When it comes to groundbreaking innovations, EGYM likes to go two at a time. The fast-growing fit tech company announced the upcoming launches of EGYM Genius, an AI-powered training software, and Hip Thrust, its newest smart strength training machine.

EGYM Genius is an artificial intelligence (AI) software that creates fully automated, personalized training plans tailored to clubs and their specific equipment. Genius connects entire gym floors, linking different machines made by different suppliers, even including free weights.

This tech connects all of EGYM’s components, such as EGYM Smart Strength (including its Fitness Hub and connected Smart cardio), training plans, workouts of all kinds (including classes and training outside the gym recorded with apps and wearables) as well as motivational and community tools such as Gameday and EGYM’s Branded Member App.

Trainers and club members will get insights from seven billion EGYM data points (and growing) while using the software, including data from training sessions carried out on EGYM and partner devices. The data points help Genius generate precise recommendations for individualized training plans for users.

EGYM’s AI Push

EGYM, which raised $225 million in 2023, continues to invest in AI. With Genius, the brand is making good on its intentions to utilize tech to create a connected gym.

“We want to make the whole gym ‘smart’,” EGYM North America general manager Dana Milkie previously told Athletech News. ”By understanding members’ preferences, their goals and experience levels , and combining it with the data we are able to track on our platform, we can deliver a workout tailored to the member and the operator’s facility.”

Bringing Tech to Glute Training

As glute training increases in popularity along with strength training as a whole, EGYM is capitalizing with the Hip Thrust, which the fit tech brand says is the world’s first fully electronic hip thrust device, using smart weight rather than physical weight or resistance bands. The equipment strengthens lower body muscle groups with a focus on the glutes and hamstrings.

The product marks the 19th piece of strength equipment from EGYM, broadening its portfolio of machines and addressing consumer demand. The Hip Thrust offers a space-saving design along with a user-friendly interface that can be used both independently and in an area concept, EGYM assures.

Hip Thrust will work within EGYM’s ecosystem of smart equipment, and will also be backed by Genius. The Hip Thrust is projected to be available sometime this fall, with Genius available in October.

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Blueshift Nutrition, which offers a full line of nutritional supplements delivered in drink form, is extending its outreach, agreeing to a deal to place its products across Xponential Fitness’ family of nine boutique fitness brands. This includes Club Pilates, CycleBar, YogaSix, Row House, Pure Barre, Rumble Boxing, BFT, StretchLab and AKT locations.

Blueshift’s Superblend drinks will headline these offerings. Superblends combine superfoods with science-backed nutrients in liquid form via dissolvable pods, which Blueshift says overcomes the limitations of nutritional pills or gummies.

According to Blueshift, Superblend flavors vary and are less sweet than typical sports nutrition and wellness products, giving them a “craft mocktail” taste. The drinks also have no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. They break down into 12 different categories, focusing on elements such as immunity, digestion and gut health, bone and joint health, alcohol detox and liver support, women’s health and beauty from within, just to name a few. 

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Xponential to bring our Superblends to their diverse community of fitness enthusiasts in the United States,” said Paal Gisholt, CEO of Blueshift Nutrition. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to promote peak performance and healthy aging while making supplements easy and enjoyable to take.”

Delicious Living magazine recently awarded the Blueshift supplement line seven consumer and retailer favorite awards — the most of any supplement or functional beverage brand. Winners included Blueshift Electrolyte as Favorite Sports Nutrition Product, Blueshift Turmeric as Best New Supplement and Blueshift Sleep as Favorite Functional Beverage.

Xponential’s partnership with Blueshift comes as other boutique fitness brands have done similar nutrition-focused collaborations.

Ascent Protein recently agreed to a deal with Orangetheory Fitness to put its protein powders in OTF studio locations. Barry’s also has a partnership with Factor to place the brand’s ready-made meals in its studios nationwide.

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Freemotion Fitness, iFIT’s commercial equipment branch, is bolstering its executive team again. The company has hired Renaud Grout as its new senior vice president of international sales. In the role, Grout will oversee all areas outside of the North American and Latin American (LATAM) regions.

With Grout’s appointment, Freemotion’s senior vice president of sales, Chris McGill, will become senior vice president of dealer and LATAM sales, overseeing the company’s North American dealer network and LATAM businesses. 

“I am eager to contribute to the development of Freemotion – a vital brand within the wider iFIT family,” Grout said. “Freemotion has the capability and the opportunity to further grow and amplify the business and brand internationally – I am excited to work with the team and our sales partners to maximize these opportunities.” 

Having spent over 25 years leading the international business and growth of NordicTrack, ProForm, and iFIT, Grout brings a bevy of experience to the table for Freemotion.

Recently, the commercial equipment brought Adam Guier aboard as its vice president of sales in North America, hired Chuck Fedorka as vice president of operations and promoted Tom Sweigart to director of member care. All three wield over 20 years of experience in their respective fields and are working to broaden Freemotion’s market presence.

“The Freemotion business has and will continue to see significant growth in the international markets, the appointment of Renaud will only enhance and continue to drive this momentum,” added Mark Watterson, CEO of iFIT commercial.

Freemotion officially debuted its new 22 SERIES connected fitness cardio line at IHRSA 2024 earlier this month. The product features six connected machines including an incline trainer, a Reflex treadmill, an elliptical and three bikes including the CoachBike. All come attached with a 22-inch HD touchscreen capable of streaming iFIT content and feature tech that adapts things like incline and speed based on a user’s on-screen workout.

