Local startup Physi app now helps whole family get active

Cincinnati-based fitness app Physi recently announced that it has added family play opportunities to the range of activities it offers. It launched in 2015, and is a free app that is currently available for download in the Google Play or Apple Store.

The announcement makes sense, given Physi’s social focus. What makes it different from other fitness apps is that it’s not just about getting people exercising — it’s about connecting users to each other so they can get active together.
 
“There are a lot of technologies out there that are very performance-oriented, and that’s great if you’re training for a triathlon,” says Physi's President and COO, Marty Boyer. “But this is just as much on the social side as it is about just being active.”
 
Physi works to connect users based on location, interests and skill levels. It helps people build communities and social networks as much as it helps them be healthier. The activities offered range from yoga to dog walking, and users can meet each other through planned activities or spontaneous “play now” options, like if a flag football team needs an extra sub that day.
 
The new family play offerings continue this trend, but provide opportunities for parents and families to meet each other by arranging active play dates. Physi is also planning to roll out improved pairing soon by offering “proactive pairing,” where the app will suggest pairs or groups based on interests and skill levels, then users will be able to message each other to set up activities. This way, the app puts an even greater emphasis on those connections.
 
Physi also has a corporate option, which Boyer points out works well because it gives employees easy, organic ways to get active together, rather than feel like a corporate kickball tournament is forced on them, or maybe it just doesn’t appeal to them.
 
“For people to get active, you have to remove the overhead of decision-making,” Boyer says. “On Physi, there’s always someone out there ready to play.”