Montana Athletic Club member mobile app with Apple HealthKit
By Colter Mahlum, Founder & CEO of Mahlum Innovations — published 2026-04-15.
Colter Mahlum architected and shipped this case study end-to-end. Mechanical engineer turned AI builder, based in Bigfork and Kalispell, Montana. 12 platforms built across healthcare, wellness, legal, wealth management, fitness, and consumer apps.
A branded member app for a Montana health club with Apple HealthKit integration
App: Montana Athletic Club App | Industry: Fitness / Member Experience | Client: Montana Athletic Club, Kalispell, Montana | Company size: Regional fitness club serving Flathead Valley members | Duration: Focused build engagement
Summary
A member mobile application for a regional Montana health club, featuring Apple HealthKit integration for activity and health data sync, member account management, and class scheduling.
The Challenge
Members wanted a unified mobile experience for tracking their workouts, viewing class schedules, and connecting their club activity to Apple Health. The club lacked a branded mobile touchpoint that reflected its local identity and kept members engaged between visits.
Our Approach
- Built a native-quality iOS app using Expo and React Native
- Integrated Apple HealthKit for bidirectional sync of workout activity and health metrics
- Designed member account and class scheduling flows tailored to the club's existing operations
- Used Clerk for authentication with biometric login support (Face ID and Touch ID)
- Built an Express and PostgreSQL backend for member data and class management
Outcomes & ROI
- HealthKit — Activity sync: Workout data flows bidirectionally between the app and Apple Health on member devices
- Branded — Mobile presence: Club-specific app replacing dependence on generic third-party fitness platforms
- Biometric — Login: Expo React Native delivery with Face ID and Touch ID support from first launch
Gives club members a branded, HealthKit-connected mobile app that keeps their club activity visible inside the Apple health ecosystem they already use daily.
Technologies Used
Expo React Native, Apple HealthKit, Clerk (biometric auth), Express, PostgreSQL, TypeScript
Key Takeaways
- Apple HealthKit integration requires careful permission scoping and privacy messaging. Members are sensitive about health data access and the app has to earn that trust explicitly
- Branded mobile apps for regional businesses replace generic third-party platforms and create a direct engagement channel the business controls
- Biometric login is the single highest-leverage onboarding improvement for fitness apps. Friction at login undermines daily habit formation
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Apple HealthKit integration do?
The integration syncs workout activity and health metrics bidirectionally between the club app and the member's Apple Health app, so club activity shows up in the broader health record members are already maintaining.
What platform does the app run on?
iOS, built with Expo React Native for a native-quality experience.
Does the app handle class scheduling?
Yes, class browsing and scheduling is built into the member flow alongside account management and health data sync.
Related Services
About the Builder
Mechanical engineer turned AI builder. Colter personally architected and shipped Montana Athletic Club App end-to-end — strategy, model development, and the production MLOps work — alongside 10+ other AI systems across manufacturing, wealth management, healthcare, and consumer apps. Read full bio · LinkedIn.
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