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.

EGYM and fitness coaching and club management technology provider Virtuagym have joined forces to benefit both gym operators and their customers by integrating Virtuagym’s member management software into EGYM’s ecosystem.

As a result of the partnership, gym operators can now unlock additional revenue by including access to EGYM machines as part of their membership add-ons.

Hugo Braam, CEO and co-founder of Virtuagym, told Athletech News that the integration had been a highly requested feature from both Virtuagym and EGYM customers.

“Our respective product teams have worked really hard together to create this solution, including extensive testing with different types of fitness clubs,” Braam said. “The partnership has been a long time in the making and I believe it is an important milestone for Virtuagym.” 

The move follows Virtuagym’s continued development of new products, such as its first AI-driven connected strength product, Virtuagym AI Coach.

“At Virtuagym, we are always looking to keep on innovating and improving our All-in-One solution, as well as listening to invaluable feedback from our global customers,” Braam added. “This partnership and integration with EGYM is a really good example of both.”

The collaboration also sees add-ons assigned or adjusted in Virtuagym’s member management software — such as access to machines or EGYM+ training — automatically applied to EGYM platform member profiles. 

“Our partnership with Virtuagym aligns with our ‘best of breed’ approach, which enables operators to choose the best providers in the market for their specific needs,” said EGYM co-founder and CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer. “For instance, EGYM’s hard- and software for the training floor, and Virtuagym’s membership management software.”

As it continues to expand globally and fresh off a $225 million funding round, EGYM recently onboarded industry veterans Chris Clawson, former CEO of Life Fitness, and Rob Barker, former CEO of Precor. The Munich-based fit tech company also recently expanded its cardio-based partnership with Life Fitness for an upcoming Smart Cardio project integrating EGYM’s software with Life Fitness machines where users can access workout insights.

As for what’s ahead for Virtuagym, Braam confirmed that the club management tech provider has started rolling out major upgrades to its management, scheduling and payment solutions and will launch new digital training and performance measurement solutions with partners. 

“More will soon be announced,” he assured. 

The post EGYM, Virtuagym Launch Member Management Integration 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.

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.

Global fitness tech company EGYM has added two industry veterans to its leadership team, onboarding Chris Clawson, former CEO of Life Fitness, and Rob Barker, former CEO of Precor. 

Clawson has been appointed general manager of Gymtech, a role he’ll assume in mid-February, succeeding former EGYM chief customer officer Christoph Bischoff. Barker will serve as strategic advisor to EGYM co-founder and CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer.

Roesch-Schlanderer remarked that the appointments of the two fitness leaders signal a significant milestone as the Munich-based EGYM celebrates its 15th anniversary.

“I met Chris for the first time in 2016. Our focus topic was the ‘Quick Start’ button that most exercisers press on the cardio consoles instead of logging in for a personalized workout, and it was clear to us that we could only solve this with Life Fitness Hardware and EGYM Software,” Roesch-Schlanderer said, alluding to EGYM’s ongoing partnership with the fitness equipment company.

During his meeting with Precor’s Barker the following year, Roesch-Schlanderer asked how EGYM Cloud could become a secure platform to connect the industry via hardware and software to enhance the experience of operators and users.

“These were clear indicators for me that the era of individual technological solutions is clearly over and needs to be replaced by collaboration in the industry and a common software platform,” the EGYM CEO said.

Connecting the Industry

EGYM’s open-platform concept has had wide-ranging benefits, as seen with its strategic partnership with Life Fitness, which has deepened with the recent announcement of a “Smart Cardio” project slated to launch in the first half of this year. The project integrates EGYM’s software with Life Fitness equipment, including the latter’s Discover SE4 Console, to provide users with real-time workout data, performance tracking and personalized workout recommendations.

Clawson noted that he’s thrilled to work with EGYM and “partner with as many operators and suppliers as possible for a fully connected workout experience in and outside the club.”

Barker, meanwhile, remarked that he’s known Roesch-Schlanderer and EGYM for over seven years, referencing Precor and EGYM’s development partnership. 

“I have admired the EGYM approach and growth as operators and consumers become increasingly used to the hybrid world of digitally connected fitness experiences,” Barker said. “I look forward to helping Philipp, the EGYM team and its customers. It’s also great to be working with Chris; we were leaders of competing businesses for many years but got on well since we always shared the same desire to simply get more people more active more often and make the world a better place.”

Roesch-Schlanderer thanked Bischoff for his service to EGYM and acknowledged his leadership during Covid, where he navigated EGYM Gymtech through a challenging period.

“Strengthened by Chris and Rob, we will continue to drive the transformation of the healthcare market from repair to prevention and remain true to our approach as an open platform provider,” Roesch-Schlanderer said. “Because we know that such a huge task cannot be accomplished without strong partners.”

EGYM’s Rapid Rise

The fitness tech company received $225 million in growth capital last year from  Affinity Partners to support the development of digital workout solutions and expand EGYM Wellpass, its corporate health network. EGYM has also been focused on scaling its footprint in North America.

Looking ahead to IHRSA 2024, EGYM plans to showcase a new AI-powered workout data innovation to provide next-level personalization.

“Anything that’s on a gym’s fitness floor, we want to connect in a smart way to drive prescriptive and hyper-personalized workouts to members,” said Dana Milkie, EGYM North America general manager.

The post EGYM Grows, Adding Former Life Fitness, Precor CEOs appeared first on Athletech News.

Two fitness industry titans are doubling down on cardio-based fitness.

EGYM and Life Fitness announced an expansion of their strategic partnership centered around evolving the cardio workout experience with personalization tools. As part of the agreement, the sides will unveil an upcoming “Smart Cardio integration project.”

Set for a launch in the first half of 2024, the Smart Cardio project will blend EGYM’s fitness software with Life Fitness’ state-of-the art machines, including its Discover SE4 Console, to give users a more organized and data-infused approach to cardio. Users will get access to real-time workout data, performance tracking and personalized workout recommendations that cater to their specific goals.

“Our partnership with Life Fitness exemplifies the benefits of our digital ecosystem,” said Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, co-founder and CEO of EGYM. “Thanks to our open platform, studio operators have full compatibility and members enjoy a seamless top cardio experience.”

EGYM is no stranger to innovative agreements. The fit tech brand partnered with Funxtion, a B2B digital fitness content platform, in 2023 to more accurately cater to an individual’s workout experience by adding personalized content to its member and training app. 

The Munich-based company raised $225 Million in growth capital this past summer in a financing round led by Affinity Partners, a global investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former advisor to Donald Trump. Mayfair Equity Partners and Bayern Kapital participated in the round as well. 

While strength training has been forecasted as an increasingly popular fitness option in the new year, Life Fitness and EGYM aren’t abandoning traditional cardio, with an emphasis on personalization. Life Fitness has an extensive reach global reach, with its products being distributed to over 250,000 fitness facilities in more than 160 countries.

“Life Fitness is committed to offering our customers the ability to personalize their equipment experience according to their unique needs,” said Dan Wille, chief product officer at Life Fitness. “We’re excited about advancing our partnership with EGYM and, through our open ecosystem, giving operators the flexibility to integrate EGYM software with our premium cardio equipment.”

The post EGYM, Life Fitness Unveil Smart Cardio Project appeared first on Athletech News.

Guy Harkless, the new president of Blink Fitness, was recently appointed to invigorate the premium-yet-affordable fitness brand launched by Equinox in 2011.

In his new leadership role, Harkless will spearhead gym operations, elevate the membership experience and develop and implement a strategy to support Blink’s future growth trajectory and enhance overall business performance for the brand’s 103 locations.

“The demand for approachable and accessible fitness experiences is greater than ever,” said Harvey Spevak, executive chairman and managing partner of Equinox Group, to whom Harkless will report. “With Guy at the helm of Blink Fitness, there are endless opportunities to accelerate the brand’s continued success.”

