The fitness and wellness app space has gained another notable name, with Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo soon launching Erakulis, an all-in-one wellness app inspired by the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s habits and routines across fitness, nutrition and mental balance. 

The new app launches on April 3 with subscriber fees that start at 4.99€/month.

“As a professional athlete, discipline, focus and balance have been key to my success on the field,” Ronaldo said. “The countless hours of training, attention to nutrition, and mental preparation have played a crucial role in my journey. We’ve added these features into Erakulis.”

Taking a holistic health approach, Erakulis offers personalized wellness plans, community support and even online appointments, where users can seek guidance from health and wellness experts via a video call feature.

The pro-athlete-founded wellness app will compete with Centr, an app founded by actor Chris Hemsworth before being acquired by HighPost Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Mark Bezos, brother of Jeff Bezos.

A waitlist has launched where early adopters can nab a limited-time 50% discount on their Erakulis subscription. 

Stars Embrace Wellness Apps

In addition to Ronaldo and Hemsworth, other well-known athletes and celebrities are using their notoriety to make even more bank with the launch of fitness and wellness-related apps in recent years. Seemingly replacing sneaker endorsements, athletes especially seem keen to continue building their brand with digital offerings.

Former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall has entered into digital fitness-meets-holistic training with House of Athlete Plus (HOA+), an app that concentrates on both physical and mental fitness and includes live one-on-one personal training and personalized communication. 

Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill also broke ground in femtech with the launch of Jennis, a female and hormonal-focused app that offers workouts and can adapt training based on various phases, such as perimenopause and menopause. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger recently debuted his new app, The Pump, featuring a motivating community, personalized habit tracker and guided workout videos, with ‘The Terminator’ ever-present during the user experience, while singer Carrie Underwood’s fitness app Fit52 continues to be a hit. The Grammy winner also recently launched her own workout music channel on SiriusXM, Carr-Dio by Carrie’s Country, blending high-energy hits with fitness advice from the singer.

The post Cristiano Ronaldo Launches Wellness App, Rivaling Chris Hemsworth’s Centr appeared first on Athletech News.

In its efforts to help the fitness and wellness community catch more quality z’s every night, SleepScore Labs is widening its net. 

In partnership with the Lake Nona Impact Forum, SleepScore, the global leader in enterprise-ready sleep science and improvement, will make its SleepScore APIs available across many health and fitness apps. Doing so will enable users of participating apps to sleep better and reap an abundance of ancillary health benefits. In turn, SleepScore APIs will strengthen engagement and retention across those apps. 

“We are delighted to bring the power of our evidence-based sleep improvement solutions to the many great health and wellness apps that would benefit from improved engagement, retention, and outcomes,” said Uma Shivanand, head of product at SleepScore Labs. “It’s our mission to make a meaningful impact in this vital aspect of people’s lives.”

With data from 230-plus scientific studies, 61 peer-reviewed publications and over 360 million hours of contextual sleep data, SleepScore APIs help users unlock improved sleep habits. After gathering a user’s sleep data through wearables, the program logs and compares it before laying out a personalized sleep journey, presenting sleep content material, a cognitive behavioral therapy option and a sleep coaching system. SleepScore users enjoy between 10 to 26 extra hours of sleep per month, the platform says.

With quality rest in high demand, those results promise to drive engagement once applied to new platforms. SleepScore already has a proven track record in that regard, reportedly delivering three to four daily engagements and a retention rate after 30 days of 60%, topping the industry average of 8%. 

The release of SleepScore APIs comes as an emphasis on sleep as a form of personal wellness only continues to grow. Therabody and United recently agreed on a partnership to offer sleep-nurturing amenities on flights after noticing an increase in demand for improved sleep while traveling. 

Centr, Chris Hemsworth’s fitness and wellness platform also recently released a new audio series aimed at improving users’ sleep performance. LumosTech, a sleep-specific tech company, partnered with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun last season to enhance sleep routines with light therapy products.

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While Concept2 launched the free ErgData virtual trainer app roughly a decade ago, the sport equipment manufacturer’s upgraded version of the software promises to blow the prior rendition away once showcased at IHRSA 2024. 

Connected to the Concept2 performance monitor, this next-gen edition of ErgData operates as a far more detailed virtual trainer than its predecessor. It allows users to set up workouts and view customized stats and info during workouts, track progress and enjoy daily challenges all from an iOS and Android device. 

ErgData holistically connects users to Concept2, which remains one of the fitness industry’s most diverse suppliers, featuring an abundance of rowing, skiing and biking exercise equipment — all of which allow users to partake in both power and cardio-based training. 

“This is the new version of ErgData,” explained Alex Dunne, a member of Concept2’s Technology Team. “It’s far superior to the initial app that we had. We’ve been running with it for about 18 months and every couple of months we add a new feature to it. It’s a platform we can build upon.”

Sharing Is Caring

Illustrating how ErgData makes workout information transferable is one of the application’s most exciting innovations and a key point that Concept2 plans to hit on at trade shows this spring. 

The application’s real-time tracking catalogs every move you make on a piece of Erg equipment. From there, you’re invited to share results and/or workout methods with other users or even trainers. Doing so builds a sense of community among all parties as users take meaningful steps forward in their fitness journey. 

“You can share it with anybody that you want to, be that one person or be that thousands of people,” Dunne said. “If you’re working with a group, to be able to set a training plan, program it and send it out to them so all they have to do is tap a button on their phone to load it in, that’s a real benefit. You’re making it easy for people. The coach can share it with the athlete. The athlete can share it back to the coach.”

The Concept2 team is eager to move past old methods of exchanging exercise information with ErgData. Gone are the days of jotting down notes or sharing photos of dashboards thanks to the app’s updated form. 

“Traditionally it’s been, you finish a training session, you take a picture of the monitor and you share that with your friends. We’re able to improve that experience,” Dunne said. “You don’t have to take photos, you can simply share the workout from the app, generate more statistics, show the information the way you want to show it and track challenges.” 

New Features Drive User Engagement

The Real Time Loop and Workout of the Day represent two of the ErgData app’s top features. The Loop allows you to work out on a live, virtual course with other Concept2 users. Enhanced with the app’s new data-sharing abilities, this feature also helps drive engagement on the equipment. 

“There are ways that you can quickly engage with a wider audience so that you’re not just completely alone in your basement,” Dunne said. “The Loop puts you out on a track with a bunch of other people, whether they’re overtaking you or you’re overtaking them. It’s just that element of community.”

The Workout of the Day feature offers a different exercise for users to partake in every 24 hours. Doing so bolsters engagement too by keeping things fresh. Then comes the data, which ErgData collects from workouts and updates on a leaderboard. This makes progress visual, fostering motivation and consequently retention. 

“You don’t get into a rut of doing the same thing each day,” Dunne said, noting that Workout of the Day provides “people with a workout that they can do and then they can see how they’ve stacked up against everybody else that’s done it on that day. Over time, they’ll get motivated by seeing a little bit of progression.”

More To Come

Despite these notable strides with ErgData, Concept2 intends to keep moving forward. While Dunne was unable to share any specific future updates for the app, he did express the company’s ongoing desire to make additions as it evolves.

The Concept2 team also plans to highlight ErgData’s upgrades at FIBO, another major showcase for fitness innovation based in Europe, a few weeks after IHRSA in April. 

“We’ve been gradually adding features to ErgData so that you can see the kind of data you want,” Dunne said. “We’re an engineering lead company. We’re always tinkering. We’re always thinking through new ideas. We’re always working on new features.”

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Founded by Scott Perkins in 2015, Pliability is a mobility app that originally focused on CrossFitters but has since expanded to many other disciplines. Today, it’s a leading stretching app that targets different focus areas, from improving performance to reducing pain.

With targeted routines for runners, golfers, desk job workers and more, Pliability wants to spread flexibility and mobility to all. 

Athletech News put the Pliability app to the test to see if it can deliver on its mission.

