Movember, Life Fitness, and dentsu Aotearoa have teamed up to introduce a new mental health initiative, “MindSets,” in over 100 gyms across New Zealand. The program is designed to transform the often idle moments between workout sets into opportunities for mental well-being exercises.
Developed with clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire, MindSets consists of a series of quick, simple mental health exercises that can be completed in just 1-2 minutes—the typical break time between sets. Among the exercises are “Oxytocin Lifts,” which encourage checking in with a friend; “Mood Raises,” a quick breathing exercise; and “Serotonin Lifts,” where participants listen to a song that brings them good memories. Gym-goers can choose to perform one exercise or complete the entire circuit.
These mental health exercises are illustrated as easy-to-follow instructions that complement the existing diagrams on Life Fitness equipment. They are available in major gym chains, including Flex Fitness, Les Mills, Anytime Fitness, and Snap! Fitness, as well as council, university, and privately owned gyms. Additionally, the program can be accessed online, with audio guides narrated by The Alternative Commentary Collective, enabling people to incorporate the exercises into their routines wherever they work out.
Movember, renowned for its annual campaign to raise awareness for men’s health, is focusing on mental health this year as part of its broader mission. A portion of the funds raised each year goes toward initiatives like MindSets. Movember’s country manager, Rob Dunne, emphasized the importance of providing practical mental health tools that integrate into people’s daily lives. “MindSets is a perfect example of that,” Dunne said.
Life Fitness, which focuses on promoting overall health, is equally enthusiastic about supporting the initiative. Colin Walker, managing director of Life Fitness NZ, explained, “Mental health is a huge part of that, so MindSets is something we’re thrilled to support.”
The initiative is also receiving support from media partners who are helping to spread the message as gyms experience an influx of members in the lead-up to summer. Cartel Media is running targeted gym screen campaigns, NZME is leading radio coverage, and Mediaworks, Shout, and Jolt are providing extensive exposure across outdoor advertising, online platforms, and TV.
Brett Colliver, chief creative officer at dentsu, highlighted the importance of balancing physical and mental health. “Everyone who goes to a gym does it to stay healthy, but it’s easy to forget that our minds need to be kept as strong as our muscles,” Colliver said. “We think being able to look after both at the same time is something that people won’t just find useful; it will also get them thinking about their mental health in a new way.”
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