Group fitness could push-up to a whole new level if a Google Glass trial by Western Australian health insurer HBF proves positive.

The trial, which HBF believes is the first of its kind in Australia, is testing how Google Glass could help deliver a personal trainer experience in a group fitness setting.

Trainers of HBF Fitness, have started using the Glass in a series of in-house trials. The Glass features an app designed specifically for HBF Fitness by HBF’s information technology team.

HBF executive general manager, Health and Wellness Jennifer Solitario said the idea was born from HBF’s desire to become a health partner.

“Providing great health insurance is one thing, but we want to do more. We want to help our members live well and manage their health. HBF Fitness is a great example of this,” Solitario said.

“Now in its third year, our aim was to take peoples’ HBF Fitness experience to the next level by giving them a more tailored workout, while still in a group setting. Google Glass could potentially do this, it’s an exciting concept to be trialling.”

Wearing the Glass, HBF Fitness trainers can:

• View a weather forecast based on their location.
• View participant’s individual health and fitness information and adapt their training accordingly.
• Refer to pre-programmed HBF Fitness session plans and a stopwatch.
• Record and play-back vision.

HBF trainer, Max Tamatoa admitted the Glass would take time to get used to, but its use in a group fitness setting had some encouraging practical benefits.

“We’re always looking for ways to help participants get more from their workouts, so this is an exciting trial to be part of.

“When a participant arrives for a session, we check them in by scanning their unique QR code. This immediately tells me their individual fitness status, including injuries, which allows me to train them at an appropriate intensity,” Tamatoa said.

“And the Glass’s record and play-back feature is really useful for honing technique.”

“Like most tablets or phones, the Glass has an intuitive design which makes moving through
the features quite natural. Like anything new, the more I use the Glass, the more natural it will feel, for me and our participants.”

HBF will continue a test-and-learn approach to its Google Glass trial.

The in-house trial’s success will determine whether the technology is rolled out to all 20 HBF Fitness locations in the future.