Some wearables are better suited for tracking certain activities and metrics than others. Garmin is a staple among runners, while Whoop is a favorite for looking at strain and recovery. 

Now, a team of Tesla engineers behind the tech startup Fort is introducing a wearable entirely dedicated to specifically to strength training, quantifying volume and providing strength-tailored insights.

The screenless device automatically tracks strength sessions with over 50 exercises recognized without the need to manually log what you’re doing. The Fort wearable also tracks velocity, range of motion and effort from each rep, while drawing from movement kinematics and heart rate to decipher true muscular effort and proximity to failure per set.

After each session, users can analyze their workouts via Fort’s “Session Score,” which gauges how intense and productive their training was using data from the exercises, sets, reps, velocity, rest times, heart rate and training goals.

Diving deeper, Fort also provides per-muscle breakdown to figure out whether each muscle group worked saw maintenance, growth or overload from the workout. Its proximity to failure metric also helps users understand how hard they pushed on each set based on tracked changes in velocity and movement pattern during the workout.

From all of this strength-specific data, users can then see if they are building strength, maintaining or plateauing in their current routine. Fort will provide personalized insights based on that data, such as recommended workouts to hit certain muscle growth goals.

While the wearable is primarily built for strength training, Fort also tracks cardio, total steps and calories, sleep — with deep, light and REM tracking each night — as well as stress and recovery with overnight HRV measurements.

The wearable is now available for pre-order and is set to ship Q3 this year. Its founding member price is set at $289, and will later retail for $349. Pre-orders come with:

• One year of Fort Premium analytics
• Beta testing and early feature access
• Fully refundable at any time
• Lifetime firmware updates

The new wearable arrives as strength training continues growing, with its longevity and mental health benefits becoming more mainstream.

As Gen Z, Millennials and women lift more and lift heavier, more brands have been embracing and elevating the modality, including boutique concept Stride Fitness, which recently rebranded its once treadmill-centered workout around strength training.

The post Tesla Engineers Launch Fort, a Screenless Strength Training Wearable appeared first on Athletech News.

Lululemon is diving into the experiential-retail arena with a workout studio that disappears in three weeks. 

The apparel giant opened Studio Yet this week at 8175 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, turning a pop-up space into what Lululemon describes as a high-performance sanctuary for the modern athlete.

The concept runs through March 7, offering drop-in fitness classes starting at $40, with 100% of proceeds going to BlacklistLA, a Los Angeles nonprofit that combines running and wellness.

The class roster features trainers with serious industry credibility, including AARMY founder and CEO Akin Akman, Pvolve’s Dani Coleman, Korey Rowe, Shannon Nadj, Melania Antuchas and Kirk Myers. A schedule can be found here.

It’s a pointed move for Lululemon, which has spent several years expanding beyond apparel into fitness content and wellness experiences, most notably with its 2020 acquisition of the at-home fitness platform Mirror, which it sunset in 2023.

Pop-up fitness studios aren’t new for the activewear giants. Nike and Adidas have both run similar activations, but the charitable component distinguishes Studio Yet from a pure brand-awareness play. 

On the activewear front, Lululemon has faced a challenging stretch in recent quarters, wrangling with tariffs, increased competition from brands like Vuori and Alo Yoga and a fresh bout of see-through leggings drama that resulted in its “Get Low” collection being temporarily pulled from its North American website last month after customers complained the fabric wasn’t squat-proof.

And if that weren’t enough, the leggings giant is still searching for a permanent CEO. Calvin McDonald departed his leadership role earlier this year, leaving the activewear company in the hands of interim co-CEOs Meghan Frank and André Maestrini. In the meantime, McDonald is serving as a senior advisor through the end of March while the board conducts its CEO search. 

In its Q3 2025 earnings, Lululemon reported revenue of $2.6 billion, up 7% year-over-year, while its international business posted an even stronger performance, with revenue up 33% and comparable sales rising 18%.

It’s an area to watch, considering Lululemon plans to expand its international presence this year via franchise partnerships, bringing the brand to Greece, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Romania with partner Arion Retail Group, as well as to India in partnership with Tata CLiQ.

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For Tony Zaccario, it pays to go with your gut. 

Zaccario joined Stretch Zone just a couple of years out of college back in 2016, sensing an opportunity to turn the assisted stretching brand, which had just four locations at the time, into something much bigger. 

In 2019, Zaccario became Stretch Zone’s president and CEO, ushering the brand into a period of impressive growth through franchising. 

Today, Stretch Zone has over 400 locations across the U.S., all without a single store failure. Last year, the assisted stretching franchise expanded into Canada, potentially setting the stage for more international expansion in the years to come. 

The brand is also known for its affiliation with NFL legend Drew Brees, who joined as an ambassador after attending Stretch Zone studios during his playing days to extend his career. 

Zaccario sat down with Athletech News to discuss why he took the leap of faith in joining a small assisted stretching brand, how he went about scaling Stretch Zone into a 400-location behemoth, and what’s coming next for the franchise. 

The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Athletech News: You joined Stretch Zone very early in the company’s growth trajectory, eventually becoming CEO. Can you tell us about your early career background and how you first got involved with Stretch Zone?

Tony Zaccario: I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, and went to the University of Florida. Go Gators. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spirit. My first gig out of college was at a startup timber company in Alabama. The pitch I got was, “You’re going to get severely underpaid and severely overworked for what you’re responsible for, but you’re going to learn a lot.” I said, yes, and they weren’t lying about one bit of it. When I was living in Alabama, my now-wife was down here in South Florida. So my first exposure to Stretch Zone was when I was coming to visit her. Having that entrepreneurial spirit drove me to realize this was an incredibly unique and effective concept. 

Being as young as I was, I took that jump and decided to go chase that entrepreneurial dream. We had four locations at the time — in my mind, I thought, “If I’m wrong about this, then great, I’m going to learn a lot, and I’ll go find something different.” It turns out I was right about it, and here we are at over 400 locations.

