Health Club Management February 2017

Page 38

McFIT opened its World of Cyberobics virtual-only club in Berlin, Germany

A NEW REALITY FITNESS AS ENTERTAINMENT million people downloaded the app in just one month last July – this compared to a grand total of 151 million health club members worldwide. Meanwhile, in Germany, budget club operator McFIT has launched World of Cyberobics – a futuristic, virtual-only club in Berlin. It has reportedly spent millions on the content production – as

Gym floors will become modular, allowing operators to switch elements in and out

has Les Mills with its ‘immersive fitness’ content, including The Trip, which plays on wrap-around screens and sucks class participants into the virtually enhanced experience. The message is clear: fi nd ways to truly entertain your members – or risk losing them to a more hi-tech, eyecatching, gamifi ed alternative.

OUT WITH THE OLD FLUID GYM FLOORS Gyms will get more creative with the space they have available, keeping gym fl oors far more fl uid and adaptable to new ideas. The growing popularity of functional and bodyweight training adds momentum to this trend, as health clubs reconsider their reliance on large pieces of equipment and dedicate more space to functional zones and freestyle areas, with smaller, portable pieces.

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healthclubmanagement.co.uk February 2017 ©Cybertrek 2017

Manufacturers of larger fitness equipment are recognising this, with a growing number of machines now being designed to be lighter, and with wheels for easier movement around the gym floor. Expect to see a more modular approach going forward, allowing fitness operators to switch elements of their offering out far more quickly and cost-effectively in order to keep things fresh.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Virtual reality, augmented reality, 360-degree fl oor-to-ceiling ‘immersive fi tness’ screens in studios. The latest technology is fusing fi tness and entertainment like never before. The bar was set by Pokémon Go, the augmented reality game which involves people walking real streets to catch virtual Pokémon. An estimated 75


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