SweatGuru brings fitness to SXSW, surveys attendees about workout habits

SAN FRANCISCO, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- SweatGuru, the first marketplace that brings people together around fitness classes and experiences, brought its own mind/body fitness experience to this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin, Texas, then surveyed attendees to learn more about their activity preferences and habits.

SXSW Interactive, an annual conference that features emerging technologies, increasingly has focused on health and fitness innovations as more consumers become interested in and committed to a healthy lifestyle.

SweatGuru's own technology takes the work out of working out by providing a place where anyone can find, register and pay for classes online.

The SweatGuru team visited Austin, a hotbed of fitness, during SXSW Interactive to find out more about consumers and their exercise habits. They first created a calm, balancing experience amidst the conference chaos by teaching free yoga classes then they asked participants to answer a few questions about their activity habits, including why they spend time working out.

Most people said they stayed active to be healthy or fight stress, while others said working out gave them energy, helped them bond with a significant other, provided them with a feeling of accomplishment, or made them look good naked. Numerous respondents said they exercise because it's fun.

"Our goal is to help consumers discover fitness experiences in their communities and online so they will keep moving toward their own health and fitness goals -- no matter what they are," said Jamie Walker, SweatGuru co-founder.

Thousands of classes and group fitness experiences around the nation and world can be located through SweatGuru (www.sweatguru.com). The company also provides services to fitness professionals who want to better manage and grow their business.

SweatGuru's recent survey found that SXSW attendees are:

• Active: About 37 percent of respondents said they work out 3 to 4 days a week while 29 percent are active 5 to 7 days a week. About 32 percent work out 1 to 2 days a week.
• Loners: With more than 72 percent of respondents saying they work out alone, it seems most prefer to fit in exercise when they can, given busy, unpredictable schedules.
• Rocking out: Favorite fitness accompaniments were rock and dance music, followed by hip hop and alternative tunes.
• Versatile: Workouts included everything from running and weight-lifting to hiking and cross-training to cycling, yoga, and video sessions.
• All ages: Participants spanned the generations, from age 18 to 54, showing that fitness is can be a part of everyone's lifestyle.

About SweatGuru:
SweatGuru is the first marketplace that brings people together around fitness classes and experiences. By allowing anyone to organize, discover, book, and share fitness classes online, SweatGuru takes the work out of working out.

SOURCE SweatGuru