ATN: What drew you to Stretch Zone and the idea of building a business around assisted stretching? 

TZ: Stretching has always been a part of fitness, with personal trainers or in yoga, for example. The difference is, our founder, Jorden Gold, created a sound, protocol-based stretching method that can be applied with a degree of variance. There are countless unique protocols we can apply to help you accomplish your goal when coming into a Stretch Zone. 

When I first heard about Stretch Zone, I thought it made a lot of sense for weekend warriors and athletes. But if you spend a few hours inside one of our locations, you’d be shocked to realize that for as many of those weekend warriors and active individuals who are coming in, there’s twice as many who are inactive or part of the aging population. They arguably get even more benefit from the Stretch Zone method, because now they’re actually able to do things in their daily life they once couldn’t. I remember in the early days, I saw how impactful the service is when an elderly gentleman was sitting there, and for the first time in months, he could put his shoes on by himself, without his wife helping him, or he could sleep through the night. 

ATN: How did you go about scaling the brand from four to over 400 locations?

TZ: In the early days, it was a startup culture. We joke all the time, calling it dysfunctional is probably being kind to what it was. Jorden created the stretching methodology back in 1999. He’s an absolute genius for that. I started in 2016, and franchising wasn’t even a thought. We had tile floors and hand-me-down furniture. We didn’t even have a website at the time,

So our priority then was systematizing the business inside the four walls. We had an incredible service with the Stretch Zone methodology. But how do we sell it? How do we market it? How do we price it? How do we track things, and what are the daily SOPs? So I was really tasked with creating the business around the stretch. We were trying to create a replicable model. 

ATN: When did you decide to start expanding through franchising? 

TZ: We originally thought we were going to penetrate the nation via corporate locations. In early 2017, we learned what franchising was, and we felt it was an incredible vehicle to spread the power of stretch, so to speak, since there’s so much intellectual property behind our service. No one can do what we do. And since there’s a low barrier to entry from a capital perspective, it attracted a lot of prospective franchisees, both those who were first and new to business ownership and those who were sophisticated business owners.

So we started franchising in 2017. Now, we have over 400 locations open, still without a single store failure. I think a lot of that is because of the simplicity of our model. 

ATN: Now that Stretch Zone has over 400 locations, how has your growth strategy evolved? 

TZ: In leadership, you start to realize that what got you from point A to point B won’t necessarily get you from point B to point C. 

So two years ago, we went out and started our hunt to bring in a COO, who we now have in Jordan Levine, who cut his teeth at health and wellness brands like Massage Envy and Sola Salons. We also brought in a head of franchise development who spent time at Neighborly, as well as a director of real estate from Orangetheory and a new VP of Operations. So we’re trying to top-grade the entire team, because we understand that if we want to remain one of the premier brands in franchising, we have to bring in the best from franchising. So it’s an exciting phase.

ATN: Stretch Zone has a well-known partnership with Drew Brees, who’s become a face of the company. How did the partnership with Drew come about?

TZ: It’s funny, originally, we weren’t looking for an ambassador. If you ask me, philosophically, I’d say there’s a lot of risk with ambassadorship in business. 

The way it happened with Drew is very organic and serendipitous. I didn’t know it, but prior to coming to us, Drew had a wealth of experience in franchising that goes back to Jimmy John’s and other ventures. Drew’s roommates from his time at Purdue, Jason and Ben, were interested in stretching. So Drew sat in on their “Meet the Team” day because he was trying to advise them on franchising. After that Meet the Team day, Drew said to us, “I love the service and the strategic vision you guys have. I want to be a part of this.” 

I can’t say enough about him as a guy — everything you think he might be, as far as having a good character and core values that you see through his interviews and playing days in football, I can attest he is in real life. That mattered a lot to Jorden and me, to de-risk any kind of ambassadorship. 

ATN: What are your expansion goals for Stretch Zone moving forward, both in the U.S. and internationally?

TZ: I still have the same excitement and am as wide-eyed at 400 locations as I was at four. I think this is just the beginning of Stretch Zone.

There’s so much white space within the U.S., especially when you go down the path of workers comp mitigation and national accounts, which we’re pursuing. 

International is a whole other ballgame — we just opened our first store in Canada. On the international front, the most exciting thing about Stretch Zone is that the human anatomy doesn’t change whether you’re in Europe, Asia or Australia.

The post CEO Corner: Stretch Zone’s Tony Zaccario on Creating an Assisted Stretching Giant appeared first on Athletech News.

Ergatta, the game-based connected fitness company known for its rowing machines, has signed a definitive agreement to join Interactive Strength Inc., the company announced Wednesday.

Interactive Strength owns a portfolio of performance fitness brands including Clmbr and smart fitness mirror Forme. The company acquired U.K.’s Wattbike last year.

The deal is expected to close this quarter.

Interactive Strength CEO Trent Ward called Ergatta “truly differentiated” in connected fitness and sees an opportunity to integrate its gaming platform across other hardware in the portfolio, pointing to the company’s engaged subscription community and profitable business model as key draws.

“We’re excited to support the team as they continue innovating and to explore how Ergatta’s technology can enhance other brands within our family,” Ward said.

Ergatta co-founder and CEO Tom Aulet will stay on in his role alongside the existing leadership team, with the brand continuing to operate independently within the Interactive Strength portfolio.

“This is an exciting next chapter for Ergatta,” Aulet said. “Joining Interactive Strength strengthens our foundation and provides additional resources to support long-term growth, while allowing us to stay focused on what makes Ergatta unique—helping people build lasting fitness habits through games.”

Late last year, Ergatta deepened its fitness gamification push with the launch of “Endeavor,” a strategic action game that places members inside immersive battles set in mystical environments.

The post Interactive Strength Acquires Ergatta, Eyes Gaming Tech Rollout appeared first on Athletech News.

EoS Fitness is bringing an upscale concept dubbed “EoS Lux” to the Sunset Strip in Southern California, taking over a former Crunch Fitness location at 8000 Sunset Blvd. in a $6 million renovation set to open in 2027.

