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Innovation: Workout builders
New technology is powering the development of ‘workout builders’ – systems that use AI to design customised workouts, based on parameters such as members’ workout goals and the results of physiological tests. Julie Cramer talks to the innovators
Egym Genius uses AI to make the gym floor smarter. Genius integrates equipment from a wide range of fitness brands into a single training experience and creates hyper-personalised training plans for members that adapt to their goals, fitness levels and to all the equipment available on the gym floor.
Using Egym Genius, members can benefit from personalised training plans designed by AI, real-time feedback, progress tracking, connected equipment and engaging workouts.
They begin by using the Egym Fitness Hub to complete a body analysis, input their preferences and set their goals – this can be done with or without a trainer. Once this has been completed, they perform a strength test assessment which helps define the weights they need to use on both analogue machines and free weights. After completing these tests, a training plan is created at the click of a button. The member can access their plan directly in the app and then view and track their progress.
By providing personalised training plans, real-time feedback and connected equipment, Egym Genius enhances the member experience, increases retention and provides upsell opportunities.
On top of that, it streamlines processes, provides valuable data insights and supports data-driven decision-making, helping businesses to grow sustainably. This ultimately leads to improved operational efficiency, revenue generation and a significant competitive advantage.
One that seamlessly integrates technology and data to deliver a hyper-personalised, engaging and effective workout experience.
It should help members benefit from tailored training plans, real-time feedback, connected equipment and data-driven insights. This holistic approach creates a transformative and enjoyable fitness journey.
They’re poised to become increasingly integrated and personalised. As we continue collaborating with our connected partners, Egym expects to see an even greater development in the experience. Hybrid models combining in-person and digital workouts will offer greater flexibility and convenience and as technology advances, we can expect digitalised workouts to become even more accessible, effective and enjoyable.
More: www.egym.com
Our solution, the Cyclops Workout combines a free app with load sensors which are retrofitted to gym equipment across cables, straps and bands and by scanning a QR code, users are shown live rep count through the app.
The sensors also measure effort in real terms, monitoring time under tension, total force and concentric vs eccentric movement, to show the value of workouts against different goals: shape, stamina, or strength.
Our live in-workout interface helps users maintain form and effort through every rep. Workouts are then logged in the app, which gamifies the experience with fun, interactive goal-setting features and the ability to share progress with friends.
Our aim is to provide an automated, motivating tool for users, empowering them to optimise workouts to meet their goals, seamlessly set new goals and see progress over time.
Workout data is sent to the user, while equipment usage data is stored in the cloud and displayed through our asset management software. This helps operators make smarter decisions about equipment usage, purchasing and maintenance, leading to happier members and better retention.
A connected strength experience attracts new members, while giving engaged members the ability to track their progress increases motivation and improves retention. Cyclops can be retrofitted into any equipment, making it a cost-effective upgrade.
Making the invisible visible by showing progress in a tangible way, with minimal manual input—making it easier for people to create healthy habits. Connecting exercise with wider life by fostering community and building a space that will boost wellness well beyond the gym floor is also vital.
Exer-gaming will continue to grow as a niche and I think mainstream workout experiences will also become more game-oriented without going fully down the VR/AR route.
Integrations will define the future – the tech that connects home workouts, the gym, strength and cardio with other health data will provide an all-round picture. In a complex world, we’re looking for streamlined, simple solutions.
More: www.cyclopsworkout.com
The Brawn workout builder allows members to complete their PT-led or ‘DIY’ workout by logging the movement, weight, reps, sets and rest times. We then use predictive analytics to ensure personal progress by recommending weight and volume increases that suit the individual’s demographic and training experience.
This means that gym members not only get to follow workouts, but the builder also takes the thinking out of what weight they should be using and for how many sets or reps. Our app also recommends regressions and progressions for each movement to work around injury and movement issues.
Member retention is the obvious long-term benefit. As we’ve seen from the likes of Strava and MyFitness Pal, the more someone tracks, the more progress they make which leads to better retention.
