Welcome to another exciting episode of the GYYMI Blog. This week we look into ways to reopen and reshape the way in which they run their businesses, we thought that it was a great time to discuss the future of the industry from the point of the gym-goer experience. Everyone seems to get excited with new types of technology and technology is wrapped up into just about everything we see & do. So what types of fit-tech will gyms be offering to enhance the experience of gym-goers of the future. Let's dive right in to the trends that caught our eye.
1. Wearable Technology: the next generation
Wearables have been around for some years now but since their inception into the health and fitness vernacular, wearables are being used extensively by gyms, personal trainers and their clients. People crave answers and love analysis, data - big and small. People want to understand their own progress, resting heart rates, improvements in BMI, flexibility, endurance, speed, strength and how they can do better. Wearables now capture a lot of real time data including personal best information. Tracking progress and performance is the normal in many gym environments but practitioners are only scratching the surface of how to embrace the power of this information. The industry of wearable technology is huge, estimated at over $27 Billion by 2022. (Forbes) - some well known examples are Wrist Activity Trackers, Posture Enhancers, Watches, Eyewear and Tech Clothing.
2. Drones
Yep, we said it, drones. Drones are already being integrated into outdoor fitness and exercise programs as they can set the pace for long distance runners and pool or ocean swimmers, keeping a steady pace depending upon the conditions and the training recommendations. Drones are now being used in the gym to capture a 360 view of training programs and performance constantly reviewing, adjusting and pushing the boundaries to achieve certain results. 360 degree video can also capture technique adjustments and stream this live to coaches and trainers for review. Drones can react based on heart rate fluctuations and many other training parameters during a workout. Drones can be invisible or a fully engaged workout partner especially in remote training areas.
3. Gamification
A relatively new concept in the gym, gamification is pitting people against each other during regularly workout sessions to create lead boards and a sense of achievement and competition. Some new players are jumping into this arena for those gym junkie who are not content with achieving their personal best but being able to compete with others whether they are in the room or virtually anywhere around the world. Currently, some of the best know players include Fitbit, Zombie-Run, Fitocracy. But there are some new exciting players including Zwift, that provides a number of experiences including running, cycling and mountain biking.
4. Smart Gym Equipment & Connectivity
New technology is fast becoming the focus of gym equipment manufacturers so fitness oficiados can move from one gym to another and continue to feed into your own personal data bank of performances. People are keen to seek out gyms that have compatible machines that they can connect their preferred fit-tech solution and keep to their fitness regimes. The newgen of equipment includes bluetooth connectivity equipped spin cycles, treadmills and step machines and even virtual reality. Surprisingly, this does not make old machines in the gym, obsolete as some companies have created sensors to retro fit existing machines at a fraction of the investment. Australian startup, GYMSYM... is at the very forefront of this technology to make existing gym equipment smart.
5. The Home Gym Explosion
During weeks of the shut down, some people who could not wait for gyms to reopen started ordering their own equipment. Before you say, wait hold on, that is not good for the industry. Well actually, it is a great example of a exciting opportunity for gyms. Embracing this idea, a number of trainers and gyms created a new revenue stream by renting out their unused equipment and some gyms even started selling their own lines of equipment. This opens up the idea of gyms & personal trainers installing gyms in private homes and providing a very specialised service which included home visits and remote access to the data from client sessions.
GYYMI: BONUS FIT-TECH TREND
Of course we cannot complete this discussion on trends in fit-tech without talking about the app that everyone is talking about, GYYMI...
GYYMI is an Australian innovation and is the best personal assistant for your gym or training business. Built from the ground up, specifically for the fitness industry, GYYMI is a powerful smart phone app that helps you run your business and make your life easier. Fitted out with many exciting and practical features, GYYMI can help you get back up to speed in preparation for your gym or fitness business to reopen.
GYYMI features include;
- Gym Search – get your gym on the map for Trainers to find you and book space instantly
- Earn extra income fast – offer gym space by the hour to Trainers and their clients
- Contactless payments - Safe and secure powered by STRIPE.
- Social Distancing calculator coming soon - Set and control your gym & studio capacity limits
- Custom booking platform for instant bookings, outdoor or indoor sessions.
- Plan sessions ahead of time by sending invitations and reminders to clients/members
- Reduce Overheads - Trainer-client sessions paid on the app are automatically covered with Insurance for indoor and outdoor workouts.
- Live Dashboard – watch your income grow - its addictive!
- Look like a pro – instant, flexible and professional.
GYYMI is free to download on iOS and Android - Visit www.gyymi.com for details
.