With every new year comes a list of resolutions, and for many, living a healthy lifestyle tends to be a list-topper. While getting the right gear is the first step on a weight loss journey, it’s important to not just look the part.
So for consumers looking to focus on their fitness in 2018, these are the companies that are going beyond product and are offering an experience that’ll help kick off your New Year’s resolutions.
New Balance
As the Boston-based athletic company continues its mission to become the world’s best running brand, New Balance has opened three official Run Hubs across the country to tap into the community. Outside of offering innovative gear, New Balance Run Hubs, like the one in New York Road Runners’ RunCenter, also offer exclusive programming, including Test Run. Through the initiative, runners have an opportunity to try out the latest running gear and technology on an actual run.
Olympian Jenny Simpson demonstrates an interactive feature at NYRR’s RunCenter.
Courtesy of New York Road Runners.
New Balance also provides its Run Club, powered by Strava, which virtually connects users to a social media network for athletes, while offering events, challenges and virtual races.
Reebok
This other Boston-based brand has transformed its various retail locations across the country into FitHubs, in which Reebok offers free group fitness classes several times a week along with exclusive events.
For instance, this month at Reebok’s flagship in New York, customers were able complete a run and meet and greet with fitness instructor Ashley Horner.
Nike
Nike has multiple experience stores to motivate its consumers. For example, the company has opened extensive retail locations in Beijing, Miami and New York that offer athletes physical platforms such as the Nike+ Basketball Trial Zone, Nike+ Running Trial Zone and Nike+ Soccer Trial Zone to test out gear.
Nike+ Soccer Trial Zone
Courtesy of Nike.
These zones allow consumers to test out shoes on a treadmill, basketball court or even a 400-square-foot synthetic turf field floor, while also getting a workout.
Another Nike fitness benefit is the Nike+ Run Club, available in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Portland, San Fransisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C., and Orange County, Calif. Runners can take part in live-session runs, high-intensity training and solo runs with the voices of select Nike coaches in your ear, thanks to the Nike+ Run Club app, and it’s all for free.
Bandier
For a more hyperlocal experience, Bandier, a sportswear retailer, has a studio located at its New York flagship store on Fifth Avenue. There, curated classes are offered from the industry best in yoga, cardio and high-intensity training.
Instructors include Nicole Winhoffer of the NW Method, Heather Lilleston and Katelin Sisson of Yoga for Bad People, Akin Akman of Akin’s Army, Patricia Moreno of IntenSati, Taryn Toomey of The Class and a full lineup from The Bari Studio and 30/60/90.
Lululemon
Across the entire globe, Lululemon offers workout classes and events in local communities.
For instance, to kick off the new year, ambassador Ann Schaefers-Coles will take runners for a morning jog at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Ill. And that is just one example.
Other events in various cities include in-store Barre classes, yoga, cycling classes, Zumba, meditation and more. All you have to do is head online to check out the schedule of events.
