Why digital fitness is more relevant now than ever before

From a fitness perspective, there’s no doubt that we live in a digital age. From apps that track your progress to plans for healthy eating and lifestyle tips, digital solutions are everywhere. 

Mobile applications are making it easier for us all to stay active by providing support wherever we go; whether you’re going on holiday or working from home today doesn’t matter!

If you don’t yet have a digital fitness offering, here’s why you should incorporate one into your gym app…

1. Costs are rising

The first reason is the cost. With the cost of energy rising and hitting the fitness industry hard, it can be difficult to justify spending money on additional classes and instructors when you already have so many expenses.

However, there are ways around this issue:

• Use prerecorded classes or third-party content when possible. While this won’t work for every type of fitness class (for example if specific equipment is required), it’s worth looking into if your business caters to different demographics at different times during the week. For example, if one group prefers morning workouts while another prefers evening ones, then recording or live streaming your fitness classes / some extra sessions, could help fill up those gaps in between. You’ll also save money by not having to pay someone else’s salary!

2. Working patterns are more flexible

The second factor that makes digital fitness more relevant now than ever before is the fact that people’s working patterns are much more flexible.

In the past, people would go to the gym before or after work and on weekends. Today, however, many people work from home or from different places every day of the week. They can’t commit to one gym membership so a gym app, digital solution is perfect for them.

In addition to this flexibility in location there’s also been an increase in what we call ‘digital nomads’. These are people who travel around the world while working remotely – they need a way of keeping fit wherever they go!

3. Digital is a way of life

Digital fitness is more relevant now than ever before because people are used to digital solutions in all aspects of their life. They’re used to ordering food and getting it delivered, they use apps on their phones for everything from banking to dating, and they even buy things online or through an app instead of going into stores. So why not apply this same mindset towards fitness?

Digital fitness can make your membership experience more accessible and enjoyable by providing members with valuable content that helps keep them motivated throughout the week – whether it’s by offering classes through your gym app or helping members create healthy meal plans with an in-App knowledge centre.

4. People expect more

People are continually demanding more and more from the fitness industry. They want more flexibility and convenience, choice and variety. And they’re getting it by turning to digital fitness services.

The question is: are you keeping up and making sure your memberships are meeting these new demands?

5. People want digital support, in the gym

You may be thinking that digital fitness is only relevant to people who work out at home. But, there’s still a way you can use technology to help your members training in-centre get more out of their workouts, and stay motivated.

One way to do this is by providing members with access to a variety of how-to videos on different exercises so they can learn how each move should be performed properly. This will make them feel confident about trying new moves (and hopefully stick with them long enough for them actually become part of their fitness routine).

6. Nutrition and wellness is more important than ever

People are more aware of the importance of nutrition and wellness than ever before. And as a result, they’re more likely to seek support from a professional – let that be you!

Why not provide access to healthy recipes or mindfulness techniques within your digital fitness platform – this all contributes to adding value to memberships.

We’re living in a world where people expect more from their memberships, and it’s your job to make sure that they get it. The rise of digital fitness has been huge in recent years, and this will only keep growing. Make sure you stay ahead of the curve and give your members what they want.

Ways to add value for your members

As a gym manager, fitness business owner or instructor, you will constantly be looking for ways to add more value for your members and stay ahead of the competition. You want an irresistible offer for prospective customers whilst ensuring that current customers stay happy and value their membership. We’ve put together some ways to add value for your members:

1. Understand your members

When a new prospect comes to your club, there’s every chance that, when it comes to approaching their new fitness routine, they’ll need some help. They may not know what membership is best for them, or how they go about achieving their goals. You and your team can add value to their experience from day one by:

• Sitting down with them to talk about their goals
• Putting a plan in place for them to achieve their goals – this is where you can start to think about your return on investment for example, talking to them about personal training or an at home membership add on.

By putting in the extra time from the outset, prospective customers will feel valued. Plus, you’ll learn what both current and future members want and need and this will help you with sales and customer retention in the future.

