Innovation has actually seen the physical fitness market go through an enormous change; forming customer behaviour like never previously witnessed. An easy search on the app shop under ‘physical fitness’ reveals a substantial range of apps to assist you to get healthy and, most significantly, remain inspired.
However, are physical fitness apps putting personal training experts out of a job? Most likely not. In fact, the majority of us still feel we have to get in touch with an expert. What an app actually does is improve the standard health club experience.
Never ever previously have actual customers been more engaged with their development and efficiency or more linked to others in the physical fitness industry, and this remains in big part thanks to the development of mobile data capture apps, wearables, online shows and virtual class offerings
Lots of critics see apps and online programs as a risk to traditional fitness centres, however, Google search patterns have indicated otherwise. The last 5 years have seen a basic upward pattern in searches for both ‘health club subscription’ and ‘physical fitness app’, and remarkably, when there’s spike in one, there is a relative boost in the other.
Companies such as Goodlife have combined several tracking gadgets into one reporting dashboard, supplying a single-view of a user’s fitness and health. These apps typically have full integration with Fitbit, Jawbone UP, MapMyRun, Nike+, MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, Relocations, Withings and Facebook, with additional combinations likely to arrive in the very near future.
Some apps even include Optical Character Recognition (OCR) where users can take an image of their workout machine console with time, range and calorie details, which is then instantly submitted to their profile.
However, while apps keep individuals responsible, they cannot change the customised experience or social interaction that is offered by an individual fitness instructor working within a health club or gym. Recent research indicates that personal fitness training can develop much better, quicker results than entirely utilizing an app or online program.
Physical fitness apps offer individuals a rise of motivation and inspiration they need to begin their fitness journey. However as Dani Stevens a health, food, and fitness motivator notes,
“I think fitness apps are fantastic but people definitely still need guidance so they’re not solely relying on an app… There’s also the aspect of treating an app like your fitness bible, where people might be writing untruths, promoting potential fat loss, diets or exercise tips that aren’t safe. If you’re ever in doubt, you’ll need to talk to a professional”
Future fitness apps will have a big future. However, consumers will want more adaptability, instantaneous rewards and complete integrations with their usual workout routines. The real challenge will be finding the optimal balance so that the app aids the trainer and the trainer enhances the user experience of the app. Going forward it is likely that trainers and fitness apps will work in tandem, not that one will replace the other.