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Hapana is adding to its gamification arsenal, launching a new “challenge” app feature for boutique and group fitness studios. The all-in-one fitness software provider is partnering with Strong Pilates, helping to launch the Australian brand’s inaugural “Feel Strong” running challenge that goes until March 26th.

With the challenge feature, Hapana now allows operators to stoke the competitive fires of their members, spurring engagement and retention. 

The platform allows boutique fitness studios to set up group challenges either with fixed time frames, like Strong Pilates has done, or via a purchase-based start for individual enrollments. After that, operators can add goals or levels for members. Screens illustrate progress along the way, tracking metrics and displaying them with visually captivating graphics. Users are also permitted to share their achievements across social media.

“Challenges are essential for boutique and group fitness studios, fostering engagement and member retention,” said Jarron Aizen, CEO and founder of Hapana. “Existing software solutions haven’t kept pace with evolving market dynamics, and Hapana is here to bridge that gap. We are proud to offer the best member app in the market, continuously innovating while other providers lag behind.”

As gamification often does, Hapana sees the launch of challenges as an opportunity to give gym-goers more in terms of helping them reach their fitness goals. That leads to benefits for operators as well. 

“The challenge app, with the potential to engage thousands of members simultaneously, empowers them to track their progress, hold themselves accountable, and stay motivated – not just for challenges, but also for trials and overall fitness goals,” Aizen added. “This fosters a sense of community for our customers, ultimately driving member conversion.”

Having gotten the first crack at the feature, Strong Pilates was quick to agree. 

“Hapana’s challenge capability is game-changing for our business, and we are incredibly grateful to the Hapana team for delivering this innovative solution,” said Michael Ramsey, co-founder of Strong Pilates. “The challenge app is not just a feature; it’s a powerful tool to engage our members, welcome newcomers and ultimately convert them into loyal members of the Strong Pilates family.”

This launch represents another win in what’s already been a successful past five years for Hapana. Since moving its base of operations from Sydney to the United States in 2018, the software provider has twice doubled in size, partnering with top brands like F45 Training, Body Fit Training (BFT) and Gold’s Gym alongside Strong Pilates. 

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Les Mills has a new avenue connecting the brand to fitness enthusiasts from afar, partnering with Fitness On Demand, a worldwide digital fitness platform.

While the partnership will assist any Les Mills gym or studios lacking a bespoke or branded fitness app in a variety of aspects, its most notable benefit will be delivering in-home workouts. 

According to Les Mills, 85% of all gym members conduct in-home workouts of some sort. Fitness on Demand will help serve that extensive crowd by featuring Les Mills content packages, making it easier for members to stay active and for Les Mills partner locations to drive retention and engagement outside of the four walls.

“This partnership enables us to extend our reach and provide world-leading workouts to an even broader audience,” said Sean Turner, CEO of Les Mills U.S. “We are proud to be working alongside Fitness On Demand to elevate the omnifitness experience for our club partners and their members.”

Along with allowing partners such as Les Mills to facilitate content via their platform, Fitness On Demand also provides a fully white-labeled app to help brands better reach their members.

“Our collaboration with Les Mills is a positive step forward and aligns perfectly with our mission to make fitness accessible to more people, empowering them to lead healthier lives,” added Andy Peat, CEO of Fitness On Demand. “We are excited to see how this partnership will transform the fitness experience for our current partners, new members, their members and stakeholders.”

The deal represents an early win for Peat, who took over as CEO last fall amid Fitness On Demand’s worldwide rebrand. Brought on to help the company transition from being a pure content provider to a “tech partner” to fitness brands while ushering in expansion and innovation, partnering with Les Mills and its armada of over 21,000 partnered clubs is a large step forward. 

For Les Mills, the agreement only further illustrates the brand’s recent goal of making fitness more accessible to those outside gym walls.

While Les Mills is also leaning into in-person fitness experiences, it recently launched Les Mills XR Dance, a new virtual reality app for Meta Quest 3 that brings professional dancers into users’ living rooms. Prior to that, the brand launched Les Mills XR Bodycombat, a VR game also available via the Meta Quest 3. 

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ABC Fitness, the world’s largest fitness tech company, is adding to its arsenal. At IHRSA 2024, the software provider announced a partnership with DXFactor, a leading data science, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and Generative AI supplier, a move designed to transform the digital experience for operators and their members.

“We are excited to partner with DXFactor for their unparalleled expertise in digital transformation,” said Khal Rai, platform president of ABC Ignite. “This partnership will support new offerings for our mobile platform, creating bespoke member experiences and integrations that set new industry standards for innovation and personalization.”

The partnership will support ABC Fitness in mobile app development, given DXFactor’s extensive knowledge in creating differentiated customer experiences on mobile platforms. 

“Aligning with an industry titan like ABC Fitness significantly amplifies our mission to revolutionize the fitness industry with AI and GenAI,” added Dharmesh Trivedi, co-founder and CEO of DXFactor. “Our combined strengths will ensure our commitment to business outcomes for our clients and accelerate digital transformation within the fitness industry by empowering members and operators with AI and data-driven solutions.” 

The partnership comes as advanced analytics and AI transition from perquisites to requirements for most successful fitness businesses.

