Belfast's Physical Fundamentals to Distribute MYTRAK Computerized Success Coach to UK Health Clubs
Back in the U.S., the women-only express gyms have caught on by storm. The concept has already leapt across the Atlantic and smatterings are beginning to appear in the UK. The most functional piece of equipment for this club concept are the hydraulic circuit training stations whereby the strength building resistance is provided by a simple hydraulic piston. As the field gets more and more crowded by a slew of franchise brands, it appears the killer differentiator will be a computerized success coach, called MYTRAK, that attaches to each machine and guides both novice and elite exerciser to train in their optimal zones.
Liam McStravick, Gerard Lyttle and Michael McCusker started their company, Physical Fundamentals Ltd., in 2005 on a mission to change the sport and leisure industry. They also believe there will be a trend toward women-only gyms arriving in force in the UK as it already has in the U.S. According to McCusker, "At the moment the big thing in the UK and Ireland is the huge potential in private health clubs of a 'gym within a gym' predominantly for women."
In their analysis of equipment manufacturers of various machine parts for hydraulic circuit training, they discovered an emerging computer technology that will revolutionize the hydraulic circuit gym industry -- MYTRAK.
MYTRAK is a computerized personal coach that is attached to each piece of hydraulic equipment and communicates to a main computer and database. A simple user-friendly display communicates with exercisers via simple colored light displays.
The technology keeps the exerciser in their optimal fitness zone by first being programmed with the user's personal profile and then knowing the force dynamics of each machine. The user exerts just hard enough to keep the lights green. MYTRAK also automatically records heart rate, reps, and levels of exertion. There are numerous reports and graphical displays.
Because Physical Fundamentals also caters to athletes, it was important that MYTRAK scale to any user from beginner to elite athlete. According to McStravick, “When first introduced to the product, we could not believe what were seeing – a real-time automated feedback system that continually motivates and pushes the client into achieving their health and fitness goals. The 'Go for Green' slogan is simple and user friendly. The complete system is a phenomenon! This was something that we knew would become a market leader when introduced into the UK and Irish Fitness Markets”
McCusky added, "In a women-only environment, they'll be able to see pictures of their body on the screen, what's working and what's not. MYTRAK gives feedback from the exercise computer to keep the members motivated, that can go from local authority level, right up to elite level."
Physical Fundamentals picked up the distributorship in late 2005 and has since taken MYTRAK to UK equipment manufacturers, health clubs, universities, sports teams and local authorities. The product was officially launched in the first week of January 2006 and sales are starting to come through the door. MYTRAK has been received well with all the major corporate health clubs in Ireland and a series of major sales meetings are scheduled throughout the months of February and March of 2006.
"It's absolutely ideal for clubs who are looking to generate further income with their current members or trying to gain a comparative advantage in the marketplace" concluded McStravick.
Physical Fundamentals is located in Belfast Northern Ireland and is the master distributor of the MYTRAK success coach and of the Fit Express line of hydraulic circuit training equipment for the UK. They can be reached at 01144-28-90753-010 or on the web at www.physicalfundamentals.co.uk.