Harkless comes to Blink with an impressive track record of serving consumers from multiple vantage points, overseeing diverse brands in various lifecycle stages. A Howard University graduate, he’s held leadership roles at Champs Sports, Eastbay, Foot Locker, Nike and Puma, and was a founding partner of And1, a footwear brand.

Building Community Through Accessible Fitness

A seasoned industry vet, Harkless has experience in cultivating community connection, providing a glimpse at what’s in store for Blink.

Harkless sees Blink’s competitively priced membership as an ideal fit for the current macroeconomic landscape and emphasizes the distinctiveness of the Blink brand in fostering and building community bonds — an aspect he deems advantageous as Blink charts its course into 2024 and beyond.

“Our overall mantra is that we offer what we call ‘Fitness for All,’” Harkless said. “We operate in all the boroughs in New York City, in Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas, and I would say that we have a huge opportunity to continue to deliver that model into the future and provide a ton of accessibility to, in many cases,  underserved communities.”

As Blink’s model is focused on localization, Harkless said the fitness brand takes special attention in making sure it’s hiring from the community and encouraging members at the local level to stay active.

“Connecting to local organizations,  participating in community days, staying active with the local Chamber of Commerce — it’s really about how we build and foster the right overall ecosystem to empower teams to be successful with the Blink model,” he said.

Strength Training Takes Center Stage

As Blink heads into its busy season of January, with fitness consumers eager to embark on their New Year’s health and fitness resolutions, Harkless is focusing on the member experience, engagement and empowerment for the new year.

In becoming attuned to Blink’s members, Harkless says Blink’s ongoing emphasis on delivering sparkling clean fitness facilities continues to resonate as a priority, as does offering value-added services such as personal training. 

“We have almost 600 fully-certified personal trainers that we deploy across our entire network,” Harkless points out.

Blink has been mindful of striking a balance between strength and cardio options, and Harkless indicates that the fitness brand has been “tweaking the model” as fitness consumers are increasingly invested in strength training.

In Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn, Blink is piloting a few different ventures as it works with EGYM, a smart tech-enabled equipment and software provider, and FitBench — a fully-equipped bench that incorporates weights and dumbbells, which Harkless says is helpful for trainers to better connect with members during a training session.

Harkless reports that Blink has already seen increased engagement with some of the strength areas in its Stuy Heights location, which has helped the brand consider zoning additional locations across the Brooklyn area and some other markets. 

Wellness & Recovery Options

Blink is also eyeing the holistic journey around health and wellness and is considering deploying recovery offerings in its locations. In another pilot program, Blink has partnered with the Hyperice Hypervolt team to bring massage guns into its Stuy Heights gym location.

“We’re getting a feel for how members want to be serviced on that level and see the opportunity to augment the member experience across fitness, training and recovery as a key part of the journey,” Harkless said, adding that the intent is to help Blink members experience recovery and prevent injury while preparing them for their next workout or training session. “That’s a large aspect that we think is really going to be unique for us as we evolve our menu of services to best cater to the present and future needs of our community.”

As the fitness brand tests out new offerings for its members, one of the most important aspects of Blink’s mission remains accessibility.

“There are many more active individuals seeking more and better access to fitness services, which is probably the biggest thing in our industry,” Harkless said. “This is where Blink’s model excels in terms of widening the scope of access points for a broad cross-section of fitness consumers who are looking for an in-the-neighborhood solution to be able to leverage their health and wellness journey.”

The post Blink Fitness President Eyes Community, Accessibility & Innovation in 2024 appeared first on Athletech News.

In an industry ripe for technological upgrades, EGYM is preparing another step in the evolution of fitness. Fresh off continued expansion in North America and a financing round that saw it reel in €207 million ($225 million), the global leader in tech-based fitness clearly has no plans to slow down.

Heading into the new year, the EGYM team is looking to combine the principles that allowed the company to become an industry leader with revolutionary technology by adding artificial intelligence (AI) to its arsenal. While AI remains more of a buzzword than anything else for many in the industry, EGYM is successfully harnessing its capabilities to take a huge step forward in fitness tech.

The AI Revolution

At IHRSA 2024, EGYM will unveil a new innovation that collects member workout data, learns from that data, and then applies it to the entire fitness floor and beyond. The feature promises to elevate and personalize a user’s individual workout experience as the AI learns from their exercise habits and creates a unique training plan accordingly.

“We want to make the whole gym ‘smart’,” said EGYM North America General Manager, Dana Milkie. ”By understanding members’ preferences, their goals, 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.”

“In other words, anything that’s on a gym’s fitness floor, we want to connect in a smart way to drive prescriptive and hyper-personalized workouts to members,” Milkie adds.

EGYM’s new innovation will continue to link up with wearable fitness tech to enable members to add data from workouts done outside the gym so the AI can develop an even more personalized workout plan.

This innovation represents a commitment from EGYM to continue pushing the boundaries of the relationship between tech and fitness. Even with some notable steps already taken to further digitize health and wellness, EGYM believes there’s still a great deal of untapped potential. 

“In our industry, we tend to lag a little bit behind other consumer-facing businesses,” Milkie said. “While there have been some really good advances, I don’t think (tech’s) been as important as it could and should be. That’s where I think companies like EGYM are going to pull the industry forward to where technology is how people engage with fitness. We have to look at how technology becomes core to how members experience fitness facilities.”

Tech-Focused From Day One

EGYM was founded to make fitness more accessible to the masses with technology as the highway. It started when the Munich-based company’s co-founders Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer and Florian Sauter, two German natives, walked into an American gym looking for a workout. With no knowledge of how to use the equipment, they thought to themselves, “How can we apply technology to this experience to lower the barrier for entry and make it easier for people to engage in and commit to fitness?”

The company has since grown to supply 15,000 gyms worldwide. But again, EGYM still sees a gap in the fitness community which it intends to address.

“The best technology helps people track and organize their daily lives in a very personal way and I think they expect that throughout all their experiences, including fitness,” Milkie said. “Where EGYM will continue to make a huge difference is by applying technology to automatically track members’ preferences, workouts and progress to deliver a workout that is tailored specifically to an individual member’s goals. That’s what health and fitness operators are going to ultimately have to provide to their members in order to differentiate their brands.”

Gamification Drives Engagement

Even as EGYM continues to focus on next-gen tools like AI, the company also continues to assist the fitness community by playing off one of its most basic principles: the human drive to compete. Milkie also spoke on the company’s ongoing commitment to gamify products via its software as a key contribution to the tech and fitness partnership going forward. 

“Gamifying the experience is important because it keeps people engaged for longer and improves their motivation to come back the next day and the next day and the next day,” Milkie said. “On one of our user interface screens, we have a feature where you collect ‘coins’ based on the cadence with which you’re pushing and pulling the weight.”

“As someone who works out on our equipment regularly, I can tell you catching 100% of those coins is all you think about,” he adds. “At the end of the workout, you’re shocked to see that you lifted 2,000 pounds, because you were so focused on getting a 100% score! Those little things, where we think about the way people immerse themselves in the experience and how we can provide positive reinforcement, are all important at EGYM. From beginning to advanced exercisers, we want to make the fitness experience as engaging as possible.”  

EGYM features gamification elements that incorporate AI as well. The company created Gameday earlier this year to add interactive workouts that motivate fitness enthusiasts via performance-based experiences, pitting them against themselves or against others.

The post EGYM Continues To Lead Fitness Tech Revolution appeared first on Athletech News.

In the first full year of post-pandemic life, the fitness and wellness industry has seen its fair share of headlines, both positive and negative. 

While dealmaking has cooled off some from its pandemic-era high, there still were plenty of major fitness and wellness moves in 2023, including brand partnerships, nine-figure funding rounds and celebrity endorsement deals. 

Athletech News recaps the eight fitness and wellness moves that defined 2023, and forecasts what each could mean as we enter a new year.

