Jesse Browne • January 31, 2025

PR Advice on Fitness Trends: The Harmony of the Mind and Body

We asked our PR and growth experts for their advice for fitness entrepreneurs on the demand for mind-body activities.

Physical activity is great for fitness but the mind also needs to be nurtured right. Exercises from yoga and strength training play a major role in maintaining a harmonious balance between the mind and body.

This expert panel is a curated selection of trending ways to best incorporate mind-body activities into programs.

• Launch a stress management training program
• Offer a short mindfulness session immediately after a workout
• Add small touches like soft lighting or calming music
• Movement as a mental reset
• Collaborate with mental health professionals to conduct workshops
• Use wearables to monitor things like breathing patterns
• Integrate short moments of focused breathing or body scanning
• Offer retreat-style programs
• Create a strong mental conditioning program
• Build accessibility and focus on outcomes
• Create a calming environment

Launch a stress management training program

Emily Reynolds-Bergh, Owner at R Public Relations

"As an entrepreneur of more than a decade, I can speak to how important fresh air and physical movement is to keeping stress levels down. Fitness entrepreneurs should consider a stress management training program or series of posts online. These tips, directed at entrepreneurs and freelancers, could make a big difference in the mind-body connection of those living with a high-stakes profession."

Offer a short mindfulness session immediately after a workout

Hiren Shah, Founder at Anstrex

"I'm a firm believer in the power of innovation—whether in business or personal well-being. The fitness industry is evolving, and entrepreneurs can stand out by integrating mind-body activities like yoga and mindfulness into their programs.

Advice For Fitpreneurs: Integrate guided breathing exercises or meditation into your fitness sessions. For example, offering a short mindfulness session immediately after a workout can boost customer satisfaction and retention. This does not only enhance physical fitness; it also nurtures mental fitness which relieves stress and encourages general wellbeing.

Reality Check: Some of the most successful entrepreneurs I have worked with use this technique to build loyal communities. A holistic approach to fitness helps foster stronger emotional tie with clients, which in turn increases revenues from referrals and repeat business."

Add small touches like soft lighting or calming music

George Silagadze, Co-founder & CEO at Photo2painting

"Adding mind-body activities like yoga or meditation can bring a new dimension to fitness programs. These exercises don’t just strengthen the body; they also help clients feel more centered and reduce stress. Entrepreneurs can pair traditional workouts with stretching or breathing exercises to create a balanced routine. At Photo2painting, introducing mindfulness in team workshops helped improve focus and creativity. Small touches like soft lighting or calming music can also make a big difference. Highlight these benefits to appeal to those seeking more than just physical fitness."

Movement as a mental reset

Deepak Shukla, CEO at Wellness in Italy

"When it comes to designing fitness programmes, integrating mind-body activities is essential for true well-being. Yoga, meditation, and mindful strength training sculpt muscles, support mental clarity, reduce stress, and encourage emotional resilience. This is vital for today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

For fitness entrepreneurs, the key is balance. Encourage clients to view movement as a physical challenge and a mental reset. Offer yoga sequences that target not only flexibility but also breathwork to lower cortisol levels. Introduce guided meditation or mindfulness moments during strength sessions to enhance focus and build mental endurance. These practices are powerful tools for preventing burnout and keeping clients engaged long-term.

At Wellness in Italy, we’ve seen how weaving holistic wellness into fitness programmes creates a deeper connection for participants. Our retreats combine physical activities like hiking and pilates with immersive mindfulness experiences, allowing guests to leave feeling physically revitalised and mentally grounded."

Collaborate with mental health professionals to conduct workshops

Dr. Gregory Gasic, Biomedical Research Advisor, Neuroscientist & Co-Founder at VMeDx

"Introduce structured yoga segments and meditation breaks that complement the strength training routine to highlight the balance between mental clarity and physical resilience. Emphasize the mental benefits of these practices in marketing messages, social media campaigns, and content strategies, positioning your brand as a comprehensive wellness solution rather than a standard gym experience. Make sure to cite the proper sources for the mental benefits linked to these practices for your customer’s verification.

Once customers try your program, ask for feedback. Make sure to compensate those who give feedback with discount vouchers or encourage them to provide more reviews. Afterwards, adjust the program accordingly based on feedback. Once the program steadily gains traction, showcase the positive testimonies to elevate brand credibility. You can also collaborate with mental health professionals to conduct workshops and co-branded events to show that your efforts are genuine and rooted in research.

To have an accessible interactive platform with your clients, you can create easy-to-follow tutorials and guided sessions online. This way, users can immediately access mind-body exercises anytime they engage with your programs."

