Technogym's latest innovations put members in control – allowing them to personalise their workouts with virtual reality, smart equipment features and comprehensive data tracking

nnovation has always been a core part of Technogym’s DNA. In order to understand what the future health club might look like, Technogym commissioned a nationwide study in 2015 of 5,000 Millennials aged 14 to 34 in the US to understand their attitudes to fitness and health. Forty-four per cent of Millennials believe the traditional gym as we know it will evolve by 2020 – the gym of the future is seen to be relaxed, fun, interactive and customised. The study also revealed strong consumer demand for operators to embrace social trends to stay ahead of the curve, with 77 per cent of participants wanting their workout to be as interactive as possible. Operators need to have a strong technological offering in order to engage this data-driven, experience-focused generation.

Technogym continually invests in innovation to deliver enhanced, personalised and motivational experiences for end users, whilst simultaneously providing benefits to operators. The latest example of this is the recently updated EXCITE cardio line providing new connectivity options, engaging workouts, personalised training programmes and new performance features. The update includes UNITY 3.0, Technogym’s latest digital console running on Android 5.1, which offers a host of interactive and engaging features to deliver the ultimate fitness experience in the gym.

CONNECT & GO: UNITY 3.0
From the moment a member enters the gym, Bluetooth and smart devices make everything happen. Technogym is focused on providing options for members based on their personal preferences, such as how they access, track and share their workout data. With a range of Technogym products, including the new mywellness band and smartphone options, operators are able to enhance the flexibility and convenience of their offering. Once members log in, they are automatically signed into their preferred selection of entertainment options, social networks, websites and apps – plus mywellness to collect all their workout data.

GAMIFICATION
Almost 70 per cent of participants in Technogym’s Millennials study believe that physical competitions are a good way to keep fit while socialising. UNITY 3.0 offers three new race modes, encouraging social interaction between members.

Races between members
Members on treadmills in the same facility can challenge each other to a race of their preferred distance and location, whether it’s a quick 3km in the Arena or an iconic marathon route. Members simply log into their mywellness account to join the race.

Iconic marathon routes
Marathon mode allows users to experience some of the world’s most iconic marathons, including Rome and New York, in the comfort of the gym. The treadmill makes the experience even more realistic by mirroring its incline to the actual marathon landscape. If a user has logged into their mywellness account, they are able to continue where they left off on their next visit.

Training in the arena
Everyone who is training on a treadmill within the same facility will automatically appear in the Arena – a virtual running track – whether they are logged into their mywellness account or not. This provides an exciting ‘virtual’ training experience for all members of your club.

EASY INTERVAL TRAINING
The newly updated EXCITE treadmills include Speed Shift, the ultimate feature for those embracing the growing trend of interval training. With a touch of the fast track controls a user is able to switch between up to four pre-set speeds.

OUTDOOR RUNNING BROUGHT INTO THE GYM
Treadmill users can replicate any outdoor runs that they have tracked on compatible mobile apps including Runkeeper, MapMyFitness and Strava, as well as wearable tracking devices such as Garmin and Polar. Members can also select from 16 virtual locations (eight available on bikes and eight on treadmills and cross-trainers) to enjoy the feeling of training outdoors while easily tracking their session on the cardio console.

ANYTIME DATA TRACKING
Technogym’s study revealed that almost three quarters of Millennials would like the ability to track fitness data whenever, wherever. With mywellness, members can collect, save, monitor and share their health and fitness data. Members can also link their mywellness account to popular third party health and fitness apps and tracking devices to collect their data when they train outside of your facility, providing a complete picture of their lifestyle data all in one place.