Matrix Fitness funds the MH1 Global movement to provide mental health support and expertise to the fitness industry

MH1 Global is a prominent movement dedicated to offering mental health training, education and consultancy for professionals in the fitness, health and wellness industries.

Its mission is to become a go-to destination for mental health support, research, innovation and education within these sectors. The goal is simple; to equip industry professionals with the knowledge, confidence and tools to help themselves, their colleagues and guide their members.

MH1 Global evolved from the LFX Network, where industry specialists Lynne Briggs and Graeme Hinde initially began focusing on mental health amidst the COVID-19 lockdown to facilitate peer support among fitness professionals.

Creating a lasting impact
“We want to end the stigma and unnecessary embarrassment around mental health but in order to do that we need to speak about it and normalise it, which is why we’ve created MH1.” explains Briggs.

Graeme Hinde, founder of LFX, adds: “Everything we do in terms of physical fitness starts and ends in our minds. The impact of exercise on mental health is used regularly as a bullet point of positives but it’s much bigger than that. Thanks to the incredible support from Matrix Fitness, we can ensure this is a lasting initiative, not just a one-off campaign.”

Bridging the gap between physical and mental
Recognising the disconnect between monitoring physical and mental health, MH1 seeks to bridge the gap by using evidence-driven improvements to incorporate mental health discussions, assessments, first aid and education courses into the industry’s practices to support operators and staff.

One of MH1’s key innovations is the development of the MHQ (Mental Health Questionnaire), a validated tool designed to measure the trajectory of mental health using lifestyle factors as markers. This questionnaire, launched in April 2023, was created by Paula Litherland, a former student of Edge Hill University.

“Physical and mental health is on one continuum.” Briggs says. “When people first come into a gym, they fill in a physical activity questionnaire but we don’t ask them about their mental health. We want to change that and with the implementation of the MHQ, we’ll provide data-driven evidence of improvements in key areas of mental wellbeing provided by our data partner, ReferAll.”

Release the feel-good
MH1 Global aims to become a leading force in supporting mental health and is poised to make a lasting impact in the field of mental health and wellbeing.

Discussing the support for this movement, Julian Taylor, commercial director at Matrix Fitness UK explains: “We’ve been part of the MH1 journey from day one and as a company we’re doing everything we can to help the industry embrace the platform, as well as its training and support.

“Ultimately the plan is for the industry to have a resource that informs and educates. We’re keen to see the whole industry embrace this in a collaborative way. We are all in this together, and together we are stronger,” says Taylor.

Matthew Pengelly, MD of Matrix Fitness UK concludes: “Conversations we have in the health and fitness industry should be so much more than just about the benefits of exercise for our physical health.

“We initially provided support in setting up MH1 communities to give industry professionals a movement they could relate to and a place they could go to in order to meet others working on the same issues, to spark debate and discussion,” says Pengelly.

“Our vision is for mental health to be spoken about as openly as physical health but we need the backing of the whole industry to do that,” he says.