Fitness tech boom

The "New Year - New You" rush to join a gym may not be happening in the same way this year. As the pandemic raged and gyms and fitness centres were forced to close, the Fitness Tech industry boomed and is now becoming many people's preferred option.

Everything from meditation apps, fitness watches to track your steps, to WiFi enabled bathroom scales are all part of this thriving industry but some consumers wanted more. They were looking for new ways to maintain or improve their fitness. Celebrity video workouts and running round the park lacked the sense of social connection and interaction they would get at the gym. This is where Fitness Tech stepped up to the plate. Jeremy Needham is a Liteboxing instructor.

Jeremy Needham: "A big part of going to the gym together is sort of suffering together. It's like, you experience pain, you work really hard and you sweat. And so do the people around you, and you build a camaraderie around that. And now that we don't share that space, at least in real time, we have to do it virtually right?"

The ability to create a sense of community and connectivity even though just virtually has meant massive financial gains for the Fitness Tech industry.

Richard Kowalski is Director of Industry Analysis at the Consumer Technology Association.

Richard Kowalski: "Fitness tech devices will be a $4.5 billion market in the US this year, and there's a growing group of people who are engaging with these devices in their home, they want connectivity. They want to engage with other people online. And this is helping people incentivize them to keep fit, and to just engage with other people."

Everything from boxing to spinning and even rowing is available as a connected Fitness Tech activity for everyone, from the beginner to former Olympians.

Aquil Abdullah is a former US Olympic rowing team member, who loves the connection with other rowers.

Aquil Abdullah: "You start talking to each other. And then all of a sudden, you have a group of maybe six guys, you know, from all over the world, a guy is in London, a guy is out in California, a guy is down in Florida, and you have this community."

The equipment may not be cheap but if you have the money and time, and space at home for it, you too could be joining a tech world of fitness. However, remember you still have to put in the work, and just like your gym membership you'll only get fitter if you use it.

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