Pros

For too long, many athletes have taken pride in failing to stretch properly after workouts. Pliability is committed to the importance of mobility and recovery to combat such harmful behaviors.

The app makes stretching easy and fun: it is well-designed and organized, broken down by sport, body part and concern. Users can even select workout moves they want to improve upon, like a deadlift or pull-up, and find customized routines for such goals. The app’s “Quick Sessions” can be fifteen minutes or less, but some routines are closer to an hour. 

Many of the routines seemed best for before bed. Poses were held for several minutes and the background music seemed fitting for a spa or meditation routine. Users can also get more information from the app about the proper form of each pose, which might be particularly helpful for those new to stretching. For users with short attention spans, or who might want to scroll through e-mails or social media during longer poses, the videos work with iOS’ picture-in-picture feature. 

One of the app’s newest releases, Workforce, is directed towards those who work desk jobs. The routines are focused on the muscle groups most impacted by long hours sitting at a desk, such as the lower and upper back, wrists, and knees.

One of the app’s best features is its mobility test. Users follow guided movements as the app measures their flexibility and “problem” areas. I was shocked by the accuracy of the pain points the app highlighted after just a few minutes of viewing my performing basic movements. Pliability also connects with Apple Watch and Whoop for data tracking. 

The accompanying Pliability mat is also one of the most cushioned workout mats I’ve ever experienced. It’s easy to clean and thick enough that long stretches aren’t painful, even after putting pressure on the knees or wrists. The app requires no equipment other than a comfortable mat, so the routines are great for those on the go. 

Cons

The app is $17.95 per month or $179 for the year. While that price might be worth it for those committed to improving their mobility and flexibility, those who are not sure about their need for such extensive stretching routines might hesitate to pay that amount. The Pliability mat is also expensive at $139. A thick yoga mat might prove enough for those without increased cushion needs due to pain or injury. It is also fairly bulky, and therefore not very portable for workouts outside of the home. 

The voiceover didn’t dictate very clearly, so I found myself looking at the videos more often for instructions and cues during transitions. This lack of enunciation also sometimes took me out of the mindset of the relaxing routines. Lastly, an additional feature of music customization could be good for users who want to perform the workouts in the middle of the day and not get too tired. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, Pliability is a great tool for those looking to improve their flexibility and mobility, and willing to set aside dedicated relaxation and mindfulness time each day.

Although it’s not cheap, for those committed to reducing pain and improving their recovery, Pliability could have long-term fitness and wellness benefits.

Read more ATN Product Reviews here.

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A trainer based in New York City with 25 years of experience in the fitness industry, Kira Stokes started “The Stoked Method,” a science-backed training system dedicated to proper form in functional fitness.

With over half a million followers on Instagram, Stokes has built a dedicated community. Her KSFit app offers new workouts every two weeks, many of which use Stokes’ proprietary workout equipment. Her “Stoked Method” is focused on a diverse range of workouts, from the “Stoked Shred” Series to the “Stoked Strength” series, among others.

Athletech News put KSFit and its accompanying products to the test to see how they fare in a sea of fitness app competitors. 

Pros

Kira Stokes has a contagious energy that is infused into each of her workouts. Her attention to detail with form and programming is evident, even in her shortest workouts. She demonstrates how to do each workout and points out common form mistakes and how to correct them. At 49 years old, Stokes is also inspiring to users of all ages. 

Her products are all beautifully designed, many in a seafoam green color that was inspired by her love of water. Each product is high-quality and built to last, even the workout bands, which can withstand months of frequent use without breaking or stretching out. Although many include her branding, her logo designs are subtle and aesthetically pleasing.

The Stoked Step has a great non-slip surface that minimizes the risk of slips and falls. It’s lightweight but sturdy and perfect for adding improving cardio, stability, and strength. The Stoked Ab Wheel has cushioned handles for comfort and rapidly builds core strength through challenging workouts. 

The app is $14.99/month and offers a 7-day free trial. At a price that won’t break the bank, users can easily integrate the offering into their existing routines. KSFit also offers Challenges and Programs, like the “21 Day Stoked Ab Challenge” and the “Stoked in 7” Program that encourage accountability and commitment. The programs and challenges come in a variety of levels and class lengths, so users can easily customize their experience according to their goals and needs. 

Cons

For those who want workouts with a variety of trainers, the app might not be the best fit, as most feature Stokes exclusively. It also lacks a live workout feature on the app, although Stokes does host Zoom workouts and discussions for some of her members. The app also does not sync with wearables like the Apple Watch, Whoop, or Oura Ring for those who want to see their heart rate during workouts. Lastly, the KSFit app mainly has shorter workouts, under forty-five minutes, although there is a selection of longer workouts to choose from. Still, those looking primarily for longer workouts might want to look elsewhere. 

On the app, users can filter by some workout equipment, including the Stoked Bands, Core Ball, Sliders, and Jump Rope. While a helpful feature, one downside is that it does not include all the proprietary equipment, so if users specifically want to find a workout with one not listed, it might be more difficult. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, for those looking for high-energy functional workouts that focus on form, KSFit and its accompanying products are a great option. The app is reasonably priced and bound to inspire its users with Stokes’ contagious energy and commitment to her craft. 

Read more ATN Product Reviews here.

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Zumba, the biggest name in dance fitness with a 20-plus year history, has choreographed its next hit move: a new app to find and book in-person classes and take part in on-demand Zumba sessions.

To support the app’s launch, Zumba has unleashed a vibrant marketing campaign, “Zumba Responsibly,” a PSA-style ad promoting its “good addictive” approach to fitness. As rhythmic beats play, Zumba urges viewers to “just say yes” to local instructors, on-demand classes and its Zumba app. Zumba worked with Joan Studios on the campaign, according to Adweek.

“For 20-plus years, we have been producing content for our global Instructor Network to give them the tools to teach incredible classes,” Carolina Moraes, Zumba’s chief marketing officer, told Athletech News. “In the new Zumba app, you’ll see we’ve merged our unbeatable music, top instructors and superior quality content production to give students an opportunity for more Zumba classes and snackable fitness content at their disposal.”

Zumba’s app is free to download, and there is no cost associated with finding local in-person classes. For a cancel-at-any-time $19.99/month fee (or a prepayment of $179 for a year), fitness enthusiasts can access Zumba Virtual+, featuring on-demand content for all levels, including HIIT, strength training, and mobility and flexibility classes. App users can try Zumba Virtual+ with unlimited access for free for 14 days.

The app also allows Zumba enthusiasts to earn badges, track stats and make recommendations based on music preferences, dance level and intensity.  

Zumba’s latest strategy — driving consumers to live Zumba experiences — comes as fitness enthusiasts flock to in-person fitness, especially group classes. Plus, the at-home fitness hook meets the needs of busy consumers who may be unable to attend class but still want the Zumba experience at home. 

“We know from the early days of Zumba and selling DVDs to our Nintendo Wii game that sold 14 million copies, when we have a product where people can try Zumba at home, it will drive them to the in-person experience, and nothing beats a live class!” Moraes added.

Targeting New Zumba Enthusiasts  

The brand has come a long way since selling its Latin dance fitness DVDs through infomercials in the early 2000s, having entered the virtual and mixed reality workout space in partnership with FitXR, a VR workout platform on Meta Quest, last November.

More than just smooth moves against addictive beats, the fitness brand has also tapped into the powers of artificial intelligence with “choreography challenge AI,” a feature launched in 2022 that uses AI to coach Zumba instructors in fine-tuning the dance fitness moves they plan to teach. 

In an exclusive interview with ATN last fall, Zumba co-founder and CEO Alberto Perlman hinted that Zumba had plans to bring products to market in early 2024 that would expose new consumers to the brand and ultimately drive them to their local gym for in-person classes.

