Has livestreaming been successful for gyms post-pandemic?
It's not a stretch to say that livestreaming saved fitness studios during the covid pandemic. Almost overnight, 83% of personal trainers quickly slapped together a live workouts, and 80% of consumers went along with it. It wasn't polished, but it worked.
Now that regulations have been lifted, members are heading back to the gym, but many are sticking with the online version - and around 43% of consumers intended to add livestreaming to their previous routine. Fitness studios and gyms are being nudged to stay hybrid.
This raises a big question: was livestreaming just a pandemic stopgap, or is it still thriving now that people have the freedom to return to physical gyms?
The digital versus physical divide
“Conventional brick-and-mortar fitness facilities and studios face competition from digital and online workout platforms that provide better cost, convenience, and flexibility,” says one fitness studio owner from California. They aren’t wrong. Livestreaming flipped the script, and now gyms need to compete not just with other gyms but with living rooms, screens, and apps.
In a survey of 324 fitness studio owners and managers across America, 39% said they are using interactive fitness screens or displays and livestreaming fitness classes or events. Studios with six or more locations lean even harder into tech: half of them report using livestreaming alongside smart equipment with connectivity and tracking capabilities.
“The use of smart solutions is an epic way to move around. The more advanced the smart solutions the better the forward thinking technology outcome. Keep the technology running simple and clean.”
- Fitness studio owner, 44, North Carolina
Brick-and-mortar bouncing back
It seems as though physical locations have returned, and are here to stay. The amount of people checking into gyms in America increased by 60% YOY. The rush back is real, but the momentum is seasonal, and those gains are starting to even out. Even so, the long-term growth of the virtual fitness market tells a different story. Experts predict the sector will hit USD 80 billion by 2032, suggesting there’s plenty of room for hybrid fitness offerings.
Success with livestreaming, however, depends on the audience. Some studios thrive by blending livestreaming with in-person experiences, while others struggle to make it work. Demographics, target markets, and content quality all play a role in determining whether livestreaming boosts or busts a gym’s bottom line.
Peloton learned the hard way that pivoting to a purely digital model is tricky. They went from selling hardware to competing with countless online content creators in a crowded market far removed from their initial audience. Nike, on the other hand, leaned into their strengths. The Nike Run Club app created virtual communities with audio-guided runs and group challenges, giving members a reason to keep showing up—whether in running shoes or through their screens.
Livestreaming redefined fitness by bringing the gym into your home during the pandemic. Now, it’s evolving again—blurring the lines between home and gym. Whether it’s livestreaming in the studio or a hybrid membership that bridges both worlds, the future of fitness is about choice. For studios and brands that embrace flexibility, it’s not just about keeping up. It’s about staying ahead.
Add livestreaming to your offering with Hapana
Bring your gym into the digital era withapana’s virtual gym app. From livestreaming classes to curating on-demand content, Hapana helps you create a hybrid fitness experience that keeps members engaged anytime, anywhere. Use smart segmentation to personalize content, build community, and boost digital revenue—all in one easy platform.
Get a 30 minute tour of the software today and see how Hapana can transform your offering.