How Joe Gold’s World Gym Has Embraced Technology to Improve the Member Experience

In the 1960s, Joe Gold discovered a passion for bodybuilding when the sport was still in its infancy. Out of necessity, Gold built his own training equipment, and in 1976 he opened World Gym, a small facility filled with custom-made equipment in Venice Beach, Calif. It didn’t take long before World Gym became a fitness destination for celebrity bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and Dave Draper.

Fast forward to today and World Gym has evolved into an international franchise that places an emphasis on strength training. With hundreds of locations around the world (fittingly), the company has come a long way from its humble roots in Venice Beach and has embraced cutting-edge fitness technologies and amenities. In 2022, World Gym announced a strategy shift, launching plans for the company’s franchise Signature Model facility, which requires about 25,000 square feet and includes a floorplan that offers a large training floor with connected cardio, space for group fitness, an expansive strength area with racks and free weights, and a turf functional fitness area.

These new facilities are high-tech spaces, where wearables sync with the company’s app to track even the most granular aspects of a workout — from heart rate to blood oxygen and exertion levels. All of that data is then gathered and used by trainers, or by the users themselves, to create a personalized training plan.

“The technology is really about increasing integration seamlessly into every aspect of the member experience, from club booking to digital fitness tracking,” says Tom Dievart, vice president of marketing for World Gym. “Our goal is to make it easy for members to engage with us in the gym or remotely by leveraging best-in-class technology.”

For World Gym members, that means the customer journey starts with the downloading of the app, which can pair with most wearables for tracking the minutia of every workout. Through the app, members can earn achievement points, manage and book classes, track personal progress and compete in fun challenges.

“We say that we are a data-driven company, and essentially this technology has provided valuable insights into how individuals can optimize their training and prepare fitness goals. We are using the Internet of Things and tracking devices to gather comprehensive data,” explains Dievart. “We see this as a key differentiator. We want you to be coming to the facility, we want you to reach your goal, and this is part of our DNA.”

Persistence and commitment are part of reaching any goal, and Dievart says technology can be a good motivator. “You can’t manage what you don’t track,” he says. “If you really want results, you have to track your progression and that will show you what to do, what not to do, and how to improve. And there’s a real motivational aspect to that.”

Dievart says World Gym’s focus on integrating more technology was at least partially spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended the fitness industry in a variety of ways. “You have to be where the consumers are,” he says. “COVID showed us clearly that people can work out outside of the facility. Tracking wearables — things like WHOOP, Fitbit, Garmin and of course Apple — only increased their penetration in terms of consumer adoption, and people want to know exactly what they’re doing and be proactive in terms of health and fitness.”

Aside from simply tracking user progress toward their fitness goals, Dievart describes a technology ecosystem that touches every aspect of the member experience in the service of creating more meaningful customer relationships. “It’s about enhancing member engagement through the app,” he says. “It’s about convenience, push notifications, community building, performance monitoring and ultimately customizing training programs for every type of person — whether you’re a pro bodybuilder, or you’re just beginning, it doesn’t matter.”