Hapana is adding to its gamification arsenal, launching a new “challenge” app feature for boutique and group fitness studios. The all-in-one fitness software provider is partnering with Strong Pilates, helping to launch the Australian brand’s inaugural “Feel Strong” running challenge that goes until March 26th.

With the challenge feature, Hapana now allows operators to stoke the competitive fires of their members, spurring engagement and retention. 

The platform allows boutique fitness studios to set up group challenges either with fixed time frames, like Strong Pilates has done, or via a purchase-based start for individual enrollments. After that, operators can add goals or levels for members. Screens illustrate progress along the way, tracking metrics and displaying them with visually captivating graphics. Users are also permitted to share their achievements across social media.

“Challenges are essential for boutique and group fitness studios, fostering engagement and member retention,” said Jarron Aizen, CEO and founder of Hapana. “Existing software solutions haven’t kept pace with evolving market dynamics, and Hapana is here to bridge that gap. We are proud to offer the best member app in the market, continuously innovating while other providers lag behind.”

As gamification often does, Hapana sees the launch of challenges as an opportunity to give gym-goers more in terms of helping them reach their fitness goals. That leads to benefits for operators as well. 

“The challenge app, with the potential to engage thousands of members simultaneously, empowers them to track their progress, hold themselves accountable, and stay motivated – not just for challenges, but also for trials and overall fitness goals,” Aizen added. “This fosters a sense of community for our customers, ultimately driving member conversion.”

Having gotten the first crack at the feature, Strong Pilates was quick to agree. 

“Hapana’s challenge capability is game-changing for our business, and we are incredibly grateful to the Hapana team for delivering this innovative solution,” said Michael Ramsey, co-founder of Strong Pilates. “The challenge app is not just a feature; it’s a powerful tool to engage our members, welcome newcomers and ultimately convert them into loyal members of the Strong Pilates family.”

This launch represents another win in what’s already been a successful past five years for Hapana. Since moving its base of operations from Sydney to the United States in 2018, the software provider has twice doubled in size, partnering with top brands like F45 Training, Body Fit Training (BFT) and Gold’s Gym alongside Strong Pilates. 

The post Hapana Launches In-App Group Fitness Challenges appeared first on Athletech News.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These days, cardio often gets put down as boring, mindless or downright ineffective, but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

When implemented correctly, cardio machines can still be an asset to gyms and fitness facilities, and a potent member-engagement tool at that. 

Freemotion Fitness and parent company iFIT are changing the game when it comes to what cardio machines are capable of, placing workout content and smart technology at the forefront to deliver a truly immersive experience that brings users in and keeps them coming back for more, whether in-facility or at home. 

Freemotion’s new 22 SERIES cardio line is specifically designed to leverage iFIT’s vast library of workout content, which includes around 17,000 coach-led workouts, ranging from hill climbs on an incline trainer to stationary bike rides through mountain ranges.

The 22 SERIES will be front and center at IHRSA 2024. The lineup features six connected machines – an incline trainer, with its ramp going up to 30%, a REFLEX treadmill featuring an impact-reducing deck, an elliptical and three bikes including the popular CoachBike – all of which come equipped with 22-inch HD touchscreen displays that stream iFIT content and automatically adjust speed, incline, resistance, and even fan speed based on what’s happening on-screen, leaving users enthralled in their workouts. 

Best-In-Class Content Drives Engagement

iFIT workout content lies at the heart of the 22 SERIES experience. Gyms that install Freemotion equipment in their facilities get an automatic boost from iFIT, which is already being enjoyed by more than 7 million people across the world. 

“(Members are) coming in predisposed to iFIT, so being able to provide iFIT content on those 22-inch monitors is a huge benefit for attraction and retention,” says Adam Guier, VP/North America Sales at Freemotion. 

iFIT’s library of coach-led workouts includes content from Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and ultrarunner Tommy Rivers Puzey. The Utah-based fitness brand films its own content, sending its trainers to countries on all seven continents, including some exotic and exciting locales like Mount Everest. 

“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 notes. “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.”

Aside from providing travel inspiration, iFIT content on Freemotion equipment keeps users engaged along their entire fitness journey. 

“It’s addictive and it’s habit-forming,” Guier says. “We have specifically built our series to move along the fitness journey with the exerciser. So maybe you start as a walker, then you become a jogger and then you become a runner. We have content that will travel along that journey with you.” 

Machines That Work Out With You

The 22 SERIES experience goes deeper than displaying content on a flat-screen TV mounted to the top of each machine. With Auto-Adjust technology, each piece of equipment automatically adjusts the speed and incline based on what’s happening in the workout on-screen. 

Take a journey along the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland with Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross – a workout that’s available on iFIT – and your 22 SERIES machine will automatically adjust to the terrain. 

“There’s a lot of other companies that have content on their consoles, but we’re the only one that actually have an Auto-Adjust feature. If the trainer says we’re going up this hill, the machine adjusts the incline to go up that hill,” Guier notes. “Whether you’re on our bike, elliptical or treadmill, it doesn’t matter, it’ll make those adjustments.”

Expert Guidance 

The 22 SERIES also solves a common problem with the typical in-gym cardio experience: most users don’t know what to do when they hop on a machine, so they choose the ‘Quickstart’ option by default. This can lead to repetitive – even boring – workouts, lackluster results and, ultimately, poor engagement. 

iFIT’s workout content isn’t only fun, it gives users access to expert coaches and expertly designed workout plans. 

“It’s as though you have a coach with you at all times guiding you on your fitness journey,” Guier says. “Having that integrated coach is a game-changer; they can take you to a different level.”

For gym operators struggling to hire enough instructors to run group fitness classes, Guier offers the option of a room filled with 22 SERIES equipment where members can work out virtually with expert guidance from iFIT instructors. 

“When I talk to operators, the biggest thing that they’ve had a hard time getting back post-COVID has been instructors, be it an indoor cycling instructor or a trainer on the floor,” he says. “We provide you with the content that bridges the gap.”

Guier sums up the 22 SERIES experience like this:

“People are looking for variety in life, and they’re looking to be coached,” he says. “The Freemotion 22 SERIES cardio line with iFIT content provides you with both of those.”

The Omnichannel Advantage

Gyms that install 22 SERIES equipment don’t just supply their members with a great experience in-facility, they meet their members where they are, including at home and while traveling. Members can take workout content with them on the go using the iFIT app or at home using equipment from NordicTrack or ProForm, other iFIT brands. 

iFIT recently struck a partnership to supply members of Fit Athletic Club in San Diego with complimentary access to iFIT content as part of their gym membership. iFIT has similar partnerships with other fitness brands, including a white-label content agreement with Planet Fitness. 

Delivering an omnichannel experience is increasingly important in today’s era of at-home fitness. Gyms shouldn’t be worried that their members are working out at home; they should embrace it, Guier advises. 

“You shouldn’t see it as a competitive product; it’s a complementary product to what they’re using in the gym,” the Freemotion executive says of virtual fitness. “I have everything I need in my home to work out, but I still want to go to the gym. I want that gym atmosphere, and that energy you find when you walk into a facility.” 

