Experiences have become a cornerstone of consumers’ well-being, with studio fitness categories like boot camp, yoga and Pilates driving attendance and membership levels beyond 150% of their pre-COVID benchmarks.

This demand for in-person activities reflects a growing desire to reconnect with others. Beyond physical fitness, these activities deliver a mental health boost by fostering social interaction and connection, and for many discovering a new studio or class isn’t just about working out — it’s about forming meaningful relationships and building a lifestyle.

In response, ClassPass has strategically capitalized on this growing demand, expanding into new verticals to meet the evolving needs of its members. The launch of Five Iron Golf, along with new categories such as pickleball, hot yoga and outdoor activities showcases the brand’s commitment to innovation. These offerings invite members to explore trending activities and discover fresh ways to stay active. 

Beyond fitness, ClassPass’s wellness vertical has experienced remarkable growth since the introduction of spas and salons on the platform in 2018. Today, members enjoy global access to over 20,000 wellness businesses, with more than 30% incorporating services like massages, facials and acupuncture into their routines.

“These trends underline a broader shift in how people approach wellness — it’s no longer just about physical health but about balance and self-care across all aspects of life,” says Zach Apter, Chief Marketing Officer at Mindbody, which now owns ClassPass. “We’ve positioned the ClassPass membership to be an investment in overall well-being, providing a wide variety of experiences that meet people wherever they are on their wellness journey.”

Community at the Core

ClassPass has also strategically tailored its offerings to foster social engagement alongside wellness.

“Community plays a key role in this evolution,” Apter explains. “Many of our members seek experiences that foster connection, whether it’s bonding with others in group fitness classes or exploring a shared interest like hiking. By broadening our offerings, we’re helping members integrate social and self-care experiences into their routines, providing opportunities to connect with others while prioritizing their health and well-being. Wellness isn’t just personal — it’s also about building relationships and finding belonging in a shared journey toward a healthier lifestyle.”

ClassPass’s expanded offerings have reshaped how members engage with the platform.

“Members are no longer just booking a single class or service — they’re curating an entire lifestyle on the platform,” adds Apter.

Strategic Growth Driven by Data & Feedback

When asked how ClassPass identifies new verticals, Apter outlines the company’s deliberate, data-driven approach.

“We’re a two-sided marketplace so anything we offer needs to work for both our members and our partners. We use member feedback, market research, and data insights to identify which services make sense for our audience, and then we make sure the suppliers of those services will benefit from liquidating their excess capacity via the ClassPass audience, without impacting their direct businesses.”

While ClassPass has grown into a multifaceted platform, its roots in fitness & wellness studios remain vital.

“ClassPass’s expansion into diverse verticals has strengthened its relationship with fitness and wellness partners by driving additional member engagement and retention,” Apter notes. “The more diverse experiences we provide, the more opportunities people have to explore and enjoy a variety of activities, which creates a retentive effect. This rising tide lifts all boats: members who stay longer on the platform continue to spend with the providers they’ve discovered over time.”

For fitness and wellness studios, this means consistent exposure to new customers and sustained loyalty from returning members.

Food and Beverage: The Latest Vertical

ClassPass recently began testing food and beverage offerings in select U.S. markets and neighborhoods. This expansion has already achieved immediate traction, with more than 20% of members purchasing these options and over 80% making repeat purchases.

“This expansion goes beyond just fitness and wellness — it’s about creating a richer, more integrated lifestyle for our members,” said Apter.

As ClassPass evolves into a comprehensive wellness platform, its vision remains steadfast: to provide members with a wide variety of experiences that support their well-being while helping local businesses thrive.

“What we’ve proven at ClassPass is that our members have an insatiable demand for discovering new local experiences and that local businesses consistently seek cost-effective ways to reach new audiences and move their excess capacity,” Apter concludes. “While fitness remains a cornerstone of what we offer, the success of categories like wellness, beauty, and now food and beverage, demonstrates limitless potential for growth as we broaden our offerings.”

The post More Than Fitness: How ClassPass is Building a Holistic Lifestyle Platform appeared first on Athletech News.

Personalized brain fitness platform Brain.One has partnered with thought leader Tim Storey and sports and celebrity agent Darren Prince, Prince Marketing Group CEO.

The startup, founded in 2023, is centered on optimizing brain health, where users can create or import health protocols such as cold plunging, supplements, nutrition, movement and more. According to Brain.One’s LinkedIn page, the platform tracks progress using assessments, wearables, biometrics and blood biomarker feedback loops.

The collaboration will advance the development of Brain.One’s protocols and resources.

