#TECH: A coach at your fingertips

IT is said that it takes just 66 days to form a habit and that half of those who make New Year resolutions fail to keep them by February.

Well, what if you could start the year with a habit already formed? What if, when the new year comes around, you are already a “new me”?

That’s what a new fitness start-up called Joompa is trying to bring to fellow Malaysians — a healthy lifestyle that will keep you going throughout the year.

The Joompa platform (joompa.com.my) connects users to fitness coaches at their convenience. It’s based on user preferences, such as availability and location. From kickboxing, yoga and pilates to powerlifting, Joompa provides easy access to the best coaches in the country

What is it about

According to Joompa’s founder and CEO Benny Price, the start-up’s mission is to professionalise the freelance personal training industry.

“Back in 2017, we realised that skillset and ability were being drowned out by social media and advertising. In short, the most enthusiastic coaches weren’t always the most qualified, the best coaches were often the hardest to find, and the public didn’t always know how to tell the difference,” he said.

Joompa introduces a proper platform for sourcing and booking verified and vetted coaches, with authentic reviews from previous clients. Coaches can also market themselves on the platform.

“Some people enjoy lifting weights. Others prefer variety in their fitness regime.

“Take kickboxing and yoga, for instance. They are both extremely technical activities with scope for constant improvement.

“Kickboxing is a high-intensity, full-body workout which gets the heart rate going while yoga is an excellent low-impact option for people who prefer less aggressive movements,” said Price, elaborating on what people look for when taking up a sport.

One of the fitness coaches at Joompa, Price said a year was spent on wire-framing and developing the app. Another six months were used for internal beta testing. “We spent another year refining it before we started publicising the platform,” he added.

Not a fitness app

Although Joompa is about fitness, the app does not provide fitness training.

“It’s not a fitness app. It’s a platform that sources the best service providers in the fitness industry.

“Our scope sets us apart. We do not just stop at making the connection between a coach and a customer.

“Our calendar scheduling system ensures clients are constantly able to see the timetable of coaches and can therefore book training sessions according to their availability,” explained Price.

Coaches who have a high retention rate on Joompa are rewarded with statistics that contribute to their overall profile.

Usage of the app is quite straight-forward.

“Users just need to open the app and choose from either personal training, kickboxing or yoga.

“They then enter their preferred training location — either at their own residential facilities or at one of our private partner pay-per-use gyms.

“Finally, they need to select the date and time. The app will display the coaches available. What this means is that users pick a workout based on their own availability and not vice-versa,” he explained.

Currently, there are over 250 registered coaches on the platform, with a core team of 40 who have passed Joompa’s internal quality control process and seen their price point validated by client demand.

According to Price, Joompa’s personal trainers need to meet a minimum certification requirement.

“Once we have verified their certification and checked that their area of expertise matches the current demand, we will request for video footage of themselves coaching. Once their qualification is confirmed, we will call an interview. If the coach meets our standards in terms of knowledge and approach, we will build them a biography to showcase their skill set and set their pricing based on industry standards, level of qualification and experience,” he said.

Over 200 people in Kuala Lumpur have turned to Joompa to find a personal trainer, claimed Price, with the majority of them becoming long-term, repeat customers.

The pandemic factor

Due to the current pandemic which has resulted in movement restrictions and work-from-home initiatives, there has been a rise in home-based fitness workouts.

“Even before the pandemic hit, we had planned to offer to offer private video call classes to those outside our in-person coverage areas. When it hit, we saw it as the right opportunity to make this a reality. We worked closely with our coaches to provide as close to an in-person experience as possible via videos.

“Our home training solution is unique in that it is completely customised to suit an individual’s requirements. We avoid the standard routine that doesn’t account for different levels of ability.

“From the vicinity of KLCC and the immediate suburbs, we have since expanded throughout the Klang Valley. In 2021, we’ll be moving into Penang and even abroad. Of course, our online video sessions can be accessed from anywhere in the country,” said Price.

The price-per-session of a coach on the Joompa platform varies from RM70 to RM180 per hour, depending on the coach’s level of experience and certification.

“We provide discounts for those purchasing multiple sessions. Online coaching fees range from RM79 to RM99 per hour,” he added.

Source: NST