When meeting a member of the opposite sex for the first time, one normally exchanges names and some form of awkward physical greeting. But during a recent encounter, before I even knew what he did for a living, I found myself aiming a strong punch at his head.
Fortunately for this man, whose name was Richard, I missed. But this was a date unlike any other. I hadn’t bothered with make-up or high heels. Instead, with hair scraped into a ponytail and wearing gym kit, I turned up at a deserted underground gym for a “workout date”.
It’s a concept growing in popularity thanks to new apps that connect fitness fanatics. Fitssi, the one I’m testing, isn’t actually about romance at all; rather, it’s a social network for people who want to get sweaty together in the innocent sense. Created by the personal trainer Chris Sweeney and the tech developer Lee McPherson, Fitssi is designed to break down the barriers to keeping fit, including the fear of lonely late-night workouts.
“Fitssi is for everyone — whether you’re a fitness fanatic or just starting out, or even if you just want to find people with similar workout goals. It’s been shown that if you hang around with people who are strong on their fitness game, then you will be, too,” McPherson says. Indeed, research suggests working out with other people might even increase the number of calories you burn. According to a study last year by Virgin Active, women who work out with a friend burn up to 236 calories in an average workout, compared with 195 calories for those who exercise alone.
Which is why McPherson and Sweeney aren’t the only entrepreneurs tapping into this market. Sweatt, which launched last December, does want to help you find romance and plays on the cliché that the best place to meet someone is in the gym. Sweatt matches singles based on how they like to exercise and lifestyle indicators such as diet. You can scope out potential matches — and their hard-earned physical assets — before you commit, with the app’s full-screen photos of users.
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There’s also Jaha, an app named after the Zulu word for “chase”. Like the dating apps Tinder and Happn, it uses location data (as well as your fitness preferences) to match you with a suitable exercise partner. Users can also enter workout challenges with matches, such as running 5k faster than your “date”. Those trying too hard to impress could be caught out, however, since Jaha collects real-time fitness data, such as daily steps and distance travelled, and publishes your stats to a public leader board. Another new app, WellSquad, aims to connect users with whole groups rather than a single partner, allowing individuals to arrange to play team sports.
Just the thought of exercise brings me out in a sweat, and the idea of inviting a complete stranger to witness my failure to perform even one burpee was distinctly unappealing. So, I reluctantly registered on Fitssi, setting up my profile by selecting the type of workouts I would feasibly enjoy. I could pick almost any activity, but boxing seemed a good icebreaker for a first meeting. I decided against asking for a female match and (regrettably) stated my boxing abilities were “intermediate”. The in-app algorithms then paired me with my best match.
It selected Richard, based on our locations and the fact that he was also looking for an “intermediate” boxing partner. He was in his twenties, I’d guess (Fitssi doesn’t give out ages), and, disappointingly, shorter than me, and while I’d overstated my skills, it quickly became clear that he had significantly understated his. He not only avoided my flailing punches, but managed to swipe a few (gentle) body shots while hardly breaking a sweat. Even if my “date” had been single (he was married with children) and hoping for more than just a sparring partner, the fact that my face was bright red with effort would no doubt have quashed any romantic chemistry.
Still, if you want someone to share the pain of a spinning class, or if you’re looking for a six-packed soulmate, true happiness could be only a swipe — and a squat — away.
Get your pulse racing
For fit friendship — Fitssi
Search for local people and invite them to join in with your favourite workout.
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For a sweaty soulmate — Sweatt
Hooks you up with a romantic partner based on your workout habits.
For a gym buddy — Jaha
Find compatible gym partners and challenge them to a 5km race.
For team spirit — WellSquad
Connect with whole groups of like-minded fitness freaks and set up some team training.