“This partnership promises to be a cornerstone for the fitness industry, offering a blend of DXFactor’s transformative digital strategies and ABC Fitness’s technological prowess,” said Al Noshirvani, managing partner at Alta Technologies and board member at DXFactor. “Customers can now anticipate a comprehensive digital transformation tailored to meet fitness enthusiasts’ and enterprises’ modern demands.”

DXFactor is no stranger to innovation in fitness and wellness. The company’s proprietary Outcomes Framework, which combines client data and external datasets, has generated over $2 billion in outcomes for fitness brands including Chelsea Piers, Chuze Fitness, Crunch Fitness, FitnessSF, Lift Brands, Orangetheory Fitness, Wisconsin Athletic Club, XSport Fitness and Xponential Fitness.

ABC Fitness has big plans around AI, including using it to help gyms and studios boost engagement and retention and cater to their members with personalized services including habit and nutrition coaching, At IHRSA 2024, ABC hosted an Innovation Lab, previewing its latest AI investments across all platforms.

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FitLab, the multi-brand performance lifestyle company behind Nike Studios, has some new capital to play with. The fitness platform has secured a $65 million strategic financing facility from Atlas Credit Partners, made up of approximately $35 million funded at closing and $30 million of remaining availability. 

With the capital, FitLab has acquired what the company calls a “cutting-edge fitness equipment manufacturer,” enhancing its ability to weave together all aspects of a customer’s fitness experience and deliver them in a multitude of ways. 

“Our pursuit of excellence extends beyond fitness and wellness innovation, encompassing strategic partnerships that elevate our company,” said Mike Melby, co-founder and co-CEO of FitLab. “We’re thrilled to secure the financing from Atlas to allow us to accelerate our expansion and offer our integrated platform to a broader audience seeking unparalleled fitness experiences.”

FitLab is no stranger to ambitious growth. The company recently agreed to a partnership with GoSaga, an organization that invests in and scales next-gen lifestyle brands across health, wellness, fitness and beauty to launch a minimum of 250 studios across the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. 

Right before that, the company inked a deal with Nike to launch Nike Studios, which will include a network of boutique fitness locations, including Nike Training Studios and Nike Running Studios. FitLab also has rights to brands such as Racked, XPT by Laird Hamilton and Gabrielle Reese, and Fast by Conor McGregor. 

Atlas Credit Partners also comes to the table with an impressive track record. The asset management firm has 80-plus years of combined business experience financing cutting-edge, medium-sized institutions such as SoundHoundAI and AST SpaceMobile. They’ve invested a total of over $950 million to date. Atlas agreed to a similar strategic funding deal with wellness brand Hyperice this past summer. 

“FitLab uniquely integrates every channel of the fitness ecosystem into a single, differentiated platform,” said Andrew Sung, head of research at Atlas Credit Partners. “With this acquisition, combined with the company’s ramp of boutique fitness studios and partnership with a best-in-class global brand, we believe that our investment will help accelerate the pace at which the company continues to innovate the fitness experience.”

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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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As it aims to expand into North America, Australia-based health tech company Coach Welly now has as good a guide as anyone.

The personalized member engagement platform appointed John Blackburn as its North American lead. Blackburn formerly served as vice president and general manager of retail at IBM as well as executive vice president at DMI, and now finds himself tasked with leading enterprise growth initiatives for Coach Welly within the United States and beyond.

“We are delighted to welcome John Blackburn to Coach Welly as our North American lead,” said Owen Bowling, CEO of Coach Welly. “His extensive experience and proven track record in driving enterprise growth make him an invaluable addition to our team. John’s strategic vision and deep understanding of corporate and insurance markets will be instrumental in our success launching into these markets in North America.”

Blackburn also spent time working for EY, PWC, SVP Retail and EVP before coming aboard at Coach Welly. He helped grow each organization’s commercial businesses and completed strategic investments/buy-outs from private equities.

“As the importance of health and wellness have grown in awareness, technology has advanced to be more engaging and personalized, and overall healthcare costs have risen,” said Blackburn. “I see Coach Welly as perfectly positioned to solve for these factors and drive real and meaningful health outcomes and behavior change for people.”

Blackburn won’t be alone as he takes these new steps into a leadership role, as Coach Welly also recently appointed Troy Morgan to serve as its Asia-Pacific (APAC) lead.

Like Blackburn, Morgan brings an excess of experience, being a 25-year veteran of the health and wellness industry. He’s owned and operated fitness and health facilities, corporate well-being platforms and program designs.

AI-Driven Member Engagement

With artificial intelligence (AI) as its backbone, Coach Welly drives member engagement by offering users a scalable and personalized health and fitness journey. Supported by biometrics and gamification elements all within a cloud-based framework, the platform has established itself as a trustworthy tool for operators since launching in 2019.

Coach Welly recently agreed to a partnership with World Gym Australia to showcase its engagement capabilities in the health and fitness sector. Elements such as a scanned readiness score based on heart rate to provide curated workouts, a point-based accountability program and other gamification features have all become available at World Gym facilities this year.  

After securing pre-seed funding which valued the company at $4.25 million, Coach Welly also teased that it had a “rapidly growing list of contracted customers,” illustrating the likelihood of similar partnerships down the line, potentially in North America with Blackburn now aboard. 

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In its efforts to help the fitness and wellness community catch more quality z’s every night, SleepScore Labs is widening its net. 

In partnership with the Lake Nona Impact Forum, SleepScore, the global leader in enterprise-ready sleep science and improvement, will make its SleepScore APIs available across many health and fitness apps. Doing so will enable users of participating apps to sleep better and reap an abundance of ancillary health benefits. In turn, SleepScore APIs will strengthen engagement and retention across those apps. 