“Partnering with Darren Prince and Tim Storey elevates Brain.One’s ability to empower individuals in their journey toward brain fitness, biological optimization and recovery,” Brain.One founder and CEO Thoryn Stephens, a neurotech and longevity expert, said. “Their personal experiences, global influence and collective media relationships complement and bring awareness to our global mission to provide life-changing tools and protocols for brain, body and beauty health.”

As of now, Brain.One’s landing page invites visitors to be among the first to access personalized brain and health optimization protocols. After submitting brief information, the Brain.One team reviews the intake to determine if applicants are a good fit.

The post Brain Fitness Platform Brain.One Taps Tim Storey & Darren Prince appeared first on Athletech News.

ClassPass is closing out 2024 having expanded into food and beverage offerings and is gearing up for an initial public offering, but before the year wraps up, the fitness and wellness platform is taking a moment to reflect on the year’s top workout and wellness trends.

Here are some highlights from the ClassPass Annual Look Back report, which covers trends based on reservation data from October 2023 to October 2024.

Pilates, Ice Skating & Massage Top the Charts

Pilates saw an +84% increase in bookings this year, according to ClassPass, paving the way for the popular fitness method to secure the top spot for the second year. In the home fitness space, Pilates equipment also shows significant promise – as seen by connected Reformer maker Reform RX, Merrithew and Basi Systems.

Notably, low-impact training also saw an increase in reservations (109%), demonstrating an interest in more fitness-newbie-friendly and accessible fitness.

While Pilates dominated, ice skating took center stage as the year’s breakout trend, with a 698% increase in reservations. Its rise reflects a broader interest in unique and non-traditional fitness activities, spurred by cultural moments like the Winter Olympics and increased social media visibility. Team sports like volleyball and soccer also saw significant growth, with volleyball bookings increasing by 256% and soccer by 158%. These trends highlight a resurgence in community-oriented and recreational fitness.

In the wellness space, massage retained their title as the most-booked appointment, with a 39% increase in reservations globally. However, new data-driven practices like body scans surged by 159%, as users sought precise insights into their health and fitness progress. Similarly, cosmetic treatments grew by 133%, and body sculpting increased by 90%, reflecting a growing interest in targeted, results-focused wellness services.

Global Booking Habits: Who Works Out & When

ClassPass data revealed intriguing patterns in booking behavior. Tuesday emerged as the most popular day for workouts, with Friday dominating as the top day for wellness appointments. Weekday workouts peaked at 5:30 p.m., aligning with post-work schedules, while weekend sessions were most commonly booked at 10:00 a.m., reflecting a more relaxed start to the day. September overtook October as the busiest month for fitness, signaling a “back-to-business” mindset at the end of summer.

The most fitness-forward cities included New York Metro, which led all global markets in total reservations, followed by Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam and Singapore. Travel also influenced booking habits, with 7.7% of ClassPass users participating in fitness activities while on the road. U.S. travelers led the way, with 14% of users booking classes outside their home market, followed closely by Germany at 13%.

Specific cities showcased unique trends: Zürich residents were the most likely to book fitness classes more than three days in advance, while Basel led in lunchtime workout reservations. Outdoor workouts saw a surge in Santa Cruz, California, which topped the list for on-the-go fitness in scenic locales.

Pop Culture & Recovery Practices Shape 2024

Pop culture remained a driving force behind fitness trends. Themed classes continued to thrive, with Taylor Swift-inspired sessions drawing over 15,000 reservations. Beyoncé, Drake and Justin Bieber were also top picks for music-driven workouts.

Recovery practices gained renewed attention, with yoga, sauna sessions and massages frequently booked as post-workout activities. For example, sauna use was particularly common after Pilates, while yoga was a top choice for runners looking to stretch and unwind.

Looking Ahead to 2025

The report forecasts a continued shift toward hybrid wellness routines that combine physical fitness with mental health practices. Wearable health monitors and AI-driven tools are poised to play an even bigger role, offering users personalized insights to optimize performance and recovery. Community-focused and creative fitness experiences are also expected to thrive as individuals seek meaningful ways to connect while pursuing their wellness goals.

ATN staff writer Courtney Rehfeldt contributed to this article.

The post ClassPass Reflects on 2024: Fitness Trends & Wellness Insights appeared first on Athletech News.

Wearable tech company Whoop has unveiled a new journal feature that’s raising some eyebrows: the ability to log ketamine, LSD, and psilocybin.

The new logging option comes at a pivotal time for the health and wellness industry, with an incoming administration and key players that are pro-psychedelics — Elon Musk has openly discussed using ketamine to treat depression, and Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has signaled a willingness to advance psychedelic medicine.

“Our legal team told us that we have to say this…We do not recommend the recreational use of these drugs, and we cannot tell you about potential health outcomes,” the human performance company captioned a social media post announcing the new journal add-on.

