WHOOP
WHOOP is tapping strength training to bulk up its ecosystem.
Quantified gains. Expanding the capabilities of its 4.0 strap, WHOOP launched Strength Trainer, a new feature that measures weightlifting’s impact on the body.
Using the company’s wrist-worn device, Strength Trainer tracks exercises, reps, and weights lifted to calculate muscular load — quantifying how strength workouts affect the musculoskeletal system.
By factoring the muscular load metric into the WHOOP Strain score, the new tech helps users better understand the effects of both cardiovascular and muscular training — a first among mainstream wearable makers.
This move follows the company’s 2021 acquisition of PUSH, a wearable focused on strength training and velocity-based performance data.
Doubling down. Appearing on the Fitt Insider Podcast in February, WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed teased the new strength training feature:
“We’re going really deep on weightlifting, which is an area members have been craving and hasn’t existed in the wearables market.”
According to Ahmed, this launch aligns with a broader strategy of “doubling down” on the company’s subscriber base, particularly in a tough economic climate, adding:
“I think good advice for any consumer business, and especially any subscription business, is to really focus on existing members, and double down on them. Make sure you’re coming out with new features, new functionality, being really thoughtful for that audience.”
Heeding his own advice, WHOOP has been busy in recent months, lowering the price of its subscription, debuting stress tracking and breathwork protocols, and unveiling a developer platform.
Punchline: In a crowded wearables market, WHOOP is rolling out new features to outmaneuver competitors by appealing to high-performers. Meanwhile, the smart strength sector is getting even smarter, as new tech for optimizing training becomes more accessible.
