Digital advancements and cutting-edge technology have transformed individual behavior into healthy living. Every industry has hopped on the digital bandwagon, including the fitness industry. Consumers have grown more cautious and concerned about their health in the wake of the pandemic epidemic. People were adamant about being active despite limitations on social distance brought on by COVID. At that time, connected home exercise equipment and virtual fitness apps started to gain popularity.
The online fitness market will reach 59.231 million dollars in value by 2027, growing at a 33.1 percent CAGR between 2022 and 2027, predicts Allied Market Research. The research also noted that the rise of AR or VR-based training as well as the growing demand for advanced exercise sessions are the main factors fueling the market’s expansion. Additionally, the inability to attend training courses at healthcare facilities has accelerated industry growth.
The pace of adoption of digital technologies in the fitness industry is still stable throughout time. The COVID-19-related temporary gym closures have adversely affected the liquidity of numerous fitness businesses in India. The majority of gyms and fitness studio businesses, who had on-ground premises, relocated their entire product line online in order to remain competitive and survive.
The new standard in this situation is virtual fitness sessions, consultations, and holistic training, among other things. Additionally, many feel more at ease using their equipment and working out in private at home.
Technology has several benefits for the fitness sector besides just being more convenient for transactions. The director of Grand Slam Fitness, Prateek Sood, discusses some of the ways that technology is affecting the fitness industry.
1) Customized exercise regimens via a fitness app:
Fitness experts can track their efforts and advancement with an app. Such devices gather user data. Leading fitness companies are increasingly using robust machine learning algorithms to mine the data (data mining) for insights that enable customized exercise and dietary plans based on a person’s particular health profile and goals.
For tech-driven platforms, this has been shown to boost user retention and improve outcomes. To give consumers a more complete view of how their diet and exercise habits are influencing their mind and body, more solutions that can track metabolic activity and vitals throughout the day are in development. As technology develops, individualized health regimens will become more precise and specialized, leading to better results.
2) A better virtual instructor:
Fitness aficionados in more industrialised nations are becoming more interested in connected fitness, which is made possible by cutting-edge technology. Modern video games allow users to workout at home while receiving guidance from a virtual trainer who helps athletes change their technique and posture in real-time for the best outcomes.
Interactive technology will become even more common in the post-pandemic world, especially since lockdowns have dispelled the myth that physical training can only be done in real-world gyms.
3) Adopting a holistic health perspective:
The pandemic brought home how crucial mental, emotional, and psychological health are. Fitness aficionados therefore realised that it had to be more than simply the physical training they were accustomed to previous to the Covid-19 when they started using virtual fitness services. Today’s definition of fitness and well-being includes keeping a healthy work-life balance and using a holistic perspective.
Applications for meditation and mindfulness are more in demand as more individuals choose a holistic approach to health and wellness. Concurrently, there are now more classes available for a wider range of exercises due to the growing demand for digital-led fitness solutions. Subscribers can now access what was previously only accessible at physical gyms and through personal trainers at home thanks to subscription services.
As a result of the changing environment, the fitness industry has undergone a transformation that is nearly beyond recognition. With the ability to improve customer experience and raise the efficacy of current workout trends, technology will likely continue to change people’s active lifestyles. At the same time, it will allow gyms to offer more relevant modifications of workouts with a holistic approach.
In summary, given the advantages of this paradigm shift, it is reasonable to assume that current developing technological trends will continue and eventually transform the fitness sector.
(This article is written by Prateek Sood, Director, Grand Slam Fitness, and the views expressed in this article are his own)