• 

  1. Peloton, Lululemon Strike Content & Apparel Partnership 

  Two of the biggest brands in the fitness and activewear categories joined forces in a major way in 2023. As part of a five-year global partnership, Peloton agreed to create exclusive digital fitness content for Lululemon Studio, while Lululemon became Peloton’s official apparel partner, creating co-branded clothing for instructors and fans. 

  Why It Matters:

  The deal marked the final nail in the coffin for the Mirror, Lululemon’s ill-fated piece of connected fitness hardware that never quite lived up to its $500 million price tag. Lululemon announced it would be officially discontinuing Mirror, instead pivoting fully to Lululemon Studio, its digital fitness platform which now gives members access to Peloton’s library of workout classes. 

  For Peloton, the deal shows the connected fitness company’s commitment to becoming more than just a “bike company,” as it looks to offer different types of fitness content, from yoga to strength training, in addition to spin classes. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  While Peloton has built a large following of dedicated fitness fans, the jury is still out on whether the company can successfully transition from being a cycling-focused brand to a one-stop shop for diverse fitness content. Providing content for Lululemon Studio will expose Peloton’s workouts to even more people around the world, potentially helping the connected fitness company make good on its bold expansion plans.

• 

  2. WeightWatchers, Life Time & Xponential Make GLP-1 Moves

  For better or worse, the weight-loss-drug era is officially here. GLP-1s like Ozempic and Wegovy are flying off the proverbial shelves as consumers seek access to the drugs, which have been celebrated for their proven ability to help people lose significant amounts of weight in a relatively short period of time. 

  WeightWatchers acquired telehealth brand Sequence in early 2023, a move that signaled the weight loss company’s shift from a food-based approach to adopting prescription drugs including GLP-1s. WeightWatchers still offers its famous Points Program, but the company has made weight loss meds a core part of its offering. 

  In the fitness realm, brands including Life Time and Xponential Fitness are embracing weight-loss drugs. In November, Life Time launched its first Miora Longevity and Performance clinic, offering members access to GLP-1s such as Ozempic under medical supervision, in addition to a host of other wellness benefits. 

  Xponential, meanwhile, announced its intention to acquire Lindora, a metabolic health brand with clinics offering weight-loss medications. Xponential plans to rapidly scale the brand through franchising. 

  Why It Matters:

  The deals struck by WeightWatchers, Life Time and Xponential show that at least some established fitness and wellness brands are willing to embrace GLP-1s, making weight loss meds an important part of their business strategy. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  There’s still much to learn about the long-term effects of GLP-1s on sustained weight loss and other aspects of health. Some analysts predict that the rise of weight-loss drugs will lead to a corresponding rise in gym membership sales as more consumers become confident enough in their bodies to want to hit the gym; others have expressed skepticism about the drugs’ ability to spur meaningful changes in people’s fitness and wellness habits.

• 

  3. Apple Partners With Anytime Fitness

  Apple has been pushing further into fitness and wellness for several years now, with advancements in Apple Health and the launch of Apple Fitness+. In November, the tech giant inked its first deal with a gym brand, partnering with Minnesota-based Anytime Fitness. Through the collaboration, Anytime Fitness members across the U.S. and Canada will have access to an Apple Fitness+ subscription included in their membership at no extra cost. The two companies could take their partnership even further with more collaborations down the road, Anytime Fitness CEO Chuck Runyon has told Athletech News. 

  Why It Matters:

  The deal marks Apple’s firm entry into the brick-and-mortar gym space, potentially signaling a major shift in how the company will approach fitness and wellness in 2024 and beyond.  

  What To Watch in 2024:

  It will be interesting to see if Apple partners with any other gym brands, or if the tech giant is content to ride with Anytime Fitness and its network of 5,200 locations worldwide for the time being. For Anytime Fitness, can a partnership with Apple sway consumers to choose AF over rival low-price, high-value gym chains like Planet Fitness, Crunch Fitness and others?

• 

  4. Pvolve Inks Deal With Jennifer Aniston

  Functional Fitness brand Pvolve reached a new level of mainstream recognition and notoriety this year, partnering with celebrity A-lister Jennifer Aniston. The former “Friends” star will advise on Pvolve’s marketing, product and programming strategies, as well as star in Pvolve commercials, including a strength-focused ad campaign that launched in August.

  Why It Matters:

  While celebrity endorsements are nothing new for the fitness industry, getting a star on the level of Jennifer Aniston is uncommon, and it bodes well for Pvolve as the brand expands its footprint of brick-and-mortar studios through franchising. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  So far, the partnership seems to be bearing fruit for Pvolve: the fitness brand reported a 650% increase in branded search and a 125% increase in franchise inquiries since partnering with Aniston. As time passes, we’ll see how much Pvolve leans on its celebrity affiliation as the brand continues to grow nationwide and even internationally.

• 

  5. Nike Launches Group Fitness Studios, Equipment Line

  Nike is no longer just a fitness apparel brand. In 2023, the Swoosh entered the brick-and-mortar space, opening group fitness studios in Southern California, with another location planned for Austin, Texas. In partnership with FitLab, Nike Studios offers functional training and endurance workouts led by expert instructors. The sportswear giant also pushed into the fitness equipment space, launching Nike Strength, a collection of strength training equipment including barbells, bumper plates, dumbbells and kettlebells, all of which feature prominent Nike branding. 

  Why It Matters:

  As seen with Apple, “blue chip” companies are increasingly entering the traditional fitness space. Nike clearly believes in the long-term potential of the fitness and wellness market, announcing it would hire over 1,000 global fitness trainers to lend expertise in creating holistic fitness content, programming and experiences, presumably as part of its Nike Studios endeavor. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  Nike could make significant inroads into the fitness and wellness space if the brand is truly committed to the vertical, although it remains to be seen whether consumers will latch onto the idea of visiting a Nike Studio for their daily workout. On the equipment front, could Nike become a true rival to established strength training brands like Eleiko and Rogue Fitness?

• 

  6. Peloton Announces Rebrand, New Strategic Vision

  Back in May, Peloton announced its intentions to become the fitness company for “anyone, anywhere,” looking to shed its perception as a “bike company” focused predominantly on wealthy consumers. 

  As part of a large-scale rebrand, Peloton launched a new fitness app with three subscription tiers, including a freemium option that offers more than 50 classes curated across 12 modalities for no cost. The Peloton App One and Peloton App+ tiers cost $12.99 per month and $24 per month, respectively. The connected fitness company also launched Peloton Gym, which offers at-home strength training workouts. 

  Why It Matters:

  Peloton CEO Barry McCarthy has said that the company wants to branch out beyond cycling workouts, becoming a more well-rounded digital fitness company that makes most of its money through content rather than hardware sales. As a result, Peloton has forged partnerships with top sports teams and leagues, universities and even hotel groups as the brand looks to increase its global recognition and drive users to its app. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  So far, Peloton has struggled to translate its rebrand into financial success. In its most recent earnings report, Peloton lost paid subscribers, with the connected fitness company struggling to convert free app users into paying members. Peloton has one of the most loyal fanbases of any fitness company, although many of those fans are cycling diehards. It remains to be seen whether Peloton can bring new members into the fold by emphasizing other types of fitness content.

• 

  7. EGYM Raises $225M, Preps for IPO

  In July, fit tech company EGYM received €207 million ($225 million) in growth capital, closing a financing round led by Affinity Partners, a global investment firm launched by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former advisor to President Donald Trump. The funding will enable the Munich-based EGYM to prepare for an IPO, the company’s co-founder and CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer has said.

  EGYM provides smart gym solutions, including software and fitness equipment, for more than 15,000 gyms worldwide, and is rapidly expanding its North American team. 

  With the investment, EGYM will also focus on further developing its digital solutions for health-focused workouts and expanding the EGYM Wellpass corporate health network, an area Roesch-Schlanderer has identified as critical. 