Use wearables to monitor things like breathing patterns

John White, Director at We Run

"One strategy we've found helpful with some of our clients is the use of wearables to monitor things like heart rate variability, breathing patterns, and overall 'readiness'. Whilst performance metrics are obviously a crucial component of tracking progress, they can mask accumulating fatigue and sometimes even overtraining. More often than not, these states lead clients to feel unmotivated and unhappy. The use of wearables uncovers some really helpful data points which can be used to modify training schedules and planned activities, with the ultimate aim of ensuring that we strike the right balance between pushing hard with our training whilst maintaining a holistic approach to client wellbeing."

Integrate short moments of focused breathing or body scanning

Jayant Surana, Marketing Manager at Everyday Delta

"A lesser-known approach to incorporating mind-body activities is to integrate mindfulness breaks directly into strength or cardio sessions.

For example, at the end of every high-intensity interval or every set of weights, walk the client through a short moment of focused breathing or body scanning, so they can tap back into body sensations, relax their heart rate, and be more mentally focused. This practice doesn't demand a separate session of yoga or meditation; mindfulness is woven naturally into their routine workout.

This can be marketed to fitness entrepreneurs as the modern recovery technique that rejuvenates both physical and mental well-being. In fact, social media campaigns that show quick mind-body resets during workouts can discuss its ease of access and simplicity for more diverse targeting."

Offer retreat-style programs

Adam Bushell, Director at AB Electrical & Communications

"Fitness entrepreneurs can elevate their programs by combining gym workouts with opportunities for deeper mental engagement through retreats. Offering retreat-style programs that focus on both fitness and mindfulness can give clients a break from their routine while helping them reconnect with their goals.

Some ideas can be weekend retreats that could include strength training sessions paired with guided meditation, nature walks, and group discussions about mental wellness. These experiences allow people to step away from daily stress and focus on their overall well-being in a holistic setting.

You could also integrate yoga or tai chi as dedicated classes or warm-up routines, which combine movement with mindfulness. These activities teach people to listen to their bodies and focus on form, which not only helps reduce injuries but also creates a more satisfying workout experience.

I have seen how structured, intentional pauses, whether it’s stretching or meditation, help people stay committed to a program because it becomes about overall well-being rather than just fitness goals."

Create a strong mental conditioning program

Christophe Gabler, Publisher & Founder at YOGI TIMES

"Mental conditioning should be programmed with as much care as physical training. Clients who learn to regulate effort, control focus, and manage discomfort perform better and stay more engaged in their workouts. Breath control under stress, guided visualization before complex lifts, and cognitive training during movement create an environment where clients feel more capable. Trainers who apply these principles create programs that challenge both body and mind, which keeps clients coming back because they feel real progress in every part of their training."

Build accessibility and focus on outcomes

Michael Benoit, Founder at California Contractor Bond & Insurance Services

"I think a major barrier for clients new to mind-body practices is feeling like they need prior experience. Offering beginner-friendly workshops or integrating guided exercises that require no prior knowledge ensures everyone feels welcome. In my experience, removing complexity is key—clients are far more likely to try a mindfulness exercise if it’s straightforward and tied to clear results, like improved focus during workouts or better sleep patterns afterward.

Positioning these activities as tools for measurable outcomes, such as reducing recovery time or improving flexibility by 10% over four weeks, adds value to your offerings."

Create a calming environment

Loris Petro, Marketing Manager at Kratom Earth

"Creating a calming environment is one of the most effective ways to integrate mind-body activities into fitness programs. The setting directly influences how people feel during their workouts, and a well-designed space encourages relaxation, mental clarity, and a deeper connection to movement. Entrepreneurs in the fitness space should think beyond the usual gym aesthetic and consider how their environment affects their clients’ state of mind.

One way to do this is by using lighting to create a more soothing atmosphere. Bright, harsh lighting can feel overstimulating, especially in spaces meant for activities like yoga or meditation. Softer, warmer lighting helps clients feel more at ease, making it easier to engage in breathwork and mindful movement. Some high-end studios take this further by incorporating dynamic lighting that shifts throughout a session, mimicking natural sunrise and sunset patterns to guide the body’s internal clock. Even a simple adjustment, like using dimmable LED lights or adding Himalayan salt lamps, can transform the energy of a space and make it more inviting.

Fitness entrepreneurs who want to build a program that nurtures both body and mind should consider every element of the environment. The right combination of lighting, sound, scent, and layout can elevate the experience and encourage deeper engagement in mind-body practices."

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