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 HFA, this is your debrief. If you weren’t, this is what mattered.

Topics include:
• The biggest themes from HFA 2026
• Where the industry is gaining momentum
• What alignment actually looks like across the ecosystem
• Opportunities operators should be paying attention to now
• What this means for the future of fitness
Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.

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 Las Vegas.

And yes, even Kraft Mac & Cheese is adapting to the protein trend.

This Week In Fitness: 
-HFA Show: Industry enters the “big leagues”
-Daxko Launches Elevate Wellness (GLP-1 integration)
-Novo Nordisk Wegovy HD approval and results
-Xponential Fitness FTC settlement
-Les Mills x Life Fitness partnership
-Myzone strength tracking + Garmin integration
-ACSM resistance training guidelines update
-Robotic Therapeutics recovery tech expansion
-Everhaus private health club concept (Las Vegas)
-Kraft PowerMac protein launch

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.
#fitnessbusiness #gymowners #fitnessindustry

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 how consumers are redefining what a gym experience looks like, why community driven and experience forward facilities are standing out, the growing role of instructors as the primary draw for classes, and how recovery and wellness services are becoming part of the broader fitness routine.

They also discuss the business implications for gym and studio operators heading into 2026, including what trends appear global and what still feels market specific.

Topics discussed include
• What the Best of ClassPass Awards reveal about consumer behavior
• How the definition of a “gym” is evolving
• The role of instructors in driving demand
• Intensity based formats versus experience driven fitness
• The growth of recovery and wellness services
• What operators should pay attention to heading into 2026

Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of the fitness and wellness industry.

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 WHOOP is expanding its global workforce as it continues investing in hardware development, research and product engineering.

-ABC Fitness and Gym Launch Announce Strategic Partnership
ABC Fitness and Gym Launch will combine business coaching, growth marketing and gym management software to help gym operators manage lead generation, sales and retention within one system.

-Chelsea Piers Fitness Expands with New Manhattan Location
The New York based fitness brand will open a 50,000 square foot club in Hudson Square as it approaches more than three decades in operation.

-lululemon Launches New ShowZero Sweat Concealing Technology
The apparel brand introduces new fabric technology designed to minimize the visible appearance of sweat during high intensity performance.

-24 Hour Fitness Appoints Derek Gallup as Vice President of Fitness
Industry veteran Derek Gallup returns to 24 Hour Fitness to lead the company’s fitness experience and training strategy.

-UK Industry Releases New Guidance to Address Harassment in Gyms
This Girl Can and ukactive released a new resource to help gyms and leisure centres communicate policies and strengthen safety standards for women and girls.

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.

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 personal training and goal driven programming.

The conversation examines why preparing for a sport changes member behavior, how affiliate gyms are building momentum around it, and what operators can learn from the explosive growth of fitness racing.

For gym owners and executives focused on retention, differentiation, and long term engagement, this episode offers a strategic look at where HYROX fits inside the modern gym model.

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 GYM enters the longevity clinic space through a joint venture with NexGen MD Scientific
• ŌURA signs a long term agreement with Team Finland and expands its Olympic presence
• Escape Fitness USA is acquired, signaling a strategic push toward domestic manufacturing
• The Athletic Clubs expands its structured squad model in New York City
• NASM launches a new peer reviewed journal focused on applied coaching practice

From medical integration to recovery technology to manufacturing strategy, this week’s headlines reflect how operators are repositioning around performance, longevity, and measurable outcomes.

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.

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 for 2026, this conversation breaks down the questions that matter most when interpreting industry data and turning insights into strategy.

Topics include:
• Fitness participation and engagement trends
• Consumer behavior in wellness and recovery
• Digital fitness usage patterns
• Barriers to consistency
• Strategic considerations for operators

Subscribe for weekly executive-level conversations on the business of fitness and wellness.

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.

#FitnessIndustry #WellnessTrends #GymOwners #FitnessBusiness #HealthAndFitness #IndustryReport #ConsumerTrends #FitnessData

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 gym penetration in Mexico below 7 percent, the market continues to present long-term growth opportunity.

Pilates Addiction Sells 250 U.S. Licenses
The boutique Pilates brand reaches a key development milestone and projects more than 2,000 new jobs in 2026, alongside a $5.25 million investment in instructor training.

Ministry of Sound Turns Nightclub into Fitness Arena
Ministry of Sound Games returns in London, staging a competitive fitness event inside a fully produced nightclub environment as operators experiment with experiential formats.

Novo Nordisk Files Lawsuit Over Compounded GLP-1 Products
Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers, alleging patent infringement tied to compounded semaglutide. The case highlights continued legal tension around GLP-1 access and regulation.

HFA Hall of Fame to Honor Jack and Elaine LaLanne
The Health & Fitness Association will induct Jack and Elaine LaLanne on March 15 in San Diego, followed by a celebration of Elaine’s 100th birthday ahead of The HFA Show.

Protein Moves Into Breakfast Cereal
General Mills and GHOST launch protein-enhanced versions of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms. The bigger story is how protein continues reshaping mainstream food categories beyond traditional performance nutrition.

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.

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 attend HFA 2026, this episode gives you context before you hit the show floor.

The HFA Show takes place March 16–18 in San Diego. Krissy will be on site covering key conversations and trends.

Connect on LinkedIn and follow All Things Fitness and Wellness for live updates from the event. Stay fit, stay informed, and keep your fitness business in shape.
#fitnessbusiness #fitnessindustry #gymowners 

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 fitness concepts.

UFC GYM Enters Mainland China
UFC GYM expands into Mainland China, bringing its performance-led, MMA-rooted training model to a fast-growing market focused on structured, results-driven fitness experiences.

EoS Fitness Surpasses Two Million Members
The HVLP operator closes 2025 with more than two million members, a 20 percent footprint expansion, a major Southern California acquisition, and continued investment in amenities and community initiatives.

Technogym Named Official Supplier for Milano Cortina 2026
Technogym secures its tenth Olympic and Paralympic Games partnership, equipping athlete training centers across six host locations for the 2026 Winter Games.

EGYM and seca Introduce Integrated Fitness Hub
The two companies launch a combined onboarding and medical-grade body composition assessment station, signaling continued convergence between digital fitness ecosystems and clinical measurement.

Hims & Hers Expands Weight Loss Offerings
The telehealth platform adds a compounded oral semaglutide option, expanding delivery formats for GLP-1–based weight loss under licensed provider oversight.

Dogtopia and YogaSix Partner on Routine-Based Wellness
The brands launch Paws and Poses, a February initiative designed to help pet parents maintain consistent wellness routines by pairing yoga with dog daycare.

Stay fit, stay informed, and keep you fitness business in shape.
#fitnessbusiness #fitnessindustry #gymbusiness