With a healthy dose of enthusiasm and discipline, Ashley Paulson serves as an example of how joy and consistency forge the path to fitness achievements. Paulson has turned her passion for running into a vibrant testament, and at the heart of her career lies the intersection of fun and serious training. 

Paulson’s venture, Ashkickn Training, helps people embrace a lifestyle where every workout is a celebration of progress. With each stride, race and training session, Paulson sets records and inspires countless individuals to push beyond their limits, proving that with passion and perseverance, every goal is within reach. 

Athletech News spoke with Paulson about her colorful approach to training, outrunning the competition, and making every mini milestone an unforgettable journey of discovery and challenge. 

This conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: Can you share the most pivotal moments that helped you make the transition from being a professional triathlete to health coach and trainer?

Ashley Paulson: My journey into professional athletics began more as a gradual shift rather than a singular moment. Teaching fitness classes built a solid foundation for me. I officially transitioned to a professional triathlete in 2016, after I had my fourth child. Despite not having a traditional athletic background or college education, I managed to earn my pro card. This experience has been incredibly fulfilling, serving as a role model for my children as well as other women, showing them that it’s possible to achieve significant goals even as a mother.

Initially, I wasn’t as interested in hybrid coaching or personal training. I thrived on the energy of group fitness, interaction and collective motivation. It wasn’t until about 10 years ago that I began focusing more on personal training, primarily online. This has taught me the importance of sharing my passion for fitness and the possibility of making a significant impact, regardless of one’s starting point. 

ATN: What inspired you to create the Ashkickn Training model, and how do you see it evolving to meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts at all levels?

AP: The inspiration for Ashkickn came from hearing how others began their fitness journeys as a result of something I said. This kind of feedback and the changes I saw in people’s lives fueled my desire to expand and help more individuals. It’s incredibly motivating to hear about the positive shifts in someone’s body or lifestyle because of fitness. 

I see Ashkickn evolving alongside our understanding of fitness and aging. When I ran my first marathon at 19, the idea of being in the “Masters” category at 40 seemed like a different league, suggesting a slowdown. However, I’ve found myself getting faster in my 40s. Advances in knowledge about the body, combined with technology, allow us to push ourselves further and remain in our prime for longer. The perception of age in fitness is changing, with individuals over 40 achieving what was once thought impossible for their age group. 

ATN: How are you involved in integrating more human elements into online training programs using artificial intelligence (AI), and why is this important to you?

AP: Being involved with iFIT’s AI Coach (beta) has been an incredible experience, especially because the team wanted input during the testing phase to ensure the feedback didn’t come across as robotic. As personal trainers, we aim to preserve a sense of personal connection with the athletes, adding a human touch to the automated messages. It was important to convey care and emotion, adjusting based on the athlete’s performance and needs, rather than issuing generic, impersonal directives. 

This personalized approach can significantly enhance an athlete’s training by making smart adjustments that cater to their current state, helping them stay injury-free and active across all ages. I advocate for treating everyone as an athlete because it positively influences their mindset, encouraging them to stay engaged and avoid sidelining themselves after missing a workout. The goal is to guide users gently, advising them it’s okay to slow down or adjust their routine as needed, providing comfort and the feeling of having a coach right there with them.

ATN: You humorously note that you “eat dessert first.” Can you share your overall philosophy on nutrition and how you incorporate this into training plans for your clients?

AP: People often find it amusing that my sugar intake is notably higher than many athletes are accustomed to. However, as an endurance athlete, sugar is a primary fuel, providing necessary quick energy. It’s not just about consuming sugar; I advocate for a balanced approach, emphasizing that it’s okay to enjoy treats in moderation while maintaining a nutritious diet. 

Nutrition is vital, but it’s also deeply personal. What works for me may not work for everyone. Some may thrive on low-carb diets, while others might find them restrictive. It’s about finding what works for your body and lifestyle. My father’s mantra of “life’s short, eat dessert first” has always resonated with me, reminding me that enjoying life—and your food—is just as important as following a strict nutrition plan.

ATN: You offer plans that are not just about physical workouts but also about creating an enjoyable experience. How do you stay innovative and keep your programs engaging and effective?

AP: Staying connected with my community is crucial. I engage actively in social media and personal interactions, especially at races, to understand individuals’ stories and motivations. This personal touch allows me to tailor training plans that are not only effective but also resonate with people’s lives and schedules. By listening and adapting to each person’s unique situation, I ensure my training plans are personalized, keeping motivation high and making every goal achievable, no matter the lifestyle or constraints involved. 

ATN: How do you plan to expand the reach and impact of Ashkickn to inspire and support more individuals in their fitness journeys?

AP: My major goals revolve around continued presence and lifelong learning. I plan to expand the reach and impact of Ashkickn by consistently showing up, both in the digital world and at in-person events, while staying educated on the latest in fitness and wellness. This approach isn’t rooted in a desire for financial gain but from a genuine passion for what I do. I believe that by continuing to share my journey, enthusiasm and knowledge, I’ll naturally attract and inspire more individuals to embark on or maintain their fitness journeys. 

The foundation is my love for this work, which I would pursue regardless of compensation. This passion drives me to remain engaged and enthusiastic, debunking the myth of inevitable burnout despite my extensive participation in races and fitness activities. Hearing people’s stories and seeing the impact of my work fuels my motivation and reiterates the importance of what I do.

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When it comes to groundbreaking innovations, EGYM likes to go two at a time. The fast-growing fit tech company announced the upcoming launches of EGYM Genius, an AI-powered training software, and Hip Thrust, its newest smart strength training machine.

EGYM Genius is an artificial intelligence (AI) software that creates fully automated, personalized training plans tailored to clubs and their specific equipment. Genius connects entire gym floors, linking different machines made by different suppliers, even including free weights.

This tech connects all of EGYM’s components, such as EGYM Smart Strength (including its Fitness Hub and connected Smart cardio), training plans, workouts of all kinds (including classes and training outside the gym recorded with apps and wearables) as well as motivational and community tools such as Gameday and EGYM’s Branded Member App.

Trainers and club members will get insights from seven billion EGYM data points (and growing) while using the software, including data from training sessions carried out on EGYM and partner devices. The data points help Genius generate precise recommendations for individualized training plans for users.

EGYM’s AI Push

EGYM, which raised $225 million in 2023, continues to invest in AI. With Genius, the brand is making good on its intentions to utilize tech to create a connected gym.

“We want to make the whole gym ‘smart’,” EGYM North America general manager Dana Milkie previously told Athletech News. ”By understanding members’ preferences, their goals and experience levels , and combining it with the data we are able to track on our platform, we can deliver a workout tailored to the member and the operator’s facility.”

Bringing Tech to Glute Training

As glute training increases in popularity along with strength training as a whole, EGYM is capitalizing with the Hip Thrust, which the fit tech brand says is the world’s first fully electronic hip thrust device, using smart weight rather than physical weight or resistance bands. The equipment strengthens lower body muscle groups with a focus on the glutes and hamstrings.

The product marks the 19th piece of strength equipment from EGYM, broadening its portfolio of machines and addressing consumer demand. The Hip Thrust offers a space-saving design along with a user-friendly interface that can be used both independently and in an area concept, EGYM assures.

Hip Thrust will work within EGYM’s ecosystem of smart equipment, and will also be backed by Genius. The Hip Thrust is projected to be available sometime this fall, with Genius available in October.

The post EGYM Launches AI Training Plans, Hip Thrust Machine appeared first on Athletech News.

Leading fitness equipment and technology brands brought their best to IHRSA 2024, the annual convention and trade show put on by IHRSA, now known as the Health & Fitness Association.

Athletech News breaks down some of the key products that made waves on the show room floor from brands including Aktiv Solutions, EGYM, Freemotion Fitness, Life Fitness, Matrix, Precor and Technogym.

Energizing their respective spaces and showing what’s next in fitness evolution, these seven brands showcased their top-tier releases across strength training, cardio and fit tech, all designed to engage consumers while assisting club operators. 

Aktiv Innovates on Traditional Strength Training

The rise of strength training is likely the fitness biggest trend of 2024, with consumers of all ages and fitness levels finding time to weight train, taking to the benefits of increased muscle mass, joint protection, fat loss and lowered resting heart rate.

Aktiv Solutions, a commercial gym design and supply company, used IHRSA 2024 to unveil its latest innovation: the Gym Rax Smith 3D Trainer (3SD). The next-gen smith machine features a free bar path, mimicking barbells while offering the benefits of the traditional smith machine, including the lack of need for supervision.

Aktiv created the S3D to onboard those new to strength training while also catering to expert lifters.

“The S3D presents an opportunity for operators to appeal to their broader constituencies without alienating more advanced lifters,” explained Bryan Green, founder and CEO of Aktiv Solutions, adding that users “can get that last rep without fear that they’ll injure themselves without a spotter.”

The S3D touts a patent-pending movement carriage that synchronizes its safety catches and serves as a built-in spotter — perfect for newer users, Gen Z and active-aging populations. 

The safety feature makes S3D a particularly beneficial addition to unsupervised fitness facilities like hotels or university gyms.

Precor Embraces the Glute Trend

Precor is also heavily invested in strength, partnering with Glutebuilder to breathe new life into glute training, which has become highly popular on social media platforms like TikTok. Besides looking good, training the glutes has numerous benefits including hip stabilization and pain prevention in the back and neck. 

The partnership will see an all-new line of six patent-pending glute training products that combine the motion design of Glutebuilder’s founder and CEO, Arturo García López, with Precor’s engineering and manufacturing expertise.

“We recognize the surging popularity of glute training worldwide, and the innovations within the new Precor Glutebuilder Line offer novel ways to engage and attract new fitness enthusiasts,” said Precor’s CEO Dustin Grosz. “We are delighted to partner with this esteemed brand and leverage Arturo’s groundbreaking developments.”

Those who missed IHRSA 2024 will be able to preview the Precor Glutebuilder Line at FIBO in April in Cologne, Germany.

