All Things Fitness and Wellness

This week on This Week In Fitness, Crunch Fitness expands its Crunch 3.0 model with dedicated Pilates, strength, boxing and recovery spaces, while EGYM updates its BioAge fitness indicator and introduces a new longevity-focused training program.

We also cover Nike and Hyperice’s next move in wearable recovery technology, STRONG Pilates’ expansion into Central and Eastern Europe, Atlanta’s new citywide physical activity initiative and a survey examining how health tracking may be affecting consumer wellbeing.

Stories this week:

• Crunch Fitness expands Crunch 3.0 with reformer Pilates, boutique-style training studios, contrast therapy, infrared saunas and red ligh...

This week on This Week In Fitness, we're covering one of the biggest obesity drug developments of the year as Eli Lilly reports positive Phase 3 results for retatrutide, a potential next-generation obesity treatment. We also look at ClassPass' new partner protections for gyms and studios, Crunch Fitness' $100 million expansion into Phoenix, Ultimate Longevity Center's rapid franchise growth, Planet Fitness' new partnership with Apple Music, and Wattbike's integration with EGYM.

Stories this week:

• Eli Lilly reports positive Phase 3 trial results for retatrutide, with participants losing up to 22.6% of their body weight. The co...

This week on This Week In Fitness, we're covering Bloomberg's report that United PF Holdings, the largest Planet Fitness franchisee, is negotiating a potential debt-for-equity restructuring, Playlist's launch of AI Concierge for Mindbody customers, Ultimate Longevity Center's rapid franchise expansion, DEKA's new global Gym vs Gym competition, Peloton's latest strength-focused training program, and Myzone's new report on exercise habits and member engagement.

Stories this week:
• Bloomberg reports United PF Holdings, the largest Planet Fitness franchisee, is negotiating a potential debt-for-equity transaction with lenders as it addresses upcoming debt maturities.
• Ultimate Longevity Center awards 200 franchise territories befo...

This week on This Week In Fitness, we're breaking down new data from ABC Fitness on member acquisition, retention and consumer spending, ŌURA's new collaboration with LillyDirect to support people using GLP-1 medications, UFC GYM's launch of medically supervised longevity clinics, and Crunch Fitness' appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer.

We'll also look at TRX's expansion into mass retail through a new licensing partnership and reflect on the legacy of fitness pioneer Les Mills Sr., whose influence helped shape the modern group fitness industry.

Stories this week:

• ABC Fitness releases its Mid-Year 2026 Wel...

On This Week In Fitness, we're covering reports that private equity firm L Catterton is in exclusive talks to acquire a stake in HYROX, a new multinational analysis projecting billions in economic value from combining structured exercise with GLP-1 medications, and the Health & Fitness Association's efforts to strengthen the fitness industry's role in healthcare and public policy.

We also examine ISSA's new Fitness Business Bundle, launched as industry sources estimate that approximately 80% of new personal trainers leave the profession within their first two years. Plus, Amped Fitness launches a creator program with a $25,000 prize pool, and Peloton...

George Gregan is a World Cup-winning rugby legend — but his second act might be even more interesting. After retiring from professional sport, George became Chairman and Athletic Director of FSU (Fitness Solutions), the parent company behind PTP Fit, one of Australia's most recognized performance training brands. PTP's lineup spans resistance bands, PowerTubes, the Total Resistance System, foam rollers, yoga mats, and more, backed by free programs and video tutorials that support the full training journey. Under the FSU umbrella also sits Australia's most comprehensive yoga and Pilates brand, offering premium mats and Pilates equipment designed for serious practitioners. And al...

This week on This Week In Fitness, we're covering Hims & Hers' growing health and wellness ecosystem, World Gym's major HYROX partnership in Taiwan, the launch of Oura Ring 5, new data on stress and exercise habits among Americans, and Planet Fitness franchisee Easy Mile Fitness' $30 million expansion in Oregon.

Stories this week:
• Hims & Hers adds MyFitnessPal, iFIT, Dexcom, Flo Health, HelloFresh, Factor and more to its Benefits program
• World Gym and HYROX announce a three-year partnership across 140 clubs in Taiwan
• Oura launches Oura Ring 5 with GLP-1 Insights, Health Radar and expanded health monitoring features
• New surv...

