Fitness and wellness brands are using technology in increasingly creative ways, although there’s much that can still be done to increase innovation and make the member experience more seamless.

As part of DISRUPT, Athletech News’ can’t-miss video series, industry leaders dove deep into artificial intelligence (AI), fit tech, VR fitness and more to offer an inside look into how fitness and wellness brands are leveraging tech to create a better future for our industry and the entire population.

In case you missed any DISRUPT Technology & Innovation Outlook videos, ATN is sharing them here for your viewing pleasure. Sit back, relax and enjoy the content!

Numbers Game: How Data Analytics Can Transform Your Gym

• Kristen Coy, Director of Customer Success, ClubOS
• Stacy Anderson, Global President, Anytime Fitness
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Building the Future: The Tech Behind the Tech

• Gonzalo Amuchastegui, Co-Founder and CEO, Amalgama
• Casey Jenks, CTO, CoachRX
• Alex Bejan, CEO, Youll
• Moderated by Jim Crowell, The SageHouse

Know Your Customer: Trends Shaping the Fitness & Wellness Industry

• Laura Munkholm, Co-Founder and President, Walla
• John Hartman, Founder, Skillpower
• Bahman Zakeri, Chief Strategist, Xivic Inc.
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Pain Points: The Hidden Costs of No-Shows & How To Boost Attendance

• Timothy Green, COO, TeamUp
• Dr. Paul Bedford, Founder, Retention Guru
• Katie Kaufman, COO, Loyalsnap
• Moderated by Eric Malzone, “Future of Fitness” podcast

Modern Tech Stack: What’s Next in Member Acquisition, Engagement & Retention

• Ian Mullane, Founder and CEO, Keepme
• Wendy White, CMO, Daxko/Club Automation/Zen Planner
• Asna Khan, Head of Product, Fit.ai
• Moderated by Tricia Madden, Fit Pro Programming/IDEA World

Music 101: How To Win the Licensing Game

• Russell Green, Founder and CEO, FIT Radio
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Measuring Momentum: From Gamification to Wearables

• Ameen Kazerouni, CTO, Orangetheory Fitness
• Terry Woods, Vice President of Sales, Myzone
• Jarron Aizen, Founder and CEO, Hapana
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The post Watch Now: DISRUPT Fitness Technology & Innovation Content appeared first on Athletech News.

The field of longevity, essentially the science of living better, for longer, shows no signs of slowing down. 

Driven by Americans’ growing distrust of the traditional healthcare system and the rise of wellness-focused podcasts and social media content, an entire industry has formed, with longevity-focused companies reeling in millions in funding to chase what once seemed like an impossible goal: delay – or even reverse – the aging process.

Three leaders of the burgeoning longevity movement – Dr. Mark Hyman, a physician and co-founder of Function Health, Dr. Frank Lipman, a functional medicine doctor who runs the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, and Naveen Jain, the founder and CEO of personalized health testing company Viome, sat down during ATN’s DISRUPT video series to give their thoughts on this emerging field. 

ATN breaks down some key insights from their conversation, including the rise of longevity science, the future of GLP-1s, and the potential of personalized healthcare.

Understanding the Longevity Boom

What’s behind the longevity boom? For starters, the science of health optimization has come a long way in just the last few years, according to Dr. Hyman. 

“There’s been a tremendous boom in the science,” Dr. Hyman said. “Up until a few years ago … it’d been a neglected area. The (National Institutes of Health) has spent almost nothing studying aging itself because it was thought to be this irrevocable process that you could do nothing about. But then a bunch of billionaires who don’t want to die started pouring millions and billions of dollars into longevity research, and so now there’s a whole field of longevity science.”

According to Dr. Hyman, the field of longevity science is about understanding the “underlying mechanisms for how we grow old” and then finding ways people can slow or even reverse the biological aging process through a combination of lifestyle changes, medication and supplementation. 

“For the first time in history, we actually are understanding that the things that happen to us – that typically happen to us as we get older – such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s – these are not inevitable consequences of aging,. Neither is frailty or disability or dysfunction; these are optional,” he explained. 

As the science of longevity has risen, so too has the general public’s interest in health optimization, at least among a certain portion of the population. 

Jain, who founded Viome in 2016, believes the COVID-19 pandemic kickstarted things, creating an urgency that prompted people to become more aware of their health.

“I really think COVID made us realize that you don’t want to be sick and go to the hospital,” Jain said, noting that many people who got severely ill or died from COVID had “comorbidities” that exacerbated the virus. 

“During COVID, we realized that we can become the CEO of our own health,” he added. “We realize that health is not something that happens to us, it’s actually something we can control.”

GLP-1s, Other Drugs Show Promise for Anti-Aging

While Dr. Hyman and Dr. Lipman were both quick to note that healthy lifestyle choices including proper sleep, diet and exercise are the foundational pillars of longevity, they believe drugs can make a difference, provided they’re the right ones and are dosed properly. 

Dr. Lipman believes GLP-1 agonists have a future beyond helping people manage diabetes or lose weight: in low doses, they can be powerful longevity drugs.

“I see (GLP-1s) as a wonderful anti-aging medication at a low dose,” he said, noting the proper dosage is significantly lower than what’s typically prescribed for weight loss and that GLP-1s must be accompanied by proper diet and exercise. 

Peptides (including GLP-1s like Ozempic) in general are highly promising, Dr. Lipman believes, citing clinical results. 

“I’m a huge fan of peptides,” he said. “I’ve seen it help myself and many, many of my patients.”

Dr. Hyman believes rapamycin shows promise as an anti-aging drug. 

“(Rapamycin) has a lot of really good data in animal models and human models as well,” he said. “Taken intermittently and at low doses, (it) can actually extend life and improve the quality of life and healthspan.”

The Function Health co-founder is more skeptical of metformin, another drug that’s become popular in longevity circles for its potential anti-aging effects. He cited the lack of a large, randomized control trial on the drug’s effects and some concerning findings from interventional trials.

“When you look at the interventional trials, for example, on metformin, it has a lot of benefits, but it doesn’t work better than lifestyle,” Dr. Hyman explained. “And it inhibits something called mitochondrial complex I, which inhibits your ability to build muscle and improve your mitochondrial function, which is critical for aging.”

Is Personalization the Key to Living Longer?

According to Jain, who was inspired to create Viome after his father passed away from pancreatic cancer, personalization is the key to longevity. 

Viome offers at-home health tests that measure people’s oral microbiome, gut microbiome and cell activity. The platform then offers personalized food, supplement and lifestyle recommendations based on the results. Viome also offers CancerDetect, a test that’s designed to detect biomarkers associated with early-stage oral and throat cancer, although that service is not yet FDA-approved. 

“That’s fundamentally, I think, a foolish idea, that we’re going to find one single silver bullet that’s going to help humanity live healthier and longer,” Jain said. “I believe … there’s going to be 8 billion silver bullets. That means everything is going to be personalized to what’s happening inside your body.”

For Dr. Hyman, who co-founded Function Health in 2021, the future of healthcare won’t just happen inside doctors’ offices, it will happen at home, in gyms and elsewhere. Function offers blood tests that measure 100-plus biomarkers, including hormones, thyroid, heart, metabolic, autoimmunity and toxins, providing users with personalized health recommendations from doctors based on the results. 

Last year, Function partnered with Equinox to make its platform available to Equinox members as part of a new longevity membership that includes blood test data and integrated personal training services. While that program will run Equinox members around $40,000 per year (a regular Function Health membership is cheaper, costing $499 per year), Dr. Hyman hopes it marks the beginning stages of making longevity science accessible to a larger swath of the population.

