Powered by the arrival of technology, group indoor cycling is in the midst of a revolution — and the health clubs that don’t jump on board will be left behind.
From group class instructors to the riders participating in classes to the facility owners where classes are held, technology is impacting every aspect of indoor cycling. So much so that the advancements available today allow us to say that each session now has a true “before,” “during” and “after.”
The “before” phase takes place when a health club utilizes cycling software to create session timetables and weekly schedules — which riders can access online — making it easy for them to research and register for the sessions in which they want to participate.
Software also enables instructors to design and organize each segment of a session, “during” which the possibilities for variety are so much greater than when there was no such technology available. Options now include working with zones, power or heart rate, staging competitions and games, playing videos, displaying a user’s avatar in 3D and more.
Additionally, thanks to technological advancements, instructors now have the ability to control the intensity of their classes much more objectively than in the past. Meanwhile, for maximum results, multimedia displays elevate the opportunities to motivate, while riders benefit from valuable real-time feedback and the ability to train at the appropriate intensity that’s always under the instructor’s control. For maximum fun and entertainment, technology now allows for in-class competitions among riders and gamification.
Thanks to all the data compiled, “after” each session, riders can now receive a wealth of information about his or her training, which can be saved on computers or smartphones, and then analyzed and shared on social networks.
From the point of view of a health club owner, all of these advancements through technology are very important tools that help with client retention and differentiating a club from the competition that isn’t offering the same. The data captured via technology during class sessions also enables health club owners to track attendance, the fulfillment of objectives, customer satisfaction and more, allowing for adjustments based on hard facts and true insights.
With Keiser since 1998, Paco González has presented Keiser indoor bike programs and training in over 20 countries, as well as at most major conventions throughout the world, including IDEA, IHRSA, Club Industry, canfitpro, FIBO and Asia Fit. He also serves as Keiser’s international director of education programs. Learn more information about Keiser’s technology and programming at keiser.com.
