Would Americans be interested in hybrid gym plans and gamified fitness programs?

A new YouGov Survey explores the appeal of hybrid gym memberships, which offer limited physical visits combined with online classes, among American consumers. Overall, a third of Americans say they would be interested at such an offering at a lower cost (34%). That figure includes a fifth of Americans who don’t currently have a gym membership (20%).

Among those who already have either a physical or online gym membership but not a hybrid plan, that share rises to 50%, showing that such plans might be able to sway consumers away from existing plans too. It is worth noting that about a tenth of Americans say they already have a hybrid gym plan (9%).

But what are the barriers to adoption? A fourth of Americans say that ‘having to purchase workout equipment for home sessions’ could get in the way (25%). Plans that emphasise light equipment demands for the remote sessions might have the best chance of capitalising on the interest in the concept.

But the biggest barrier is a simple disinterest in online workouts, with a third of Americans citing this as a factor (34%). Preference for in-person workouts (18%), and doubts about the effectiveness of online workouts (17%) are also factors that brands need to contend with. About a tenth of consumers say that the lack of quality internet connection could throw a spanner in the works (8%).

In addition to hybrid gym plans, another emergent trend in the fitness sector is  gamified fitness programs – an example of this are plans where consumers can unlock rewards or tokens for achieving fitness targets.

Nearly 40% of all Americans say they find the idea of fitness programs with elements of gamification appealing. This includes nearly three-tenths of Americans with no gym membership at present (28%). While rates are high among those with active fitness plans, those with online memberships are the most likely to find the idea appealing (83%). Among consumers with offline gym plans, the share drops t 61%.

With the right marketing and service offering, brands that provide hybrid gym or fitness plans could tap into a huge market. The same survey reveals that roughly seven in ten Americans have no gym membership at present (68%). Data from YouGov Profiles indicates that the cost factor could be one of the chief reasons to avoid memberships. A fifth of US consumers have said that costs are a key reason they have discontinued a previous gym membership (19%), while the availability of time – or the lack thereof – is another commonly cited factor (11%). Hybrid memberships could address both these concerns, which perhaps explains why a fifth of these non-gym membership holders are interested in the concept.

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