“We are delighted to bring the power of our evidence-based sleep improvement solutions to the many great health and wellness apps that would benefit from improved engagement, retention, and outcomes,” said Uma Shivanand, head of product at SleepScore Labs. “It’s our mission to make a meaningful impact in this vital aspect of people’s lives.”

With data from 230-plus scientific studies, 61 peer-reviewed publications and over 360 million hours of contextual sleep data, SleepScore APIs help users unlock improved sleep habits. After gathering a user’s sleep data through wearables, the program logs and compares it before laying out a personalized sleep journey, presenting sleep content material, a cognitive behavioral therapy option and a sleep coaching system. SleepScore users enjoy between 10 to 26 extra hours of sleep per month, the platform says.

With quality rest in high demand, those results promise to drive engagement once applied to new platforms. SleepScore already has a proven track record in that regard, reportedly delivering three to four daily engagements and a retention rate after 30 days of 60%, topping the industry average of 8%. 

The release of SleepScore APIs comes as an emphasis on sleep as a form of personal wellness only continues to grow. Therabody and United recently agreed on a partnership to offer sleep-nurturing amenities on flights after noticing an increase in demand for improved sleep while traveling. 

Centr, Chris Hemsworth’s fitness and wellness platform also recently released a new audio series aimed at improving users’ sleep performance. LumosTech, a sleep-specific tech company, partnered with the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun last season to enhance sleep routines with light therapy products.

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From professional sports teams to blockbuster film casts, the term “dream team” can be used to describe prestigious groups in a multitude of settings. But when it’s mentioned in the fitness and wellness industry, specifically in the southeast corner of the United States, CR Fitness comes to mind. 

With over 150 years of combined experience, competition and friendship, Crunch Fitness’ most successful franchise group stands alone in its makeup and level of success. 

“We’re highly driven individuals,” said Tony Scrimale, CEO at CR Fitness Holdings. “Every one of us raises the bar for each other. A lot of times you see people in the industry who are absentee owners or they get into the industry (only) because they have a passion for working out. We just want to win. We’re record-breaking people who are all-in on everything that we do.”

What CR Fitness has done is build out the most successful franchise group in all of Crunch Fitness, opening 17 locations across Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas this past year alone to amass 62 clubs in total. Backed by private equity firm North Castle Partners, the franchise group recently announced plans to launch a Mega-Crunch club in Altamonte Springs, Florida, with 16 more locations set to open in 2024. By 2026, CR Fitness plans to own and operate 100 clubs.

Alongside Scrimale stands executive chairmen Vince Julien and Geoff Dyer. Jeff Dotson, chief financial officer, completes the “dream team.” How they all came together is equally impressive as what they’ve accomplished. 

Early Connections

Julien started in the fitness industry right after high school at around 18 years old. He was one of the first to recognize the growing market for women’s-only fitness and take advantage. He quickly established a go-to fitness center for women looking to exercise in a facility devoted to their unique needs. 

In 2011, Julien invested in his first Crunch with Dotson and Scrimale before teaming up with Dyer three years later, though the group had long been acquainted with each other by that point.

“I started in the business right out of high school, 17 or 18 years old,” said Julien. “When I was 24 or 25, I owned my first company called Shapes Total Fitness. I also started another company called Southside Athletic Clubs. I sold those clubs to Geoff Dyer, as they were trying to increase their footprint in Florida.”

Before Dyer joined CR Fitness as an executive chairman, he founded Lifestyle Family Fitness in 1982 with its first location in Lakeland, Florida. Under his leadership, Lifestyle grew to 55 fitness centers in Florida, North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio with about $135 million in annual revenue.

“We were competitors,” Dyer recalled of his early relationship with Julien. “But we weren’t directly competing. In fact, at one point, we actually did a promotion, gave away $1,000 in cash and split the leads up based on our territory, which was amazing. We continued that relationship, meeting every couple of weeks to guardedly share best practices. I learned a few things from him, and I think he learned a few things from me. That’s where the friendship began.”

After hearing of Crunch Fitness’ plans to get into franchising in early 2010 with an intent to create a nationwide high-value, low-price (HVLP) brand, which allied with what both Dyer and Julien hoped to achieve, the path forward became clear. They purchased rights to a few Florida locations and were off and running from there. 

Humble Beginnings

Julien, Dyer and Scrimale all started at the bottom of the food chain before rising to become sharks in the industry. Scrimale began his career at just 19 years old, selling club memberships and cleaning gyms. In 1997, he began working with Julien at Southside Athletic Clubs until it was sold to Dyer’s Lifestyle Family Fitness. By working with Julien and then Dyer, he received mentorship from each of his future executive chairmen and had a front-row view of this budding relationship that would one day serve as the foundation for CR Fitness’ success. 

“I was just an employee watching these guys and hearing the sidebar conversations,” Scrimale recalled. 

Not to be forgotten is Jeff Dotson, who rounds out the group as partner and chief financial officer of CR Fitness. He rose beside Julien, working as his financial arm for decades, first joining him at Shapes Total Fitness before coming on board with Scrimale in 2011.

“I worked for the accounting firm that represented Vince and his previous two partners,” Dotson recalled. “The greatest part of this group is that we’re very respectful of each other, and we’re very respectful of where our strong suits are, even though we all feel like we can step in and give each other input.”

