The fitness industry has long relied on traditional methods to help patrons build muscle, get fit, and tone their bodies. As society progresses and technology continues to evolve, entrepreneurs and business owners look to adapt, using the latest and most innovative methods to revolutionize the industry and inspire their customers and clients to get healthy.
Few businesses are succeeding in this new era as much as Ryan Deluca's Black Box VR. One of the most significant revolutions in this gym industry is the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in fitness training. And Ryan Deluca is taking this concept to new heights with an ambitiously innovative idea by integrating esports-style games with fitness techniques.
Ryan Deluca founded Bodybuilding.com in 1999, initially starting as an e-commerce site selling creatine supplements. The site grew into a vast online community, providing fitness enthusiasts with thousands of products and a wealth of information about sound fitness practices.
But what became Bodybuilding.com's primary marketing strategy, and the secret to its success, was the creation of unbiased, honest content. As an entrepreneur, Ryan understood how essential creating online communities is, requiring generating content and engaging users. Ryan invested in supporting industry events and athletes and introduced forums and message boards for users to communicate and interact with each other, taking the company's online community-focused approach to new heights.
By 2008, Ryan rolled out BodySpace, Bodybuilding.com's social media platform that provided users with an entirely new level of community interaction. The platform operates on social media-like features, allowing members to post updates, track their fitness journey, and communicate with others along the way.
Ryan always has the vision to stay ahead of the curve. Therefore, his new venture – Black Box VR – introduced the latest technology in the industry; Virtual Reality-powered gyms using esports-style games. Unlike traditional gyms, Ryan has accentuated VR fitness by incorporating game features that make working out engaging and fun while staying immersive. The fitness boutique gym offers a virtual reality gaming setting with AI in the VR room with resistance and cardio workouts for an intense 30-minute session.
Ryan Deluca's new strategy focuses on gamification, making fitness workout routines more appealing to those less inclined to regularly workout. Black Box VR uses the sense of immersion to transport clients to another world where they can feel they are present, playing games embedded with workout programs that help users meet specific fitness objectives.
Ryan Deluca believes that combining high-tech and fitness is the future of the industry. Incorporating a gamification strategy in the gym model ensures adhering to a healthy lifestyle is enjoyable while creating growth opportunities in the fitness industry. With plans to franchise the concept and grow the gym's reach to more locations, Ryan Deluca's innovative approach is set to bring about sweeping change to the fitness industry at large.