“What we’re talking about is a revolution in consumer-driven healthcare where people are now wanting their own data, wanting to know what’s going on, are not happy with the healthcare system and (are) looking for other places to engage to optimize their health,” Dr. Hyman said. “That’s what …. our partnership with Equinox is doing. That’s what (Jain) is doing with Viome. That’s what (Dr. Lipman) has been working on for his whole life.”

The post Is Aging a Choice? Doctors, Experts See Bright Future for Longevity Science appeared first on Athletech News.

With the global wellness market now worth $5.6 trillion and climbing higher every year, there’s never been a better time to want to be healthy – or be in the business of helping people get healthy.

As part of DISRUPT, Athletech News’ can’t-miss video series, industry experts took a deep dive into the world of wellness and the related sectors of recovery and longevity, including the rise of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, hot and cold therapy, and the growing field of longevity science.

Topics of discussion also included the growing role fitness facilities are playing in supporting members on their health journeys.

In case you missed any DISRUPT Wellness, Recovery & Longevity videos, ATN is sharing them here for your viewing pleasure. Sit back, relax and enjoy the content!

Personal Trainers in the Wellness Era

• Darlene Marshall, MAPP, NASM Subject Matter Expert, NASM
• Rich Fahmy, M.S., Senior Content Development Manager, NASM
• Moderated by Joy Keller, Athletech News

Pricing Recovery: How To Monetize the Wellness Craze

• Lee Braun, Founder and CEO, Perspire Sauna Studio
• Lisa Semerly, Chief Revenue Officer, Halotherapy Solutions
• Rachelle A. Reed, Scientific Advisor, Perspire Sauna Studio
• Moderated by Joy Keller, Athletech News

Wellness Room: Building the Ultimate Recovery Experience

• Brynn Scarborough, President and CEO, Wellness JK
• Mike Hansen, Entrepreneur and Founder Advisor, Mike G. Hansen
• Robbie Bent, Co-Founder and CEO, Othership
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Booming Business of Longevity

• Dr. Frank Lipman, Founder, Eleven Eleven Wellness Center
• Dr. Mark Hyman, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Function
• Naveen Jain, Founder and CEO, Viome
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Unlocking Metabolic Health

• Colleen Cutcliffe, Co-Founder and CEO, Pendulum
• Darshan Shah, MD, Founder and CEO, Next Health
• Moderated by Tricia Madden, Fit Pro Programming/IDEA World

Beyond Fitness: Why the Future of Healthcare Is Happening Inside Clubs

• Julia Klim, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, Equinox
• Spencer Honeyman, Chief Commercial Officer, Vi Labs
• Nina Crowley, PhD, RD, Director of Clinical Education & Partnerships, Seca Medical Body Composition
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Future of Metabolic Health With Jeff Zwiefel

• Jeff Zwiefel, Health & Fitness Expert Strategist & Advisor, Former President & COO, Life Time
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The post Watch Now: DISRUPT Wellness, Recovery & Longevity Content appeared first on Athletech News.

For all the talk about the pandemic changing the way we people work out, brick-and-mortar fitness is back and better than ever. However, fitness facilities must navigate changing consumer preferences like the rise of strength and functional training, cardio’s supposed decline, the desire for more community and rising costs spurred by inflation.

As part of DISRUPT, Athletech News’ can’t-miss video series, industry leaders took a look at these trends and more, with an eye toward how gyms and studios can build modern spaces that attract the fitness consumers of today while also remaining nimble to upcoming trends.

Topics of discussion included facility design and layout, equipment selection, value-adds like recovery services, and how to incorporate tech within the four walls.

In case you missed any DISRUPT Gym of the Future videos, ATN is sharing them here for your viewing pleasure. Sit back, relax and enjoy the content!

Omni Fitness From Home to Gym: Connecting Your Consumer

• Adam Maloney, Regional Sales Director Canada / Eastern US, Echelon
• Tim Petzel, Purchasing Manager, Johnson Fitness & Wellness
• Jeff Shipman, Founder and CEO, Believe in Better Solutions
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Personal Training in the Wellness Era

• Raphael Konforti, Head of Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness
• John Bauer, Content Developer and Co-Host of “Trainers Talking Truths” podcast, ISSA

Build a Better Gym: Blueprints for the Future of Fitness

• Bryan Green, Founder and CEO, Aktiv Solutions
• Dana Milkie, General Manager, EGYM
• Greg Maurer, Vice President of Fitness and Education, Workout Anytime
• Loryn Huff, National Program Director, Midtown Athletic Club
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Less Is More: The Art of Fitness Facility Design

• Bryan Green, Founder and CEO, Aktiv Solutions
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Hybrid Fitness Revolution: When Going Digital Makes Sense

• Andy Peat, CEO, Fitness On Demand
• John Prior, Franchisee, Snap Fitness EMEA
• Dr. Steve Boring, Fitness Director, Rochester Athletic Club
• Sean Turner, CEO, Les Mills USA
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Future Is Personalized: A New Era for Omnichannel Fitness

• Steven Webster, CEO, ASENSEI
• Neill Broome, Co-Founder, In Motion Wellness Studio
• Stephen Rossi, CEO, Alter
• Moderated by Eric Malzone, “Future of Fitness” podcast

The Fitness Center Reimagined: How Hospitality & Commercial Real Estate Spaces Are Innovating

• Danny Dulkin, VP of Development Services, Arch Amenities Group
• Kayode Agbalajobi, Director of Asset Management, Carr Properties
• Emlyn Brown, Global Senior Vice President of Wellbeing, Accor
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Growth Mode: How to Successfully Scale Your Fitness & Wellness Concept

• Jay Siano, Co-Founder, A. Jaybird
• Anne Mahlum, Founder, Solidcore and Back on My Feet; Co-Founder, A. Jaybird
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

A Winning Feeling: The Art of Building a Top Fitness Brand with Tracy Anderson

• Tracy Anderson, Founder, Tracy Anderson Method
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The post Watch Now: DISRUPT Gym of the Future Content appeared first on Athletech News.

Franchising remains the lifeblood of the fitness and wellness industry.

As part of DISRUPT, Athletech News’ can’t-miss video series, we invited top brands, executives and experts to discuss all things franchising, including how to create a winning fitness and wellness franchise concept, how to scale your brand domestically and internationally, and what to watch for as the space evolves and adapts to new trends and consumer preferences.

Topics of discussion included how to attract high-quality franchisees, navigating the current fraught real estate market, and whether to expand internationally.

In case you missed any DISRUPT 2024 business of franchising videos, ATN is sharing them here for your viewing pleasure. Sit back, relax and enjoy the content!

Rebuilding a Giant: F45 CEO Tom Dowd Talks Turnaround

• Tom Dowd, CEO, F45 Training Group (F45 Training, FS8 Pilates, VAURA Pilates)
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Golden Touch: HQ’s Role in Scaling Culture & Community

• Amber Burkk, COO, Burn Boot Camp
• Sarah Luna, President, Xponential Fitness
• Mike Tan, COO, SWTHZ
• Brandon Cullen, Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer, MADabolic
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

How To Take Your Franchise Brand Global: Licensing, Tech & More

• Jonathan (JJ) Gantt, Co-CEO, Barry’s
• Massi Sardi, VP of Partnerships, Wellhub
• Christophe Collinet, Chief Commercial Officer, LifeFit Group
• Ieuan Owen, Chief Revenue Officer, Xplor Technologies
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

From Broken to Bulletproof: How Corporate Best Practices Transform Franchise Real Estate

• Jay Siano, Co-Founder and CEO, SABRE
• Douglas Jerum, Principal, SABRE
• Cody Patrick, Co-Founder and CEO, SWEAT440
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

A Behind The Scenes Understanding of The Business of Franchising

• Jon Canarick, Managing Partner, North Castle Partners
• Marc Magliacano, Managing Partner, L Catterton Flagship Fund
• Robbie Shapiro, Managing Director, York Capital Management
• Moderated by Rick Caro, President, Management Vision

Selling in a Crowded Market

• Chris Appiah, Founder and CEO, The Sales Arms
• Miya El-Masri, Co-Owner, The DRIPBaR San Angelo
• Lisa Pantaleo, Studio Owner, barre3 Long Island City
• Joshua El-Masri, Co-Owner, The DRIPBaR San Angelo
• Alex Eliades, Director of Sales & Site Performance, The DRIPBaR
• Moderated by Tricia Madden, Fit Pro Programming / IDEA World

The post Watch Now: DISRUPT Business of Franchising Content appeared first on Athletech News.

