Welcome to the latest episode of LIFTS, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal are joined by industry strategist and returning guest Debra Strougo, Founder of Row House and CEO of Fitizens to explore how the wellness consumer is everywhere and what that means for the future of fitness.

Drawing on insights from CES in Las Vegas, global industry conversations, and real-world operator experience, this episode discusses AI, Pilates, and large-scale operators like 24 Hour Fitness.

As wellness becomes a primary driver of consumer behaviour, the discussion looks at how:

• AI is evolving from analysis to intervention
• Pilates continues to grow as a cornerstone of wellness and longevity
• Mark Mastrov's return to 24 Hour Fitness reflects broader shifts around scale, access, and relevance in the market

This conversation moves beyond hype and trends to focus on what fitness operators, brands, and leaders should actually be paying attention to as the industry continues to evolve.

In this episode, we cover:

• The rise of the wellness consumer across fitness, health, and lifestyle
• How AI is shifting from tracking and data to real-world intervention
• Why Pilates aligns so closely with longevity, wellness, and behaviour change
• What 24 Hour Fitness' next chapter tells us about big-box fitness
• Key takeaways from CES and recent industry events
• Why fundamentals still matter more than ever in a changing market

👉To learn more about Debra Strougo, click here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrastrougo/

👉 To learn more about our sponsor, EGYM, click here: https://bit.ly/3JzsosR

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00:00 Introduction
02:15 The wellness consumer is everywhere
08:30 AI moves from analysis to intervention
19:40 Pilates, longevity, and wellness-driven demand
31:10 CES insights and industry context
43:00 24 Hour Fitness and the role of scale
56:30 What matters most moving forward

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with David Sherman-Presser to unpack why the fitness industry is rapidly becoming a media business, and what that means for gym owners, operators, and brands trying to stay relevant in a creator-driven economy.

They explore how attention, trust, and audience ownership are now just as important as equipment and square footage, why gyms are increasingly competing with creators rather than other gyms, and how platforms like YouTube are reshaping how fitness businesses are discovered, validated, and scaled.

From validating gym concepts online before investing millions, to understanding how long-form content builds trust at scale, this conversation breaks down what it really takes to build a modern fitness brand in 2026 and beyond.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why gyms are becoming media companies.
• How creators are changing the competitive landscape for fitness businesses.
• Why YouTube is a critical platform for trust and discovery.
• How gym owners can validate concepts digitally before scaling.
• The role of long-form content in building audience and authority.

👉 To learn more about Structure Creation, click here:

https://structurecreation.com/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
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0:00 Welcome to LIFTS

1:10 Why Fitness Is Becoming a Media Business

3:09 Trust, Attention, and Audience Data

5:17 Why YouTube Dominates Fitness Content

10:16 YouTube vs TikTok Explained

14:17 Gyms vs Creators

19:20 Complementing Physical Gyms With Digital Media

25:00 Validating Fitness Concepts Online

31:09 YouTube Strategies by Gym Size

37:18 Building Repeatable Content Formats

44:34 Key YouTube Takeaways

53:59 Final Thoughts

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite‑sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode of, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Dr. Bill Andrews: molecular geneticist, inventor, and telomere pioneer to explore what actually causes human aging and whether it can be slowed, stopped, or even reversed.

Key topics covered:

• What telomeres are and why they determine human lifespan.
• Why aging isn't random, but biologically programmed.
• The real relationship between telomeres and cancer.
• How exercise, inflammation, and lifestyle impact cellular aging.
• Why most anti-aging products fail scientific scrutiny.
• The role of telomerase in extending cellular life.
• What longevity influencers often get wrong.
• Practical habits that may slow biological aging.

👉 To learn more about Dr. Bill Andrews' research, click here:

https://sierrasci.com/dr-bill-andrews/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.

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00:00 Welcome to LIFTS

03:30 Introducing Dr. Bill Andrews

05:00 The Childhood Question That Sparked a Career

08:45 What Actually Causes Aging?

09:45 Telomeres Explained

14:30 Why Mice Are a Bad Aging Model

18:20 Telomeres, Cancer, and Mutation Rates

22:00 Gene Expression and Epigenetics

27:40 Inflammation, Wear & Tear, and Aging

33:45 Caloric Restriction and GLP-1s

36:30 Exercise, Endurance, and Longevity

42:10 Recovery Tech and Longevity Claims

47:30 Telomerase and Slowing Aging

55:00 Rapid-Fire Questions

56:30 Practical Longevity Habits

1:02:30 Final Thoughts

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this annual predictions special, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal are joined by Anthony Vennare, co-founder of Fit Insider, to review how their 2025 fitness predictions performed and to forecast what's coming in 2026.

Key topics covered:

• Which 2025 fitness and wellness predictions actually came true.
• Why wearables and biometrics are becoming mainstream tools.
• The rise of GLP-1 drugs and their industry-wide impact.
• Why AI fitness apps may be heading toward a shakeout.
• How local, premium wellness concepts are outperforming big brands.
• Why strength training continues to dominate global fitness trends.
• The shift from aesthetics to holistic health and longevity.
• What 2026 holds for fitness, tech, and consumer behavior.

👉 To learn more about Fitt Insider, click here:

https://insider.fitt.co/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.