Technogym Launches AI-Powered Health & Longevity Tracking

It was impossible to ignore Technogym at IHRSA 2024, with its massive presence on the tradeshow floor and outfitted in its signature black and yellow branding.

Already a force to be reckoned with, Technogym took its ecosystem a step further with the debut of Technogym Check Up. Harnessing AI to assess physical and cognitive conditions, Technogym Check Up has the power to prescribe the ideal fitness program that adapts over time based on the individual user.

Nerio Alessandri, Technogym founder and CEO, says the latest innovation represents the access point to the entire Technogym ecosystem, offering a “fully personalized program for every single individual that evolves over time thanks to AI.”

Leaning into longevity, Technogym’s latest offering goes beyond cognitive function, body composition, strength performance, balance and mobility. It uses the data to calculate a “Wellness Age,” a nod to the brand’s ‘Technogym as Medicine’ philosophy.

The new tool puts longevity-seeking consumers in the driver’s seat of their health. At the same time, Technogym’s ecosystem and data-forward approach can also unlock invaluable data for fitness operators.

EGYM Empowers Users To Move Beyond the Scale

EGYM, a leading fitness tech provider, put its new BioAge feature front and center at IHRSA 2024, a measurable approach to fitness that calculates a user’s wellness across four pillars: strength, cardio, flexibility and metabolism.

It may be time to toss the scale since BioAge takes things beyond simple bodyweight measurements. Giving users a solution-based path, BioAge focuses on four different areas of need, tracking progress and providing users with valuable visual feedback along the way. 

The result? A comprehensive approach to health and fitness that keeps users engaged and motivated — especially when they quickly start seeing results. 

“Unfortunately in our industry, usually it’s all about what a member sees on the scale,” Dana Milkie, EGYM general manager for North America, told ATN. “It can be a little demotivating, particularly in the first three or four weeks when you’re starting to exercise trying to change your body and you don’t see anything on the scale. From a BioAge perspective, you begin to see changes very quickly as whatever biological age you started at begins to go down.”

BioAge is visible on EGYM’s Fitness Hub, trainer app and branded member app, making it accessible anywhere for individuals who work out at various facility types. The innovation also serves as a powerful tool for operators and fitness trainers, allowing them to share tangible results with clients, deepening motivation with proof.

Matrix Brings Luxury to Cardio

Matrix Fitness, a commercial fitness leader under Johnson Health Tech, has elevated cardio with a luxurious look and feel with the launch of its Onyx Collection, a line of five ultra-premium cardio machines, including a treadmill, Ascent Trainer, ClimbMill, upright cycle and recumbent cycle. 

“Every touch point and every element of the Onyx Collection was designed to be exceptional, immersive, and unlike anything else in our portfolio,” said Andrew Kolman, vice president of global product development. “At Matrix, meaningful innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Our partners can expect to see this guiding principle artfully expressed in every design detail.”

With its impressive 32″ touchscreen console and interactive touch controls, users can sprint, interval train, complete fitness tests or run on rolling hills. 

Kolman explained that feedback from industry partners fueled the creation of Onyx’s luxe design, with its oversized screen allowing operators to brand the experience and advertise their own messaging. 

The Onyx Collection is headed to FIBO next month in Germany, which will take place from April 11 to 14.

Life Fitness Gives Operators the Keys

Life Fitness used IHRSA to remind the fitness industry that cardio is still king and that the key to a successful product is deepening user engagement while offering new revenue channels for club operators. 

Symbio, an ultra-premium cardio line features a Runner (treadmill), Incline Elliptical, SwitchCycle and Recumbent Cycle — all of which enable club operators to easily upload on-demand workouts featuring their in-house instructors.

Gym goers want an engaging cardio experience, which Symbio can deliver, as operators can add new member onboarding videos or promote additional services.

“(It) gives you the ability as a trainer, instructor, facility owner, operator — to completely customize the experience,” said Life Fitness global training and education manager Leigh Wierichs. “The content doesn’t have to be a class — although it could be an actual on-demand class or something nutrition-related. It could be something explaining the different capabilities of the treadmill; it could be something talking about how to prepare for a 5K. It can be anything that you think would resonate.”

Content abilities aside, Life Fitness’ new Runner offers a standout feature, adaptive flex deck technology so that users can select their preferred level of firmness – either 40% softer or firmer.

For Freemotion, Content Is King

Freemotion Fitness, along with parent company iFIT, put a spotlight on its new 22 Series cardio line at IHRSA 2024, boasting iFIT’s robust content library of nearly 17,000 coach-led workouts, including Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and ultrarunner Tommy Rivers Puzey. 

The 22 Series cardio line offers a six-piece collection that spans an incline trainer, a Reflex treadmill with an impact-reducing deck, an elliptical and three bikes, all with 22-inch HD touchscreens that display content and automatically adjust speed, incline, resistance and fan speed based on the on-screen workout.

With an emphasis on delivering top-notch video content that is immersive and exciting, iFIT films its footage on all seven continents, including adventurous locations such as Mount Everest. It’s a creative decision that Adam Guier, vice president of North America sales at Freemotion, says has a tremendous impact on member engagement.

“We hear members say, “I went on a vacation to such and such place because I had exercised in that same location from virtually,'” Guier said. “We also hear members who say, “I went on vacation, came back, and did the same run on the console that I had done on vacation.”

Beyond the gym, members can use the iFIT app at home or on vacation, using equipment from NordicTrack or ProForm, other iFIT brands.

The post These Fitness Products Made Waves at IHRSA 2024 appeared first on Athletech News.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and Precision Nutrition are introducing the AI Bootcamp for Coaches, an on-demand, self-guided online course that trains health and fitness professionals how to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) tools into their businesses and client interactions.

The comprehensive, eight-module bootcamp utilizes AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E 3 to teach coaches techniques for creating highly personalized client resources, crafting impactful marketing content and streamlining business operations for maximum efficiency. 

The modules guide coaches through diverse AI skillsets catered to the fitness space, beginning with a strong grounding in the basics and possibilities of AI usage. Subsequent modules focus on leveraging AI tools to attract ideal clients, tailoring products and services, and producing streamlined wellness programs.

“Health and exercise professionals who learn to successfully leverage AI will place themselves at a significant competitive advantage,” says Cedric Bryant, ACE president. “It stands to elevate the personal training experience, making it more data-driven and potentially more successful in promoting health and well-being.”

Unique, highly practical features include using AI as a coaching simulator and receiving personalized feedback on simulated client interactions to hone skills before real-world implementation. For this benefit and many others, Lauren Shroyer, ACE’s vice president of product innovation, says that AI is an essential emerging tool. 

“This course allows tech-savvy coaches to strategically enhance service delivery and efficiency through AI integration,” Shroyer says. “It directly meets a growing market demand for more efficient, data-driven coaching methodologies that can provide clients with a customized, premium experience.” 

The curriculum is guided by Precision Nutrition’s elite Master Coaches, who blend technical and coaching expertise. This strategic partnership differentiates AI Bootcamp for Coaches from other generalized AI resources and tool-specific educational materials currently on the market.

With consumer demand for hyper-personalized health and wellness solutions driving fitness and AI’s projected valuation growth from $7.8 billion in 2022 to a potential of $30.6 billion by 2030, the course puts coaches adopting AI integration at a potential advantage moving forward. 

Enrollment for ACE’s AI Bootcamp for Coaches opens next month.

The post ACE Launches ‘AI Bootcamp’ for Personal Trainers appeared first on Athletech News.

ABC Fitness, the world’s largest fitness tech company, is adding to its arsenal. At IHRSA 2024, the software provider announced a partnership with DXFactor, a leading data science, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI supplier, a move designed to transform the digital experience for operators and their members.

“We are excited to partner with DXFactor for their unparalleled expertise in digital transformation,” said Khal Rai, platform president of ABC Ignite. “This partnership will support new offerings for our mobile platform, creating bespoke member experiences and integrations that set new industry standards for innovation and personalization.”

The partnership will support ABC Fitness in mobile app development, given DXFactor’s extensive knowledge in creating differentiated customer experiences on mobile platforms. 

“Aligning with an industry titan like ABC Fitness significantly amplifies our mission to revolutionize the fitness industry with AI and GenAI,” added Dharmesh Trivedi, co-founder and CEO of DXFactor. “Our combined strengths will ensure our commitment to business outcomes for our clients and accelerate digital transformation within the fitness industry by empowering members and operators with AI and data-driven solutions.” 

The partnership comes as advanced analytics and AI transition from perquisites to requirements for most successful fitness businesses.

“This partnership promises to be a cornerstone for the fitness industry, offering a blend of DXFactor’s transformative digital strategies and ABC Fitness’s technological prowess,” said Al Noshirvani, managing partner at Alta Technologies and board member at DXFactor. “Customers can now anticipate a comprehensive digital transformation tailored to meet fitness enthusiasts’ and enterprises’ modern demands.”

DXFactor is no stranger to innovation in fitness and wellness. The company’s proprietary Outcomes Framework, which combines client data and external datasets, has generated over $2 billion in outcomes for fitness brands including Chelsea Piers, Chuze Fitness, Crunch Fitness, FitnessSF, Lift Brands, Orangetheory Fitness, Wisconsin Athletic Club, XSport Fitness and Xponential Fitness.

ABC Fitness has big plans around AI, including using it to help gyms and studios boost engagement and retention and cater to their members with personalized services including habit and nutrition coaching, At IHRSA 2024, ABC hosted an Innovation Lab, previewing its latest AI investments across all platforms.

The post ABC Fitness, DXFactor Partner Around Generative AI appeared first on Athletech News.

Digitalization and artificial intelligence are forging a new frontier for the fitness industry, as demonstrated by numerous exhibitors and sponsors at IHRSA 2024 in Los Angeles.

Although the promises of AI and technology can drive business, one thing is clear: The fitness and wellness industry may warmly adopt the advancements but brands are still maintaining a focus on consumers and community wherever possible.

