(The Digital) Survival of the Fittest
Fitness programs have migrated online due to the lack of gyms and places for physical activities. It has its ups and downs but trainers find themselves pivoting to cater to the needs of the market.
By Simon Arciaga (Quezon City, Philippines)
February 19, 2021
The list of casualties from this pandemic is long and continues to grow by the day. Aside from the deaths of millions of people, the survivors of this crisis have not been spared from its collateral damages. With the enforcement of a global lockdown, the world literally stopped, forcing many offices and businesses to close indefinitely, some even permanently. And from this economic wipeout, even the strongholds of those who sweat it out and lift weights were pushed to their limits.
More Losses than Gains
As early as May 2020, Gold’s Gym permanently closed 30 of its branches in the US alone, mainly St. Louis, Alabama, and Colorado Springs markets. To contain its losses, Gold’s Gym (GGI Holdings, LLC) filed for bankruptcy protection, though it also clarified that its domestic franchises, including the franchise in the Philippines, will continue to operate.
Gold’s Gym is just one among the many gyms that closed down during the pandemic. Though gyms and fitness studios in General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas have been allowed to operate again this year, they would have to deal with a limited physical attendance (30% maximum capacity) brought about by the mandatory health protocols, over and above the lingering fear of many people to step outside their houses, and have physical interactions with others.
Digitally Fit
Like many businesses, the fitness industry has gone online to stay afloat these days. Coach Jeredan Conde, a Filipino fitness instructor, and vlogger (Tito Fit), conducts online classes through Zoom. Handling about 70 clients, he decided to break them down into smaller groups, and implement both synchronous and asynchronous workouts every week. Currently, with his plate full, he now has to beg off from inquiring people who want to sign up for his classes.
Without disregarding the fact that traditional gyms and in-person training will still have its market, Coach Jeredan is among those who believe that online training is here to stay. According to him, many of his clients only became regular in exercising when the pandemic happened, and he attributes this to the flexible nature of the online setup.
As more people create their own workout space at home, such convenience also facilitates training and exercise. Troy Bautista, a spinning instructor from Electric Studio, also links this convenience to the fact that much of the travel time that we used to spend going to work is now converted into workout periods, as most of us remain to operate from our homes.
In the online spinning classes that he leads, Troy also observed that his students also seem less pressured. He noted that the gym could be intimidating and overwhelming for some people. The advantage of having the classes in Zoom is that people can follow their own pace by simply switching off their video when they need to take a break.
Poor Connection is the Issue
Given the success of many people in attending online workouts, having a good internet connection is the deal-breaker. In such activities where timing and synchronization are of the essence, delays and interruptions could easily ruin the experience.
Yet again, the issue goes beyond bandwidth and signal transmission. The deeper connection problem is the online setup’s most glaring handicap: the absence of tactile interactions. How can one connect to others without being able to touch them?
For all its benefits and advantages, Coach Jereden laments not being able to physically touch and direct his clients. Where form and movement are pivotal, he continues to struggle giving instructions and helping his clients adjust their position and stance for optimal performance when working out. At any instance in the exercise, pinpointing the client’s targeted muscle group and body part with precision is way too challenging.
Aside from the absence of tactile functions, the lack of physical presence is the biggest drawback for many people. No matter how many people there are in the Zoom session, in reality, the person is just working out by himself. And for the majority, this could be the biggest handicap.
Faiqah Dianalan, who plays for the Philippine Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team, finds the lack of motivation to be the biggest challenge in staying fit these days. She misses being with her teammates physically and being surrounded and accompanied by committed people who will push her to the limits.
Mac Valdez, captain of the Philippine Handball Team, believes that this online setup could only work for individual training and practice. It will never be a substitute for training together, where deep bonds, real chemistry, and strong camaraderie are forged within the group.
Evolving to Survive
Granted, online fitness classes still have a lot of issues to address for it to be a viable and sustainable option even after the pandemic. However, those who are optimistic about the setup continue to take huge strides to make the overall online experience even better.
Peloton, an interactive fitness platform, is among those who lead the charge. Currently, the platform boasts of more than a million subscribers, and its revenue nearly doubled in its fiscal 2020. The unique selling proposition is its Wi-Fi-enabled indoor bicycle, equipped with a 22-inch touchscreen tablet that streams live and on-demand classes that even allow the rider to compete with other participants by way of a live leaderboard. Though it comes with a hefty price, this immersive experience is a big step forward in the aspect of home-based workouts.
Even more cutting-edge is an interactive smart gym called “The Mirror”, which was only launched last 2018. Literally, all it takes to set this up is a two-foot wall space where the mirror could be installed. Imagine facing a huge tablet that gives real-time feedback on the user across the different workout genres and levels. With its simplistic design, the equipment blends perfectly with one’s house and seamlessly infuses the space of fitness in one’s home.
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Like many industries, fitness has had its share of ups and downs during the pandemic. While there were closures and losses, developments and innovations that were never thought of before fortunately came to fruition. However, what all these considerations ultimately tell us is how inseparable fitness is from our social aspect. People don’t only go to the gym for individual reasons; for the great majority, they work out to be part of a community, get genuine inspiration and guidance from others, as well as push each other to achieve their goals. For something that is very physical, there is just something about getting fit that can never be replicated by the digital.