Fitness franchising brings to mind images of independent owner-operators and small-business success. In the post-COVID world, though, the space might be better summed in a few words: “go big or go home.”

During ATN’s DISRUPT video series, three leading investors in the fitness and wellness space – Jon Canarick of North Castle Partners, Marc Magliacano of L Catterton, and Robbie Shapiro of York Capital Management – gave their thoughts on the dynamics shaping the fitness franchising industry, including the rise of consolidation.

ATN breaks down key moments from their conversation, including why the trend of franchise consolidation might be here to stay, current market dynamics, and which fitness modalities are poised for growth in the years ahead. 

Large Franchise Groups Take Control

The fitness franchising space has been marked by consolidation since the COVID-19 pandemic, with large, cash-rich franchisee groups buying up smaller operators to create massive portfolios of gyms and studios. Crunch Fitness, Anytime Fitness and Planet Fitness have all seen private equity-backed franchise groups enter their systems in recent years, acquiring dozens of gyms in one pop. 

Investors expect to see this trend continue in the years ahead, especially since large franchise groups tend to see quick success in terms of expansion. 

“Consolidation is among us,” said L Catterton’s Magliacano, noting that generally, “large, sophisticated, franchisee groups perform very well.” 

“The data is just telling franchisors to help facilitate ongoing consolidation of their franchise groups,” he added.

The rise of so-called “HVLP 2.0” gyms could accelerate the consolidation trend in the years ahead. 

HVLP 2.0 gyms represent the next evolution of high-value, low-price gyms, offering premium amenity sets like group fitness classes, recovery services and top-shelf strength training equipment at monthly price points that are at or near traditional “HVLP 1.0” gym concepts like Planet Fitness. 

Crunch Fitness, Chuze Fitness, EōS Fitness and Vasa Fitness generally fall into the HVLP 2.0 category, although the definition is somewhat loose. Generally, HVLP 2.0  gyms are more expensive to build and maintain than HVLP 1.0 concepts, which can make it cost-prohibitive for individual franchisees to get in on the action. 

To control costs and logistics, many HVLP 2.0 brands opt to stay corporate-owned rather than sell franchises. North Castle Partners’ Canarick noted an interesting phenomenon  – virtually every major HVLP 2.0 brand is corporate-owned, with the exception of Crunch Fitness.

For Crunch, consolidating its gyms into the hands of a few large franchise groups offers a way to compete with the likes of Chuze, EōS and Vasa on the operational side while still tapping into the economic and expansionary benefits of a franchise model. 

“Where Crunch is evolving is to sort of lean into the fact that you do really need sophisticated management teams (and) more concentration of ownership. … So they sort of mimic, almost, the corporate-owned model,” Canarick said. 

A Tougher Market in General 

High-performing fitness brands are still able to obtain growth capital when the conditions are right, but overall, investors say the market is less receptive to franchising than it was before the pandemic. 

“The post-COVID world is very different for a whole host of reasons,” said York Capital Management’s Shapiro. “(The) pattern of daily life has changed, but also inflation and higher interest rates. So it’s a much more difficult operating environment today than it was five years ago.”

Besides macroeconomic factors, Magliacano noted that entrepreneurs are generally less interested in becoming fitness and wellness franchisees than they were before the pandemic, with COVID’s deleterious effects on the fitness industry still fresh in people’s minds.

“Today, trying to find franchisees that are ready, willing and able to lean in with their wallets is a very different proposition than it was pre-COVID,” he said. 

Canarick also pointed to the rise of at-home fitness during the pandemic as a factor that makes it more difficult for brick-and-mortar franchise brands to compete for investment dollars. While connected fitness brands like Peloton might be struggling financially, there’s no denying that at-home fitness is a bigger part of consumers’ exercise routines than it was pre-pandemic. 

“For all of the negatives around Peloton and all their struggles, they still have an enormous market share of daily workouts, much higher than it was before COVID,” Canarick said. 

Pilates, Strength Training Soar

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The fitness and wellness industry is still generally growing, even if current macroeconomic conditions and lingering memories from the pandemic have created challenges for operators and investors. 

Asked which fitness modalities and concepts are poised for growth in the years ahead, investors pointed to some familiar trends. 

“I think, without question, the highest growth segment in boutique fitness is Pilates in its various forms, mostly machine-based Pilates,” Canarick said, adding that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also “continues to be very successful.” 

Indoor cycling, on the other hand, is “a massive laggard” post-pandemic, he noted. 

Magliacano pointed to the rise of strength training in gyms, clubs and studios around the world. 

“When people say, ‘Follow the science,’ the science is saying strength is where you need to be,” he said. You want longevity, you want mobility in your older years? It is all about strength.”

On the flip side, “cardio-based concepts are going to struggle,” he said. 

Magliacano also expects to see tech and AI become a bigger part of the gym experience moving forward. This could be bad news for human personal trainers, he believes. 

“I think in the next 5, 10, years in the U.S., you’re going to see transformative changes within gyms, where technology and AI – and personalization of training programs – is going to take place,” he said. “Unfortunately, I believe that personal training from a human perspective will be under review, frankly, just to say it nicely.”

Shapiro pointed to the rise of wellness and recovery franchises, which offer services ranging from stretching and IV therapy to beauty services like Botox. 

“Anything that makes people feel better, feel younger, recover faster,” he said. ”There are huge demographic tailwinds with the aging population in the United States, so we’re very bullish on recovery services.”

The post Consolidation Is Here To Stay in Fitness Franchising, Experts Say appeared first on Athletech News.

Life Time made headlines around a year ago when it launched Miora, a longevity and performance clinic that gives Life Time members access to medical guidance, personal trainers and services including bloodwork, recovery therapies and GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. 

The launch of Miora marked a turning point for the fitness industry’s embrace of the longevity movement. Since then, brands including Equinox and Fitness SF have launched similar services, while gym and health club operators across the country tout the promises of an era where fitness, lifestyle and healthcare converge. 

Jeff Zwiefel, the longtime former chief operating officer and president of Life Time who now runs the Miora program, sat down with Athletech News founder and CEO Edward Hertzman during the DISRUPT 2024 video series to share his thoughts on the program’s progress around 12 months after its launch.

Here are some key takeaways from their conversation.

The Rise of Longevity & Preventive Care

Zwiefel said Life Time created Miora to democratize access to health-optimization services that were once reserved for the “uber-rich.”

“The consumer, now more than ever, is interested in optimal health; they’re interested in looking good, feeling great, and living longer, better,” he noted. “And there wasn’t a viable, trusted solution on a national basis (that was) out there. … We felt like we could be a tremendous one-stop-shop solution for our customers.”

Miora members first get their bloodwork taken to measure over 90 biomarkers. Based on those results, medical and fitness specialists recommend a personalized combination of longevity, weight loss and performance protocols. Services include IV therapy, peptides, red-light therapy, aesthetic treatments and GLP-1s, among other options. 