The new EoS club will occupy the same space as Crunch’s West Hollywood gym, which will officially close on March 31. The paves the way for the PE-backed EoS Fitness to transform the space at the corner of Crescent Heights Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard in partnership with property owner Kimco Realty.

The move adds to EoS’ growing Los Angeles footprint that already includes lux gyms in downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and a location at the Beverly Center. Earlier this year, EoS acquired 23 Gold’s Gym locations in the region, instantly making SoCal its largest market and expanding its overall footprint by nearly 20%.

The new WeHo location will also include AI-powered personalized training plans via EGYM and a slew of recovery amenities such as a cold plunge, hot tub and infrared sauna, Power Plate, stretch tables, red light rollers, Hyperice percussion massagers and Normatec compression boots, CryoLounge+ loungers and massage chairs.

A creator-ready studio outfitted with custom art and lighting by local artists will also be offered, along with a juice bar.

“This legendary location anchors our continued expansion across Los Angeles’ core neighborhoods,” EoS Fitness CEO Rich Drengberg said. “We’re proud to deliver another lux experience and to partner with Kimco Realty again to create a next-level fitness destination that reflects the energy of one of the most vibrant communities in the country.”

Kimco Realty vice president Chris Byrd said the fitness addition is part of a broader investment in the property, including a reconfiguration of the center and planned façade and common area upgrades.

EoS now has more than 225 locations open or on the way amid rapid expansion over the last few years.

The high-value, low-price (HVLP) chain surpassed two million members in 2025 and, in a rare move, elevated its base membership tier (starting at $9.99 per month) by adding access to its cinema-cardio rooms, basketball courts and locker room saunas without requiring members to upgrade.

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The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is expanding its global footprint with the launch of the ISSA Global Summit, a four-day virtual event aimed at uniting fitness professionals, students, educators and industry partners worldwide.

Set for June 9–12, 2026, the inaugural Summit marks a significant evolution for the Phoenix-based fitness certification giant, creating a centralized digital hub for continuing education, career advancement and industry networking at scale. The event will draw from ISSA’s network spanning Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.

The ISSA Global Summit will feature live educational sessions, expert-led pre-conference workshops and an ISSA-hosted Hiring and Career Event designed to connect attendees directly with employers and brand partners across the fitness and wellness ecosystem. Participants can earn up to 12 continuing education units (CEUs) and will have on-demand access to session recordings.

“The ISSA Global Summit represents a natural evolution of who we are and how we serve our community,” said ISSA CEO Warren Heffelfinger. “Since 1988, ISSA has helped fitness professionals build knowledge, confidence and careers. This Summit brings that commitment together on a global stage, creating a shared experience where education, opportunity and community intersect.”

With more than 650,000 certified professionals across 176 countries, ISSA is positioning the Summit as both an education platform and a workforce pipeline. Participating employers will represent both U.S. and international markets, expanding career visibility for trainers, coaches and wellness professionals navigating an increasingly global industry.

Organizers say the event will also emphasize community-building through live networking sessions, interactive programming and partner activations. Flexible pricing, early-bird discounts and payment plans are intended to broaden access, with all ticket tiers including post-event recordings.

Held in partnership with the FBA’s Succeed virtual fitness conference, registration for the ISSA Global Summit opens February 18, with additional speaker and partner announcements expected in the coming weeks.

Founded in 1988, ISSA offers more than 50 fitness and wellness certifications and has certified nearly one million professionals worldwide, as it works toward its stated goal of connecting 100 million people to healthy living by 2030.

The post ISSA To Host Global Virtual Summit Featuring Education, Career Development appeared first on Athletech News.

If you’ve ever experienced a SoulCycle class, you’ll know it’s kind of like being in a nightclub while pushing your limits through the high-intensity, invigorating workouts.

There’s no doubt that high-energy music can lead to better workouts, but for some, the atmosphere of a boutique fitness class can be a bit too loud.

A new partnership with Belgian brand Loop Earplugs could make SoulCycle’s classes more accessible for a wider audience, who can now adjust the volume to their preferences while sweating it out in one of the leading brand’s studios.

From Feb. 18 through Aug. 17, riders will be able to purchase Loop earplugs in locations across all major U.S. cities, making SoulCycle the only boutique fitness brand in America offering hearing protection products in-studio.

The Experience 2 model will be available in either black or gold, providing over 17 decibels of hearing protection in the brand’s signature secure and comfortable fit made to last throughout the intense workout. 

Even with the hearing protection, riders can enjoy SoulCycle’s trademark beat-based rides and their instructor’s playlists, and later use the earplugs for recovery, sleep or other social events like concerts or clubs.

“We started Loop to make hearing protection something people actually use,” said Loop co-founder Maarten Bodewes. “Music is a core part of a SoulCycle class, and people shouldn’t have to choose between protecting their hearing and enjoying it.”

Participating studios include locations in New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Texas and Florida.

“At SoulCycle, we’re always thinking about how to evolve the rider experience to support performance and long-term well-being,” said SoulCycle CEO Evelyn Webster. 

“This partnership with Loop Earplugs gives our riders an option to protect their hearing without sacrificing the class they know and love,” Webster added. “It’s a natural extension of how we think about holistic wellness.”

As Loop makes its entrance into the fitness space, it builds upon momentum from a 2025 filled with growth. 

The brand became an official partner of the Formula 1 team for British luxury automotive manufacturer McLaren, collaborated with luxury jeweler Swarovski and cemented its presence in major music festivals by becoming a global partner of Tomorrowland and the official earplug partner of Coachella.

The post SoulCycle Taps Loop Earplugs for In-Studio Hearing Protection appeared first on Athletech News.

In today’s crowded fitness market, experience has become the most important deliverable. Members aren’t just choosing facilities based on equipment or class schedules, they’re choosing how a space makes them feel. 

That shift has pushed recovery out of the sidelines and into the center of the member journey. What was once an optional add-on has become a defining part of how facilities drive engagement, retention and long-term value.

