Fitness is now a high-tech industry. From smart cardio consoles to a host of new wearables that collect loads of end-user data, facility operators are looking for any way they can to leverage technology in new and innovative ways. Here's a look at a few companies that aim to enhance the fitness customer's journey from the moment they enter the building to the time they leave.
Customize your customer's Apple Watch
Trainerize — a provider of mobile applications that empower engagement between fitness trainers, gym owners and clients — announced a new solution for Apple Watch. The Trainerize Apple Watch app allows fitness businesses and individual personal trainers to track and access their clients' data.
The Trainerize app allows fitness clubs and trainers to launch their own Apple Watch experience that matches that of any well-known brand, without the expense and expertise required to create their own solutions. It provides a whole new level of connection between personal trainers and their clients. Trainers can develop tailored coaching programs, workout plans and fitness classes delivered on their clients' Apple Watch while deepening and extending relationships through the real-time exchange of daily data, including activity, fitness levels and lifestyle information such as sleep and nutrition, with the clients' permission.
Smart fabric platform offers movement metrics
Nextiles — a textiles manufacturing startup that blends traditional sewing techniques with printed circuit boards to create smart fabric — has announced a newly designed software development kit (SDK) that will enable any existing application to access Nextiles' software platform and leverage its human movement analytics to build custom algorithms and partner-specific metrics. Through its manufacturing process, Nextiles' smart fabrics allow for complete biomechanic and biometric sensing.
Once the SDK is integrated into a partner's app, companies will be able to deploy Nextiles' sensors specific to their customers' needs and in a variety of use cases. By capturing the novel datasets, software developers will be able to build proprietary algorithms for each use case and personalize insights through machine learning. From biomechanics in sports to biometrics such as EMG sensing and heart rate, Nextiles has developed a modular platform that can plug into any existing back end.
Flexible management
Payments and eCommerce software manufacturer Xplor Technologies has launched Studio, a management software solution for boutique wellness studios, gyms and trainers that offers end-users a custom-designed, free seven-day trial, flexible short-term contracts and self onboarding. Xplor says the new solution was built to help boutique wellness studios and fitness professionals that are looking for a flexible, easy-to-use, self-service-oriented platform.
For boutique studio and gym owners facing increased consumer demand for fitness and wellbeing, Studio can help automate administrative tasks with 60 to 70 percent of reservations coming through the app.
"Studio is designed to meet all the current and future needs of the boutique wellness industry," Christina Hamilton, CEO of Boutique Wellness at Xplor Studio, said in a statement. "Owners need flexible software that allows them to scale their business processes as they reopen their premises and adapt to digital to help them grow. Now more than ever, it's important for business software to offer flexible, future-proof fit-tech, and make it simpler to succeed. Our new Studio product does just that."
Studio is designed to support a hybrid of in-person, virtual and on-demand group fitness and sports programs, plus personal training and nutrition sessions. Xplor says the new solution will allow club owners and fitness professionals to more easily diversify their services based on customer demand, while facilitating the management of personalized customer communications, bookings, workout programming, progress tracking, retail sales, payroll and comprehensive reporting — all in a single platform.
No content? No problem
Hyperhuman is hoping to help gym operators and personal trainers create video content and better leverage those assets to meet customer demand for virtual workouts.
"Our mission is to offer the most streamlined path for creating, distributing and monetizing quality video content and a world-class experience for fitness content consumption," says Hyperhuman CEO Bogdan Predusca. "We are thrilled to have professionals from more than 15 countries using our platform to create fitness content for their clients and already making money with our all-in-one solution."
Predusca says Hyperhuman's artificial intelligence-driven revenue-generating fitness app allows trainers to compete with larger brands and on-demand fitness apps by offering customized, studio-quality workouts to clients around the world.
Hyperhuman Studio is the company's free app dedicated to fitness professionals that transforms two to three reps of exercise footage into a library of reusable studio-quality workout videos. The footage can then be viewed by end-users in the Hyperhuman Club app.
To celebrate launching the Studio PRO version and help trainers in these uncertain times, the company is offering up to one month of Studio PRO completely free of charge. This unlocks an unlimited number of workouts to be used with unlimited clients.
"Our focus in the next months is on increasing the level of content personalization and virality," says Predusca. "We are also launching our first projects with organizations that either need to scale their content production process or diversify their content offering by licensing curated premium video content from our global network of fitness professionals."
This article originally appeared in the October 2021 issue of Athletic Business with the title "How New Technology Is Improving the Fitness Club Experience." Athletic Business is a free magazine for professionals in the athletic, fitness and recreation industry. Click here to subscribe.