The initial bloodwork for a Miora subscription runs between $400 and $800, and then a recurring monthly membership costs between $149 and $249. That’s not cheap, but it’s significantly more affordable than a personalized longevity program used to be, Zwiefel noted. 

“One of our objectives was to make this accessible to the masses (and) make this available to our customers at a price point that they can afford,” he said. 

While Miora leverages MDs and nurses, Zwiefel was quick to point out that the Life Time clinic isn’t meant to replace the doctor’s office. Instead, it’s meant to help “take people beyond neutral,” prioritizing preventive care in a way traditional American healthcare doesn’t. 

“We’re not looking to provide sick care, we’re not looking to provide treatment of disease,” Zwiefel said. “We’re looking to try to provide health optimization. We’re trying to help consumers look better, feel better, perform better.”

GLP-1s as a Massive Fitness Opportunity

On the subject of GLP-1s, Zwiefel noted he was originally skeptical of the weight-loss wonder drugs but became convinced of their value and efficacy after digging into the research. 

“The power … in creating hope for customers that have failed in their weight-loss journeys countless times is an amazing opportunity,” he said. 

Zwiefel is a firm believer that the rise of GLP-1s will be a positive force for the fitness industry over the long term by encouraging more people to join gyms and health clubs, or just work out in general. 

A recent report from investment banking firm Harrison Co. estimated that the total addressable market for U.S. fitness clubs is expected to increase by $6.8 billion as a result of more people taking GLP-1s.

“There’s no doubt that I think this is going to enlarge the segment of people working out,” Zwiefel said, although he noted that it’s incumbent on the fitness industry to ensure it’s creating a welcoming and safe environment for members taking weight-loss drugs.

“We’re at an inflection point within the health club industry, I would argue, to be at the center of this conversation” around GLP-1s, he added. 

Life Time Eyes Miora Expansion

Miora is still in pilot mode – Life Time’s flagship Target Center location in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the only club that currently offers the clinic. But Zwiefel told ATN that the test is going well so far, and that Life Time is planning to expand the clinic to more of its locations across the United States.  

“We’re now at the stage where we are planning to roll out hub-and-spoke destinations across the other 180-plus lifetime locations,” Zwiefel said. 

Life Time’s planned nationwide rollout of Miora will be methodical, involving coordination with state laws and regulations as well as partnerships with local medical providers in select markets, Zwiefel noted. 

“We’re going to continue to thoughtfully roll Miora out in a very pragmatic and impactful way, but making sure that we continue to maintain the right quality as we scale – and consistency,” he said. 

To watch Zwiefel’s interview in full, click here.

The post Life Time, Jeff Zwiefel See Big Future for Miora, GLP-1s appeared first on Athletech News.

Tracy Anderson might be best known for her early work training celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez, but she’s not resting on those laurels. 

Speaking during ATN’s DISRUPT 2024 video series, Anderson, founder of the Tracy Anderson Method, explained that she wants her current work in fitness and wellness to speak for itself. 

“They’re amazing people, amazing women and they did so much to raise the awareness for my life’s work – and I have immense amounts of gratitude for that,” Anderson said of her affiliation with celebrities. “But my work is much deeper than that.”

Despite her massive social media following, Anderson prefers to avoid celebrity-driven marketing, which has long been popular in fitness.

“Where I sit today is, ‘I won’t participate in those conversations,’” she said. “You’ll never see me posting with a celebrity client or using any … sort of consumeristic commodity to play games with people’s well-being.”

During DISRUPT, Anderson sat down with Athletech News founder and CEO Edward Hertzman to share her unique approach to the business of fitness, including what makes the Tracy Anderson Method distinct from other workout concepts, her thoughts on the podcasting industry and her plans for brick-and-mortar studio expansion. 

What Is the Tracy Anderson Method?

While Anderson might’ve risen to fame by training the likes of Paltrow and J Lo, these days she’s also known for the Tracy Anderson Method, a comprehensive fitness routine centered around high-rep, low-weight exercises that also incorporates elements of mat Pilates, dance cardio and other functional movement elements. 

Anderson said the method was developed based on the results of a five-year study she conducted over 20 years ago, which measured 150 different women to find their ideal fitness routines. 

“My mission was never to start a brand or a business or to be entrepreneurial,” Anderson said of her early days in the fitness industry. “It was to help us in our human experience be closer to our bodies and … understand what we can and can’t control in them.”

Today, the Tracy Anderson Method is practiced at studios in New York, Los Angeles, London and Madrid. It’s also available online through a subscription.

For Anderson, the method is about more than just fitness. 

“I’m interested in a much more holistic picture,” she said. “I really believe you cannot separate the physical body from the intellectual, spiritual, emotional – you can’t separate these aspects of yourself.”

“I think people fear what I do in a lot of ways, because they’re like, ‘No, I need to go and just lift a weight,” she added. “And I’m like, ‘It’s fine. Go lift a weight, (but) you’ll never, ever experience what I experience in my body.’”

On the Podcast Experiment

On her business philosophy, Anderson noted that she’s quick to pivot away from things that don’t fit into her core values, no matter how lucrative they could become. 

She launched a podcast, “The Longevity Game with Tracy Anderson,” in January, but realized that the podcasting game wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. 

“I’ll say yes for a bit for anything, but I’ll be very fast to change anything that doesn’t feel like it’s worth my time,” Anderson said. “I started interviewing people, and … I couldn’t wait to get off. I was like, ‘I’m just letting you spiel your spiel to my audience that I care so deeply about, and I don’t believe in it.’ I didn’t want to be a platform that just needed to find guest after guest.”

Anderson still releases episodes of the podcast periodically, but only with guests whose message she personally endorses. 

“If I’m publishing a podcast, it’s like, ‘Oh gosh, pay attention. She likes this person,’” she said. 

On Franchise Expansion

Anderson also touched on her expansion plans for Tracy Anderson Method Studios, which recently began franchising to drive more growth. 

Anderson explained that she was against expanding the brand through franchising for a long time but finally came around to the idea, urged by demand from her Tracy Anderson Method community members and encouragement from her attorney, who felt strongly that it was the right business move. 

The first franchised Tracy Anderson Method Studios are set to open in Miami (two upcoming locations) and Bozeman, Montana. 

While Anderson will pursue franchise expansion, don’t expect to see Tracy Anderson Method studios in every town and city in the U.S. – the brand will be highly selective about the markets it chooses to enter and the franchisees with whom it chooses to partner. 

“We’re only approving people who really love my life’s work and have found a closer relationship with themselves through it,” Anderson said. “They undeniably know why it’s special, why it’s unique and why it has its place in the market.”

After a call with the franchise group bringing the Miami studios to life, Anderson is excited about the future.

“I’m so excited for the communities that are going to get these incredible people who are taking on the big, huge step of being business owners, and they’re bringing my method forward to their markets,” she said. 

To watch Anderson’s interview in full, click here.

The post Tracy Anderson Talks Fitness Method, Franchising Goals    appeared first on Athletech News.

Scaling any business is a complex and complicated endeavor. This is especially true in the fitness and wellness industry, where the human touch is so important but so difficult to replicate across multiple locations. 

Anne Mahlum, who founded Pilates-inspired boutique fitness brand Solidcore in 2013 and grew it into a 100-location behemoth before selling it for close to $100 million in 2023, is an expert in the scaling game. 

“I would never have opened my first Solidcore studio if I didn’t plan to make an empire out of it,” Mahlum said during ATN’s DISRUPT 2024 video series. 

During DISRUPT, Mahlum sat down with her business partner Jay Siano, a commercial real estate expert who’s helped scale brands including Starbucks, Chipotle and Orangetheory Fitness, to offer advice for founders looking to build the next big fitness and wellness brand.  

