Can Digital Peer Pressure Power Your Workout?

In order to get you off of the couch and into your gym shoes, a new wave of fitness apps has turned to an age-old force: peer pressure.

Whether by means of competitions, social features, bragging rights or goals, these digital tools are keeping tabs on your workouts — and letting your friends do the same.

“It really changes the dynamic because it’s almost like you’re on stage or in a race,” says Jason Jacobs, the founder of fitness tracking app RunKeeper. “If you stop and walk halfway, people will know. If you finish strong, people will know. Whether a million or people see it or nobody sees it, just the perception people will see it is accountability.”

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Since it launched in 2008, Runkeeper has added features that allow users to post their workouts on Twitter and Facebook, keep a feed of their pals’ activity, and even invite others to track them on a live map as they’re completing the workouts.

Jacobs says that users who use the social features end up logging more workouts and sticking around longer than those who don’t.

A recent study at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine supports the theory that peers can influence exercise. It found that hanging out with active peers may encourage kids to be more active.

Can the same hold true for adults’ social media pals? Researchers have yet to take this question on, but there are several apps that could make good case studies when they do.

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RunKeeper, as its name suggests, began as an app that tracks runs. Since then, it has evolved into an app that tracks just about any activity.

It’s also a health platform that integrates with gadgets, from connected scales to heart rate monitors.

When users complete an activity, they have the option to tweet or post it to Facebook. Users can also add friends to their “street teams” in order to get updates about their activities and cheer them on. Premium users can even share links that allow their friends to track them in real time.

Fitocracy turns exercising into a competition. Uses earn points by logging fitness activities, which allows them to “level up,” earn badges or rank on a leaderboard. Meanwhile, they can join activity-specific groups and follow friends’ progress.

If straight-up peer pressure doesn’t do it for you, GymPact raises the ante. The iPhone app adds cash rewards and losses to peer pressure in order to encourage gym attendance.

At the beginning of each week, users set a goal for the number of times they’ll visit the gym, and name a price they’re willing to pay for not meeting that goal. If they miss their goal, they pay the price. If they make it, they receive a portion of the cash collected from all the people who missed their goals.

Like a cross between Fitocracy and Runkeeper, Nexercise allows users to track their runs, earn “medals” and level up — with options to share their activities along the way.

The Nike+ Fuelband, sportswatch, sportband, app and other Nike+ products come with a social network that lets you challenge your friends, as well as share successes with them.

Nike’s workout app comes with 85 workouts (make sure your device has enough free storage before attempting to download).

Along with badges, or “rewards,” the app allows users to share workout and reward status via social media for a pat on the back from their friends.

RunKeeper, as its name suggests, began as an app that tracks runs. Since then, it has evolved into an app that tracks just about any activity.

It’s also a health platform that integrates with gadgets, from connected scales to heart rate monitors.

When users complete an activity, they have the option to tweet or post it to Facebook. Users can also add friends to their “street teams” in order to get updates about their activities and cheer them on. Premium users can even share links that allow their friends to track them in real time.

Fitocracy turns exercising into a competition. Uses earn points by logging fitness activities, which allows them to “level up,” earn badges or rank on a leaderboard. Meanwhile, they can join activity-specific groups and follow friends’ progress.

If straight-up peer pressure doesn’t do it for you, GymPact raises the ante. The iPhone app adds cash rewards and losses to peer pressure in order to encourage gym attendance.

At the beginning of each week, users set a goal for the number of times they’ll visit the gym, and name a price they’re willing to pay for not meeting that goal. If they miss their goal, they pay the price. If they make it, they receive a portion of the cash collected from all the people who missed their goals.

Like a cross between Fitocracy and Runkeeper, Nexercise allows users to track their runs, earn “medals” and level up — with options to share their activities along the way.

The Nike+ Fuelband, sportswatch, sportband, app and other Nike+ products come with a social network that lets you challenge your friends, as well as share successes with them.

Nike’s workout app comes with 85 workouts (make sure your device has enough free storage before attempting to download).

Along with badges, or “rewards,” the app allows users to share workout and reward status via social media for a pat on the back from their friends.

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