Human Touch has been in the business of experience for more than four decades. Known for blending wellness, design and intuitive technology, the company has watched recovery evolve from foam rollers and stretching corners into fully programmed, purpose-built spaces that now sit alongside strength, cardio and group training on the floor.

Human Touch® has been designing meaningful wellness experiences for more than four decades. Known for blending wellness, design and intuitive massage technology, the company has watched recovery move from the sidelines to the center of the member journey. Today, these purpose-built recovery spaces sit confidently alongside strength, cardio and group training as essential components of the fitness floor.

“Recovery has officially moved from optional amenity to core expectation,” says Jacqui Gonzales, the company’s director of commercial key accounts. “What started as stretch mats has evolved into intentionally designed recovery zones, integrating advanced massage solutions that bring precision, personalization and measurable impact to long-term health.”

Reframing Recovery 

Modern facilities increasingly view recovery as preventative care, performance optimization and stress relief rolled into one. And it’s no longer reserved for elite athletes.

“Wellness is no longer a luxury,” Gonzales explains. “Recovery is for everyday members managing busy lives, chronic stress and longevity, not just those training at a high level.”

This reframing has real business implications. Recovery hardware directly supports the metrics operators care about most: dwell time, visit frequency and retention. When members know they can recover efficiently and comfortably, they stay longer, return more often and associate the facility with feeling better, not just working harder.

That emotional association is significant. Facilities that integrate recovery into the flow of the visit create habits, not just sessions. Warm up, train, recover, repeat. Recovery becomes the bridge between effort and longevity.

“The most successful facilities don’t treat recovery as an afterthought,” Gonzales notes. “They integrate it into the experience so it becomes habitual.”

As staffing challenges persist across the industry, operators are also looking for solutions that reduce operational complexity. Touchless, self-guided recovery hardware has become increasingly attractive because it delivers consistent experiences without additional labor, scheduling constraints or staff training demands. Massage chairs offer an efficient recovery solution that removes effort from the equation. They deliver structured, full-body recovery through intuitive, self-guided programs. Members simply sit down and allow the chair to do the work, supporting muscle relaxation and circulation while helping ensure recovery actually happens.

“Touchless recovery solutions like Human Touch chairs deliver predictable, repeatable experiences,” Gonzales says. “That consistency improves ROI while allowing operators to monetize recovery through premium access, upgrades or bundled wellness memberships.”

In other words, recovery hardware doesn’t just fill space — it solves problems. It removes friction for staff and members alike while creating new revenue opportunities that don’t rely on adding resources.

Another reason recovery hardware has gained traction so quickly is its versatility. 

A single chair can support athletic recovery, stress relief for busy professionals, relaxation in spa and hospitality lounges or wellness programming in corporate and campus environments. That flexibility allows operators to maximize square footage while introducing recovery to members who may not engage with traditional gym offerings.

“Experience is the new service,” Gonzales says. “Recovery hardware is one of the most effective ways operators can deliver meaningful, memorable experiences that keep members coming back.”

Recovery as a Built-In Marketing Asset

In crowded markets, how a space looks and feels matters just as much as what it offers. Thoughtfully designed recovery zones elevate brand perception and create moments members want to share.

“Zero-gravity positioning, sleek silhouettes, ambient lighting and calm environments naturally translate into social content that feels aspirational rather than promotional,” Gonzales explains.

When recovery spaces photograph well and feel intentional, they become organic marketing assets, reinforcing a facility’s commitment to premium experiences and holistic wellness without additional ad spend.

And perhaps one of the most compelling roles recovery hardware plays is in making wellness more accessible.

For active agers, beginners, or members who feel intimidated by traditional gym environments, recovery spaces offer a low-barrier entry point. Human Touch chairs provide supportive, customizable experiences with multiple intensity levels and programs that meet people where they are.

“Recovery becomes a welcoming gateway into movement, rather than a reward reserved for advanced users,” Gonzales says.

That’s important because these populations are often the most likely to churn. By building confidence and comfort, recovery hardware becomes not just a wellness tool, but a powerful retention tool.

What Operators Should Be Asking

As we embark on trade show season, operators should be intentional about how they evaluate their recovery hardware.

Gonzales encourages facilities to ask:

• How does this product perform in high-traffic environments?
• Does it combine multiple modalities such as massage, stretch, compression, heat, sound?
• Is the experience intuitive for first-time users?
• What are the maintenance, sanitation and staffing implications?
• How easily can it be monetized or integrated into existing membership models?

“The best recovery hardware doesn’t just occupy space,” she says. “It enhances the member experience while supporting operational efficiency.”

There’s no doubt that recovery hardware will continue to evolve toward smarter, more integrated and more experiential solutions. As member expectations rise, operators should prioritize investments that are scalable, touchless and adaptable.

“Equipment, digital tools and demand will continue to change,” Gonzales notes. “What matters is whether recovery solutions deliver measurable value today while staying relevant tomorrow.”

As competition intensifies, the differentiator isn’t always what members do inside a facility, it’s the experience they associate with it. Recovery has become one of the clearest ways operators can shape that experience in a meaningful, repeatable way.

“When members connect your facility with feeling better, that’s when loyalty really starts to build,” Gonzales says.

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It’s no secret that New York’s social scene has long revolved around alcohol, with bars and restaurants making up much of the concrete jungle. The Maze, an alcohol-free members club in Flatiron, is attempting to build an alternative model, one that retains the structure of traditional social spaces while removing alcohol from the equation.

Unlike many other wellness-focused clubs or communities, which replaced alcohol with expensive breathwork classes or IV drips, The Maze has a simpler hypothesis. Connection and community can function as the primary draw, rather than alcohol.

The club operates with familiar components: dining, bar service, programming and membership access. The Maze is positioning its offering at the intersection of sober curiosity, wellness and third-space social infrastructure, categories that have all seen accelerated consumer interest in recent years.