  Why It Matters:

  Funding has been harder to come by in 2023 due to macroeconomic conditions, but Affinity Partners’ investment in EGYM shows the promise of tech-enabled fitness. With even more resources, EGYM looks poised to extend its lead as the dominant fit tech provider on the market, potentially reaching even more gyms worldwide.

  What To Watch in 2024:

  Will EGYM’s impressive funding haul be a sign of things to come for fit tech companies or was the round more of an anomaly given the current economic outlook? The latter outcome is possible, as EGYM seems unique in its ability to offer software and hardware solutions under one brand. 

• 

  8. BowFlex, BODi Change Names To Spark Turnaround

  2023 saw a pair of down-on-their-luck fitness brands change their names in hopes of sparking a turnaround. In March, The Beachbody Company announced it would be known as BODi moving forward, a move co-founder and CEO Carl Daikeler said aligned with a shift in the company’s strategy toward inclusive fitness and wellness and away from the looks-based marketing that made the brand famous but has seemed to turn off modern consumers, especially Gen Z. 

  In the fall, Vancouver, Washington-based fitness equipment maker Nautilus changed its corporate name to BowFlex, rallying behind its most popular brand. As part of the rebrand, BowFlex introduced a new color scheme, marketing campaign and at-home equipment designed to target consumers in the connected fitness era. 

  Why It Matters:

  Two of the biggest fitness brands of the 2000s era have struggled in recent years, but they’re not going down without a fight. For both companies, the name change has been accompanied by a major rebranding effort that could fundamentally change the way each positions itself in the fitness and wellness industry. 

  What To Watch in 2024:

  Will the name-change tactic employed by BowFlex and BODi give other struggling fitness companies a blueprint to follow to regain relevance, or will it prove to be a cautionary tale for fitness and wellness brands looking to return to their glory days?

The post The Fitness & Wellness Moves That Defined 2023 appeared first on Athletech News.

EGYM expects to double its footprint in North America this year as the global fitness technology company forecasts that it will close the 2023 fiscal year fully profitable for the first time.

As a result of its continued growth, EGYM has appointed Guy Williams as its senior director of North American enterprise accounts, an announcement that comes as the fitness tech company reports increasing interest in extending the EGYM Ecosystem to larger organizations in both the commercial and boutique segments. 

Williams, who has over 30 years of expertise in the fitness industry, will oversee the growth and management of EGYM North America’s new and current enterprise clients.

“Guy’s experience and reputation speak for themselves,” said Dana Milkie, EGYM’s general manager for North America. “His understanding and passion for connected fitness is the perfect fit for EGYM. As the global leader in bringing ‘smart’ technology solutions to health and fitness club operators, we look forward to his contributions and leadership.”

Williams, who has spent the previous 12 years as Precor’s global director of networked fitness sales, said that he has had the pleasure of collaborating with the EGYM North American team for many years while Precor and EGYM Solutions were combined at multiple mutual customer sites.

“During that time, I have learned what a great system EGYM offers fitness operators to successfully serve their members in their fitness journey and in turn help create a more successful business,” Williams said. “I have also seen a great team of people doing what they do best at EGYM. I’m excited to be joining such a talented group of people. I look forward to learning from and contributing to the success of the EGYM team as we grow the business together.”

EGYM, which has 15,000 studios worldwide using its products and services, received $225 million in growth capital from Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners earlier this year. The investment is designed to help the Munich-based company further develop digital workout solutions and to expand EGYM Wellpass, its corporate health network.

The fit tech company recently released an eye-opening white paper that revealed many fitness operators in America and Europe are behind the curve when it comes to digitizing critical areas of their business, such as marketing, equipment, and member experience and acquisition. 

The post EGYM Expands Sales Team, Eyes Growth in North America appeared first on Athletech News.

EGYM, a global fitness tech company, has published an eye-opening white paper on the state of digital transformation in the fitness industry, demonstrating that much more effort in this critical area is needed.

According to EGYM’s survey, which polled gym owners from North America and predominately Europe, only around 5% of clubs and facilities are well-equipped in all areas of digitalization, from member acquisition to member retention. Almost one-fifth of gym owners have not even begun to digitalize their clubs and facilities, while 62% are just getting started. 

It’s surprising news, says EGYM, especially as its 2021 global survey, “Fitness Technology – Friend or Foe?” revealed that approximately three-quarters of respondents said they planned to make technology investments for their facility in the future, with 52% citing the investments to enhance the member experience.

While gym operators say that they want to digitalize their facilities and clubs, many aren’t — a costly mistake that can come at the expense of their members and, subsequently, their fitness business. 

As EGYM points out, member success and a club’s financial health are closely linked, with happy members more likely to remain loyal, long-term clients, leading to the potential to upsell and attract new members.

The white paper takes a deep dive into where gym owners have invested (or neglected to invest) in the five individual stages of the member experience:

Marketing

According to EGYM, while most respondents have partially to mostly digitalized marketing through their website, social media and running digital ads, 20% report that they are only at the starting line in terms of digital marketing and mainly rely on direct mail or flyers.

Member Acquisition 

A surprising 63% of gyms have made little or no investment in digitalized member acquisition, where potential members must physically visit a club in person (or start an application online but then must complete it at the facility). Only at a quarter of fitness gyms can members manage their entire membership online, from booking classes or canceling/pausing memberships. 

Member Onboarding

EGYM’s findings reveal that 42% of facilities still rely on manual onboarding for new members, with “barely any” clubs offering members access to a mobile app or in-gym assessment tools that configure equipment. 

The Workout Experience

The digital experience at most facilities is also lacking, with a reported 40% of respondents revealing that they have made little or no investment in digitalizing the workout experience for members, still using analog equipment that prohibits syncing workouts to apps and wearables. Only 39% of respondents reported having connected equipment that shows performance via an app, while 21% say they provide a complete digital workout experience with an ecosystem of hardware, software and services. 

Visualization of Workout Success 

According to EGYM, only 28% of respondents have fully automated goal tracking for members, while roughly 36% say workout data from connected fitness equipment is automatically synced to a mobile app. The remaining survey respondents said that member progress and goals are either manually documented on paper or must be recorded in an app by the member.

EGYM’s report can be downloaded in full here. 

The post Most Gyms Have Yet To Fully Embrace Digital Tech, EGYM Finds appeared first on Athletech News.

EoS Fitness has opened a facility in Kendall, Florida, bringing its high-value/low-price fitness concept to a new city. The 40,000+ square foot gym marks EOS’ ninth location in the state, as the fitness company says it’s on track to hit its goal of opening ten gyms in Florida by the end of the year.

The Kendall location features high-end smart technology, cardio equipment and strength training machines. Recovery amenities include infrared saunas and The Tank, an area with Hyperice percussion massagers, compression boots and stretch tables. Recovery Rooms offer a place to unwind with ambient lighting and Human Touch massage chairs.

The EoS Fitness gym boasts its signature cardio movie theater, MovEoS Cinema, which features surround sound, treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and stair climbers so EoS members can work up a sweat while watching a movie. 

“Members of the community in Kendall now have access to premium health and fitness options all under one roof including our EoS Smart Strength Equipment powered by EGYM,” said Richard Idgar, chief operating officer of EoS Fitness. “It’s a seven-piece smart technology line that personalizes and gamifies each member’s workout to their individual goals and fitness levels. This is just one of the many innovative fitness options members can enjoy at our newest Florida location.”

In addition to smart tech, EoS Fitness members can participate in weekly group fitness and cycle classes, work out on a functional training turf area with battle ropes, sleds and tire flips and work with a personal trainer.

Earlier this year, EoS opened its first location in Texas and moved its headquarters to Dallas. In April, the gym company acquired Texans Fit from the Houston Texans, a move that EoS CEO Rich Drengberg said was part of the company’s growth plans in existing and new markets. As of the time of that deal, EoS Fitness has 75 gyms opened across the country.