“Traditionally, there’s a phenomenon that anytime we launch direct-to-consumer products, we see a flood of new people into Zumba classes,” Perlman shared, perhaps predicting what’s to come with the launch of Zumba’s new app.

It’s a strategy that benefits not just the Zumba brand and its instructors, but the many fitness operators hosting Zumba classes, such as Crunch Fitness and Life Time.

Having mindfully covered all angles — at-home fitness, in-person experiences and now the Metaverse, Zumba continues to capitalize on dance fitness, a leading form of exercise. Dance workouts saw 25.16 million participants in the U.S. breaking a sweat in 2022, up from 24.75 million in the year prior, according to Statista. 

The post Zumba’s New App Brings Dance Party On-Demand & In-Person appeared first on Athletech News.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has done it all: former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, politician. Now 76, The Terminator is focused on his wellness media company, Arnold’s Pump Club, and a new fitness app.

Dubbed “The Pump,” the app opened as a soft launch to its 5,000 founding members last April, quickly amassing a growing fitness community with over 10 million downloads. In addition to the app, there’s also a daily newsletter and an AI-powered podcast that reads the latest tips from the newsletter.

Now, the devoted-to-fitness Schwarzenegger is ready to unveil The Pump app to the masses, writing on social media that the last eight months have been spent building and improving the app based on its founding members. 

Upon downloading The Pump and signing in, users receive an incoming video call from the actor, welcoming them to The Pump and explaining his concept and excitement for his new venture.

“I have been a fanatic about fitness, and I’ve been on this fitness crusade now for five decades because I want to make sure that everyone kind of feels the pleasure of being fit and strong like I always did,” Schwarzenegger says on the call. “But now I’m especially pumped up because of the power of the internet.” 

Fitness for All

In his message, the former California governor assures that his new app isn’t just for those who are experienced with fitness training (although they will find great programs) but that The Pump is also suitable for those who have never stepped into a gym or lifted a weight.

As he wraps up his “call,” the celebrity and fitness pro emphasizes his new app’s positive spirit and community-building approach. 

“Everyone will be built up,” he said. “Everyone will feel good because, to me, it’s all about building people up. Not just the muscles, not just the strength, but also the ego. Make them feel good. That’s what this is all about.”

Access to the app is $99.99/year or $9.99/month, which unlocks training plans created by Schwarzenegger and his team, a motivating community and a personalized habit tracker, plus guided workout videos and instructional tips.

Users begin with a 90-day program called The Foundation, with a plan based on their lifestyle, preferences, fitness experience and goals. The habit builder is used to support meeting healthy goals and create lasting practices. Instead of just lending his name to the mission, Schwarzenegger is steeped in the program, routinely hosting Q&As for users and acting as an approachable resource. 

In keeping with his promise of “fitness is for everyone,” free workouts and motivational material are still available for those who aren’t ready to invest in The Pump app.

Star Appeal 

Notoriety can help fuel fitness businesses and platforms, as seen with Chris Hemsworth’s Centr, a fitness and wellness ecosystem spanning content and fitness products and the Mark Wahlberg-backed F45 Training.

Although “Thor” catapulted Hemsworth to fame, with fitness enthusiasts taking note of his physique as a personal goal, Schwarzenegger has had a longstanding cult-like following. One fan community, TheArnoldFans, was able to score a lifetime membership to The Pump app and meet and greet with the fitness celebrity and actor. 

Consider, too, that Schwarzenegger’s newsletter hit 310,000 subscribers in just three months of its launch last year, without the power of advertising dollars, flexing the strength of his organic fan base. In a similar vein, all 5,000 spots for the Pump App sold out in 72 hours without ever spreading the word on social media. 

As for what’s ahead for The Pump, that remains to be seen — but it appears Schwarzenegger is taking the approach of delivering quality instead of banking on quantity, assuring that after 90 days, users will see results and be hooked.

“This is the best workout program you’ve ever had. Just trust me,” he wrote. “This isn’t like the fitness apps that let you go from one program to another because that’s not how you will progress. And I would rather have 100,000 users with amazing progress than a million frustrated they’re stagnant.”

The post Can Arnold Schwarzenegger Build the Ultimate Fitness App? appeared first on Athletech News.

San Francisco-based Talofa Games has raised $6.3 million in seed funding for its mobile fitness and future initiatives, after garnering over ten million downloads for its free app, Run Legends.

The funding round was led by Chamaeleon and included participation from A16Z Games Speedrun, Basis Set Ventures, Insight Partners and 1Up Ventures.

Founded in 2019 by CEO Jenny Xu, a marathon runner and fitness enthusiast, Talofa Games recently launched Run Legends 1.0, a narrated competitive fitness game.

Using a gamified approach, Run Legends encourages players to take the game outside, opting for running or walking. Unlike other immersive games, Run Legends doesn’t require a high-priced headset — headphones, supportive shoes and comfortable clothing are all that are gently suggested to enjoy the fitness game. 

The interactive game consists of engaging “missions” and allows users to set their own pace as they play alone or alongside their friends, unlocking rewards and new missions. The pace is entirely self-directed, with players able to speed up or slow down to change their skill to combat enemies they encounter along the way. Although they are enemies, the characters are humorous — with players running into a “hyper-competitive Chad,” a quite muscular and rage-filled enemy. 

Aside from its entertainment and fitness value, Run Legends is notably easy to launch and user-friendly. The app also allows users to enable step tracking and opt to receive notifications for in-game events and to claim rewards. 

“I began making games when I was 12. Today, we’re announcing Talofa’s $6.3M funding!” Xu posted on LinkedIn.

“Having shipped over 10 games like Animatronic Jumpscare Factory and Five Tries At Love as a teen, I dreamed of combining the two things I love the most (fitness and game development!) into something bigger,” she continued. “As a long-distance runner that heard so often that running ‘sucks’ or is boring and painful, I set my sights on creating a game experience that makes not just this activity but other forms of wellness compelling and accessible.”

While Run Legends uses a relatively simple concept, it’s had impressive health benefits for its players.

“We’ve had players telling us they lost five or 10 pounds in a single month. So I think just the impact has been pretty clear,” Xu told VentureBeat. “Fitness and gaming do not need to be mutually exclusive, and we are extremely proud to build a game that enables players to improve their health while having fun and playing with friends. We look forward to working with our players to scale this new social fitness experience and create a happier, healthier world.”

Talofa is now searching for a senior product manager to join its team, the company has said.

The post Talofa Games Secures $6.3M for Interactive Running App appeared first on Athletech News.

In accordance with its name, Ladder is moving on up in the digital fitness space. Today, the Austin-based company announced that it closed a $12 Million Series A round led by LivWell Ventures and Tapestry VC. The funding follows a $6.5 million seed round Ladder raised in 2021.

The company’s fitness app, which provides daily strength training workouts, launched in July 2020 and has seen exponential growth this past calendar year, including an expected 500% increase in its membership, with Ladder reaching 50,000 paying customers. Ladder‘s emphasis on strength training has made it a hot commodity especially amongst women, earning it the Women’s Health 2023 Best Strength Training Program award, among others.

Organization, gamification and a well-trained staff keep Ladder users motivated to continue working out and building strength. The “Ladder Journal” makes it easy to catalog progress, visualize it and then look to build on it. The app also features opportunities to earn badges or establish streaks, both of which stoke a user’s competitive fire. 

All the while, Ladder’s staff provides personalized assistance to make sure users get a workout to their liking each time they set up shop either at home or at the gym. The app features different experts specializing in different forms of strength-training exercises including bodybuilding, kettlebell training, HIIT workouts and Pilates to bring forth a blend of variety and proficiency. 

“Ladder members know exactly what workout to do each day based on their goals and preferred training styles,” said Ladder CEO Greg Stewart. “The experience is built on the core tenets of personal training…high-quality workout programming designed by an expert so you don’t have to think, coaching that provides guidance and answers to your questions, and accountability that’s delivered through shared experiences with other members from around the world doing the same workouts as you.”

