Connecting wellness: Exercise in the digital age

The fourth industrial revolution — or Industry 4.0 — has seen industry after industry being disrupted by innovative, tech-based services and companies. CEOs the world over have digital transformation at the forefront of their business strategies to stay relevant and carve out a future among tech-savvy consumers.

The holy grail for success is maintaining the core DNA of a business, while embracing the connectivity and power of digital innovation. Health and wellness is fundamental to productivity and happiness, and so Technogym has sought to maintain and improve on its rich history of physical design, all the while embracing and using technology to remain relevant and cutting-edge in its quest to bring exercise products to the digital consumer, alongside the traditional fitness fundi.

According to Tony Payne, joint CEO of Penta Systems, the exclusive distributor of Technogym in South Africa, more than 35-million people in more than 100 countries regularly exercise on Technogym equipment.

Technogym’s latest range of equipment has been built with the same focus on design and physical features that has built its market position, but it also brings wellness into the digital era.

“The latest Technogym equipment combines the best in professional product features and design, comprising the broadest range of group fitness, strength, and cardio products, but also includes the unique Technogym digital ecosystem connected to the Technogym My Wellness Training Cloud. This allows optimal training wellness management,” Payne says.

Unity screens, for instance, allow users to access their training profiles, race against other users, watch familiar shows, view their social-media profiles, and more, all while working out.

“Wellness on the go is our current strategy. Wellness on the go means being able to provide the user with a personalised experience everywhere, in which products and services are available to people whenever they want and wherever they are,” Payne says.

Profile information and training programmes can be accessed from anywhere in the world, on any machine, and from any smart device.

BUILDING THE PERFECT HOME GYM

Building a home gym requires more than simply throwing together a hand-me-down stationary bike, two dumbbells, and a dusty swiss ball. A home gym should be a place of refuge, a place to recharge, and, most importantly, a space where the discerning executive can train holistically and safely with state-of-the-art equipment. A simple checklist will go a long way towards assisting with the design of the perfect home gym.

1. SPACE

Lower-end home gyms could work from as little as 3m²  for one piece of equipment; however to build a comprehensive training environment, you will want 15m² to 50m². The freedom to design and decorate the home gym to your personal taste is exciting – elements such as floor type, colouring and lighting all come together to build an important part of the modern home.

2. VENTILATION

The home gym must take the type of equipment and number of the gym users into account when weighing up the natural ventilation or state-of-the-art filtered air conditioners.

3. FITNESS GOALS

All gyms should have a variety of equipment that trains your body across energy systems, but a bias towards fitness, flexibility, or strength will be echoed in the type of equipment installed.

4. NON-NEGOTIABLES

There are certain basics that should always be present. Start with a stretching mat, a cardio machine, some level of resistance training equipment, and space to perform functional movement and mobility exercises.

5. FUNCTION

Does the equipment design allow for both form and function? Established brands spend millions of dollars on teams of engineers who perfect the design of equipment. Similarly, safety is paramount. Go with proven brands, and always follow the instructions.  

6. HEALTH AND WELLNESS

A gym is only as effective as the people who use it. Get a professional to assess you, guide you, and build a training and nutrition programme for you.

7. BUILD A ROUTINE

Humans are hard wired to respond to routine, and it is no different when it comes to training. Take the time and effort to build a routine. Soon it will become a lifestyle, and, when that happens, the rewards and value derived from the investment will be worth it.

DEVLIN BROWN’S DREAM HOME GYM

Suitable for general fitness and strength, and Muay Thai-specific support strength and conditioning.

1. Technogym’s My Run Treadmill and Forma Exercise Bike
2. XMark Fitness’s Heavy Duty Multi-Functional Power Cage with Lat Pulldown and Low Row
3. Technogym’s Kinesis Wall
4. Title Heavy Leather Professional Choice Boxing bag and leather Title gloves and wraps.  
5. Technogym’s Pure Strength Adjustable Bench
6. Airex Corona exercise mat
7. Power record speed skipping rope

This article was paid for by Discovery.