The post With Freemotion’s 22 Series, Cardio Is a Member Engagement Tool appeared first on Athletech News.

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

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

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

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

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

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

One-Stop Shop for Fitness & Wellness

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

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

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

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

Meaningful Health Tracking

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

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

A Potent Member Engagement Tool 

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

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

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

The Technogym Difference

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI-Driven Member Engagement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Xplor Plans Industry’s ‘First True Growth Platform’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Club OS Teases a Major Release

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

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

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

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

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

ABC Fitness Leans Into AI, Personalization

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

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

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

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

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

ClubReady Empowers Brands To Connect With Their Members

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

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

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

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

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

Club Automation Gets Personal 

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

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

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

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

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

When you’re a top medical equipment supplier, being forward-thinking isn’t just something to strive for, but a necessity. Having done that for over 180 years, seca’s latest innovations have big implications for the fitness industry, making them some of IHRSA 2024’s most anticipated unveilings. 

Headlining seca’s products at IHRSA 2024 will be the seca TRU Body Composition Solution, a full-body test that analyzes users’ health and wellness using key metrics.

The seca TRU body composition solution features state-of-the-art hardware and customizable software that offers a variety of solutions to boost membership and engagement for gyms and fitness facilities. seca’s user-friendly API powers the product and simplifies the integration and customization processes.

The product operates via medically validated Bio Impedance technology, which delivers accurate health data following a 24-second scan. Users initially step up to seca’s Bear Claw glass platform to begin the measurement process.

Ultrasound tech determines the member’s accurate height before starting the analysis, breaking down muscle mass by each extremity & torso, fat mass, energy expenditure, recovery levels and other health factors which are later displayed in the seca 125 analytic software. seca’s solution even factors in age, gender, and ethnicity, as recently emphasized by the American Medical Association; seca’s body composition analysis is the only product on the market to factor in the latter. 

More Than Just Bodyweight

Duane Jones, seca Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing, believes individuals who only check the scale every morning are in the dark ages in terms of monitoring their health. The TRU Body Composition Solution gives them that necessary upgrade. 

“Traditional metrics like weight do not fully capture the internal changes occurring in their bodies,” Jones said. “The TRU Body Composition Solution provides a more comprehensive view by setting baselines, which then allows gym goers to establish goals that more accurately reflect their overall health status.”

Personalized goal setting, progress tracking, identifying new insights and motivation all come to fruition following the scan. The precise analytics present users with benchmarks and metrics to strive for, hopefully spurring motivation and illustrating improvement over time.

Potential insights include setting up nutrition plans in relation based on results. The solution also identifies patterns worth acknowledging in one’s diet or exercise regimen, as well as potential health issues users would want to snuff out before they deter their fitness journey. 

Analytics are compared with the results of studies featuring over 3,000 healthy individuals to ensure accuracy. They’re also loaded into a cloud-based software that makes results accessible across a multitude of devices. 

The Missing Piece for Fitness Operators 

These same cutting-edge features make the TRU Body Composition Solution attractive to operators. The motivational factors born out of the analytics presented to gym goers naturally work to an operator’s benefit, spurring engagement and retention. It’s far easier to stay involved and committed to a gym that provides useful detail on your progress and constantly presents you with distinct goals. 

“Gyms without this solution miss a crucial opportunity to engage their members more deeply and promote additional wellness services they offer, such as personal training, group fitness, recovery programs and more,” said Kyle Toscano, seca Director of Marketing. “The TRU Body Composition Solution’s API can integrate with gym management and communication systems, enhancing member engagement and potentially increasing retention by providing a more connected and personalized wellness experience.”

The TRU Body Composition Solution is ideal for operators who want to engage with their members in a personalized, meaningful way, rather than with a one-size-fits-all solution. seca also handles product delivery, installation and network integration. 

Looking Ahead: Partnerships & Advancements

Toscano says it’s now full speed ahead for seca and the brand’s holistic health analyzer. seca will continue to update the TRU Body Composition Solution going forward, with plans to address factors such as the rise of obesity medications like GLP-1s more distinctly. 

“Recognizing the growing prevalence of obesity medications and their potential side effects, such as muscle loss, the TRU Body Composition Solution is positioned to play a crucial role in this context,” he said. “By tailoring the solution to address these specific needs, it can enhance the fitness experience for new members drawn to fitness facilities for health reasons, offering a medical-grade device that supports both fitness and medical outcomes.”

seca also aims to collaborate with more forward-thinking members in the fitness space, such as newly added partner Crunch Fitness, in addition to projects with ABC Ignite & Trainerize already in progress. seca already works with EGYM, Kieser Training, Vita Club, Maglicine and FitX, just to name a few.

“Overall, the TRU Body Composition Solution’s future plans are characterized by a focus on innovation, responsiveness to health trends, and partnerships that amplify its impact,” Toscano said. “This makes its launch an exciting development in the fitness and wellness industry.”

The post seca Tru Brings Medical Analysis to Gyms & Studios appeared first on Athletech News.

Orangetheory Fitness and Hannah Berner have partnered to make the fitness community more welcoming using comedy.

The “WTF is OTF?!” comedy show is an experiential marketing event that aims to build community by critiquing several aspects of today’s fitness culture. The “roast” represents a significant departure from traditional fitness marketing and community building by critiquing aspects of today’s fitness culture.

“This WTF is OTF?! Comedy Event is going to be epic,” Berner, a popular comedian and entertainer with 2.8 million followers on TikTok, said before the show. “Expect laughs, roasts and maybe a little sweat. I know firsthand what it’s like to be in a bit of a fitness limbo, and all of the fads swirling around at the start of the year don’t help. What Orangetheory helped me to realize is that sweating it out doesn’t have to be too serious, and this partnership proves that while answering all of our biggest fitness WTFs.”

One of the biggest barriers to gym participation is the intimidation and misconception surrounding fitness culture. By partnering with Berner, a comedian known for her straightforward and relatable humor, Orangetheory hopes to break down such barriers. The WTF is OTF?! event aims to roast the fitness industry’s clichés and fads, making fun of the space’s unrealistic standards and strange trends. 

“Nearly half of Americans set out to improve their fitness this year. Yet, we also know that an estimated 80% of people part ways with their resolutions after mid-February,” noted Ellen Latham, creator and co-founder of Orangetheory. “At a time when many are feeling defeated, we hope a bit of lighthearted fun can remind people that we’re all in this together. And that ultimately, what matters most in a sea of fleeting fads and unrealistic expectations is moving in ways that feel healthy and right for each person.”

WTF is OTF?! took place in Orangetheory’s Manhattan-East 39^th Street studio on Wednesday, February 28^th, with doors opening at 6 pm. After the event, attendees were welcome to join Berner in a one-hour Orangetheory workout.

The event was also live-streamed on Berner’s TikTok, @hannahberner, to encourage real-time engagement and allow a broader audience to join the conversation. 

This article was updated after the event.

