Your Personal Training embraced fitness technology and worked with Virtuagym to launch the ‘Your Wellbeing App’. A unique management app personalisable for each user, Your Wellbeing supports PTs in running and managing their business by being more efficient and streamlined, enabling them to focus on what they do best - training clients!

Before working with Virtuagym, Your Personal Training needed three or four different apps in order to provide perfect functionality and achieve what they view as the three main pillars for PTs - COACH, MANAGE and ENGAGE. Indeed, for them, PTs now need to act like gyms by providing a full range of services, including subscriptions, payments, booking systems and communities.

However, by creating Your Wellbeing, YPT has enabled its PTs to provide all those things and more in one, easy to use app! Already, PTs utilising Your Wellbeing are working with hundreds of clients, using the app to keep them engaged and on track on a day-to-day basis.

In a time when we are craving engagement more than ever, the trainers YPT supports have really benefited from the app’s community features, which are keeping them and all their clients digitally connected and motivated. The group challenges have been a great resource, creating clubs within clubs!

On top of that, trainers have valued the ease in which the app can be used by them and their clients, including aspects such as the calendar functionality, which has given far clearer visibility of training opportunities. Linked to this, the booking software has taken away the traditional hassle of appointment administration, with the integrated payment system also enabling an ease of process and a streamlined approach for clients, so they can efficiently secure different packages and use earned credits.

The desire from Workout Anytime was for a mobile app that was for members, not just trainers, that could do something that previously would require four different apps to achieve.

The innovative app now at their disposal has a robust exercise and workout library, video on demand, and a barcode generator to increase ease of use. Those using it can develop personalised plans with their trainers and work on their health and fitness in a way and at a time most suitable for them.

For example, by doing certain training at home or outside, as well as at the gym, before meeting their trainer once or a couple of times a month. Users also can track and measure their progress through integrations with wearable technology provider Accuro as they seek to reach their individual goals. This in turn provides invaluable data for trainers to tailor plans for their clients.

Virtuagym are working hard with them to progress their Coaches app, as they look to help as many of their franchises to deliver the best service possible. To date, there has been a huge increase in engagement, with approximately 1,000 new members per week thanks to expert marketing by Workout Anytime and quick responses from Virtuagym to iron out any creases as the roll-out kicked in. The app is already in all 170 clubs, with the next aim being to hit the target of having 65,000 consumer users.

Workout Anytime is also looking to invest more in wearable technology to make the very most of integrating other apps with Virtuagym, with the view to keeping everything running through one intuitive platform.

The oldest corporate fitness provider in the UK wanted a software provider to help with covering all the admin, doing the marketing but that could also be an in-your-pocket gym, so that rather than going to join a commercial gym down the road, workplace employees still wanted to join their gyms because of the better service.

They leveraged Virtuagym’s community feature to reach out to members, stay connected, and advertise their services. The Virtuagym credit system was one of the main selling points, with FitPro Station trainers able to buy credits and subsequently use them to schedule workspace time. The flexibility of the Virtuagym software for gyms was also crucial for EFP. It meant that the company could create bespoke apps and branding for each of the 13 sites they use software with.

Virtuagym, global provider of the leading All-in-One health and fitness software solution, and Hidden Profits Marketing, creator of Europe’s foremost platform for gym and studio lead generation, have announced a new partnership, including a product integration.

The new integration has created a seamless automation between Virtuagym’s club management software and Hidden Profits Marketing’s lead generation formula, enabling fitness clubs and studios to enhance their customer lead management and boost their growth.

Through this solution, fitness club owners and entrepreneurs can efficiently access key lead information all on the Virtuagym platform, whilst significantly reducing administrative work by removing the need for manually uploading leads between systems.

The leads generated by Hidden Profits Marketing, including all key information and statuses, are automatically displayed in a customer lead overview in the Virtuagym system. Furthermore, the data is synced between both platforms, ensuring club managers and entrepreneurs can easily track customer conversion rates.

“Digitisation has transformed how health and fitness businesses engage with and manage potential new customers. And in an increasingly competitive industry, it has never been more important to use systems that enable businesses to efficiently acquire, analyse and understand them”, commented Hugo Braam, CEO and Co-Founder of Virtuagym. “We believe this integration with Hidden Profits Marketing will be invaluable for our customers, further enhancing Virtuagym’s open and customizable All-in-One platform for management, coaching and engagement.”

