Patent ID: 7699753

Claim:
A virtual workout community system for serving members that are not all working out at the same physical location, the system comprising: a server having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of: serving a schedule of available exercise programs to a first member at a first client computer; in response to serving the schedule, receiving, from the client computer, a selection indicating a first exercise program from the schedule of available exercise programs, wherein the selection is associated with a defined start time at which the first exercise program is scheduled to begin and a program length; receiving a request from the first member to the virtual workout community identify available workout buddies belonging to the virtual workout community for the first exercise program; in response to receiving the request to identify available workout buddies, serving to the first client computer information identifying at least one other member recorded as having selected the first exercise program and being available as a workout buddy; receiving a selection indicating selection of a second member of the virtual workout community selected from the information identifying at least one other member served to the first client computer; reporting the selection of the second member by transmitting a message to an address for the second member; maintaining records of attendance information indicating whether the first member and the second member are logged into the virtual workout community system within a limited time window defined to begin shortly before the defined start time and to end before the first exercise program is completed; and reporting the attendance information to clients operated by the first member and the second member, respectively, in a format configured to encourage fulfillment of member commitments for participating in scheduled exercise programs with workout buddies.