The post Orangetheory, Hannah Berner Use Laughs To Break Down Fitness Barriers appeared first on Athletech News.

A software platform is only as good as the data, technology and intent that powers it. A software company is only as good as its people.

Since launching in 2012, TeamUp has worked fiercely to provide the best management software for fitness studios, boxes and gyms, doing so with two deep-seated points of differentiation, a tech-first approach and a commitment to customer service 

First, TeamUp is designed as a tech product for the fitness industry versus a fitness product using technology. This tech-first approach translates to a significant competitive advantage for operators and offers app users highly intuitive functionality and ease-of-use such as the ability to adapt class schedules from a mobile device and more. 

Second, TeamUp is comprised of smart, friendly, forthright individuals who give the best they have to delight customers with exceptional service, customized solutions and unlimited support – delivering the best possible experience. 

“Our development process prioritizes customer needs by bringing the latest technology rapidly to the product and the customer, giving them a competitive advantage to move faster, said Tim Green, TeamUp COO. “The product itself advances user experience, intuitiveness, and smart, timesaving features to ultimately boost efficiency across the organization.”

When it comes to service and support, Green notes TeamUp has dedicated customer success agents who are highly capable and available to offer immediate assistance at first touch – every time.

“TeamUp works incredibly well for us because it fits our model and the level of service they provide allows us to communicate with them quickly and easily and address any problems when they come along. They’re also open to new ideas and development, which we’ll work on with them to help improve their solution and therefore our solution,” says TeamUp customer Max Henderson, CEO of Hotpod Yoga.

Customer Success Is Baked In

TeamUp’s mantra is to help each customer create the best version of their business. 

“When building a product, we work side-by-side with the customer to understand what data is important to them, how the business is run, how they can improve, what challenges they face and more, and we build all of the features around these things,” says Green.

TeamUp has helped over 3,500 customers in 30+ countries for over a decade in this way.

“We develop and maintain a close relationship with every customer and work to help them succeed at every level of their business,” Green explains. “And ultimately the output – the elevated experience they deliver to their members – drives their success and that’s what drives us.”

Delivering the Ultimate Member Experience 

“The fitness consumer experience is driven by all of the touchpoints they interact with,” explains Green. “Typically facilities get some of those touchpoints very right, such as the quality of their classes or their branding, and they get some wrong, such as technology.”

Green says TeamUp’s purpose is to improve the consumer experience by making every touchpoint flawless.

“The way we perceive it is the little details and the infrastructure provide a vastly different experience when you get the data that underlies it right,” Green explains.

He says that within every element of fitness management software, there are nuances that matter greatly to the consumer, and these translate to brand value. 

“Performance, speed, reliability, security, etc., all help boost the experience for the member at critical moments. It’s about getting all of these things exactly right – that’s what elevates the brand and creates brand loyalty. It’s tech that drives this, and it’s vital to the outcome.”

Features That Grow Membership

Green says TeamUp has hundreds of features, many of which solve the same business problems as other platforms, but in unique ways.

“TeamUp offers the most powerful membership-building system of any platform,” he says. “Studios and gyms can completely tailor offerings in a single place and do unique things, such as offer hidden packages shown to specific groups, create different permission levels and develop priority groups.”

TeamUp also accepts multiple payment methods, has a wide range of unique marketing components including customer acquisition, customer referral and promotional opportunities, and offers innovative use of AI within its “Community Happiness” feature. 

“Members typically want to help by providing reviews, but they don’t like writing them,” says Green.” So we put it on autopilot for them with the ability to use AI to generate a review quickly. It takes one click. We’ve been seeing incredible results from this.”

In the vein of TeamUp’s tech-first approach, the platform offers a wide range of enterprise-grade features including advanced user access, information security, API controls, SSO and white-label branding.

“We always say TeamUp is the brain of the company, how we utilize it and how our franchisees jump onto the platform,” says TeamUp customer, Vicky Woolnough, COO of Ferdinand Football UK.

In the end, TeamUp endeavors to be the best in the industry with a tenet to elevate customer and user experience with intuitive software that grows with the client.

“I recently had a customer draw the comparison between TeamUp and other apps by saying that TeamUp is a Michelin Star restaurant and other apps are carryout joints,” said Green. “To this, I say that I’m very proud that what makes our product different is the extreme attention to data-driven details in our development and execution and the exceptional outcome.”

The post TeamUp Uses a Tech-First Approach To Change User Experiences appeared first on Athletech News.

The fitness industry is facing a rising demand for personal trainers that surpasses the available supply, presenting both opportunities and obstacles. This situation requires a deep understanding of the industry’s current dynamics, particularly the balance between properly preparing personal trainers and connecting them with their desired career path. 

According to Future Market Insights, the need for personal fitness trainers “continuously increases due to rising per capita disposable income and the decreasing unemployment rate.” A market outlook report from the organization states that the global personal fitness trainer market is estimated to be valued at $41.8 billion in 2023, and is projected to surpass $65.5 billion in 10 years.

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is actively responding to the growing consumer interest in personal training through the development of extensive educational programs and recruitment strategies. This initiative is not just about meeting the immediate demands of the fitness industry; it’s also focused on contributing to its sustained growth and evolution. 

Is it Really Supply & Demand?

Popular online job boards are brimming with vacancies for personal trainers. ISSA’s Senior National Sales Manager Johnny August notes that one major job site touts more than 13,750 personal trainer positions across the United States alone.

“This significant number suggests a couple of possibilities: either job boards are exceptionally good at selling their ad space, or we’re facing a real challenge,” August explains. 

However, ISSA sees this not as a supply and demand issue but as a “matter of connecting and communicating effectively.”

“We’re graduating thousands of students monthly, who then opt-in to our Career Pathways program each month,” August says. “These are unique candidates. By my calculations, three months’ worth of our graduates could fill all those open positions.”

A Growth Issue

This demand is largely positive, according to August, signaling growth within the fitness industry.

“There are now numerous ways fitness professionals can serve and assist people, opening up a variety of paths for trainers,” he says. “Social media has significantly impacted how fitness professionals market their services, a strategy that wasn’t as prevalent five or even 10 years ago. Additionally, the pandemic sparked a demand for virtual or online training sessions, whether live or on-demand. This format has allowed clients to appreciate the convenience and flexibility of working out from home or their backyard, moving toward their wellness goals without the need to travel.”

In essence, personal trainers have more avenues than ever to reach and serve their clientele. Previously, the trajectory was quite linear, with the primary option being employment at a gym. However, the rise of digital training has allowed many to flourish outside traditional settings, indicating a significant shift towards growth and diversification.

When it comes to the favored career path for a trainer, ISSA observes a split between those wanting to work at a gym and those aspiring to start their own business.

“The optimal path depends largely on two factors: the individual’s skill set and their understanding of the personal training world,” August notes. He advocates for “gym work” for those new to the field, emphasizing the value of mentorship and real-world experience in discovering one’s niche and ideal client. For the experienced, entrepreneurship offers creative freedom and the ability to truly personalize their service offerings.

