Sweat vs. Non-Sweat Venues: what do we mean?

If you work closely with us, you may have heard us use the phrase ‘sweat vs. non-sweat venue’, coined by our very own Rugged Robin… but what do we really mean by this?

The indoor leisure market is all about creating unforgettable experiences that make visitors want to return again and again. Whether it’s trampolining, bowling, climbing, laser tag, soft play or playing arcade games, they’re all looking for repeat custom. But what’s the main difference when it comes to ‘indoor entertainment venues’? Well, the way we see it is you’re either encouraged to move as you play – and ‘sweat – ‘or, you stand still and stay dry - ‘non-sweat’.

At Rugged Interactive, we’re all about combining fun with physical activity, and we place ourselves in the ‘active fun’ market – venues and products that make you sweat (sometimes just a little bit).

Non-Sweat Venues

These venues provide entertainment you can enjoy in everyday clothes, and you’ll rarely break a sweat in them, such as bowling centres, the cinema, arcades, museums, mini golf, and AR/VR sites. Often these activities are combined with food and drink, are enjoyed in groups, are part of a whole day out, and require less energy to take part in.

Examples Include:

Sweat Venues

Unlike non-sweat venues, sweat venues generally require you to wear activewear, or at least clothes you’d be comfortable running around in! Sometimes these venues even have changing rooms and showers and might offer grip socks or other activity equipment.

Sweat venues offer activities that get all your limbs moving, raising your heart rate, getting you sweaty, letting off steam, and moving around the venue.

Examples Include:

Why does it matter?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of adolescents and 27% of adults do not meet the WHO’s recommended levels of physical activity¹. This leaves room for improvement in getting people moving and maintaining an active lifestyle. So, how about incorporating physical activity into leisure time?

Our interactive products are designed to get people moving more whilst playing and having fun, motivating repeat use, and exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise. For example:

• Adding our Freedom Gaming lightpods into a Soft Play creates motivation to run around the structure and hit out the lights, adding a cardio challenge and competitive activity
• Putting a Freestyle Duo into a Family Entertainment Centre to reduce inactive periods and make the most of an unused space
• Transforming your Ninja Run or Obstacle Course with our TriggerTrac System, adding a timed challenge that gets players heartrate up and legs pumping

Find out how you can boost active fun in your venue

At Rugged, we pride ourselves on championing attractions for ‘sweat’ venues.

We help sites in the indoor play market make the most of their venue and offer a premium experience for their customers. This might mean giving parents a place to bring their children that gets them active, offering parties for older teenagers that encourage teamwork and friendly competition, or providing interactive spaces for toddlers to explore.

Our Active Fun experts can advise you on ways to boost return visits and be ahead of the competition, with a consultative approach to upgrading your venue. Rugged’s interactive products offer a wide range of interactive games that can suit all areas of your park and appeal to a wider demographic.

Contact us at sales@rugged-interactive.com or call us on +44 1726 981 123 to find out more.

¹https://www.who.int/health-topics/physical-activity#tab=tab_1