Technogym Creates an AI-Powered Wellness Journey

Technogym, one of the leading brands offering a complete ecosystem of health and wellness, has seen how leveraging AI can net positive results. The Italian fitness giant sees great promise in using data to define cohorts based on activity interest. The result? Hyper personalization and the ability to refine marketing targets, saving time and resulting in consumer satisfaction.

Francesco Arlotti, Technogym’s head of digital solutions, stressed the importance of an ecosystem that offers value to fitness and wellness seekers that goes beyond mere access to a digital platform. Instead, he points out that it must take consumers on a journey.

“If we want to increase the value of what we offer, we have to follow a different route,” Arlotti said.

The brand just debuted its most comprehensive AI-powered fitness assessment and customer engagement tool — Technogym Checkup. 

Technogym’s data-driven capabilities can give operators rich insights that can group club users based on workout preferences, habits and even activity patterns, offering an opportunity to refine upselling, drive community with friendly competitions in the form of challenges or even create new classes. 

Barry’s Drives Community via Apps & Pop-Ups

As one of the OG’s of HIIT–based fitness, Barry’s is growing across the globe and expanding its modalities. Best known for its famed Red Room, the fitness brand has developed a loyal following over the years and has been open to change, rebranding its name and vibe.

Never afraid to break the rules, Barry’s has taken a unique approach to digitalization with not one but two apps: the newer Barry’s X, a proprietary platform to take, book classes and access the FitFam social network, and its original app that presents a one-stop shop “for all things in-studio.”

Jenna Hauca, Barry’s senior vice president of marketing and digital, says Barry’s continues to deliver community-driven experiences and plans to reflect that same approach with additional features on its app as it evolves. 

“For us, community is really the guiding principle of most of the decisions we make, digitally and in person,” Hauca said.

Keeping a focus on in-person and community experiences has led to a robust number of members showing up to Barry’s, funneling in from advertised in-person fitness challenges, where members are encouraged to attend as many in-studio classes as they can in a specific time frame. In addition to driving people to classes, it’s also led to Barry’s members encouraging one another, in person and in the brand’s FitFam space. 

With the launch of Ride, the brand has expanded its “welcome mat” to a new audience, Charlie Meredith, Barry’s chief curriculum lead, has told Athletech News. Barry’s is also exploring additional pop-ups this year, continuing to connect with its community and attracting new members in “non-traditional” locations.

The post IHRSA 2024: Fitness Brands Balance AI & Community appeared first on Athletech News.

Technogym, the fitness industry’s only AI-based end-to-end open platform, has perfected its leading “ecosystem,” delivering successful results for operators in terms of ROI, member engagement and attraction, as well as fitness enthusiasts who want to see results and stay motivated on their health and fitness journeys.

A fitness and wellness industry pioneer, Technogym offers the ultimate solution by providing operators with a cutting-edge and seamless integration across software applications already in use, fitness equipment from any manufacturer, popular payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Stripe, Visa and others, and consumer apps and wearables.

Moreover, the AI-based Technogym Ecosystem Coach adjusts training programs to enhance engagement and maximize results. It also supports marketing efforts through advanced profiling, allowing operators to run loyalty campaigns.

This revolutionary “ecosystem” has crowned Technogym as the gold standard in health and fitness equipment and software for club owners, hotels, medical centers and elite athletes. The company will serve as the exclusive and official supplier of the Paris 2024 Olympics this summer, providing its smart equipment and services to over 15,000 elite athletes.

Ever-evolving to meet the needs of operators and health and fitness consumers, Technogym is launching Technogym Checkup at IHRSA 2024, a pivotal moment for the fitness industry leader.

“Today within our Technogym Ecosystem, the one and only end-to-end ecosystem in the industry, we are proud to launch Technogym Check Up, our AI-based assessment station, that represents the access point to the ecosystem in order to measure physical and cognitive parameters and to a fully personalized program for every single individual that evolves over time thanks to AI,” said Nerio Alessandri, Technogym founder and CEO.

One-Stop Shop for Fitness & Wellness

By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the brand-new Technogym Checkup boasts an AI-based assessment station, allowing users to hyper-personalize their training based on body composition, strength performance, balance, mobility and even cognitive abilities. Taking it a step further, the data is used to calculate a “Wellness Age” so Technogym Coach can prescribe effective training that adapts over time. 

The latest launch supports the brand’s ‘Technogym as Medicine’ philosophy, promoting long-term health and wellness with its world-class products and ecosystem. A fierce advocate of promoting longevity through Technogym, Alessandri has long urged the preventive power of fitness and the belief that a healthy mind is a healthy body. 

Technogym’s new precision-based training program can be accessed anywhere, anytime — at the gym, at home, on vacation or even with a user’s physician. 

“Digital innovation has always been a key element of Technogym’s constant growth over the years since 1996, when we launched Wellness System, the first software in the industry,” Alessandri said.

Meaningful Health Tracking

Leaning into longevity-centered wellness, Technogym’s Wellness Age functionality offers a starting point for users to comprehend the age that mirrors their current physical and functional condition and offers a pathway to make improvements with a personalized, targeted training program. 

Employing a results-driven program allows users to see their Wellness Age decrease while AI makes adjustments to accelerate results, leading to an optimal state of health in a relatively quick time. 

A Potent Member Engagement Tool 

The latest innovation from Technogym meets the demands of longevity-seeking consumers who want a holistic method that culminates in improved health and vitality. 

By offering Technogym Checkup, operators have an opportunity to offer a unique, cutting-edge and in-demand service, generating additional revenue, retaining existing members and attracting new wellness and fitness seekers.

Additionally, from an operator’s perspective, the data-driven technology allows Technogym Coach to follow the training evolution and group club users based on workout preferences, habits and activity patterns so operators can leverage the findings to fine-tune upselling and even launch friendly fitness challenges for members. 

The Technogym Difference

As operators look to hone in on increased personalization, Technogym’s ecosystem enables every stage of the gym experience to be customized from beginning to end, from assessment to program customization and follow-up. 

Technogym’s digital expertise and AI-centered technology means its smart equipment and app can adapt and guide users on their health and fitness path. After logging into the app, the profile is recognized immediately, pulling together preferred goals and past sessions to track and store all improvements. 

Notably, and in line with the top trend in fitness, strength equipment will automatically adapt metrics across load, range of motion, correct posture, speed, number of sets, repetitions and recovery. 

Another area of advancement is Technogym’s AI-based Ecosystem Coach, which adjusts training programs to not only elevate engagement and results but also supports marketing efforts for operators with its advanced profiling capabilities. 

Advancing the multi-touchpoint experience for users is the Technogym App, offering access to the ecosystem with over 1,000 workouts and programs for fitness, sports performance and health and lifestyle, even taking into account special health considerations. 

Technogym can be found at booth #1716 at IHRSA 2024. 

The post Technogym Launches AI-Powered Health & Longevity Tracking appeared first on Athletech News.

As it aims to expand into North America, Australia-based health tech company Coach Welly now has as good a guide as anyone.

The personalized member engagement platform appointed John Blackburn as its North American lead. Blackburn formerly served as vice president and general manager of retail at IBM as well as executive vice president at DMI, and now finds himself tasked with leading enterprise growth initiatives for Coach Welly within the United States and beyond.

“We are delighted to welcome John Blackburn to Coach Welly as our North American lead,” said Owen Bowling, CEO of Coach Welly. “His extensive experience and proven track record in driving enterprise growth make him an invaluable addition to our team. John’s strategic vision and deep understanding of corporate and insurance markets will be instrumental in our success launching into these markets in North America.”

Blackburn also spent time working for EY, PWC, SVP Retail and EVP before coming aboard at Coach Welly. He helped grow each organization’s commercial businesses and completed strategic investments/buy-outs from private equities.

“As the importance of health and wellness have grown in awareness, technology has advanced to be more engaging and personalized, and overall healthcare costs have risen,” said Blackburn. “I see Coach Welly as perfectly positioned to solve for these factors and drive real and meaningful health outcomes and behavior change for people.”

Blackburn won’t be alone as he takes these new steps into a leadership role, as Coach Welly also recently appointed Troy Morgan to serve as its Asia-Pacific (APAC) lead.

Like Blackburn, Morgan brings an excess of experience, being a 25-year veteran of the health and wellness industry. He’s owned and operated fitness and health facilities, corporate well-being platforms and program designs.

AI-Driven Member Engagement

With artificial intelligence (AI) as its backbone, Coach Welly drives member engagement by offering users a scalable and personalized health and fitness journey. Supported by biometrics and gamification elements all within a cloud-based framework, the platform has established itself as a trustworthy tool for operators since launching in 2019.

Coach Welly recently agreed to a partnership with World Gym Australia to showcase its engagement capabilities in the health and fitness sector. Elements such as a scanned readiness score based on heart rate to provide curated workouts, a point-based accountability program and other gamification features have all become available at World Gym facilities this year.  

After securing pre-seed funding which valued the company at $4.25 million, Coach Welly also teased that it had a “rapidly growing list of contracted customers,” illustrating the likelihood of similar partnerships down the line, potentially in North America with Blackburn now aboard. 

The post Coach Welly Adds Former IBM Exec, Eyes North American Market appeared first on Athletech News.

Innovation in gym and studio software management tools has emerged as a key trend at recent fitness industry trade shows including IHRSA, with the market becoming increasingly competitive. 

This year’s IHRSA 2024 will showcase what’s next for some of the biggest software players in the space, with some exciting announcements and unveilings planned. 

Athletech News spoke with Xplor Technologies, Club OS, ABC Fitness, Club Automation and ClubReady to give you a sense of what’s coming at IHRSA 2024, and what the future will hold for fitness brands looking to leverage the best software tools to grow their businesses and connect with their members. 

Xplor Plans Industry’s ‘First True Growth Platform’

Xplor Technologies has already had a big year but is looking towards more announcements. It recently acquired Membr, a top management software platform for gyms and health clubs. The acquisition expanded Xplor’s purview beyond just the boutique studio space, which it serves with its Mariana Tek product, and into gyms and health clubs. 