A Proactive Approach to Recruitment

To directly address the need for skilled trainers, ISSA introduced a recruitment solutions program that goes beyond traditional job postings by connecting ISSA’s students with gym owners and operators in need of talent. 

“We’re taking a proactive approach, not just posting a job and waiting,” August emphasizes. 

With over 4,000 students enrolling in their Career Pathways program monthly, ISSA is in a unique position to facilitate these connections, ensuring a steady stream of qualified candidates.

This approach is about more than just filling vacancies; it’s about creating meaningful partnerships between gyms and potential employees. ISSA’s system starts with a candidate availability analysis to ensure a good fit between the candidates and the hiring gyms.

“We’re not in the business of selling people things that don’t work,” August says. “We want to make sure, without a doubt, that we have candidates available in your area.”

This targeted strategy ensures that gyms have access to a curated list of candidates, addressing the common issue of having many applicants but few who are qualified. Raphael Konforti, senior director of fitness with YouFit Gyms has had good results with the initiative.

Working with ISSA to recruit trainers and fitness leaders has been invaluable to growing our personal training business,” says Konforti. “We’ve hired many qualified and passionate fitness professionals across multiple states where traditional recruiting sources were not yielding results.”

Advice for Hiring Managers

What can hiring managers do to best position themselves in a saturated job market? August says to focus on three key components: knowing your value proposition, committing to the hiring process and being memorable.

“If I represent a gym, I’ll first showcase all the great things we do, then emphasize how I, Johnny, will be an exceptional leader and mentor,” August says. “The unique value I bring is irreplaceable—there’s only one Johnny who can offer you this mentorship. Unfortunately, many hiring managers overlook the significance of aligning with company values and truly conveying what it means to work in their culture, beyond just a mission statement.”

When committing to the hiring process, August points out that it’s easy to adopt a “compliance mindset,” simply ticking off boxes and reaching out to candidates. However, that’s not enough. He urges hiring managers to ensure every candidate interaction leaves them with a positive impression of the brand. This engagement can be a deciding factor for a candidate.

It’s also important to be memorable. After having interviewed hundreds of trainers in his career, August says the most impactful interviews were those where candidates left with lasting memories of the experience. Therefore, he suggests creating a welcoming atmosphere, introducing candidates to team members, and showcasing the gym.

 “This can significantly influence the decision-making process,” August says.

The post How ISSA Is Meeting the Rising Demand for Personal Trainers appeared first on Athletech News.

Competition is fierce in the fitness industry, and client expectations continue to rise. What sets the best coaches apart? This question lies at the heart of a two-year study conducted by Precision Nutrition and Change Maker Academy, led by John Berardi, PhD. 

Delving into the personalities and behaviors of over 5,000 health and fitness professionals, the study reveals five key traits shared by the most successful coaches in the industry. The analysis deciphers what distinguishes health and fitness coaches, and the factors that will most likely help them succeed.

A Look at Methodology

Researchers gathered demographic data — location, level of education and income level — from thousands of health and fitness professionals. They assessed participants’ personalities and aptitudes using the scientifically validated Caliper Profile, an in-depth personality assessment that measures both behavioral traits and intellectual abilities. Currently, it measures 22 traits that have been shown to be relatively stable over time. 

Berardi, who founded Precision Nutrition, says the initial spark for the study came from learning how the NBA’s Toronto Raptors were using personality profiling to evaluate draft picks, demonstrating the practical applications of such tools in team dynamics.

“Impressed by Caliper’s data and its potential applications in various business sectors, we incorporated their profiling tools in our recruitment process as our company grew. This approach not only facilitated hiring but also enhanced management and teamwork strategies,” Berardi says.

The research was parsed through thousands of data points to distill the essence of what makes a coach truly effective and successful. The findings, encapsulated in a detailed 23-page report, shed light on the common personality traits among top-performing coaches while also offering an in-depth look at the broader coaching industry. 

What personality traits and characteristics are helping health and fitness coaches get ahead, and what characteristics should employers seek when recruiting? A summary of the five characteristics offers insight.

Trait One: Assertiveness

Successful coaches use assertiveness to communicate effectively, set clear expectations and motivate their clients. But it’s not about being domineering; it’s the ability to assert one’s expertise and guidance with confidence and clarity. 

Assertiveness allows coaches to convey their ideas, expertise and feedback clearly and confidently, fostering an environment where open dialogue and mutual respect thrive. It’s neither passive nor aggressive; instead, it strikes a balance by acknowledging and respecting both the coach’s and the client’s needs and rights. 

The report underscores the significance of assertiveness in avoiding misunderstandings, setting clear boundaries, and navigating challenging conversations, such as discussing unpaid fees or providing tough feedback, all while maintaining a positive rapport and mutual respect with clients.

Trait Two: Level-Headedness

The ability to remain composed under pressure is crucial in the fast-paced fitness environment. Coaches who maintain their calm can make informed decisions, provide stable guidance, and navigate the ups and downs of client progress with grace.

Level-headedness, as identified in the study, refers to the capacity to remain calm and maintain a steady disposition. This trait enables fitness professionals to navigate the inherent challenges and stresses of coaching with composure and rationality.

In coaching, level-headedness facilitates a constructive environment where critical feedback can be given and received, decisions are made judiciously, and the coach-client relationship is fortified against the stress of rigorous training. 

High scorers on this scale demonstrate an ability to approach both every day and high-pressure scenarios without emotional reactivity, which can derail decision-making and client trust. Conversely, those with lower scores may struggle to manage their emotional responses.

Trait Three: Empathy

Empathy is the bridge that connects a coach’s expertise to their client’s personal journey. This trait allows coaches to understand and relate to their clients on a deeper level, supporting a trustful, safe relationship that can weather the challenges of personal transformation. 

The significance of empathy in coaching directly impacts a coach’s ability to encourage open communication and vulnerability. This connection is crucial for personalizing coaching strategies that resonate with clients’ unique experiences and challenges, leading to more effective and sustainable behavior change. While innate to some degree, empathy can be developed and refined. 

Berardi says that, overall, the report’s findings didn’t particularly surprise him; however, an unexpected insight was the role of empathy in coaching effectiveness and financial success. 

“Contrary to the assumption that higher empathy might impede objective decision-making, our findings suggest a ‘sweet spot’ where moderate empathy enhances coaching effectiveness without compromising personal boundaries or emotional resilience,” Berardi says. “This nuanced understanding of empathy challenges common narratives about the traits necessary for entrepreneurial success, suggesting that a balanced level of empathy can contribute to both effective coaching and financial prosperity.”

Trait Four: Urgency

A sense of urgency drives successful coaches to prioritize tasks and keep both themselves and their clients focused on the end goals. Urgency ensures that progress is consistent and that motivation remains high. 

“This trait corroborated the often-touted self-help mantra that action trumps ideas, providing empirical support for the notion that a proactive approach to goals is a determinant of higher earnings in the health and fitness sector,” Berardi says.

High scorers in urgency are characterized by their drive to act promptly, making them adept at handling tasks efficiently. This trait is particularly advantageous for health coaches, where the ability to make decisions and execute actions promptly can significantly impact a client’s progress and satisfaction. 