ATN breaks down the conversation to highlight some key takeaways.

ROI Above All Else

Mahlum’s advice for fitness and wellness entrepreneurs: focus on ROI (return on investment) from the very beginning, especially when it comes to real estate. Solidcore’s initial studios were deliberately small in size (around 1,500 to 2,000 square feet), making them easier to manage and monetize. 

“If your footprint is 2,000 square feet, try to make sure 1,900 of it, you can generate revenue in,” Mahlum said. “That’s a little bit (of) embellishing, but as much money as you can from every square foot will create a cushion for the profit margins that you need.”

While it can be tempting to build out a studio with a large, welcoming lobby and extra touches like fully stocked showers, those amenities can be difficult to monetize. For brands looking to scale quickly, it’s better to keep things simple and focus on fitness. 

“At Solidcore, we were looking and saying, ‘If I can’t fit an extra machine, I’m not paying for an extra 100 square feet,’” Mahlum recalled of lease negotiations. “There’s no way for me to make money with somebody sitting on a bench in the lobby.”

Siano, who runs real estate advisory firm Sabre and has worked with brands like Chipotle on their expansion strategies, agreed, saying one of the things that drew him to Solidcore was the brand’s resemblance to the fast-casual Mexican chain when it came to operational efficiency.

“When I first met Anne and walked into a Solidcore, It was the same effect … as walking into the first Chipotle,” Siano said. “It was very streamlined, the bathrooms only had toilets; there were no showers. You walked in, there was no person at the front desk. It was the antithesis of everything I had experienced in group fitness prior.”

(Anne) was so focused on the ROI of every inch of the place,” Siano added. 

To Scale Culture, Invest in People

When it comes to creating a brand that can thrive in cities across the United States, Mahlum says founders must set a top-down standard for company culture.

“How we show up in the office, how we’re showing up with our people, talking to them, getting them excited about the future, the vision, their role … it’s leading with authenticity,” Mahlum said. 

“Solidcore’s tagline was, ‘Create the strongest version of yourself. … Everybody I hired and spent time with also embodied (that) same ethos,” she added.

Part of creating a good culture means having tough conversations when employees aren’t living up to that standard. 

“As soon as you see people who aren’t doing that, they’ve got to go,” Mahlum said, noting that she’s “fired a lot of people in my life.”

“I don’t have a lot of tolerance for that,” she added. “I had to protect that culture like my life depended on it because, trust me, I knew that would be the demise of that company if we didn’t get that right.”

On the flip side, founders shouldn’t shy away from investing in quality talent. Mahlum recalled the moment she hired Bryan Myers from Sweetgreen. Myers now serves as president and CEO of Solidcore, and has been recognized as one the top executives in the industry. 

“I can still remember when I hired Bryan Myers and the salary that he wanted. I was like, ‘What, I don’t even make close to that,’” she said. “And that was my light bulb moment of like, ‘If I really want to do this, I need someone like Brian. It’s not an expense for me, this is an investment, and I have to know that this guy is going to help elevate the business and generate a ton more revenue for us.'”

Don’t Raise Money … Unless

Mahlum grew Solidcore into one of the biggest brands in boutique fitness thanks in part to raising large amounts of venture capital and private equity money.

Still, she admits the fundraising route isn’t for everyone. In fact, it’s only suitable for those who are committed to growth and are willing to sell their company down the road. 

“If you’re taking on any kind of investment, you better know that your investor wants to see a return and that your plan needs to be to sell your company at some point because that’s what private equity is,” Mahlum said. “There’s a lot of people who have bad experiences with private equity because they’re on different pages.”

Founders who raise outside funding must also resist the temptation to spend lavishly or irresponsibly once they’re flush with cash, Mahlum warns. 

“One thing we didn’t do at Solidcore that I’m really proud of after getting all that money, we didn’t go out and get some fancy-ass office space,” she said. “Our headquarters was my apartment in DC for a very long time.”

“We kept the money (invested) into places where we knew we were going to make a really healthy return,” she added. “And that’s something you can’t ever stop doing, no matter how big the company gets.”

The post Anne Mahlum on Scaling Solidcore: Why Amenities Are Overrated appeared first on Athletech News.

Gyms and health clubs may have a golden opportunity to position themselves as key players in the global data race thanks to the large amounts of health information they collect on their members, one fitness industry executive believes. 

Speaking during ATN’s DISRUPT 2024 video series, Anytime Fitness global president Stacy Anderson presented her case for why fitness brands are well-positioned to work with healthcare organizations, corporate wellness platforms and similar organizations to influence large-scale health outcomes. 

In the panel, “Numbers Game: How Data Analytics Can Transform Your Gym,” Anderson sat down with ClubOS director of customer Success Kristen Coy to discuss this topic and more, including how gyms should use data to improve operations and how the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) can make the industry faster and smarter. 

Data Is Gold

Anderson believes gyms, health clubs and other fitness brands are strategically positioned to become key players in the global healthcare ecosystem thanks to the massive amount of important data they collect from members.  

“People will give us more information than just about any other industry I can think about,” the Anytime Fitness president said.

“(That’s) going to open incredible doors, not just to (attracting) more members but to healthcare benefits to workplace wellness to programs that actually get the fitness industry out of the … ‘bro-show’ era that we lived in for 30 years and into a more science, medical (and) holistic health-based space,” she added. 

Anderson sees a future where fitness brands work hand in hand with health insurance companies to harness health data. 

“Imagine if a proactive insurance provider had a partner in an industry that could say we actually can help predict health outcomes,” she said. “It becomes incredibly, incredibly powerful. I’ve never been more excited to be in this industry than I am right now.”

Anderson also wants to see the fitness industry collectively do a better job at aggregating and presenting its own data, although she notes some initial work is already underway on this front. 

“I come from retail, and in retail, you live and die by SKU data,” Anderson, a former Best Buy executive, said. “So when I came to this industry (I) realized, I don’t really even have a great sense of market share unless I create that proxy to get it.” 

Anderson is calling on organizations like the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and the International Franchise Association (IFA) to continue working to collect industry-wide data and present that data in helpful ways. 

“Those are really important roles that those organizations can play to really start to aggregate that data and give us a better visualization,” she said.

Numbers Don’t Lie: Using Data to See the Truth

On the operational side, Coy of ClubOS notes that data can be a powerful tool in helping gyms and clubs better understand what’s really going on with their members.

While data often helps gym owners “confirm (their) suspicions” about things they see going wrong in their business, numbers can also help savvy operators unearth problems they didn’t know existed, Coy noted. 

“I think the most exciting part (is) when you’re looking at your data and you see trends that you’re not expecting,” she said. 

Coy gave the example of a gym looking at membership sale trends and noticing that 95% of its premium memberships were sold inside the club rather than digitally. 

“That’s going to help you point towards, ‘Hey, I need to do some creative’ or some critical thinking of, ‘Why is that?’ So you take a look at your website, you notice that you’re always defaulting to your basic membership and it’s not easy to get to your premium (membership),” she said, offering an example. “Then you can explore from there” and make changes. 

Data – provided it’s housed inside an effective software platform – can also help operators recognize when their members are more likely to churn, spurring action before it’s too late. 

“If there’s a big spike in cancellations at the end of the summer, maybe (operators) should start engaging those members throughout the summer to try to prevent that attrition,” Coy said. 

AI Can Turbocharge Insights

To make more sense of their data, gyms should leverage AI, Coy advises. As AI becomes more and more advanced, it will be able to help operators recognize patterns that can alert them to inflection points in the member journey, like a probable cancellation.

