How technology is helping (re)shape the fitness industry
The Indian Express | 1 month ago | |
The Indian Express
1 month ago | |
When Usha Ayyagari, a 25-year-old management student, enrolled herself in yoga classes in January 2020, little did she know that something called ‘Covid-19’ was lurking nearby, all set to derail her plans. Soon, the pandemic struck and Ayyagari was among the millions who got restricted to the confines of their homes across the globe. But that did not deter her resolve to work on her health, and luckily for her, her yoga classes went online. “The pandemic also made me more fitness conscious and I lost about 7-8 kg by being regular with my classes, giving up junk food, and only eating home-cooked food made by my mum,” she told indianexpress.com.Similarly, Purnima Jha, 26, started her fitness journey in 2019 after gaining weight and feeling unhealthy. Much like Ayyagari, she too turned to online training and hired a personal trainer amid the pandemic. “Slightly wary of my form and posture, I started working out with a personal trainer online so that there would be somebody to correct my form, if required. Online fitness classes actually turned out to be very convenient, and effective,” she told indianexpress.com.But, it’s not just Ayyagari and Jha; the COVID-19 pandemic provided a technological thrust to the fitness industry as people started realising the importance of staying healthy, and amid curtailed movement, looked for ways to keep up with their fitness while practising social distancing.“The growth and capitalisation of the fitness technology sector can be traced to several factors: the onset of the pandemic, which emphasised the importance of staying fit; rapid technological advancements like smartwatch wearables and apps which made it easier for people to track their progress; as well as heightened awareness and knowledge of habits that can exacerbate our health for the worse. People who regarded health as ‘curative’ (something you work on curing during instances of a disease) started considering it ‘preventive’,” said Santhosh Kumar, Head of Product and Digital Business, CureFit, a Bengaluru-based health-tech start-up.Agreed Jitendra Chouksey, founder of FITTR, an online fitness startup based in Pune, and said that the pandemic has brought about a “shift in attitudes towards fitness and wellness”, with more people recognising the “importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle”. “This is likely to continue to drive demand for fitness classes and consultations, both online and in-person, in the coming years,” he added.All this culminated in the boom in the fitness technology sector worldwide, a domain that includes wearable technology, virtual fitness technologies, fitness apps that are software, AI, and machine learning-driven innovations. In fact, now even traditional gym trainers and nutritionists have embraced such technology and are providing online consultations and assistance.“Technology has revolutionised the fitness industry in several ways by offering innovative ways for people to exercise, monitor their progress, and stay motivated. Through data analytics and machine learning algorithms, technology can provide personalised recommendations based on an individual’s fitness goals, preferences, and activity levels. Features such as AI coaching, virtual training, wearable devices, and easy tracking modes provide comprehensive fitness solutions for users,” said Akshay Verma, co-founder FITPASS, India’s largest network of gyms and fitness studio aggregator.According to the Statista report, the revenue in the Digital Fitness and Well-Being segment is projected to reach US$10.12 billion by 2023, with an annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of 21.59%. This projected growth is expected to result in a market volume of US$22.12 billion by 2027. Similarly a report by Grand View Research values the global fitness tracker market size to be valued at USD 138.7 billion by 2028 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.9% during the forecast period.“Our app saw an exponential rise with six times the users during the pandemic as people started flocking to the platform for digital fitness solutions every day,” shared Bansal.Adding, Chouksey said that the pandemic accelerated the adoption of virtual fitness technologies with no option of visiting physical gyms and fitness centres during the COVID lockdown. “Virtual fitness technologies are expected to continue to be in demand even after the pandemic subsides,” he added, further mentioning that the pandemic has had a profound impact on the fit-tech industry by introducing people and seeing them adopt technology-based platforms to meet their fitness requirements.The COVID-19 lockdown provided an impetus for the adoption of fitness technology, however, once the restrictions were lifted, people went back to physical fitness centres and gyms but this in no way meant a recession in the fit tech. “There was a temporal spike in adoption of fitness products and services which has since then stabilised. The absolute growth in numbers is similar to what we would have achieved if there was no lockdown,” said Aanan Khurma, co-Founder, Wellversed, an aggregator of Wellness brands.Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO of GOQii, an Indian fitness technology company, said, “We did not see a decline in our user base after COVID-19 restrictions were eased; we have a strong user base with a focus on holistic wellbeing. Those who prefer home workouts or online fitness classes continue to engage in these activities. Only individuals who prefer advanced workouts may choose to go to gyms, but this did not impact our user base”.Ayyagari, who would ideally prefer offline classes, is however continuing to take online fitness classes. “I’m still taking online classes. Offline classes are always better but with my present busy schedule, and for the present generation in general, online classes are the go-to solution,” she said, adding that fitness apps have made working out accessible “from anywhere and everywhere”.Everyone in the fit tech industry unanimously agreed that the future of the fitness industry involves the adoption of technology, yet at the same time, physical gyms, trainers and personal nutritionists will always be needed. “Fit-tech has become increasingly popular and is expected to remain a prominent feature of the fitness industry, complementing traditional gyms, fitness centres, and nutritional consultations,” asserted Verma.By leveraging technology, fit-tech allows individuals to “monitor and track their fitness goals, receive personalised workout and nutrition plans, and access virtual support and motivation from anywhere, at any time,” he added.However, he was quick to add that while fit-tech provides convenience and accessibility, it should not be viewed as a replacement for traditional fitness options. “Rather, it should be used in conjunction with them to create a comprehensive approach to health and wellness,” he told indianexpress.com.Concurring, Kumar stressed that although fit tech gave people alternate opportunities to be active and healthy during the pandemic and other restrictions, it is highly improbable that fit tech will completely replace gyms and yoga studios. “Gyms offer highly qualified trainers who offer guidance, corrections, and feedback tailored to an individual’s needs and goals. This is especially critical when individuals have just started their fitness journey and need constant guidance. More than the intensity, it is crucial that beginners focus on their form and nutrition,” he explained.Instead of resisting technology, various fitness coaches, nutritionists and others are leveraging technology as a platform to widen their reach and practice. Similar is the story of Fitelo, founded by friends — Mehakdeep Singh, popularly known as Mac Singh, and Sahil Bansal. While Bansal brings technical expertise, Singh has an MSc in fitness and nutrition and is also a fitness influencer. According to Mckinsey’s report Still feeling good: The US wellness market continues to boom, influencers and celebrities continue to rise in importance for brand discovery.“Fitelo leverages technology to help clients achieve their fitness goals. Right from data collection, analysis of the body nutrition status, creating lifestyle profiles and suggesting customised plans, tracking and monitoring progress and habit building interventions, technology is at the centre of everything we do,” shared Singh. However, “A personal coach is also assigned to every client of Fitelo”. A post shared by Yasmin Karachiwala | Celebrity Fitness Instructor (@yasminkarachiwala)Commenting on the online vs offline mode of getting fitness training, Singh said, “This at-home trend is here to stay. As the pandemic settles down, people would also want to go outdoors to their normal routines. As such, both the models will co-exist”. He concluded by saying that a traditional fitness expert will have to evolve and “adopt these technologies to survive in the future”.📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!