2. Create a good gym culture

Lots of your members and prospects will be looking for an added social side to their new fitness focussed lifestyle. It’s important your club feels like a friendly place to be. You can improve the culture by:

• Planning events – whether its a coffee morning in the club cafe, or a quiz night in the bar, it’s important to get members together to enjoy something outside of their usual gym session or exercise class. Getting people together will help motivate your members, whilst allowing your staff to get to know them.
• Put together some ‘how to’ videos. From gym tours to how to use machines, new members will be really grateful for the extra support. After all, you don’t want anyone suffering from ‘Gymtimidation’. Read more about that on our blog here.

3. Offer an App

Apps are a great way for your members to feel in touch with your centre, even when they’re not there. An App can not only improve communication and become an extra channel in your marketing plan, but also allows a seamless member journey. Your members can book classes quickly and easily, find out all the latest news and information and even manage their membership. 

4. Offer digital fitness

There are two ways for you to consider offering digital fitness to your members. You can either: 

• Monetise the offering and reach a whole new audience – 35% of people want to work out from home still. Give members the option to exercise from their own homes, or a location of their choice, without having to come in to the centre or even ever use your facilities. 
• Offer digital content as a benefit, free of charge. This will help you stay ahead of the competition and give you a unique selling point. Members will feel valued and are more likely to keep their membership and stay motivated.

Fitness trends for 2023

2023 will be a big year for fitness, the biggest changes in the industry will be driven by trends like new and better technology, more focus on mental health, and increased access to information about how our bodies work. Here are some things you should know about these trends so that you can stay ahead of your competitors!

Workout wearables

Wearable tech has become more popular in 2022, and it’s only going to increase in 2023. Wearable tech is a great way for your members to track their fitness, especially if you’re they’re just starting out. Wearables can help set goals and track progress, which is what many people need when they’re trying to lose weight or get into shape.

In 2022, companies like Microsoft, Samsung and Under Armour showcased new wearables that include heart rate monitors and sleep tracking capabilities. Some people may find these features useful for staying motivated during their workouts or keeping track of their calorie burn throughout the day.

Meditation and mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness are two terms that get used in a lot of the same contexts, but they’re actually different. Meditation is a practice of focusing on a single point of reference, whether it be breathing or another mantra. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is about being present in the moment.

While meditation may have started as an Eastern practice centuries ago (and can still feel like one), today it’s become fairly mainstream as more people look to add some calm into their lives. And mindfulness has followed suit: studies show that practicing mindful habits improves mental health by reducing stress levels and feelings of depression over time.

With this growing interest in mind – body balance comes an increased focus on integrating these practices into your members’ everyday lives – especially those who are interested in improving their physical fitness through strength training or cardio exercises. Why not offer meditation and mindfulness videos in your on-demand content library?

High intensity low impact training (HILIT)

HILIT is a new trend that combines high-intensity interval training with low-impact exercise. It’s great for people who love working out but don’t want to worry about hurting their joints or being sore the next day.

To do HILIT, you need an elliptical machine or treadmill at your gym. Teach your member to warm up for five minutes without increasing the speed of the machine (or running slower than normal). Then run at a fast pace for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds of walking or light jogging— they’ll feel energised after this! Repeat four more times, then cool down for another five minutes and do some stretches to end the workout on a good note. Why not add these instructions to a news article in the App? Find out more here.

Introducing new workout techniques are a great way for your fitness team to get talking to new or current members! 

Recovery and mobility

For your members to get the most out of their training, it’s important they have a unique approach to recovery. Whether that means foam rolling post-workout or taking ice baths with an elliptical on top, there are plenty of ways to help speed up the recovery process and make sure they’re feeling better in no time. You want people back in your centre to make use of the facilities after all! Why not offer an educational session on this? Either in person or via your App.

Hyrox

Hyrox is a new type of workout, similar to CrossFit. It usually consists of 1K of running followed by 1 workout, repeated 8 times. The workouts can include: Ski Erg, Sled Push, Sled Pull, Burpee Broad Jump, Rowing, Farmers Carry, Sandbag Lunges, Wall Balls. There are 10 divisions separated by weights and reps schemes, subcategorized by age. This may be something you see members training for in the gym, and educating your team on it is important in order to offer support.

