Life Fitness has given Finnish operator Gogo gyms the wow factor with the latest equipment and fitness tech

Gogo is a family business that started in Tampere, southern Finland in 1988 with one health club. Today it has three clubs across Finland, with two more slated to open in 2023. Gogo attracts members with the best and latest gym equipment and keeps them with add-ons such as free childcare and breakfast.

THE CHALLENGE
Gogo’s ambitions were threefold: it wanted to update the design of the gyms; offer new services to current members; and attract new members with innovative training concepts.

Life Fitness was able to supply the equipment it needed and to offer ideas and support that touched every detail. “We wanted to create a wow effect for the customers as they walk in and we got very good ideas from Life Fitness,” said Vuokko Kronqvist, one of Gogo’s fitness coordinators. “They were really helpful with us and they really understood our idea”.

But a powerful aesthetic isn’t everything, and to keep members coming back, Gogo wanted to create a strong community through the introduction of small group training and so a new concept in 30-minute high-intensity classes was born.

THE PROCESS
Working closely together, Gogo and Life Fitness have designed a ‘wow’ gym area, with a dynamic interplay between jet-black walls and neon lighting. Within the space, even the most demanding of members will find the most effective and up-to-date training equipment.

For small group training, Life Fitness helped Gogo create glassed-off studio areas which allow users to focus on the group activities while feeling part of the greater club community.

The co-creation with Gogo led to the development of two small group training concepts. Run-Ride-Row combines high-tech Life Fitness Heat Rowers and Integrity treadmills with SE3HD consoles and ICG bikes. “This mixture of products allowed us to create an amazing group workout experience that caters for varying ages, demographics, and fitness levels” explains Marvin Burton, customer experience and training specialist at Life Fitness.

“Users can monitor their individual progress both within the class and over time on state-of-the-art consoles”.

The other small-group workout – Hammer Strength Box training – improves mobility, cardiovascular health and overall strength. The newly-designed space allows for group workouts and individual training with or without a coach.

An important aspect that Gogo wanted to address was physiotherapy, and Life Fitness has worked with the team to find rehabilitation solutions and sports-specific programmes. ”We co-created and defined alternative training uses which could provide additional revenue streams and a return on their overall investment and experience” explains Burton.

OUTCOMES
Every participant surveyed agreed that both concepts – Run-Ride-Row and Hammer Strength Box – motivated them to achieve their training goals, and felt they would like to invite their friends to try the new small group classes.

“Our participants have really loved the new concepts: Run Ride Row and Hammer Strength Box,” said Eeva Kortesoja, fitness instructor at Gogo. “They bring everybody together, whether they’re a group fitness goer or a gym goer, creating common ground for everybody to enjoy a 30-minute high-intensity class.”

More: www.lifefitness.com