The post EoS Fitness Nears 10th Florida Location as Low-Cost Gym Expands appeared first on Athletech News.

EGYM, a leading global fitness technology company, develops forward-thinking fitness equipment for club operators and their members. As a strong advocate of embracing technology for the long-term success of club operators and the fitness industry, EGYM believes gamification is one of the keys to increasing long-term operator success while improving member experience.   

A Munich-based company with its North American headquarters in Denver, Colorado, EGYM has experienced rapid growth, reporting year-over-year growth of over 200% in North America in 2022, with plans to more than double again this year. Earlier this month, EGYM raised $225 million in a funding round led by Affinity Partners as it eyes an eventual IPO.

The release of Gameday, an innovative and interactive workout that attracts new club members and motivates experienced fitness enthusiasts, is a performance-based experience that spices up a regular workout routine in the gym. A fun and free Gameday competition allows clubs to highlight the myriad of benefits of EGYM’s equipment and the club’s offerings.  The resulting experience is designed to drive an increase in membership upgrades, create additional revenue and improve overall operational impact and efficiency for clubs.

Using a gamified approach, Gameday prompts members to try something new, breaking them out of the rut of a regular training routine while motivating and inspiring them through strength and fitness tests. No prior onboarding is needed, so interested users can just start Gameday and jump right into the interactive experience.

Members can compete against others or themselves and benefit from analysis and measurable results. The Gameday experience, using AI, offers deep insight for users, including detecting muscle imbalances, understanding ideal training weights and designing workout programs on EGYM’s Smart Strength equipment. 

After a member completes a Gameday workout, they will review their results on a leaderboard. They can also determine if they are satisfied with their performance or motivated to push further as they compete again. They will then be invited to onboard at the EGYM Fitness Hub, where the member can activate a complimentary trial to continue experiencing EGYM’s equipment. At the end of the trial, members can upgrade their membership to continue using all that the club has to offer through the EGYM Ecosystem of products.

Dana Milkie, EGYM North America General Manager, says EGYM’s latest innovation exemplifies the benefits gamification can bring to the fitness industry.

“Gameday is a great example of how gamification can make a huge difference for health club operators and members,” Milkie said, adding that the experience will instantly change members’ workout routine, keeping them engaged and motivated through gamification. 

Milkie also highlights the importance of hyper-personalization and leveraging AI.

“By personalizing exercise to the individual, and leveraging technology to gamify the workout, clubs can differentiate the member experience creating real brand loyalty,” he said. “Additionally, since gamification is being delivered primarily via software technology, the ability to leverage AI to continuously evolve messaging, presentation and impact is significant.”

To get a demo of all of EGYM’s industry-leading innovations and better understand what is required to launch Gameday, contact EGYM today.

The post EGYM Takes Interactive Fitness to New Heights With Gameday appeared first on Athletech News.

While many fitness enthusiasts enjoy breaking a sweat, making a workout both competitive and fun while harnessing the latest in technology can attract those who don’t, offering major benefits for fitness companies.

Major players are emerging in the fitness gamification space, luring in reluctant exercisers with competitive activities, dopamine spikes and socialization opportunities. 

Athletech News spoke with some of the leading companies that are redefining what gamification means for the future of the fitness industry.

Orangetheory, the Masters of Gamification

Orangetheory Fitness, which added 200 new studios during the pandemic years, is gearing up for rapid growth, believing that demand is exceptionally high for its boutique fitness concept. 

The fitness company has mastered gamification with its heart rate, performance tracking and in-studio monitors that directly connect to Orangetheory’s wearable. 

Orangetheory’s gamification approach has gotten fitness consumers interested in real-time data, which has become a bedrock of the brand. The boutique fitness company boasts a “Challenge Tracker” to track past and current performances for fitness milestones, such as a one-mile treadmill time or a member’s best 2000-meter rowing distance. Members who are motivated by competition can see where they land on the leaderboard, working to increase speed or stretch over time.

“Gamification in the fitness space has always been — and I think will remain — an impactful way to motivate people to attain their goals,” said Rachel Vaziralli, Orangetheory’s director of fitness design. “Gamification has been shown time and time again to push people to find their max potential because competition, whether with yourself or others, drives people to work harder and can also help you adhere to a workout program that you might otherwise quit.”

Vaziralli notes that fitness gamification can come in various forms, using both digital and non-digital platforms. 

“At Orangetheory, we like to do both, and we look at gamification in multiple ways, like workout events, thematic classes, and through our tech,” she added.

She points to Orangetheory members participating in a personal achievement journey where they can track progress over time or join a 30-day challenge where they commit to workouts, hydration and mental health, using a tracking card to help stay in the game.

Orangetheory also incorporates gamification in its events, offering a chance to hit new goals and test limits, such as a week-long event in October called Hell Week and another in May called Mayhem.

The boutique fitness company also integrates socialization and teamwork with gamified workouts such as Capture the Flag, where two Orangetheory members partner. The friendly and fun competition engages the entire class, measuring them against other Orangetheory classes worldwide and sharing results on social media. 

As Orangetheory looks to the future, it sees an opportunity to continue to blend its gamification expertise with strength training, which is becoming highly popular among fitness consumers. 

“As people continue to learn the importance of incorporating strength training into their workouts, the need to find ways to engage exercisers with gamification in that space will continue to rise,” said Vaziralli.

EGYM Invests in Competition Tech

EGYM is all in on gamification and AI, believing that the fitness industry needs to lean into advancing tech. 

The company, creating products for club operators and members, has experienced rapid growth. In 2022, EGYM reported year-over-year growth of over 200% in North America, with plans to more than double again this year. Earlier this month, the Munich-based company raised $225 million in a funding round led by Affinity Partners as it eyes an eventual IPO.

“As a reflection of the importance and impact of gamification in everyday life, at EGYM we believe the application of gamification will continue to increase and accelerate in the fitness industry,” said Dana Milkie, General Manager, EGYM North America. “Gamification will play a pivotal role in helping operators provide a more engaging, motivating and hyper-personalized experience for their members.”

Milkie points to EGYM’s latest innovation, Gameday, as an example of how gamification can make a huge difference for health club operators and members. 

“Designed to create competition within and between members, Gameday leverages a ‘total weight moved’ leaderboard to enhance members’ workouts and allow for a unique experience for prospects,” said Milkie. “The results will instantly change your members’ workout routine and keep them engaged and motivated through gamification.”

Zwift Brings a New Dimension to Cycling 

Valued at north of $1 billion, Zwift, an immersive multiplayer online cycling and running platform, is aiming to become the premiere leader in the interactive cycling space. Co-founder and co-CEO Eric Min believes there are millions of future Zwift-ers who are just sitting on the sidelines at the moment.

The virtually connected fitness company is excited about the gamification space and hopes to add other activities to its platform.

“The nice thing about gaming fitness is the limitless potential,” said Zwift’s Chris Snook, director, PR & external communications. “When we launched Zwift in 2014, our mission was to make more people more active, more often. We believed that by gamifying our cycling experience, we would help make indoor training more fun.”

Snook added that Zwift and gamification, in general, represent a new opportunity to make people healthier while providing a more accessible way to exercise. 

“Society in general is becoming more sedentary,” he said. “We believe that a platform like Zwift has the potential to help combat this by using technology to make fitness and exercise more fun, more social, and more convenient. The convenience of exercising from home removes barriers and also unlocks opportunities by presenting equal opportunities.”

Rewarding fitness enthusiasts is another angle that Zwift has mastered. 

“We add many gamified elements in the Zwift that look to reward users for their efforts,” said Snook. Since Zwift doesn’t support in-app purchases, users can instead accrue Zwift’s virtual currency, Drops, which can result in receiving tangible goodies for Zwift players.

