How Live Video Streaming is Transforming the Fitness and Health Industries
The fitness industry has been undergoing dramatic growth in recent years as wearables like Fitbit and Apple Watch have grown in popularity and connected hardware companies like Peleton have formed strong devoted followings. But devices and group classes aren’t the only things trending. More people than ever are taking control of all areas of their health, be it physical, mental, or emotional.
In previous posts, we’ve discussed the impact live video has had and will continue to have on telehealth and how Agora has helped clients like Talkspace revolutionize mental health services, but live video broadcasting is capable of more than just connecting licensed professionals with patients. It can bring individuals, small groups, and even thousands of people together.
From personal training sessions to virtual wellness communities, live video is playing a major role in the wellness revolution and ways individuals and businesses alike can create their own fitness and health-related live broadcasting experiences.
Live Fitness Sessions
According to the CDC, only 23 percent of U.S. adults are getting enough exercise. While a person’s geographic location, age, and health status play a role in how little or how much they work out, most people can probably attribute their lack of fitness to one major obstacle: it’s inconvenient. That’s why more and more people are looking for new, exciting ways to fit exercise into their busy schedules.
LiveKick, one of the emerging players in live video fitness, offers members the opportunity to work out with personal fitness coaches via live video up to three times per week. Designed for people with busy lives, LiveKick works with them on their own schedules. Members also receive ongoing guidance and support from their trainer outside of class, so they’re encouraged to keep up with and meet their fitness goals. Other fitness startups like ClassPass and Peleton are also getting in on the live video trend by broadcasting fitness classes to thousands of people in real-time. ClassPass has a variety of live workout sessions available on weekdays, while Peleton offers up to 14 “live rides” per day.
Engaged, Like-Minded Communities
One of the pros of live video and voice is that it’s capable of bringing people together without the constraints of a physical location. Hundreds or even thousands of individuals can virtually gather together to share and even create their own communities, like Zubia.
Zubia is a health and wellness live streaming community. Members can choose to host their own broadcasts on everything from diet and nutrition to medicine and healthcare. While plenty of health professionals host their own broadcasts, anyone can join the community, connect with others, and share valuable information. Users can also set reminders for upcoming broadcasts they’d like to join or even watch 300+ previously recorded broadcasts on-demand any time.
Creating a Live Video Experience
While there are a variety of wellness companies and communities taking advantage of live video, many individuals fitness trainers, wellness experts, and businesses don’t know that they can utilize RTC technology to grow their companies. While Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and other social media platforms are ideal for promoting content, they are not service-oriented and can’t be embedded into existing applications.
Agora works with businesses across a variety of industries including social, gaming, and of course, health and fitness. From one-to-one video for personal training sessions to group chat video calling for wellness seminars, enterprises of all sizes can take advantage of Agora’s live voice, video, and interactive broadcasting services. The Agora SDK allows for deep customization, so clients can create their own unique, interactive live video experiences for their customers.
Ready to learn more about how Agora can help your burgeoning health or fitness business? Talk to our team.