Q: Do I need an iPhone to participate?
A: Yes, you need an iPhone. If your gym has wifi, an iPod Touch or iPad can also work for check-ins. Our web app for other smartphones is coming soon - sign up with just your name and email (complete the 1st sign-up page) to be notified when it's ready.
Q: What gyms can you verify?
A: We can verify any gym or fitness facility that is separate from your home or office. Unfortunately, we can't count home or office gyms right now for GPS verification reasons, including apartment or condo gyms that are not in a separate building from living areas.
University gyms count, however! So do yoga studios, swimming pools, tennis courts, martial arts studios, rock climbing gyms, outdoor tracks, etc. If we don't have your gym listed, simply add it the first time you check-in there.
Q: Outside the US?
A: Yes, GymPact works internationally! GymPact's iPhone app is launched worldwide so just sign-up and download the app to get started. If we don't have your gym listed, simply add it the first time you check-in there.
Tip: when you enter your payment, just leave the State field blank for international credit cards. We're working on adding a country field to the signup process.
Q: What is a typical GymPact week's schedule?
A: Sign up and edit your Pact until Sunday night at midnight in your timezone. Your Pact starts on Monday and runs until the next Sunday at midnight - please finish all workouts before then! We send out attendance emails on Monday or Tuesday with your workout details and payments/rewards.
Q: What is a Pact?
A: This is your commitment to get to the gym. You tell us how many days a week you want to exercise (min 1 day/week) and set the monetary stakes you’ll pay if you don’t go (min $5 per day missed).
Q: Can I change my Pact?
A: Yes! We think flexibility is critical to fitness success. You can change your Pact days and stake for the upcoming week until Sunday at midnight the week before. Have to travel for a conference next week? Or just had your week freed up? Go ahead and change your Pact!
Q: How do I check into my gym?
A: Simply download our GymPact iPhone app. When you’re at the gym, hit the Check In button and we’ll confirm via GPS that you’re there.
Q: Can I check into a gym that is not listed on GymPact? What about my yoga studio, personal training studio, etc?
A: Yes and yes. We have over 40,000 gyms in our database, but if your gym or studio is not listed, you can simply add it via our app on your first check-in at the gym. We’ll approve any valid fitness center, other than a home or office gym.
Q: Does GymPact have a direct relationship to the gyms listed?
A: No, GymPact is not affiliated with the gyms we list. If you have a GymPact related question, please contact us directly.
Q: What happens if I miss a gym day?
A: Our users make it on average to 90% of the days they commit, but if you do happen to miss a day, we will charge the credit card we have on file for you according to your Pact amount and the number of days missed. In no other situation will you ever be charged.
Q: Where do my monetary stakes go?
A: To the GymPacters who made it to the gym! Every week, we will pay out cash rewards to those who met their Pact from the Stakes paid by people who didn’t quite make it. Rewards can be cashed out like via Paypal. We think if you put real money on the line, you should get real rewards.
Q: What happens if I want to go on vacation?
A: The goal of our program is to keep you motivated, fit and healthy, and we believe that taking occasional breaks is an important part of a healthy life. You can freeze your account and tell us when you want to get back on your Pact.
Q: What happens if I get injured or sick?
A: If you ever run into medical issues, just ask your doctor or employer to fill out this medical exemption note and email it to medical@gym-pact.com. You’ll be exempt from your Pact until you are better.
Q: Does it work?
A: The concept of GymPact comes from a Harvard behavioral economics class, and our pilot in Boston had a 90% success at getting people to the gym when they committed! We were featured on the Freakonomics blog, Boston Globe, NPR, etc.
Q: How do the cash prizes work?
A: Every Sunday night, we calculate how much was paid by those who didn't get to the gym that week. The money is then divided among those who made their Pact, based on the number of days committed (i.e. 3 days Pact = 3 portions). Cash prizes are not related to your Stakes, which are for your own personal motivation.