CKO Kickboxing and Hykso Inc. Pioneer Digital Fitness by Integrating Technology into Fitness Kickboxing Classes

HOBOKEN, N.J. and IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CKO Kickboxing, one of the most innovative fitness franchises in the country, has formalized an agreement to work with Hykso, a creator of next-generation sports and fitness-technology solutions. CKO Kickboxing will deploy Hykso's new strike-tracking gym solution in a select number of CKO Kickboxing locations starting this winter with plans for full, franchise-wide deployment scheduled in early 2017. CKO Kickboxing will be the first major fitness franchise to implement Hykso's technology.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414682
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161003/414683

The agreement represents CKO Kickboxing's continued commitment to providing a superior experience for its members.

"We're proud to be the first and only kickboxing franchise that can offer our members such precise tools that help motivate them to get in shape," said Rich Rosso, Chief Operating Officer of CKO Kickboxing, headquartered in Hoboken, NJ. "Our members can now get accurate, up-to-the-second feedback on their workouts when they use the same state-of-the-art sensors created by Hykso and used by the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team. Hykso's sensors can track speed, intensity and punch count. For members who want to compete in groups/teams, with friends  – or with themselves – the sensors are a great way to stay motivated and get results."

"Live performance feedback fundamentally changes the behavior of individuals in a workout setting, holding them more accountable and driving greater effort. This is especially the case when class participants are simultaneously exposed to the live performance data of others around them," said Tommy Duquette, co-founder of Hykso. "We are so excited to be working with the CKO Kickboxing team. They are a very forward-thinking organization and I'm confident that working alongside them will help us take our product to the next level." 

Hykso's wearable sensors provide valuable performance data for elite, professional athletes and also for those participating in martial arts like boxing and kickboxing for fitness. The trackers calculate every strike that is thrown, measure its velocity, identify its type, and then feed all of this and more back to a custom mobile app in real time. Hykso markets its product direct to consumer through its website and has also developed a fitness-focused gym solution that is offered to gyms and health clubs in exchange for a monthly recurring fee.

Hykso's gym solution allows clubs to run metrics-based striking classes where the performance stats of participants are broadcast in real-time on live displays spread throughout the gym. Individual leaderboards display the output of single participants on separate tiles. This drives effort and engagement by allowing members to compete against themselves and others. Group-based leaderboards strengthen relationships and help to foster a sense of community and teamwork among members. Post-class, each participant receives a detailed, graphical overview of their performance via email which includes options for social media sharing and for booking future classes. Through Hykso's mobile app, users can monitor their performance stats over time, set goals and compare with friends. By accurately quantifying individual output, Hykso's gym-solution removes the guesswork from HIIT classes, allowing users to move more confidently in the direction of their goals.

The power of Hykso's tech lies in the superior robustness of its motion recognition algorithms. Accurately identifying and analyzing fast-paced, dynamic target-motions like punches while simultaneously ignoring non-target motions (blocks, glove taps, jumping jacks, etc.) is an extremely difficult technical challenge and Hykso is the best in the world at this.

About CKO Kickboxing

CKO Kickboxing is one of America's fastest growing franchises according to Entrepreneur Magazine, which included the kickboxing gym franchise in its Franchise 500 list of best franchises in 2015. The magazine rated CKO Kickboxing the Top Personal Service Franchise in the Fitness category in 2016.

CKO Kickboxing is one of the most trusted names in fitness franchises. CKO Kickboxing is a true nationwide sports fitness franchise with gyms from coast to coast in approximately 75 locations.

CKO Kickboxing bags will be the last obstacle at Spartan races this year, at CitiField, Cowboy Stadium, Fenway Park and Citizens Bank Park.

For more information about owning a CKO Kickboxing franchise, go to http://www.CKOFranchising.com.

About Hykso

• Backed by renowned Silicon Valley startup accelerator, Y-Combinator
• Named as one of the '13 Hottest Wearable Startups to Look For' by Wareable.com
• Named 'The Coolest New Wearable on the Market' by NetPulse
• Featured as 1 of the '12 Amazing Tech Innovations Seen at the Rio Olympics' by Entrepreneur
• Named as 1 of '7 Wearable Breakthroughs to Watch for in Rio' by Fast Company
• Recognized by Forbes, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, ESPN and more.

For information, go to https://www.hykso.com

Contact:

CKO Kickboxing
Rich Rosso
Email 
917-748-6420
800-489-1964

Hykso
Tommy Duquette
Email 
781-439-1822

SOURCE CKO Kickboxing