Virtuagym, a leading provider of fitness technology for gyms and trainers, has announced the launch of PRO+, a new solution that enables operators to generate revenue while being closed and upon reopening, by offering members a turnkey digital membership experience through their club mobile app.

PRO+ is composed of a wide array of content, including weekly community group updates on nutrition, training and wellness, 200+ virtual trainer workouts, monthly prize challenges, 1000+ licensed workout videos, plus a library of audio meditations for a holistic wellness experience.

“As clubs are closed, it is essential for providers to adopt digital technology to keep their members engaged and revenue going,” said Hugo Braam, CEO of Virtuagym. “However, offering a rich and engaging digital content subscription that people are willing to keep paying for is not easy and requires a lot of resources. That’s why we developed Virtuagym PRO+.”

App usage amongst Virtuagym customers accelerated heavily in 2020, with fitness providers quickly adapting to the ‘new normal’ to drive their digitalisation forward.

Findings from the Virtuagym Corona Impact Study across 6,000 European fitness businesses revealed that fitness app usage increased by 340 per cent, whilst the creation of training plans increased by 100 per cent at the start of the pandemic. From January to October last year, Virtuagym also saw a 175 per cent increase in group class bookings, with people eager to stay connected when training, either in a physical location or online.

“Following the example set by larger chains, I see many clubs choosing to offer all of their online content for free. I believe this is a big mistake. Independent clubs can generally rely on a high level of customer loyalty and they should be looking to make the most of this.

"Just call upon your individual members and ask them to support you for a regular or smaller monthly fee in exchange for your online services. We’ve seen this work extremely well across many of our customers. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – especially if you are giving great online content in return!” Braam advised.

PRO+ is now available for gyms and studios globally.