“We’re not just removing alcohol, we’re reimagining what it means to belong,” founder Justin Gurland told Athletech News during a visit to The Maze. “We’re excited to bring The Maze to the city, offering a welcoming space where people can pursue more meaningful experiences, supporting intentional living and personal growth. It’s a place where you can thrive without the pressures of traditional socializing, embracing a lifestyle centered around mindfulness and purpose.”

Gurland, an 18-year-sober entrepreneur and licensed Master Social Worker, developed the concept from personal experience.

Located at 43 West 24th Street, The Maze spans roughly 4,600 square feet, blending hospitality with flexible social space. The layout includes a full dining room, café and coffee bar, lounge seating and private event areas designed to accommodate both large gatherings and smaller group experiences. During a walkthrough, Gurland emphasized that the physical design was intentionally fluid, allowing the club to function differently throughout the day.

“The room is flexible in the sense that tables can move,” he said. “People can work here during the day. We can play with it as much as we want.”

While the alcohol-free bar is the headline differentiator, food plays a central operational role. The Maze’s food and beverage program was developed in partnership with Tom Colicchio, a well-known chef and the owner of Craft.

“The food is so important to what we do because it really gets people here, gets people together,” he said,” adding that the culinary program was designed to feel accessible and repeatable rather than niche.

“The idea behind the menu really was somewhere you could eat three, four times a week,” he added, describing the offering as familiar, social and conducive to regular gathering.

The Maze arrives as sober curiosity reshapes hospitality and nightlife, especially among Gen Z, and as drinking rates in the U.S. reach historic lows. Non-alcoholic spirits, functional beverages and alcohol-free bars have moved from fringe to mainstream, but Gurland believes the deeper shift is behavioral rather than product-driven.

“I read something recently that kind of messed with my head a little bit,” Gurland said. “Alcohol is objectively bad for your body, but there’s a social aspect that alcohol provides that is really healthy. It gets you out of the house. It’s somewhere to go.”

The club is designed to replicate that activation without the substance. Gurland’s perspective is informed by years working in addiction and recovery settings.

“Clients of mine that rebuilt their communities, made new friends, did better than people that didn’t,” he said. “There’s still not really the place to go when you think, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing tonight, but I don’t want to stay home.’”

Rather than relying on traditional nightlife traffic, The Maze operates as a programming-driven club, using events to catalyze interaction. Offerings span breathwork, meditation, sound baths and wellness workshops alongside sports watch parties, holiday gatherings and ticketed social events.

Membership perks include special rates and events with Othership, Chelsea Piers Fitness (Flatiron), Ora, Nrthrn Strong, and more.

“We know we have 20- and 30-somethings that want to come here and party, have caffeine and dance,” he said. “Then we also have people that want meditation.”

The club currently has just over 160 members, spanning ages 24 to 64, with the core demographic clustering in their 30s.

Membership is priced at $3,300 annually plus a $1,500 initiation fee, aligning with private-club economics while remaining below many legacy hospitality memberships. Corporate memberships are also emerging as a growth lever.

“There’s never been the place to go where you don’t know what your night’s going to look like, but you know it’ll be meaningful,” Gurland said. “I hope it becomes a home where everyone feels welcome, while helping reimagine how people gather in New York and beyond.”

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When Jamie Weeks launched Founders Row, his mission was to support startups full of potential, but who may need an extra push in getting up off the ground. 

The latest company on his radar: Ohm Health.

The founder of contrast-therapy concept SweatHouz and once the largest franchisee within Orangetheory Fitness has been backing startups in years one through four through Founders Row, which combines the capital strength of private equity with the timing of venture capital.

Now, Weeks is betting on the future of Ohm with a strategic investment and advisory partnership. The brand’s flagship product, the Resonance Lamp, helps users recover from stress and enhance nervous system regulation through guided breathing from the device’s light, sound and touch cues.

“Ohm is our first partnership centered on nervous-system reset and intentional disconnection — and it will not be our last,” said Weeks. “For years, the status signal was being always on. We believe the next era will reward those who know how to turn off.”

The sides didn’t disclose the financial details of the investment.

The Ohm lamp is based around guided breath work, with a handheld stone that tracks the body’s rhythm using biometric sensors to guide you toward your ideal breathing cadence with subtle pulses. After lifting the stone from the top of the lamp, Circadian rhythm-inspired light rises and falls to guide your breath, and after your heart and lungs become in sync the lamp turns from yellow to blue to reflect a balanced nervous system.

The investment signals Founders Row’s belief in the importance of regulation within wellness, as Ohm encourages intentionally stepping away from digital stimulation to recalibrate the nervous system and downshift from a society of constant productivity and chronic stress.

“In a world where we are overwhelmed by screens and rely on digital apps to track and guide everything, we believe the next frontier is actually disconnection,” said Founders Row partner and chief operating officer Jess Yuan. “The brands that define this next era will reduce digital noise.”

Ohm Health was founded by James McGoff with the goal of providing nervous system self-care through a device without a companion app or wearable device dashboard to find screen-free calm in an overstimulating world.

“We built Ohm to help people change states in real time,” said McGoff. “It’s not about tracking stress. It’s about helping people regulate it. Founders Row immediately understood that this category is more about behavior and environment than just metrics, and we are excited to bring them on as an investor and strategic advisor.”

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In a major new partnership, Equinox members will be able to use their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for certain fitness and wellness offerings, opening up a world of new possibilities for many looking to access the luxury operator’s services.

Equinox has partnered with Flex, one of the top HSA/FSA payment platforms for health and wellness brands, to run the new offering.

Those tapping into their HSA/FSA funds can allocate them towards Equinox memberships, fitness and performance assessments, personal training services, recovery experiences and select programs focused on women’s health and longevity.

“Equinox at our core has always had a focus on preventive health and longevity. This is why we’re excited about this partnership that supports healthcare-aligned services without compromising the member experience,” said Equinox senior vice president/cost of sales and strategic partnerships, Parinda Muley. 