A balanced sense of urgency can catalyze enhanced planning and time management skills, which are crucial for fitting in future goals, business ideas or educational opportunities. However, the study advises against unbridled urgency, as it can result in poor decision-making and setbacks.

Trait Five: Investment in Ongoing Education

While not a Caliper trait, one of the most powerful correlations the study observed was that health and fitness coaches who spent more money annually on their continuing education also made more money.

“Investment in ongoing education emerged as a crucial factor for success,” Berardi says. “This trait showed a strong correlation with both increased income and professional satisfaction among coaches. The study found that coaches who allocate more resources annually towards their continued learning not only enhance their earning potential but also significantly outperform their peers in client retention and satisfaction.” 

The study suggests that coaches who pursue further learning not only broaden their knowledge and skills but also gain added credibility and an increased scope of practice.

Next Steps for Application

Berardi is hopeful that the information in the report will help decision-makers refine their approach to education, recruitment, professionalism and more. 

Future trends in the health and fitness industry, according to Berardi, revolve around adapting to technological advancements, including artificial intelligence, refining hiring and training processes, and learning from other industries. 

“These trends highlight the importance of balancing traditional coaching skills with new technological competencies, ensuring that professionals are equipped to meet the changing demands of the industry,” he says. “The industry must adopt more structured frameworks and best practices for hiring, inspired by the mature approaches of adjacent fields. This approach does not require reinvention, but rather adapting proven strategies to the unique context of health and fitness.”

Read the full report from Precision Nutrition and Change Maker Academy here.

The post The Top Character Traits of Successful Fitness Coaches appeared first on Athletech News.

Drilling deeper than anyone to find the industry’s most vital statistics, few gym or fitness studio software providers elevate their clients to the heights Hapana does. 

The software provider has become one of the health and wellness community’s fastest-growing suppliers, having twice doubled in size since moving its base of operations from Sydney to the United States in 2018. Hapana’s comprehensive approach to analytics lies at the heart of its success. 

Operators such as F45 Training, Body Fit Training (BFT), Gold’s Gym, UFC Gym, KX Pilates and Strong Pilates are just a few of Hapana’s many clients.

Data Is King … If You Know How To Use It

Hapana’s strength as a supplier stems from its versatility. Even with a bevy of fitness brands all looking for Hapana to guide them toward different data pools based on their specific goals, Hapana manages to point them all in the right direction at once. 

Central to Hapana’s approach is the human touch, which starts during onboarding. 

“Larger brands are looking at extracting data and compiling it in their own financial reporting packs or trend packs,” said Hapana Founder and CEO Jarron Aizen. “Smaller brands instead want everything to be there. Then, they’re happy to go and favoritize different things that resonate with their business. All of our accounts go through a guided onboarding with a human. We go through that process of helping them identify which reports are important for them.”

But the buck doesn’t stop there. Hapana presents different data points to different customers, depending on what’s important for their specific business.

“Every business is different,” Aizen said. “Whilst everyone’s looking for a similar set of raw data, customizing those dashboards is going to be paramount because everyone’s looking at different sets of data.” 

“You may have a package-based business, another that’s membership-based or some that are both,” Aizen added. “We even have brands with different definitions of an ‘active member.’ We classify an active member as someone active and paying. Someone on a free membership, they’re not in that number. That’s boosting your number, but it’s not adding to your yield. We’re looking at the data that’s really contributing to revenue growth and retention, not necessarily just inflating in numbers. But if they do want that in there, they can add it. That’s the difference. We’re giving them that high level of customization when looking at their data.”

Keeping Up With What Operators Want

The Hapana team also keeps a close eye out for what’s trending in terms of harvesting data. With gyms and fitness studios recently looking for a more detailed approach to retention and engagement, Hapana makes sure they’re covered. 

“Yield has been a big focus for many of our brands,” Aizen said. “If you had five new members that joined this week and two that left, but the five that joined did so at $20 a month and the ones that left were at $50 a month, you’re losing money even though you’re at a net member gain. Those have been big focus areas.”

Hapana has also identified figures pertaining to how a gym develops and grows its community as a favorite among operators. The platform has responded by making a variety of community-oriented stats available. Some include the ability to measure the impact of social events, group event participation, in-app referral figures, and group bookings. 

The same can be said for digital engagement, another subject Hapana has noticed an increase in demand for statistical analysis. The platform’s analytics have already started helping clients determine how heavily they should invest in that element of their business.  

“A lot of brands that went online over the pandemic, some of them have pulled back from that strategy after looking at the data on who’s actually engaging in this digital content,” Aizen said. “Other brands have shifted, where they now use it as more of a brand extension… rather than a direct method to drive ancillary revenue streams.”

Full Data Transparency

Hapana also separates itself from the other software providers with its openness in data sharing with clients. Operators can be misled by other gym management solutions, which sometimes neglect to give their customers the whole picture. 

“Our goal is to ensure that contractually, brands own their data,” Aizen said. “A lot of our other competitors, they basically have the fact that they own the data buried deep in their contracts. You don’t want your data to be held ransom. That’s not how we operate. You should be able to go and get all the information that you need through these reports.”

Hapana also simplifies things for brands with standard, one-size-fits-all pricing. 

“A lot of brands have different tiers of subscription pricing depending on what reports you want. We just go with one pricing tier that says you get access to everything,” Aizen said. “We want our brands to have everything they need under the hood.”

The post Hapana Is Changing the Way Gyms & Studios Leverage Data appeared first on Athletech News.

Jarron Aizen, Founder and CEO of Hapana, a leading software provider for gyms and fitness businesses, joins Athletech News Founder and CEO Edward Hertzman in this exclusive “Fireside Chat” interview. 

Aizen offers analysis on different ways fitness brands can expand globally, even touching on his own experience after successfully bringing Hapana to North America. 

The pair also discuss new industry trends such as integrating recovery or mental health into fitness facilities, why it’s necessary for international brands to understand cultural differences in different communities, and why consistency is key across multiple locations. The sit-down is a must-watch for any organization looking to go international this year. 

Watch the full interview here for expert commentary on the following:

• The do’s and don’ts of international expansion for fitness brands
• How different brands can and should go global in different ways
• Future of the fitness industry from a tech supplier perspective

Key Talking Points:

(0:00 – 1:14 ) Introductions

(1:14 – 4:26) Trends in the industry for 2024

(4:26 – 10:38) Initial challenges and mistakes to avoid with global expansion

(10:38 – 14:17) Establishing consistency with brands scaling in different ways

(14:17 – 18:04) What brands going global immediately need to know

(18:04 – 20:36) Why brands need to communicate to certain regions in specific ways

(20:36 – 24:50) The expertise and flexibility that separate Hapana from the competition

(24:50 – 27:20) Why caution is still required when expanding

(27:20 – 28:55) Wrap up

The post Fireside Chat: Hapana’s Jarron Aizen on Global Expansion for Fitness Brands appeared first on Athletech News.