However what makes Brawn unique is that our workout builder is linked to Brawn Small Group PT which is a more accessible version of personal training. This allows operators to support PT businesses and reduce PT churn, which is a big issue across the sector.
I’d define it as a cross-platform integration of nutritional, sleep, activity, wellbeing and exercise data points, but delivered via simple and easy to understand actionable insights. It needs to be as simple as “you need to do more of X today”.
Too much data is confusing for 99 per cent of people.
We’ll see more hyper-personalisation and as much automation as possible. It will never be possible to automate the tracking of free weights, but the friction of data entry will need to be reduced to increase member adoption.
More: www.brawn.co.uk
The Wattbike Hub app and Workout Builder offer a customisable training experience for users. Through the Hub app, users can access a library of tailored workouts crafted by elite coaches and sports scientists, while also tracking essential performance metrics.
The Workout Builder enhances this experience by allowing personal trainers and coaches to create and share personalised workouts that align with specific fitness goals.
By integrating real-time data with precise training controls, the Hub and Workout Builder empower everyone – from beginners to elite athletes – to improve power, endurance, and overall fitness, regardless of their goals.
The system offers several key advantages. Personal trainers can deliver enhanced personalisation, providing engaging workouts tailored to individual goals, while operators can monitor and analyse client engagement, helping to improve training effectiveness and retention through progress tracking.
The workouts are also highly repeatable, enabling users to monitor progress and keep track of meaningful metrics.
The Hub app provides flexible programming, making it easy for users to integrate structured workouts for consistent, high-quality training sessions that are suitable for any fitness level or goal. The Hub+ custom Workout Builder allows trainers to make quick adjustments to workouts based on changes in a user’s performance.
We anticipate digital workouts becoming more personalised, immersive and adaptive. Key developments could include hyper-personalised programming with AI which uses individual performance data, while AI could also create adaptive workout plans, adjusting intensity and progression based on each user’s workout history.
Seamless data integration cross devices such as wearables, smart equipment and apps could sync effortlessly, offering holistic insights into sleep, recovery and nutrition, which could then influence personalised training recommendations and remote coaching.
Social engagement and remote coaching could see trainers interacting with clients worldwide, while social features foster virtual fitness communities, making digitalised workouts not only accessible, but also community-driven.
More: www.wattbike.com
The Funxtion Workout Builder – called Journey.AI – is powered by a white label digital fitness platform that offers tools to create and manage member journeys and workout experiences at scale.
Journey.AI allows operators to generate AI-powered workouts for members. The platform uses consumer information, such as fitness goals and experiences, to create tailored workouts with progressions, ensuring members follow a path aligned with their personal fitness journey. This feature is powered by Funxtion’s library of 2,500-plus exercise videos, which enables instructors to generate diverse, customised and visually guided workout plans covering various fitness levels and objectives for every member.
Operators aren’t tech companies. Funxtion acts as an agnostic technology partner by providing off-the-shelf technologies that seamlessly plug into the existing ecosystem.
Powered by a library of digital fitness content, operators can augment traditional workout experiences with digital workout experiences with their brand at the core.
Members receive personalised, guided experiences during every visit and also at-home and on the go. Journeys are created in the Funxtion Platform using AI and set up for scale across all clubs, giving operators the confidence that fitness delivery is being executed to a high standard and consistent across all sites.
The Funxtion platform and software kit can be implemented in just a few days, with experiences presented either in-app or on club screens, creating a consistent experience 24/7.
Most would agree that AI is going to be instrumental in shaping member experiences moving forward, and for the first time in our history, operators are able to deliver hyper-personalised experiences at scale.
This has the potential to drive an improved member experience and better retention – a financial game-changer for operators.
With opportunity come challenges. AI is a tool and like all tools, the magic lies in the application. As a fit-tech specialist, it’s our job to optimise the latest technology, creating solutions that push the boundaries and empower operators to drive better member experiences and operational efficiencies.
More: funxtion.com
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