Everyone Brings Something to the Table

While Dotson focuses on the financial side of things, he also takes on tasks that go beyond what a normal CFO role entails. Both he and Dyer keep a close eye on new sites, even going out into the field to do research. 

Julien oversees a variety of elements of the business, but keys in on the construction side of things and employee development. Scrimale heads the ship as CEO.

“We all have additional strengths that we take on as an ownership group,” Scrimale said. “If you have five point guards that are all talented in the same way, you’re not going to be able to tackle the game. We all offset each other. It’s a perfect synergy.”

That chemistry is rare not just in the fitness industry, but in all areas of business.

”We’re swift,” Scrimale said. “Anybody who has come into our company from another organization says that nobody can compete with our pace. We move fast on everything and we look at every opportunity.”

Blueprint for Franchising Success

Keeping one eye on their own line of gyms and another on the competition, all while keeping debt at a reasonable level and putting a strong focus on marketing, has combined to help the CR Fitness team find success.

With every five new gyms that CR Fitness adds, they make sure to go in and rebuild two existing ones. Equipment is always paid in full at the point of the sale when those new gyms are launched. The team spends well above industry averages in capital expenditures (CapEx) and is always adding new equipment to clubs, new amenities as they become available and frequently making repairs.

“When we started the first Crunch we made a commitment that we were constantly going to be in our clubs,” Scrimale said. “Geoff Dyer and I just went on site tours. If we passed a competitor I’d say, ‘Stop the car,’ and either Geoff or myself went in and got a quick tour of the club. It’s the same thing with our clubs. If we’re on a site tour and we see one of our clubs, we stop the car and we go in.”

This level of involvement gives CR Fitness a competitive advantage over other franchise groups, Scrimale believes.

“You have people that haven’t even visited some of their clubs,” he said. “There are competitors out there that are slowly lowering the bar and they don’t really know what’s going on within the organization. Personally, I cannot comprehend investing millions of dollars into a business, walking away and trusting somebody else to run it without inspecting it.”

The CR Fitness team also spends above industry standards when it comes to marketing.  They feel as if there’s no good in building out a great gym or remodeling existing clubs if it remains a best-kept secret, so spending is aggressive and consistent.

In terms of growth, the CR Fitness team adds 12 to 17 clubs a year without taking on any additional debt. With their goal of launching 100 clubs by 2026 well in sight, they’ve set 200 clubs as the next target. 

However, there are no plans to stop there. In accordance with the grit and willingness to go the extra mile which got them to where they are, the team preaches a continued desire to grow, not getting too caught up in the victories that might come along the way. 

“I’m the kind of guy that loves to have his back up against the wall a little bit,” Scrimale said. “I love having a challenge in front of me. I love doing something and every one of my partners is the same exact way. I think the growth is in front of us. I think that we have twice as far to grow. We’re just scratching the surface.”

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Jazzercise has bolstered its leadership team with a longtime fitness executive, naming Bobbi Quick as president. Quick along with Jazzercise CEO Shanna Missett Nelson combine to give the global dance fitness company over 30 years of experience, positioning the brand as an adept, female-led business for years to come.

“Bobbi’s extensive experience and knowledge of both the fitness industry and hospitality make her a huge asset to Jazzercise,” Nelson said. “I could not be more excited to partner and realize our shared goals. Bobbi has already made significant contributions to the company, and I’m thrilled to have her as the newest member of the Jazzercise family.”

Before coming aboard at Jazzercise, Quick held leadership positions with brands such as 24 Hour Fitness, The Bay Club Company, and EoS Fitness. Her titles included corporate director of fitness operations, vice president of member and club services and chief experience officer. She spent her initial 10 months at Jazzercise as the company’s chief revenue officer.

“Jazzercise has a rich history as a long-standing innovator in the fitness industry, and it is an honor and a privilege to be the new president of Jazzercise,” Quick said. “I am excited to collaborate with the talented team at Jazzercise and lead initiatives that drive growth, foster innovation, and strengthen our commitment to excellence that will last another 55 years.”  

With 1,668 global franchise locations and 6,419 franchisees, Jazzercise offers results-driven exercise programs focusing on building strength, stamina and confidence. Programs are accessible to anyone at any life stage, as they emphasize fun while combining calorie-burning dance cardio with strength training. 

With someone new in the driver’s seat, the time is now for Jazzercise to hit the ground running. Yelp predicted a boom in stretching, pilates and low-impact fitness classes for 2024. Searches for “Jazzercise” increased by 16%, along with several others related to similar workout modalities, the crowd-sourced business review platform noted.

The company also recently agreed to a partnership with tech provider ABC Fitness, marking the first time in Jazzercise’s 55-year history that the dance fitness brand will use an outside member management solution provider. Jazzercise will take advantage of ABC Glofox’s full suite of tools to administer various business functions such as sales and marketing, member engagement and retention, as well as payment processing, reporting and digital content.

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Aktiv Solutions is expanding its collection of fitness equipment offerings, adding new functionality to a long-standing favorite of the strength training community. 

The commercial and home gym design company announced the launch of its Gym Rax Smith 3D Trainer (S3D). The strength training system gives users the feel, flexibility and overall benefits of working with free weights, alongside the security that comes with using equipment like a traditional smith machine. 

“Unlike traditional smith machines, the S3D mimics the natural movement patterns of barbell exercises without the restrictions of a single and linear range of motion,” Aktiv says of the new product. 

