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Game On! Gamification in Training

By Gaelle Abecassis | Jun 4, 2024

If you’re training for your first or fifteenth triathlon, bike ride, or running race, guess what? You’re playing a game. In this game, the winner (that’s you) takes home the satisfaction of personal records. It could be that you ran your fastest marathon, rode your bike farther than ever, or finished your first Ironman triathlon. Your goal was the object of the game. And the various training sessions you completed were the levels you had to beat to finish that game.

In decades past, turning training into a game was limited mostly to training teams and clubs. Members could push each other with every workout with mini-games like racing to the next stop sign on a run or ride. The group dynamic pushed athletes harder than they would have pushed otherwise. However, with the advent of wearable fitness trackers such as GPS watches, heart rate monitors, and power meters (for cyclists), this training gamification expanded to solo athletes around the world. 

This flood of trackable performance data could now be uploaded to training and fitness apps, and with it, a new generation of gamification ideas for training. Not only was training more fun, it was also more effective. A 2019 study by University of Pennsylvania behavioral scientist Dr. Mitesh Patel found that by making a game out of walking for fitness, with points and virtual awards for completing various challenges or competitions, participants clocked close to 100 more miles over six months than those who were simply told to walk every day. The gamers weren’t told or asked to walk more. They just did, thanks to the gamification built into the program.

How To Turn Your Training Into a Better Game

The first step is easy: Set a goal. The second step is to find a training plan to guide you to success. Next, you’ll need to track your progress with a GPS watch, heart rate monitor, and power meter (if available) and upload it to an app that lets you see your progress. Humango’s AI-powered app does both. It takes your goal, turns it into a training program, then logs your progress via an easy-to-follow dashboard.

Once you set your objective, figure out what type of gamification environment you thrive in. Patel’s study above noted that fitness gamification participants fall into three general types: competitors, supporters, or collaborators. 

Competitors compete against others in their workouts, comparing efforts, totals, and pace splits from their workouts. Some even compete in virtual races and challenges through training apps such as Zwift or even Peloton. It even takes the form of virtual awards, badges, and digital pats on the back. The drive to get those accolades quickly is what gamification is all about. 

Supporters are the equivalent of teams or clubs — or, in the case of Humango, a global social network. As members work through their training programs, they can support their fellow members through in-app training groups. These groups feature leaderboards and comment sections for added motivation and encouragement. Perfect for clubs, coaching organizations, teams, and individuals, this feature is designed to make members feel connected to a group and, therefore, less likely to drop out.

Collaborators are those friends and family who commit to doing something together. It could be a group of bike-riding friends who want to log 10,000 total miles in one summer. Each member’s weekly mileage contribution will differ, but the group goal inspires people to do their part to reach it. And because they don’t want to let their teammates down, they stick with their training.

So, which type of fitness game works best? Patel’s study found that competition-based gamification produces the biggest gains in fitness and overall activity. But gamification of any sort can still be effective in helping endurance athletes stick with their training, reach for higher goals, and, best of all, achieve them. 

So, whatever your athletic goals may be, make them a game and start playing!