In studio or online: Digital fitness a useful tool

The last two years have seen an explosion of digital solutions as fitness professionals adapt to a new way of delivering fitness services.

As nations launched stay-at-home orders, people began to work from home where possible and limit their movements. Covid has rapidly changed the fitness landscape.

It’s easy to think digital solutions could will edge out in-studio experiences, but this really isn’t the case. Home fitness and digital workouts are becoming essential.

But there will always be people who love to go to the fitness studio or gym. Even though you can create a great online experience, there’s nothing quite like a group training class to motivate your members.

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In addition to streaming apps, gyms have started to recognise the advantages of offering these services. Over the past few years, gyms have launched their own digital fitness apps with personal trainers and class instructors. In most cases, pre-recorded classes can be accessed for a monthly fee.

Pros

Key factors that have contributed to the rise of virtual fitness classes:

Flexibility: For many adults, demanding work and personal schedules can make it difficult to start or end their days at the gym. While you may be able to find time for exercise on the weekends, virtual fitness lets you fill in the gaps in the work week at your convenience.

No gym required: Some people simply dislike the gym atmosphere. Virtual fitness provides access to quality instructors, structured classes and allows participants to take things at their own pace.

Access to variety: Virtual fitness gives you access to practically any routine. Simply logging into an app or using another online interface presents far more choices and lets you try out routines before making a commitment. There are many YouTube fitness channels you can also subscribe to.

Affordable: Online sessions are way cheaper than gyms, as they don’t have to pay for maintenance of equipment and machinery.

Cons

• There’s no real interaction with the instructor (to help and motivate you) or other people taking the class.
• No-one is correcting your form or technique, which may lead to injury.
• You’re dependent on Wi-Fi.
• It’s easy to get distracted.
• For a “newbie”, it could be difficult to choose a channel or online course, given the variety available.

Provided you have the space and the motivation, the future of digital fitness looks promising. Focus on your needs and requirements and make a choice that works best for your health and suits your lifestyle.

• Article co-written with Thapelo Mowela.

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