This Week In Fitness: GymNation’s Heavyweight Marketing Play, Daxko’s New Acquisition, and lululemon’s NFL Debut

This week’s episode takes us from bold marketing in Dubai to major moves in fitness tech and fresh insights on GLP-1 medications. From one-tonne billboards to billion-dollar data plays, here’s what’s shaping the business of fitness right now.

• GymNation makes heavy lifting a marketing strategy with a one-tonne billboard promoting its new Strongman class.
• lululemon × NFL debut their first-ever licensed apparel collection across all 32 teams.
• Anytime Fitness launches in Dubai, expanding its global footprint with Technogym’s connected ecosystem.
• Iron House Design brings Swarovski-embellished equipment to the U.S. luxury wellness market.
• Daxko acquires Exercise.com, strengthening its presence in boutique and hybrid fitness.
• HFA FIT Tracker reports record-high U.S. gym visits, up 4 % year-over-year.
• ClassPass enters hospitality through its first hotel partnership at The Manner SoHo in New York.
• Walla raises $5 million to scale its AI-powered Studio Performance Software.
• Lifesum survey reveals GLP-1 users are resisting ultra-processed foods as medications reshape nutrition habits.

This Week In Fitness is where we crunch the latest fitness business headlines in under 5 minutes. Hosted by Krissy Vann.

Transcript

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welcome to This Week in fitness where we crunch the latest fitness business headlines all in under 5 minutes I'm your host Chrissy Van and here's what's making news Gym Nation the Middle East largest gym chain is taking its marketing literally the company has installed what it calls the world's heaviest permanent billboard a one ton structure built from 40 weight plates that reads the only Billboard that needs a spotter the installation promotes Gym Nation's new strongman class and follows a series of creative activations from the brand including an April Fool's campaign for an in gym hotel together they underline Gym Nation's approach to marketing through physical storytelling that reinforces its strength based brand identity in apparel news Lululemon and the National Football League have launched a new collaboration featuring officially licensed gear for all 32 teams it's the first time Lululemon has produced team branded apparel combining its core product lines such as Define Scuba and steady state with official NFL marks executives say the partnership aims to modernize fan merchandise through performance driven design Anytime Fitness is expanding its global footprint with the opening of its first club in the United Arab Emirates the flagship Dubai location features techno gyms connected equipment and Anytime Fitness is smart coaching ecosystem providing members with personalized programming and training nutrition and recovery the launch aligns with the city's annual Dubai Fitness Challenge which encourages residents to complete 30 minutes of activity each day throughout November Iron House Design has introduced the Pent Fitness embellished with crystals by Swarovski Collection to the US market the handcrafted dumbbells and kettlebells combine stainless steel wood and leather with Swarovski crystals designed for private gyms spas and yachts the collection signals a continuing intersection between luxury design and wellness environments in fitness technology daxko has acquired exercise.com a platform used by thousands of studios and trainers worldwide the move broadens Daxko's presence in the boutique and hybrid market and supports its goal of creating a unified data driven ecosystem for club operations coaching and payments exercise.com will continue operating under its existing brand back in the US gym visitation has reached record levels according to the health and Fitness Association's latest Fitness Industry Traffic Tracker average visits per facility rose more than 4% year over year averaging nearly 47,000 visits per club high volume low price operators LED the increase with visitation 22% higher than before the pandemic the findings point to consistent engagement and continued strength in value driven membership models Class Pass is entering the hospitality sector through a new partnership with The Manor Soho a 97 room boutique hotel in New York City guests can now receive and redeem Class Pass credits for local fitness spa and dining experiences the collaboration marks Class Pass's first hotel integration and aligns with its broader shift from fitness scheduling to lifestyle access Walla has secured $5 million in new investment LED by Social Leverage and in Cona Capital to expand its AI powered studio performance software the company positions its platform as an evolution beyond traditional management tools offering performance analysis trend prediction and prescriptive recommendations aimed at improving studio profitability and finally a new survey from global nutrition app life some suggests GLP1 medications are reshaping how people eat in a poll of 2,000 adults over half of users said drugs such as Ozempic Wegovy and semagroid help them resist ultra processed foods which currently account for nearly 60% of total calorie intake among US adults and more than half in the UK despite these appetite suppressing effects nine and 10 respondents agreed that nutrition guidance remains essential for lasting health outcomes life some team notes that well GLP ones may help curb cravings long term success still depends on consistent dietary habits and sustainable behavior change and that's This Week in fitness by ATF W I'm your host Chrissy Van and remember stay fit stay informed and keep your fitness business in shape