Can fitness technology make your members accountable? In my opinion — yes. But only if it’s the right type of technology that provides the correct amount, and right kind, of data.
I’ve written about my personal experience with fitness technology before. For example, I’ve tried everything from the WellCoin app to a Fitbit Flex. And, while each was motivating for a while, I can’t say for a definitive fact that they had a long-term impact on my health and well-being.
That is until I got a heart-rate tracker. Recently, I’ve begun using a heat-rate tracker to gauge how hard I’m working out, and the results have been immediate. I can tell for a fact that I’ve at least doubled the intensity at which I normally exercise, for one reason, and one reason only: The data the heat-rate tracker provides keep me accountable to myself. I can no longer say I “feel” like I’m working out hard. I either am, or I am not, according to the data provided by the tracker.
Accountability is a huge component of your members’ success, whether it’s accountability to a trainer, friend or themselves. This is where fitness technology can truly be useful. It takes the guess work out of whether or not a member is working out at the correct intensity, in real-time.
As a result, it’s no surprise that fitness concepts that incorporate fitness tech are on the rise. For example, Orangetheory Fitness, which launched its first studio in March 2010, now has 400 studios in 40 states in six countries. The concept makes use of heart-rate tracking to show which “zone” members are working out in, data that is projected onto a screen during the workout.
In fact, Orangetheory Fitness has been so successful that it recently had to move its headquarters to a bigger location in Boca Raton, Florida.
Of course, this is just one example of a concept that has used fitness technology to its advantage. There are many ways to do so, and many different types of technologies you can consider. But, the key word here is “consider.” Meaning, it’s definitely something to think about.
The fact is that fitness technology is a growing, multi-billion dollar industry that has a direct impact on health club consumers. Be sure to think about how that growth will affect your customers, and how you can use it to your advantage.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
