In the age of the internet, one of the industries that was still largely oriented towards working in-person with clients is the fitness industry. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed that, too. Some digital gyms existed even before the pandemic. However, since March 2020, everybody has started adjusting to the “new normal”. And so, the online fitness era has begun.
Now, people work out more than ever. A little bit more than 36% of people work out more hours per week than they did before, shows The State of Fitness During the Global COVID-19 Pandemic survey. Around 30% of people work out the same amount of hours per week and around 32% of people they surveyed work out fewer hours per week.
The future of the fitness industry will still include gyms, but it will include one must-have addition – a custom branded fitness app. With that kind of software, personal trainers will still have a close relationship with their clients, even if they never meet with them in person.
The future of fitness is online
With many fitness brands already online, people started trying out all of their training routines. The above-mentioned survey showed that 75% of respondents have tried a new workout or workout format during the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, 58% of them have discovered a new studio, gym, fitness platform, or fitness professional. People are hungry for new experiences and exercise regimes.
But, they do spend less money. Now, almost 40% of respondents do all of their fitness for free. Before the pandemic, that number was only 8,7%. One-fifth of people spend up to $25 monthly. And the number of those who used to spend $125 or more monthly has dropped from 37% before to 12% this year.
Still, don’t worry – you won’t go out of business. With digitalization, you will reach many more people. In the times before going online, you could reach only people that were in your geographical circle. But now, the whole world could be enjoying your fitness classes!
Commodities of home workouts
Home is where most people feel safe and relaxed, so that is a nice starting point to an effective workout. When people had to go to the gym to exercise, some of them opted out because they felt embarrassed by lack of experience or their body image issues, writes Health. Now, live streaming has made people more comfortable and eager to try out new classes, which they couldn’t find in their neighborhoods.
The absence of commuting is another splendid advantage to online fitness. Many can now include the exercise regime in their everyday schedule, without losing time to travel to the gym and back.
That’s why the Fitt Insider states that people are working out now even more than before, and on-demand fitness is “growing quickly and retaining users longer than traditional gyms”.
Many of the home training routines are adapted to the circumstances that people don’t have almost any gym equipment at home. Most of the time, they need a mat and maybe a set of weights. Personal trainers can make wonders with a variety of diverse exercises that include only the client’s body weight. But still, the sales of fitness equipment skyrocketed during 2020.
Reconnect with your clients and gain new ones
You might think that fitness apps can’t replace the in-person connection personal trainers have with their clients. They certainly can’t, but you can still build a strong relationship with your fitness enthusiasts. Maybe even a better one, regarding the attention you pay to every single person.
You can still engage, motivate, and inspire your clients even with an app. Nevermind that the video is pre-recorded. If you shoot it wisely and look straight at the camera, the clients will have a feeling that you are there just for them.
You can also make personalized workout plans, and diverse programs, show every exercise in detail, track your client’s progress, and get their feedback. You can still deliver a great personalized workout experience, even if you never see your client in-person. And the main difference is that you can now reach millions of people. That’s the beauty of online fitness!
Of course, fitness professionals will have to adapt to the new way of doing business, just as the clients have. The only thing you need to do is practice a little bit your video shooting skills. And you love to practice, don’t you?
What is “new normal” for fitness entrepreneurs going to be
Many people said that even when gyms re-open, they will continue to use some digital platforms to keep their exercise regime. That leaves fitness professionals with many more opportunities than they had in their gyms.
Always new and different routines are already very popular because they give the clients a never-ending experience. Group training is now off the shelf, but a sense of community can still get achieved by using social media groups or apps.
Creating personalized workout plans for every person that uses your app, depending on their wishes (to become more fit, lose weight, become stronger…) is a must. You will be able to make your app look and feel like your business and also make personalized workout plans for every client. Even if they don’t choose the personalized exercise plan, your clients will get a sense that you made a routine just for them. You can also include a meal plan, motivational quotes, blog posts, counting burnt calories, and much more.
But first, you will need to master and comprehend your video skills. That means that you need to think about the setting where you are going to shoot your video. Try to find some place where you have enough room to do the exercises without distraction. Lighting is a very important aspect of shooting, so plan it carefully. Your shooting area should be well lit. Some of the exercises could be completely new to people, you should probably shoot it from two angles, so your clients can do them correctly.
Another important thing is the sound of your video. You should invest in a good microphone that will keep the outside noise quiet. Good advice is to use a wind muff because you will certainly pant at some point, and that could be distracting and annoying. Try out what is the best position for the microphone, so it can still record good quality without bothering you while doing your routine.
And plan the content just as you planned the workout schedule at your gym!
How can you transform your business quickly into digital fitness?
The transition to digital doesn’t have to be painful and doesn’t require a lot of time. You could use one of the solutions for custom branded fitness apps and make your own platform for fitness enthusiasts.
One just like that comes from Lean On Digital. Their team developed a solution that you can use to make a mobile app that looks and feels like your fitness business. It is an all-in-one solution for fitness professionals and they create your app for free (they take a small commission fee from the payments the end-users make for your content). Features include personalized workouts and nutrition plans, tracking clients’ progress, safe purchase systems, and even getting feedback from your clients.
Lead On Digital is ready for the transformation, so they already thought of everything you might want to include in your app. There are ways to motivate your clients, devised methods of publishing different types of content, exercise explanation features, and much more.
All you need to do is research a little bit on how to make compelling content and you are ready to go!