“Like XP points, Drops are awarded the more you ride or run and we offer bonus multipliers by riding for extended durations with our pacer groups or when riding up hills,” explained Snook. “These Drops can then be exchanged in the Drop Shop for new bikes, wheels and helmets.”

Looking ahead, Snook confirmed Zwift is also looking at virtual reality, especially with the opportunities presented by Web 3.0. 

Quell Puts the ‘Game’ in Gamification

Quell, a gamified fitness developer, recently completed a Series A funding round, bringing its total funding to $15.6 million, which will fuel its launch game, Shardfall, and expand its video game library. 

The gamified platform speaks to those who want an immersive experience that is unpredictable, slaying creatures and protecting an enchanted forest without realizing they are working up a sweat. 

Cameron Brookhouse, co-founder and CEO of Quell, observes that gamification in some form or another has been a trend for roughly 30 years, with gaming features such as socialization and leaderboards constituting the components that make gaming appealing. 

“To me, the future of gamification and fitness and wellness is transitioning from those kinds of light-touch integrations into full gamification where the game is the centerpiece,” said Brookhouse.

But it’s more than that, according to Brookhouse. It’s also recognizing and building upon human behaviors. In its journey to positioning its brand with a gaming-first approach, Quell conducted significant research into people’s fitness behaviors and perceptions. It also took an honest look at mainstream fitness activities. 

“I think the core issue with fitness is what we call ‘default exercise’ – so things like running, cycling, the gym, which are really easy to access — are typically also really unpleasant for most people, either monotonous or boring or a bit painful,” explained Brookhouse. He cited some statistics that he finds amusing, including a Strava survey that revealed half of runners either hate or barely tolerate running.

“I think it’s amazing,” he said with a laugh. “What product has 50% of people hating using it, but they still use it? And then like 67% of U.S. gym memberships are completely dormant, right? So there’s kind of this broken thing in the space.” 

That “broken thing” in the industry is what Quell believes can be easily fixed with the help of fitness gamification.

Brookhouse went on to say that when examining what makes exercise compelling, there’s a substantial overlap with what makes gaming enticing, which he says isn’t entirely surprising given that the most enjoyable fitness activities are effectively games.

“Team sports and things like that have really, really high enjoyment scores, but they’re also really hard to access,” he said. “But if you dig into these sorts of components of enjoyment, which I think is the future of gamification, it kind of sits along these pillars, like instantaneous and ideally variable rewards.”

While the fitness gaming space has elements such as leaderboards and rewards, Brookhouse believes competitors are missing one important aspect: immersion. 

“We use that in a really specific way at Quell,” he said. “When we say immersion, we mean that every exercise and action that you’re doing is in the functional service of some obvious game goal. So nothing is abstracted, nothing is repetition, nothing is a plan — everything is responsive and everything makes sense functionally.”

Brookhouse thinks companies in the gamification business are missing the bigger picture.

“There’s a bunch of VR players in this space and some console players as well that are making kind of a classic design mistake,” he said. “They’re thinking, ‘OK, we’re making a fitness game, let’s make a game about fitness, let’s centralize fitness’ and what that ultimately does is just recreate the gym, recreate those low enjoyment, default exercises in your home. In this immersive setting, you basically simulated a gym with a sort of wrapper around it and some polish.”

In contrast, Quell makes the game the mission instead of the distraction, striving to recreate the fun of high-enjoyment exercises.

“I think that’s the future of this,” said Brookhouse.

He also shed light on Quell’s launch game: “It’s this beautiful sort of adventure RPG where you’re running and jumping and fighting your way through this incredible fantasy world. But the game and the AI are the things that are your personal trainer and it’s completely immersive.”

The game never demands that players do X number of jumps; instead, players are jumping because they are about to be attacked or running because the walls are closing in around them or they have to move quickly before getting hit with spikes. Brookhouse said that a system of unpredictability and intention makes Quell enjoyable. 

Looking ahead, Quell is in the middle of its big launch year, debuting its wearable fitness gaming console and RPG game.

“It’s going to be kind of mind-blowing to see what the response to this is like,” said Brookhouse. “I don’t think anything like this exists out there yet. We’ve done a ton of new stuff on the hardware side, some really cutting-edge things with super lightweight motion tracking without any VR headsets or cameras or anything to impact the UX.”

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EGYM has received €207 million ($225 million) in growth capital, having closed a financing round led by Affinity Partners, a global investment firm launched by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former advisor to Donald Trump.

The funding will enable EGYM to prepare for an IPO, EGYM’s co-founder and CEO Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer confirmed to Bloomberg News. 

EGYM confirms that €107 million will flow “immediately,” with an additional €100 million available for future investments.

Along with Affinity Partners, existing investors Mayfair Equity Partners and Bayern Kapital also participated in EGYM’s recent funding round.

In a post on LinkedIn, Roesch-Schlanderer reflected on the recent years as challenging with COVID, gym closures and managing changing regulations and risks to customers while still hitting financial goals and delivering on EGYM’s innovation plans.

However, the fitness tech company can now enjoy the fruits of its labor, as Roesch-Schlanderer shared that 2023 will be EGYM’s first fully profitable year.

“I believe the near future will not be easy for growth tech financing, and I am incredibly proud that even in these times, EGYM could find such a great partner and secure this crucial investment,” he wrote. “Fresh money in the bank – while being profitable and fast-growing – forms a real financial fortress, something we promised all EGYMees following the COVID shock to our industry.”

The Munich-based company says that with the investment, it will focus on further developing its innovative digital solutions for health-focused workouts and expanding the EGYM Wellpass corporate health network. Corporate fitness, as Roesch-Schlanderer points out, will remain the most critical lever in driving healthcare from “repair to prevention.”

“For gym operators, we will accelerate our efforts to take the entire fitness industry online so EGYM can become the platform that allows fitness and health clubs to be leading players in transitioning the world’s largest market – healthcare – from repair to prevention,” Roesch-Schlanderer wrote.

Roesch-Schlanderer noted that Affinity Partners shares EGYM’s vision to digitize the fitness industry and that the planned massive expansion of EGYM Wellpass will help employers strengthen the well-being of their workforces. 

“The Wellpass program is also an important incentive for companies in the increasing struggle to attract and retain employees,” he added. “And for fitness and health facilities, EGYM Wellpass is a strong partner so they don’t miss out on the billion-dollar trend of workplace health management.”

Asad Naqvi, partner at Affinity Partners, commented on EGYM’s continued success.

“We don’t often come across companies with revenues in the triple-digit millions that are close to doubling in size year-over-year,” Naqvi told Bloomberg News. “In EGYM, we are backing an incredible team with a long track record of execution and success, and we look forward to supporting the company on its path to an IPO.”

Roesch-Schlanderer said EGYM is committed to continuing to serve gyms and doesn’t plan to get into the at-home fitness game at this time.

“We are busy for the next 20 years just with the gyms, so no need to think about home fitness,” Roesch-Schlanderer told Bloomberg News.

The North American unit of EGYM has also been growing at a rapid pace in recent years. In late 2022, the fit tech company reported year-over-year growth of over 200% in North America and announced plans to more than double again in 2023.

As EGYM’s General Manager for North America Dana Milkie pointed out, that growth has resulted from EGYM’s leading technology ecosystem, its “smart’ workout equipment, strong partner relationships and continued commitment to innovation.

EGYM secured $41 million in 2021 in a Series E funding round.

This story has been updated with additional information on EGYM’s plans to make use of its new funding

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EGYM has seen impressive growth over the last few years, rolling out products and software that have changed the way people workout at clubs across the globe.

The Munich-based company was founded in 2010 with the goal of bringing fitness into the digital age through its proprietary Smart Strength equipment and software offerings, which are now found in over 15,000 clubs worldwide. The EGYM Ecosystem includes the Fitness Hub, a smart kiosk that allows clubs to quickly onboard new members, Smart Strength equipment, its Branded Member App and Trainer App, along with 150-plus connected partners.

