Introducing Interviews

By Susie Black - get free updates of new articles here

Do you know anyone who...?

We all enjoy meeting people who are of like mind, on the same wavelength as us. When people seem to have shared similar experiences to us we find it easy to trust them. This is why we judge reviewers as much as reviews, why word of mouth is our preferred method to find a new hairdresser and why nepotism in the workplace will never truly die. It's simpler to ask a friend, 'Do you know anyone who...?' than to trust any internet search.

Over the next few months we're going to expand our trusted friends' circle by sharing experiences. Using Zoom or real life interviews, I plan to find out what keeps you moving and why.

I want to know:

• Do you view your exercise as you would a pharmaceutical prescription?

• Have your activity needs or choices changed because of health or lifestyle changes?

• Is your activity related to a specific goal, for example to keep you golfing or gardening?

• Do you do it for the love of movement?

• Have you used exercise to help avoid joint replacement, or to prepare for it?

• Does activity help manage your mental health?

• How does your exercise fit into your other self-care regimes?

We've already completed four interviews which I'll release at regular points over the summer. These include subjects such as using exercise to manage bone density, the importance of staying active in older age, the trials of exercising after heart surgery and to assist with joint replacement.

Do you want to share?

Your story might be interesting if you exercise for a specific health goal or to manage a health condition. If you have a particular program that you follow out of necessity or have developed a love of activity as a result of previous wellbeing issues then your experience may resonate with another. Your interview could be responsible for helping a stranger change their life through activity because they feel as if you're speaking directly to them.

Click here to learn more about activity after heart surgery.

How does it work?

In short, I would film us chatting and then edit it into short question/answers.

To start with I would send a list of potential questions. We'd choose 5-6 of them together in advance - you can add your own - and they would form the interview. You would have as much time as you'd like to consider your responses and then we'd set a date for the filming.

Before the filming we'd go through your responses and practise them so we know how the interview will feel. It takes around 30 minutes to prepare and film.

You'd sign off on the finished video before it's made public and it would be used on the website, in newsletters and on Facebook.

Here are some example questions:

• What made you try something new?

• Had you been recommended to exercise by a medical professional?

• Do you think you're unusual in your desire to manage your health through exercise?

• What else has changed since you began your program?

• What's your advice to someone looking to increase their activity levels?

Why is my story important?

Most of us need a boot up the bum to shift from thinking to doing. If a stranger searches online for 'exercising with...', or 'Pilates for ..', or 'can I control... through activity' they could find someone just like them explaining how they did it. A reviewer they can trust, a bird of their feather. It might just be enough to make them take action.

How do I get involved?

If you'd like to appear in an interview just email susiemblack@gmail.com and let me know what message you want to bring to the world.