Boutique fitness is more popular than ever, but the industry has at times been criticized for relying on fads and flash more than sustainable, effective workout routines. 

No one can level that line of criticism against Body Fit Training (BFT), the fast-growing boutique fitness franchise established in Melbourne, Australia, by Cameron Falloon, a decorated strength and conditioning coach who once served as Princess Diana’s personal trainer. 

Inspired by his time training professional athletes in the Australian Football League (AFL), Falloon created BFT in 2017 to bring strength and conditioning principles like progression, periodization and program design to the world of group fitness. The idea behind BFT, Falloon says, was to give everyday people access to the same elite-level strength and conditioning tools as AFL athletes, scaled for ability level and time constraints. 

“I found that there was a lot of sameness in the (boutique fitness) industry, and I didn’t see a lot of consideration around periodization or progression or really spending time on things like exercise selection for different individuals, like you would with an elite athlete,” Falloon tells Athletech News of market research he did before launching BFT. “How could I bring (my) knowledge and experience and make that accessible to the mainstream?”

Falloon was onto something. BFT has quickly spread across the globe with 290-plus studios open and 720-plus franchise licenses sold across several continents. Boutique fitness franchisor Xponential Fitness acquired BFT in late 2021 and has begun rapidly expanding the brand in the United States, having already sold almost 300 licenses in North America.

A lot of planning, technology and time has gone into making BFT workouts effective, scalable and engaging for members. But at the end of the day, Falloon believes the concept’s popularity is rooted in its focus on results above all else. 

“We get too caught up in trends as an industry, versus delivering the basic fundamentals at a really high level,” he says. “I think once you get that right, then you can start to explore and maybe get a little bit more experimental.”

Inside a BFT Workout

BFT workouts are modeled after the strength and conditioning programs Falloon devised for AFL clubs like Geelong, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs, but scaled to be safe and accessible for everyday people. 

Currently, BFT offers 14 different strength and conditioning classes, each of which lasts 50 minutes and is scientifically designed to help members burn fat and build muscle while getting a full-body workout. Classes are performed in groups of around 36 people and include some combination of compound weightlifting exercises like deadlifts, bench presses and kettlebell swings, bodyweight movements like box jumps and pull-ups, and cardio work including running, cycling and rowing. The specific mix of exercises depends on class type.

Importantly, every BFT class is structured around an eight-week cycle, which allows members to measure their progress over time, just as pro athletes would during their training. Programming for each eight-week training block is carefully devised by BFT at the corporate level, and standardized programs are sent to every BFT franchise owner across the globe.

This ensures consistency, although Falloon says BFT empowers its coaches to modify or substitute certain movements to tailor the workout to the ability levels of individual class members. 

“If a member has poor range of movement in their shoulder or they’ve got some shoulder impingement, we’re not going to force them to do a military press like everyone else is doing in the class,” he explains. “We give (coaches) the tools to be able to scale that to the individual.”

Gamification Meets Strength Training

A highly calculated approach to program design isn’t the only thing that sets BFT apart from its competitors in the boutique fitness space. The strength and conditioning franchise is highly innovative in the way it uses heart-rate-tracking tech to gamify workouts, including strength training. 

Looking to drive member engagement, Falloon and his team created BFT³, a proprietary heart-rate tracking system that rewards members who get their heart rates to within specifically prescribed zones based on that day’s workout type. 

“There’s a lot of fantastic heart-rate products out there, but the gamification side of it is really lacking because they’re only ever rewarding a higher heart rate,” Falloon explains, noting that for strength-training exercises like a deadlift, the goal isn’t to get your heart beating as fast as possible, but to get to within a certain range that’s deemed optimal for the amount of weight lifted and reps being performed. 

“We’ve actually been able to use heart rate to gamify strength training, which is a world-first,” Falloon says.

During class, BFT members can see their heart rates displayed on-screen. Once class finishes, a leaderboard is displayed and members are rewarded with Gold, Silver or Bronze medals based on how close they got their heart rate to the target zone.

“It’s an instantaneous reward that creates community and a talking point,” Falloon says of BFT³ and the leaderboard approach. “You see people as soon as they finish a session, they’re high-fiving, staring at the screen waiting to see if they’ve got their gold medal.”

BFT also bakes other gamification features into its app to drive long-term engagement. For example, members earn status levels for in-class achievements, starting out as a rookie and progressing all the way to immortality, a journey that takes around six years to complete. 

The gamification features seem to be successful at driving member engagement. On average, BFT members attend class four to five times a week, which is significantly higher than the average for the boutique fitness industry, which hovers around two to three visits a week.

Global Expansion Plans

Falloon tells ATN that when he launched BFT back in 2017, the goal was to build a global brand.

Today, BFT has over 720 locations sold and more than 290 studios open, with a presence in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Spain. 

In the U.S., BFT is well on its way to becoming a household name in boutique fitness. Since acquiring the brand in 2021, the Irvine, California-based Xponential has been rapidly expanding BFT’s footprint in North America.

Looking ahead, Falloon says he and Xponential share the same growth strategy in the U.S. and across the globe.

“We’ve got a common goal to have no ceiling on our growth but at the same time, don’t compromise the core product or the financial well-being of our franchisees,” the BFT founder says.

This article has been updated with clarifications on BFT’s expansion plans and global studio count.

The post How BFT Built a Global Strength Training Power appeared first on Athletech News.

After squeezing a mile’s worth of workouts that combine functional training principles with HIIT into 45-minute intervals, most people would think that leaves little room for hospitality. But at F45 Training studios, most people would be wrong.

The boutique fitness franchise made a name for itself in 2021 with its forward-thinking approach to fitness and aggressive expansion. The brand reeled Mark Wahlberg in as an investor and developed a library of unique programs with 5,000+ movements all focused on improving cardiovascular health as well as building lean muscle. 

That, combined with its aforementioned warm atmosphere, also caught the eye of United States soldier and motivational speaker Noah Galloway. Galloway lost both an arm and leg while serving in the Iraq War. However, he remains focused on fitness, partnering up with F45 as a training athlete this past summer.

Commitment to Hospitality

Although Galloway admitted he’s harbored a passion for fitness from a young age, he credited F45 with stoking that internal fire during the early stages of his injury recovery. He believes maintaining a healthy lifestyle is of utmost importance for everyone, making this assistance from F45 equally meaningful.

“After I was injured and lost my arm and my leg, it was the first time I experienced that insecurity, that intimidation of going back into a gym or getting back into fitness,” Galloway said.

“Even with my ‘disability,’ I feel very comfortable going into an F45. If a coach has to show me a way to modify and exercise, I’m able to do that, and that motivation level stays the same within that community.”

“What F45 is doing is building a community and that’s where a lot of people struggle with fitness, is finding a place that they feel comfortable,” Galloway added. “F45 allows that to happen because everyone there wants you to be part of the fitness community. They want you to thrive and survive.”

F45 studios build their staff of “coaches” with certified trainers able to adjust any workout to anyone’s specific needs. They help foster a “no judgment” atmosphere, providing workout options for people of all ages, including those years into their fitness journey, as well as those coming to the gym for the first time.

