Explore the impact of fitness technology on the rapidly evolving fitness industry. Learn how integrating technology to create immersive fitness studios can help fitness operators adapt to changing customer experiences. Explore what immersive fitness is, and how visuals, audio, and lighting solutions can deliver exceptional experiences designed to boost customer retention.
The fitness industry is evolving fast, which means fitness operators need to keep up with ever changing customer expectations and workout habits. The emergence of new technology, hybrid working, and the influence of social media have all contributed to these transformations. These changes can be a great advantage for fitness operators looking to evolve with opportunities to integrate immersive fitness technology into their offering and create immersive fitness studios.
We’ll explore how fitness technology can transform gym spaces, highlighting how an immersive fitness studio can boost member motivation, engagement, and attendance.
Immersive Fitness: What is it?
Before we get into why fitness operators should be integrating immersive fitness technology into their studio space, let’s explore what immersive fitness is.
An immersive fitness class enables members to fully engage in the workout through advanced fitness technology. These studios typically feature a large screen and surround sound, with many operators enhancing the experience further with innovative visuals.
These classes aim to make working out more fun by taking the focus away from the body and instead, creating an exciting, all-encompassing experience for gym goers. Les Mill have run extensive testing which was published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, showing that immersive classes increase satisfaction while actually decreasing the rate of perceived exertion for new exercisers.
Immersive fitness technology offers the collective energy of group workouts while seamlessly integrating music, video, dynamic lighting, and digital content to create a captivating, multisensory experience. This cutting-edge approach enhances motivation, focus, and performance, transforming your facility and making fitness both fun and engaging for members.
Why does the immersive experience work so well? Gym-goers seek more than just a place to exercise – they’re looking for motivation. Technologies like apps that integrate with equipment via Bluetooth allow members to gamify their workouts, transforming them into community challenges that boost motivation and engagement. This trend points to a hybrid future for health and fitness operators, where apps and new tech empower members to track and monitor their progress, keeping them motivated to reach their goals.
Fitness spaces come in many shapes and forms and a truly immersive experience comes from a combination of solutions. Hutchi has been pioneering immersive experiences with advanced audio, visual, lighting, and automation technologies since 1991. From David Lloyd Blaze fitness studios, Rhythm and Cyclone, and the immersive Les Mills The Trip, to the multi-sensory Virgin Active gyms, our bespoke solutions ensure seamless integration and future-proof support.
See how we can help you build an immersive fitness studio of your own.
The Power of Immersive Visuals
With an abundance of technology available now, people don’t even need to leave their homes to enjoy the benefits of workout technology. That’s why fitness operators need to offer fitness in more engaging ways, and immersive environments are the future of fitness.
Incorporating a range of apps and new tech will inspire members to track their efforts. Sometimes we all need that extra incentive to go to the gym, right? By using apps and virtual content on large screens with community-building aspects, gyms can keep members engaged through regular and meaningful touchpoints which will offer that motivation and engagement. These innovations are giving people more control over their fitness journey and helping them reach their goals in new and exciting ways. A win-win for fitness operators, members, and overall public health.
Fitness operators need to offer space, technology, and wellness services in innovative and engaging ways, and immersive environments are the future of fitness. Live classes with enthusiastic instructors can be supported by an immersive fitness experience, using video display walls and audio technology solutions. Think cycle studios with huge screens and cinema-quality immersive content that transports riders to another world.
All immersive studios will feature some form of projection, whether that’s onto a cinema scale screen or simply projected onto the walls of the studio. These can be used to display inspirational journeys, such as a cycle through the French Alps or a modern digital landscape.
Immersive fitness technology has the huge advantage of offering that collective energy of people working out together. Seamlessly integrating music, video, and lighting effects for an immersive and motivating experience can lift your facility to another level while members find getting fit fun.
Looking to create an all-encompassing, multi-sensory member experience, international brand Virgin Active chose a complete audio-visual package. Hutchi integrated a pro audio system with speakers, state-of-the-art projectors, as well as ultra-thin LED video walls and TV screens to enable members to evaluate their performance at every turn. The final result was a vision of powerful forward-motion video content and finely calibrated AV.
Spectacular Feature Lighting
The lighting of the studio takes the visuals to the next level. Having lighting that encompasses the whole studio makes exercisers feel like they are in the on-screen experience.
Fitness studios can use colour indicators to show how hard rider are working. Some studios, like David Lloyd’s Rhythm classes, sync their lighting with this colour indicators to turn the whole studio the colour that riders show be aiming for. This use of room filling light helps riders lose themselves in the workout.
When the University of Strathclyde wanted to add a new cycling studio to their sprawling Strathclyde Sports facility, our AV projects team created a personalised, electrifying class experience by delivering a fully functional lighting system, alongside visual, control and connectivity technologies.
When entering the studio, members are met by chevron-style strip digital RBG lighting suspended overhead, installed at varying heights across the ceiling to create an uphill feel that mimics the virtual classes on the display upfront. RGB lighting lines the podium and synchronises with the other lighting in the space, and a series of spotlights and moving heads surround the cycling studio and provide additional lighting and feature effects. Altogether, the lighting creates a mesmerising, dynamic atmosphere, boosting exercise performance.
Immersive Audio Solutions
Sound plays an integral part in any immersive experience. For high intensity classes like HIIT, you need loud and powerful music that washes over exercisers letting them feel the rhythm of the experience. Research has shown that adding music to your workout benefits motivation and output without making you feel like you’re working harder.
But these days, fitness operators around the globe use far more than music alone to create unforgettable immersive fitness experiences. Now you can expect to have all your senses engaged when working out, with stunning visuals, incredible sounds and even carefully chosen scents becoming a part of the experience.
Knowing what audio solutions to install can be tricky though. Depending on size of your studio, bigger isn’t always better. Talk to sound professionals to understand your requirements and get the best sound experience possible.
But the audio equipment is only one aspect of immersive sound. Take time to curate a playlist that reflects the workout you’re delivering. Gymbox take this to the next level by having DJs in their studios, creating an immersive party to work out to.
The Grangemouth Sports Complex team wanted to transform their existing cycle studio into a Les Mills Immersive studio, so they brought Hutchi onboard. From studio lights to full virtual cycling centres, we’ve delivered a variety of technology integrations throughout Grangemouth Sports Complex, including their gym and Les Mills Immersive cycle studio. Their vision was to create an energetic and motivating environment unlike anything else available to their members.
For audio, we installed a distributed split stereo audio system throughout the studio to deliver a powerful soundscape. The speakers are suspended on dropped rods from the ceiling grid; carefully configured for the ceiling’s weight limitations.
Angled towards the central screen, users experience an immersed sound experience that helps focus attention on the visuals at the front of the room.
The end result is a distinctive and memorable cycle studio that quickly became a favourite amongst the local cycle class community. Feedback from members has been incredibly positive, and the studio has been a fantastic addition to Grangemouth Sports Complex.
Immersive Fitness Experiences
Done right, immersive fitness spaces can give your members an exercise experience that leaves them excited for more. Whatever your vision is for your immersive experience, ensure it’s well thought out, so it takes your members on a journey that works for them.
At Hutchi, we ensure that your immersive vision is well-executed, tailored to member needs. Our integration expertise and bespoke solutions blend these technologies seamlessly, with comprehensive support across the UK and EU, including secure access control, digital signage, networking, and ongoing maintenance.
Explore how Hutchi’s innovative approach can elevate your fitness environment, creating compelling experiences that boost member engagement and satisfaction.