The fitness industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation. We're moving beyond the traditional focus on physical fitness to embrace a more holistic approach to health and wellness. This evolution reflects a growing recognition of the interconnectivity between physical fitness, mental health, and overall wellbeing.
As a result, we are witnessing unprecedented collaborations between fitness and wellness brands, setting the stage for a new era in gym services and health management.
Getting analytical about wellness
Integrating wellness into fitness is more than a passing fad: it’s a comprehensive shift in how we perceive health. This shift is characterized by an innovative use of technology to create hyper-personalized health and fitness experiences.
"In 2018 and 19, wearables were the number one trend - and that was the start of everyone looking at their own stats, tracking their own fitness journey with more of an analytical focus," says Jarron Aizen, CEO and Founder of Hapana.
"And now, a lot of these brands are saying, well, these connected health and fitness devices are not just an extension worn on the wrist; they can be embedded into my businesses."
A prime example of this trend is the new partnership between WHOOP, a leading fitness wearable company, and barre3, a fitness studio brand. This collaboration aims to offer a more comprehensive health solution by merging fitness tracking with wellness practices.
Will Ahmed, CEO and Founder of WHOOP, said: "We're especially excited about this since Whoop is the only wearable on the market that measures both cardiovascular and muscular strain for Barre, Yoga, and Pilates."
Similarly, when we attended IHRSA a few weeks ago, we saw Technogym launch a new AI-based assessment called Checkup. The assessment looks at your fitness data and recommends personalized training protocols.
"We're on an interesting trajectory into 2024," Jarron notes. “Physical training is now being closely coupled with mental wellness and recovery-based services.”
“This is definitely a key trend across all of our businesses whether it's a big box or a boutique, who are either now considering add-on brands that are wellness-based brands, or actually taking their existing facilities and installing infrared saunas, ICE bars, or anything else in the sort of the wellness category.”
Investors move to wellness
We can track trends by following the money - and this year, we're seeing investment across the board into wellness and personalized health tracking.
Take Aktiia, a company that recently received significant funding for its blood pressure monitoring technology. Earlier this year, we also saw private equity firm Trive Capital invest in Formula Wellness, and electronics giant Samsung partner with fitness app Flexit to "make it convenient to incorporate health and wellness into all different aspects of daily life."
If we were going to read the room for a minute, it becomes obvious that wellness is at the beginning of its own bull market. We have yet to reach the peak of wellness as fitness - we likely will see this trend truly peak for another few years if the investments are anything to go by.
This is good for studio owners and good for their members. Wellness as fitness and hyper-personalized fitness tracking all lead to improved health outcomes, more engaging fitness experiences, and enhanced mental well-being.
On the business side, these innovations create more opportunities to add revenue streams, improve retention, and run more effective promotions.
How Hapana can help your studio offer holistic health and wellness services
At Hapana, we keep our finger on the pulse of wellness and fitness trends as they emerge and become relevant to fitness studios and gyms around the world. That's how we continue to revolutionize the operations of multisite boutique businesses like F45, Gold’s Gym, BFT, STRONG Pilates, Vive Active, KX Pilates, and more. Our dedication to enhancing member experiences, coupled with unparalleled support, has earned us a reputation that spans over 15 countries.
Our comprehensive features - from reporting and analytics to a digital content suite - empower your gym or fitness studio to make space for innovation.
Contact our lovely team for a demo.