There are over $150 billion in HSA and FSA funds available across the U.S., according to Flex, with the platform adding that many consumers — including Equinox members — do have resources to invest in their health but have previously needed to navigate cumbersome barriers to do so.

The company also reports that on average, account holders give up roughly $450 in unspent funds each year. 

“Equinox sets the benchmark for modern wellness,” said Flex co-founder and CEO Sam O’Keefe. “Our role is to preserve the Equinox experience, making it effortless for members to use their health benefits while we handle compliance and complexity invisibly.”

Flex has continued to expand its fitness and wellness portfolio, adding brands such as Dermstore, Therabody, Omnilux and NordicTrack. Last year, the company raised $15 million in Series A funding to expand and enhance its operations amid the rise of HSA/FSA funds across wellness.

The post Equinox To Accept HSA/FSA Funds for Memberships in Partnership With Flex appeared first on Athletech News.

There’s a THC drink on the shelf at a CrossFit gym in Tampa Bay, in case you’re wondering where the functional beverage industry is headed.

The brand behind it is Last Rep, a Tampa Bay THC seltzer startup that is targeting athletes who just crushed a workout.

“It was apparent that the convergence between post-workout and socializing was missing with the existing THC seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages in the market, so Last Rep bridges the gap with precisely dosed THC, electrolytes and functional botanicals, allowing for maximized community in fitness culture,” co-founder and CEO Jason Ashton, a former collegiate wide receiver at Springfield College, said.

Ashton, who co-founded the brand alongside fellow entrepreneur Stephen Samson last August, soft-launched the seltzer just three months ago – at a time when functional beverages are booming, THC drinks are growing fast, Gen Z is drinking less alcohol and wellness spending keeps climbing.

The drink is both zero-sugar and low-calorie, with a formula that includes Delta-9 THC and Cannabigerol (CBG) available in 5 mg or 10 mg servings. It’s blended with electrolytes for hydration and muscle recovery, plus ashwagandha for stress relief, L-theanine for focus and calm and ginger extract for digestion.

In addition to Burg CrossFit, Last Rep plans to expand into more fitness facilities across the region through grassroots partnerships. The seltzer, available in lime, is sold in four-packs online and in local retailers.

The money is following the momentum. Earlier this month, Willie Nelson’s THC beverage brand Willie’s Remedy+ scored $15 million from investors to bring its product to stores nationwide.

The athlete-cannabis connection has been building for a while, too. Former Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Riley Cote has spoken openly about the benefits of marijuana for pain management and recovery, and has partnered with cannabis retailer Trulieve on an education initiative.

The post THC Drinks Enter the Sports-Performance Category appeared first on Athletech News.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a buzzword or concept worth monitoring. It’s a game-changing tool well within the reach of most fitness and wellness businesses, which can help streamline and optimize essential tasks like answering calls, booking training and managing inventory. The result is a more efficient system that adds up to more members and better retention.

In the ATN webinar, “AI and the Future of Fitness: What Will Separate the Leaders from the Laggards” (available below on demand), Dheeraj Koneru, the co-founder of Zenoti, a cloud-based software platform powering over 30,000 brands in the sector, explains how operators can embrace the technology immediately, sharing actionable recommendations and key background information to get started.

Koneru argues that leveraging AI starts with recognizing that the industry is moving past the SaaS model built around dashboards and manual workflows. The next wave, Koneru argues, won’t be defined by better screens — it will be defined by AI agents. For instance, these agents can handle all booking operations, including answering the phone, making appointments and updating appointments. “You’ll start to see this transformation fairly quickly over the latter part of this year to the early part of next year, because this is what everyone is focused on now,” he said.

In order to maximize your AI ROI, Koneru says operators must embrace machine learning, which is the category of AI that spots patterns and makes decisions. This means preparing company data, which starts with consolidating platforms — including member management, loyalty and marketing — as much as possible so their data lives in fewer places. The more scattered the data is, the harder it becomes for AI to connect the dots, learn what’s working and what isn’t, and make advantageous decisions.

“It may not ever be 100% but the more you bring together, the better,” Koneru says. “Why is that important? Because then, within that platform, all the data will come together instead of being scattered and you having to figure out.”

Koneru, who once owned a gym chain, highlights the common challenges similar businesses face — and the speed with which agents can handle them. One by one he addresses the everyday issues that are all too common, from missed leads and high cancellations to low member engagement and inefficient workflows.

He also spends ample time answering top of mind questions from real operators and provides viewers with early access to Zenoti’s 2026 Fitness Leadership Roundtables — a series of in-person conversations across the country designed to help owners go deeper, compare notes and build a clearer path forward.

Watch the webinar below to learn:

• Where AI actually moves the needle inside a gym
• How to add AI into your day-to-day workflows without changing how your club runs or confusing your team
• Simple ways to convert more walk-ins, keep members engaged longer and run operations with less manual effort
• What the top-performing gyms are doing differently — the habits, systems and automations that set them apart
• How leading operators are already applying these ideas and the results they’re seeing
• Why generic solutions not built specific for this industry won’t cut it anymore

The post The AI Playbook for Fitness and Wellness Professionals appeared first on Athletech News.

Mehtab Wasi has been a SweatHouz member since the day the Atlanta-founded infrared sauna and cold plunge studio brand first opened its doors in her city — she still books sessions every week. 

So when SweatHouz (also known as SWTHZ) announced it was ready to franchise in New York City, she contacted them right away, eager to be the first to bring the concept to Manhattan. 

Now Wasi, along with partners Mehwish Wasi and Samir Vogan, is finalizing a lease at 30 Warren St. in Tribeca for a flagship SweatHouz location, with a target opening in April. 

After Tribeca, the group plans to open as many as 12 studios across Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn over the next several years.

The trio’s conviction stems from a shared observation: New York City may be saturated with bathhouses, cryotherapy studios and high-end spas, but for residents seeking a more private, routine-friendly contrast-therapy session, the options are surprisingly limited.