The S3D accomplishes this with synchronized safety catches that work like built-in spotters. This feature makes the product ideal for unsupervised gyms or fitness centers, such as those found in hotels or college campuses. It also makes the product functional for experienced weightlifters and newcomers alike. 

S3D users can experience natural, 3D movements when lifting, as there’s no singular or linear range of motion the barbell must follow. This allows users to push their limits in the gym without endangering themselves. The S3D also has a space-saving design, making it an easy fit in most gyms or fitness facilities. Its versatile design also allows users to partake in a wide variety of workouts. 

“The world is recognizing the transformative power of strength training, from boosting longevity and mobility to enhancing overall quality of life,” said Bryan Green, founder and CEO of Aktiv Solutions. “Very few tools compete with the natural movement and effectiveness of the barbell. With the S3D, we’ve now unlocked unprecedented levels of efficiency, safety and user experience, making barbell training accessible for everyone, regardless of their fitness level or goals.”

Aktiv couldn’t have picked a better time to launch a product with a “best of both worlds” approach to strength training. Mindbody listed the workout modality as its top fitness trend for 2024. Strength training is notably growing in popularity among those 55 years or older, illustrating an increase in demand across new demographics.

It’s an exciting product launch during an exciting time for Aktiv, as the company recently brought in Mike Kelly to serve as its new global vice president of sales. Kelly and Aktiv aim to expand into key market segments, form new distribution partnerships and launch new products. 

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More monetary support is on the way for the energy drink industry. Odyssey, a mushroom-infused functional beverage brand founded in 2021, is the latest recipient after announcing the completion of a $6 million funding round.

Richard Laver from Rocket Beverage Group joined the investor group alongside existing stakeholders, who contributed 50% of the capital.

“Odyssey is taking an all-new approach to energy beverages,” said Scott Frohman, founder and CEO of Odyssey. “Unlike other brands on the market, we’ve formulated Odyssey to support cognitive energy and prioritize aspects like focus, clarity and mood through a proprietary functional mushroom-based formula.”

According to Odyssey, the brand makes the first-ever ready-to-drink energy beverage infused with a high-potency extract of Lion’s Mane and Cordyceps mushrooms. Those ingredients plus L-Theanine, ginseng and green tea caffeine, allow the drink to reduce the jitters that often come with other energy drinks, while still providing a consistent and lengthy energy boost without a crash at the end.

“We’re excited to bring the fresh take on energy drinks that younger Gen-Z and millennial audiences are keeping with a preservative and artificial sweetener-free product,” Frohman added.

Odyssey will use the investment to expand in sales, marketing and inventory. There are plans to recruit new team members in areas where the company has already seen growth or in markets deemed to have untapped potential. Odyssey also aims to expand its brand visibility via events such as festivals or ambassador programs.

The trail-blazing beverage company already offers three different product lines with varying caffeine levels. Revive is a completely caffeine-free drink, while Original has 85mg of natural green tea and 222 contains 222 mg. All are free from added sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors or sweeteners — adhering to vegan, non-GMO and kosher standards. Retailers carrying Odyssey products include CVS, GNC, 7-Eleven, Thrive Market and Wegmans.

The Rise of Nootropics

The mushroom compounds found in Odyssey are part of the nootropics family, a category of supplements designed to improve cognitive functions. Thesis, a nootropics supplement company founded by Dan Freed, raised $13.5 million during a May 2023 funding round.

In other recent energy drink news, Mateina partnered with neuroscientist and wellness influencer Dr. Andrew Huberman and Tiny, a Canadian holding company, to make their yerba mate drink available in the United States. At-home revenue in the sports and energy drink industry reached $102.9 billion in 2024, and the market is expected to grow annually by 5.46% through 2028.

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Almost every major sports association in the United States is coming together in the name of fitness and wellness. 

The Biden-Harris administration announced an historic partnership between 14 professional sports leagues and players’ associations with the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. The participating bodies include the NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA & WNBA, MLS, PGA Tour, NWSL, MLBPA, NWSLPA, NHLPA, MLSPA and USLPA. 

Last year, the Biden-Harris administration also launched the White House Challenge to End and Build Healthy Communities, asking stakeholders nationwide to make bold commitments toward eliminating hunger and reducing diet-related diseases. The partnership, announced Thursday, represents one of the new commitments stemming from that challenge. 

“I think collaboration is the key to really meaningful actions,” Chef José Andrés, co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, said of the initiatives. “Collaboration between professional athletes, chefs and community health advocates that gives the President’s Council its strength. This collaboration we are announcing today, I think is another massive step in the right direction.”

In participation, the NFL will build on its Play60 program which encourages an hour of physical activity a day for young people along with a healthy diet. The MLB will do the same with its Play Ball initiative, a similar program but naturally focused on baseball and softball. 

The NHL will work to increase opportunities for children and families to enjoy hockey via financial investments, national advocacy, and a number of strategic programs. The NBA and WNBA will continue to combat food insecurity and host more events that promote physical activity to young people, building on those scheduled during the upcoming All-Star Game in Indianapolis later this month.  Other sports leagues will make similar contributions.

An Emerging Youth Fitness & Wellness Market

Major sports organizations and athletes expressing an interest in promoting health and wellness to future generations has been a commonality of late. Ex-Atlanta Falcons players Mohamed Sanu, Sean Weatherspoon, Christian Blake and Elijah Wilkinson did so by partnering with Legacy Sports to launch new Atlanta youth fitness centers this past year.

