The Gym Group has extended its partnership with digital fitness platform Fiit, becoming the first budget gym operator to offer its members a hybrid club-in-club option.

Seen as a merging of the world of digital fitness and traditional brick-and-mortar health clubs, the deal will see the introduction of the first-ever Fiit Pod interactive fitness studios in the UK.

Launching at three flagship Gym Group clubs – Oxford Street and White Hart Lane in London and Altrincham in Cheshire – the new offering will be the first time Fiit has been accessible outside the home and within the walls of a health club.

The Fiit Pods will offer group HIIT training with Fiit equipment and bodyweight group classes scheduled throughout the day, accommodating up to 20 people per class.

Fitt will be deploying its newly-launched interactive fitness technology, which is capable of creating a fully interactive fitness experience.

While the interactive in-gym experience is already available on spin bikes, this will be the first time in the UK that live-streamed leaderboards will be available for HIIT workouts within any gym, according to the partners.

It is the latest example of how the pandemic and consumers' shifting training habits are influencing the way fitness operators look to attract, engage and retain members.

The pandemic has resulted in a large percentage of gym members seeking hybrid solutions which provide convenient access to workouts – whether at home, in the gym or on the go.

Barney Harrison, CCO of The Gym Group, said: "Our purpose as an organisation is to break down the barriers to fitness for all.

"The introduction of Fiit studio classes and Fiit pods helps us to bring expert instruction, added motivation and an immersive fitness experience to our members around the clock.

"We have worked hard to be in a position to be the first UK gym operator that can host the Fiit live leaderboard HIIT classes alongside its extensive library of classes."

Dan Shellard, CEO of Fiit, says: "We’re hugely excited to be rolling out the UK’s first interactive studios to the nation allowing us to continue on our mission of making fitness a habit for everybody.

"As we continuously seek to transform the lives of many by providing a credible and affordable solution to working out wherever you are, this is a natural evolution of our ongoing partnership with The Gym Group."

The existing partnership between Fiit and The Gym Group has seen Fiit being made available – at home – to those with a Gym Group membership.