Ok—let’s talk numbers—and really big ones!
Digital fitness is now estimated to be worth $1 Billion dollars.
That’s million with a ‘B.’
In the early days of the pandemic, virtual classes were seen as a way to retain
gym members.
Now, it’s an absolute expectation for members, as part of a premium fitness
experience.
THE NUMBERS
83 million Americans who work out use some form of digital fitness each month.
This is an increase by more than 15 million since 2020. That’s nearly a 25-
percent increase in usage of fitness apps. What does that mean? That means if
you don’t already have a fitness app, you are headed for a zone once reserved
for prehistoric animals and mammals.
A lot of this increase can also be attributed to the new hybrid work environment.
While Americans have adopted a hybrid work situation, so too, have their fitness
routines gone hybrid. The latest data shows that gym members go to the club
60% of the time and the rest of their workout week is spent virtually. That 40% of
workouts outside of the clubs, mean a lot of accumulated minutes on fitness
apps.
TYPES OF CONTENT
Just like the maturation of fitness apps, so too has the user matured. It’s not
good enough to just have a library of 45-60min classes. Not only do the classes
need to be updated weekly, but the content needs to also fit into the new work
lives of the members.
Workouts ranging between 20-40minutes are the sweet spot for the most popular
classes taken online.
In addition, users want more content that corrects form and keeps them healthy
like mobilization and stretching.
ACCOUNTABILITY
But, of course if having an app and curating content was enough, then everyone
would have an app in the Apple store.
There needs to be accountability. The best and easiest way to accomplish this is
through LIVE classes where the instructor can see the members and the
members can see each other.
App features like showing a users camera to only those they approve, in addition
to integrations with smart devices that measure heart rate are a must. And let’s
not forget the data. Every long term fitness enthusiast needs goals and
measurable ones. If your app is not tracking data and providing those numbers
to the user, how can you expect them to stay long-term. That’s like asking
someone to put money into their bank account but never getting the opportunity
to see the balance.
Not all apps are created equal. Just like no two people are created equal. One
thing is clear though. Our lives are ones that can be carried out anywhere.
We get our news from streaming providers and mobile devices. Careers are now
flourishing in remote work environments. The final frontier was the ability to take
our workouts with us anywhere, anytime. Thanks in large part to the pandemic,
the technology that enables LIVE and ON DEMAND workouts was rocketed
forward in record time. Now, there are no more excuses to NOT workout as we
can all take our favorite trainer or class with us to literally any corner of the globe.
Written by Heidi Jones
July 13, 2022
Interested in building your own white label digital live & on-demand platform, or offering virtual fitness benefits to your employee team? Reach out to us at partnerships@forte.fit to discuss options.