Unique Style of Training

Not getting lost in all this is what gym goers actually come in for — F45’s unique training methods. Aside from the variety of options, the way in which workouts are conducted separates F45 from the pack. Given the 45-minute time frame, the workouts move at a HIIT pace but help you build functional strength for everyday activities. This keeps sessions fun, action-packed, and useful for anyone. 

“It’s a perfect mix for boosting fitness and real-world strength,” Galloway said. “For me, being someone that is injured, my everyday mobility is important from just standing up, moving around, picking my children up. Yes, this is an extreme example with me missing an arm and leg, but it’s all important. We should all be thinking about our ‘later in life.’ Are we going to be beat down and broken because we didn’t take care of ourselves? Or did we follow a routine that took care of us and helped protect us as we get older?”

F45 added a gamification aspect to its workouts in late November. Over the week of “F45 Trials,” users competed against each other in cardio and strength-based exercises. It’s just another example of innovation in terms of what the brand offers alongside its marriage of HIIT workouts and functional training. 

Looking Ahead

Now supported by a new regime, the path forward for F45 has Galloway excited. Although he described the upcoming calendar year as one that would see “big changes” for the company, all of which will be done to further the company’s commitment to inclusiveness and unique workout methods rather than alter them. 

“What new CEO Tom Dowd and the team are creating is purposeful, they want it to feel more family-oriented,” said Galloway. “They wanted to be very inclusive, warm and inviting. I think that we’re about to make a huge splash in the fitness world. Yes, we all see these super fit men and women, but we’re about to show a lot of people that aren’t in that world that they’re welcome, that they should come in and join us.”

Galloway also called the progressive thinking taking place at F45 “awe-inspiring,” describing an undying hunt for newer, more efficient terms of exercise. 

“They’re constantly saying, ‘Okay, what can we do for this? What can we do for that? What’s challenging? What’s exciting? What keeps people moving and motivated?” said Galloway. “It’s not just a handful of workouts that you’re doing. It is a constant movement and change and a lot of thought has been put into these workouts.”

Galloway’s words all represent green flags for a company that fell into a sea of red only a few months ago. 

The post F45 Turnaround Fueled by Hospitality, Workout Variety appeared first on Athletech News.

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

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

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

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

Tracking Reps Ensures Precision & Safety

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

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

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

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

Motivate Your Members

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

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

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

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

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

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

Piloting a fitness business without a Wodify is like flying an airplane minus the wings. Wodify, a leading developer of fitness management software tools, isn’t gatekeeping their tactics for a proper takeoff either.

The Philadelphia-based company recently launched Free Unlimited, a model that grants users access to all of Wodify’s management tools for zero dollars down. There are no processing fees nor monthly costs, which Wodify makes possible via a service charge added with each invoice to clients. 

“A lot of companies will offer some version of free or discounted software that’s a fraction of their total feature set,” said Brendan Rice, Wodify CEO. “It slows down gyms that are trying to grow or get off the ground. Whether you’re opening your gym in a month, just starting out, or already have 100 members, anyone on our Free Unlimited tier has access to all of our most advanced features. It’s a common practice in a lot of other industries, but we’re bringing it to the fitness industry.”

Time & Money Still Matter

Free Unlimited obviously helps users from a financial standpoint. However, the positives from that saved capital often go overlooked. 

“We asked ourselves, How we can help fitness business owners increase lead generation and conversion, improve retention, or optimize business efficiency?” Rice explained. “That essentially boils down to saving time or money.”

There’s an array of hidden software fees, primarily processing ones, that often come back to bite gym owners. In 2023, the average functional fitness or boutique studio gym did around $12,000 in top-line revenue per month, but the owners only turned a $4,000 profit as a result of those hidden fees. 

“That’s just not good enough,” Rice said of those figures. “We ask gym owners how much they pay in processing fees and (they) do not know the answer to that question. They’re one of the largest hidden expenses that fitness business owners incur because it’s not a cost each month, it’s taken out of top-line revenue. We knew we could do something to help that.”

The saved money combined with all the features Wodify offers makes Free Unlimited a double-whammy in terms of asset management. The bandwidth Wodify preserves by handling operations from a tech standpoint also trickles down to all other areas of the business that require an operator’s attention. 

“It essentially just gives them back more time in their day and it streamlines all their operations,” Rice said. “It lets them get started with all of that for free instead of having to either go in the red or potentially wait to invest in that. You get everything, you pay for nothing”

Features That Bolster Engagement

In addition to all of the features in Wodify’s premier core package, Free Unlimited carries Wodify Retain and Wodify Perform. Like Free Unlimited, they both accomplish exactly what their names promise.

Wodify Retain is an artificial intelligence system that predicts when gym members might cancel their membership. It uses millions of data points from thousands of businesses to forecast when individuals are most at risk. Doing so allows gyms to combat any poor retainment figures at their core, prompting gyms to reach out at the right time and get members back on track. 

Wodify Perform enables instructors to program their workouts or class agendas ahead of class time and for clients to track their workout progress and accountability throughout their fitness journeys. This motivates participants to stay committed to achieving their fitness goals by making them personal and their progress toward them visual. 

Wodify’s app drives engagement as well, connecting individuals to their gym even when they’re not physically there. This establishes an omnipresent sense of community which makes attending workouts far more enjoyable and supportive experiences. It’s a rare attribute Wodify gyms benefit from that many go without. 

“With most gyms, you’re at best getting your client in-person for one hour a day,” Rice said. “The features we build enable a hybrid experience.”

“In-app chats allow gym owners to become a trusted advisor for their clients in health and wellness, versus just a coach giving them movement cues,” he adds. “That includes things like following up on injuries, helping them track their longer-term goals, giving them workouts while they’re on vacation and providing other resources like recipes and nutrition guides. All of that together strengthens the relationship of the business staff and the clients.”

The member-to-member relationship receives a boost via these features as well. A gym goer working out in the evening and another at the crack of dawn are essentially placed side by side with how the Wodify app connects users. Leaderboards are displayed via the app communicating workout results amongst users. This allows clients to see a bigger picture in terms of their performance and fosters stronger connections.

“We’re able to connect your entire community instead of siloing it to micro-communities,” Rice said. “Some gyms run a 5 AM class that only gets seven people to show up, but they have 200 members. Now those 200 people can all interact with each other. The 5 AM-ers can see how the 5 PM-ers did. They can communicate, make friends, engage with each other and feel like they’re part of a bigger community than just the very small group they interact with on a day-to-day basis.”

It All Comes Back to Gamification

That connection between users sets up a wide platform for competition, making gamification another motivator. It’s something Wodify is not afraid to lean on even with it drawing a bit of negative attention outside the fitness space. 

“Gamification is often attributed to addictive mobile apps where you’re playing Candy Crush or something and you keep playing,” Rice said. “In fitness, you can think about it in a little more positive light. Gamification isn’t just a means to trick people into staying longer. If you improve consistency and motivation, you get better results, which is why people joined in the first place.”

