Strength training may be getting all the attention lately, but equipment leaders such as Life Fitness, Matrix Fitness and Freemotion Fitness are aiming to keep cardio fans engaged—after all, even those focusing on resistance training still carve out cardio time, and newcomers gravitate to treadmills for their familiarity and ease of use.

Cardio was on full display at IHRSA 2024, with equipment makers excited to debut the latest in equipment advancements and user-friendly technology guaranteed to keep fitness consumers engaged and moving.

Here’s a look at some top brands and their latest cardio innovations.

Life Fitness Lets Operators Create Their Own Content

Life Fitness is revitalizing cardio, deepening user engagement and unlocking new revenue streams for club operators with Symbio, its ultra-premium cardio line, which was displayed at IHRSA 2024.

Citing data from EcoFit, the commercial fitness equipment leader points out that fitness enthusiasts are still heavily engaged in cardio activities, but their desires have changed when it comes to equipment. In a screen-friendly world, consumers expect on-demand content to be readily available on their cardio machine. One Life Fitness survey revealed that gym members prefer nutrition, fitness, mental health and mindfulness content, along with on-demand workouts featuring in-house instructors. 

Enter Symbio, a next-gen collection spanning a Runner (treadmill), Incline Elliptical, SwitchCycle and Recumbent Cycle that allow club operators to create on-demand workouts with their own in-house instructors, add new member onboarding videos and promote services to drive additional revenue. 

The Runner breathes new life into cardio with adaptive flex deck technology, offering advanced customization where exercisers can select their preferred level of firmness – either 40% softer or firmer. Geared for everyone from running beginners to advanced or to those rehabbing or looking to prevent injury, the Runner keeps fitness enthusiasts engrossed and encouraged with its technology, according to Don Saladino, celebrity trainer.

“It’s giving people the ability to quantify their success from a cardio standpoint that doesn’t require them going faster,” Saladino said during a Life Fitness panel discussion at IHRSA 2024.

Providing on-demand content on a cardio machine is another key driver to keeping members motivated, especially when they can understand and see their progress through metrics. As an expert trainer, Saladino said he was impressed by Symbio’s ability to hook members with content and urges operators to tap into their team of personal trainers and instructors.

As Life Fitness global training and education manager Leigh Wierichs points out, club operators can easily shoot content with their phones and seamlessly upload it to the console, unlocking endless possibilities.

“(It) gives you the ability as a trainer, instructor, facility owner, operator — to really completely customize the experience,” Wierichs said. “And the content doesn’t have to be a class — although it could be an actual on-demand class or something nutrition-related. It could be something explaining the different capabilities of the treadmill; it could be something talking about how to prepare for a 5K. It can be anything that you think would resonate.”

Matrix Brings Luxury to the Next Level

Matrix Fitness, a commercial fitness leader under Johnson Health Tech, has entered 2024 with the launch of its Onyx Collection, a line of five ultra-premium cardio machines, including a treadmill, Ascent Trainer, ClimbMill, upright cycle and recumbent cycle. 

“Every touch point and every element of the Onyx Collection was designed to be exceptional, immersive, and unlike anything else in our portfolio,” said Andrew Kolman, vice president of global product development. “At Matrix, meaningful innovation is at the heart of everything we do. Our partners can expect to see this guiding principle artfully expressed in every design detail.”

Matrix showcased the new cardio collection at IHRSA 2024, with its sleek visual appeal on full display, meant to take the fitness experience at high-end health clubs and luxury hotels to the next level.

Kolman explained that feedback from industry partners was central to the creation of Onyx.

“As a commitment to the success of our partners, we have made significant investments in enhanced manufacturing processes, machinery and more exacting quality standards that will not only meet but exceed the expectations of the ultra-premium customer,” he said.

Aside from its premium aesthetics, Onyx offers an oversized 32″ touchscreen console and interactive touch controls. Whether users are looking to sprint, interval train, complete fitness tests or run on immersive rolling hills, they will stay engaged. At the same time, operators are able to brand the experience and run their own messaging on the big screen.

The Onyx Collection will also be showcased next month at the 2024 FIBO show in Germany, which will take place from April 11 to 14.

Freemotion Engages Members Through Immersive Content

Freemotion Fitness, along with parent company iFIT, showcased its new 22 Series cardio line at IHRSA 2024, featuring iFIT’s content library of roughly 17,000 coach-led workouts, including Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and ultrarunner Tommy Rivers Puzey. 