In this episode, we revisit some of the most memorable conversations we've had on leadership, discipline, resilience, and the mindset required to build something meaningful.

Featuring Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan Race, Pete Holman, inventor of the TRX Rip Trainer and Nautilus Glute Drive, and Alan Leach, CEO of West Wood Club and one of the fitness industry's most respected voices in sales and leadership, this compilation brings together hard earned lessons from people who’ve spent decades building, innovating, and pushing through adversity.

From Spartan mentality and mental toughness, to leadership under pressure, to...

This Week In Fitness is your weekly breakdown of the biggest fitness business stories shaping the industry, covering the trends, investments, consumer behavior shifts, and business moves operators need to know, all in under 5 minutes with host Krissy Vann.

This week:
• GymNation secures a $100M financing deal backed by BlackRock to fuel GCC expansion and international growth
• Nike announces its first global gym partnership with The Yard Gym following the closure of Nike Studios
• Headspace reports growing workplace mental strain as AI adoption and organizational change reshape employee wellbeing
• Life Time launches Dynamic Nutritio...

Fitness business leadership advice for gym owners, operators, and fitness professionals. Hear leadership lessons, mindset strategies, and motivational takeaways from top fitness industry executives.

In this special ATFW Vault episode, we're revisiting some of the best leadership advice we've gathered from past conversations with Mark Mastrov, Chairman and Founder of 24 Hour Fitness, Adam Sedlack, CEO of UFC Gym, and Maria Gonzalez, CEO of ClubFitness Greensboro in North Carolina.

From resilience and motivation to leading teams and navigating challenges, these are the kinds of lessons that stay relevant whether you're running a single location...

This week Krissy Vann crunches the latest fitness business headlines in under 5 minutes, including:
• WHOOP’s expansion into AI coaching, clinician access, and connected healthcare
• Equinox launching a Women’s Health Advisory Board
• Fitbit Air and the growing “screenless wearable” movement
• GymNation doubling down on HYROX across the Middle East
• Aescape entering insolvency after years of robotics investment
• Renewed federal focus on youth fitness and preventative health
The lines between fitness, healthcare, AI, longevity, and wellness continue to narrow — and operators are adapting fast.
Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in sh...

The fitness industry is at an inflection point and most gym owners still don't have a strategy for it. Bob Thomas does. With over 44 years in the industry, Bob has pioneered recurring revenue models, built gym technology from scratch, and helped shape some of the biggest fitness brands in the country. So when GLP-1s hit the scene, he didn't hesitate. While others were skeptical, Bob went all in — building the infrastructure, living the protocol himself, and launching Next Gen MD 360 to bring medical and fitness together under one roof.

In this episode, Bob breaks down ex...

This Week In Fitness is your weekly breakdown of the biggest fitness business stories, covering the trends, data, and decisions shaping the industry, all in under 5 minutes.

This week:
Spotify launches a fitness hub with Peloton content
Bay Club acquires its flagship San Francisco city block for $65M
Fitness World expands with TRAIN by FW at University of British Columbia
University of Pennsylvania study surfaces new GLP-1 signals
ABC Fitness partners with International Personal Trainer Academy
Zumba marks 25 years with global activation
Technogym lands on TIME 100 Most Influential Companies
...

Europe’s fitness industry has surpassed 75 million members and is approaching €39 billion in revenue—but what comes next?

In this special episode of All Things Fitness and Wellness, we take you inside the European Health & Fitness Forum (EHFF) in Cologne, where over 600 industry leaders from 44 countries gathered to discuss the future of fitness, health, and wellbeing.

This episode goes beyond the headlines to unpack what’s actually driving growth—and where the industry needs to evolve.

Key highlights from EHFF include:

– Strong membership growth across Europe, with the market reaching 75.5 million members (+5...

This Week In Fitness is your weekly breakdown of the biggest fitness business stories, covering the trends, data, and decisions shaping the global fitness industry, all in under 5 minutes.

This week’s episode tracks where the industry is scaling, where capital is flowing, and how programming is evolving across operators, brands, and global markets.

