If you have been in an F45 gym, you have likely seen its gamification platform focused around heart rate. Called LionHeart, this platform relays real-time heart rate information to the F45TV Leaderboard in the gym and awards each member points based on their heart rate. Each member simply has to wear the band during the workout to participate.
Members then receive an email with details, or they can view both daily and historical reports in the F45 Training app, which completely integrates all aspects of LionHeart.
F45 members like the LionHeart platform because it’s a fun way to stay motivated and to challenge themselves to meet and exceed their goals. And because it automatically links to the F45 Training app, it’s an easy way to keep track of all their workout information!
Why is monitoring heart rate a valuable tool?
According to F45 staff:
LionHeart . . . provides more than just a measure of sweat to know if you’ve had an effective workout.
Recently there’s been a lot of interest around Zone 2 training. Zone 2 training divides training intensity into different zones or heart rate zones, typically ranging from Zone 1 to Zone 5, with Zone 1 being the lowest intensity and Zone 5 the highest. The exact heart rate range for Zone 2 can vary depending on the individual, but it is typically defined as a range between 60% and 70% of an individual’s maximum heart rate. The purpose of training in Zone 2 is to build a strong aerobic base, improve endurance, and enhance the body’s ability to utilize oxygen efficiently.
So when F45 members are aware of and keep track of their heart rate, they know how their body is benefitting from the workout.
That’s an efficient workout without having to calculate numbers on your own!
Why is LionHeart so powerful for results?
Members say that not only is it fun to track their heart rate—especially on the F45TV Leaderboard—but it’s an easy-to-understand system, and it’s motivating. Plus, posting their heart rate on a screen for all to see helps foster a little healthy competition with other members, and that adds fun and a challenge to the workout.
Members can also use the results to determine which workouts (strength, hybrid, cardio, or recovery) are giving them the results they want.
They can track which stations and which kind of exercises are impacting their heart rate the most.
They can look at patterns over time and even determine what happens to their fitness level if they skip a class or two.
Mostly, members say that this platform helps them stay motivated and excited about hitting goals. One member recently told us: “LionHeart is great. I wouldn’t have guessed it would motivate me as much as it does, but I get fired up to hit point thresholds, or to lead the class!”
What is WHOOP?
F45 has recently partnered with WHOOP. WHOOP created a sleek band that users wear to track their health, fitness level, sleep patterns, recovery, and more. Through the WHOOP technology, users will receive personalized performance coaching based on their own individualized data.
According to F45 staff:
While F45 takes care of the best hour of our members’ day, WHOOP will support them in the other 23 hours with rich insights into their lifestyle habits and delivering data that will help them perform better in the studio and their everyday lives. Members who participated in the 45 Day Challenge at the end of 2023, was able to leverage this data to make informed decisions on their training, nutrition, and recovery to more effectively chase their Challenge goals. Challengers also experienced an added layer of gamification through WHOOP with weekly leaderboards across Recovery, Sleep, and Strain delivering prizes to the top performers through the duration of the 45 Day Challenge.
In addition, according to F45 staff, F45 will be “focusing on providing richer analytics in 2024 so we can help F45 coaches and members to better understand what they’re doing well, what they can improve, and to realize their true potential.”
With a new year comes new goals, increased motivation, and even better technology. At F45, we are always working to improve your experience in our gyms, as we want you to get the most out of your workout.
So if you’re looking to improve your health in 2024, visit your local F45 gym for a trial. We guarantee that you will feel right at home. And you’ll enjoy a little healthy competition as well!
By: Susan Ciancio
