Gym chain Retro Fitness has a new mobile application designed to integrate with its physical locations to provide fitness tracking, challenges and social features for members.

While it is one of many, the app can connect with any Retro equipment by snapping a photo of the machines? screens. Also, the app can integrate with popular wearable devices and apps such as Fitbit and MyFitnessPal.

Through the new app, Retro Fitness members can choose from several methods to track their workouts. As fitness data is stored, it is measured to show the progress of a challenge or goal, giving members a complete handle on their personal fitness.

Users can view their entries in the app according to workout or view them weekly, monthly and yearly.

Fitness data is pulled into the app in several ways. Cardio machines connected to Retro Fitness? software use members? identification numbers to update the app with data in real time. Workouts on machines outside of the network can be added by uploading a photo of the cardio machine?s screen to the app, which will recognize, retrieve and store data automatically.

Third-party fitness platforms can also be linked to the app. Statistics from wearable fitness technology, such as Fitbit and UP by Jawbone, and other apps, such as MyFitnessPal, can also be included in the aggregated data stream.

The app keeps up with users? total distance, speed, heart rate and resistance and presents this information in a line graph.

Retro reward points are redeemable for prizes and can be earned for every activity completed and logged on the app. Users can collect points by working out, checking in and sharing on social media. When users create goals for themselves and join challenges hosted on the app, they can also collect reward points.

Challenges hosted on the app feature different themes, such as a hot challenge for summer months, an Olympic challenge and a sports bet challenge that encourages users to make bets with others. 

Retro asks app users to post their activity on Facebook and check in on Foursquare.

Also regarding social, the app includes an interactive social platform for each gym, where members can engage, support and motivate each other by sharing workout status updates and progress on their goals.

The social platform also contains information about the challenges and tells users who is in the lead.

The design and execution of the app resonates with Retro Fitness? core value of providing a nonthreatening gym atmosphere.

Fitness takes up a huge space in mobile, enabling the public to track their fitness efforts. Therefore, there are many other players in this game.

For example, Planet Fitness is leveraging members? stories of health and fitness accomplishments on a mobile Web site to encourage even more achievement while driving brand engagement. 

The Newington, NH, fitness club chain?s ?Planet of Triumphs? campaign lets members who join via Facebook or Twitter post stories with a picture or video, becoming eligible to win weekly prizes and a role in a Planet Fitness commercial (see story). 

At 50 million users and counting, the MyFitnessPal app has been eating the lunch of some mainstay weight loss programs and, with a new upgrade dubbed Steps that tracks walking activity, marketers are envisioning opportunities for a wider array of brands, plus more finely targeted partnerships.

The nine-year-old free download got a financial boost last fall from Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers and Accel Partners to help it along a path taking it deeper into health and wellness. In February it acquired Sessions, a company that pairs people with fitness coaches (see story).