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The fitness community has grown by leaps and bounds throughout the 21st century. It started with the internet and forums where bodybuilding fans could discuss and debate athletes and contest rankings. Then came social media. First it was MySpace and Facebook, then Twitter, and these days Instagram and TikTok dominate that space. Of course, you can't overlook YouTube and its impact on the entire fitness industry.
You may be wondering what could be next or what's left in terms of ways the bodybuilding and fitness worlds could be connected. The next frontier for the global fitness community could come in the form of Metaverse and NFTs
Do not believe me? Thanks to NFT company MetaPumps, this is already happening around us. Earlier this year, founder Whitney Reid launched this company with the goal of creating and selling to customers.
Whitney Reid
“NFTs are non-fungible tokens. They are unique digital identifiers that cannot be duplicated or replaced that are recorded on a blockchain,” Reid said. "This is used to certify authenticity and proof of ownership."
These characters would be endowed with utilities and assets that could benefit them now and later. Those wondering why people would want to collect NFTs may remember their own childhood days, when sports cards were a popular item to have, trade, and sell. Reid found that his passions for collectibles and cryptocurrency could be combined in this company.
“The MetaPump NFT project started out as a fun side project that I created due to my interest in the crypto space and collectibles. I'm a big collector of sports memorabilia and also very early on in crypto," Reid explained. "Creating an NFT project was a combination of 2 of my hobbies."
There's nothing wrong with taking a business opportunity and trying to be successful, but some of the most successful businessmen like Tony Robbins and Gary Vaynerchuk will tell you that aiming higher is the key to long life. With MetaPumps, Reid has found his greater purpose of creating a positive fitness network and community that share a shared passion for self-improvement.
"When I started the MetaPump collection, my goal was to build a fun network of fitness enthusiasts/bodybuilding fans," shared Reid. In the early stages of developing his brand, he teamed up with four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler. Cutler and Reid had worked together in the past, and both agreed it could be another positive step forward for the fitness industry and for themselves.
“The first collection is a set of characters based on Cutler. Ownership of each NFT will bring you some kind of real-world benefit,” Reid said. These utilities could include discounts on BPI or Cutler Nutrition supplements, promotions with other fitness brands, and some could even connect people directly to Cutler himself. People who might only see Cutler on YouTube or social media might not have direct access and learn from a legend.
"NFTs would be the next level of connection to Jay and other fitness personalities in our project."
If you're familiar with bodybuilding, you probably know that Cutler is considered the most successful businessman in bodybuilding alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reid pointed out that he's always been one step ahead of his competitors, which is why he's still one of the most important names in the sport today, almost a decade after he last competed.
“Jay has always been at the forefront of community building, technology and pioneering what's next. I remember the old days when Ronnie (Coleman) and Jay released a DVD and it seemed to be a competition to see who sold the most. Jay then became one of the first true social media celebrities in our space, and I see him attracting the same attention in the metaverse.”
Whitney Reid
The thought of NFTs might seem like a waste of time in some people's eyes, but Reid offered a valid comparison that might influence your opinion in the future.
"Think about it. Subscriptions are the future of media consumption. Netflix, Hulu and so on. NFTs will be the next way to subscribe for access and information."
This doesn't just happen in rth America. NFTs are becoming a global phenomenon and MetaPumps is among the leaders in the fitness clubhouse. Reid was recently in Dubai speaking at DTEC Dubai Silicon Oasis about developing a Metaverse gym and there is already a movement developing in that part of the world.
“Dubai is poised to become the headquarters for all things metaverse related. The focus of the presentation was our Metaverse Gym. We talked about how anyone from any part of the world could eventually train virtually with Jay and other popular bodybuilding/fitness icons. The technology for this already exists. It would be extremely expensive to do this from home, but I believe it can be done at some point in the near future.”
It is inevitable that the cryptocurrency and digital real estate market will be unstable at this early stage of development. As with most technological advances, stability takes time. Reid has not shied away from this fact and he is optimistic about the future of his project and NFTs in general.
"I actually think that's a good thing for the market," he said. "It's going to weed out a lot of people who were just there for a quick jump and don't really care about the technological aspect of the metaverse. I think we're still years away from full-blown Metaverse training, but it's coming whether we want it or not."
There are big plans for MetaPumps in 2023, including the development of the Metaverse gym and even potential opportunities with Olympia in the future. In Reid's eyes, the potential is endless.
"It will be fun to see how that develops."
To learn more about MetaPumps, follow Reid on Instagram @whitneyreid_fit and on Twitter @metapumps and @whitneyreid33.
This is sponsored content. M&F does not endorse the sites or products listed in this article.