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0:00 – Introduction & 2025 Prediction Scores

3:01 – Big Tech & Wearables: Hits and Misses

9:35 – Healthcare, Biometrics & Wearables

13:21 – VR Fitness and CGM Predictions

19:02 – Small & Mid-Market Fitness Trends

29:49 – GLP-1s and Consumer Behavior Shifts

37:15 – Offline Fitness & Community Growth

43:19 – Functional Beverages vs Alcohol

51:20 – AI in Fitness: Bubble or Breakthrough

56:40 – The Big Wellness Themes for 2026

1:01:08 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite‑sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Mohit Kumar, Co‑Founder and CEO of Ultrahuman, to explore the explosive rise of smart rings and the future of wearable health technology.

Topics covered include:

• Mohit's unconventional founder journey and early days in metabolic health.
• Why smart rings are outperforming other wearables in growth.
• Ultrahuman's approach to sleep, metabolism, and biomarkers.
• The high‑stakes patent battle with Oura and the U.S. import ban.
• What resilience really looks like for founders.
• The future of AI, battery life, and ring‑based health tracking.
• Why sleep is becoming the most important performance metric.

👉 To learn more about Ultrahuman, click here:

https://www.ultrahuman.com/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.

Subscribe on YouTube and turn on notifications so you never miss a new video:
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🛒 Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop
📘 View our full catalog:
US – https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog
UK – https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue

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0:00 Welcome to LIFTS & sleep score discussion

1:45 The rise of smart rings in health tech

3:00 Mohit Kumar's founder journey

8:00 Why Ultrahuman chose the ring form factor

12:20 Competing with Oura and market positioning

15:45 Clinical‑grade insights and no‑subscription model

22:10 The U.S. patent ruling and import ban

27:00 Resilience, redesigns, and next steps

33:30 The future of smart rings and battery life

44:30 Rapid‑fire questions

49:00 Final takeaways and closing thoughts

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal are joined by Dr. Nick Barringer, a former U.S. Army performance leader, tactical nutrition expert, and human performance consultant, to explore how tactical training principles translate to success in business, leadership, and everyday life.

With over two decades of experience working with elite military units, high-performance athletes, and executive leaders, Nick breaks down what it really takes to perform under pressure: from decision-making while sleep-deprived, to building resilience, discipline, and sustainable habits that carry over far beyond the battlefield.

This conversation bridges the worlds of fitness, leadership, mindset, and strategy, offering practical insights that entrepreneurs, executives, and high performers can apply immediately.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why executives should think of themselves as "corporate athletes."
• How sleep deprivation impacts decision-making and performance.
• Tactical principles that improve leadership under pressure.
• The role of fitness and conditioning in mental resilience.
• Nutrition and supplementation strategies for high-stress environments.
• What elite military training can teach us about business and life.
• Why embracing discomfort is essential for long-term growth.

👉 To learn more about Nick Barringer, click here:

https://drnickbarringer.com/

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.

Subscribe on YouTube and turn on notifications so you never miss a new video:
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🛒 Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop
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0:00 – Introduction
2:33 – Tactical Performance vs Executive Leadership
9:05 – Sleep Deprivation & Decision Making
13:25 – Consistency & Daily Schedule
18:52 – Creatine, Caffeine & Nitrates
20:02 – Ideal Day of Nutrition
24:19 – Managing Stress & UFC Fighters
33:52 – Mental Toughness Under Fatigue
37:32 – Elite Soldier Physical Standards
43:53 – Final Takeaways

Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.

In this episode, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Jay Worthy, CEO of Myzone, and Vahid Zadeh, CTO of Myzone, to explore the real future of wearable fitness technology, human motivation, and behavioral science. With data fatigue growing across the fitness industry, this conversation reveals why more metrics don't always lead to better results and what truly drives long-term engagement.

Key Topics Covered:
• Why most wearables lose users after 3-6 months.
• The real science behind motivation and habit formation.
• Data fatigue vs. meaningful fitness insights.
• Why effort beats steps, HRV, and raw metrics.
• How Myzone uses behavioral science to boost consistency.
• The truth behind the 10,000-step myth.
• How Myzone Go removes barriers to entry for gym members.
• Why community is the most powerful fitness motivator.

👉 To learn more about Myzone, click here:

myzone.org

Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.

Subscribe on YouTube and turn on notifications so you never miss a new video:
https://www.youtube.com/user/EscapeFitness

🛒 Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop
📘 View our full catalog:
US – https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog
UK – https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue

Follow Escape Fitness on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Escapefitness
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapefitness
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapefitness/

00:00 – Episode Introduction
02:34 – Guest Introductions: Jay Worthy & Vahid Zadeh
05:15 – Are Wearables Creating Data Overload?
08:25 – Why Data Alone Fails to Motivate
11:30 – The Origin of the 10,000-Step Myth
14:50 – Motivation, Goals & Community
17:55 – Myzone Go Explained
21:40 – Effort as the Universal Fitness Metric
24:00 – Why Forgiveness Matters in Fitness Tracking
26:45 – Social Media Psychology & Behavior Change
30:30 – How Myzone Builds High-Quality Motivation
33:35 – Community as the Ultimate Engagement Tool
35:44 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up