However, Andy Swansburg, Xplor’s Chief Product Officer for Fitness and Wellbeing, told Athletech News that the company still has a “maniacal” focus on becoming a growth platform for boutique studios and is building a product called Xplor Growth. 

“There are not a lot of people who are making a data model that is flexible and accessible and then empowering the entire stack with it,” Swansburg said of the new launch. 

Fitness brands are trying to grow through the consumer journey, ensuring that at every touchpoint, users have the best chance of becoming brand evangelists. 

“We’ve built the first true growth platform in the industry with a few different layers,” Swansburg explained. “The first layer is the fitness industry’s first consumer data platform. Without a unified view of your consumer, it’s difficult to create a customer journey.” 

Bringing a consumer data platform to the fitness world can unlock new potential by allowing users to rate experiences, so businesses can evaluate their operations more easily. Xplor also added gamification to drive even more engagement. 

“Brands can set up challenges, consumer streaks and milestones,” Swansburg said. “We’re going to be building an analytics platform on top of that. The trend is towards, ‘Every touchpoint matters in this world.’” 

To generate excitement for IHRSA, Xplor is hosting its first Mariana Tek Summit on March 5th in Los Angeles. The event will feature networking opportunities, breakout sessions, and panel discussions. 

“The industry is probably five, if not more, years behind some of the other industries in the world, which is funny because I don’t know another business where someone shows up to a location five days a week,” Swansburg said, noting the high levels of engagement fitness consumers tend to have with brands. “We have so much data. All this innovation is a big step forward to power engagement.” 

Club OS Teases a Major Release

Club OS also has big announcements in the pipeline for IHRSA 2024. 

“This will be the most significant product release announcement in the company’s history, and we’re excited to reveal it for the first time with the fitness community at IHRSA this year,” said Nick Hahn, VP of Product & Development at Club OS.

While the company couldn’t yet provide details about the product launch, Club OS teased how the announcements would tie into the platform’s larger strategic goals and industry trends. 

“There are few solutions to provide a single platform that manages the entire member journey,” Hahn said. “The vision for our team is to provide a comprehensive yet intuitive end-to-end solution that covers as much of the member journey as each customer needs.” 

“Our flexible ecosystem enables our team to take an agile approach to helping our customers overcome key challenges such as member churn, staff turnover, tough competition, and economic uncertainties,” Hahn added.

ABC Fitness Leans Into AI, Personalization

ABC Fitness, the world’s largest fit tech company with a burgeoning portfolio of software platforms catering to clubs, gyms and studios, is planning to showcase exciting advancements in AI and personalization. 

“During IHRSA 2024, we are excited to host an Innovation Lab that will offer a preview into our latest AI investments across our platforms which leverage our leadership in member and club data,” said Cristine Kao, Chief Marketing Officer at ABC. “Our booth will also showcase how automation can drive world-class personalization at scale, from attracting and retaining members to running your club 24/7.” 

ABC will also showcase “some exciting new features” including “tailored habits & nutrition coaching, personalized members goals, and automation to convert more prospects into clients,” Kao shared. 

Kao will be onstage on March 6th at IHRSA, sharing the results of ABC Fitness’ annual consumer research and global membership data as well as discussing the potential of AI in the industry.

“The acceleration of AI is happening at an exciting time in the evolution of fitness technology across an ever-growing digital landscape, such as wearables and tracking devices,” Kao said. “At ABC Fitness, we are carefully evaluating the potential for AI technologies to evolve from supporting simple administrative tasks to far more powerful applications.”

ClubReady Empowers Brands To Connect With Their Members

ClubReady is focusing on the potential of customization and connection. With customers like Pure Barre, YogaSix, and CycleBar, the software platform helps streamline brands’ operations through lead management, member retention and billing solutions. 

“New integrations continue to increase the power and value of ClubReady for growing entrepreneurs,” said Devin Meister, a Demand Generation Manager for Clubessential Holdings, the parent company of ClubReady. “For example, integrations between ClubReady Connect messaging system and Concierge services enable fitness operators to optimize their staff hours for both presale and post-sale lead conversion in a seamless solution with proven workflows.”

“Our mobile app offerings enable brands to take control of their brand and extend their connections and engagement with push notifications to members anywhere, and extensive reporting for staff,” Meister added.

ClubReady plans to make announcements about reporting features and its mobile app in the near future. 

“ClubReady continues to build and expand our industry-leading solutions and services, enhancing operators’ ability to engage members and prospects, empower staff members, and drive actions for success,” Meister said. 

Club Automation Gets Personal 

Club Automation, an all-in-one club software management system, will provide an innovative, interactive experience at IHRSA. 

“How often has a fitness software company invited you to try what it feels like to become a new member, purchase personal training, schedule sessions, book spaces, and explore a mobile app – as seen from the eyes of your members?” said Tom Antosik, VP at Club Automation. 

Club operators can step into their members’ shoes and try Club Automation’s online registration and mobile experience. The brand is focused on personalized, interactive touchpoints that showcase how its offerings elevate experiences through innovations. 

“From checking in at the club and purchasing packages to scheduling sessions and updating payment information, our team is ready to show off an end-to-end sign-up process that creates that smooth onboarding journey prospective members can expect with Club Automation,” Antosik said.

The post IHRSA 2024 Software Rundown: All About the Member Experience appeared first on Athletech News.

In the world of digital health and fitness, video content is the heartbeat of any enterprise. Offering a fresh stream of content that’s scalable to varied audiences is fundamental.

However, producing this content is time-consuming, expensive and resource-intensive. 

To do so, companies can either: hire a video production agency, which can be time-consuming and expensive; hire an internal team – also cost-intensive and unwieldy;  or utilize lower-quality stock video that likely won’t meet the needs of today’s discerning consumers.

In response to these challenges, tech entrepreneur and former Fitbit product leader Bogdan Predusca, along with former management consultant and digital innovation leader Dan Nica, have developed an entirely new infrastructure for video production that shoulders the heavy lifting, streamlines the process and yields smart, sustainable and measurable content. 

Launched in late 2020, Hyperhuman is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered health and fitness video creation and delivery platform that automates the video production process and helps companies provide personalized, engaging content that boosts customer loyalty and drives positive health outcomes.

The platform effectively reduces cost and resources by providing a tech-assisted content production toolchain, a cutting-edge video delivery infrastructure, omnichannel export capabilities and a white-labeled consumer app.

“Start-ups, and small- and medium-sized businesses that are largely the backbone of this industry have always been challenged to create quality, scalable content,” says Predusca. “So, we set out to build a platform for companies to produce smart, quality video content with a mission to make the world’s health and fitness media accessible reusable and profitable.”

Hyperhuman serves digital companies, wellness providers, connected hardware companies, and consumer fitness companies.  

What Hyperhuman Solves For

“The video creation process is disconnected and clunky. It takes a long time,” says Predusca. “Quality is hard to manage. It’s expensive. Development is not sustainable. Content is not personalized for the user, and oftentimes the outcome is poor.”

Hyperhuman addresses these needs, and more, with a host of features including the ability to add exercise details, create exercise groups, add royalty-free music, share auto-generated social clips, and more. 

“We took our industry insights and set about envisioning what companies ultimately need to achieve and used technology to achieve it,” Predusca explains, “It’s an entirely new infrastructure for video production and delivery.”

How It Works

Hyperhuman is an open platform that uses a data-driven approach to help companies create hyper-personalized content in minutes or transform existing videos into a reusable library of smart video blocks. 

AI handles post-production, quickly generating assets in a modular format embedded with analytics so companies can gather user feedback and track key metrics such as user engagement, workout completion rates, and more. Content can be instantly published in any existing app or digital product using Hyperhuman’s public API or embeddable webpages.  

“It’s like having a dedicated post-production and video agency that is just a click away, that yields smart, measurable, amenable and highly customizable omnichannel content,” says Predusca.

Additionally, Hyperhuman offers an extensive video library of ready-to-use footage, including various workout styles, exercise demonstrations, and fitness classes. This content – produced by Hyperhuman’s elite video production partners – can be easily incorporated into workouts and programs, eliminating the time and effort of filming new footage.

In a move to enhance their client’s success even further, Hyperhuman partnered with PR firm Dunn Pellier Media in late 2023, gaining significant exposure and awareness in the market.

“We want to set our clients up for success in all ways and we continue to seek unique collaborations and partnerships like this to do so,” says Predusca.

The Future Is Personalized

“The future of fitness is undeniably heavily weighted on personalization and continually adapting to consumer needs and uses – fast,” predicts Predusca. “The utilization of AI helps to do so and will develop in many ways. Clearly, the delivery of content is evolving as well, and we are always looking at new ways of interaction and consumption.”

To that end, Hyperhuman recently partnered with a sports apparel company that delivers personalized content based on biometric data derived from technology embedded into their clothing. In the digital healthcare space, Hyperhuman is in talks with companies that are using DNA testing to deliver hyper-personalized content. 

“In the end, it’s about helping consumers to achieve better outcomes,” explains Predusca. “Fitness companies have a significant impact on people’s lives, helping the world to become fitter, more active and healthier. Hyperhuman is trying to do our part by democratizing video production and delivery and making video smart so that companies can deliver on this.”

The post With Hyperhuman, Fitness Brands Can Create Game-Changing Video Content appeared first on Athletech News.

Ezra, a New York-based full-body, AI-powered medical imaging company specializing in early cancer screenings, has raised $21 million in new capital, bringing the healthcare startup to a total funding of $41 million.

The new funding will go towards expanding Ezra to 20 cities and 50 locations across North America this year and advancing the use of its AI technology by imaging centers and clinicians. Looking ahead, Ezra plans to debut the first 15-minute full-body MRI for $500 within two to three years.

Consumers Embrace Wellness & Longevity

While various wellness therapies and longevity centers continue to bank on the booming wellness market, Ezra’s use of AI for prevention and detection may further inspire consumers to invest in their health.

