Digital technology has been a rapidly growing part of the exerciser experience for years . But in 2020 , COVID-19 forced it into high gear . In 2021 , health clubs need to be aware of that shift and offer similar experiences in the gym that members became accustomed to while working out at home during the pandemic .
DIGITAL TRENDS FOR 2021
The annual compilation of fitness trends created by the American College of Sports Medicine listed Online Training ( on-demand exercise programs ) as the top trend for 2021 and Virtual Training ( a fusion of group exercise and technology ) as the sixth most popular . Neither one of these was in the top 20 last year . The rise of both is clearly a byproduct of the pandemic , and COVID-19 has hastened a shift that was already in the works . training area or even on a mobile device at home . During the worst of the pandemic , health clubs used Digital Coach to share a workout of the day with members who were working out at home , providing a valuable touchpoint .
Additionally , according to a report compiled in 2020 by Murphy Research : “ One quarter of the adult U . S . population reports using some online fitness resource at least monthly . Furthermore , the majority of those who ’ ve ever tried online fitness remain current users , which strongly suggests that online fitness is here to stay .”
Connected fitness options like Life Fitness On Demand and Digital Coach provide members with the digital workouts and connectivity they ’ re
Life Fitness has been an industry pioneer in connected fitness long before 2020 , and we see it as essential for gym owners in 2021 and beyond . That ’ s one reason why we developed Life Fitness On Demand and Digital Coach , two connected fitness offerings that allow health clubs to answer the demand for both Online Training and Virtual Training trends . becoming increasingly more accustomed to . It ’ s imperative for health clubs and fitness facilities to embrace digital technology in 2021 and offer exercisers the workout experiences that they expect .
LIFE FITNESS ON DEMAND
Life Fitness was the first fitness equipment manufacturer to create on-demand , instructor-led classes that are integrated across an entire line of commercial cardio equipment . The digital library is available on connected Discover SE3 HD consoles on treadmills , ellipticals , climbers and exercise bikes . Life Fitness On Demand brings the on-demand workout into the gym with the help of a diverse group of charismatic and motivating instructors and a multitude of classes for all fitness levels .
DIGITAL COACH
Life Fitness created Digital Coach to provide visual guidance for exercisers during a group training session or when they want a guided workout on their own . The platform offers more than 1,500 exercises of all varieties that can be enabled on a screen in a group