D1 Training reached 100 locations this past summer. Led by former University of Tennessee football player and ex-Peyton Manning teammate, Will Bartholomew, D1 offers youth and adult sports and fitness training.

League One Volleyball (LOVB) also recently inked a deal with Tonal. The digital fitness supplier will provide volleyball-specific training programs with individual, adaptive strength training regimens with its “gym-on-a-wall” devices. 

The two entities are coming together at an ideal time and around an ideal sport with volleyball currently the fastest high-school sport for females in the U.S. 

“While conditioning is a crucial component to every volleyball player’s journey, not every athlete has access to elite programs, and our partnership with Tonal changes this dynamic,” Stacey Vollman Warwick, LOVB head of commercial, said of the partnership.

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Kicking back with something to watch and improving your health are often thought of as counterproductive activities. But Fibo, the world’s largest international trade show for fitness, wellness and health, is bridging that gap.

After six months of preparation, concept development, script writing and production, Fibo announced two new video projects, “FIBUSTED” and “Out of the Box.” The shows recently premiered before 70 guests at the UFA-Palast in Düsseldorf, Germany. While the two series differ in specific offerings, they both aim to further inspire and educate viewers.

“Video formats are becoming increasingly crucial. It’s not just about high-quality content but also the format,” said Simon Bens, head of content and marketing at Fibo. “With these two formats, we elevate our content to a new level, offering videos that are both informative and entertaining.”

Fibusted debunks myths commonly dispersed among the fitness community. Luis Benito Jörger, known from the football (soccer) podcast “Catch The Wave” and as a stadium announcer for the Hamburg Sea Devils, hosts the show. Accompanied by molecular biologist Dr. Martina Ollesch, physiotherapist Elisa Kroth, and fitness expert Kristian Kroth, he discusses proteins, muscle failure, knee pain and more. 

Out of the Box, which has episodes carrying a longer run time, focuses on the different personalities within the health and fitness realm. Its cast includes “Germany’s fittest grandma” and recipient of the TikTok Creator Breakthrough Award Erika Rischko, as well as powerlifter and coach of Team Bench Boy Maximilian Zinner, marathon runner Joyce Hübner and Hyrox athlete Felix Leistikow. They’re joined by bodybuilder and content creator Leonie Kommoss as well as track cyclist and Olympian Robert Förstemann.

The group discourse goes beyond that of your standard fitness conversation, featuring open and honest dialogue between figures with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. There’s an element of randomness in play as well, as a box that shoots out unknown questions for participants to answer drives the discussion. 

“Our strength is bringing people together and providing a platform for experts,” said Silke Frank, event director at Fibo. “With Fibusted and Out of the Box, we’re extending this beyond Fibo. We bring together experts and personalities who, with their expertise, contribute to promoting health and, with their inspiring approach, motivate people to lead an active life.” 

Out of the Box episodes air once a month while Fibusted drops twice a month. Both can be found on Fibo’s Youtube channel.

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The old shoes dwelling in the back of your closet could be worth more than you realize. If they’ve got the letters “NB” sewn into them, they’re likely worth digging up.

New Balance announced the launch of its footwear resale program, powered by Archive. Dubbed “Reconsidered,” participants can mail in or drop off gently worn shoes at store locations in exchange for New Balance vouchers.

Voucher amounts are determined by the age and condition of the returned shoes. Then, after cleaning them up, New Balance makes those shoes available for purchase online.

“We know the footwear industry has a significant environmental impact, including too many products ending up in a landfill,” said John Stokes, director of sustainability at New Balance. “There are many things that have to shift. Launching Reconsidered is one piece of the puzzle with a program objective to help extend product life for some of our products and get the most from what is already made.”

The program uses Archive as its foundation — a technology platform specializing in branded resales for apparel and footwear companies. Archive makes launching and scaling re-commerce operations simple for brands to drive customer loyalty and acquisition with a variety of models applicable to different kinds of businesses. Archive’s logistics partner, Tersus Solutions, provides product cleaning, fulfillment and warehousing services.

“Reconsidered was designed to give customers an easy, accessible way to keep New Balance shoes in circulation, as well as to provide consumers with a better buying experience for pre-loved shoes at an accessible price point,” said Emily Gittins, CEO and co-founder of Archive. “We’re proud to partner with New Balance to launch a full-service recommerce program that keeps shoes out of landfills, attracts new customers, and builds on existing customer loyalty.”

The Reconsidered launch speaks to New Balance’s broader environmental intentions. The sports footwear and apparel company wants to achieve 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction through the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and source 100% renewable electricity for owned operations by 2025. The Boston-based brand also aims to continue sourcing lower-impact materials, transitioning to lower-carbon transportation and engaging with governments to help enact better climate policy.

Customers in the United States can access Reconsidered at www.newbalancereconsidered.com. In-store trade-in opportunities will begin at eight retail locations before expanding to more U.S. stores later this year.

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Mateina is officially coming to the United States in what could be a major category expansion.

The yerba mate drink product, cultivated in partnership with a fourth-generation farming family in Misiones, Argentina, has been available in Canada since its founding in 2017. However, neuroscientist and wellness influencer Dr. Andrew Huberman and Tiny, a Canadian holding company, announced their intentions to expand south, obtaining a majority ownership stake in Mateina.

Tiny’s support for Mateina comes from its private partnership Tiny Fund I, LP.

