WHAT WILL THE FITNESS INDUSTRY LOOK LIKE IN THE

FUTURE?

THE TECHNOLOGY THAT BRINGS FITNESS TO PEOPLE'S HOMES

It took a pandemic to show the world that home training is the future of fitness. Traditionally,
for most people, physical fitness meant working out in the gym or participating in outdoor
sports like running, cycling, or even playing games like soccer or basketball. Gradually, with
busy lifestyles reducing the time available for workouts, specialty gyms and fitness studios
gained popularity.
From a room full of bicycles for spin classes to studios specifically designed for yoga,
Pilates, HIIT or CrossFit training, the environment in the gyms motivates and pushes users,
making it easier for them to achieve their fitness goals.
Despite this, not everyone struggles to go to a gym to exercise, as they either do not have the
time or find that the distance from home is a setback. Of course, there are several options
when it comes to exercising without hitting a gym or fitness club. From game- or
sports-based workouts on the Play Station or X-box, to workouts on smart devices like
Amazon's Fireestick, to clothing and fitness apps with trackers that monitor the number of
steps, heart rate and other indicators , users have access to various options, including
personalized training plans and pre-recorded workouts with video demonstrations. Most
applications also have online communities, which offer users the opportunity to interact and
compete online with other members.
In a couple of years, with advances in Artificial Intelligence, connected fitness has been
reinventing the concept of workouts at home, offering much more than just clothing that
tracks and records routines. In today's digital world, connected fitness is about combining
fitness goals with life on the screen. Now, with social and physical distancing, it may be the
sea change that completely transforms the fitness industry.
Gymnastics as we know it will never be the same again because people do not want to share
equipment or enclosed space within a fitness club. Brands such as Peloton, Mirror,
FightCamp and Tonal are already taking the world by storm by harnessing the right
technology to bring fitness into people's homes, using smart devices and equipment that offer
an experience close to (if not better) than that of Train in a high-end studio or gym with
state-of-the-art equipment and expert trainers.
WHAT GIVES CONNECTED FITNESS TEAMS AN ADVANTAGE IN
THE MIDST OF COVID-19?
With the entire world going digital, connected fitness teams point to the direction the health
and fitness industry is heading, especially in today's scenario where social distancing is likely
to be the new norm. Connected fitness equipment brands offer a range of benefits that
provide a superior user experience from the safety of your home:
1. Connected ai-enabled fitness devices to provide personalized
workouts
Unlike what happens in a gym, where customization of a workout depends on the expertise
and experience of the trainer and their ability to assess an individual's strengths and
weaknesses, Connected Fitness Training provides home workouts with feedback at
AI-enabled real time, based on the user's movements, to create an ideal workout that aims to
improve fitness levels.
FightCamp, a home boxing solution offering connected fitness, uses punch trackers to
measure the user's punches, on the basis of which a variety of appropriate workouts are
provided, accompanied by uplifting music and with trainers in-house. line. It motivates users
to challenge their limits by offering a satisfying workout. Similarly, Tonal, which focuses on
weight training at home, is a fitness device connected with AI-enabled personal training that
uses electromagnetic resistance to adjust the difficulty level of the exercise in real time.
2. Connected Fitness: Exercises for all members of the family
In a gym or fitness studio, the user's options depend to some extent on the daily schedule of
group classes or the availability of the trainer. Connected fitness devices offer the advantage
of on-demand workouts in a variety of formats to suit the user's fitness level, age, or
preference.
Mirror, which is a home fitness apparatus with a smart screen enabled with two-way audio
and video, offers users a range of interactive online workouts ranging from yoga, cardio and
strength to the bar, boxing and more, under the guidance of expert trainers. Peloton, which
started with a bicycle, has expanded its offering to include a treadmill as well as a digital app
with a range of on-demand, instructor-led online exercises.
3. Connected fitness enables an engaging and interactive experience
One of the main attractions of connected fitness teams and memberships is that they offer a
competitive environment with real-time feedback from a coach, matching the excitement and
commitment of being in a face-to-face class while working out in the comfort of home. They
are more engaging and interactive compared to the one-sided experience offered by fitness
apps and articles.
In addition to the convenience of using high-tech equipment at home to take a high-quality
fitness class with an instructor that encourages you to push the limits, one of the key drivers
of connected fitness training is the user community that supports it and makes it competitive.
Pelotón's official Facebook page has more than 599,000 followers, who connect with each
other by posting photos and training updates.
4. There is no commitment to safety and hygiene with connected
fitness
Even high-end studios and exclusive gyms are not as hygienic as the home environment. Due
to the multiple users who operate the equipment and insufficient time to do a thorough
cleaning between classes, the chances of contracting infections are high and it becomes even
more relevant in the current situation where social interaction with strangers increases the
risk to fall prey to the virus.
5. Connected Fitness - Elegant, Convenient, and Immersive
Experience
Previously, setting up a home gym required a separate space in the home to install fitness
equipment or accessories, whether it was a treadmill, stationary cycle, or multi-gym with
weights. Connected fitness machines are sleek and compact, requiring only a corner of the
room or a wall to deliver a complete experience.
Tonal, which is smaller than a flat screen TV, has a proprietary technology for digital weights.
The device allows users to lift by adding one pound increments up to a maximum of 200
pounds. Mirror also has a small footprint as it requires only two feet of wall space to provide
a full range of home exercises that recreate the studio experience.
How do connected fitness equipment compare to gyms in terms of
cost?
Connected fitness equipment and devices are expensive as users have to purchase the
equipment and memberships to get a full home workout experience. For example, in addition
to purchasing a Peloton bike ($ 2,245) or a treadmill ($ 4,295), users have to pay $ 39 per
month for a full access membership subscription to benefit from the full range of workouts.
FightCamp, which is the most affordable of the connected fitness gadgets, starts at $ 1,219
for the gear, including punch trackers, training mat, freestanding bag, quick wraps, and
premium boxing gloves. An additional payment of $ 39 per month is required for
membership. The mirror costs $ 1,495 with $ 39 a month to be a member, while Tonal costs $
2,995 along with $ 49 a month to be a member.
The initial investment may seem high, but companies offer convenient financing options for
equipment, ranging from $ 42 to $ 149 per month. The cost varies from one brand to another.
While inexpensive gyms cost as little as $ 10 a month, membership in elite gyms or fitness
clubs costs up to $ 100 per person on average. That's not counting the additional costs for
registration fees, access to multiple centers, specialized classes, travel costs to the gym, and
personal training.
However, considering the benefit of on-demand workouts at home, in addition to safety,
which is a crucial factor in today's environment that prescribes the need for social distancing,
the difference in cost is marginal.
The future of connected fitness
Today, connected fitness companies are reinventing the way people exercise from the comfort
of their home, offering an ideal solution for staying in shape in times of social distancing.
However, they could completely transform the health and wellness sector in a broader sense.
Since they are AI-enabled, in the future these devices could provide a whole range of health
solutions for diet and nutrition, sleep and care, with personalized offerings based on data
collected from an individual. They could even go one step further, connecting users with
medical professionals, physical therapists and doctors, thus saving the effort of a trip to the
clinic.
TechAhead's Role in Connected Fitness Apps
With social distancing likely to be the new norm for some time to come, developing
connected fitness mobile app solutions may be the best way forward for fitness tech
companies or gyms and studios looking to expand their offering. by providing real-time home
workouts. With years of experience in mobile app and web app development, including
fitness apps, as well as AI-based solutions, the TechAhead team has the expertise to create
software solutions for fitness companies like TheHealthyMummy.