In 2021, the company received $41 million in Series E funding to continue expanding. In late 2022, EGYM reported year-over-year growth of over 200% in North America and announced plans to more than double again in 2023.

Athletech News spoke with Dana Milkie, EGYM’s General Manager for North America, about the company’s growth and its plans for the future, including how it hopes to innovate in the areas of AI and gamification.

Athletech News: Why did you decide to join EGYM?

Dana Milkie: I got into fitness through luck, really. I was in M&A at a publicly traded company and was trying to find something where I wasn’t traveling the world so much. I started working with a Gold’s Gym franchise group in Seattle. They were looking to expand, so with my M&A experience, I fit in perfectly. I then got recruited to go to ABC, which was ABC Financial at the time, as their Senior Vice President of Client Management. Then, I got tapped to become the CEO of InTouch Technology, which is a CRM software for the fitness industry.

During that time, I met John Ford, who is now the Chief Product Officer of EGYM. Over several conversations, John and I talked about how innovative EGYM was and how my experience would be a great fit. I was looking at where EGYM was going, and the differentiation EGYM was creating in the marketplace really got me excited. I realized that the future of fitness, as it relates to technology, is now and EGYM was the leader. So I joined EGYM three years ago in March. My first week was the week that COVID shut down the world.

ATN: There’s a prevailing sentiment that the fitness industry has been slow to embrace and implement technology. Why do you think that is?

DM: We’re an industry that’s been built on the backs of entrepreneurs. And the entrepreneurs who’ve gotten into the fitness industry have done so typically because they’ve been passionate about fitness. They haven’t gotten into it because of technology or other motivators. And so you get into running clubs and you start to get stretched super thin. And then along comes technology, which, when you apply it correctly, is a huge enabler, but that means operational changes and changes in management and staff. So I think a lot of times operators have looked at technology and said, ‘That’s great, but I’m busy running my clubs, so I want someone else to jump in first to prove it works.’ We’ve not historically been early adopters as it relates to technology and data. We are early adopters on the fitness side. We embrace innovation on the fitness side, but not so much on the technology and operational side.

I think the trend of bringing private equity money in and the consolidation of the industry is now opening the door for more advancements in technology, more products like EGYM’s, which are really growing rapidly in the market.

ATN: EGYM has seen impressive growth over the past few years, including in North America. Why has the company been so successful?

DM: There are several reasons, and timing is an important part. As these more sophisticated investors have come in and started to see how technology can be applied, I think that’s opened the door for companies like us to have a bigger voice. I think the other thing that’s been hugely helpful is that EGYM’s foundation is its focus on the members. In the very beginning, our founders, Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer and Florian Sauter, were looking at the beginner, or the uneducated exerciser, and saying, “How can we use technology to help those folks?” That matters in Europe, it matters in North America and it continues to gain importance.

Additionally, our ability to impact the entirety of a club’s membership base through technology has driven us forward. All health clubs have beginner, intermediate and advanced exercisers, it doesn’t matter what segment you’re talking about. So we’ve been able to develop, through technology and software, the ability to engage with each of these groups to drive personalization and motivation.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, our ability to impact operators and their success is critical. Because we can show clubs the exact impacts we’re having on their business and membership base, we’re able to help operators drive real ROI, measurable increases in revenue, increases in efficiency across their staff and improve member retention.

ATN: How did EGYM pivot and innovate during the pandemic?

DM: During the pandemic, the market just went on hold for a lot of equipment manufacturers. Operators weren’t buying equipment because people weren’t going to gyms. Because we’re a technology company, we were able to pivot quickly. People were still exercising, just outside of the four walls, so there was a need to help operators continue to speak to their members,even though they couldn’t come into the clubs. And since EGYM’s Branded Member App and Trainer App are an important part of our ecosystem, we were able to help clubs be able to push content out to their members to keep them engaged.

As an example, when we shut down due to COVID, we were immediately able to develop a new program, Immunity Boost. Within about two weeks, it quickly became the number one program that was used on our equipment. You can’t do that if you’re just steel. You can do that if you’re technology based.

ATN: Speaking of innovation, what are some of the key products and software that EGYM has recently rolled out?

DM: During IHRSA in Dallas (October 2021) we released the Fitness Hub, which is the center of the member experience for operators. It was a game changer because it reduced the member onboarding process from over 20 minutes to just 2 minutes.

At IHRSA in Miami (June 2022), we released Open Mode for intermediate and advanced exercisers. Open Mode allows intermediate and advanced members to do the workout they want. Being a technology company, we can change UI and UX and roll those types of innovations out quickly. So Open Mode allowed us to, no pun intended, open up EGYM to the entirety of the membership base.

This past IHRSA, in San Diego, (March 2023), we released Gameday, a huge innovation around gamification and motivation that we’re rolling out officially in July of this year.

ATN: How does EGYM plan to use gamification with Gameday?

DM: Gameday takes gamification and creates competition. It invites members and prospects into your gym to compete against each other and themselves. If you think about exercise as an athletic endeavor, if you’re a football player you practice during the week, and you play your game on Saturday or Sunday. The same is true for basketball, soccer, baseball, any other major athletic endeavor, they have a game day. In exercise, at least within the club, you don’t really have a game day, you just exercise. We’re bringing that event and competition aspect. But we also recognize that not everybody likes to compete against other people. So Gameday also allows you to compete against yourself. Because a lot of people are going to want to know, “Where was I the last time I did Gameday compared to where I’m at today.”

From an operator perspective, one of the cool things is you can have a Gameday where you open it up to the community. You can invite people in and have a full day where everybody gets to workout on the equipment, you give out prizes and promote your club. You can make it a prospect event, and have this massive day that you can really leverage from an overall community perspective. You can also do it internally, so members compete with each other, which they love to do.

What we’re seeing already, is that Gameday can be a great upsell tool. Clubs are enabling access to EGYM in their top-tier memberships, driving a significant increase in revenue.

ATN: What are your thoughts on AI? How does EGYM plan to leverage AI and machine learning?

DM: EGYM is already leveraging AI and machine learning to drive member motivation and personalization. We continue to build intelligence around an individual member and look to deliver the exact experience that they want, based on their goals, their history and their data. From an operator perspective, we look to help them build stronger communities within their clubs through personalized data. Ultimately, giving clubs deeper member insights creates more upsell opportunities, better member retention and improved operational efficiencies.

ATN: What would you most like to see change in the fitness industry with regard to technology?

DM: Embrace it rather than be shy away from it. Because as an industry, we tend to lean away from, instead of leaning into, what the next frontier is, so to speak. We need to embrace technology, like AI, so we can figure out how we can use it to make the member experience better. In the bigger picture, we can be the solution to the worldwide obesity pandemic, but only if we leverage the tools that are out there to help us.

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Funxtion, a B2B digital fitness content platform, has partnered with EGYM to improve the member experience for gym facilities, a collaboration that the companies say will revolutionize the fitness industry.

EGYM, a Munich-based smart gym equipment and software company, will incorporate Funxtion’s personalized content into its member and training app as a result of the partnership. EGYM solutions are currently used in 15,000 locations worldwide. The fit tech company reported 200% year-over-year growth at the end of last year, with plans to double its footprint in North America.

“Integrating Funxtion’s content Platform with our Member and Trainer Apps will not only unlock more business opportunities for our enterprise customers but will also elevate our end-user experience,” said Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, CEO of EGYM.

Both Roesch-Schlanderer and Ernst de Neef, CEO of Funxtion, see fitness industry leadership as putting members at the center of the customer journey, but they recognize that it requires teamwork.

“We have always been looking for entrepreneurial companies led by management teams following the ‘better together approach’ versus ‘silo builders’. That is why we are excited to work with Ernst, Mendel and the Funxtion team,” explained Roesch-Schlanderer.

