The invention of the smartphone is undoubtedly one of the most important developments of the 21st century. Nowadays, there is a mobile app or almost any aspect of life you can imagine. That includes the fitness world, where technology has advanced with the introduction of devices like the popular fitness tracker Fitbit. In an effort to keep up with the times and better connect with community members by providing a more modern experience, the ARC has developed its own mobile app called ARC Fitness.
“With the way the fitness industry is going now, technology has become a big part of it,” Jen Shanahan, the ARC fitness and wellness manager said. “So to stay in the ballgame with fitness and motivating our clients, we needed to step our game up.”Some key features of the app include the ability to: log workouts for tracking, find a fitness class, connect your devices with cardio equipment at the ARC, participate in challenges, set and track goals, find a personal trainer and interact with them, and receive push notifications about class schedule changes.
Shanahan said improving communication for ARC clients was a major influence in creating the app.“The app provides a way for our personal trainers to stay connected with their clients and help them set their goals. We also wanted to use it as a way to notify members,” Shanahan said. “It also lets [users] cheer each other on. There is a news feed that can show what each person is doing, and they can like and comment on it. Personal trainers can see if their clients are working out and cheer them on, and friends can motivate each other that way too.”
The idea for the app was first brought up by the ARC’s supplier of cardio equipment. From there, the ARC got in contact with Netpulse, a company that specializes in developing fitness technology. The app was in its beta stages last April, but Shanahan said the ARC wanted to work out any bugs before opening it up to the public.
Darin Krueger, the ARC’s executive director, gives Shanahan a lot of credit for helping make the app become a reality. “When we opened the building, we knew we needed something, but we weren’t sure what,” Krueger said. “After we were open a year, we realized we needed to get someone who knew what they were doing in the fitness and wellness world. We hired Jenn and [recreation coordinator] Shawn Egge, and they kind of took it over.
Part of that included using the ARC’s staff as guinea pigs to test the app. Specifically, Shanahan tested the app’s challenge function, a part of the app that allows users to compete in a public fitness challenge. Shanahan said challenges will typically ask users to exercise for a set amount of time — like in the ARC’s 2,018 minutes challenge — or to travel a certain distance.
Shanahan said she was pleased with how well the staff responded to the challenges.“It turned out to be pretty fun, because [Krueger] and [facility director Mike Amundson] were neck and neck,” Shanahan said. “It got so competitive they actually came in at 2 a.m. to get their workouts in so they didn’t miss a day.”Krueger said it was more like 4 a.m.
“I’m a very competitive guy, I don’t like to lose,” Krueger admits. “I think the challenges just give people different ways to motivate themselves.
Krueger said the app’s main goal is to improve the community’s standard of life.
“The ultimate goal of Jenn and our fitness and wellness staff is to make people happy and healthy,” Krueger said. “I think they’re doing a very good job of that.”
Source: http://www.willistonherald.com
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