The six-piece lineup includes an incline trainer, a Reflex treadmill with an impact-reducing deck, an elliptical and three bikes, complete with a 22-inch HD touchscreen that displays content and automatically adjusts speed, incline, resistance and fan speed based on the on-screen workout.

iFIT’s content is filmed on all seven continents, including exciting locations such as Mount Everest, transporting cardio enthusiasts to another world via the 22 Series monitors, which Adam Guier, vice president of North America sales at Freemotion, says is a massive benefit for attraction and retention. 

“We hear members say, “I went on a vacation to such and such place because I had exercised in that same location from virtually,'” Guier has told Athletech News. “We also hear members who say, “I went on vacation, came back, and did the same run on the console that I had done on vacation.”

Freemotion’s 22 Series also serves club operators who struggle to hire enough fitness instructors for group fitness classes. The cardio line provides an engaging experience with plenty of variety and the ability to be coached virtually with expert guidance from iFIT instructors. 

Outside the gym, members can use the iFIT app wherever they are, including at home, using equipment from NordicTrack or ProForm, other iFIT brands.

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At-home fitness equipment manufacturer BowFlex has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, agreeing to a deal that could see Matrix parent company Johnson Health Tech Retail acquire it for $37.5 million.

Johnson Health Tech will operate as BowFlex’s stalking horse bidder, allowing them to acquire all company assets at the close of the transaction, less closing adjustment amounts for accounts receivable, inventory and certain transfer taxes. Other interested parties will have the chance to submit competing offers, but if none beat the $37.5 million price already agreed upon by BowFlex and Johnson, the sale will go through. 

Subject to court approval, BowFlex will also receive $25 million of debtor-in-possession financing from SLR Credit Solutions and its affiliates. Those funds will enable BowFlex to continue its normal operations and meet its financial obligations to employees, vendors and its continued provision of customer orders during the bankruptcy proceedings and while executing the sale process.

“For decades, BowFlex has empowered healthier living and enabled consumers to reach their fitness goals with our innovative home fitness products and individualized connected fitness experiences,” said Jim Barr, BowFlex CEO. “As a result of the post-pandemic environment and persistent macroeconomic headwinds, we conducted a comprehensive strategic review and determined this was the best path forward for our company. We are fortified by the potential partnership with Johnson Health Tech and encouraged by the multiple parties that have indicated an interest in bidding for our company. Our goal is to maximize value for our stakeholders through this process.”

At-Home Fitness Struggles

BowFlex isn’t the only at-home fitness supplier struggling out of the pandemic gates. Peloton has repeatedly seen share prices drop, including a 23% dip last month after lowering its full-year 2024 revenue forecast.

Still, the writing has been on the wall for BowFlex for some time now. In December, the company received a notice from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) alerting them of their failure to comply with listing standards, such as maintaining an average global market capitalization of at least $50 million over a 30-day consecutive trading period. 

A few months before that, the Vancouver, Washington-based company was hit with a non-compliance notice, which flagged the brand for having an average closing price of less than $1.00 per share over a consecutive 30-trading day period. Now, BowFlex will enter bankruptcy with $140 million in assets and $126 million in liabilities according to its newly filed petition. 

What’s Next for BowFlex?

Along with Matrix Fitness, Johnson Health Tech also carries wellness companies Horizon Fitness and Vision Fitness. Whether Johnson or another bidder ends up acquiring BowFlex, the move promises to give the once-popular at-home fitness maker a much-needed sense of redirection after recent struggles. 

BowFlex notably underwent a rebrand last year, changing its name from Nautilus to BowFlex to put more emphasis on its strongest brand. The equipment maker also remodeled its BowFlex line, equipping it with brighter visuals, messaging with goal promotions and a more inclusive approach to fitness to hopefully attract younger fitness consumers.

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Sports and Fitness Taiwan (TaiSPO) and Taipei Cycle, the largest sports technology and cycling exhibitions in Taiwan since the country reopened its borders after the pandemic, recently wrapped up, and the 2023 joint event proved to be a resounding success.

The four-day, trade-show event was held at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center and saw 5,400 international buyers from 81 countries in attendance. Japan, South Korea, United States, Singapore and Germany were the top five buying countries. In addition, 12 nations participated in 60 rounds of business meetings at TaiSPO.