“We can provide that data to you, but it’s going to take a human to read through thousands of lines of different members to see what’s causing them to cancel,” Coy noted. “AI can do that much, much quicker. (AI) can go through thousands of your members, look for patterns of behaviors and spit that back out to you to let you know, ‘If you see this, if you see (members) decrease their check-ins by 10% and then 20%, that’s going to be a sign of behavior to cancel.’”

Anderson is equally bullish on the future of AI, and she’s calling on the entire fitness industry to embrace it.

“Things that take us an hour to do today will take minutes, seconds, nano-seconds, to do in the future,” she said. “So I think it’s just really important that as all this progresses, that (operators and staff) just step in and start to learn. At the very least, go into ChatGPT, there are free tools.”

“You’ve got to take a step forward or you will be … left behind,” Anderson cautioned.

The post The Fitness Industry’s Big Data Opportunity appeared first on Athletech News.

The global wellness economy now stands at $6.3 trillion as consumers prioritize their wellbeing more than ever before.  

Gyms and health clubs are increasingly getting in on the action, offering modalities ranging from infrared saunas and cold plunges to personalized wellness coaching and medically assisted weight-loss services. 

Still, the fitness industry is in the early days of its embrace of wellness, and it’s not always clear which strategy gym operators should take.  

Three experts in the burgeoning wellness and recovery space – Wellness JK president and CEO Brynn Scarborough, Othership co-founder and CEO Robbie Bent, and longtime fitness entrepreneur Mike Hansen – got together during ATN’s DISRUPT 2024 video series to tackle this vexing problem for operators. 

In the panel, “Wellness Room: Building the Ultimate Recovery Experience,” Scarborough, Bent and Hansen give their views on how gyms should position themselves to create winning wellness and recovery experiences. 

Recovery as a Core Gym Offering

Hansen, an entrepreneur and advisor with over 25 years of fitness industry experience, is all-in on wellness and recovery.  

A former 24 Hour Fitness staffer, Hansen believes offering wellness and recovery services is a must for gyms looking to compete in the modern era. 

“Back in the day at 24 Hour Fitness, we would always sell on the five components,” he recalls. “To me, this actually brings us to a point where we should have six components; recovery is one of those components now. We never used to sell it; we would sell nutrition, cardio, resistance, supplements and education. We have to add recovery now.”

Hansen cautions that gyms can’t add recovery services as a “check-the-box” measure; they must invest resources into providing a top-class experience, including educating their staff on new modalities. 

“I actually don’t think anybody has solved it on the gym side of the equation,” Hansen says, noting that this has created a gap in the market that’s allowed social wellness concepts to flourish as consumers seek more holistic experiences outside of the gym. 

“It’s a tough road for (gym) operators who aren’t willing to be open to change,” Hansen adds. 

The Trifecta: Ease of Use, Accessibility & Effectiveness

Scarborough, who leads Wellness JK, one of the world’s top providers of wellness and recovery equipment, offered some practical advice for gyms and clubs looking to create winning recovery rooms. 

When it comes to selecting the right modalities, “ease of integration” and “accessibility” are key, Scarborough says. 

“Is your front-desk person going to be able to say in three sentences what it is and consistently repeat that message from an uptake perspective?” she says. 

Gyms should also prioritize wellness and recovery modalities that their members can easily understand. This is more beneficial than chasing the latest and greatest tech, according to Scarborough

“Accessibility is extremely important. … At the end of the day, the backbone of America is small-town America. What’s actually going to make it across the population?” she says. 

Lastly, wellness and recovery modalities must be effective in order to drive long-term use. Ideally, members should be able to feel those effects right away.

“That’s why cold plunge is so sticky from a consumer perspective, because you get out and you have this rush of happy hormones for the rest of the afternoon,” Scarborough notes. 

Scarborough mentioned tools like red light and dry water massage as other modalities that can produce those types of immediate effects.

“In traditional fitness, they’re just starting to scratch the surface into some of these modalities,” Scarborough says, although she pointed to Planet Fitness as a good example to follow. The high-value, low-price (HVLP) gym giant offers modalities including HydroMassage beds and massage chairs as part of its premium Black Card membership option, and has been doing so for quite some time. 

“Whether you love them or you hate them, they were two decades ahead of this trend,” Scarborough says of Planet Fitness.

Tapping Into the Social Side of Wellness

Bent, the CEO of Othership, a highly popular communal sauna and ice bath studio with locations in Toronto and New York City, believes gyms can tap into wellness and recovery, but they should also be careful not to overextend themselves.

While social wellness experiences like Othership may be taking off, that doesn’t mean gyms should be racing to create their own versions of a bathhouse. 

“I think it’d be very hard as a gym to also be an expert in a bathhouse offering,” Bent says, although he notes gyms can still offer things like saunas and cold plunges, albeit in a less immersive way.

Gyms may have a big opportunity on the fitness side of the social wellness spectrum, however. Bent points to The Athletic Clubs, a New York-based boutique fitness brand that trains people in small groups called “squads” to foster meaningful connections in an era of epidemic loneliness. 

“That seems like a simple thing that a gym can add without new equipment,”  Bent says. “How do you connect your members with what you have? 

“I think there’s a huge opportunity for gym operators to look at that Athletic Clubs model and start to offer (squads) to connect people while they’re working out,” he adds. 

Overall, Bent is bullish on the rapid growth of the wellness and recovery space, which should bring more people into a healthy lifestyle. 

“I could see a world where 90% of people are looking for social solutions that don’t involve alcohol,” he says. “I think that bodes well for all gym operators.” 

The post As Gyms Enter Wellness and Recovery, Execution Is Key appeared first on Athletech News.

In-person fitness is back and better than ever following the pandemic, and gyms at all price points are reaping the benefits, from increased foot traffic to strong membership numbers. 

As gym brands look to maintain this momentum, they confront changing consumer preferences, the rise of new modalities and technological advancements. 

During ATN’s DISRUPT 2024 video series, four top executives – Aktiv Solutions’ Bryan Green, EGYM’s Dana Milkie, Midtown Athletic Club’s Loryn Huff and Workout Anytime’s Greg Maurer – sat down to discuss the future of brick-and-mortar fitness. 

In the panel, “Build a Better Gym: Blueprints for the Future of Fitness,” Green, Milkie, Huff and Maurer shared their views on topics including the rise of strength training, creating winning wellness and recovery rooms, and integrating tech inside the four walls.

Embracing the Rise of Strength Training

The rise of strength training is real, and there’s data to back it up. 

A couple of years ago, Midtown Athletic Club ran an experiment, placing sensors on the equipment at its Chicago-area gyms in order to track members’ workout habits for 30 days. 

“We really did see that need for more strength equipment,” said Huff, who serves as Midtown’s national program director. “Interestingly for us, our cable pulley systems were used the most in our strength spaces, so we increased our cable pulley access for members. We (also) increased, by a small quantity, our squat racks.”

Huff added that Midtown Athletic Club also decided to increase the amount of plate-loaded equipment at its gyms. By contrast, Midtown removed some of its cardio equipment, with one notable exception. 

“We did, however, increase our stair climbers,” Huff said. “Those are popular, especially for females.”

But females are also embracing strength training in greater numbers than ever before. In response, Midtown Athletic Club has added female-only strength training spaces in its gyms to remove some of the intimidation factor when it comes to lifting weights. 

“(It’s) a more moderate and less-intimidating free-weight space for our female members so they can feel more welcomed in that space, Huff explained. 

Green, the founder and CEO of Aktiv Solutions, noted that strength training is a big opportunity for gyms, but it also presents challenges. As strength training rises in popularity, Green believes gyms have to work harder to make members feel comfortable – and safe – while lifting weights. 

“Those are exciting problems to solve for, but those are the problems at hand right now,” Green said.

