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Partner News
CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS
American College of Sports Medicine
A new American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Expert Consensus Statement published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise provides evidence-based exercise recommendations for children and adolescents with cancer. An international panel of experts screened more than 12,000 studies and synthesized findings from randomized controlled trials to establish guidance. To improve muscle strength and physical function, supervised concurrent aerobic and resistance training should be performed two to three times per week, for 30 to 35 minutes per session, for at least eight weeks. Children and adolescents with cancer should avoid prolonged inactivity and bed rest whenever medically feasible
American Council on Exercise
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has named Dr. Antonio S. Williams the chair of its board of directors and has added Jaclyn Byrer, M.A., M.S., and Ingrid Knight-Cohee, M.Sc., to its board. Byrer is the North America training brand marketing expert at Nike, and Knight-Cohee oversees community health across 55 communities as director of healthy aging and chronic disease programs at YMCA British Columbia, Canada. “I am excited to welcome Antonio, Jaclyn, and Ingrid,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., FACSM, CEO at ACE. “Their collective experience will expand ACE’s impact and advance access to physical activity.”
International Sports Sciences Association
The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) has launched the Fitness Business Bundle, a new five-course, 20-hour program designed to give certified fitness professionals practical business skills that can help turn a certification into a lasting career. Developed by fitness business experts and industry operators, the courses are Signature Program Builder, High-Value Coaching Programs, Copy and Funnel Strategies, Digital Income Streams, and AI & Automation. "Technical expertise will always matter, but today's professionals also need business, marketing, and communication skills, and the confidence to create opportunities for themselves,” says Natalie Mayslich, chief operating officer of ISSA.
National Academy of Sports Medicine
A comprehensive study by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) reveals that successful fitness professionals are moving away from traditional, session-based hourly models to operate as highly specialized health and wellness professionals. With data compiled from 1,133 personal trainers across the US, the "2026 State of the Personal Trainer Report" shows a clear shift in how these professionals operate, scale their businesses, and manage modern client rosters. While AI and weight-loss medications are altering consumer habits, the modern market is placing a financial premium on behavioral psychology, accountability, and specialized human guidance that algorithms cannot replicate.
EQUIPMENT
Eleiko
Eleiko has redesigned its Sport Center at its headquarters in Halmstad, Sweden, to provide an enhanced training environment for athletes, teams, coaches, and visitors. Spanning 1,000 square meters, the reconfigured facility layout introduces distinct training zones within an open environment. The space features Eleiko’s latest strength training products, including lifting platforms, powerlifting stations, strength machines, and two dedicated functional performance areas. "From training and education to facility design and product development, the Sport Center brings our approach to strength to life and lets athletes, coaches, customers, and partners experience it," says Oskar Ragvald, commercial director of Eleiko Group AB.
iFIT
iFIT’s premium NordicTrack Ultra 1 treadmill has won a Red Dot Award for product design. It features a steel frame wrapped in dark walnut with black or light maple with bronze, knurled brass controls, wood louvers along the sides, and ambient lighting beneath the deck. A 24-inch touchscreen swings out from the console to display more than 10,000 iFIT classes, played through eight speakers. “Our goal was to make the ultimate treadmill in both design and performance that would fit into your living spaces and not be relegated to the basement," says Rick Hoobler, VP of design at iFIT.
Merrithew
Merrithew has acquired the GYROTONIC organization, creator of the GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS methods, a distinctive approach to movement founded by Julius Horvath. GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS combine fluidity, strength, mobility, coordination, and rehabilitation through specialized equipment and movement sequences. The acquisition strengthens Merrithew’s ability to serve instructors, studios, wellness professionals, and movement enthusiasts with an expanded portfolio of education, training, and equipment. “We are honored to support the continued growth of the GYROTONIC and GYROKINESIS methods, while preserving the philosophy, education standards, and community that have defined the organization since its founding,” says Jim Heidenreich, CEO of Merrithew.
TRX
TRX has named Blulabs its exclusive retail partner for new consumer products, including dumbbells, resistance bands, home Pilates kits, ab wheels, percussion devices, hot and cold wraps, and apparel. By partnering with Blulabs, TRX gains access to more than 25,000 retail doors and an end-to-end supply chain for mass scale. “This allows us to reach millions more people while staying true to our performance roots,” says Randy Hetrick, founder of TRX. “These new products deliver the same proven results consumers expect from TRX, now in formats designed for everyday use in homes, garages, and wherever people work out.”