“I’m a real estate agent,” Vogan told Athletech News. “A lot of the time I’m taking calls in the sauna, in the cold plunge. This business model just offers everything that New Yorkers are looking for—myself included.”

SweatHouz’s private suites are equipped with infrared saunas, cold plunges, Vitamin C showers, Bluetooth speakers and a TV for entertainment.

For Wasi, previously a member of a luxury gym with communal saunas, the privacy aspect was the hook from day one.

“I think about how busy all New Yorkers are — they’re in a busy subway, they’re going to the office, they’re going to a crowded gym,” Wasi said. “This will give them that one place to be alone and really be truly by themselves.”

While private spaces are available, the upcoming Tribeca location will also feature a “party suite,” serving as a larger communal space for group contrast therapy sessions, corporate events, sauna parties and wellness gatherings that can accommodate groups of 10 to 20 people. The concept has already been tested at SweatHouz’s Boston location, where it has performed well.

The flagship will also feature a dedicated wellness space for events, stretching and pre-sauna rituals. Wasi also sees an untapped opportunity in New York’s event-driven culture.

“Right before your big event, you go to the sauna, you do a cold plunge,” she said. “Your skin glows. New York is just known for that — there’s always something happening. So right before your event, right before you want to get ready, you go do that. It centers your mind. You get relaxed. Your skin looks good. You feel refreshed. And then you’re ready to conquer whatever you’re trying to do that day.”

The group plans to evaluate the party suite’s reception at Tribeca before potentially replicating it across future locations. 

For now, though, the team is focused on getting the Tribeca doors open.

As a parent brand, SweatHouz’s ambitions extend well beyond New York. The franchisor now has a presence across 25 states, is expanding aggressively. Entrepreneurs Brian Massoll and Ethan Lewis are planning 30 studios across Florida alone, while additional territories are underway in Virginia, Utah, Colorado and Connecticut.

The initial investment to open a SweatHouz ranges from $569,757 to $1,193,974.

The post SweatHouz Eyes a Sauna & Cold Plunge Studio Takeover in NYC appeared first on Athletech News.

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Move over, NikeSkims: Adidas and Entire Studios’ sleek new collaboration is here to streamline minimalist sportswear wardrobes.

Priced from $50 to $250, the boxing-inspired collection fuses the buzzy Los Angeles-based label’s design codes – oversized-yet-structured fits and neutral hues – with Adidas’ technical fabrics and sweat-ready silhouettes across the bestselling Optimé, Z.N.E. and Adidas D4T lines. The 26-piece Adidas x Entire Studios capsule comprises women’s and men’s activewear, loungewear, footwear, hats and accessories with high-performance touches such as reflective detailing, hidden pockets and bonded hems for distraction-free wear.

Pieces are made from Adidas’ sweat-wicking Climacool material and come in nature-inspired shades such as Putty Beige, Active Maroon, Dust Cargo (a medium brown) and Earth Strata (a chic gray). Expect to find training-ready jackets, tanks, long-sleeved tees, sports bras, shorts, leggings, onesies and caps alongside relaxed Z.N.E. track tops, pants, zippered jackets and oversized T-shirts.

There’s also a statement gym bag in luxe black leather that can easily double as your carry-on. Adidas’ three-stripe sneakers ($200-$220) also got the Entire Studios treatment, Lightblaze Pod kicks (which feature a dramatic, sculptural sole) and the minimalist Ace Shoes, both finished with a laser-etched logo of the collab.

Entire Studios was founded in 2020 in L.A. by designers Sebastian Hunt and Dylan Richards-Diaz, who were both previously stylists for Yeezy. The New Zealand-bred duo is known for their utilitarian designs, drapey womenswear and statement puffer jackets.

“This collaboration was about reframing what performance can look like today. We approached it as a full-wardrobe system: pieces built for real movement but designed with the same intention as the rest of our collections,” Richards-Diaz says in a statement. “A key part of our DNA is balance and juxtaposition — mixing uniform pieces with more directional design in mainline — and that instinct carries through the collaboration. The collection works as complete, head-to-toe looks, while still being designed to sit naturally within an existing wardrobe. adidas’ technical depth gave us the foundation to enter performance authentically, without compromising on form, restraint, or point of view.”

See the full Adidas x Entire Studios collection online here, and shop select pieces below.

Adidas x Entire Studios Optime Training Bra

$80

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Adidas x Entire Studios Optime Training Leggings

$110

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Adidas x Entire Studios Lightblaze Pod Shoes

$200

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Adidas x Entire Studios Gym Bag

$250

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Adidas x Entire Studios Z.N.E. Uniform Half Zip Woven Track Top

$160

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Adidas x Entire Studios Z.N.E. Uniform Pant

$140

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Adidas x Entire Studios Uniform Longsleeve Tee

$90

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Adidas x Entire Studios Training Mid Layer Jacket

$130

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Adidas x Entire Studios Optime Short Training Leggings

$70

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Adidas x Entire Studios D4T Training Tank

$40

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Adidas x Entire Studios D4T Training 2-in-1 Shorts

$90

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The post Adidas and Entire Studios Team on Sleek & Stylish Training Essentials for the Ring and Beyond appeared first on Athletech News.

As wellness continues its global takeover of different corners of fitness — from wellness clubs entering workout spaces to longevity exercise routines — pro athletes are embracing the holistic approach to performance as well.

At the 2026 NBA All-Star weekend, an exclusive, invite-only wellness and workout experience is taking place, produced by the membership community for athletes, entrepreneurs, creators and investors, Business Inside the Game (BIG) and in partnership with performance training collective the Tay Way.

Women in Leadership and Sports: Wellness Day is geared towards female athletes, exploring how elite performance principles, recovery and longevity can be applied to executive and leadership environments, especially for women who know how to perform under pressure.

The event’s partners include Therabody, whose tech will headline recovery and wellness activations, and Celsius as official energy partner.