Aktiv has been “active” on that front, recently releasing the Smith 3D Trainer, a new take on the traditional smith machine that mimics the natural bar path of free weights while providing the safety and guidance of a smith machine. 

“We’re having great success in introducing the (Smith 3D Trainer) machine into the marketplace because it solves so many of the problems that people have always been concerned about – safety, self-spotting – but without the limitations of movement,” Green said. 

Wellness & Recovery Spaces Take Shape

Gyms are also becoming more than just places where people work out; they’re turning into hubs of self-improvement. With that, many brands are looking to add wellness and recovery modalities within the four walls. 

Workout Anytime, a nationwide chain of high-value, low-price (HVLP) gym franchises, is leading the charge on this front. 

Maurer, who serves as Workout Anytime’s vice president of education, shares that all of Workout Anytime’s newly built locations come equipped with premium wellness suites, offering modalities like red light therapy, infrared sauna, massage chairs and more. 

According to Maurer, gyms should place their wellness and recovery offerings in a closed-off room to create an atmosphere that’s conducive to relaxation. 

“That starts with walking through a door, because you can’t create that same experience out on the floor with people dropping weights,” he says.

Workout Anytime has been building its premium wellness suites for around a year and a half now, and is already seeing strong results.

“Our average dollar per member has (increased) $8 in the last four years,” Maurer said, noting that Workout Anytime’s wellness offerings are available as part of a premium membership plan. 

“When (members) look at the add-on to get access to that space, it’s pretty much a no-brainer when you put the right mix of premium wellness amenities in there,” he added. 

VR Fitness Coming Soon?

Any discussion on the future of fitness would be remiss without mentioning technology. Tech is slowly but surely making its way inside the four walls of gyms and clubs; industry leaders are excited but they’re also calling for a measured and strategic approach. 

Milkie, general manager for EGYM North America, believes tools like gamification and virtual reality will make their way inside gyms and clubs in the coming years, even if VR isn’t quite ready for showtime yet. 

“Gen Z is changing clubs, and we need to recognize that,” Milkie said, noting the young generation’s embrace of virtual reality. 

“If we recognize that the Gen Z population will drive what fitness looks like in the next five to ten years, and they’re very comfortable with VR technology, I think clubs are going to have to look at how they apply that,” Mikie added. 

Milkie believes VR is a “bit further behind AI” right now when it comes to adoption, but “within the next three to five years, I think you’ll see more (VR) as an application in fitness.”

Maurer believes treadmills can be the modality that brings VR fitness inside gyms. The Workout Anytime executive pointed to Xpriential, a brand that makes immersive VR treadmills. Maurer tried Xpriential at IHRSA 2024 earlier this year, and he became hooked. 

“I was walking in Central Park; it was amazing,” Maurer said, noting that he usually can’t stay on a treadmill for longer than three minutes due to boredom. “I was on this thing for 40 minutes. I was so blown away.”

The post Strength Training, VR & Wellness To Shape the Future of Gyms, Execs Predict appeared first on Athletech News.

F45 Training CEO Tom Dowd has big plans for the brand, including a potential name change for F45’s parent company.

Speaking exclusively to Athletech News founder and CEO Edward Hertzman during the DISRUPT 2024 video series, Dowd reflected on his first year and a half on the job, which has seen F45 strike partnerships with brands including Hyrox and Whoop, introduce new boutique fitness concepts in Vaura Pilates and FS8, and delist from the New York Stock Exchange in effort to shore up its finances. 

“We are on such solid ground,” Dowd said of F45’s financial state now compared to March 2023 when he took over. “We’ve restructured a very sound building that just got artificially torn down a bit by poor management.” 

“The core product – the workout, the experience – was always great,” he added. 

What’s in a Name?

Dowd shared that F45 is considering adopting a new name for its parent brand (currently known as F45 Training) that would better reflect the company’s multiple offerings in fitness, health and wellness. Today, F45 operates its signature F45 Training studios along with new boutique fitness concepts in Vaura Pilates and FS8. The new name would bring all three brands together under a new umbrella. 

“We’re working on a new name now that we’re pretty excited about,” Dowd told Hertzman. “We’re almost there with finding something we can use across the world, because we’re in almost 70 countries.”

F45 as a Health & Wellness Destination

The name change falls in line with Dowd’s goal of building F45 into more than just a workout brand but a one-stop shop for all things health and wellness. 

“The vision that I came in with was to be a solution headquarters for everything health and wellness,” Dowd noted. 

That includes expanding into recovery – F45 is rolling out infrared sauna and cold plunge stations at its studios nationwide – and creating new concepts like FS8 and Vaura, both of which focus on Pilates but offer different experiences for consumers.

“We could have more FS8s and Vauras than F45s in three to five years,” Dowd said during the interview, expressing his confidence in those new brands amid the Pilates boom. 

The plan also includes expanding into areas such as nutrition and weight-loss drugs. Dowd shared that F45 will be offering support for its members who take GLP-1s. 

“We’re getting into the GLP-1 business,” Dowd said, noting the popularity of drugs like Ozempic and the role fitness brands can play in helping people lose weight in a healthy way while taking GLP-1s. 

“It gives us another way to speak to members who are out there taking it, (who) should be working out because they’re losing lean muscle mass, and they should learn about the importance of exercise and how that couples together,” he added.

F45 also has an agreement with Dietitian Live, a telehealth service that connects people with registered dietitians for nutrition advice. 

Overall, Dowd believes F45 is “perfectly positioned” to capitalize on fitness and wellness trends with its focus on HIIT training, Pilates and ancillary services like recovery, nutrition and weight loss. 

“The members are seeing it. We know that because we see our churn rates coming down, we see our AUVs growing,” Dowd said. “When we look at our competitors, I’ll just say, there’s a lot of treadmill fatigue out there.”

The ‘Holy Grail’ of Fitness Real Estate

In terms of real estate, Dowd has a particular view on the future of F45’s brick-and-mortar businesses. He wants to see franchisees own multiple brands – F45 Training, FS8 and Vaura Pilates – and open them up right next to each other, with recovery and retail mixed in. 

“The vision for me, the holy grail, the full monty, is building these larger units with the different modalities together, call it FS8, Vaura or F45 on (either) side, retail in the middle, recovery behind that,” he said. “That gives us and our franchisees better sales per square foot, gives them more efficiencies, and gives us more efficiencies for marketing.”

F45 Training studios can already be found in virtually every city in the United States. In time, Dowd expects FS8 and Vaura to follow a similar expansion path. 

“At some point, every major city will have huge FS8-Vaura-F45 groupings with really strong franchisees printing money, having a great time doing it and changing people’s lives.”

Want to hear more from F45 Training CEO Tom Dowd? Visit the DISRUPT 2024 website to watch this video and others

The post DISRUPT: F45 CEO Hints at Name Change, Talks Growth Plans appeared first on Athletech News.

As the fitness and wellness industry continues to fight for better recognition in Washington DC and worldwide, it’s critical that we foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and the open exchange of ideas.

With that in mind, Athletech News is proud to announce that DISRUPT, our popular video series featuring can’t-miss conversations with founders, CEOs and c-suite executives from the biggest brands in fitness and wellness, is back for a second edition. 

DISRUPT 2024 starts in October, with even more can’t-miss content, speakers and brands. 

• Get the scoop from executives of the biggest gyms, boutique studios, equipment providers and fitness tech solutions on the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.

• Go inside the booming business of fitness and wellness franchising, including investor insights, real estate strategies and trend discussions.

• Do a deep dive into the new and exciting world of wellness, longevity and recovery services, including conversations with medical professionals

Be sure to tune in starting Wednesday, October 9. Register here if you haven’t yet booked your spot!

Check out the full DISRUPT 2024 schedule below.