With over 20 years of experience, Funxtion’s CEO, an industry veteran, has witnessed gyms transforming from “place-orientated” to increasingly “personal-orientated,” where fitness members are working out in the gym, at home and even on the go. 

“If we want to keep them loyal and engaged in this omnichannel journey, digital content is key. That’s why Funxtion and EGYM share a common ground: to enhance the member experience,” said de Neef.

Funxtion’s digital fitness content platform has helped gym group class attendance increase by 220%, the company said. Last year, the Netherlands-based company raised EUR 5.8 million in equity capital to accelerate its platform and fuel international growth, including in the U.S.

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EGYM North America is experiencing rapid growth and is expanding its sales team as a result. The global fitness tech company, with global headquarters in Germany and offices in Denver, Colorado, grew 200% year-over-year and plans to more than double its footprint in North America in the upcoming year.

“EGYM North America has experienced strong growth due to our industry leading technology ecosystem, ‘smart’ workout equipment, strong partner relationships and continued commitment to innovation,” said Dana Milkie, General Manager.

EGYM’s products and services are used in 13,000 gyms, and its Smart Strength and Smart Flex equipment is used in over 2,000 fitness and health facilities.

In response to its growth, EGYM has named Alisa Anderson as Senior Sales Executive of the Western Region. Anderson, who has over 30 years of health and wellness industry experience, will handle EGYM’s commercial and boutique sales teams. 

“Alisa’s deep experience, business development mindset and commitment to helping clubs and studios succeed make her a perfect fit,” noted Milkie of Anderson’s appointment. The fitness and wellness advocate is also an avid traveler who has visited 24 countries, which has shaped her worldview.

In a statement, Anderson said the intersection of technology and fitness is critical to becoming the healthiest version of ourselves. “As a society, we spend countless hours using technology to optimize our daily processes. EGYM uses those same principles to innovate the way we view personal wellness,” Anderson said. 

The fit tech company sees an increase in consumers harnessing technology to support their fitness goals, and has over 3,000 corporate customers with 1.3 million employees served by EGYM Business. 

EGYM secured $41 million last year in a Series E funding round.

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As tech and fitness continue to merge and COVID-19 accelerated the need for streaming, many gym and fitness operators are left with questions about where to invest. Pulse and EGYM, a global fitness tech leader, recently published a white paper and hosted a webinar to review the results. Leading industry experts discussed what areas fitness operators should expand and offered solution-based actionable advice on fulfilling member experiences. With 75% of operators stating that they plan to make tech investments in their facilities in 2022, will it pay off?

EGYM’s white paper compiled data from a global survey of 275 fitness operators. The survey sought to discover how (and why) gyms are investing in tech and what specific investments have caught the eyes of the responding gym operators. Here are the key takeaways:

Most fitness operators are looking to invest, but almost half are unsure of where to invest

75% of gym operators will be investing in tech in 2022, but 45% are unsure where to invest. Chris Craytor, CEO of ACAC Health Clubs and Vice Chairman of IHRSA, says this uncertainty isn’t surprising. He says there are so many options for tech that it can be overwhelming for a gym operator to select one solution. “It’s like looking at a very large menu at a restaurant and not knowing what to order,” Craytor says.

Knowing how and where to invest is paramount. “We are going to continually be judged by the experience we provide relative to other commercial brands (outside of the fitness industry). As other industries personalize and optimize their end-user experience, the fitness and health industry needs to keep up,” Craytor suggests.

The threat of growing tech looms for some gym operators

While nearly three-quarters of decision-makers will be investing in tech in the upcoming year, some operators are uneasy about advancements and view it as a business enemy. E-GYM’s white paper revealed that 41% of fitness facilities believe that streaming content is the biggest tech development that poses a threat. At-home workout technology is also viewed as a foe, said 34%. 

Dana Milkie, GM of EGYM North America, says that the real competitor isn’t local. With new fitness sources trending, it can be challenging to attract traditional gym attendees. “Instead of focusing on competing against the club down the street, operators need to shift their focus to address the competition that comes from other sources, like wearables, gadgets, and at-home workouts,” he says. 

While some operators are uneasy about tech, 63% say that offering streaming content and other virtual services gives them a competitive edge. 

How COVID-19 shaped tech investments in gym facilities

As a result of the pandemic, 42% invested in streaming content and virtual classes, 42% in mobile app development, but 30% reported that they weren’t comfortable maintaining a digital service in the long run. 

Milkie says that while streaming saw a huge uptick and there were six months of app development and content mania, it didn’t resonate with most members at the end of the day. Milkie says the process was too rushed and wasn’t strategic. He also mentions that it can be challenging for others to compete with tech leaders like Apple Health in the streaming game. He says it’s more important to have technology with a purpose and a strategy. 

Who isn’t investing in tech & why

Around 43% of respondents said they wouldn’t be investing in tech in the new year, as they have already made tech investments. The rest of the gym operators won’t be making investments because of lack of funding (21%), unclear ROI (14%), and uncertainty about where to invest (10%). 

Member experience is the #1 reason for those who are investing

61.5% of those investing are looking to improve member experience and stand out from the crowd. 13% are hoping their choice to invest will allow them to compete with home fitness. Others are looking to reduce operation and member acquisition costs. 

“The expectations of the consumer are growing exponentially each year. To me, this is something where we are probably underselling the need to invest in the member experience according to the survey,” Craytor says. Milkie agrees, saying, “I’d like to see more people focused on the member experience going forward.”

What consists of a member’s experience? Operators say PT and Smart Gym Equipment

A sizable percentage (70%) say that the most important aspect of membership experience is personal training, services, and the gym floor. 59% will invest in trainers and staff productivity, and nearly 55% will invest in smart gym equipment to enhance the member experience. 

The panel pointed out that when it comes to implementing tech, sometimes simple is best. But when gyms operators become too attracted to the bells and whistles, it can exclude some members. For example, a gym should identify a problem that tech can resolve, like lead capturing. But implementing tech on the gym floor can make it more difficult for certain consumers, like a senior citizen who may not have a smart phone.

The solution, the experts say, is applying tech with purpose. A fitness facility needs to analyze its demographics.The tech should support and enhance a consumer’s experience, not make it difficult. “At the end of the day, the consumers pay the bills, and it has to be easy for the consumer to consume,” Craytor points out. He believes gyms must look at things from the lens of the consumer. 

Another tip, the experts say, is to keep it simple. “It all stems from your member,” says Milkie. “We are a member-driven industry that relies on membership growth in order to continue to evolve, so if you don’t have a really good CRM system in place, that should be job [number] one,” says Milkie.

The connected tech features that gym operators find most appealing

Facility decision-makers ranked the following in order of importance: assessment and training, member and trainer tools, progress visualization, and gamification. These features, respondents said, would influence them to select more connected fitness in the future.

One element that fitness operators should consider is the long-term investment in tech. Craytor says that investing in exciting new tech can be like getting a puppy. An operator invests in streaming or a mobile app, and now they have 15 years of maintenance and upkeep. An operator will then be responsible for constantly releasing fresh content or having dedicated studios, which doesn’t get any easier. “You started with a puppy, and now you end up with a dog,” Craytor says. Before a long-term 

investment, he says operators should ask themselves how long they can reasonably support the system for an extended period of time.

The bottom line is that the real world is member-centric

With tech accelerating, fitness clubs need to recognize that members may still love its brand and gym, but are finding at-home fitness and tech more conducive to their busy lives. “If we think we’re going to stop consumers from doing that, we’re going to have a very long road,” Milkie says. Instead, he says it’s important to embrace the changing world of fitness and ask, “How do I create a platform where we’re the one providing the content and enabling this new world for them?”

The post Here’s What Gym Operators Should Consider Before Investing in Tech appeared first on Athletech News.