How P4L Fitness Drove Record Member Engagement with Myzone

The Challenge

For P4L Fitness in Temecula, California, member challenges have always been a core engagement tool. But after nearly two decades of running them, owner Josh Hubby had identified a persistent limitation: the same core group of members participated every time.

P4L wanted a format that could expand participation beyond its usual challengers, deepen community connection and create genuine emotional investment across the whole club.

“Challenges have always been a great way to drive engagement and create excitement in the club. But they typically attract the same core group of members. We’re always looking for ways to extend the appeal, particularly amongst those who might not typically put themselves forward for a traditional challenge.”

Josh Hubby ·Owner, P4L Fitness

The Approach

P4L Fitness used Myzone’s challenge functionality to launch an international facility-versus-facility challenge, competing against gyms in Ireland and Portugal over the course of one month.

The format was intentionally collective rather than individual:

Members earned Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) through any physical activity
All MEPs contributed to P4L Fitness’ overall facility score
Members were working alongside each other, not against each other
The goal was to out-earn two competing gyms from different countries

This shift, from self-improvement motivation to identity-based motivation, proved to be the key differentiator. Members were no longer exercising just for themselves. They were representing their gym, their coaches and their community.

The Results

The challenge delivered results that exceeded all expectations across participation, attendance, accountability and community.

Engagement outcomes
Across the month-long challenge, P4L Fitness recorded significant shifts in member behaviour:

Workout attendance increased beyond typical monthly averages
Coaches reported higher levels of member accountability throughout
Social media activity and member-generated content increased significantly
Members completed additional physical activity outside their scheduled sessions to contribute MEPs
Participants continued earning MEPs while travelling and on holiday
Members actively referred friends to join the club during the challenge

Community outcomes

The challenge culminated in a dramatic final push, with all three facilities competing for first place. P4L secured victory after rallying its members and coaches for a final collective effort. The energy generated extended far beyond the gym floor:

Why It Worked: The Key Insight

The results point to a fundamental difference between traditional gym challenges and collective, identity-driven competition. When the goal is shared and the stakes feel bigger than personal performance, a wider cross-section of members engages.

Three factors drove the uplift at P4L Fitness

Collective purpose over individual competition, members who wouldn’t typically join a challenge felt comfortable contributing to a team goal
Identity and belonging, representing the club (and country) created a sense of pride that self-improvement goals rarely generate
Real-time visibility, daily rankings kept momentum high and gave members a reason to return to the gym

What This Means for Your Club

The facility-versus-facility format is replicable. Any gym using Myzone can participate in or organise an international challenge using the challenge functionality. Based on P4L’s experience, operators considering this approach should:

Frame the challenge as a team effort from day one. Emphasise the collective goal in all communications
Involve coaches actively, their visible investment directly increased member accountability at P4L
Use social media and in-club displays to build daily momentum around the leaderboard
Create a finale moment, a final push event gives members a shared memory and emotional peak