“For Hidden Profits Marketing, the partnership with Virtuagym is all about adding extra value to our clients and to the entrepreneurs that really aim at building a rock solid and healthy business,’ stated Aernout Leezenberg, Founder and CEO of Hidden Profits Marketing. “It supports our decision for further expansion and growth in German and Dutch speaking countries. It is also a logical next step in supporting fitness chains and independent clubs, gyms and studios, to automate their member and lead recruiting processes. Both from a technical and business perspective.”

For Virtuagym, the partnership with Hidden Profits Marketing is another indication of a significant new growth phase focused on further developing its innovative All-in-One solution, including via seamless partner integrations. At present, Virtuagym’s platform is already integrated with the likes of Matrix Fitness, LifeFitness, ClassPass, FitnessKPI, PS-Tec and InBody.

The new solution is initially available to Virtuagym and Hidden Profits Marketing customers in the Benelux and DACH regions, with the latter being a key growth area for both organisations. One joint German customer, Mrs Sporty, is already using the integration:

As outlined by Jan Klein-Zirbes, Owner of Mrs Sporty Munich-Bogenhausen, “The integration between Hidden Profits Marketing and Virtuagym has delivered immediate convenience and effectiveness. It saves me valuable time because the leads are automatically in the system, so we can focus more on our members.”

The Deutscher Fitness und Aerobic Verband e.V (DFAV), the oldest German non-profit association for fitness education, has partnered with Virtuagym, the global provider of All-in-One health and fitness technology for management and coaching.

The new agreement sees Virtuagym become DFAV’s Official Digital Partner, to support the digital transformation of DFAV’s educational training programmes and training qualification opportunities in Germany.

The DFAV will use Virtuagym’s industry-leading coaching and membership management technology to create on-demand training videos and workshop content and to streamline and automate management of their trainers. Furthermore, the DFAV will utilise additional Virtuagym features such as payment processing and community building.

The goal of the partnership is to increase accessibility to DFAV’s educational resources and enhance learning experiences for present and future fitness professionals. According to DFAV, there are currently an estimated 220,000 employers and trainers working across 9,900 studios in Germany.

“We are very happy to announce Virtuagym as our Official Digital Partner, as we continue to improve our industry-leading training courses that support facilities, operators, trainers and instructors across Germany,” said Volker Ebener, Chairman of DFAV. “With the increasing digitisation of health and fitness, effective training and education have never been more important. We believe that Virtuagym’s comprehensive solutions will enable us to take our services to the next level.”

The new partnership with DFAV is a significant moment for Virtuagym, which has been supporting a range of fitness businesses and trainers in Germany for over ten years. At present, Virtuagym’s adaptable and cloud-based All-in-One solution is used by more than 2,000 studios in the country.

“Virtuagym is extremely proud to be supporting DFAV, an organisation that plays a vital role in one of Europe’s most thriving fitness industries,” stated Hugo Braam, CEO and Co-Founder of Virtuagym. “We look forward to our innovative All-in-One club management and coaching solution being used to empower and educate trainers, as digitisation continues to increase accessibility and opportunity within fitness and health.”

7th March 2023, Amsterdam, Netherlands: Virtuagym and Matrix Fitness, two of the leading providers of health and fitness technology, have launched a connected strength integration between Matrix Fitness’s connected strength machines and the Virtuagym platform.

With the new solution, Virtuagym customers can now offer their members the ability to automatically log training data for both strength and cardiovascular exercise machines straight into the Virtuagym app and coaching platform.

The new integration combines Virtuagym’s comprehensive coaching and engagement platform with Matrix Fitness’s market-leading Intelligent Training Console, part of its Ultra Series line of training equipment. The performance data is tracked by the user logging into the Matrix Fitness machine via a Virtuagym connected RFID tag. After a workout is completed, the results are immediately synchronised to the member's activity calendar. This is available for both members and coaches, and is linked with other Virtuagym features such as its community and challenge module, as well as its nutrition coaching solution.

