11 Ways to Build a Successful Hybrid Gym

If you can take any lesson from 2020, it’s that digital fitness isn’t going anywhere. In what has been a tough time for many industries, the coronavirus pandemic showed that businesses need to adapt to survive. That’s exactly what the fitness industry did. To survive in the current climate and into the future, running a hybrid fitness business is key.

By combining digital and in-person elements in your business, you can expand your reach, support your community, and boost your bottom line. A hybrid business model puts you in a more secure position as it allows you to continue to generate revenue even with gym closures and restrictions. In this article, we discuss why you need a hybrid gym in 2021 and 11 ways to make it successful. 

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What is a Hybrid Gym?

A hybrid fitness business combines in-person and online offerings. For example, you have a gym and a digital fitness platform where you stream your classes and offer on-demand workouts for digital members. You might also offer in-person and online personal training sessions as well as one-on-one coaching. A hybrid gym is a mixture of in-studio members, virtual coaching, and digital services. 

With a hybrid gym, your digital division complements the rest of your business. For brick and mortar businesses, the hybrid business model is a relatively new approach. But now it’s being accepted with open arms by the fitness industry. Businesses that can adapt and pivot to a hybrid business model can cater to a growing home workout crowd while taking care of their current members. 

The coronavirus pandemic has emphasized the need for fitness as part of a drive to keep the nation healthy. As different cities go in and out of lockdown, not everyone is keen to return to the gym quite yet. A digital fitness platform allows you to reach out to your community and grow your customer base. If you’re not seriously thinking about a professional and smooth online offering, you’re behind the curve. Because your competition is already there.  

4 Reasons to Run a Hybrid Fitness Business in 2021

Running a digital division to your business helps to navigate the risk that comes with COVID-19. Even with a vaccine on the cards, there could still be months of restrictions, shielding, and uncertainty. Although you’re keen to get members back in the gym, a hybrid gym with live-streaming and on-demand workouts is the way forward. Here are four reasons you should run a hybrid fitness business in 2021. 

Help More People 

When you have a gym, you’re membership base likely works or lives near your location. You can change your pricing and your offering, but you can’t change your location. It will always be an unavoidable deal-breaker for some. With digital fitness, you can help even more people. You are no longer restricted by location. If someone has access to the internet and a smartphone, all of a sudden, you have a potentially global reach. 

Additional Income Stream 

During the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, gyms and fitness studios were forced to close their doors with immediate effect. For many, that meant they had no money coming in and still a lot of money going out. Digital fitness platforms diversify your income and create additional revenue streams. This puts you in a stronger and more secure financial position now and in the future. 

Maximize Your Time 

Your fitness instructors only have so many hours in the day to teach classes. You have a set amount of classes or personal training sessions and a set amount of people who can attend. With live-streaming and on-demand fitness, you can now reach a wider audience in the same amount of time. There is no limit to the number of people that can join your fitness classes remotely. This can transform the amount of time it takes to reach a bigger audience. 

The Future of Fitness 

It’s no secret that digital fitness is hugely popular. Members can work out whenever they want from any location. They have access to fitness instructors in different states or even different countries. Although digital fitness has a big role to play in the future of fitness, it’s not here to replace in-person services. As much as you can create a unique digital experience, there’s something about going to the gym and visiting a small group training class that inspires and motivates. That’s why a hybrid business model has the potential to be the most effective approach. 

The Online Trainer Show Podcast talks about hybrid training business models. The episode breaks down the hybrid approach and discusses how hybrid models are critical for gyms. It has an interesting take on how there is a version of hybrid training for everybody. 

11 Ways to Make a Successful Hybrid Gym 

If you want to create a digital version of your offering, it needs to be the same high quality and standards your members expect from your gym. It pays to invest time and money into a next-level digital solution that compliments your in-person services and experience. Here are 11 ways to make a successful hybrid gym. 

The Customer Engagement Playbook for Your Fitness Business

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1. Engage with Digital and In-Person Members  

Find creative ways to engage with both your digital and in-person members. While some members may crossover into both memberships, you will likely have digital and physical-only members. This means you have to engage with all of your community. Whether it’s through email, text, push notifications, newsletters, or Facebook groups, you can engage with all of your members effectively by creating an engagement strategy that factors in all elements of your hybrid gym. 

2. Invest in Video and Sound Equipment 

To deliver a high-quality digital experience, you will need to invest in video and sound equipment. Digital fitness platforms are often a combination of live streams and on-demand content. For recording workouts and editing video, you will need to invest in equipment such as cameras, microphones, screens, tripods, lighting, and editing software. Your digital equipment will need to replicate the experience that your members love. 

3. Think About Your T