In Methuen, Massachusetts, Drive Health & Fitness’ mission is to enhance the overall health and quality of life for each one of its members. According to Tony Hajjar, the gym’s owner, MYZONE has helped the club reach this mission for a large percentage of customers.
A chest strap and monitoring system, MYZONE transmits heart rate, calories and effort in real time to a live display. It also wirelessly uploads that data to a logbook that can be accessed by members online, or through the MYZONE Lite App.
At Drive Health & Fitness, 70 percent of the club’s 1,000 members take advantage of the system. “I can’t keep them in stock,” said Hajjar. “Every time I make a new order, I already have a wait list for them. We’ve had really strong success so far.”
Hajjar explained the MYZONE technology is appealing for a number of reasons. “To be able to track a person’s progress is very important,” he said. “It allows us to say, ‘Hey Jane Smith, you need to slow down because your heart rate is a bit too high. You’re working too hard.’ Or, ‘You’re not working hard enough. You can definitely pick up more weight.’ It’s a very good tool in this industry.”
Having this data at their fingertips is beneficial to the members as well. “It allows the member to reach for something more than just sweat,” said Hajjar. “Now the member is coming in and seeing body fat drop within the first couple weeks. The MYZONE is not doing that — but they’re physically engaged in what they’re doing, through MYZONE.”
For members, purchasing the MYZONE chest strap is optional. However, Hajjar explained many end up participating so they don’t feel left out. “If you’re doing our classes, you want to play the game,” he said.
In addition, according to Hajjar, the MYZONE technology goes beyond allowing members to track their heart rates during class. From an ownership standpoint, “It allows me to be more engaged with the member,” he said. “I always have a reason to reach out to them about what is going on with their fitness.”
Through the MYZONE technology, members no longer question whether their workouts are effective. This has created a culture of accountability within Drive Health & Fitness, where members are empowered to take control of their health and fitness.
“I haven’t spent a dollar on marketing, and a lot of [the club’s success] has been due to word of mouth, as a result of MYZONE,” said Hajjar. “It allows members to find results a lot faster, because it’s not just someone saying, ‘Okay this is what you need to do.’ The product does that on its own.”
By Rachel Zabonick
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Emily Harbourne is the former assistant editor of Club Solutions Magazine.
