This article will take you through;
- How to choose and configure a Live Workout Streaming platform
- How to make your stream look professional
- How to adapt your workout for streaming
- Next steps and additional support
How to choose and configure a Live Workout Streaming platform
There are many options out there for Live Streaming your Workouts. They all have their pros and cons so make sure to do your research and select a platform that works best for you and your clients.
We’ve listed two of the most popular choices to help make that decision easier.
Zoom
The Key benefits of using Zoom are;
- Widely used and easy setup
- Packages start from free
- Clients can comment so you can answer their questions
The possible downsides to using Zoom are;
- If you want to upload and host the video later, you will likely use a YouTube account
- YouTube is more well known to end-users than Zoom
- If you don’t opt for the Webinar add-on, a list of all users will be visible to each other
Zoom is a remote conference software, which has the ability to go into meeting and webinar mode. This will allow you to easily host live online sessions, and share them with your client via private link.
To do this, you will first need to select a Zoom package. Head over to their pricing page for more information on attendee limits, video lengths, etc. and select a package that suits your needs. Take note of the time allowed in the standard free Zoom packages - 40 minutes.
Their packages start from $0 per month and go up to approx $20 per month. However, they usually offer a 30-day trial before committing to a payment plan which might be enough to get you by until you re-open.
How to setup Zoom
To set up a standard conference meeting on Zoom, follow these steps;
- Once you’re ready to go, log-in to Zoom and select ‘My Account’
- From here you will see a bar on the left-hand side, from this list select ‘Meetings’ and the option to schedule a meeting will be shown on a button.
- Only those with a link to your Zoom class will be able to find it, however, for added security consider setting a password*
- You can select a date, time and give your meeting a title i.e. Passion Fitness Sunday Sweat
- You can then generate a link to share with your participants (Note that these meetings can run for a maximum of 40 minutes with up to 100 participants on the standard package, so you will need to upgrade if you want them to run longer)
- We recommend recording the session so it can be shared again at a later date
If your Zoom plan includes webinars then follow these steps;
- Log-in to Zoom and select ‘My Account’
- From here you will see a bar on the left-hand side, from this list select ‘Meetings’ and the option for ‘Webinars’. (Again, you can schedule a webinar and similar to above you pick a day, time and title for your Webinar session)
- Only those with a link to your Zoom class will be able to find it, however, for added security consider setting a password*
- Here you can also decide whether or not registration is required - This is useful so that you can keep track of attendance and mark it against those who have signed up via your app.
- You also have the opportunity to record your workout using Zoom, ready to be shared again at a later date
*
Please note;
- There have been some recent updates to Zoom's terms of service. If your attendees are joining via a meeting link, there will be no change to their joining experience. For attendees who join meetings by manually entering a Meeting ID, they will need to enter a password to access the meeting.
- The 'Waiting Room' feature will also be turned on by default. This means you will need to grant access to your members as they arrive at your live workout class. This also means you will need to continuously check for latecomers in the 'Waiting Room' after the class starts. To avoid this, you can log in to Zoom and go to Meetings > Meeting Options > Edit Meeting > Toggle of Waiting Room
Alternativley, you can change the 'Waiting Room' setting during your meeting by clicking, 'Security' and toggling off 'Enable Waiting Room'
YouTube Live
The key benefits of YouTube Live are;
- YouTube Live allows you to interact with viewers via comments
- YouTube Live is free to set up
- There are lots of resources out there for how to use YouTube Live properly
- You can upload a live stream after the session if you want to use them at a later date
The possible downsides to using YouTube Live are;
- It takes 24 hours from setting up your YouTube Live before you can actually use it
- It has a couple of additional steps, set up Google account > set up YouTube account> Set up YouTube Live Channel
How to Set up YouTube Live
It is possible to stream from the YouTube App on your phone or via a software encoder, but the best way to stream is straight from your web browser using a high-quality webcam. To set up YouTube Live, you first need to have a YouTube which requires a Google Account.
Once you have that setup, you will then need to create a Youtube Channel. You can do this by clicking on your profile picture in the top-right corner of the screen and clicking ‘Create Channel’. It will ask you to fill in some basic details like name, descriptions, etc.
You may be asked to verify your account if you haven’t already done so, which means you won’t be able to ‘Go Live’ for 24 hours. So make sure to set this up well in advance.
When you’re ready, follow these steps;
- From YouTube, ensure that you’ve enabled your channel for live streaming and that your webcam is compatible with Chrome 60+ or Firefox 53+
- Click the upload icon in the upper right-hand corner
- Click Go Live
- At the top, select Webcam
- Enter a title and description, and select a privacy setting. You can also schedule your live stream for a later date. (Choose unlisted if you want the stream to only be viewable by those with a link)
- Click More options > Advanced Settings for more settings.
- Click Save. Your camera will then take a thumbnail
- Click Go Live
- When you’re done streaming, click End Stream at the bottom. All streams under 12 hours will be automatically archived. You can access previous, current, and upcoming streams in the Live Tab
Please note;
When setting up YouTube Live, you should always choose unlisted so only those with the link can view the stream. Otherwise, anyone can stumble across your class and join in without paying.
Read the following article for some tips from Youtube;
How to make your stream look professional
Before you jump into creating content, make sure you have a good set up. Here are our top tips to make your content look professional;
- Make sure you have plenty of light. If you don’t have access to good lighting try using natural light whenever possible. You should test this out before going live to ensure you have no harsh shadows or dark spots.
- Use a clean background. Your setting should be deliberate, avoid having any clutter and try to have your logo showing somewhere.
- Audio is important, invest in a lapel microphone to enhance quality
- Practice! As this is live you want to minimize any mistakes you might make by practicing first and working on your camera presence. Record a test and get some feedback from colleagues
- Plan your session in advance, going Adhoc can cause awkward moments and can come across messy and unprofessional
Please note;
Be cautious of music choice used in the background of Live Workouts, especially when using a platform like Youtube. These can be flagged as copyright infringement which can cut your stream audio off and potentially remove it from your channel. To avoid this consider purchasing tracks from Artlist or using free royalty-free music.
How to adapt your workout for streaming
When it comes to hosting face-to-face classes, you’re probably already a pro. However, you must consider tweaking your workouts when moving to the virtual world.
- Slow your workout down a little, make sure you’ve explained each step clearly and keep an eye on the comment section for any questions. You should also dedicate some time after each workout to answer additional questions.
- Make sure your clients know in advance of the workout, what’s involved and what they need. I.e., gym towels, yoga mat, plenty of space, etc.
- If your clients are used to using your equipment, make sure to let them know that, that equipment won't be needed for this workout, or suggest some alternative equipment pieces, like a backpack, steps or a couch.
Next steps and additional support
For more information on Live Workout Streaming, read the following articles;
For additional support, reach out to support@glofox.com, and we will be happy to assist you.