Wellness Day will also feature:

• A guided performance session focused on capacity, recovery and sustainable output, led by former NCAA basketball player and founder of the Tay Way, Taylor Hall
• Panels and live testimonials centered on leadership, performance and longevity
• Brand integrations designed to demonstrate how performance, recovery and energy systems show up in executive lifestyles
• All-Star Weekend morning experience, built around the theme of “Strength through shared sweat.”

“During All-Star Weekend, Business Inside the Game hosts a morning wellness experience at its club, bringing together women in leadership to connect through the power of shared sweat,” said Hall.

Event host BIG was founded by former NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Baron Davis, whose mission is to build infrastructure, access and opportunity for athletes and operators beyond the sport to incorporate the spheres of leadership, business and longevity.

The BIG community includes current and former NBA and WNBA players, founders, executives and operators across sports, media and business.

Hall will also be outfitted with Lululemon for the event as part of the brand’s “Yet” Training Team initiative and the Lululemon Training Club, which focuses on progress, overcoming barriers and encouraging through structured small group sessions to make goals more within reach. 

“The experience is rooted in basketball culture and reflects how athletes build trust and connection — by showing up early, putting in the work, and sharing challenge,” Hall added. “The result is a space where movement becomes the gateway to meaningful networking, leadership, and community before the weekend’s events begin.”

The NBA and WNBA are increasingly integrating with fitness and wellness brands. The NBA recently invested in AI-powered sleep headband Somnee, while Bay Club also partnered with the WNBA to offer training hubs to its athletes in the off-season, signaling growing interest in women’s basketball among mainstream industry brands.

The post At NBA All-Star Weekend, Women in Leadership Embrace Wellness appeared first on Athletech News.

Last year, Bodybar Pilates wasn’t shy about its ambitious expansion plans, and this year is no different.

The brand has revealed it’s targeting over 70 new studio openings in 2026, 40 of which are slated for Q3 and Q4, while also aiming to add an additional 130 to 200 units in development in the coming year.

It was a record year in 2025 for the Dallas-Fort Worth-based Pilates franchise, which signed its 150th franchise agreement last year.

Its footprint grew by 60% overall in 2025, with 27 new studios. Currently, Bodybar counts 73 open locations across 21 states, plus 190 signed development agreements.

This year, Bodybar Pilates is prioritizing a diverse range of markets across the country, including Omaha, Charleston, Tulsa, Columbus, Northwest Arkansas, Madison, Chattanooga, Cincinnati, Oklahoma City, Boston, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Austin, Milwaukee and Ann Arbor, among others.

“2025 marked a major step forward for Bodybar,” said Bodybar CEO Matt McCollum. 

“We’re not just talking about growth — we’re opening studios, supporting franchisees and scaling with the infrastructure to do it right,” he continued. “That execution is what’s fueling our momentum and setting us up for continued expansion.”

Last year, Bodybar generated nearly $44 million in systemwide sales, growth of 65% year-over-year. Meanwhile, its membership base grew to over 18,000, a 30% year-over-year increase, it reported.

Bodybar argues it marries the best of both worlds when it comes to Pilates workouts, serving as a middle-ground between the classical style found at brands like Club Pilates and the more hardcore, athletic style driven by Lagree studios and concepts like Solidcore. It offers nearly 10 different classes, including “balanced” and “athletic” types to suit a variety of fitness preferences.

In an interview with Athletech News last year, McCollum said the brand is eyeing international expansion as well, identifying Canada as a first target, with Asia and Europe potentially following after that.

The post Bodybar Pilates Plans To Double Studio Footprint in 2026 appeared first on Athletech News.

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If you watched the Super Bowl last weekend, you probably noticed a couple of things: we’re officially in the AI era, and the business of GLP-1s is booming.

Telehealth giants took up an inordinate amount of Super Bowl advertising airtime to push the benefits of weight-loss injections and pills. For fitness, there’s a big opportunity: as more and more people take GLP-1s, they’ll need to eat healthier and lift weights to maintain a healthy body composition.

This idea is nothing new — it’s been floating around in industry circles for two years now, at least. But the “fitness-x-pharma” economy is finally starting to take shape.

This week, Pvolve inked a partnership with Weight Watchers to make its low-impact workouts available on the weight-loss platform.

Pvolve’s deal with Weight Watchers is the biggest tie-up yet between a fitness brand and GLP-1 provider, but it follows in the footsteps of Club Pilates and Pure Barre partnering with Midi Health, and F45 Training linking up with Joi + Blokes.

Whatever your thoughts are on big pharma and GLP-1s (and there are legitimate reasons to be skeptical), there’s no denying that the movement represents a big opportunity for the fitness industry to position itself more squarely in the healthcare conversation.

The ‘Sweat-Jetting’ Movement Presents Another Opportunity for Fitness

Wellness tourism is booming, and there’s plenty of room for fitness to get in on the action.

In a new travel trends report, Tripadvisor coined the term “Sweat Jetting,” a phenomenon where travelers are booking trips around race weekends like marathons and athletic experiences like Hyrox.

The trend is growing fast, per Tripadvisor, and it’s good news for fitness brands.

Many fitness brands are already making moves on this front. The aforementioned Hyrox is launching a cruise, joining brands including Zumba, Under Armour and Club Pilates in taking to the high seas. The next big thing in wellness travel? It might be fitness resorts, like Zamaya in Tulum, Mexico, which offers a running track wrapped around its main building and recovery amenities like saunas, ice baths and a flotation chamber.

More News & Notes

• Apple is said to be scaling back its plans to launch an AI health coach, an interesting move as competition heats up in the wearables space.
• Sweat It Out: In a new study, exercise was shown to be just as effective as talk therapy in reducing depression and anxiety.
• Stride Fitness, the former Xponential brand, is leaning big into strength training as it plots a comeback under Shaun Grove.
• Skelcore keeps growing, hiring the creator of Cybex Eagle and one of the founding members of Freemotion.
• Luxury ski resorts are investing in premium recovery amenities amid the wellness travel boom.

The post ATN Week in Review: Fitness & Pharma Are Growing Closer appeared first on Athletech News.