This week:

Europe’s fitness market surpasses 75.5 million members and reaches €39.1 billion in revenue, signaling continued growth and consolidationXponential Fitness signs its largest multi-unit deal ever, expanding Club Pilates with Riser Fitness across 127 new locationsJETSET Pilates accelerates franchise growth, surpassing 350 territ...

Recorded live from the HFA Show floor, this edition of HFA Insider brings together three perspectives shaping the future of the fitness industry.

David Van Daff of National Academy of Sports Medicine breaks down the current state of personal training, from the rise of social media influencers to the ongoing fragmentation in certification and education.

Finn Hegarty of ABC Fitness cuts through the noise on AI, focusing on what is actually driving results for operators versus what is just hype.

And Tom Davies of Myzone shares insights on the evolving role of wearables...

This Week In Fitness is your weekly breakdown of the biggest fitness business stories, covering the trends, data, and decisions shaping the industry, all in under 5 minutes.

This week:

HFA report shows 81M US gym members and record-high engagementFitness Membership Divide reveals $128B opportunity and monetization gapGLP-1 awareness hits 92% as consumer behavior and spending shiftPlanet Fitness earns top workforce ranking for career mobilityNike shuts down Nike Studios, signaling shift to partnershipsXponential Fitness explores sale, merger, or strategic alternativesOnSight wins HFA Innovation Alley Pitch Fest with real-time gym data techStrava and IAMS launch “Pet Tag,” highlighting pets as a...

What’s actually driving growth in the fitness business right now?

In this special edition of All Things Fitness and Wellness, recorded live on the show floor at the HFA Show 2026, Krissy Vann sits down with three industry leaders operating at scale to unpack where momentum is coming from and what operators should be paying attention to.

Adam Sedlack, CEO of UFC Gym, breaks down the brand’s global expansion, including international growth markets and how UFC Gym is building momentum beyond the U.S.

Emma Barry shares how operators should be thinking abou...

This Week in Fitness is your weekly breakdown of the biggest stories shaping the global fitness, wellness, and health club industry—all in under 5 minutes. 

From major M&A deals and leadership changes to GLP-1 developments, wearable tech, and operator insights, we cover what fitness business owners, executives, and industry professionals need to know.

This week we cover:
-HFA Announces Leadership Transition as Liz Clark Steps Down
-Global Coalition Calls for Integrated Approach to GLP-1 Care
-Hims & Hers Expands Access to GLP-1 Medications
-Playlist and EGYM Close $7.5B Merger
-ClassPass Rep...

What actually stood out at HFA this year… and what does it mean for the fitness industry heading into 2026?

In this special edition of the All Things Fitness and Wellness podcast, Krissy Vann is joined by Liz Clark, President and CEO of the Health & Fitness Association, and Mike Goscinski to break down the biggest takeaways from the HFA Show.

From the industry stepping into the “big leagues” to the growing role of alignment across operators, suppliers, and partners, this conversation unpacks what’s real, what’s changing, and where opportunities are emerging.
If you were at HF...

We crunch the latest fitness business headlines all in under 5 minutes.

This week, the industry steps into the big leagues at the HFA Show. GLP-1 medications continue to reshape the fitness industry. Novo Nordisk raises the bar with higher-dose Wegovy, while Daxko introduces a model for gyms to participate in medical weight loss without taking on clinical risk.

We also cover Xponential Fitness’ FTC settlement, the Les Mills and Life Fitness partnership, Myzone’s expansion beyond cardio, new resistance training guidance from ACSM, the rise of recovery tech, and a new premium health club concept in L...

What actually defines a great gym experience today?
In this episode of the All Things Fitness and Wellness podcast, Krissy Vann sits down with Ivy Wu, Vice President of Global Growth at ClassPass, to unpack the results of the 2025 Best of ClassPass Awards and what the data reveals about changing consumer preferences in fitness.

The awards highlight standout gyms, studios, instructors and wellness businesses across 24 countries, based on real reservation data and member feedback. The results offer a unique look at where consumers are actually spending their time and money.

Krissy and Ivy explore...

