Hate working out? It can be such a hassle – there is travel time, using equipment with other sweaty people, showering in messy locker rooms, and not getting enough personal training attention to make a difference. But still, fitness and health are important. What can be done differently to make workouts more enjoyable and fulfilling? Where’s the technology?
Enter Tonal: a San Francisco-based start-up company that aims to revolutionize how people workout by using high-tech to reinvent the workout system. The innovative product and service combines unique hardware, software, and an interactive LED screen to create a workout experience that doesn’t rely on old-school barbells and plates. Tonal can even sense when a workout is too easy, and add more weights for the next set to set the right level of difficulty.
Tonal is high-tech and effective, but not cheap. The machine itself is $2,995, plus custom smart accessories at $495, and a monthly subscription of $49 per month for 12-months minimum. The Tonal system mounts to a wall (similar to flat-screen TV). For the optimal experience, the system only needs access to a 7-foot by 7-foot space. Tonal measures reps, sets, range of motion, time under tension, power, and volume. The monthly subscription provides expert coaching via video with step-by-step instructions.
No pain, no gain.
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Poll students:Where do they work out? How much do they spend on gym memberships? On equipment?
- View Tonal’s Web site: https://www.tonal.com/
- Discuss the importance of clearly defining a target market.
- For Tonal, what is the target market?
- Divide students into teams and have each team develop a profile of a target market for Tonal. Include demographics, psychographics, behaviors, values, attitudes, etc.
- Based on the target market profile, what makes this product unique for these customers?
- Debrief the exercise.
Source: New York Times
