LIFTS Episode 70 - The Rise of Budget Boutique Fitness in Europe – What’s Driving the Boom? | EHFF "Live" at FIBO 2025
Release Date: 04/27/2025
LIFTS Episode 98 - Strava vs Garmin, Basic‑Fit Expansion & AI’s Rise with Leon Rudge
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
In this episode of LIFTS, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with fitness technology veteran Leon Rudge for a deep dive into three major stories shaping the industry: the Basic‑Fit/Clever‑Fit mega‑merger, the Strava vs Garmin lawsuit, and Ladder’s push into integrated nutrition tracking. Leon also shares insights from four months immersed in Southeast Asia’s digital‑nomad tech hubs. Key topics include: • Leon’s experiences inside Southeast Asia’s booming digital‑nomad tech scene. • Why the Basic‑Fit acquisition signals a new phase for European fitness....
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LIFTS Episode 97 - How Gyms Can Stop Chasing Gadgets and Start Healing People with Dr. Sean Pastuch
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
In this episode of the LIFTS Podcast, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Dr. Sean Pastuch, founder of Active Life, to challenge the industry’s obsession with recovery rooms and redefine what it truly means to treat fitness as healthcare. From debunking lazy innovation to outlining a blueprint for gyms that prioritize people over gadgets, this conversation reimagines how fitness professionals can become the front line of real health transformation. Key topics include: • Why recovery rooms are the ‘lazy man’s innovation.’ • The economics and illusion of retention in...
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LIFTS Episode 96 - Exercise Is Medicine: Inside the 2025 Global Fitness Report with Liz Clark & Anton Severin of HFA
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
In this special remote episode of the LIFTS Podcast, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Liz Clark and Anton Severin of the Health & Fitness Association (formerly IHRSA) to unpack the 2024–2025 Global Fitness Report and explore the intersection of data, health, and the future of fitness. Recorded across three continents, this conversation dives deep into how exercise is redefining healthcare, the evolving role of recovery and wellness, and what’s next for the global industry. Key topics discussed: The new definition of obesity and its massive implications for...
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LIFTS Episode 95 - Dan Uyemura on Tech, Trust & Transformation in the Fitness Industry
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
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 Dan Uyemura, CEO and Founder of PushPress, to explore how AI and technology are reshaping the fitness industry while keeping the human touch at the core. Key topics include: Why boutique gym owners remain optimistic despite economic headwinds. How AI tools like Gym Happy are changing client engagement. The balance between human-to-human connection and automation. Why churn and onboarding are the most...
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LIFTS Episode 94 - The Future of Fitness & Recovery: Insights from Industry Leaders at W3Fit North America
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Join hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal for a special series of sit-down interviews recorded live at W3Fit North America. From recovery trends to leadership lessons, these conversations uncover what’s really shaping the fitness industry today. Key highlights include: Jarrod Saracco on the real ROI of recovery and why most clubs still can’t monetize it. Hillis Lake on 40 years of strength training evolution—from Nautilus to CrossFit. Patrick Regan on leading with authenticity and casting the right culture. Eric Weber on Woodway’s legacy and the future of treadmill innovation....
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LIFTS Episode 93 - W3Fit Live: Industry Consolidation, Robotic Massages & Celebrity Endorsements
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Live from W3Fit North America, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with guests Star Sage and Loryn Huff to discuss the latest fitness industry trends. From billion-dollar wearable valuations to AI-powered recovery and celebrity-backed fitness ventures, this panel explores the future of wellness. Key Topics: Oura’s $11B valuation and the future of wearables. Closed vs. open data ecosystems in fitness tech. Tom Brady’s AI-powered massage company and scalability concerns. The evolving role of recovery as an essential moat for gyms. Dua Lipa’s investment in Pilates and Gen Z...
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LIFTS Episode 92 - LIFTS Live Podcast at W3Fit North America with Matthew Januszek & Mohammed Iqbal
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Live from W3Fit North America at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal host a special onstage edition of the LIFTS podcast. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore the future of the fitness industry—from AI gyms and private equity consolidation to the booming recovery market and the resurgence of strength training. Discussion highlights include: What makes live podcasts unique compared to studio episodes. First impressions of Fred Fitness, the AI-first gym. The impact of mergers, acquisitions, and private equity in fitness tech. How AI is reshaping...
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LIFTS Episode 91 - Apple vs. Samsung vs. Oura – Who Wins in Health Tech? | with ROOK Co-Founder Marco Benitez
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. This week, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Marco Benitez—former Taekwondo champion turned biomedical engineer and now CEO of rook, a health tech company that transforms wearable data into actionable health insights. Together, they explore how wearables are reshaping the future of fitness, healthcare, and personal health. Key topics covered include: Why your smartwatch might already know more about your health than your doctor. How Apple, Samsung, and...
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LIFTS Episode 90 - Building the Future of AI-Powered Nutrition with Rami Alhamad
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
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 entrepreneur and engineer Rami Alhamad, co-founder and CEO of Alma, an AI-powered nutrition companion. From his early days building PUSH, the pioneering strength-tracking wearable later acquired by WHOOP, to his mission with Alma, Rami shares insights on persistence, startup timing, decision-making, and the future of fitness technology. Key topics covered include: How persistence and decision-making...
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LIFTS Episode 89 - ClassPass Debate: Does It Help or Hurt Studio Owners? Jeff Bladt vs. Rachel Hirsch
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
In this special debate episode of the LIFTS Podcast, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal are joined by guest co-host Jack Thomas (Fitness Business Asia) to moderate a high-level discussion on the impact of ClassPass for boutique fitness owners. Industry voices Jeff Bladt (ClassPass/Playlist) and Rachel Hirsch (Wellness Growth Ventures, The 2% Club, and studio owner) share opposing perspectives on whether ClassPass is a powerful growth partner or a dangerous dependency. Discussion highlights include: The origin and evolution of ClassPass. How ClassPass transformed consumer behavior in...
info_outlineWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest
Industry Fitness Trends and Stories.
Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder &
CEO of SweatWorks attended EHFF 2025 in Cologne, Germany.
In part 2 of this episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by:
- Michelle Dand, Head of Fitness Product and Programming of David Lloyd.
- Benjamin Roth, Co-Founder and CEO of Urban Sports Club.
- Jim Pisani, CEO and Board Member of Life Fitness Hammer Strength.
- David Stalker, Ambassador for EuropeActive.
This episode covers:
- Evolution of branded group fitness programming at premium clubs in
response to boutique competition. - The rise of budget boutique fitness concepts in Europe and their rapid scaling
approach. - Equipment manufacturing strategy and the renewed focus on both cardio and
strength equipment. - Impact of global political climate and tariffs on fitness equipment production
and pricing. - The industry's decade-long transition from fitness-focused to health-focused
approaches. - The importance of offering multiple fitness modalities to meet diverse
consumer preferences.
To learn more about EHFF, click here:
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00:00 Intro
02:36 David Lloyd’s Response to Market Trends
05:00 Challenges and Lessons from Standalone Boutiques
07:28 Budget Boutique Market and Its Impact
27:58 Life Fitness and Hammer Strength’s Evolution
41:35 Impact of Global Political Climate on Business
49:37 David Stalker’s Reflections on Industry Growth
50:55 Mentorship and Advisory Roles
52:09 Future of the Fitness Industry