Not All People Over 50 Are Alike – With Dan Ritchie

04/09/2025 21 min
Not All People Over 50 Are Alike – With Dan Ritchie

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Episode Synopsis

In this compelling follow-up to last week's conversation, Jay Croft is joined by Dan Ritchie, co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute, to explore the diversity within the over-50 fitness market. While most gyms target deconditioned older adults, Dan and Jay discuss the often-overlooked segment of active, high-performing individuals in this age group who still seek challenge, adventure, and high-level coaching.They share practical strategies for fitness professionals to market to all older adults by showcasing a variety of real client stories — from someone wanting to hike glaciers in Patagonia, to another preparing to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. If you're in the fitness industry and you want to serve the full spectrum of people over 50, this conversation is a must-listen.Guest: Dan RitchieBio: Dan Ritchie is the President and co-founder of the Functional Aging Institute and a former longtime gym owner. With decades of experience training older adults, Dan specializes in helping fitness professionals serve the unique needs of clients over 50 — from beginners to elite performers.Main Topics Covered:Not a One-Size-Fits-All MarketWhy the over-50 demographic is more diverse than many gym owners realizeHow to avoid alienating active older adults by assuming everyone is a beginnerThe Power of StorytellingHow real-life client stories like summiting Kilimanjaro or traveling Europe inspire belief and actionTips on using storytelling in marketing to connect with a variety of client typesProgram Design for Every Fitness LevelWhy you must scale programs for different abilitiesThe importance of making experienced clients feel seen and appropriately challengedMarketing to the Advanced 50+ ClientWhat gym owners can do to attract fit, motivated clients over 50Balancing welcoming beginner messaging with high-performance program offeringsTimestamps:00:00 – The power of believing what's possible after 70 01:00 – Jay introduces Part 2 with Dan Ritchie 02:00 – Overview of Andrew's fitness question from last episode 04:00 – Stats on low exercise rates over age 65 05:30 – Why we need to speak to all fitness levels 07:00 – Stories that resonate with high-performing older adults 08:30 – Kilimanjaro, Patagonia, and client adventures 10:00 – Fitness goals like golf, tennis, and pickleball 13:00 – Making clients feel seen and supported 16:00 – Jay's story about "Papillon" the grandfather 18:00 – Creating a gym where everyone feels they belong 20:00 – Reversing decline through consistent training 21:00 – Lance's story: feeling better at 75 than at 65🎤 Host: Jay Croft Jay helps fitness professionals grow their businesses by better connecting with people over 50 through content marketing that works.🌐 Podcast Website: https://primefitcontent.com 📬 Contact: [email protected] 📱 Instagram: @primefitcontent 💼 LinkedIn: Jay Croft👍 Rate the show on Apple Podcasts 📥 Contact us – [email protected] this episode? Share it with a friend or tag us on socials using #OptimalAgingPodcast.

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