MOVING ON UP

Stephen Price, managing director of SP&Co Group and founder of Movementum, on how spas can invest in movement therapy to be a catalyst for health change

What is your background in the spa and fitness industries?

“I’m the managing director of SP&Co Group, and we collaborate with companies in the health, fitness, and hospitality industries to normalise longstanding positive health and wellbeing experiences. There are three strands to my business. The clinical side, predominately in oncology, which puts together supportive care programmes for clients from diagnosis onwards. Then there’s the hospitality and spa side, which we’ve done for close to 20 years, having various operating contracts within spas [most recently Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London].

“I’ve always been fascinated by spa because of the huge delivery potential, and these are our best in class in terms of service and environment. Then, I have my own fitness clubs, where we do performance lifestyle programmes.”

What is movement therapy and why is it important?

“Movement therapy is simply empowering mental and physical health through movement. When I consult in the spa industry, this major pillar of wellness – physical activity and movement – isn’t really touched upon. I see a lot of beautiful delivery in treatment, which is valid in its own right, but not a lot of evidence-based practice.

“The spa industry doesn’t have the infrastructure in place [for this pillar] even though beauty therapists can be a catalyst for health change. They have the unique opportunity of putting their hands on people, but we’re not empowering them to encourage their clients to move more. In the treatment room, you can deliver a health message, but it has to be evidence based.”

How does Movementum help spas offer movement therapy?

“Movementum is a new premium wellness product company – body oils, balms, and a space-enhancing diffuser – but which also has services, and the aim is to help beauty therapists control a conversation on movement therapy in the treatment room. It’s a professional capsule range created with input from experts in fitness, medicine, and behavioural change.

“The product was developed to solve the disconnect between the treatment rooms and the gym or studio – aspecific movement-enhancement range that could be used by all professionals, from beauty therapists and personal trainers, to yoga and Pilates instructors and strength and conditioning coaches.”

How do movement health services work in spa?

“We attach ourselves to the good job spa operators are already doing, simply adding the protocols, operation, and support for beauty therapists to deliver the message that movement health is an effective complement to massage. Our system does three signature things – classes, functional treatments, and spa treatments – and all these can be done by beauty therapists.

“Within this, we have four key methods to support the building of physical literacy, confidence, and motivation. These are breathwork and awareness, which enhances movement potential and resilience; mindset and behaviour change, in that each treatment or class combines positive psychology; and structure and function, covering the principles of posture, strength, mobility, and stability.

“We also have manual and movement therapies – the use of soft tissue work and flexibility form the backbone of our movement therapies, and the spa treatments focus more on soft tissue.