As it stands now, luxury lifestyle operator Life Time has discovered that consumers are laser-focused on wellness these days, with an almost 30% increase in prioritization of their health and well-being this year compared to 2023. Plus, sales may have weakened for activewear, but consumers appear content to spend money on wellness-supporting supplements and anti-aging measures, further bolstering Ezra’s capabilities in the eyes of the wellness-minded.

Democratizing Early Disease Detection

Founded in 2018 by Emi Gal, Ezra reports it doubled its revenue in 2023 and received FDA clearance for Ezra Flash AI, enabling the world’s first 30-minute full-body MRI scan. Providing consumers with an accessible option for early cancer detection and other diseases,

Ezra currently offers three scan options: a 60-minute Full Body Plus scan for $2500, a 60-minute scan for $1950 (excluding a lung scan) and a 30-minute Full Body Flash scan for $1350 (excluding a spine and lung scan). Clients can pay monthly or use their FSA/HSA dollars, and all scans come with a follow-up consultation. Group and multiyear scan plans also offer discounts. 

The startup currently operates in 18 locations across New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Irvine, San Francisco, Miami and Las Vegas.

“Five years ago, Ezra pioneered the full body MRI space by being the first company in the US to offer fast, accurate, affordable, AI-powered full-body MRI scans,” Gal said. “We have since scanned thousands of people and have helped countless individuals identify cancer and over 500 other types of diseases early.”

Gal added that Ezra aims to detect cancer early and improve their chances of being cured, noting that this year, ten million people will receive late-stage cancer diagnoses with survival changes below 20%.

The funding round was co-led by Healthier Capital, a VC specializing in innovative technology supporting healthcare led by Amir Dan Rubin, former CEO of Amazon’s One Medical. Rubin will join Ezra’s board of directors. In addition to Healthier Capital, FirstMark Capital co-led the round with participation from Allianz Life Ventures and others.

The post Longevity Tech: Ezra Raises $21M for Affordable MRI Scans appeared first on Athletech News.

A new fitness mirror has hit the market — and this time, it’s powered by AI and driven by DNA. 

Alter, a biometric-based at-home fitness and wellness ecosystem, has officially launched, empowering consumers with DNA-based insights to personalize workouts and recovery for optimal results.  

Taking human performance to the next level, Alter uses a non-invasive cheek swab to identify 13 traits such as exercise responsiveness, stress and anxiety resilience, inflammation risk, carb, fat, and protein responsiveness, weight loss and ease of keeping weight off, mental decline risk, chronotype, motivation level and bone density risk.

After receiving a personalized report, an Alter Signal wearable is provided to gauge readiness and recovery needs and can be worn as a watch, armband or clipped to a bra. An app pulls the entire Alter experience together with personalized insights, including genetics-informed workout plans, nutrition advice, sleep reports and access to fitness and wellness coaches for one-on-one guidance.

Alter’s 50-lb mirrored device is the essential component of the experience, offering a pathway to personalized workouts, real-time heart rate tracking and AI-powered form correction. Designed to be low-profile, the fitness mirror blends into a living space when not in use. 

While Alter will recommend the ideal cardio and/or strength workout, it will also encourage “work-ins” when needed — opportunities for recovery through breathwork, yoga or sound baths.

“The science that is integrated into Alter is our superpower – we have taken the guesswork out of working out (to) give people a program that will work optimally for them,” said Scott Cohen, who co-founded Alter along with Blake Johnson. “Beyond the incredible science, we are making Alter accessible to as many people as possible through guaranteed financing and waived monthly subscription fees when they hit their goals to truly make an impact on human wellness.”

Alter charges $39.99/month as a membership fee for individuals or $59.99/month for households of up to five people. As an incentive, Alter will waive the membership fee once its AlterSense plans are completed. Aside from the membership fee, the Alter system is either $99/month or a one-time payment of $2,995.

The purchase also includes an equipment pack consisting of a yoga mat, foam roller and exercise bands. Additional equipment add-ons like weights are also available.

Personalized Daily Fitness

A holistic approach to wellness is crucial for achieving and maintaining overall health, points out Lauren Sherman, Alter’s chief experience officer. With rich insights, Alter can address the unique day-to-day needs of each individual. 

“If someone gets poor sleep after a night out, for example, our coaches tailor the user’s daily fitness plan based on what their body is capable of and needs that day, so instead of strength training, we might suggest a work-in like yoga,” Sherman tells Athletech News. “This comprehensive approach – rather than solely focusing on reps completed – ensures that users receive tailored support across all aspects of their wellness journey.”

Alter’s technology puts consumers in the driver’s seat of their health journey while navigating barriers in traditional care.

“When it comes to wellness, ease and accessibility continue to be paramount to consumers,” Sherman said. “By democratizing access to this personalized approach, we’re making it easier for everyone to prioritize their health and well-being, which is increasingly important in light of the rising challenges with healthcare.”

Can Alter Turn the Connected Fitness Tide?

Connected fitness mirrors haven’t had the best of luck on the market recently – Lululemon famously scrapped its mirror endeavors last year.

However, Alter’s ecosystem encompassing health data and personalized programs may cast its fitness mirror in a new light. The company’s executive team includes leaders from Nike, Under Armour, professional sports organizations and leagues, Mayo Clinic, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), Stanford Sleep Lab and UCSF Human Performance Center.

Looking ahead, Sherman says the company will listen closely to feedback to enhance the Alter ecosystem.

“We’re continually adding new classes and programs and are moving into R&D – we will have some exciting updates in the coming months; stay tuned,” she said.

The post Alter Launches DNA Fitness System, Smart Mirror appeared first on Athletech News.

Soon, you won’t be the only one doing heavy lifting during your workouts, thanks to DUMAGUS. Although the revolutionary system pumps iron strictly in a figurative sense, the impact and results are as real as they come – for members and gyms. 

DUMAGUS tracks, organizes, shares and safekeeps a user’s workout information — taking all the second-hand clutter that comes with exercising and passing it over into freer hands. The software promises to add a long-overdue sense of composition to weight training which has typically only been popularized with cardiovascular exercise equipment. Artificial intelligence (AI) powers the product, as it monitors and analyzes users’ workout data via sensors synched up with a gym’s equipment. 

Any gym or fitness facility can house the software, as the DUMAGUS team provides everything needed and takes complete care of the installation. Setup requires just one to two days, after which users can access the program and its features with any smartphone.

“Nowadays it’s very difficult to do anything without having some sort of audit trail or audit log. If you don’t know what it is that you’re doing or at least how you’re performing then you really don’t know where you’re going to go,” DUMAGUS Founder Ayo Ajanaku told Athletech News. “The great part about building this system is that it was done in a way that reduces all conceivable friction between the people using it and the results they’re trying to achieve.”

Tracking Reps Ensures Precision & Safety

The software essentially removes the need for anyone to jot down their workout information in a notepad, count reps in their head or go as old school as using a stopwatch. DUMAGUS counts and catalogs your reps in real-time, leaving training itself as the only thing left for you to concentrate on. The concept maximizes efficiency in one’s workout experience and the AI ensures accuracy.

“We built a model that we trained through many types of repetitions and exercises. It’s like we’ve been teaching it the A to Z of gym movements,” Ajanaku said. “We refine what counts and what doesn’t through our clever engineers who go in and perfect the inner workings of the model.”

“Take the bench press, for example. You know how you lift the bar off the rack with your arms extended? Well, you wouldn’t call that one rep, would you? And neither does our system,” Ajanaku explained. “It waits for you to complete a full rep tailored to your own unique profile before it counts it.”

The software aids in fostering a safe workout environment for its users too, especially those who exercise on their own. For example, DUMAGUS monitors things like weight distribution and velocity. If there’s any imbalance that might give way to an injury, the user will know. 

Motivate Your Members

DUMAGUS’ impact also goes beyond an individual workout, as it helps motivate gym goers to return at a consistent rate. The tracking system naturally makes users more conscious of their activities in the gym, prompting them to build on their progress by competing against themselves or even others.

This makes it a win-win product for individuals concentrated on improving their gym life and fitness businesses looking to grow. According to Ajanaku, gym-goers losing motivation is a common culprit responsible for low retention rates, typically affecting 50% of members every year. With DUMAGUS attacking that issue head-on, gyms could see as much as a 25%-90% profit increase with just a 5% increase in retention. 

After first building the tech, DUMAGUS went to Greece and installed the system in a commercial gym. They received a “very exciting” response from the gym owner and gym members who were using the software. 

“We know it works, we know it’s good,” Ajanaku said. “That’s the whole idea of it really. To enable and empower those people who like to weight train in a way that they haven’t been previously.” 

DUMAGUS is still searching for additional funding before putting its software in more gyms but has immediate plans to launch and scale commercially when the time comes. 

The post With DUMAGUS, Gyms Can Track Strength Training Using AI appeared first on Athletech News.

By ensuring a fitness facility or gym has the latest equipment and diverse options, gyms can be competitive and attract and retain members, especially those without access to cutting-edge hardware at home.

Athletech News spoke with four leading fitness equipment companies, Life Fitness, iFIT/Freemotion, EGYM and Concept2, to learn about their products and predictions for how gyms and fitness facilities will evolve in the coming years.

Based on our conversations with these four top brands, fitness operators wanting to have an edge over the competition must offer top-tier strength training and user-personalized connected equipment, bridge the gap between in-gym and home-based workouts and build a robust community.

Life Fitness Embraces Functional Training, Cardio Content

Founded in 1977, Life Fitness has long been a staple in the industry, offering strength, cardio and accessories under its signature Life Fitness brand as well as Hammer Strength.

The fitness equipment maker recently launched LFX, a functional training experience combining equipment with programming, education and digital experiences to give gyms an all-in-one solution. Such systems are a necessity, as Life Fitness notes workouts like Olympic weightlifting, kettlebells and calisthenics are increasing in popularity with gym goers.

“LFX was born as a way to help facilities create these spaces, and then actually program the spaces to bring them to life for their members,” says Leigh Wierichs, global training and education manager at Life Fitness.

With LFX, gyms can select from seven pre-designed equipment packages, all containing a combination of Life Fitness and Hammer Strength functional training equipment. 