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), Ladder has taken its expansion in stride. Proprietary software tools along with the AI allowed the company to take on and manage its growth in new users while keeping its in-house staff at a relatively similar size. 

“While many companies prematurely added headcount and detached themselves from business fundamentals, Ladder has stayed focused on the needs of its members and has created a durable foundation for long-term success,” said Doss Cunningham of LivWell Ventures, who also serves as chairman & CEO of Nutrabolt, maker of C4 Energy. “That focus is paying off in both explosive member growth and the best retention we’ve seen in any mobile fitness product.

Tapestry VC co-founder Patrick Murphy expressed a belief that Ladder would soon be a “household name in consumer fitness.” 

The post Ladder Lands $12M for Daily Workout App appeared first on Athletech News.

Pittsburgh-based remote personal training startup CoPilot recently raised $6.5 million in Series A-1 funding, led by Jackson Square Ventures. The digital platform, founded by CEO Matt Spettel and CTO Gabriel Madonna, matches users with remote personal coaches to receive tailored fitness plans.

CoPilot’s system, which has registered over 1.5 million workouts on its platform, seeks to offer an alternative to traditional in-person training by connecting users with remote trainers. The service costs $99 monthly and is available on both Android and iOS.

“Our mission at CoPilot is unwavering: to leverage the best of fitness and technology to truly transform lives,” Spettel said.

Keeping the ‘Personal’ in Personal Training

Spettel told TechCrunch that CoPilot’s human coaches give it an advantage over AI competitors by understanding each user’s unique needs. The customized support helps drive accountability and consistency. As the platform looks to scale, its tech aims to digitally recreate that personal touch.

The company’s origins trace back to the founders’ personal experiences with fitness, according to TechCrunch. Spettel, inspired by Madonna during their high school years, developed a keen interest in fitness. Both pursued higher studies at distinguished institutions—Carnegie Mellon for Spettel and MIT for Madonna—where they initially experimented with wearable technology aimed at gym enthusiasts. Their direction changed, however, when they identified a broader need in the market, leading to the creation of CoPilot.

For user onboarding, CoPilot employs a detailed questionnaire to determine the best coach match from their roster of fitness professionals. The coach then collaborates with the user, using an initial 45-minute discussion to frame a targeted fitness plan. Users are encouraged to stay consistent with daily check-ins, progress tracking and detailed workout feedback. Real-time audio prompts during workouts integrate with smart devices to further provide personalized feedback. While the majority of communication with coaches after the initial call is via chat, users have the option to schedule further calls if necessary.

Spettel said that, since its last funding round at the start of 2022, CoPilot has “buckled down and grown revenue by five times, while also making huge strides in our client product experience and coaching infrastructure.” This, he continued, “proves that we are not a brief workout trend, or another victim of the fitness hype of the last 2 years.”

The recent funding raises CoPilot’s total capital to $16.5 million. Spettel indicated that the funds would be used to expand the team, especially in the engineering, design and marketing sectors. There are also plans to hire more coaches. 

“In the coming months, expect to see more powerful features, deeper personalization, and a wider reach as we set our sights on making CoPilot a global force for positive change,” he said. “But as always, our primary focus remains on the individuals we serve: our clients, coaches and the dedicated CoPilot team.” 

The Rise of Remote Coaching

CoPilot exemplifies a trend of remote fitness coaching that’s gaining momentum. But what does this mean for traditional personal trainers? 

Regarding the digital shift, as more people grow accustomed to seeking services online, especially in the wake of global events like the pandemic, personal trainers might consider augmenting their in-person offerings with online sessions or even hybrid models. There are also new opportunities, as platforms like CoPilot are actively hiring.; CoPilot alone, with its new funding, aims to recruit more coaches to join its team.

For trainers looking to reach a broader clientele, such platforms could be an avenue worth exploring. This is a perfect time for personal trainers to upskill, embracing tools and techniques tailored for online coaching. With platforms like CoPilot offering personal training for a fraction of traditional costs, in-person trainers may need to revisit their pricing models or emphasize the unique value propositions they bring.

While digital platforms are reshaping the fitness industry landscape, adaptability and continual learning can ensure that personal trainers remain not just relevant but thrive in this evolving environment. 

“Every investment we receive is not just a testament to our product but to the power of the connection between our coaches and our clients,” Spettel said. “It’s about building a community rooted in health, accountability, and progress. This additional funding ensures that we can continue to innovate, inspire, and impact in ways bigger than we ever imagined.”

The post CoPilot Raises Another $6.5M for Remote Personal Training App appeared first on Athletech News.

We’ve written about why fall is the most important season to nurture your new members. Now, the question we answer is: What is the most effective and efficient way to nurture your members?

In this edition of Behind the Numbers, we dive deeper into one tool that statistically increases efficiency and attendance: in-app chat.

Before diving deeper into the data and how you can use In-App Chat to your advantage as a fitness business owner, let’s give a little background as to what exactly in-app chat is. 

In late 2022, Wodify released In-App Chat, a feature that is like WhatsApp or iMessage but lives in the Wodify App. In-App Chat allows business owners and members to communicate directly within Wodify to keep all fitness-related conversations organized in one place. This benefits the business owner by being able to keep track of all communication with their members and is a way to easily form authentic relationships with their members. 

In this BTN we analyze In-App Chat’s effect on:

1. Number of attendances per member
2. The average length of engagement per member (amount of time someone is an active member at your business)

You’re about to dive deep into the data, so read on!

The Data Uncovered

First, let’s look at the landscape: who is using In-App chat and who is not?

The table above shows a couple of things, according to Wodify Data:

1. The top 50 In-App Chat users have more members than those who don’t leverage In-App Chat. This indicates that In-App chat helps maintain communication with a higher number of members. 
2. The top 50 In-App Chat users have a higher monthly transaction volume than other businesses not leveraging the feature.

This data indicates that fully leveraging In-App Chat, results in the ability for the business owner to form better relationships with their members, resulting in greater satisfaction and, therefore, revenue. 

In-App Chat Results: Attendance & Retention

The infographic below shows that 

• Members who were messaged via In-App Chat have a higher median number of attendances (105 attendances) than members who were not messaged (20 attendances)
• Members who were messaged via In-App Chat have a higher length of engagement (285 days active) than members who were not messaged (158 days active)

This tells us that In-App chat is a crucial tool for forming relationships with members. The more connected members feel to their fitness studio, the more likely they are to stay members of your business. 

The Impact on a Fitness Business Owner’s Bottom Line + Tips

1. Personal relationships matter. Maybe we sound like a broken record, but relationships are what build and maintain a business. We know with so much admin work, sometimes it can be hard to pay attention to the more social aspects of being a business owner. That’s why we created In-App chat, so you can focus on relationship building with your members easily and efficiently. 
2. Informal is trending. Frankly, no one wants to check their email while on the way to their workout. Because In-App chat feels like an informal form of communication, members resonate with the casual messaging and are more likely to see your message and respond.
3. Create a premium experience for your members. With more people working out at home, more than ever, clients are expecting tech-savvy fitness studios. With Wodify you can give your members the luxury in-gym experience they’re expecting with In-App chat and our brand new Kiosk, a customizable, multi-column digital display that creates a modernized in-class experience for your athletes. Book a demo here to get these features today. 

We hope you found these insights and advice useful for your business! Keep an eye out for more posts in this series as we continue to explore the data in Wodify. 

If you aren’t using Wodify yet, you can book a free consultation here.

Want to keep learning? Check out our other posts.

Wodify is a leading all-in-one fitness management software, trusted by over 5,000 of the world’s top businesses.

The post Why Gyms Should Use In-App Chat To Retain Members appeared first on Athletech News.

Centr, the fitness and wellness platform created by Chris Hemsworth, is taking the next step on its journey to becoming an all-in-one “ecosystem” for health and wellness, teasing a new line of equipment that its CEO says will transform the company.  