Fitness camps for adults

Fitness camps for adults are going to be a huge trend in 2023. As people become busier, they’re looking for ways to make fitness more accessible. These camps allow members to get fit and stay active without having to invest hours every day in their own training – or even leaving their home.

If you have a gym or health club, this is an excellent way to add value to memberships, while also creating an exciting new offering that will attract new members (or encourage existing ones).

You can use our event calendar to manage your fitness camp schedule.

GLL Better UK App doubles downloads to 2 million in one year

GLL and their App partner, Innovatise (myFitApp), today announced the Better UK app has been downloaded over 2 million times since it was launched three years ago, in November 2019.

We took some time to speak to Steve Ward, Associate Director of Marketing, Digital & Technology Director at GLL, to reflect on his experience with Innovatise’s myFitApp platform.

Steve Ward, GLL

Can you tell us a bit about GLL?

GLL is the largest public-sector fitness provider in the UK, managing over 250 leisure centres in partnership with more than 50 local councils and sporting bodies.

We host a huge range of facilities and activities and with more than 10,000 staff and 40 million visitors a year, GLL really makes a difference to fitness in the UK. We exist to make community services and spaces better for everyone and to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.

Congratulations on passing 2 million App downloads! How does this make you, and the GLL team feel?

To get to 2 million downloads in less than three years since launch is a terrific achievement, showing how valuable the app is. The Better UK app is a core part of our services and app downloads are averaging at 2,000 downloads per day. Our members love the app as much as we do, it provides them with everything they need in one place, from class and gym bookings to membership management and partner offers.

Moreover, myFitApp allows us to serve our members both inside and outside our facilities, adapting to a now hybrid fitness world. ‘Better at home’, is our digital fitness offering that members can use to access virtual classes and workout routines on demand, whenever they want and wherever they are. Our members want more than an in centre offering and this gives them flexibility and adds value to their membership.

Just one year ago, your App downloads reached 1 million, a huge milestone which you’ve now beaten! How has the App progressed over the last year?

In the last year we have made some major changes, that wouldn’t be possible without myFitApp. We migrated to a new leisure management software (LMS) and during the transition we needed members to be connected to two different LMS’s in one App. This process was made seamless by the team at Innovatise with minimal disruption to members. We have also installed ‘tap or scan’ access control via the App in the majority of sites which is making a big difference.

Can you tell us more about the App tap or scan entry – how has this transformed your business?

The Access Control solution, where members can enter our centres or register at classes and activities using the App makes life easier for our members. Many people don’t carry a wallet or cards these days, everything they need for their day is on their phone and now our app gives them easy access to our centres. It’s good for GLL also as it encourages members to use the App, it saves GLL money on producing new cards and replacing lost ones and the app is more secure than cards – also ditching the plastic is great for the environment, supporting our mission to be carbon neutral by 2030. 

Access Control in the App streamlines the gym entry process, making a better experience for both members and our staff members. Our reception team deal with less queries at the desk, where members would usually need to be granted access manually because they have forgotten or lost their membership cards – everyone has their phone on them! In some centres this has freed up staff members from the front desk so they can spend more time helping members achieve their fitness goals.

The Leisure sector is experiencing huge increases in spend with costs, like energy, on the up. Has Access Control helped reduce cost in other areas of the business?

With reception staff freed up, we can now utilise their skills in other areas of the business – for example supporting the sales team with phone calls and the fitness team with bookings or admin.

Also, members might lend a plastic card to a friend or family member, but no-one will lend their phone! Fraudulent entries to clubs are therefore significantly reduced thanks to Access Control.

What is the most important thing with your App now and in the future?

Our App has transformed our digital offering to customers. The myFitApp platform is easy to use and adaptable, meaning we can update navigation and content in real-time, ensuring our App design is consistent with our branding and open to integrate additional functionality. Our goal is for members to have access to all our facilities and services through our App and with myFitApp we’re realising that goal.