Welcome to This Week In Fitness, where we crunch the latest fitness business headlines in under 5 minutes. Each episode delivers a quick breakdown of the stories shaping the global fitness industry, from technology and investment to club expansion and leadership moves.

In this episode:

-EGYM to Debut Smart Strength Series 3 at the HFA Show
Connected fitness technology company EGYM plans to introduce its newest generation of smart strength equipment alongside a platform designed to connect training data, member onboarding and club operations.

-WHOOP Plans to Hire 600 Employees in 2026
Wearable performance company...

HYROX has evolved into one of the fastest growing competitive fitness sports in the world and its impact inside gyms is becoming harder to ignore.

In this episode of All Things Fitness and Wellness, Krissy Vann sits down with Douglas Gremmen, Chief Growth Officer at HYROX, to explore how the sport has moved beyond race day and into structured partnerships with gyms across North America and globally.

They discuss how HYROX is breaking down community barriers inside clubs, creating a flywheel effect that brings members in specifically to train for competition, and increasing engagement with...

What happens when GLP-1 adoption accelerates inside high value gyms?
Are longevity clinics the next evolution of premium fitness?
And how embedded is biometric tracking becoming at the Olympic level?

In this episode of This Week In Fitness, Krissy Vann breaks down the biggest business stories shaping the fitness and wellness industry right now. This weekly series delivers a concise, enterprise-level overview of the headlines operators, executives, and investors should be watching.

This week’s stories include:

• Planet Fitness closes 2025 with strong growth and positions itself around the GLP-1 opportunity
• UFC GY...

What does the latest consumer data actually say about the state of the fitness industry heading into 2026?

In this episode of All Things Fitness and Wellness, Krissy Vann sits down with Melissa Rodriguez to unpack new research on how Americans are engaging with fitness and wellness today.

They explore participation versus consistency, the gap between casual users and committed exercisers, how digital tools are being used, the rise of recovery and wellness services, and what motivates consumers to start and stick with a fitness routine.

For gym owners, operators, and fitness executives planning...

In this episode of This Week in Fitness, we cover Planet Fitness expanding in Mexico, Pilates Addiction reaching 250 U.S. licenses, Novo Nordisk filing a lawsuit over compounded GLP-1 products, Ministry of Sound turning nightlife into competitive fitness, the HFA Hall of Fame honoring Elaine LaLanne’s 100th birthday, and why protein cereal signals a bigger shift in consumer nutrition behavior. Stay ahead of the fitness business headlines shaping 2026.

Stories Covered This Week:

Planet Fitness Expands in Mexico
Planet Fitness signs a new franchise agreement to open additional clubs in Tijuana and Mexicali. With gy...

The HFA Show 2026 is almost here, and this year’s event in San Diego is expected to be the largest gathering of health and fitness industry professionals in North America.

In this special edition of the ATFW Podcast, Krissy Vann shares insights from a preview press conference ahead of the show. Hear what Liz Clark, President of the Health & Fitness Association (HFA), says attendees can expect, along with updates from Mike Goscinski on new industry research set to be released in March.

If you’re a gym owner, executive, investor, or fitness operator planning to atte...

This Week in Fitness breaks down the most important business stories shaping the global fitness and wellness industry. Each week, we cut through the noise to highlight expansion moves, technology shifts, investment activity, and emerging trends operators and executives should actually be paying attention to — all in under five minutes.

This Week in Fitness: The Stories We’re Watching

The Pack Launches Global Franchising Platform
Backed by Rumble co-founders, Super Bowl–winning NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, and Grammy Award–winning artist Ciara, The Pack moves into franchising as demand builds for experience-led, self-defense–based group fitn...

GLP 1s aren’t new but their impact inside gyms is accelerating.

In this episode, Dave Appel, Chief Health and Fitness Officer at KORB Health Group, joins the podcast to unpack how the continued rise of GLP 1 use is changing the way gyms coach, program, and support members.

We talk through how GLP 1 members often differ from traditional populations, why business as usual programming can fall short, and where gyms have a real opportunity to improve outcomes without compromising coaching culture. Dave also shares how medical support, telehealth, and fitness can work together to help me...