Body Composition Scans Made Easy

The IHRSA ebook, How to Maximize Your Gym’s Data Strategy for Sales & Retention, discusses the fact that biometrics are becoming more affordable and easier to utilize in a health club setting. One biometric tool, the body scanner, has been gaining popularity but tends to have some limitations. Body scanners can be complex and often require that certain pre-test conditions be met.

One such example is the electrical bioimpedance body scanner, which uses a mild electrical current to determine body fat and muscle mass. But they often require previously mentioned pre-test conditions that can be inconvenient for the typical health club member. They also don’t break down the type of body fat you have. Some body fat, like brown fat, is metabolically different from other body fat.

A Different Kind of Body Scanner

Recently, MYE Fitness Technologies, one of the industry’s largest suppliers of OEM/ODM design and manufacturing services, introduced the BodyScript Body Analyzer. It’s convenient for clubs and highly accurate in terms of total body assessment. It also helps club members seeking health and/or weight management and satisfies their demand for a hyper-personalized wellness profile.

According to MYE founder Tony Garcia, the decision to launch the BodyScript Body Analyzer was based on industry feedback and demand for a product that could match the accuracy of current gold standard hydrostatic weighing and Dexa scan body composition testing.

“Our research showed a demand for higher accuracy body measurement technology compared to traditional bio-impedance (BIA) systems and the need to be able to retrieve, track, and share the data in a more effective, easier way,” he adds.

Here’s how it works: BodyScript incorporates the latest safe, FDA-approved near-infrared (NIR) technology. NIR is designed to detect the specific light absorption characteristics of body fat, water, bone, and muscle. It comes in contact with and directly measures body fat cells, rather than estimating body fat percentage based on hydration levels.

There’s no need to remove shoes or socks, no meal or beverage restrictions, and no restrictions of use for women who are pregnant or people who have a pacemaker. Testing can also be done any time of day.

Another key point of differentiation for BodyScript, Garcia says, is the ease of use. The screen prompts allow members to administer the tests themselves in as few as 10 seconds.

As far as results go, “BodyScript allows for the measured results to be captured via a patented method, where the user scans the displayed QR code that encodes the measurement results,” explains Garcia.

“The BodyScript app lets members track their trends over different times, so they can monitor their improvements and work with facility training staff to help them reach their personalized fitness and weight loss goals. We also allow third-party apps to capture the measured results, which allows other platforms to utilize the measurement data for member wellness plans.”

A Tool for Value Creation

As important as its ease of use and lack of restrictions, says Garcia, is the BodyScript’s potential impact on the club’s bottom line.

“BodyScript customers see the value of having a simple and accurate solution that can be used any time of the day, without having to worry about the tedious protocols sometimes required using BIA measurement devices,” he says. “BodyScript also allows a facility to save money on labor by offering a 'self-test' assessment solution that it can rely on without having to staff and schedule the use of the BodyScript tool.”

As far as seeing BodyScript’s value, Garcia can point to many client case studies. He offers two here:

• “After conducting extensive research and evaluating many products, we found the BodyScript products clearly provide the best technology available in a free-standing body composition analyzer,” says Keith Edic, senior director of medical integration at Power Wellness. “The BodyScript units are user-friendly, with a safe and rapid testing method without clothing or diet restrictions. No direct staff supervision is necessary, allowing more efficient use of staff time and helping members. Our entire membership can use the BodyScript units and receive immediate results trackable on their mobile devices. Several months of staff testing validated the BodyScript NIR technology with repeatable outcomes, helping motivate members to achieve their health and fitness goals.”

• “The BodyScript Ascend made an immediate impact as soon as the first unit was installed,” says Josh Wheeler, CEO of Texas Family Fitness. “The ability to step on the Ascend and perform a complete body analysis test in under 10 seconds has greatly improved the productivity of our training staff and impacted membership sales. Measurements are consistently accurate and the BodyScript mobile scanning and tracking app is a huge bonus.”

In addition, Garcia has seen clients create a range of uses for the BodyScript tool; applications that can lead to revenue generation and member retention and referrals.

“The BodyScript body composition analyzer was the foundation of our recent ‘Six-Week Body Fat Challenge’ promotion, and the response was overwhelming,” notes Dr. Ben Quist, founder of Form & Fitness. “Members call the BodyScript Ascend ‘the Magic Machine,’ and rightly so. It’s been great for new member referrals.”

The next phase in BodyScript’s evolution will be a trainer portal.

“We’ll be launching soon,” Garcia says. “The goal is to allow training staff in a facility to monitor their clients’ progress remotely. The portal allows for a deeper analysis of clients’ overall health and will let the trainer measure multiple body locations, which offers a clearer picture of their clients’ adherence to the programs they’re enrolled in. The portal will also allow facilities to promote lines of supplements, for example, and other services that can be driven by BodyScript measurement results.”

To learn more about BodyScript, visit their website.