COVID-19 Changed the Fitness Industry: Here is How it Evolved

Fitness businesses traditionally require in-person attendance. It is a physical activity, after all, and not naturally suited to the online world. You cannot adjust the posture or fix the stance on those who are located in their homes the same way that you can in a studio.

 2019 was a great year for the fitness industry, with growth in fitness tech, wellness programs, and more. Clubs as social hubs and retail hubs, in particular, started to gain traction, but it was the upward tick in fitness tech that was the true saving grace for fitness businesses as COVID-19 disrupted businesses around the world in 2020 and beyond.

How the fitness industry had to adapt to a remote-based world was fascinating and something that all new and surviving fitness businesses need to take into account as the world slowly emerges once again.

The Importance of Easy, Online Booking Experiences

Clients should be able to easily book, manage, reschedule, and adjust their fitness routine through their online portal. Lives are busy, and you never know when a client will need to miss their dance class because they are quarantining next. By using the right management software for your fitness business, you can make it easy to handle admin from an in-person and online set of clientele, and your clients can have greater control and confidence in your business.

There are a variety of options as well, allowing fitness businesses to specialize as they need. Dance studios can benefit from StudioLAB, which has been designed specifically for dance studios to better manage their clients. It also works to encourage more sign-ups and makes it easier to receive payments from your clients.

Online and In-Studio Classes

Many fitness businesses adapted to COVID-19 by transferring their in-person classes online. This is a great way to attract and manage remotely located clients as well, and in general, has opened up a huge new list of options for those who live out in the countryside or those who don’t like their local options. There are many reasons why people won’t want to or can’t come into a class but could still benefit a lot from being guided and encouraged personally.

To succeed with an online class, smaller class sizes are essential. This way, the instructor can monitor form and encourage their students as individuals.

Earn More with Discounted Pre-Recorded Classes

Fitness videos are an entire industry onto themselves, and there are many ways that fitness studios, even dance studios, can get in on the action. You can offer a short, pre-recorded class that helps teach your client how to dance to a certain song. This can be recorded over several videos. It should be less expensive than taking the in-person class and should also be accessible at any time and your client’s leisure.

Offer One-on-One Virtual Appointments

One-on-one appointments via video call have also become the standard. Rather than go in, your clients can talk about their goals and their health requirements with you, allowing you to create a custom approach to their fitness, a custom dance, or so on. Virtual appointments are far, far easier to keep for everyone, making them yet another trend during lockdown that is here to stay.