Other than an apparent
fondness for the color pink, something else that sets
millennials apart from Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers is the way they work out—and no, it's not a question of
spinning vs. running. Rather, it's the fact that the current gig economy makes it hard for most of them to commit to long-term membership payments,
frequent travel means routine of any kind is difficult to maintain, and most devoted exercisers prefer to
mix things up as much as possible when it comes to the types of workouts they're doing on the reg.
That shift is something ClassPass recognized early on—and it's since revolutionized the way people access fitness studios because of it. Now, a digital platform called Zeamo hopes to do something similar for traditional gyms by making it easier to purchase 24-hour passes to sweat boxes on demand through its newly launched website and app—no membership fee or commitment of any kind required. While this doesn't mean gym access is discounted through the app, it does mean that Zeamo users could potentially save hundreds of dollars on long-term gym membership fees while gaining convenient access to the workout facilities they want, wherever they go.
Currently, the New York City-based startup is partnered with 500-plus gyms in the US and over 100 in Dublin, Montreal, Toronto, London, Munich, and Sydney.
Like a lot of entrepreneurs, the idea for Zeamo came out of a need for its founder and CEO, Paul O’Reilly-Hyland, to solve a problem in his own life: He was training for a triathlon and was having a hard time finding a gym with a pool he could drop into on the fly. (As a result, one of Zeamo's main features is an ability to search for gyms based on criteria, such as whether it has a pool, single-gender facilities, childcare options, etc.) "It's perfect for...[anyone] who may not want to commit or who wants to supplement an existing program," he says.
Currently, the New York City-based startup is partnered with 500-plus gyms in over 35 US cities and over 100 in Dublin, Montreal, Toronto, London, Munich, and Sydney, with plans to keep expanding its reach to as many areas as possible. A quick search surfaced at least a few options in all major American cities—there are over 50 in Boston alone, though most metropolitan areas (Los Angeles, London, etc.) will show results for far fewer at this early stage—with day passes running the gamut in price from $7.50 to $27.50, depending on the venue.
Since Zeamo only officially launches October 17 (it's currently in beta testing), it might be a tad early to offer suggestions, but something else we'd like to see from the platform? Being able to search for gyms with truly epic views.
Zeamo isn't the only one shaking up the fitness scene RN: Here's why Rise by We is poised to be the super-gym of the future. Plus, these tech-enabled workouts are perfect for those days you want to sweat solo.
