As Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Abhay Pai, who holds an M.Tech degree, specializes in building high-scale technology solutions and heads the engineering team that develops, manages and maintains all server side infrastructures. He is also involved actively in the development and optimisations of the iOS and Android mobile app. He is an active participant and speaker in local meetups for JavaScript, Docker and ElasticSearch, and has also been a panelist for the Digital Ocean conference held in Mumbai, where he spoke about ‘Making Scalable Technology Decisions for your Start-up’.
The technological advancement in the 32 billion dollar fitness industry has set the fitness revolution in motion. Today, disruptive tech-based solutions are used to create platforms that help users enjoy the benefits of in-person training and more without travelling to a particular training class or gym. Fitness technology has empowered millions of people to take control of their health and well-being. It has opened the doors for fitness-from-home and indoor workout regimes. As per recent reports, the Indian at-home fitness market is valued at INR 1400 crores and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 40%.
These statistics and estimates suggest that a large chunk of the country’s population is turning towards digital fitness. Right from taking classes from a trainer using video conferencing sites to consistently tracking your vitals, the modern health apps give users a slew of options and features. Let’s take a closer look at how fitness technology has reshaped the industry –
Impeccable monitoring
Before kickstarting any workout regime, it is crucial to know your current health status and the advisable goal. Traditionally, fitness trainers helped people with setting goals and tracking progress. However, an instructor cannot be present with you 24 hours. Technology makes fitness related services easily accessible, anywhere and anytime. The new-age apps can keep track of aspects like steps walked, hours of deep sleep, blood pressure level, heart rate, and stress, among others. Some apps and wearable devices even notify the user when these parameters cross a certain threshold.
Apart from tracking the body’s vitals, fitness technology enables users to understand their eating patterns. Some platforms allow people to take pictures of the food they eat and upload them. As soon as it’s uploaded, the app analyses the items on the plate and points out details like nutritional content and calorie count. Users can even connect with virtual diet assistants and gain insights on ways they can improve their diet, making it more balanced and wholesome.
Moving on, many apps help keep a tab of how much water you are consuming. By setting reminders on your phone, you don’t have to worry about meeting the daily water requirement. After every timed interval, these apps notify the user to drink a glass of water. The ever-rising hustle and bustle of life makes monitoring and tracking critical.
Availability of tailor-made services
Earlier, when you went to a gym, your instructor would give a pre-determined yet slightly modified schedule to follow based on your health goals. Fitness technology has proved to be a game-changer in this aspect. Startups are using tools like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to create apps that understand each user and their needs at a micro-level. After studying your body’s current shape, these platforms develop a personalised plan for each user. These plans are tailored to help you achieve your fitness objectives faster and in the healthiest way possible.
Makes fitness entertaining
People often complain that they leave their workout regime midway because of monotony. While chasing fitness goals – it is imperative to know that the results will not show within a few days. It can take weeks or even months before you can see a significant change. Many people find it discouraging. The emerging fitness startups are leveraging technology to introduce in-app features like reward systems and health challenges to keep the users motivated. For instance – by walking 10,000 steps, you can earn four coins, which can be later redeemed to purchase products like retainer bands or protein powder.
Technology does seem like a solution to most problems in today’s world. As 2022 progresses, we must be ready to see many more cutting edge tech-backed fitness apps, platforms, and features come to light.