Redefine Personal Training

It’s nice to be first. But at Matrix, we think it’s better to be… well, better. So when we looked at the ways personal trainers could improve their interactions with members and discovered that no one was really satisfied with what was available, we went to work. What we needed was a web- and mobile-based system that let trainers interact with members 24/7 by assigning workouts, checking progress, monitoring nutrition and observing daily activities. What we wanted was a system that let trainers and members do it their way, with their favorite apps, devices and wearables at the center of it all. And what we ended up with was a system that just might change the way the fitness industry thinks about personal training forever.

Studying the problem

Our platform development team began by listening to facility owners and operators, personal trainers, members, dealers and sales people around the world to find out exactly how the existing solutions could be improved. After months of interviews and data gathering, we realized that the industry faced a problem of flexibility and freedom. Facility owners and operators were frustrated because the existing training systems were difficult to implement and didn’t feature their fitness facility’s brand. Trainers were unhappy with the rigid terminology and interface limitations that made it hard to communicate with members in the way that worked for both sides of the relationship. Members were unsatisfied because the assigned workouts often had to be completed on specific machines for them to receive credit, not to mention the fact that they couldn’t involve their favorite wearables. Even the very best automated training systems fell far short of a satisfying exercise experience because the pre-programmed workout assignments lacked the human touch. It was no small task for a single system to solve all of these different problems, but our team attacked it with enthusiasm.

Crafting a new communication tool

Our talented team of research and development experts, product specialists, electrical engineers, web developers and technology partners began to merge circuits and computer code with ideas, and piece by piece the solution began to take shape. We started by taking the fitness facility’s brand — their colors, terminology and logos — and making it the foundation of our interface. With this smart stroke of design, owners and operators immediately felt comfortable and at home implementing our new system. Next, we developed an intuitive dashboard interface that made it easy for trainers to quickly create and assign workouts, and just as easy for members to access feedback through their favorite internet-connected device. Additionally, our new system was deeply integrated with our Community 360 to streamline the member’s data-collection process and make tracking progress easier and more rewarding then ever. Finally, our team made sure Engage 360 worked seamlessly with popular third-party apps and wearables like Fitbit®, MyFitnessPal®, MapMyFitness® and more, so members wouldn’t be limited to a specific machine or venue when it came to getting credit for their hard work. We knew we now had a unique solution to offer fitness facilities, but we had no idea how special Engage 360 was until we put it to work.

Developing new revenue streams & real accountability

We quickly discovered that Engage 360 could do all we asked of it and more. Suddenly, a new level of personal training was accessible to members who might not have been interested in traditional 1:1 training in the past. Personal training was now more affordable and flexible, because it only required an initial meeting with a trainer instead of multiple weekly sessions at a set time. Engage 360 was also less intimidating for members who weren’t ready for the intensity of a trainer by their side while they put in their miles and reps. What’s more, the 24/7 communication created real accountability in the trainer-member relationship, and members stayed on track for better results than ever before. This sense of accomplishment encouraged members to keep striving for new goals and coming back for more.

Enhancing the experience for everyone

In the end, every person in the fitness equation discovered special benefits through Engage 360. Members got better results, reaching goals and shattering limits like never before. Trainers could point to these results to grow their business and get proactive about pursuing and retaining customers. Even facility owners could see the gains in their bottom line, because members kept coming back for more and bringing friends to give it a try. Our Engage 360 has done nothing short of change the game, redefining what truly personal training means and can do.
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