Whoop’s journal – which is a customizable self-reporting tool where users can log everything from medication (including GLP-1s, chemotherapy, COVID-19 vaccines, and boosters), menstruation, supplements, acupuncture, air travel, ice baths, injuries, and more — provides insights into how daily behaviors affect recovery, strain and sleep. Several of the available journal questions are hyper-specific — such as whether a Whoop user worked an on-call shift, parented a sick child, observed Ramadan, or had a dog in the room while sleeping.

While some commenters expressed skepticism of Whoop’s latest move—questioning how many Whoop users actually take psychedelics and criticizing the new feature from a health-focused company—others pointed out that data collection may help explore long-term effects, with many using the substances for therapeutic purposes.

Ketamine, in particular, was added to Whoop’s journal as an extension of its ongoing research with Stella Center, according to the Boston-based human performance company.

The two are collaborating on a study sponsored by the University of Queensland to observe the psychological and physiological effects of Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB). Although SGB is FDA-approved pain relief, it’s been used off-label to treat symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression. Study participants will wear a Whoop band for eight weights to measure changes in physiological changes in response to Stella’s SGB treatment protocol. Stella Center also offers IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy at some of its locations.

“At Whoop, we believe it is extremely important to remain on the cutting edge of treatments that may improve the lives of the millions currently struggling with trauma and mental health symptoms,” said Whoop’s Finn Fielding. “Working with Stella to examine the impacts of their procedures represents another step in achieving our mission of optimizing human health and performance.”

While some may be divided on Whoop’s latest move, the wearable company recently delivered a much-requested feature: the ability to track steps.

“Our members have increasingly requested steps, and we’ve been listening,” Whoop founder and CEO Will Ahmed told Athletech News. “This update allows us to provide a more complete picture of movement and activity throughout the day, in addition to strain and recovery data.”

The post Whoop Rolls Out Controversial New Journal Feature appeared first on Athletech News.

It’s more likely than not that personal trainers will work with female clients who deal with incontinence issues, which could be an obstacle on their path to the fitness and wellness goals. Recent research supports the belief that solutions are available, and exercise may be one of them.

A recent study led by Stanford Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco, has found that low-impact exercise programs, such as yoga and general stretching, significantly reduce urinary incontinence episodes in older women. The research, published in Annals of Internal Medicine on August 27, provides promising alternatives for women seeking non-pharmacological treatments.

A Underreported & Common Issue

Urinary incontinence affects more than half of middle-aged women and up to 80% of women over 80 and can interfere with daily activities and significantly impact quality of life. The study examined the effects of a 12-week low-impact yoga program and found a 65% reduction in incontinence episodes among participants.

“We were testing the kind of yoga that just about anyone can do, with modifications for different physical abilities,” said Dr. Leslee Subak, chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford Medicine and the study’s senior author. “What I love about it is that it’s safe, inexpensive, doesn’t require a doctor and is accessible wherever you live.”

The research set out to find cost-effective and accessible solutions for a problem that is often stigmatized and underreported. According to Subak, incontinence is mistakenly viewed as an inevitable part of aging, though treatments are available.

“Incontinence is not only common, but it also interferes with people’s lives,” Subak noted. “It takes away independence. Many women avoid staying with their children or grandchildren due to the fear and embarrassment of an accident.”

Study Parameters

The study involved 240 women between the ages of 45 and 90, all experiencing daily incontinence. Participants were divided into two groups: one practicing 16 hatha yoga poses aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor, and the other group performing general stretching and strengthening exercises.

Both groups attended two 90-minute exercise sessions weekly and were asked to practice independently for at least an hour per week.

Both the yoga and the control groups experienced significant improvements. Participants in the yoga group reported an average of 2.3 fewer daily incontinence episodes, while those in the general exercise group saw a reduction of 1.9 episodes per day. These results are comparable to the 30% to 70% improvement rates seen with medications for incontinence, according to the researchers.

Subak emphasized the importance of regular activity, which is good news for fitness professionals who work with this population.

“One of the take-home messages from this study is ‘Be active!’ I’m impressed that exercise did so well and that yoga did so well,” Subak added.

The benefits of physical activity, including yoga, extend beyond managing incontinence. As the study’s lead author, Dr. Alison Huang, professor at UCSF, pointed out, being physically active helps reduce the risk of other health issues, such as falls and bone fractures, which can be exacerbated by conditions like incontinence.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, with contributions from researchers at Yale University and San Francisco State University.

The post Low-Impact Exercise, Yoga, Reduces Urinary Incontinence in Older Women appeared first on Athletech News.