“Our customers wanted to optimize the functional training experience for their exercisers, and we wanted to empower them with easy-to-implement solutions,” she said.

Life Fitness also unveiled the Discover SE4 cardio console, allowing facilities to boost member engagement with immersive entertainment, connectivity, workout content and branding.

“SE4 was inspired by research with exercisers and customers with the goal of creating truly immersive experiences to drive member engagement,” said Nick Yogerst, Life Fitness product director, consoles. “We wanted to bring the technologies that consumers expect and utilize in their daily lives into the fitness facility.”

The SE4 is available across the line of Life Fitness Integrity+ and Aspire cardio machines. 

For Concept2, Quality Is Paramount

Peter Dreissigacker, who founded Concept2 in 1976 alongside his brother Dick, has been fully immersed in sport and fitness, launching Concept2 out of his love of rowing. The Vermont-based company went on to create the RowErg, an indoor rower, the SkiErg, a cross-country ski trainer and the BikeErg, a sport-based ergometer. 

Dreissigacker says the ideal “gym of the future” includes three simple things: strength, cardio and Wi-Fi. 

“There will always be weights, perhaps along with some other kind of strength apparatus,” Dreissigacker said. “There will always be cardio to get people moving and (if they don’t already have it) the ‘gym of the future’ will have Wi-Fi to let people connect to their chosen ‘tribe’ and personal devices will be used in the gym to connect to a favorite app for training advice, recording their workouts in a log, entertainment and connecting to other users.”

As for what gives Concept2 the edge over other fitness equipment providers, Dreissigacker emphasizes the brand’s sport-based conception. 

“We came to this industry from the sport (rowing) and were focusing on the requirements of the sport and not the fitness industry,” he said. “One of the things of top importance to us was that every RowErg out there would give identical results all the time, which sounds simple, but there is a lot involved to ensure that happens. We have heard many times the RowErg referred to as ‘The Gold Standard.’”

Concept2 has come a significant way from producing a paper-based ranking system of times for specific events on the RowErg, notes Dreissigacker.

“As the world moved to the web, more opportunities became available for making connections and driving the ‘Concept2 Culture,’” he said. “Now, there is racing over the internet, online ranking data and training with partners and even strangers around the world in real-time, all part of our free app.”

Just as sports and fitness can drive fellowship, Dreissigacker believes fitness consumers are looking for equipment that can stand the test of time while providing a sense of community.

“There is certainly a portion of fitness consumers who want to be connected to others and I think consumers want to have that ability,” he said. “Some things don’t change. People want something that feels good to use, and they want something that has the quality to last.”

iFIT, Freemotion Go All-In on Connected Fitness

Freemotion, the commercial equipment branch of Utah-based iFIT, is reinvigorating the cardio experience at gyms with its 22 Series, a perfect blend of content and hardware that meets the needs of modern fitness operators. 

The 22 Series features six connected cardio machines: an incline trainer, Reflex treadmill, elliptical and three bikes, all equipped with HD touchscreen displays and access to iFIT workout content.

“The conversation (with fitness operators) has shifted from, ‘I need to replace my treadmills’ to ‘I need a digital solution,’” explains Peggy Vo, director of global marketing for Freemotion.

The 22 Series allows members to access iFIT’s vast library of coach-led workouts and takes it a step further with auto-adjusting technology, where speed and incline change depending on what’s happening on-screen. Users also can intervene to adjust the hardware manually.

“We like to call it ‘auto-magic,’” Vo says. “If you’re doing a climbing workout the incline is automatically going to climb as the terrain is climbing. As an exerciser, you don’t have to think about anything.”

Member retention has always been the biggest hurdle facing fitness operators, notes Vo, but with Freemotion and iFIT, members using in-gym Freemotion equipment can continue outside of the gym with the iFIT app. 

“This is a perfect solution to keep up with your members who want to work out outside of the gym,” Vo said. “Members can do a workout series on Freemotion equipment (in-facility), but if they can’t come in next week for whatever reason, say they’re traveling, they can go to any hotel gym and run the iFIT program on another treadmill.”

Freemotion offers gyms the option of purchasing membership-wide access to an iFIT subscription, boosting the member experience.

As Vo points out, it’s imperative that fitness operators embrace that some fitness consumers have adopted a hybrid approach.  

“We tell our customers, ‘You need to have a digital solution because you’re going to lose your members if not,’” she said. “You want them to use your digital solution and not someone else’s.”

EGYM Is the Leader in Smart Fitness

EGYM, a Munich-based global fitness technology company catering to commercial and boutique segments, has had a stellar 2023, receiving $225 million in growth capital and nailing its first profitable year.

Fifteen thousand facilities worldwide use EGYM’s products and services, such as its Fitness Hub, personalized Smart Strength trainers, Smart Cardio and digital fitness solution Mobile Packs.

Since the fit tech company has made exercising smart and efficient for operators, EGYM’s chief product officer, John Ford, envisions the “gym of the future” touting interconnected and interactive cardio and strength machines.

“Analog tools will (still) be popular, but the experience on these analog tools will also be digitally supported for users who desire the support,” he says.

Although EGYM released an eye-opening survey this fall revealing that many gyms haven’t fully adopted digital technology, Ford predicts fitness operators will strive to make seismic shifts in 2024.

“We have seen a big change in awareness and interest in EGYM products in newer markets this past year, across all gym types and segments,” he shared.

Of all of EGYM’s offerings, Ford points to the fit tech brand’s classic line in Circle Mode (a synchronized mode for guided and time-efficient workouts) as having stood the test of time. 

“Circuits have always been an effective and efficient way to get beginners training with less intimidation,” Ford said. “EGYM first enhanced this model with digital guidance and motivation over ten years ago, and to this day, 50% of our machines are installed in this mode to engage and guide new exercisers to success.”

He says EGYM’s key differentiator is its focus on digital equipment, ready to provide an entire ecosystem for operators who desire an entirely tech-first concept.

“There are competitors in the space that offer everything you might find in a gym,” Ford said. “They might have hundreds of analog products and a subset of true tech products. We believe it’s a lot easier to focus on great tech-driven experiences because 100% of our products are technology products.”

Ford also points to the increased recognition of strength training benefits and how that is changing fitness operators’ needs.

“Cardio floors are shrinking everywhere, and strength trainers are now a solid majority in gyms,” he said. “Groups that traditionally strength trained less, such as women, are breaking the old norms and becoming lifters. It’s great to see the modality getting the appreciation it deserves.”

The post Top Fitness Equipment Makers Change With the Times appeared first on Athletech News.

Pear Health Labs, an AI and sports science-powered digital fitness and wellness coaching company, has strengthened its audio and video fitness app, Aaptiv, with a more personalized and interactive fitness experience, resulting from a new partnership with Google Cloud.

The California-based company’s new partnership harnesses Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, an AI platform that trains and refines machine learning models and AI applications. It’s a move that aims to transform Pear Health Labs’ ability to create smarter health and wellness coaching solutions and allow for more natural and customized user interactions within Aaptiv.

“Building upon our considerable experience using AI to guide users’ activity journeys, we’re now harnessing the power of machine learning and generative AI to engage users and meld the physiological and psychological aspects of activity together to offer truly personalized coaching experiences and activity prescriptions,” said Richard Bayly, Pear Health Labs’ vice president of product, AI and data. 

The integration will also improve the capabilities of Aaptiv’s digital activity assistant, AVA, by understanding more complex user requests and guiding them with coaching recommendations based on their goals. Google Cloud’s Text-to-Speech API will also support more “human-like voice interactions,” so users can communicate with AVA like a real personal trainer.

“By utilizing Google Cloud’s leading gen AI capabilities, Pear Health Labs can unlock new insights that help them provide personalized workout recommendations and improve the overall user experience,” said Matt Renner, president of Google Cloud.

AI Is Changing Fitness

Artificial intelligence has taken the fitness and wellness industry by storm, assisting operators in attracting and retaining members or supporting activewear brand Gymshark in making product-specific recommendations based on activity from its fitness training app. The U.K.-based company announced last fall that, like Pear Health Labs, it’s using Google Cloud technology to advance its business. 

For others in the fitness industry, AI and machine learning are quickly democratizing access to personal fitness and wellness trainers and supporting fitness coaches with in-depth insights to assist clients better.

Tempo, a smart home gym system using AI and machine learning, provides consumers with sensor-equipped smart weights that deliver real-time feedback on form and optimal weight amounts. The concept led Tempo to secure $220 million in Series C funding in 2021 and now leverages biometric data such as VO2 max, heart rate and heart rate variability to suggest workout plans.

Asensei is also breaking new ground in the virtual, augmented reality and fitness AI space, creating software that motion-captures clients working out either at home or in a fitness studio. The tech company’s capabilities have attracted leading fitness brands such as Centr, the health and wellness platform founded by actor Chris Hemsworth, Vertimax, PowerBlock, Litesport, Fittar, Bhout and Alter. 

AI is also being used in injury risk prevention and athletic optimization, as seen with Zone7, a Silicon Valley company that has worked with Liverpool FC to help reduce the English Premier League club’s days lost to injuries. While Zone7 has worked with professional athletes, “The Human Uptime Company” sees potential for its tech to help everyday fitness consumers.

The post Fitness Apps Are Becoming More ‘Human-Like’ Thanks to AI appeared first on Athletech News.

Smart home gym maker Tonal has inked its first-ever sports league partnership, with League One Volleyball (LOVB), a top youth volleyball brand.

Tonal will provide volleyball-specific training programs with individualized, adaptive strength training regimens and outfit clubs with its “gym-on-a-wall” devices. The move could be indicative of a larger push into sport-specific training by the fitness and hospitality industries.

Tonal and LOVB say the partnership addresses a need in the smart gym space, particularly as volleyball is the fastest-growing high school sport for females in the U.S. The initiative will begin at three LOVB clubs in Irvine and Gardena, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah, with Tonal trainers available for club members.

