Home Fitness Takes You To The Next Level

In a mid-pandemic nationwide survey, Tempo learned that 70% of respondents would never return to the gym, even when it was safe to do so. Even today, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected how we all lead our daily lives. Among these many changes is how we now approach our fitness. During the pandemic, most gyms were forced to reduce capacity or shut down altogether. So, many of us had to find ways to bring our gym routines home with us.

At this point, with months of home workouts under our belts, coronavirus vaccinations, and the return of our pre-pandemic social habits, is everyone back in the gym? Not quite. Here’s what we found.

We polled our members and the general fitness community and discovered that even after gyms reopened, athletes who used to have a traditional membership had already become accustomed to training from home, so they stayed put. 

In fact, even after the pandemic, 50% of participants who previously had a gym membership said that they were still training at home.

Did you know that we all spend roughly 30% of our total gym time just commuting? This equates to an average of 20 minutes of driving roundtrip. The commute can indeed be the difference between getting your workout in and calling it off. “I’ve been to Gold’s gyms and LA Fitness. It’s not that I don’t like them; there is a good community there,” says Tempo member Michael Pitt. “For me, it’s about the time spent in the car.”

Other surveys have echoed our findings: that a lack of time is a big hindrance to exercising. And a long commute will certainly contribute to that.

Even for the population who still has a traditional gym membership, attendance is low. In fact, the average member goes to the gym fewer than four times a month. Considering that the average gym membership is about $35, this comes out to about $9 a visit!

Furthermore, while the gym might provide the equipment and machinery, it certainly doesn’t provide the strategy and guidance. 90% of members either mostly or exclusively do self-designed workouts. Even if you’re getting a membership for a good price, what about the cost of the time and energy you spend coming up with your own programming?

Essentially, a traditional gym is less convenient and more time-consuming, and it doesn’t give any strategy or guidance to the members utilizing it. (We haven’t even touched on the cleanliness or lack thereof!)

Now, how can a smart home gym system alleviate some of these problems? Many people invested in this as a temporary solution during the pandemic, only to find that it was a more efficient, effective, and enjoyable approach.

The Tempo smart home gym system was designed with the aforementioned unique pain points in mind. Here’s what you need to know.

With a smart home gym system, you can get the same workout (or better) completed in a fraction of the time. Says Michael, “I realized I could get two additional Tempo classes in at home in the time it took me to drive [to the gym]. And I know I’m not sacrificing quality in interaction because I love the Tempo community.”

With Tempo, there’s no commute, and you don’t spend any time waiting for the machines you want. Whether it’s a quick 10-minute HIIT class on your lunch break or a 20-minute yoga session while your child is doing their homework, with a home gym setup, you can train when it’s most convenient for you — no commuting required. In Tempo’s own community, we see an even spread among all hours of the day with 24% percent in the morning, 35% percent in the afternoon, and 37% percent in the evening. 24/7/365, our members have access to a library of workouts and classes.

Think of the cost savings of this, too. You don’t need us to tell you what gas prices are like right now. A May 2022 CNBC article stated that households are spending about $5,000 a year on gas. Just two months prior, it was $3,800, and a year prior, it was $2,800!

“When I look at it, I want to think about my return on investment and my break-even point,” says Michael. “The Tempo monthly subscription + my Tempo Studio equipment cost... I’d have to be active with Tempo for less than two years compared to a big box gym cost. So far, the data proves itself.”

Do you know another main reason why people don’t go to the gym? They lack confidence. Understandably, row after row of mysterious machinery and equipment can be intimidating. Muscular men grunting and dropping their weights with a loud thud can send us running for the treadmills.

We know that strength training is still what most Americans prefer, and we also know that they don’t prefer to do it alone. Why? Simple. Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to even start! When you train with Tempo, you never have to exercise alone. Every class is led by one of our knowledgeable trainers, who will give you guidance every step of the way.

Furthermore, you can customize your workouts based on your own unique needs and goals. Are you just starting out on your fitness journey? Let’s go for something beginner-friendly. Are you coming back from injury? Tempo has the modifications you need. Do you have a bun in the oven? We have maternity-specific workouts designed just for you.

There’s no one-size-fits-all program. You certainly won’t get a personalized experience at the gym, but with Tempo, you can get it at home.

It doesn’t get more convenient than this. “I can be on my couch to working out in under five minutes,” shares Michael. “I find myself doing a lot more working out because my ‘gym’ is right there at home.”  

People may not want to go back to the gym, but they definitely want elements of it at home, whether it’s the equipment, the coaching, or the motivation and community. With Tempo, you get the best of both worlds without the drawbacks of having a traditional gym membership. In a post-pandemic world, we weren’t totally sure what the new normal would look like. Now, we know: It’s fitter, healthier, and happier.

Join Tempo and experience the movement for yourself.