RECOVERY/WELLNESS
Wellhub
Wellhub has teamed up with Erakulis, the app founded by Portuguese professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, to promote the “Team Wellbeing” initiative. The goal is to encourage physical activity, sleep care, nutrition, and mental health, showing how small daily choices can generate lasting results over time. Users are also invited to participate in well-being-related challenges within the Wellhub platform. “The purpose of ‘Team Wellbeing’ is to show that the principles that support an athlete’s performance can also inspire anyone to take better care of their own health and well-being,” says Ricardo Guerra, head of Wellhub in Brazil.
TECHNOLOGY/PROGRAMMING
ABC Fitness
In its Mid-Year 2026 Wellness Watch Report, “The Reinforcement Shift,” ABC Fitness found that gym new joins declined 9% year over year, check-ins increased 1%, and cancellations rose 8%. At studios, new joins decreased 5% year over year, check-ins increased 27%, and cancellations were down 6%. Average monthly spend increased, rising 3% year over year in gyms and 9.7% year over year in studios. “In the first half of 2026, ABC Fitness data shows a market defined by reinforcement: accountability, consistency, community, technology, and clearer value across gyms and studios,” says Bill Davis, CEO of ABC Fitness.
CoverMe Ltd.
CoverMe, a UK fitness workforce management and recruitment platform, has partnered with Jobs In. Fitness to give health club operators and boutique studio owners a single route to finding talent at every level. CoverMe powers flexible frontline staffing and workforce management at scale, and Jobs In. Fitness targets senior leaders, operators, and specialists. “This partnership allows us to offer operators a complete talent solution, connecting them with specialist expertise for senior leadership recruitment while continuing to support the recruitment and management of other professionals across their business,” says Lou Crossland, chief commercial officer of CoverMe.
Daxko
Daxko has acquired FitnessForce, an API-first membership management platform for multi-location, franchise, and international fitness operators with several locations, brands, and geographies. FitnessForce delivers local payments, biometric access, tax compliance, WhatsApp-native communications, AI-powered insights, and franchise economics. Operators can use it as a complete platform out of the box or build their own member and staff experiences on its 1,100+ APIs and integrate the rest of their technology stack. “Daxko’s fitness management portfolio now serves every type of fitness and community wellness organization—boutiques, health clubs, and community centers—with purpose-built platforms,” says Jeff VanDixhorn, CEO of Daxko.
Fitness On Demand
Fitness On Demand has announced a collaboration with JETSWEAT, a multimedia fitness platform with boutique studio content. The partnership brings approximately 100 on-demand workouts from the JETSWEAT platform to Fitness On Demand, including Pilates, yoga, dance cardio, strength training, mobility, stretching, rowing, boxing, and functional fitness. Select boutique studio brands now represented on the platform include modelFIT, PLAYLIST YOGA, JoyRide, and Pilates ProWorks. “By bringing together an incredible mix of boutique brands, we’re giving operators access to the kind of premium, specialized programming that today’s members actively seek out,” says Andy Peat, CEO of Fitness On Demand.
Les Mills
In a new partnership, Les Mills’ popular workouts like BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, and BODYBALANCE are now available on the Hyperhuman AI-powered fitness content infrastructure. Eligible teams can license these Les Mills classes, add them to their library, and use them inside workouts and programs. Hyperhuman adds smart chapters, exercise-level labeling, and richer metadata to improve content discovery, recommendations, and audience relevance. “Partnering with Hyperhuman gives select Les Mills programs a powerful new digital pathway, helping more companies deliver premium, trusted fitness content through modern product experiences,” says Marina Nola, chief product and marketing officer at Les Mills.
Myzone
Organized by the Physical Activity Alliance (PAA) and supported by Myzone, the bipartisan Congressional Physical Activity Challenge had 264 participants across 34 Congressional teams that collectively generated 927,882 Myzone Effort Points (MEPs) over 31 days in May. The Oversight Committee Majority took first place in both the Highest Average MEPs and the Highest Total MEPs categories. Sapna Delacourt of the House Oversight Committee Majority won in the individual participants category with 18,557 MEPs. “This sends a powerful message about the importance of physical activity for physical, mental, and economic health,” says Mike Stack, president of the PAA.
Playlist
Playlist, the parent company of Mindbody, ClassPass, Booker, EGYM, and Kite, has appointed David Glazer, chief financial officer of Palantir Technologies, to its board of directors. Since joining Palantir in 2013, Glazer has held leadership roles across finance and legal. Previously, he was a corporate securities attorney at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, advising technology companies and founders on IPOs, equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. “David shares our conviction that the future of fitness and wellness will be defined by technology, data, and human connection at a global scale,” says Philipp Roesch-Schlanderer, chairman and co-founder of Playlist.
Health & Fitness Business is a publication of
Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading health and fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues, and news that impact the industry.
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