“At LOVB, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to the well-being of our players,” said Stacey Vollman Warwick, LOVB head of commercial. “While conditioning is a crucial component to every volleyball player’s journey, not every athlete has access to elite programs, and our partnership with Tonal changes this dynamic.”

The volleyball training program was devised with volleyball-targeted moves that support players in building strength for games, with LOVB’s director of professional development and head of health and wellness analyzing the workouts and providing feedback. The workouts include foundational movement patterns such as hinges, squats, pushes and pulls, balance, prehab and shoulder training and rotational power programming combined with strength and plyometric exercises.

Tonal x LOVB will also host family workout nights, allowing club players’ families to sample Tonal’s smart home gym technology. The smart home gym company will donate to the LOVB Foundation for each Tonal sold to a family member, supporting the foundation in providing club volleyball access to youth in need.

“At Tonal, our mission is to strengthen every body every day,” said Ian Yung, Tonal senior vice president of revenue and partnerships. “Partnering with LOVB allows us to support these volleyball players with AI and personalized strength training, informed by the world’s largest strength training data set, to set them up for success on the court today, and evolve with them to meet their longer-term goals as they progress as athletes.” 

Ahead of the Game 

Tonal’s decision to lean into sports-specific training could prove lucrative, especially with its AI-powered, data-driven training capabilities and the rising need to support elite-level athletes and those who wish to train as one.

The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) predicts that in 2024, the hospitality sector will continue adding pro trainers, pro-level facilities and diagnostics to support the needs of those in training — especially as the young athletes of today will likely continue to invest in their sport of choice as they age. 

Consider, too, the spending power of young athletes and their families — with GWS noting that in the post-pandemic year of 2021, 180 million people traveled for junior, collegiate and recreational sports events. A demand is brewing for high-level training programs for student-athletes as well as accommodations that provide upscale experiences (restaurants, spas, activities) for the rest of the family traveling in tow for a sporting tournament.

D1 Training, a Tennessee-based athletic training fitness franchise, also sees promise in the area of sports training, regarding it as a white space to address the demands of young athletes and adult consumers looking for athletic-level and personal training programs. D1 recently opened its hundredth site, in Indiana, with plans to open an additional 50 locations this year. 

The post Tonal Adds Volleyball Strength Training in Sports Push appeared first on Athletech News.

A longtime audio industry executive, Kevin Duffy joined health and fitness company iFIT a little over a year ago with some lofty ambitions. 

“Our vision is to create the world’s most effective fitness platform,” Duffy, who took over as iFIT CEO in October 2022, tells Athletech News. 

To accomplish that goal, Duffy and the iFIT team will lean on the brand’s massive catalog of proprietary fitness content, as well as equipment from iFIT-owned brands including Freemotion Fitness, NordicTrack and ProForm.

Under Duffy’s watch, iFIT also plans to lean further into artificial intelligence. The Utah-based company recently announced the launch of its AI Coach, a tool designed to help iFIT users achieve their fitness goals with personalized and adaptive training.

Athletech News spoke with Duffy about why he joined the fitness industry after a long career in audio, his long-term vision for iFIT and the state of connected fitness post-pandemic. 

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: Can you tell us a bit about your background and why you decided to join iFIT?

Kevin Duffy: I was at a company called Sound United for almost 20 years, serving as the CEO for the last six years. We were the owner of premium and luxury audio brands, like Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio and others. That company was sold in April of 2022. Six months later, in October 2022, I joined iFIT.

I really like being in “passion businesses,” or businesses that are enthusiastic about something. In audio, it was about entertainment, whether music or movies. When this position came up, obviously the passion for health and fitness outcomes is much bigger from a societal perspective.

At the same time, iFIT has some material assets that I thought were interesting. First, of course, the brands. NordicTrack is a very powerful brand that’s been built over decades. Freemotion, which is our brand used for the commercial channel, provides some diversity, along with ProForm, and then we have iFIT, which sits over the top of everything; a lot of capital has gone into developing iFIT content. And we’re backed by L Catterton, which is a prestigious investor in all consumer products, but particularly in fitness. 

Lastly, this is an industry that’s in transition, so it’s a transformative opportunity. I’m not a big fan of just sitting still, so for me, all of these things together were exciting. 

ATN: How does iFIT stand out from its competitors, whether in the fitness content space or equipment?

KD: On the digital fitness side, our content is unique and so compelling; it’s what we call “destination fitness.” You can walk along the Cliffs of Moher with an Olympian in Ireland – I did that workout recently, which is why I’m using it as an example. It’s pretty cool when you get on a treadmill, you’re running with an Olympian and you’re going to do intervals. She’s like, “Okay, let’s go,” and when she says that, the incline moves on its own; it’s called SmartAdjust. That’s really motivating – it makes me want to run farther than I would on my own. We have content across every geography, all seven continents, and we were nominated for an Emmy for our Mount Everest climb. You can even run with penguins in Antarctica. There’s pretty much nothing you can’t do.

On the hardware side, I come from a business where we made a lot of hardware. It takes a long time, years and years of reps, to get good at making hardware. The fact that NordicTrack has been doing it for 40 years makes it highly differentiated, as well as Freemotion. We will continue to modernize our hardware, but it’s already a big asset. Our Dual Cable Cross product is prevalent in every gym. Our treadmill is definitely the best treadmill in gyms.

ATN: How does iFIT balance the fitness content side of its business with the equipment side? 

KD: From my perspective, if you’re on our equipment, great, if you’re not on our equipment, great, people just need to keep working out. That’s the mission. However, I do think iFIT in the gyms is compelling. iFIT today runs on Matrix equipment as an example, which is a partner of ours. There’s no reason it couldn’t run on everybody’s hardware. I think that’s a very logical possibility. 

Our hardware products need to be able to stand on their own, but they should also leverage our content and iFIT software. 

ATN: What’s your vision for the future of iFIT?

KD: Our vision is to create the world’s most effective fitness platform. That word “effective,” to me, is really important. There’s been so much talk in general about improving health, but from my perspective, we haven’t as an industry improved health outcomes enough. I want to make that more of a reality as I look to the future of our company, and I think we’re at a unique moment in time where technologies such as AI are making that more possible. 

ATN: How are you working to turn that vision into a reality?

KD: There’s a huge opportunity to personalize and create more habit formation. Personalization is so important because everybody’s fitness journey is totally different. Some people want to run a 10k, some a marathon, some want to lose five pounds, and some just want to be able to lift their grandchildren. 

We’re launching our AI Coach, which personalizes content and habit formation. Creating habits is a very personal experience. I joke sometimes that I just need someone to say to me, “Kevin, you committed to this and you didn’t do it. Why not?” But I bet we’d lose hundreds of thousands of subscribers if we did that with other people because people are motivated in different ways. Some people are motivated by community, some are motivated by achievement and goals. Some people just need a little push, like the AI Coach waking them up and telling them at 6:30am, “You committed to work out at 7:00am, here’s your workout. Are you ready to roll?” 

ATN: Given the recent turmoil in the market, how confident are you in the future of connected fitness?

KD: I think we’re in transition. We had this growth pre-COVID, and COVID exacerbated that growth rate to a non-sustainable level for basically everybody in connected fitness. Then we came back to reality post-COVID as gyms opened, which created a lot of turmoil. A lot of inventory was bought during the COVID period, so that’s all working itself through. A lot of that work got done in 2023. Our company is well positioned, having worked through that, although I think the industry still has some ways to go to work through it all.

But if you look out a few years, the future of connected fitness is undeniable. People’s workout routines have become more fluid. It’s hard to believe this won’t be a materially bigger part of the world three to five years from now than it is today. Which is another reason why I came to iFIT.  

The post CEO Corner: iFIT’s Kevin Duffy on the ‘World’s Most Effective’ Fitness Platform appeared first on Athletech News.

As a leading technology provider, EGYM solves one of the fitness industry’s longest-running challenges — demonstrating to members that they’re making progress in the gym regardless of their weight on the scale.

EGYM’s BioAge offers a holistic, measurable approach to fitness and wellness. Different from a person’s chronological age, BioAge indicates a member’s level of wellness across four pillars: strength, cardio, flexibility, and metabolism. 

A user can alter their BioAge in each category with their health-related choices. The solution helps users focus on specific areas of improvement and catalogs progress over time, giving users visual feedback and something to strive for. 

A Comprehensive View of Wellness

By presenting users with four different areas of health to improve upon, BioAge essentially gives its users four targets to shoot at rather than one. 

“Let’s say my strength goal was to bench press 250 pounds. Once I hit that goal, then what? My motivation starts to wane because I’ve reached the goal that I set,” explained Dana Milkie, EGYM’s General Manager for North America. “But if I have goals across three other measurements, then I constantly have something to work on. Maybe I change my goal to better cardio health or I include more flexibility improvement in my workouts.”

More goals and better, simpler tracking leads to more engagement, and of course, a healthier lifestyle in the long run. Without BioAge, gym-goers often concentrate on one fitness element and forget the others, skewing their view on wellness and restricting their potential. 

“If you’re only looking at your weight, that’s telling you a very small percentage of your overall health,” Milkie said. “For instance, I can be ‘skinny’ if I only look at my weight. But if I’m looking at strength, cardio, flexibility, and my metabolic composition, now I have a full picture. BioAge gives you that and helps drive the motivation to continue your fitness journey.”

Members See Results Fast

BioAge presents findings almost immediately to its users, which also plays a large role in keeping them engaged. 

With hundreds of millions of data points, and growing, in its system, EGYM is able to make precise calculations in determining one’s BioAge. This detailed view allows BioAge to detect progress faster than a scale and then relay it back to users. Doing so gives users some satisfaction and consequential motivation in the early stages of their fitness journey, which is oftentimes when it’s needed most. 

“Unfortunately in our industry, usually it’s all about what a member sees on the scale,” Milkie said. “It can be a little demotivating, particularly in the first three or four weeks when you’re starting to exercise trying to change your body and you don’t see anything on the scale. From a BioAge perspective, you begin to see changes very quickly as whatever biological age you started at begins to go down.”