“We envision a world where Yerba Mate is a highly accessible and health-forward beverage that is consumed by hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. and around the world, in the same way coffee and tea are today,” said Elodie Simard, co-founder of Mateina.”Partnering with Tiny and Dr. Huberman enables us to introduce Mateina U.S. and globally while also underscoring our commitment to sustainable, organic farming practices in Argentina.”

Dr. Huberman, a neuroscientist and professor at the Stanford School of Medicine, has built a massive following on social media, with over 5 million Instagram followers and 1 million followers on X, formerly Twitter. He received the Cogan Award in 2017 as well, given to scientists making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision.

Mateina’s U.S. launch includes a new sugar-free option, which Dr. Huberman co-developed.

“Yerba mate has been my preferred source of caffeine for more than three decades,” Dr. Huberman said. “Collaborating with Mateina to develop a non-smoked, sugar-free version of cold pressed yerba mate was a thrill and I’m so excited to be able to share this drink with the world. I see it as a truly peerless beverage in terms of its positive effects on mind and body.”

Mateina products are non-carbonated, lightly sweetened cold beverages and come in flavors such as original lemon, peach passion, and grapefruit guava. Along with the new sugar-free option, low-sugar beverages are available as well, culminating in a broad, yet precise and scientific approach to serving the energy drink community. 

This move comes as another chapter in what’s been a big year for the energy drink industry. PepsiCo’s Rockstar Energy just launched a functional mushroom-infused drink called “‘Rockstar Focus.” At-home revenue in the sports and energy drink market is at $102.9 Billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow annually by 5.46% through 2028.

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Xplor Technologies is expanding its software push into the big-box gym and health club space. The global supplier of tech-based tools, embedded payments and commerce-accelerating programs for everyday businesses has acquired Membr, a top management software platform for gyms and health clubs.

With the Membr acquisition, Xplor will enhance and expand Xplor Gym, its software offering for gyms and health clubs. It’s a major step taking Xplor beyond the boutique studio arena where the company has already made a name for itself with Mariana Tek. 

Xplor Gym serves as a platform for member and client relationship management, booking, operations, and reporting. It also supplies members with a native mobile app. 

“Our decision to acquire Membr reflects our commitment to providing best-in-class solutions to gyms and health clubs across the globe,” said Ieuan Owen, chief revenue officer, fitness and wellbeing, at Xplor. “Membr is a fast-growing, highly competitive gym management solution, proven and trusted by premium fitness brands.”

“As our new Xplor Gym solution, we will accelerate product development and investment, and grow our global footprint as our mutual customers enter new markets,” Owen added.

With over 2,000 gyms in 25 countries and four continents already trusting Membr to support their day-to-day operations, Xplor is reeling in a major fitness industry player.

Jack Malin and Dave Rushton founded Membr in 2015. It quickly rose to prominence, attracting industry giants such as Anytime Fitness, Life Fitness and JD gyms. Malin will remain the company’s CEO and lead the Membr team as they report to Xplor. 

“We are thrilled to have joined Xplor Technologies as a trusted growth platform for multi-market gyms and health clubs,” Malin said. “Whether a gym operates in Tokyo, London, Chicago or Sydney, our promise to customers remains the same. Intuitive software, exceptional service, and an experienced global team that will help you scale your business and deliver a consistently engaging experience in all the markets you operate in.” 

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Planet Fitness is stepping up its advertising game. The “Judgment Free” gym franchise announced the launch of its PF Media Network. The project will operate as a multi-channel advertising solution, linking advertisers to Planet Fitness members both in-club and digitally across multiple channels with an intent to drive awareness and sales.

“We are thrilled to evolve our advertising solutions to provide agency teams, media buyers, and brands the opportunity to reach our more than 18 million Planet Fitness members,” said Sherrill Kaplan, chief digital officer at Planet Fitness. “Our member base represents a cross-section of the U.S. population across 2,400 clubs, skewing towards Gen Z and Millennials, which our advertising partners are eager to serve in dynamic and efficient ways.”

The PF Media Network’s content will filter into three different channels: in-club media, digital audiences and affiliate campaigns. 

• In-Club Media: Advertisers get the opportunity to reach Planet Fitness’ active and physically present members, communicating through TVs located throughout the gym, in its PF Black Card Spa and inside locker rooms.

• Digital Audiences: Permitting advertisers to reach Planet Fitness members via connected television, programmatic and social media outlets. This is accomplished through partnerships with LiveRamp, a leading data collaboration platform. 

• Affiliate Campaigns: The PF Media Network invites advertisers already participating in digital and in-club advertising opportunities to complement their outreach methods via email and the Planet Fitness app. Visible ad placement in these highly populated platforms promises to expand advertising partner conversion. 

Planet Fitness isn’t the first business to head down this advertising path, fitness or otherwise. Other non-retail companies who’ve recently moved to utilize their in-person and digital whereabouts with consumers include United Airlines, Uber and Lyft, according to Retail TouchPoints. Several gym chains have also run their own in-house advertising programs.

Now boasting over 18.5 million members, the most of any gym chain, Planet Fitness already represents one of the fastest-growing and most popular fitness brands in the industry. The franchise has found a winning formula in terms of targeting Gen-Z with its pricing, hours and culture. Applying the PF Media Network to that vast audience could mean even more growth is on the horizon.

This article has been updated with additional information on in-house advertising programs.

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