With the recent buzz surrounding Peloton’s rollercoaster journey and the rise of virtual fitness giants like Apple Fitness, fitness managers have a lot to unpack. Rather than delving into Peloton’s business intricacies, let’s focus on the broader virtual fitness realm and the valuable insights it offers for programming and team leadership.
The Resilience of Virtual Fitness
Despite the chatter about Peloton’s struggles, virtual fitness remains as relevant as ever. The COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated its adoption, but it’s not a passing trend. In fact, statistics show that a significant portion of gym members plan to continue using digital options even post-pandemic.
Large software companies continue to support livestreaming and on-demand content, highlighting the enduring demand for virtual fitness solutions. It’s not a binary choice between virtual and in-person; both play complementary roles in meeting diverse fitness needs.
Virtual fitness is here to stay, offering diverse experiences tailored to individual preferences. By exploring virtual classes and learning from Peloton and Apple Fitness+, fitness managers can navigate the virtual landscape and effectively translate its parallels with the in-person experience.
Defining Your Fitness Product
Understanding your fitness product is crucial. Fitness managers must identify their product’s verticals — cycling, yoga, Pilates, HIIT, strength, etc. — and ensure coherence and consistency in their offerings. This clarity helps them make strategic programming decisions, shape a compelling fitness experience, create engaging programs and lead cohesive teams.
Contrasting Approaches: Peloton vs. Apple Fitness+
Peloton’s personality-driven model thrives on instructor charisma, diversity, and cult-like followings. In contrast, Apple Fitness focuses on program consistency, format-driven experiences, and team-centered approaches. Understanding these differences allows fitness managers to draw lessons from both approaches.
Whether it’s Peloton’s personality-driven or Apple Fitness’s program-driven approach, clarity on what you offer is essential. Managers need to recognize if their product will emphasize personalities and performers, like Peloton, or hold talent accountable for providing structured, format-driven experiences, like Apple.
Leadership as a Fitness Manager
Effective leadership in diverse fitness teams requires accountability and focusing on the product rather than individual personalities. While rock star instructors are extremely valuable, they should enhance the product, not overshadow it. Holding instructors accountable and fostering collaboration strengthens the team and ensures a cohesive fitness experience. We still want to hire rock stars who can command a room, but they command a room on top of a solid foundation, which is your product. Then we don’t double down on the fact that this person is more popular than that person; it’s just that everyone has their audience to whom they will speak.
Risks to the “personality-driven” approach:
- Lack of consistency in cues, exercise names, and direction.
- Instructors aim to imitate the highest-attended instructor.
- The competition becomes which instructor is the hardest.
- Dependence on the personality to stay to keep participants.
- Absence of synergy and support among the team of providers.
Ultimately, it’s about celebrating the myriad ways people find motivation and wellness through charismatic instructors and structured programs. By embracing the product your facility offers, building guardrails and hiring the talent to make the product thrive, fitness managers can build a rich fitness community that caters to a broad spectrum of fitness enthusiasts.
Learn more about this topic from The Fitness Manger’s Report podcast episode.
