How COVID-19 Is Transforming The Fitness Industry

July 13, 2020 by Forbes

It’s been well established that, beyond its benefit to our physical health, exercise is also good for stress management and cognitive function. However, many people have struggled to make time, especially when having to factor in a work commute and professional, family, or social obligations. The cost of gym or studio memberships has also been a common barrier to exercise.

However, when the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic hit and at-home workouts suddenly became the norm, many who still wanted that group class experience turned to virtual wellness in the form of streaming live and pre-recorded classes.

I spoke with Amaya Weddle, who is the Vice President of Research and Product Marketing at Mindbody, a technology platform that connects the world to wellness. “The way we define wellness at Mindbody is—it's a broad category that operates everything from fitness studios to salons and also integrative health practitioners.” Because business owners can operate their wellness business through the platform, Mindbody has been able to analyze that data and also survey customers who use the platform to book services.

She says, “Our research team has been doing surveys with our consumer base, and we’ve been gathering data to just keep a pulse on the industry, and we’ve leaned into studying the virtual experience.” It’s provided an opportunity to learn about how this technology is transforming the industry and making wellness a lot more accessible, she explains. Here’s what the data has shown.