Testing the Hypothesis- 7A

Social network for gym goers

• Opportunity: Individuals in commercial gyms typically have a difficult time meeting new people at the gym and finding a partner if they want one. 
• The Who: Individuals in a commercial gym who are seeking a gym partner. 
• The What: People have a difficult time finding a gym partner.
• The Why: People who go to gyms tend to stay to themselves, making it feel uninviting and difficult for others to approach them. 

Testing The Who: The opportunity applies to small gyms as well. However at those gyms people are more connected and have more interactions then commercial gyms. The opportunity is still prevalent for new gym goers at small gyms who don't know anyone. The opportunity also applies to those who are not seeking gym partners but simply friends who go to the gym, however it is mainly for those looking for a partner.

Testing The What: The opportunity deals specifically with people having a difficult time finding a gym partner, however it can be applied to any gym relationship. It is also hard to make friends at the gym.

Testing The Why: Because the gym is filled with people of drastically different body physiques, it can also be a reason for people to have a hard time finding a gym partner. When an individual does not feel confident they are less likely to approach someone else. The fear of rejection is also a why that is possible. Many people are afraid to interact with a stranger because they do not know how the stranger will react.

Interview 1
The individual interviewed has 3+ years of lifting experience, during which she has done both bodybuilding and and strength training. She stated that when she initially started going to the gym she felt awkward and thought it was weird to spark a conversation with another individual. During her time lifting she has only had a partner for periods of time. The partner was her boyfriend. They did not have similar goals at the gym therefore they could only work out once or twice together. She said that she loved working out with a partner because it pushed it but it was so difficult to find someone who wanted to do the same thing she did at the gym. When asked if she has been trying to look for a partner she said she has tried working out with her friends but either they're not as experienced as her, making the workouts more of her training them, or they would rather do cardiovascular exercises instead of lift weights. As I explained the app and its purpose she was ecstatic. She said, "You should really make it happen!" Her enthusiasm implies that she would be a prototypical customer for the app.
Interview 2
The individual interviewed has lifted for approximately 2 years, he is a competitive powerlifter. He stated that he mainly workouts alone simply due to the fact that he does his own programming therefore it doesn't go with anyone else's workout plan. He has no problem working out alone and prefers it because it is a hassle changing the weight after each set for the partner. He does like to bench with others though because it's easier to change the weight plus having a partner makes him less scared if he fails, allowing him to go up in weight. I asked him if he would use this app if it was available and he said maybe, if he can find someone on it that lifts the same weight as him. However he said it would definitely used it if the app also had a section for other amenities at the gym such as basketball. He said it is normally difficult to find people to play against because everyone's skill level ranges so drastically, he doesn't know when to come.
Interview 3
The individual interviewed is a competitive powerlifter at a national level. He has been lifting for over 7 years now. Due to his competitive level he normally has 8-12 week programs leading up to a competition therefore he has to be on a strict workout regimen. He has worked out with people running the same program and competing in the same meet and loved it. He stated that he and his partner were able to push each other through each rep and make the most of their workouts. His strength is due to having a partner throughout his first couple of years lifting he said. As of late he has transitioned to working out alone due to travel. Traveling results in different gym quite often as a result he can't make any connections with anyone to have a partner while there. When asked about the app, he stated that it would be really good to have especially for the road because he can link up with someone before going so he can have a partner while in town. He also stated that during his offseason he would love to use an app as such to find bodybuilders at the gym to workout with, because he wants to work on his physique but doesn't know much about physique training.
Interview 4
My fourth interview was conducted with a male who just started going to the gym this semester. As of right now he said that he is simply going in and doing whatever he feels like doing. He does not have a current workout plan. When asked why not, he stated that he doesn't want to pay for a personal trainer and he doesn't know anyone who works out and can give him one. I asked if he wants a partner or to workout alone but on a program. He replied that he would prefer having a partner especially if the partner knows what they are doing. That way he can stay on track of his workouts and also do it correctly. I asked if I were to train him for a week then let him free on his own if that would work too. The individual replied yes but he would still prefer a partner, he thinks it will be a lot more enjoyable. Also he feels like he'll skip the gym if he's lazy but with a partner he would muster up the energy to go. When asked why he didn't just go up and ask someone in the gym if he can workout with them, he said it's scary. It's scary because everyone looks intimidating and in the zone, he said, and he doesn't want to get in their way. He thought the app was an amazing idea. Stating, "That would definitely be useful for me!"
Interview 5
My last interview was a female lifter with over 4 years of lifting experience. I interviewed her because of her position as an employee in the weight room. She said the faces she sees are pretty regular except when it is New Years or the start of a new semester. When asked if there are more new people who work out alone or new people with partners that make the gym a habit and don't quit, she said definitely those with partners. I asked what her opinion on working out with a partner is and she said some of her best workouts are with a better. She was able to go up in weight on her lifts because she felt motivated by her partner yelling at her. I asked her if she's noticed any trends in interactions between people at the gym. She stated that those who talk either come with each other or know each other and always talk, here and there people nod or wave when they make eye contact but no one is actively trying to meet new people. I asked if she thinks it's hard for people to find a partner for the gym and she said it definitely is because, "you don't know who to ask." She believes if you can have a partner definitely do it because you can learn a lot and have a better experience. When I explained my idea of the app she said, "That sounds interesting. I can see it working here, especially during peak times when new people come."

What I found out from my interviews
After interviewing different individuals that all go to the gym for a different reason I learned that my opportunity is a lot more vast than I thought. After speaking to the individual that loves playing basketball but can't find people to do so, I realized that my opportunity is not simply for lifting weights. It can be applied to any sort of exercise such as sports, biking, jogging and probably even martial arts. From my interview I realized that this opportunity is not seen by others at the moment. From everyone I interviewed, they all decided to not search for a partner, instead they just gave up. No one is actively searching for a way to make this process easier so as of right now I think my opportunity is hidden to the world, but is prominent. I also realized that the app has more potential then simply matching individuals. Even with the add-ons I believe it was still focus on the major opportunity.