After being acquired by HighPost Capital in early 2022 as part of a deal that also saw the investment firm buy equipment maker Inspire Fitness, Centr has looked to expand into new areas, including physical products that complement its digital content, which includes workout, nutrition and mental wellness videos. 

In September 2022, the company hired longtime Walt Disney Company executive Andrew Sugerman as its new CEO to oversee the integration of Centr with Inspire and lead the launch of new products and services. 

Under Sugerman’s watch, Centr made its first foray into exercise equipment with the Centr Fitness Essentials Kit and expanded its content offerings, including giving users access to longevity and anti-aging science.

Now, Centr is set to roll out an all-new line of consumer goods and fitness products that Sugerman says will transform the company into an integrated “digital and physical solution.”

Sugerman spoke with Athletech News about Centr’s upcoming product line, his first 11 months on the job, and where he sees the fitness and wellness industry heading. 

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

Athletech News: How do you view Centr as a brand following the acquisition by HighPost Capital and integration with Inspire Fitness?

Andrew Sugerman: Centr is a wellness ecosystem that combines high-quality content with fitness equipment, accessories and consumer goods. We’re bringing those two worlds together in partnership with Chris Hemsworth and his team of experts across numerous areas of wellness. We’re looking to enable our users to achieve a lifelong balance across the parameters of movement, meals, mind and motivation. 

We’re also looking at how to democratize wellness for everyone by taking the insights, knowledge and learnings that a few people have and bringing them to the masses. Chris has worked with the best of the best, and he saw firsthand the power of interconnecting fitness with nutrition and mental wellness. When you combine those, the outcome is amazing. Our goal is to bring that sort of transformative wellness to the world. 

ATN: What’s been your main priority since you took over as CEO of Centr around 11 months ago?

AS: Integrating Centr and Inspire Fitness has been a big undertaking. With Inspire, we have a company that brings 20 years of quality craftsmanship in fitness equipment, specifically within the strength training arena. That gives Centr the ability to create new tools and connect our content with those tools in new ways. 

ATN: What new products does Centr have planned?

AS: In the coming weeks, Centr will be rolling out an entirely new line of consumer goods and fitness products that will be available at almost every major retailer in the United States as well as in select markets around the world. Effectively, we’ll be relaunching Centr as an ecosystem that combines digital content with physical goods that will be available on a global scale. It will be the first time that Centr exists both as a digital and physical solution.

We’ll also be rolling out strength equipment from Inspire Fitness. So there will be Centr-branded strength machines, functional trainers, workout benches, Olympic weight sets, and really all the tools you’d need to unlock Centr’s content. We’re also working on a (product) line designed for competition-level athletes. I can’t get into too much detail on that, but we’ll be announcing it in the coming months.

The products that we’re launching in 2023 will be for at-home, consumer use. In 2024, we’ll look at broader commercial opportunities. 

ATN: Why has Centr chosen to launch physical products at a time when other top fitness brands, like Peloton and Lululemon, are increasingly moving away from hardware in favor of digital content?

AS: We’re not a connected fitness company like the companies you’ve mentioned, where if you buy the physical goods you have to purchase the digital counterpart. We’re selling products that are augmented by our digital ecosystem but don’t require it. We’re trying to bring more solutions to more people, whether it’s content, a physical product or a combination of the two. Connected fitness, where the hardware is restricted to one digital tool, is a closed-funnel solution. You need to have bought the bike to unlock the digital ecosystem, for example. We try to offer products and solutions that open the funnel so that consumers can come in from many angles.

Also, the line we’re launching has extremely cost-effective products. We believe the demand for quality, affordable products continues to be strong, which really leans into the notion of democratizing wellness for everyone.

ATN: Who is Centr’s target customer base?

AS: We’ve created a lot of clarity around this segment that we call the “holistic explorer.” It’s predominantly a 25 to 44-year-old professional demographic that cares deeply about health and wellness. They usually have interests in technology, trends and the latest research, and are constantly curious. But we also know that the fitness enthusiast is the lifeblood of our company. As we bring Centr into the competition space over the coming months, it’ll speak well to that demographic. Those are the two areas where we focus most of our energy.

ATN: What fitness and wellness trends are you noticing and how are they influencing Centr’s strategy?

AS: Strength training has picked up a ton of momentum over the last two years. Coming out of the pandemic, it’s almost like traditional cardio has dropped off and strength training has completely replaced it one for one. So as we look at future products and content, it’s very much leaning into functional fitness training.

A second area is personalization. You can throw a stone and hit an article about AI (artificial intelligence). I think there’s going to be a lot of smoke and mirrors with AI, but there’s also going to be a lot of truth and reality with AI, and in the next year or two, you’ll see which is which. There are going to be opportunities in the industry, and for us at Centr, to look at how we can continually enhance personalization, leveraging elements of AI in the right way. 

We also believe strongly at Centr in the integration of wellness, or this notion that mental wellness and nutrition are interwoven with physical fitness and conditioning. Consumers have been trained that those are individual things that exist on their own. Over the next few years, I think there will be a much more integrated approach to wellness. We’ve led that charge at Centr since launching in 2019 and we’ll continue to lead it in the months to come.

The post CEO Corner: Andrew Sugerman on Centr’s Push Into Fitness Equipment appeared first on Athletech News.

While there has been a sharp decline in health and fitness app downloads post-pandemic, retention rates and revenue have increased, providing strong reasons for optimism, according to a recently released report.

With a return to normalcy following the rise of at-home fitness during the pandemic, a new report by AdQuantum has revealed key findings regarding the health and fitness app industry during and after COVID.

Here are some highlights from “The State of the Health & Fitness App Market 2023,'” which examined download, usage and consumer spending trends from Q1 2020 through Q4 2022. 

A Decline in Downloads but Resiliency in Terms of Revenue

In Q4 of 2022, health and fitness app downloads surpassed 290 million across App Store and Google Play, which the report points out is the worst quarter since Q1 2020, with 417 million downloads. 

However, while the pandemic led to unprecedented growth for the fitness app vertical, that momentum didn’t fizzle out as much as it did for at-home connected fitness companies like Tonal and Peloton. 

The report reveals that the health and fitness app market generated $1.7 billion in revenue during 2022, an increase of $300 million from the previous year and $600 million from 2020.

During the pandemic lockdown, apps that provided customized workout routines, meditation, and diet and nutrition plans accelerated as far as downloads. 

Since then, certain apps have remained popular, despite a return to normalcy. In 2022, there were 1.4 billion health and fitness app downloads, showing consumers are still willing to integrate an app into their wellness journey.

However, the number of app installs in 2022 slowly dwindled after 2020, which AdQuantum says can be attributed to the return of in-person activities. 

It could also mean that while the pandemic may have meant fertile ground for the growing health and fitness app industry, it wasn’t necessarily an organic demand. Because consumers were stranded at home and their fitness facilities were closed, they were forced to rely on apps or at-home hardware. They also had extra cash on hand because gym memberships had been canceled or placed on pause.

Increased Consumer Retention & Stickiness

While app installations may have decreased, retention rates and stickiness increased. 

For example, sessions increased by around 1% and are currently up another 1% this year compared to Q4 2022. The report demonstrates that consumers who downloaded apps during the “install boom” have been retained.

Retention rates in Q3 of 2021 were 25% for Day 1, with Q3 of 2022 at 35%. Additionally, Q4 2021 had a 21% retention rate, and by Q4 2022 that number had hit 38%. 

As for the median stickiness for health and fitness apps, in Q3 and Q4 of 2021, rates were 15% and 14%, respectively, and have increased over time. Stickiness rose to 20% for Q3 2022 and 21% for Q4 2022.

Consumers Embrace Meditation & The Great Outdoors 

The surge in health and fitness apps has led some companies to emerge as market leaders as consumers are increasingly concerned with their health and wellness. 

