One of the oldest instincts of man is to play. It starts in childhood and never stops. But it changes. If in younger years it is still playing in the sandbox, hide-and-seek or tag, later it is video games and apps on the smartphone. As a result of growing digitalization, we are unconsciously incorporating more and more playful elements into our everyday tasks. This process is called gamification.
What is gamification?
As just briefly mentioned, the term gamification refers to the mixing of playful elements with everyday situations. Most often, this is done through apps that award us points for various activities or present us with new challenges. An example of this is an app that tells you you'll get 20 points if you manage to drink three liters of water a day. This is derived from behavioral therapy. Even in the past, people tried to create a desired behavior or change an undesired behavior through rewards. If this is mixed with a digital and playful component, it is called gamification.
Gamification in the gym
As digitalization does not stop at the gym, the concept of gamification will also find its way into the studios. This trend offers many new opportunities for gyms. Every gym asks itself the question "How do I succeed in attracting members and creating enough motivation to keep them?". Gamification may be the key. Fitness apps, whose users earn points for completed athletic activities and thus advance in the high score, are leading the way. Many people need a challenge, and thus a goal, to exercise. This goal can be a certain weight or finally reaching the 10-km mark on the treadmill on the treadmill. Gyms could use equipment that has systems built in to store and track members' progress and award a reward or start a new challenge when that goal is reached. Technogym for example, has already launched a treadmill that makes this possible. Regular community competitions are held here to try to achieve certain goals for a good cause. But training with VR glasses is also becoming more popular. With their help, gyms like to transform themselves into breathtaking landscapes.
What does this concept bring to training?
Gamification brings many benefits to training. Challenges and the urge to outdo oneself and others keep members' motivation high. At the same time, ambition is awakened in individuals and they come to work out more often. This has a positive effect on health and athletic condition. The playful part changes the training and what for some is a monotonous daily training routine can become a fun affair.
What providers or options are there already?
This trend is just growing and still very young. But there are already various concepts that give the classic gym visit a new incentive. The company ICAROS, for example, developed a device that simulates flying and trains the body at the same time. VR glasses are already very widespread and will presumably soon become commonplace in gyms as well. With them, you no longer jog on a treadmill, but through the forest, or ride a bicycle in the Alps. Various companies are also working on a climbing wall that works like a treadmill, meaning it never ends. This combined with VR goggles allows the user to virtually climb in the mountains.
What are the disadvantages of gamification?
Gamification is another form of digitalization. At gym this could have the consequence that communication among each other decreases. If everyone trains with VR goggles, there is often no interaction with other exercisers. Another consequence could be the development of frustration. If you don't manage to achieve your goals and this is held against you again and again, motivation can quickly be lost.
Digitization cannot be stopped and instead of resisting it, gyms should take advantage of these opportunities, for example, to address a new target group. With various devices such as reaction walls at functional training or the "ICAROS", new momentum can be brought into the studio. We are in the early stages of this change, and if we can already simulate flights and train at the same time, we can be excited about what lies ahead.
Editors fitnessmarkt.de (NJ)
Picture source: © nd3000 / Adobe Stock
Published on: 4 October 2018