“A lot of people who go to functional fitness gyms, if they don’t track their performance, they’ll leave after two or three months,” Rice added. “With us, you’re able to demonstrate with data and with some of those milestones that they’re making progress, and then a year later, they’ll have the strength or the weight loss or whatever other goal they had, because you were able to keep them on that consistent track.”

This gamification strengthens the gym community amongst Wodify users. By competing against each other, gym goers hold each other accountable and stay committed to their fitness journeys. The software’s community-building and gamification all combine to form a winning recipe for Wodify. The platform’s gym members double up the competition, staying for roughly 16 months, while the industry standard for a gym membership is eight months.

The post Wodify Brings True Zero-Cost Software to Gyms & Studios 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.

Joseph Foley, a boutique fitness trainer and co-founder of Pedal House, is embarking on a new endeavor — advocating and supporting fitness studios and other reservation-based businesses with PowerPass, a new class-booking platform.

With as much enthusiasm as the entrepreneur has poured into his boutique fitness concept, Foley’s PowerPass promises to promote an even playing field for growing fitness and wellness businesses. Tired of other third-party booking platforms that he says often favor multi-location national brands with better marketing, compensation percentages and placement on their apps and website, Foley is setting out to disrupt with a platform driven by the perspective of being a business owner in a competitive marketplace like New York City.

“PowerPass is our solution to this disparity, ensuring a true free market that allows the providers control over pricing, fair marketing opportunities and an equitable system for everyone involved,” Foley, a co-founder of PowerPass, said of the new booking platform.

Over 1,000 studios, gyms, salons and spas are “ready to fight back” and 5,000-plus fitness enthusiasts have signed up on the PowerPass waitlist ahead of its launch, according to the platform.

Key features of PowerPass include a revenue-sharing model to promote mutual business success and growth, a fair review system that requires users to be identified with a photo and name to thwart false reviews, pricing autonomy and an inclusive referral program benefiting both hosts and guests with a revenue share.

Foley tells Athletech News that PowerPass is expecting to soon launch a beta version of its platform before a full launch in 2024.

“Our goal is to ensure equitable benefits for all companies on our platform,” Foley said. “PowerPass is more than a booking system; it’s a catalyst for community building.”

“It’s made by studio owners, for studio owners,” he added.

Zach Sweedler, co-founder of PowerPass and an entrepreneurial software engineer who founded brands including Nookit and Hustle, believes the platform will be a transformative force in the fitness industry and third-party bookings arena.

“It’s engineered for dynamic resource scaling, ensuring consistent optimal performance,” Sweedler said. “With a user-centric design, PowerPass is intuitively easy to use and accessible. This secure, multilingual platform is set to revolutionize studio-user interactions, establishing new industry benchmarks for fairness and equity in the marketplace.”

The post PowerPass Set To Launch as More ‘Equitable’ Fitness Booking Platform appeared first on Athletech News.

While an apple a day is rumored to deter your primary care physician from checking in on you, BellSant is not so easily stopped. 

Founded in 2022 and launched this past November, the digital wellness system slows down users’ aging and helps them live healthier lives by providing science-based feedback on their exercise, nutrition and daily habits. BellSant users undergo blood, physical and mental tests every three to six months. Results and feedback then become available via the BellSant app. 

Physicals Aren’t Enough

By giving users a more detailed and science-backed approach to wellness, BellSant’s offerings go above and beyond those of a yearly physical exam. The app is available on both iOS and Android devices and membership costs as little as $1.18 a day.  

“With thousands of peer-reviewed papers published every year studying the effects of lifestyle, diet, habits, and drugs on longevity, we felt like it was unfair to expect our primary care physician to be able to stay on top of all of this information,” Rick Bowman, BellSant co-founder and Head of Product, told Athletech News. “We didn’t want to review every crazy new fad we found online with our doctor, so we set out to build a team that could validate and curate the best information and create a one-stop shop for trusted health information.”

BellSant carries a team of analysts advised by 20 academic researchers at 15 leading universities, including four from top aging institutes, as well as a team of physicians to continually optimize their assessments and advice. Together, they evaluate up to 92 different markers of health across blood work, wearable data, and mental and physical strength assessments.

“Any annual physical isn’t enough because it’s too infrequent to understand if lifestyle interventions are making an impact,” Bowman said. “There’s typically only time to just confirm that you don’t have any illnesses, not to look for opportunities in your health. If you make a diet change or embrace a new meditation routine, do you want to wait another year to see how that impacts your health? Or just rely on how you feel when you wake up? We take a data-driven lens to assess holistic health.”

Health Numbers That Mean Something

While BellSant does not rely on gamification to keep users engaged over time, the accuracy of its feedback and how it highlights specific areas to address in a user’s fitness journey accomplishes the same goal.

“The tools most people are using today are very piecemeal, a wearable device trying to tell you it can score your health based on an optical sensor on your wrist, a CGM telling you glucose spikes should be your obsession, or a supplement telling you that they’ve solved the root cause of aging,” Bowman said. “We create a deeper way to track health regularly. We avoided day-to-day recovery scores to focus on your long-term health and wellbeing. By measuring your actual body and your functional capabilities, we give you a true sense over time of how your body and mind are evolving and how you can prioritize where you intervene.”

Biological Age is a key motivational factor within the BellSant product. This figure represents the age of your body’s systems, which moves faster or slower than your actual age based on your health-related decisions.

BellSant relies on researchers from Stanford University who fielded data from nearly 10,000 Americans and tracked their mortality rate over a 22-year period to make these calculations. A user’s 11 health systems are then compared to that data including energy, heart and lungs, liver and kidneys, hormones, immunity, mobility, nutrients, relationships, resilience, sleep and outlook. BellSant reports that 100% of users slow their pace of aging in at least one health system. 

“For the pace of aging, what we’ve done is deeply researched each of the health markers in the experience, and for most, we’ve uncovered values that are indicative of higher healthspans,” Bowman explained. “It is highly accurate, and tracking it over time gives members a clear picture of deeper and holistic progress.”

Ease of Use Drives Engagement

BellSant’s ease of use also encourages users to engage with the product. This applies in a physical sense, as blood tests can be taken at over 2,000 labs across the United States. It also applies in a technological sense when you get into the BellSant app’s capabilities. 

“Other services out there seemed cumbersome or hard to use and engage in regularly,” Bowman said. “With our mobile-first design, your health is always available in your pocket.”

The BellSant app connects to Apple Health, Google Fit, Whoop, Oura and a multitude of other fitness-tracking devices to gather more information on the user. This only adds to the product’s accuracy in relaying results and convenience. 

“We’ve also integrated lab testing directly with our partner Quest Diagnostics so orders and scheduling are all built-in, plus results show up as soon as we get them back,” Bowman noted. “If you have a high-risk value, you’ll get a call from our physicians in a matter of minutes.”

Learn more about how BellSant helps fitness partners attract, engage and retain members.

The post BellSant Puts Trusted Health Advisors ‘In Your Pocket’ appeared first on Athletech News.