Industry

Crypto for CrossFit and How WODProof Became the Go-To App for Online Fitness

March 30, 2021 by
Photo Credit: WODProof (instagram.com/wodproofapp/)
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On March 9, WODProof introduced an exciting new element to its robust mobile app — digital coins. The company gave users the ability to earn this digital currency through a variety of actions, such as recording a workout and taking a post-session selfie. Once the users have enough coins, they can redeem them for discounts at some of the biggest retailers in the CrossFit space. 

Remind me: WODProof initially started out as a tool for community members without the traditional setup to record Open workouts. The app provided users with a platform where they could enter their workout and hit “start,” beginning the recording with an on-screen timer. WODProof later added a timestamp to prevent any cheating. 

  • “We created a solution to something that people might not find as a problem,” said Adam Grinker, WODProof founder and CEO. “We came with a simple version of WODProof that comes with a built-in timer, but the cool thing is that we had four steps.” These steps were starting the video, recording an intro, starting the workout and timer, and stopping the workout. 
  • “Then you have one full video according to the CrossFit Open standards — and other online events. Our community just started to grow because we came with a solution. … Then what we did was collaborate with online events, and put all of the event’s info in the app so our community members could start quickly in the specifically given workouts.”

Expanding operations, doubling server space: When COVID-19 forced many gyms to shut down — either temporarily or permanently — people began trying to find new ways to work out at home. Their search led many to WODProof, resulting in a massive number of new users. This growth continued into the start of the 2021 Open, forcing WODProof to double its number of servers two separate times to keep the app running smoothly. 

  • “In one day — I think it was mid-March — we saw huge growth,” Grinker explained. “A huge amount of organic downloads. If you looked at the live worldwide map of WODProof users, you could see that the spread of COVID looks the same as WODProof live users.”
  • “We saw that WODProof became the solution for not only CrossFit athletes but athletes who want to work out at home. It was the go-to tool. It’s kind of the same situation (now). The Open this year looks the way it looks because of COVID.” 

An in-depth look at the numbers showed that WODProof became a key part of the CrossFit community before COVID-19 and even more so after gyms had to close. Between the Opens of 2019 and 2020, the app grew by 25%. With more people working out at home between 2020 and 2021, the growth rate doubled with thousands of new users each day. 

Moving forward: With the Open complete, those who qualified for the next step are preparing for the Quarterfinals. They will be able to record their workouts on the WODProof app, continuing the trend set with the Open announcements. Grinker doesn’t expect another surge in growth as the Quarterfinals approach, but he and WODProof will strive to keep the app working smoothly and updated with the latest information. 

  • “I think for the Quarterfinals, we will keep doing what we have been doing,” Grinker said. He further explained that people will approach the upcoming step in the CrossFit season, as well as any other fitness competitions, by opening the app hoping to see a setup they are used to. 
  • “10 seconds after (the workout) will be officially announced, they will also see it on WODProof. I know that some WODProof, CrossFit, and fitness people like doing the CrossFit Open workouts with the live announcements. We never disappoint them. It will be quickly on the app.” 

Coins and extra motivation: While WODProof saw a huge increase in users, there were some members of the community that stopped actively working out or tagging the company on social media. Instead of trying to guess what the community wanted, Grinker and WODProof reached out to the community directly for answers. 

  • “They told us, ‘how long can you do at-home burpees, dumbbell snatches, and air squats?’” Grinker said. “They started to lose their motivation to work out at all.” Part of the lost motivation stemmed from gyms shutting down, so WODProof responded with the WODProof Academy that provides 11 different training programs. 
  • “The second thing that we did — but it took a bit more time — was to understand that how we could increase the motivation and get people to train again was to reward them in some way. This is why we came up with WODProof Coins. To reward them with a push notification is good, but it’s not good enough.” 

Earning WODProof Coins is as simple as opening the app, entering the applicable information, and then starting the workout. Recording a video of the workout provides twice as many coins as simply using the timer. There is a 20-coin limit per day for workouts, but users can earn 10 extra by taking a post-workout selfie. Free users can only earn 200 coins, but Pro users can earn an unlimited amount. 

Early returns: While WODProof Coins only launched in early March, Grinker is seeing positive responses. The community has begun earning unique badges and coins, which they can redeem for discounts at Born Primitive, Caffeine and Kilos, and Ice Age Meals among others. However, WODProof waited to unveil the coins until these companies were fully on-board and ready to give the community members better prices. 

  • “We reached out to 50 different brands and told them that we had an idea,” Grinker continued. “If they want to join us and encourage people to get back to (their) workout routine and stay fit and healthy, they are more than welcome. We got 47 brands that said that they wanted to join.”
  • “I was really grateful to see that this was the reaction. … Every time that we come with an idea and solve a problem, we only release it when we have a fully-completed solution. … In one day, the community members could figure out that now every workout counts.” 

Bottom line: Grinker has the goal of helping community members remain motivated to work out and improve their quality of life. The WODProof Academy gives them several different options for training programs at one price while WODProof Coins help them earn rewards and ultimately save money on items they likely wanted to purchase in the first place. Grinker is even planning for even more growth in the future. 

  • “The big vision is that every time someone wants to buy something in the future, they will always know that they can purchase it with WODProof coins for a better price and save money,” Grinker said. 
  • “If I can give you a small hint, I can say that WODProof is now the go-to tool of most of the CrossFit community athletes,” Grinker said. “In 2021, WODProof will be the most efficient and powerful tool for the everyday routine. It won’t only be for workouts.” 

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