VIC: Tyler tyler@lesmills.com.au 02 62158 104