The combined exhibitions drew 1,023 companies showcasing their products at 3,850 booths. A total of 20,000 people attended, marking a 71% rise from the previous year.

TaiSPO showcased top global brands including Johnson Health Tech, Dyaco and DK City and featured forums focused on global trends in sports and fitness, sustainability and smart technology. The exhibition also launched two new zones, the “Sports Tech” and the “All-Age Fitness Zone,” which showcased sports products and services incorporating AI, big data analysis and cloud computing applications, as well as children’s play equipment and fitness center planning for the elderly.

TaiSPO has stated its commitment to creating new opportunities in the sports and fitness market through cross-sector alliances, collaborating with international sports competition organizers and celebrating the concerted efforts of industry, government and academia. To that end, the 2023 NPC Worldwide, an international bodybuilding competition organized by Fitness Factory, was held during TaiSPO. The event featured contestants and judges from around the world, raising the profile of the exhibition and advancing international exchanges.

TaiSPO also featured the “Exhibition and Industry-Academia Collaboration,” which saw several sports startups incubated by the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Industrial Accelerator, as well as the “Expanding Energy and Results Bridging Plan for Exercise Science Research,” an initiative jointly developed by National Taiwan Normal University and the National Science and Technology Council.

The success of TaiSPO and Taipei Cycle speaks to the position of Taiwan as a leader in the global cycling, sports and fitness industries.

TaiSPO is organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

For those who missed out on this year’s TaiSPO, mark your calendars for next year’s event, which will take place from March 6 to March 9, 2024. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience the latest innovations in sports technology and outdoor leisure products at TaiSPO.

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Sports and Fitness Taiwan (formerly Taiwan International Sports Good Show) will return on March 22-25, 2023, at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 2 (TaiNEX 2). The trade show will have over 800 booths, and will bring together a total of 166 exhibitors showcasing a wide range of sporting goods, fitness equipment, and more.

Compared to last year’s event, TaiSPO 2023 has undergone a transformation, not only in its new name of Sports and Fitness Taiwan, but in its wider range of offerings. This year’s event will have indoor fitness, outdoor sports, water sports, all-age fitness, sports tech, and marketing & service areas. The newly added “Sports Tech” area will feature VR sports equipment, e-sports gear, digital exercise applications, and more technological offerings. The “Marketing & Service” area will showcase software and mobile apps, cloud systems, big data, and health training programs. The “All-Age Fitness” area will bring sports to everyone’s life, with a focus on physical fitness equipment for seniors and children.

Taiwanese companies are known for producing high-end sports equipment, and they are starting to develop their brands. Companies such as Dyaco, Johnson Health Tech, Tung Keng Enterprise, Shuang Rong Shing Technology, Gee Hoo Industrial Corp., Sportsman Corporation, The One Fitness, Royaly International, and Fitness Authority Industrial will be in attendance and will showcase their newest equipment and solutions. Dyaco and Johnson are expecting to put on “smart” fitness training equipment and other applied features, highlighting how Taiwan’s sports equipment industry is picking up on the smart technology trend.

The TaiSPO 2023 trade show will feature some of the biggest names in the industry, including Dyaco, Johnson Health Tech, DK City, ALATECH, JK Fitness, SPORTOP, SRS, Body Charger, Sportsman, Body Dynamic, and Royaly, as well as over 30 new exhibitors, including high-quality MIT brands such as Teamjoined and AIQ SMART CLOTHING. The Taiwan Sports Technology Association and the Taiwan Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association will also bring in their members to showcase Taiwan’s latest innovations in sports and fitness.

TaiSPO 2023 will have a comprehensive program, including group fitness workouts, virtual sports games hosted by Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), industry forums, and new product launches. The special “Outdoor Taipei” area will allow visitors to experience camping, yoga, and other cultural athletic activities. NPC WORLDWIDE Taiwan will also be held concurrently with TaiSPO 2023, providing a unique combination of a sports B2B trade show and a bodybuilding competition.

As the pandemic has accelerated the growth of the fitness industry, TaiSPO 2023 will offer a diverse and comprehensive experience for fitness enthusiasts, industry professionals, and consumers. With a comprehensive program and a unique combination of different offerings, TaiSPO 2023 is a must-attend event for anyone interested in sports, fitness, and wellness.

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