By analysing the data of more than 16 million fitness app users throughout Europe, Virtuagym, a provider of online and mobile coaching technology for fitness businesses, has spotted a rising trend in digital fitness challenge participation.

Over the past two weeks (of increasing isolation due to COVID-19) an additional 400% more app users are utilising the ‘fitness challenge’ feature in Virtuagym’s whitelabel training app. The feature allows clubs to organise challenges such as daily workout challenges, step challenges, as well as plank, squat or pull-up challenges that members can do at home during the current crisis. It tracks progress on a leaderboard and integrates with activity trackers so that users can win virtual awards.

The increased usage of fitness challenges leads to an increase in gym and studio owners touch points with members, a key metric for member retention. At the same time, it’s allowing members to keep up exercise outside of the gym, allowing them to stay motivated by competing with other members and stay social throughout their isolation.

These findings are in line with the rest of Virtuagym’s data which shows there has been a 300% increase in using the workouts section of the Virtuagym app over the past two weeks, as a result of at home training with a virtual trainer.

Virtuagym has partnerships in Australia with virtual group exercise provider Fitness On Demand and supports fitness franchise, Jetts Fitness.

Virtuagym supports more than 15 million consumers, over 6,000 health clubs and more than 30,000 trainers worldwide.

For more details go to business.virtuagym.com