“After already providing a seamless connection with Matrix Fitness cardio machines, we are really excited to launch this integrated strength solution,” said Hugo Braam, CEO & Co-Founder of Virtuagym. “It aligns with our vision that the future of fitness is a connected one. Our open platform philosophy enables partners such as Matrix Fitness to utilise our comprehensive coaching technologies, which are fully integrated with Virtuagym’s tools for club mobile apps, communication, engagement and club management.”

Compatible with 22 different strength exercises, this digital solution will support trainers and clubs in delivering 360-degree connected fitness experiences to members and help inform personalised coaching, engagement and training plans.

"With the further integration between Virtuagym and Matrix Fitness, we are once again demonstrating the benefit of collaboration and open systems,” said Sennen van Ieperen, Matrix Fitness Sales Director for Benelux and DK. “We put freedom of choice and customer needs first. By creating solutions that reflect this, we thereby further strengthen our position within the digitalisation of the fitness industry."

This latest collaboration represents an important next step in the longstanding partnership between Virtuagym and Matrix Fitness. It originally began in 2016 with the integration between the Virtuagym app and the Matrix Fitness high-performance cardio equipment. The addition of the strength tracking option is in response to customer feedback, for an even more connected performance solution.

“The integration is working really well and our members are enjoying the new feature. It's great that when you finish an exercise, it appears in the app instantly, giving you a sense of accomplishment right away,” said Christoph Pomper, CEO of LOVT Fitness in Austria.“Our members can now track their progress over time and have told us that the integration has made their workouts more efficient and streamlined, as they don’t have to manually input exercise data into the app.”

This latest integration is part of a new phase of growth and product investment for Virtuagym, as it continues to enhance its innovative and customisable All-in-One solution for fitness and health businesses and corporate health. It follows a significant new investment received in 2022 to fuel Virtuagym’s further international growth, with the company looking to grow its current presence in over 80 countries worldwide.

For Matrix Fitness, the solution further enhances its extensive product ecosystem for customers, with the dual cardiovascular and strength integrations offering a unique proposition for the fitness industry.

The leading fitness industry conference in Europe, FitNation, will take place on the 25th October, 9-5pm CET, at the iconic Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The fourth edition of FitNation is set to inspire and educate guests by bringing together a range of industry experts and international keynote speakers to discuss the most significant topics in fitness and health.

The world-class line-up of speakers includes author and fitness technology entrepreneur Bryan O'Rourke, ultratrail runner Anne-Marie Flammersfeld and innovation expert Robert Overweg. A diverse set of topics will be discussed, from technology and the future of fitness to performance enhancement and leadership in health and fitness.

Hosted by renowned nutritionist and writer Dr Ludidi, the day will provide breakout sessions, workshops and networking opportunities. The FitNation 2022 event is supported by EuropeActive and NL Actief, whilst several leading brands who are sponsoring the event will be in attendance - Virtuagym, Matrix, Hidden Profits Marketing, Mollie, Inbody and Club Joy.

“Technology has had a major impact on health and fitness during the past decade,” said keynote speaker Bryan O'Rourke. “What lies ahead in the next ten years, however, includes a world of possibilities that are nearly unimaginable. The key question is simply this: are you preparing for what’s next?”

To generate even further debate and engagement, FitNation 2022 will provide a special audience panel discussion entitled ‘The Global economic crisis, its effect on the Fitness Industry: addressing membership pricing and diversification.’ Panellists will include Andreas Paulsen, CEO of EuropeActive, Patrick Rijnbeek, Director of NL Actief and Stefan Blahovec, Board Member of Form Factory.

In advance of his panel appearance, Andreas Paulsen commented, “I cannot wait to attend FitNation 2022 on behalf of EuropeActive and to take part in the panel discussion. We will be addressing topics that are of deep interest and concern to our stakeholders across Europe, such as inflation and energy costs.”

“I strongly encourage industry colleagues to join us in Amsterdam. EuropeActive is passionately supporting FitNation as a leading European industry summit and we are looking forward to developing, strengthening and uniting our sector further with attending partners such as Virtuagym and NL Actief and the many others who will be joining us.”

