Ever wished you could high-five a family member during a Peloton workout, but they’re not there?

It’s ironic. My wife and I have two bikes in our home’s dedicated wellness space, but motivating family members to join me is harder than it should be.

Connected fitness is meant to be social. Peloton brilliantly built a platform where thousands can ride together. But the experience breaks down at the household level – where it matters most.

The people most likely to keep us accountable are the ones sleeping under our own roof.

Yet the platform treats each user as an isolated individual.

Here’s what I would like to see:

• Household challenges that adapt to each member’s fitness level
• Family milestone celebrations that aggregate everyone’s efforts
• Shared calendar views to coordinate workout times
• “Join me” notifications when someone in your household starts a warmup
• Personalized insights about which classes work best for each family member

Think Nintendo Wii Sports, but for serious fitness. Remember how that got entire families playing together?

The most powerful motivator isn’t a virtual high-five from a stranger.

It’s the real high-five from your partner after you’ve both crushed a workout.

(TBH, my wife and I do this pretty well. But it’s on us more than it should be with a connected tech device.)

For product makers, this highlights a crucial truth: sometimes the most impactful innovations have zero to do with adding features.

They come from strengthening existing human connections.

When building any product with a social component, ask yourself: Are we making it easier or harder for people to connect with those who matter most?

How do you motivate your family members to join your fitness journey? What features would make working out together more engaging?

Laurier

P.S. If you’ve found creative ways to make fitness a family activity, hit reply. I’d love to hear what’s working for you and yours.