COVID-19 and its variants are still around, but the lingering after-effects seem to be slowly diminishing in their severity as we move past the virus’ two-year anniversary.
Many things were stalled during the pandemic, but the biggest adjustment that had to be made was in the social sphere. Social distancing was probably the biggest challenge for many, and it wove itself into every level of society whether that was personal, professional, or just the daily necessities in between—causing rates of loneliness to soar.
Exercise and both physical and mental well-being have long been linked, and research specifically shows that group workouts, something that is finally coming back into view, can help not only bolster people’s physical performance but also their mental health as well.
Let’s take a look at how one app, and its new feature, are geared at utilizing technology to help eradicate the lingering aftermath of COVID-19’s grasp on our personal feelings of isolation.
Bringing Connection Back into Fitness
According to one study, 69% of participants who were once classified as very active before the pandemic (83% male and 46% female) then dropped to 39% (50% male and 31% female) after COVID-19 entered the picture.
Application Krew, is the first mass-scale live-streaming fitness platform app seen today, and the platform recently announced the release of its new “watch party” feature. This new addition will help to minimize the negative effects of isolation that many fitness-inclined individuals felt during the pandemic, and instead, support a more regular, social workout routine online.
“Krew eliminates the need for expensive equipment so that we can we put the benefits of group workouts at people’s fingertips, right in their very own living rooms,” said CEO and co-founder of app Krew, José Martín Quesada.
Referred to as “Peloton without the $3K bike” and “Twitch for fitness”, Krew is transforming how people exercise in the digital sphere. Its “watch party” highlights users’ best moments from the class, offers feedback about their technique and accuracy, and provides information about their cardio levels.
Group fitness can be a great way to counter lowered motivation levels, and the physical segregation we probably all felt to a degree from the pandemic.
A New Era of Fitness: Fusing Exercise and Technology
There are many benefits to implementing physical activity via a group community. The first and most obvious one is the social aspect. There is also the fact that when someone is surrounded by others doing the same physical motions, however, they are given an example of what the proper form is to help avoid injury.
“When everyone has the chance to tap into their own fitness community, we can remove existing gatekeepers,” continued Quesada, who himself suffered a near-fatal car collision and believes that he couldn’t have recovered without the support of his fitness community.
Individuals are more likely to hold themselves accountable in group exercise communities as well—while also being given the choice to add variety to the type of workouts they participate in.
Opening up the world of fitness to anyone and everyone, Krew’s platform has already raised $1.8M in a pre-seed round, including funding participation from Wayra X—Telefónica’s digital innovation hub.
The company is actively receiving funding, support, and access to an extensive network of experts, partners, and clients to ensure that their growth can support its mission to help support people in their own healthy lifestyle choices.
As we climb our way out of the isolated shadows of the pandemic, the opportunity to access fitness classes from everywhere helps to create community anywhere. Exercising in the company of others might be just the needed daily dose of medicine needed in people’s lives in 2022.
Disclosure: This article mentions a client of an Espacio portfolio company.