Taking in the #1 spot for highest revenue is MyFitnessPal: Calorie Counter, with Fitbit: Health & Fitness coming in second. 

However, it’s the third ranking that may indicate where the wellness industry is headed.

The report reveals that meditation apps, such as Calm (#3 in revenue) and Headspace (#7), are gaining traction globally as consumers seek to de-stress and practice mindfulness throughout their busy days. Aside from stress-reducing activities, the apps also provide sleep aid features in a non-pill form.

Mental wellness and meditation apps are expected to continue to grow in the coming years, according to AdQuantum. 

The pandemic put a much-needed spotlight on the importance of mental health and has since had long-lasting effects. As AI and machine learning make continued advancements, consumers will likely find meditation (as well as health and fitness apps) becoming more fine-tuned and tailored to their needs and preferences.

The great outdoors has also seen a resurgence in light of the pandemic. While many hikes were crowded during the lockdown and cycling shops couldn’t keep up with inventory, apps continue to play a major role in the lives of fitness and wellness enthusiasts. 

The report reveals two apps have gained significant popularity post-lockdown: Strava: Run, Ride, Hike and AllTrails: Hike, Bike & Run. 

As consumers continue to engage in outdoor activities, Strava and AllTrails are along for the ride, offering databases of trails and routes, as well as progress tracking. Outdoor-themed apps are likely to see further enhancements due to their popularity. 

The Latest Trends in Mobile Fitness Apps 

Virtual coaches are an emerging trend in health and fitness apps, where consumers can receive guidance and support from virtual trainers. It should also come as no surprise that wearable tech has enhanced apps, motivating users to hit mile markers in their wellness journey. 

Because of consumers’ connection with their fitness wearable, they’re likely to search for a health and fitness app that supports their chosen device. 

The report also finds that by adding the element of gamification, such as rewards and challenges, consumers are more likely to engage with the app and stick with it for the long haul. 

AdQuantum’s The State of the Health & Fitness App Market 2023 report can be viewed here.

The post Health & Fitness App Market Shows Promise Despite Decline in Downloads appeared first on Athletech News.

Centr, a fitness and wellness app, has laid off roughly 22 employees in Australia to instead concentrate on efforts to centralize in the U.S.

The wellness app, founded and endorsed by actor Chris Hemsworth, was sold last year to HighPost Capital, a private equity firm co-founded by Mark Bezos, brother of Jeff Bezos. The deal marked the firm’s first significant foray into the connected fitness space. 

Centr reportedly announced the layoffs in a company meeting, followed by an email that explained some roles were now deemed redundant, impacting some of its Australian employees. 

In the email, Centr CEO Andrew Sugerman wrote that the health and wellness app would pivot to centralizing the company in the U.S. and outsource some work.

Sugerman was appointed to his position last year to oversee the global integration and growth of Centr and Inspire Fitness, which was also acquired by HighPost Capital.

“As we look to make Centr a global wellness brand by bringing the digital and physical sides of the business even closer together, we have made the difficult decision to relocate and outsource specific operations in the Melbourne office,” the email read, according to Sky News Australia, which obtained screenshots.

One employee, a vice president of engineering at Centr, wrote on LinkedIn that the layoffs in Melbourne impacted some engineers. Other affected positions reportedly included creative services and certain marketing and product functions.

“The decision did not come lightly and is not a reflection of any individual,” Sugerman wrote. Instead, he stated the recent restructuring is a “strategic decision” meant to focus on growing Centr’s global user base by consolidating and connecting key roles to Centr’s headquarters in Los Angeles.

The app, which offers personalized training and tools inspired by Hemsworth’s team, allows members to create shopping lists, track progress and connect to wearables.

In an interview with Athletech News last year, Sugerman shared that Centr’s mission is to create a holistic health and wellness ecosystem.

Centr recently partnered with Lifespan.io, a 501(c)(3), to democratize health and wellness education. The collaboration will see Centr as an official media partner at Lifespan.io’s sixth annual conference in August in New York City. 

In late 2022, Centr announced a partnership with Hyperice to deliver guided meditation content by Hemsworth.

The post Chris Hemsworth’s Fitness App Centr Eyes US Centralization of Workforce appeared first on Athletech News.

Boddy, Zurich-based a travel, wellness and tech startup, has successfully closed a seed round, raising $2.2 million meant to propel its growth trajectory following its recent North American expansion.

Dr. Li Wu, a health research scientist and founder of behavior-change app Virtusan, has been confirmed as a lead investor in Boddy. The seed round also included support from existing investors. The funding comes after Boddy recently announced its official launch in the U.S. and Canada. 

Boddy’s global fitness and wellness marketplace merges travel and a healthy lifestyle by allowing travelers to search, compare and book wellness, health and fitness activities and experiences while on vacation. The platform works to promote optimal wellness but also enables health operators to attract new consumers and increase revenue.

Boddy shared the news of the sizable investment on LinkedIn, writing that the round marks a “major milestone” as the startup doubles down on product evolution and plans to accelerate its global expansion. 

The recent funding is accompanied by a strategic partnership between Boddy and Virtusan, which promotes a joint vision for mind and body health. 

“We are thrilled to have successfully closed our seed round, and we warmly welcome Dr. Li Wu to the Boddy family,” said Hannes Boller, co-founder and CEO of Boddy. “This significant investment reaffirms our vision to revolutionize the travel and wellness industry and create a positive impact on people’s lives. We are excited about the opportunities ahead as we scale our operations and unlock new possibilities for travelers seeking well-being experiences around the world.”

In a statement, Dr. Wu said she was delighted to lead the investment round for the startup, predicting great opportunities ahead.

“I firmly believe that Boddy is poised to reshape the travel industry, ushering in a brighter future,” said Dr. Wu. “Boddy and Virtusan share a collective mission to empower millions of individuals in need through comprehensive strategies that encompass behavioral transformations for both mental and physical well-being. Through our strategic partnership, we will amplify our impact and accelerate the realization of our respective visions.”

Boddy’s wellness marketplace aligns with a recent Global Travel Trends report by American Express, which revealed that travelers are intrigued by maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle while at a new destination.

Most notably, tech-savvy Gen Z and Millennials are likely to book travel plans centered on personal wellness (61%), compared to 48% of overall survey respondents.

The post Boddy Raises $2.2M To Help People Find Workouts While on Vacation appeared first on Athletech News.

Virtuagym, a global provider of all-in-one health and fitness software solutions, has launched Virtuagym AI Coach, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to create customized workouts based on specific user requirements.

Virtuagym AI Coach offers fully automated training support and education for all fitness enthusiasts and is easily integrated with the Virtuagym Fitness mobile app and ecosystem.

Users specify requests via a chat conversation, listing fitness goals, level, preferred equipment, muscle groups, age and duration of exercise. The AI-powered coach then provides a customized workout based on the information provided, with instructions, sets, repetitions and even 3D-animated videos. 

After a fitness enthusiast receives their customized workout recommendation, they can do the workout at home or in a fitness club, save it to their in-app workout library or schedule it for later.

Hugo Braam, Virtuagym CEO and co-founder, says the new product is a prime example of how technology and AI can make fitness and health more accessible and personalized than ever before.

“We believe this new solution is a real game-changer for individual exercise, but in the near future also for our business clients who are interested in making personalized coaching more efficient either through self-management or by empowering trainers to use AI,” Braam said.

The new offering is available to all Virtuagym PRO users in the Virtuagym customer fitness app or with a free 7-day trial.

Virtuagym confirms that future plans include expanding the capabilities of its AI coach and extending its technology to trainers, health clubs and corporate businesses that use its software. 

“Leveraging the power of AI is a natural next step in enhancing the way we provide affordable personalized coaching in the fitness industry,” said Alex Von Hagen, Virtuagym’s head of enterprise. “Our product team has worked hard to create an easy-to-use solution that can act as an individual’s personal fitness companion to help them on their way to a healthier lifestyle. We’re really excited about this development and I can’t wait to be able to offer this to our business clients in the fitness industry.” 

