Virgin Active will very soon open the doors of two new gyms in London, in Paddington and Cannon Street, which will be crammed with technological innovations, including contactless smart wristbands for members that will replace the need for membership cards and locker keys. The bands will also help visitors keep track of their workout history.

First announced in July 2014, the two gyms are close to launching and will set the standard for future tech-savvy centres. As well as the wristbands, members will be able to link their smartphones to gym equipment and keep track of their activities on fitness apps.

There will also be access to web-based services on the fitness floor and equipment will feature screens that offer portals to Skype, YouTube, Ted Talks and games to be browsed or played during a workout.

The web and social networks will available to interact with too.

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"We are constantly keeping track of the latest fitness technology available and how our members are engaging with these innovations," said Virgin Active's chief information officer Andy Caddy to Marketing Magazine.

"As more members use apps to track activeness outside of club, we wanted to ensure our definition of activeness is not constrained to what happens in club but takes into account the entirety of our members' lifestyles.

"At Virgin Active we don’t think of wearable tech and connected fitness as a threat. It provides a catalyst for health clubs to improve their digital experience. Our role is to keep our members inspired and we are always looking for the best ways to help them do this."

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