October 9th: Business of Franchising

Rebuilding a Giant: F45 CEO Tom Dowd Talks Turnaround

• Tom Dowd, CEO, F45 Training Group (F45 Training, FS8 Pilates, VAURA Pilates)
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Golden Touch: HQ’s Role in Scaling Culture & Community

• Amber Burkk, COO, Burn Boot Camp
• Sarah Luna, President, Xponential Fitness
• Mike Tan, COO, SWTHZ
• Brandon Cullen, Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer, MADabolic
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

How To Take Your Franchise Brand Global: Licensing, Tech & More

• Jonathan (JJ) Gantt, Co-CEO, Barry’s
• Massi Sardi, VP of Partnerships, Wellhub
• Christophe Collinet, Chief Commercial Officer, LifeFit Group
• Ieuan Owen, Chief Revenue Officer, Xplor Technologies
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

From Broken to Bulletproof: How Corporate Best Practices Transform Franchise Real Estate

• Jay Siano, Co-Founder and CEO, SABRE
• Douglas Jerum, Principal, SABRE
• Cody Patrick, Co-Founder and CEO, SWEAT440
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

A Behind The Scenes Understanding of The Business of Franchising

• Jon Canarick, Managing Partner, North Castle Partners
• Marc Magliacano, Managing Partner, L Catterton Flagship Fund
• Robbie Shapiro, Managing Director, York Capital Management
• Moderated by Rick Caro, President, Management Vision

Selling in a Crowded Market

• Chris Appiah, Founder and CEO, The Sales Arms
• Miya El-Masri, Co-Owner, The DRIPBaR San Angelo
• Lisa Pantaleo, Studio Owner, barre3 Long Island City
• Joshua El-Masri, Co-Owner, The DRIPBaR San Angelo
• Alex Eliades, Director of Sales & Site Performance, The DRIPBaR
• Moderated by Tricia Madden, Fit Pro Programming / IDEA World

October 16th: Gym of the Future

Omni Fitness From Home to Gym: Connecting Your Consumer

• Adam Maloney, Regional Sales Director Canada / Eastern US, Echelon
• Tim Petzel, Purchasing Manager, Johnson Fitness & Wellness
• Jeff Shipman, Founder and CEO, Believe in Better Solutions
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Personal Training in the Wellness Era

• Raphael Konforti, Head of Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness
• John Bauer, Content Developer and Co-Host of “Trainers Talking Truths” podcast, ISSA

Build a Better Gym: Blueprints for the Future of Fitness

• Bryan Green, Founder and CEO, Aktiv Solutions
• Dana Milkie, General Manager, EGYM
• Greg Maurer, Vice President of Fitness and Education, Workout Anytime
• Loryn Huff, National Program Director, Midtown Athletic Club
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Less Is More: The Art of Fitness Facility Design

• Bryan Green, Founder and CEO, Aktiv Solutions
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Hybrid Fitness Revolution: When Going Digital Makes Sense

• Andy Peat, CEO, Fitness On Demand
• John Prior, Franchisee, Snap Fitness EMEA
• Dr. Steve Boring, Fitness Director, Rochester Athletic Club
• Sean Turner, CEO, Les Mills USA
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Future Is Personalized: A New Era for Omnichannel Fitness

• Steven Webster, CEO, ASENSEI
• Neill Broome, Co-Founder, In Motion Wellness Studio
• Stephen Rossi, CEO, Alter
• Moderated by Eric Malzone, “Future of Fitness” podcast

The Fitness Center Reimagined: How Hospitality & Commercial Real Estate Spaces Are Innovating

• Danny Dulkin, VP of Development Services, Arch Amenities Group
• Kayode Agbalajobi, Director of Asset Management, Carr Properties
• Emlyn Brown, Global Senior Vice President of Wellbeing, ACCOR
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Growth Mode: How to Successfully Scale Your Fitness & Wellness Concept

• Jay Siano, Co-Founder, A. Jaybird
• Anne Mahlum, Founder, [solidcore] and Back on My Feet; Co-Founder, A. Jaybird
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

A Winning Feeling: The Art of Building a Top Fitness Brand with Tracy Anderson

• Tracy Anderson, Founder, Tracy Anderson Method
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

October 23rd: Wellness, Recovery & Longevity

Personal Trainers in the Wellness Era

• Darlene Marshall, MAPP, NASM Subject Matter Expert, NASM
• Rich Fahmy, M.S., Senior Content Development Manager, NASM
• Moderated by Joy Keller, Athletech News

Pricing Recovery: How To Monetize the Wellness Craze

• Lee Braun, Founder and CEO, Perspire Sauna Studio
• Lisa Semerly, Chief Revenue Officer, Halotherapy Solutions
• Rachelle A. Reed, Scientific Advisor, Perspire Sauna Studio
• Moderated by Joy Keller, Athletech News

Wellness Room: Building the Ultimate Recovery Experience

• Brynn Scarborough, President and CEO, Wellness JK
• Mike Hansen, Entrepreneur and Founder Advisor, Mike G. Hansen
• Robbie Bent, Co-Founder and CEO, Othership
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

The Booming Business of Longevity

• Dr. Frank Lipman, Founder, Eleven Eleven Wellness Center
• Dr. Mark Hyman, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Function
• Naveen Jain, Founder and CEO, Viome
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

How GLP-1s Are Reshaping Consumers, Fitness and Business

• Mike Hansen, Entrepreneur and Founder Advisor, Mike G. Hansen

Unlocking Metabolic Health

• Colleen Cutcliffe, Co-Founder and CEO, Pendulum
• Darshan Shah, MD, Founder and CEO, Next Health
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Beyond Fitness: Why the Future of Healthcare Is Happening Inside Clubs

• Julia Klim, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development, Equinox
• Spencer Honeyman, Chief Commercial Officer, Vi Labs
• Nina Crowley, PhD, RD, Director of Clinical Education & Partnerships, Seca Medical Body Composition
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

October 30th: Technology & Innovation Outlook

Numbers Game: How Data Analytics Can Transform Your Gym

• Kristen Coy, Director of Customer Success, ClubOS
• Stacy Anderson, Global President, Anytime Fitness
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Building the Future: The Tech Behind the Tech

• Gonzalo Amuchastegui, Co-Founder and CEO, Amalgama
• Casey Jenks, CTO, CoachRX
• Alex Bejan, CEO, Youll
• Moderated by Jim Crowell, The SageHouse

Know Your Customer: Trends Shaping the Fitness & Wellness Industry

• Laura Munkholm, Co-Founder and President, Walla
• John Hartman, Founder, Skillpower
• Bahman Zakeri, Chief Strategist, Xivic Inc.
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Pain Points: The Hidden Costs of No-Shows & How To Boost Attendance

• Timothy Green, COO, TeamUp
• Dr. Paul Bedford, Founder, Retention Guru
• Katie Kaufman, COO, Loyalsnap
• Moderated by Eric Malzone, “Future of Fitness” podcast

Modern Tech Stack: What’s Next in Member Acquisition, Engagement & Retention

• Ian Mullane, Founder and CEO, Keepme
• Wendy White, CMO, Daxko, Club Automation, Zen Planner
• Asna Khan, Head of Product, Fit.ai
• Moderated by Tricia Madden, Fit Pro Programming / IDEA World

Music 101: How To Win the Licensing Game

• Russell Green, Founder and CEO, FIT Radio
• Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Measuring Momentum: From Gamification to Wearables

• Ameen Kazerouni, CTO, Orangetheory Fitness
• Terry Woods, Vice President of Sales, Myzone
• Jarron Aizen, Founder and CEO, Hapana
• Moderated by Edward Hertzman, Athletech News

Register for DISRUPT 2024 here.

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