Virtuagym AI Coach is now available in Virtuagym’s fitness app on both Google Play and the Apple App Store. 

The post Virtuagym Launches ‘AI Coach’ To Offer Personalized Workout Plans appeared first on Athletech News.

Pear Health Labs, a digital fitness company specializing in wellness coaching solutions, has rolled out an updated release of Aaptiv, an improved digital audio and video fitness app that features “SmartCoach,” an AI-driven personal trainer.

“SmartCoach” crafts personalized and adaptable workout plans for users, tracking progress and capturing insights in the app. 

Bob Allison, founder and CEO of Pear Health Labs, says that by harnessing the power of AI, his company is making personal training accessible to more consumers than ever before. 

“Our new SmartCoach feature tailors and continuously adapts workout plans to each user’s unique goals, preferences and fitness level, ensuring that anyone can get the ultra-personalized support they need to achieve their health and wellness goals,” Allison said.

Aaptiv is also suited for corporate wellness, available as an employer, health plan or Medicare benefit.

After downloading the app, Aaptiv’s personal trainer asks questions to develop a hyper-personalized workout plan and then adapts it over time based on post-workout feedback and user information, such as fitness level, progress and injury. The app also pairs with leading wearables for biometric data. 

In addition to SmartCoach, the Aaptiv app also includes the following:

• My Stats: available to users with or without wearable devices and offers a comprehensive analysis based on a user’s exercise routine and physical biometric data.

• Heart rate-based workouts: Aaptiv’s heart rate-based workouts measure heart rate during the exercise and provide on-screen feedback to help users target the appropriate heart rate zone.

The updated Aaptiv app is available in both the Apple and Google app stores.

The post Fitness Coach in Your Pocket? Pear Health Labs Launches AI-Powered Personal Trainer appeared first on Athletech News.

The digital experience is everything in 2023. For fitness brands, having an app that’s well-conceived, intuitive and engaging can make the difference between a successful business and one that flops. 

Mutual Mobile, an innovation consultancy that helps companies design, build and manage digital products, has worked with some of the leading brands in fitness, health and wellness, including Under Armour and Nike.

Among its successes, the Austin, Texas,-based firm helped Under Armour create Record, an app the sportswear company launched to drive sales for its HealthBox, a connected fitness product designed to track sleep, fitness activity and nutrition via a heart rate monitor, wristband and scale.

The Record app, introduced in 2016, was used by 1.94 million users and saw over 2.6 billion workouts and activities logged. Under Armour won eight awards at CES 2016, including the Wearable Best in Show, for its Record and HealthBox products.

Mutual Mobile worked closely with Under Armour on virtually every aspect of Record from start to finish, including the app’s name itself, noted David Garlinski, Mutual Mobile’s Senior Director of Strategic Accounts.

“It was a real collaborative effort,” Garlinski said, adding that Mutual Mobile has done other projects for Under Armour since then, including helping to overhaul the company’s online shopping app, UA Shop. 

“They still come back to us periodically,” he says.

Mutual Mobile has also designed apps for a social fitness company that encourages people to be active through team movement challenges and a sports tech company that makes a calf compression sleeve that tracks users’ metabolic activity and lactate threshold.

Garlinski and Prasanna Tolasati, Mutual Mobile’s Lead Project Manager for fitness tech, spoke with Athletech News about how fitness brands can build apps that attract users and ultimately drive sales.

Understand your users and what they want

Fitness brands, like many companies, often underestimate the vast amount of market research that’s needed in order to build a great app, according to Tolasati. 

“It’s something we’ve had to assist almost every client with,” he says. “You need to do that research to understand the problem you’re trying to solve and who you’re trying to solve it for, because fitness has its own answers for different types of people.”

Market research needs to be deep enough to glean meaningful insights into an app’s users and potential users.

“I’ve seen quite a few instances with fitness influencers who have blue checkmarks on Instagram and Twitter, and they’re basically just putting out an open question on their stories asking, ‘What features would you like to see?’” Tolasati says. “That’s too vague to understand what users actually want.”

Instead, brands should take the time to carefully consider the demographics of the user base they’re targeting with a particular product, including age, socioeconomic status and geographic region. Something as fundamental as the optimal subscription price for an app or service can vary significantly depending on those factors. 

Talking to industry experts can be a useful way for fitness brands to get data that will ultimately improve their apps. 

For brands that intend to offer tracking services, “asking a coach or a personal trainer how they like to track their clients’ workouts or how their clients want their workouts tracked is important,” noted Tolasati, who is an ACE-certified personal trainer himself. 

True to its mission of providing clients with an end-to-end solution for apps and other digital products, Mutual Mobile can help fitness brands perform market research.

“We have product owners and product managers who know what queries you need to run, what surveys you need to conduct, the type of frameworks that you have to implement to get that information and translate it into building a minimum viable product,” Tolasati explains.

Apps should be engaging, but they need to work

Functionality is key; the fun stuff can – and should – be added later. 

When Mutual Mobile was working with a U.K.-based social fitness app, the first thing the firm did was make sure the app worked the way it was supposed to for users every time they turned it on. Mutual Mobile also planned for the app’s future growth. 

“When they came to us, they were experiencing major issues; it was crashes or specific bugs, and notifications that weren’t firing properly,” Garlinski said of the social fitness company’s initial app.

Mutual Mobile ironed those issues out first and then went to work on building out new features and enhancing aesthetics. For every app, there needs to be a solid foundation to build upon.

The U.K.-based company had a great app with a rough back-end, the foundation, noted Garlinski. But the work Mutual Mobile proposed to their executive team set them right and established a way forward to building past their MVP (Minimum Viable Product). 

The social fitness app is designed around team movement challenges where people can join together with friends, family and colleagues to set goals for physical activity and healthy habits, all with the objective of reaching the top of a mountain for a specific challenge. An example would be a group of friends setting a team goal of burning 10,000 calories in seven days.

To drive engagement and make users want to open the app on their phones every day, Mutual Mobile built an array of features that added “little pieces of delight” throughout the app, Garlinski said. 

“Each time you worked out, you got a notification about the summary of your workout, and it gave you some delight with confetti falling on the screen, and the guy had his arm raised because he was excited,” he noted. “Once you got to the top of the mountain, you got to plant your flag.”

Reduce friction to keep users around

You can build the best app in the world, but if users don’t stick around long enough to appreciate its features, that won’t matter. 

“Friction is a big deal,” Garlinski says. “A good portion of people fall off during the tutorials or the onboarding because it takes too much time.”

Mutual Mobile has worked with clients to shorten their apps’ onboarding duration, or even give users the option of skipping onboarding initially and coming back to it later instead.

“If you get to test drive a car, you should be able to test drive an app,” Garlinski says. 

And a 7-day free trial might not be long enough if an app is packed with features, especially those that may take longer than a week for users to fully appreciate. 

“A lot of apps don’t give you the opportunity to completely see what the app does before they make you buy,” Garlinski noted, adding that it’s important for brands to carefully balance monetizing an app with the need to build a solid user base.

Be realistic about budget

Like prospective homeowners, companies planning an app often fail to account for maintenance costs. 

“A lot of folks that come to us have the idea to design their Ferrari or their multimillion dollar home, and they have the funds to buy it, but they don’t have the funds to maintain it,” Garlinski says.

“Code isn’t perfect,” he notes. “You have to make sure that you have the right resources in place to handle bug fixes, handle the person who comes and says, ‘Why doesn’t your app do this?’”

In addition to bug fixes, Garlinski says companies should plan for software updates that Apple and Google roll out for the iOS and Android operating systems, new devices and updates to core software like Apple HealthKit and Google Fit, among other potential maintenance considerations. 

“It’s not a build once, deploy and forget process,” Garlinski says of a fitness brand’s mobile app. 