Remote training
The move from more traditional training to digital and remote was predictable, and
COVID-19 has undoubtedly helped drive this trend.

Gyms and trainers alike have been expanding their offerings to include online training, not
only to allow people to train remotely, but also to reach an even larger audience.

Take, for example, Virtuagym's remote training platform for personal trainers - tailor-made
software for professional personal trainers.

This powerful system is accessible from any mobile phone or laptop. It allows administrative
tasks to be less tedious, better workouts, automation and, as a result, more sessions can be
done with better training.

You have all the advantages of personal training but, with the option of doing it from
wherever you want!

Clients continue to receive motivation and support directly from their personal trainers, with
personalized training tailored to their goals and the equipment available. They have the
option of training at home or in the gym, and the trainer can see progress and train clients in
real time.
Remote training will definitely continue after COVID-19 as clients can work with a trainer
from anywhere in the world. This allows most people to include health and fitness training in
their lifestyle, and even add other aspects of wellness to their programs (see holistic health,
below).

Streaming and on-demand technologies

Distance fitness training is not the only thing that is done online today, as digital training
programs have also made their mark.

People all over the world turned to digital exercise to keep fit when gyms closed. And this
definitely seems to be a trend that will not leave our lives.

Video-on-demand and streaming trainings provide professional training with the intensity of
a face-to-face class. Customers have a flexible alternative with the added convenience of
being able to do it all from home.

Many training applications have facilitated integration with streaming services.

Notable platforms, such as Peloton and Mirror, have managed to make their brand and loyal
fans recognizable by adapting to these digital fitness trends. Our own Video on Demand
service is a tool that does exactly this.
Fitness apps and streaming services offer a sense of connection with the people you train
with, anywhere in the world.

Although this sensation will not replace the human interaction that the gym environment
provides, it does its best to replicate that motivation and contact.

We anticipate that the main trend for 2021 will be to offer classes and trainings online, to
complement your experience at the club.

Increased gamification
With the flood of fitness apps, real-time workouts, and even smart clothes (see below). These
new technologies are attracting users not only through their intense workouts but also due to
their gamification elements.

Be it a points system, sharing statistics (calories burned, maximum heart rate, etc.) or some
other kind of game element. Users can share these metrics and view them in a leaderboard,
thus adding a competition feature to a traditionally non-game related task.

This aspect further engages the user to compete and face challenges with others - or with
himself - to get the most out of his training and also to fuel the feeling of completion.

Members can track their results in real time and see the improvements made over time. This
digital fitness trend is expected to continue as streaming and on-demand workouts also
expand.

Outdoor workouts
This should be an unsurprising addition to our list as one of the direct results of the
shutdowns triggered by COVID-19. Clients who needed to give up the gym but didn't want to
lose their fitness found a number of training boot camps available so they could continue to
improve their fitness.
Workouts at local parks or beaches, jogging, biking, and hiking trails - the trend of exercising
outdoors has exploded. Although the popularity of outdoor workouts in 2020 may have arisen
out of necessity, outdoor workouts are here to stay.

It's trending, and will continue even with gyms reopening, as not only does it lower the risk
of COVID-19, but it's an exciting and effective way to stay fit, absorb some vitamin D, get
outside, and liven up your fitness routine.

Smart clothes
Rounding out our list is a trend that has been at the top for years: smart fitness clothing. The
various fitness technology devices on the market today go far beyond traditional smart
watches, pedometers, and calorie trackers.

Now they have spread to vital signs monitors, which can measure things like weight, blood
pressure, blood glucose, heart rate, temperature, and even hydration levels.

Apparel can assess sleep, track stress levels, and evaluate data to make online exercise classes
more personal.

We predict that smart fitness apparel will continue to grow in 2021. Not only is this
technology beneficial to the customer, it also adds value to your club.