To date, FitNation has welcomed over 1,500 fitness professionals to its annual event. The 2022 version will be the first time it has been held as a physical event since the success of the inaugural conference in 2019, meaning guests will have an invaluable opportunity to tap into the insights of more than 300 industry experts and network with fellow industry professionals in person.

“We are entering into an extremely exciting period within fitness and health, with digitisation having permanently changed the industry and set to play an integral role in its future,” said Hugo Braam, the CEO and Co-Founder of Virtuagym, who will open the event. “We are really excited to be a part of FitNation 2022, to share and receive ideas on how we can keep working together to make the health and fitness product more accessible and appealing than ever before.”

To purchase limited discounted tickets for FitNation 2022, please head to: fitnation.co

A new 2022 global customer survey from Virtuagym, the leading fitness technology provider, has found that a majority of clubs, studios and trainers (94%) are now using mobile apps as core components of their fitness businesses.

The survey, which was distributed across Virtuagym’s 9,000 fitness business customer base, correlates with recent company data which has also demonstrated a 44% increase in the use of its fitness app compared to February 2020.

The results underline how app usage is part of an ongoing shift to hybrid physical and digital offerings focused on providing personalised, flexible and on-demand services. Almost one third (31%) of fitness business owners are now using personalised content and / or combined online and offline lessons, with a quarter (25%) utilising flexible hybrid memberships to recruit new and existing members.

Furthermore, over half (53%) of respondents said they are continuing to use technological solutions such as digital booking and check-in systems, community features and video workouts now that they are able to continue operating normally. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 (28%) said that enabling members to book classes and 1-1 sessions online is a primary change moving forwards.

“The ever advancing digital innovation within our industry offers exciting opportunities to make health and fitness more accessible than ever before, so we are happy to see that fitness businesses are viewing technology as an important part of their long-term growth, and not just a short-term solution,” said Hugo Braam, CEO and Co-Founder of Virtuagym.

The findings also paint an increasingly positive picture for the growth and development of the technology-driven fitness industry of the future. Indeed, three quarters (77%) stated that member numbers have either increased or stayed the same since the COVID-19 pandemic started, whilst a quarter (24%) have seen memberships increase during the most recent peak periods of January 2022 and September 2021. However, the analysis did also show that over a third (38%) are facing problems with member retention due to cost and scheduling.

“There is still more work we as an industry can be doing to help fitness businesses to overcome the major challenges that can impact development,” furthered Hugo Braam. “A hybrid approach, combining physical services with digital technology - from wearables and gamification to video workouts and integrated club apps - can deliver a cost-effective solution. What’s more, it can enable clubs and studios to diversify their offering to fit the different wants and needs of a wider demographic, ultimately fuelling growth.

To support further innovation in health and fitness technology, Virtuagym recently announced a 3 million Euro investment from Icecat, an Amsterdam-based technology company which invests in innovative technology organisations. This represents a new stage of international growth for the company as it looks to support fitness and corporate health businesses.

Global fitness technology provider Virtuagym has raised a new €3m investment from Icecat, an Amsterdam-based technology company which invests in innovative technology organisations.

The funding supports Virtuagym’s further international growth, with significant investment going into its innovative All-In-One software for club management, coaching and engagement in the health and fitness industry.

“The last two years have been quite challenging for our industry, but I believe our solutions have shown our customers great value, especially in making the transition towards a more hybrid, digitally-powered customer experience,” says Hugo Braam, CEO and Co-Founder of Virtuagym. “We are extremely excited and humbled by the support of Icecat with this new investment. We’re just getting started with our big plans to positively impact our industry even more, and we’ll keep working hard to help our customers with great new solutions.”

As the physical fitness industry emerges from the global pandemic, this next investment represents an important point in Virtuagym’s mission to make the world a healthier and happier place. The company, which was originally founded by brothers Hugo and Paul Braam in 2008, currently empowers more than 9,000 fitness businesses and 45,000 fitness professionals, serving over 2.5 million end-users every month with its brandable platform and mobile apps.

“We are happy to support Virtuagym in their plans for further health technology innovation and growth,’’ says Martijn Hoogeveen, CEO at Icecat. “We like the Virtuagym team and their cloud vision to help transform the health and fitness industry.”