Less is more: focus on a few key features

Fitness brands looking to score high on user experience should resist the urge to cram a million and one features into an app, according to Tolasati. 

“Fewer features that are more valuable to users is definitely better than 150 features that most people hardly use,” Tolasati says.

He mentioned the Nike Training Club App as a good example of what most brands should be shooting for. The NTC App integrates data from fitness wearables like the Apple Watch, but doesn’t overwhelm users with an abundance of features, Tolasati noted. 

“It’s a very well-defined product,” he says. “It may not have as many functionalities as something like the Garmin App, but it doesn’t need to, because it’s not meant for sport-specific users.”

Going beyond apps: getting everything else right

While building best-in-class apps is Mutual Mobile’s bread and butter, the firm helps companies, including fitness brands, with all aspects of their digital ecosystem.

“Apps only work if back-end works,” Garlinski noted. “We’re not a one-stop shop for mobile apps, we do a lot more.”

Mutual Mobile can help fitness brands build admin portals, for example. The firm also provides strategic advice to companies on which third-party chat or notification providers they should work with if they want their apps to have those kinds of functionalities. 

“If your product is simply a POS system at the gym, we can help you build that out too, or integrate the POS into your custom app,” Garlinski adds. “White-label services are fine, but they’re not customizable. We’re custom, and we can help you build out custom (mobile) applications, desktop applications or anything like that.”

The post How To Build a Great Fitness App, With Mutual Mobile appeared first on Athletech News.

Personalization and customization are two buzzwords that most health and wellness companies use to describe their services, apps and platforms as they strive to cater to their users’ specific and unique needs. 

However, fitness consumers are wary and riddled with privacy concerns, according to a recent study, a finding which could be eye-opening for companies looking to target consumers with hyper-personalization. 

It’s a discovery that may come as a surprise, given that many users overshare on social media platforms, whether posting an image of their dinner or providing a play-by-play of a trip to the emergency room. 

According to researchers, recommender systems have become the standard for guiding health actions, replacing traditional approaches based on demographics, activity history and preferences of other users. Instead, platforms use social media data to personalize recommendations based on a user’s activities or those of their friends. 

For example, some popular health and wellness apps, such as MyFitnessPal, allow users to link the app to their social media accounts.

The authors of the study “When Recommender Systems Snoop into Social Media, Users Trust Them Less for Health Advice” used a fitness plan recommender system to discover how users react to recommendations based on social media activity and their social media friends.  

In the study, performed by researchers from Penn State University and the University of Southern California, participants were randomly assigned to one of six personalization approaches, with half allowed to switch to a different approach. 

According to the findings, social media-based personalizations threaten users’ identities and raise privacy concerns. Participants demonstrated a preference for personalized fitness recommendations based on their self-reported preferences, and they also preferred apps that allowed them to choose between different recommendation approaches. 

Ultimately, the researchers concluded that options enhance trust by giving users some control and help alleviate privacy concerns. 

The researchers also revealed that participants particularly loathed the approaches requiring social media access.

When participants were allowed to choose other filtering approaches, over 96% switched out of the method that provided fitness content they had viewed or liked on social media. Additionally, other approaches based on activities and demographics of friends on social media were also highly unfavorable.

So, what can fitness and health-focused companies that design recommendation systems do?

The researchers suggest that developers and designers be mindful that despite the tendency to overshare on social media, consumers aren’t keen on online apps using such posts for recommendations. 

Instead, developers should consider using identity-protective information and allow users to choose their preferred method of recommendation.

The post When It Comes to Personalization, Health & Fitness Consumers Want Privacy appeared first on Athletech News.

While “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” hits theaters this June, Marvel Entertainment hopes to catch fitness enthusiasts in a web of fun physical activity outside of movie theaters.

The entertainment company has announced a collaboration with Six to Start, the co-creator of fitness app Zombies, Run! to unveil Marvel Move, a smartphone-based interactive fitness adventure.

Marvel confirms the fitness experience is rolling out this summer for iPhone and Android users via the upcoming ZRX app, the home of the latest Zombies, Run! experience. 

The immersive workout adventure promises to be superhero-studded, with Marvel characters including Thor, Loki, Hulk and the X-Men. Fans will be able to star in exciting storylines and interactive audio narratives while walking, jogging, or running through the Marvel Universe. 

A trailer for Marvel Move can be viewed here.

The story-driven fitness experience will be both immersive and inclusive, as both Marvel Entertainment and Six to Start have committed to providing a program where users have control over their fitness journey. Participants are the main characters in their stories and will meet costars along the way to help them meet fitness goals. If a participant chooses to intensify their workout, they can enable a thrilling chase and can track fitness activity whether they’re on the treadmill, outdoors or in a wheelchair.

Players can also enroll in 5K, 10K, half-marathon or marathon training programs.

The ability to gamify fitness can attract a wide range of fitness enthusiasts as well as those who may be reluctant at first. By linking the Marvel Universe to physical fitness, app users may end up creating a healthy habit while immersing themselves in an entertaining story.

“There’s nothing more motivating than combining exercise and storytelling. Ten years of making the world’s best-selling smartphone fitness game, Zombies, Run!, have taught us that epic adventures with characters you love can make you go that extra mile. Our collaboration with Marvel will deliver that same powerful motivation to millions more,” said Adrian Hon, CEO and co-founder of Six to Start. “Interactive storytelling is the 21st century’s dominant form of entertainment. We’re incredibly excited to help fans of the Marvel Universe achieve their fitness goals with their favorite characters – and turn them into heroes themselves.”

Marvel Move confirms the upcoming launch of its fitness app with the following storylines:

“Thor & Loki: Asgard 5K Training” written by Alex Acks

Lost in the Ten Realms, you have only one way home: follow the guidance of Thor and Loki… if they can stop fighting for five minutes. With 24 fully voiced workouts over eight weeks, this is an expert-designed training program designed to take you from zero running experience to being capable of running a full 5K with the godly sibling duo.

“X-Men: Age of ORCHIS” written by Tini Howard

Discover your mutant identity as you’re welcomed to the mutant haven of Krakoa. You’ll be recruited to work alongside the X-Men to counter a rising threat to mutantkind. Written by Tini Howard (X-Men comics), this is a classic globe-trotting X-Men-style adventure alongside Wolverine, Storm, Jean Grey, and many more.

“The Hulk: Hulkville” written by Matt Wieteska

Run from the authorities with Bruce and Betty Banner as they try to hide Hulk from the world. But when you finally find shelter in a remote desert town, mysterious forces are at work… can you uncover the truth before it’s too late?

“Daredevil: Terminal Degree” written by Bilal Dardai

As a new student at a prestigious law school, you soon realize all is not as it seems. Before you know it, you’re pulled into the dangerous criminal underworld and find yourself working alongside Daredevil himself to bring down the whole house of cards.

“Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch: In Dreams” written by Kim Richards

You find yourself listening to an audio tour guide for a place you’ve never visited… but nothing seems quite right… Suddenly you realize there’s another voice leaking through, warning you, trying to guide you: a certain Sorcerer Supreme. Featuring Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch, you’ll need to figure out where you are, and how you’ll escape. Quickly.

To sign up, players are encouraged to become a member of the Marvel Move Founders Club, which offers exclusive but limited benefits that include a free trial of Marvel Unlimited, a member subscription service that gives members unlimited access to over 30,000 issues of Marvel’s classic and newer titles, as well as one free month of Zombies, Run! 

Founders Club members also receive invitations to private Q&A livestreams along with a two-year subscription to Marvel Move and an opportunity to get their name in the credits of the fitness experience program. The club is only open to new members prior to the launch of Marvel Move this summer and features five membership tiers filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

A two year membership is available for $99 for a limited time only, which Marvel says is a 30% discount on its standard price of $74.99 per year. 

The post Marvel Fitness App Promises To Bring Superheroes to Your Workout appeared first on Athletech News.