Today’s thoughts are from Sidney Hur.
This global pandemic has impacted our lives in ways we would have never imagined. From school and work to health and wellness, everything has taken the back burner. Something that I have always made a priority before the pandemic hit was my mental health and overall wellbeing. I believe it is so crucial to human growth to take time out to take care of our mind and body in efforts to be more kind to ourselves.
With the global economic shut down that happened earlier in the pandemic, access to gyms and workout studios have disappeared right before our eyes and left many of us scrambling with what to do. As someone who takes health and wellness very serious, I too was having troubles with adapting to this new reality. Channeling the same level of energy, excitement, and motivation I had for workout classes and gym sessions indoors into home workouts was always a challenge for me pre-pandemic so I knew this was going to be a challenge to overcome.
With this new reality, many health and wellness brands were quick to express genuine empathy and concern to customers. The Nike Training Club app has been my particular favorite and their response to this pandemic has shown me a great sense of brand responsibility. The app has offered all premium workouts and programs for free. Not only are the workouts free, but within the Nike Training Club (NTC) app there lies a whole network. From recipes, to blog posts, to well-designed podcasts, Nike has done an incredible job in providing consumers with a community we had lost due to the pandemic.
The design of the app is designed to help anyone reach their fitness goals and stay accountable. The app essentially walks you through your wellness journey right at your fingertips. As someone who had personally gone through 8 full programs, I can whole heartedly say that I appreciate brands like Nike who eliminate this cost barrier during the pandemic for folks to achieve their highest self at home.
I should also note that not only has Nike created an ease in accessibility to workouts and wellness, but many small workout chains/studios have also utilized media platforms to stream home workouts. My usual spin and yoga studio had quickly learned the ropes of zoom and began hosting at home sessions with the option to rent spin bikes for your home.
It is incredible to see how folks are adjusting to this new norm. I think many companies have demonstrated courage and empathy during these trying times. As challenging as this time is, it is the relationships that are built between communities and brands that take optimism onto a whole new leve