BioAge is visible on EGYM’s Fitness Hub, its trainer app (TAX) and branded member app (BMA). This makes it accessible anywhere for individuals who work out at a variety of facility types.

“You can see your BioAge daily if you want,” Milkie added. “It’s an individual motivational component and it’s very personal. That is what is so engaging about it!”

A Powerful Tool for Operators & Trainers 

BioAge’s ability to show results makes it popular amongst fitness operators and personal trainers as well. It presents them with additional factors they can point to that illustrate a client’s development. That goes a long way in convincing those doubting their progress to stay the course. 

“I’ve been in the industry for a long time, and I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with operators where they report their clients saying, ‘Three weeks in and I’ve only lost 2 or 3  pounds.’ The frustration over that one measurement, it changes so much when you involve strength, cardio and flexibility,” Milkie said. “It allows a very different conversation for a trainer to have other than saying, ‘Be patient, the weight will come off.’” 

BioAge is appealing to multiple generations as well, giving gyms and studios a way to appeal to multiple member types within their fitness population.

“If someone’s older, you can go up to them and say, ‘Your chronological age won’t change, but I can have a major impact on your BioAge. I can track it, we can build plans around it and you can assess it.’ Additionally, they can have conversations with younger demographics around their flexibility age to make sure that is not overlooked. To have those discussions across their broad membership base is incredibly powerful for operators,” Milkie said.

Milkie says that during his recent conversations with operators, BioAge has been top-of-mind 

“This is a member measurement that you can leverage to make an impact and it’s easy to explain,” he said. “You can’t change the day and year you were born, but you can change how you feel right now.” 

BioAge’s Future

EGYM created BioAge in 2014, but the program is far from its final form. Over time, the BioAge of the member has, and will continue to become, more accurate as more data points are added via new users. Although there are no current plans at EGYM to add new elements to BioAge beyond strength, flexibility, metabolism and weight, the fit tech company does aim to deepen  those pillars by continually leveraging data to refine the accuracy for the member.

However, Milkie didn’t rule out adding another BioAge factor to the program down the line given the company’s comprehensive commitment to wellness. 

“EGYM  understands that we need to continue to think more holistically about fitness and performance,” he said. “Our job as the innovation leader in fitness is to constantly push the envelope.”

The post EGYM’s BioAge Makes Progress in the Gym Tangible for Members appeared first on Athletech News.

Lumin Fitness, an interactive AI-powered gamified boutique fitness studio concept, has just signed its first franchise agreement, with Verge Fit Holdings, a group that plans to open 13 Lumin locations across key markets in Texas such as Dallas, Austin and Houston over the next three years.

Dallas-based Lumin Fitness opened its first studio in Irving-Las Colinas, Texas, last September. 

Verge’s multi-brand franchise group currently operates nearly 200 franchise locations in the U.S. and noted it has been looking for ways to diversify its portfolio, searching for a model that presented a significant growth opportunity. 

Enter Lumin Fitness.

“When we were introduced to Lumin Fitness, it immediately resonated with us,” said Raheel Suria, partner at Verge. “The uniqueness of the business model and technology, the experience of the team and the potential for scalability were exactly what we were looking for.”

Suria added that the initial venture into Lumin Fitness is just the beginning: “Our aspirations go far beyond just a handful of units; we have every intention of expanding our footprint to own and operate over 100 units.”

High Tech, High Intensity

Leaning into its self-appointed title as “The World’s Smartest Fitness Studio,” Lumin is adorned with interactive wall-to-wall LED displays. Beyond the futuristic aesthetic is a proprietary ecosystem that uses artificial intelligence, motion tracking, and object detection — all developed by fitness, franchising and gaming experts. 

Clients can select their music of choice and training style in the Lumin Fitness app before embarking on a 40-minute full-body, high-intensity functional training workout with interactive elements that make working up a sweat an engaging and entertaining experience. During their workout, participants receive real-time guidance and feedback from trainers.

Behind Lumin’s unique boutique fitness concept is Brandon Bean, formerly Gold’s Gym CEO, and Omeed Shams, former CEO of social discovery app Kwest.

Bean, who serves as CEO, sees the fitness landscape shifting towards a more dynamic and personalized model.

“Lumin is at the forefront of this evolution, introducing subtle gamification elements such as mini-interactions, class challenges and a game economy into our experience,” he tells Athletech News. “This fosters a sense of progress and accomplishment, motivating members to engage more deeply with their fitness journey.”

Bold Franchising Ambitions

Bean believes Lumin’s approach is particularly resonating with a new generation of wellness enthusiasts who value engagement, data-driven insights and a sense of ownership over their health.

“Verge isn’t just our first franchise partner; they are a testament to our commitment to cultivating a network that values quality over quantity,” said Craig Sherwood, chief development officer at Lumin Fitness. “Our goal is to create an exclusive club of strong multi-unit operators who are as invested in our success as we are in theirs.”

Aside from its innovative group workout concept, Lumin Fitness is looking to disrupt the franchise market with a model that requires minimal staffing and the ability to offer classes all day.

Lumin Fitness is hosting a live webinar on Tuesday, January 30, at 7 p.m. CT for those interested in the fitness concept’s growth opportunities. Lumin’s development team will lead the online event and offer an overview of the brand’s franchise model, studio tour, and qualifications to become a Lumin Fitness Franchisee. 

The boutique fitness concept lists an investment range of $505,792 – $997,475, franchising requirements of $250,000+ in liquid capital and a net worth of $750,000+.

The post Lumin Fitness Begins Franchise Expansion With Texas Deal appeared first on Athletech News.

At the intersection of competitive fitness spirit and cutting-edge technology, one will find DUMAGUS, an artificial intelligence-backed software that tracks and organizes workout data in real time. After a sensor installation, DUMAGUS takes care of everything a gym goer needs outside of the workout itself, counting reps, logging progress, sharing it, and overall catering to a user’s personalized fitness journey. 

The software leverages tracking tech to help gyms and their members get the most out of strength training, which is more popular than ever in 2024, making it a potent engagement and acquisition tool for fitness facilities 

Different Forms of Workout Incentivization

Once introduced to the product, the next-gen tech at DUMAGUS pulls users in immediately by reminding them of the tangible benefits of fitness.

“Most people who actually partake in health and fitness activities likely had an active childhood where their parents put them in sports or put them in various physical activities where they naturally progressed,” DUMAGUS Founder Ayo Ajanaku explained. “That means those people actually have first-hand experience in adulthood of the psychological, physical, emotional benefits of fitness activity and so they continue to do so even though they may not be necessarily competing.”

Ajanaku listed an increase in bone density and hormonal balance improvements as examples of the benefits of fitness, especially strength training. 

For those without a sports-based background and unaware of the benefits of consistent exercise, DUMAGUS creates new ones from scratch. 

“Those who haven’t had that upbringing may find it a lot more difficult to persist long enough in adulthood to experience the benefits that fitness provides,” Ajanaku noted. “So whether it’s someone seasoned or coming into fitness, particularly strength training later in life, DUMAGUS uses expert knowledge in the form of delivering tailored insights to these individuals to point them to the benefits that they should be keeping an eye out for.” 

Those insights are displayed from the jump after installing DUMAGUS. Users are first taken to a dashboard where they can see who else is using DUMAGUS and where they rank on various leaderboards. The report gets as detailed as specific reps, weight and overall workout consistency. That’s where the gamification comes in, as users are pitted against each other and compelled to ascend leaderboards. 

Beyond that, DUMAGUS also plans to launch a reward-based program in its software. While the company is still going over who it would like to partner with, DUMAGUS will eventually offer exclusive deals with participating brands to users who reach certain goals.

“Our leaderboard and active challengers will typically be sufficient for most people who have already cultivated a practice of workout discipline. But that’s just the beginning,” Ajanaku said. “The key aspect here is that the only people who are going to be rewarded with these opportunities, giveaways and discounts are people who will be able to see that they are progressing towards having those doors open to them. It’s almost like they can see how far away they are from getting these opportunities.” 

Striking While the Iron’s Hot

DUMAGUS’ efforts could not come at a more advantageous time, with strength training picking up steam in the post-pandemic world. A few months ago, Mindbody forecasted a surge in the workout modality’s popularity in 2024. More than 60% of consumers said they feature weight or strength training in their exercise routines, and more than half of those who do so work out two to four times per week, the software provider found. 

This should come as no surprise for those familiar with the modality’s benefits. Strength training rewards users with improved flexibility, cardiovascular health, metabolism, joint function, and, of course, strength. DUMAGUS promises to amplify all of the above. 

There’s also an increase in strength training popularity from a social perspective. Back in April, a search of strength training keywords revealed that #strengthtraining had 12 million posts and #weightlifting had 22 million posts, while #ellipticalworkout reeled in just 50,000. 

A Potent Acquisition & Retention Tool

DUMAGUS’ use of AI and tracking tech already helps separate those facilities using the product from a normal gym atmosphere. But the company’s emphasis on the individual takes it to another level, specifically with regard to member acquisition and retention. 

“Many traditional gyms fail in their belief that people are just numbers and only go to the gym to train,” Ajanaku said. “That may be true of a few, but generally speaking, the gym is a community and most people who go are extremely helpful in helping others achieve their goals as well. This has led us to believe that there is a need for personalization, community-oriented solutions and knowledge-sharing in order to create a strong and consistent tribe over time. It’s why we’ve taken the approach that we have.”

Given its unique offerings, DUMAGUS takes a “let the product speak for itself” approach in its marketing. This simple, old-school strategy may contradict the forward-thinking the company employs in all other aspects of its business, but it’s proved successful all the same. 

“We have a few good gym partners who’ve seen what we’re doing and would like us to open our doors to them first,” Ajanaku said. “Our objective is really to leverage our users to do the talking for us. Our aim is for our earliest users to love how this works, so much so that people already know who we are before we approach them.”

The post DUMAGUS Helps Gyms Win Members in the Strength-Training Era appeared first on Athletech News.