After the arrival of a global pandemic, Ben Lucas discovered the power of reinvention. “It saved our business,” he says.

Lucas is a co-owner of Flow Athletic, a yoga studio and gym in the Sydney suburb of Paddington. Like many in the Australian fitness industry, he has had to transform the way he does business in 2020 – but he’s met each challenge head-on.

In March, as the Covid-19 situation began to escalate, Flow prepared for the inevitable and loaned out 120 spin bikes to members so they could train at home. Then, once fitness studios were ordered to shut, it was quick to act: within 24 hours, Flow had moved its class schedule online. Lucas set up four Facebook groups – dedicated to yoga, strength, spin and pilates – so staff could live stream multiple classes at a time. Personal training appointments were conducted over Zoom or FaceTime. Even