9 Software Features Designed for Functional Fitness Gyms [+Top 5 Tools]

With an average annual revenue of $100,000 to $200,000 and relatively low operating costs, a functional fitness gym can be a profitable and enjoyable business to run.

And as an added benefit, you can always take out your entrepreneurial stress on the battle ropes.

But if you’re not looking to just get by—and you want to build a business that’s truly thriving—you’re going to need the right functional fitness gym software.

A fully equipped platform allows you to streamline your workout programming and provide a more engaging client experience that keeps people coming back for more.

In this guide, we dive into some essential features to look for in WOD management software, as well as some great options to try.

What’s in this guide:

• Top 9 features in a functional fitness gym management platform
• 5 best functional fitness gym management software to try

9 essential features in a WOD management platform

These must-have features allow you to save time when planning workouts, enhance the client experience, and more.

1. Exercise management

It’s essential that the platform you choose includes exercise management features. You should be able to add new exercises with details, images, videos, sets repetitions, scoring metrics, and durations.

With WellnessLiving’s FitBUILDER software you get all of this plus the ability to add tags to exercises and filter exercises by tags.

2. Circuits and benchmarks

Your WOD software should also make it easy to manage benchmark categories, add new circuits, and view circuits within benchmark categories. You should be able to add images and videos to circuits if desired.

Unlike most workout of the day (WOD) software, FitBUILDER gives you advanced features for managing categories, tagging circuits, and filtering.

3. Workout builder and scheduler

To build workouts, you should be able to select from your library of exercises and circuits. You can build a workout, give it a name, set the duration, and provide scoring metrics.

The platform should also make it easy to add workouts to your schedule and save them as favorites for future use.

FitBUILDER allows you to duplicate workouts and reorder routines for easy editing.

4. WOD management

Any software designed for functional fitness gyms must include WOD management. You should be able to add your WOD for each day, assign it to the correct location (if you have multiple), and modify scheduled workouts as needed. The WOD should be easily viewable for both clients and staff. (More on that below.)

5. Client app

As a functional fitness gym, it’s important to have an app for your clients so they can stay engaged with your business.

Clients should be able to view the WOD schedule and details for each WOD, and any notes your trainers have left. It should also be easy for clients to log results for each exercise.

With WellnessLiving FitBUILDER, clients can not only engage with your WOD, but also purchase products, book one-on-one training sessions, and explore any other special offers you might have.

6. Staff app

You also need an app for your staff so they can easily access essential information.

WellnessLiving offers a staff app. Your team can get everything they need on the go.

Staff can review the WOD schedule and read the details for each exercise, as well as the required equipment and any notes left by coaches and athletes.

7. Whiteboard

A workout whiteboard is another essential feature for modern functional fitness gyms. Use your whiteboard to enhance the workout experience and make it more engaging and immersive. With WellessLiving’s FitBUILDER software, you can easily integrate your whiteboard with your gym’s TV so clients can view current exercises and upcoming exercises. In addition, staff can access the remotely from home for seamless management.

Our platform includes countdowns, work time, rest time, and buzzer sounds. Everything plays automatically according to the preset workout so instructors can focus on clients.

8. Leaderboard and social engagement

A leaderboard is another great feature for functional fitness gyms, where healthy competition is the name of the game.

The leaderboard should automatically populate with top performers for the day based on the exercise results that clients log in your app.

If your functional fitness software includes social engagement features, that’s even better. Ideally, clients should be able to view leaderboard results within the app, comment on each other’s results and participate in an exclusive chat channel for each WOD. This is great for getting everyone to encourage each other and foster a sense of community.

9. Notifications

Notifications are another essential feature. You can set up notifications for new WODs to encourage participation and improve your client retention rates.

SMS, email, and push notifications can also be used to keep in contact with new leads and clients that have dropped off. For more details on the types of campaigns you can set up, check out our guide to functional fitness marketing.

Top 5 WOD management software to try

To manage clients, exercises, workouts, leaderboards, and more, consider these solutions.

1. WellnessLiving’s FitBUILDER

FitBUILDER offers the best WOD management software, allowing you to streamline your workout programming and improve the client experience with virtual whiteboards, leaderboards, and more. FitBUILDER offers advanced tagging, filtering, and multimedia so you can create a re-usable library of exercises, circuits, and workouts.

Our functional fitness gym software also offers no-code solutions for mobile apps, segmented marketing, and website creation so you can grow your business.

2. SugarWOD

With SugarWOD, you get exercise and workout management as well as whiteboards and leaderboards. However, SugarWOD doesn’t offer tagging and filtering, making it more difficult to manage your exercise library. The platform also lacks automated timers for the leaderboard, meaning that instructors will need to manage timers manually.

3. Wodify

Wodify offers all of the features you need for managing exercise details and workout schedules, including tags and filtering. You’ll be able to easily share your WOD with both clients and staff via your mobile apps. But Wodify’s circuit management features come up short. You can’t assign circuits to benchmark categories. Tags, filters, images, and videos are also not available for circuits.

4. Wodstar

In terms of workout management, Wodstar provides just about everything you need. The platform offers advanced tagging and categorization for exercises, workouts, and circuits so you can quickly build your programming. Wodstar doesn’t offer mobile apps for clients or staff—so you’ll be missing out on an important way to engage clients and keep staff in the loop.

5. Trainerize

With Trainerize, you get client onboarding, workout programming, in-app messaging for private coaching, and progress tracking. While the platform does serve gyms and studios, it’s more of a fit for personal trainers because the focus is on managing individual relationships. Trainerize doesn’t offer SMS or email marketing, so you’ll need to look for growth features elsewhere.

Ready to streamline and grow your functional fitness gym? Learn more about FitBUILDER. Book a no-commitment demo today!