Strategic intelligence for fitness professionals
Strategic intelligence for fitness coaches, gym owners, and brands. Expert data, analysis, and industry trends to grow your fitness business.
Latest articles (793)
24 Hour Fitness: Its Founder Just Bought It Back 20 Years After Selling It
Mark Mastrov just reacquired 24 Hour Fitness 20 years after selling it for $1.6B. Here's what his turnaround playbook looks like and what it means for the mid-market gym segment.
UK Active's New CEO Comes From Media, Not Fitness — Here's Why That Matters
UK Active's new CEO Cameron Saunders comes from Fox, Sky, and Paramount. Here's what that hire signals about the fitness industry's real challenge in 2026.
The $241B Activewear Market by 2032: What the Numbers Tell Fitness Brands
The global activewear market hits $241.8B by 2032. The real story is in the segments: smart fabrics, sustainable materials, and wearable tech integration.
Crunch Franchisee CR Fitness Raised $350M to Open 100 More Gyms
CR Fitness raised $350M from Sixth Street to open 100+ Crunch gyms. Here's what the deal signals for independent gym operators and where PE capital is flowing.
Danone Buys Huel for €1B and Herbalife Acquires Bioniq: Reading Q1 2026 M&A
Danone's $1.1B Huel acquisition and Herbalife's $55M Bioniq deal signal a consolidation wave in functional nutrition. Here's what it means for independent brands.
Gym retention metrics 2026: what the data shows on churn
50% of gym members quit within 90 days. The 2026 data reveals exactly which attendance thresholds, PT habits, and class behaviors predict who stays.
AI tools for coaches: what's actually worth using in 2026
64% of trainers now use AI tools. Here's what's actually worth your time in 2026, and what still requires a human coach.
Adaptogen market 2026: ashwagandha, rhodiola, lion's mane by the numbers
The adaptogen market hits $11.32B in 2024, growing to $18.82B by 2032. Here's how ashwagandha, lion's mane, and rhodiola stack up by evidence and channel.
Workout Anytime: Anatomy of a Franchise Model That Grows Counter-Cyclically
225 clubs by targeting 20,000-80,000 population cities ignored by Planet Fitness. The anatomy of Workout Anytime's business model and Q1 2026 expansion.
Les Mills and Life Fitness Partner Up: What It Changes for Gyms
Les Mills programs now live on Life Fitness equipment. What it costs, what it returns for gyms, and what it signals about the commercial equipment market in 2026.
State of Personal Training in 2026: Numbers, Trends and What's Changing for Coaches
The personal training market hits $40.7B in 2026. Online coaching is 28% of revenue. The numbers, trends, and what's changing for coaches.
Sports Supplements: The Q1 2026 M&A Activity and What It Reveals About the Industry
Sports supplement consolidation accelerates: Nestlé acquisitions, DTC brand valuations at 4-6x EBITDA, and the rise of adaptogens. What it reveals about where the sector is heading.
Group Fitness and Retention: The Les Mills 2026 Data
Gym Operations Report. The Les Mills 2026 report (10,000+ consumers) quantifies group fitness impact: members stay 22% longer, have 27% higher LTV, and 26% describe the gym as their primary social community.
Coach Revenue Intelligence: Real Trainer Income Data for 2026
How much do trainers actually make in 2026? Data from 6 industry reports shows hybrid coaches average $108K/year, compared to $58-62K for in-person only.
Referral Systems for Coaches: Conversion Data That Matters
Coach Revenue Intelligence. Over 50% of coaches cite word-of-mouth as their top client source, but fewer than 20% have a structured system. Referred leads convert at 50-70% vs 5-15% for cold leads. The 3-step system backed by conversion data.
NikeSKIMS: 6 Months In, What the Data Reveals
Brand Watch. NikeSKIMS launched in late September 2025. Six months in, the data goes beyond the buzz: sales doubled in 48 hours, AOV up 30%, Nike stock +9.5% on announcement. What the collab reveals about the structural direction of activewear.
73 Million Baby Boomers Will All Be Over 65 by 2030. Is Your Gym Ready?
Adults 65 and older already visit gyms more than any other age group. All 73 million baby boomers will cross that threshold by 2030. A practical guide for gym operators on programming, positioning, and facility decisions to capture this loyal, financially stable, and growing demographic.
The Coaches Growing Fastest in 2026 Don't Just Program Workouts. They Coach the Whole Person.
Clients in 2026 expect more than workout programming. According to Trainerize's industry report, coaches who integrate nutrition, sleep, and stress into their service see significantly stronger retention and 25-40% higher monthly revenue. A practical guide to making that shift without overstepping your scope.
Vuori at $5.5B and Heading for IPO: What Challenger Brands Tell Us About the Activewear Market
Vuori just raised $825M at a $5.5B valuation with an IPO on the horizon. Meanwhile Lululemon is down 70% from its 2023 peak and its CEO has resigned. This isn't a cycle. It's a market share transfer. A structural analysis of what's reshaping the premium activewear landscape.
LifeFit Group Acquires Just Fit Clubs, Surpasses 200 European Gyms
LifeFit Group cleared its 21-club Just Fit acquisition in Germany, surpassing 210 locations and accelerating Europe's fastest gym consolidation run under Waterland PE.
The State of Personal Training in 2026: What the Trainerize Industry Report Actually Reveals
The 2026 Trainerize report shows 80% of coaches struggling with client acquisition. Here's what the data reveals and what growing coaches are doing differently.
CrossFit Still Hasn't Sold: CEO Gone, BeSport Now the Leading Bidder
CrossFit's sale process has stretched past a year with no deal closed, CEO Don Faul gone, and Swiss company BeSport now the leading bidder.
What the HFA Show 2026 Signals for Gym Operators in the Next 12 Months
HFA Show 2026 drew 10,300 registrants and flagged four clear signals: smart equipment as baseline, recovery as a revenue line, pickleball as a floor-space play, and AI as a staffing lever.
HGGC Acquires Grand Fitness Partners: Private Equity's Continued Bet on Budget Gyms
HGGC's acquisition of Grand Fitness Partners signals accelerating PE consolidation in budget gyms. Here's what independent operators need to understand.