LIFTS Episode 100 - Will Brereton of SH1FT on the Future of Group X, Instructors, and Hybrid Fitness
Release Date: 11/30/2025
LIFTS Episode 120 – The Molecule Matters: How NAD Actually Works in the Body | with Rachele Pojednic
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
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 explore one of the most talked-about topics in modern wellness: NAD and the rapid rise of longevity therapies. Joined by Rachele Pojednic, Chief Science Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, the conversation breaks down what NAD actually is, how it functions within the body, and why it has become such a focal point in energy, recovery, and healthy aging. As wellness clinics, IV therapies, and performance treatments continue to...
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LIFTS Episode 119 - The Golden Era of Fitness? Longevity, Mental Fitness & Human Performance | PerformX Special (Part 3 of 3) | with Giles Denning & Phil Learney
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Welcome to the latest episode of LIFTS, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. In this special episode recorded live at PerformX, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal explore why many believe the fitness industry is entering a golden era of fitness and wellbeing. Joined by Giles Denning and Phil Learney, the conversation explores how fitness, wellness, longevity, and human performance are beginning to converge. As consumer expectations continue to evolve, gyms and operators are being challenged to think beyond traditional training models. Members are...
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LIFTS Episode 118 - Fitness Leaders Unfiltered at Coach360 After HFA Party
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 special episode recorded live at the Coach360 After Party during HFA 2026 in San Diego, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with four influential leaders from across the fitness industry for an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes conversation on where the industry is headed. Featuring insights from Bob Thomas, Sal Pellegrino, Pamela J. Brown (Crunch Fitness), and Marc Rodriguez, this conversation explores the shifting landscape of fitness, from emerging medical...
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LIFTS Episode 117 - Mark Mastrov, UFC Gyms & ABC Fitness on the Future of the Industry | LIVE at HFA 2026
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 special episode recorded live from HFA 2026 in San Diego, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with three of the most influential leaders in the global fitness industry to break down where the space is heading next. Featuring insights from Mark S. Mastrov (24 Hour Fitness), Adam Sedlack (UFC Gyms), and Bill Davis (ABC Fitness), this episode dives into the rapid evolution of fitness business models, technology, member behavior, and the growing intersection...
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LIFTS Episode 116 - GLP-1s Are Changing Fitness: What Gym Operators Need to Know | PerformX Special (Part 2 of 3) | with Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Welcome to the latest episode of LIFTS, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. In this special episode recorded live at PerformX, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal explore one of the most significant and rapidly evolving topics in health and fitness today: the rise of GLP-1 medications and what they mean for the fitness industry. Joined by Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, GP, personal trainer, health coach, and one of the UK’s leading educators on obesity management and lifestyle medicine, the conversation explores how these medications are reshaping the health...
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LIFTS Episode 115 - From Gyms to Health Hubs: The Next Era of Fitness | PerformX Special (Part 1 of 3) | with Jaclyn Hughes, Tim Gray & Rez Barad
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
Welcome to the latest episode of LIFTS, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. In this special episode recorded live at PerformX, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal explore one of the most important shifts happening in the fitness industry today: the evolution of the gym into a health hub. Joined by Jaclyn Hughes (Ultimate Training Solutions), Tim Gray (Health Optimisation Summit & The Biohacker), and Rez Barad (House of Fitness), the panel examines how fitness, longevity, biohacking, and preventative healthcare are beginning to converge. As...
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LIFTS Episode 114 - The Future of Personal Training, AI & Human Intelligence | at Connected Health & Fitness 2026
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. Recorded live at Connected Health & Fitness Summit 2026, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with three industry leaders to unpack the convergence of fitness, technology, wellness, and human intelligence. Guests include: David Van Daff (NASM): A 30-year fitness industry veteran representing the National Academy of Sports Medicine, discussing certification evolution, AI in training, and the expanding expectations placed on personal trainers. Jeff Yasuda (Feed...
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LIFTS Episode 113 - From HYROX to Longevity Clinics: The Future of Fitness is Human | Connected Health & Fitness Summit
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 special live episode from the Connected Health & Fitness Summit 2026 in Los Angeles, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with four leaders shaping the future of performance, longevity, franchising, and workforce training. Guests include: Douglas Gremmen (HYROX): On building one of the fastest growing competitive fitness brands in the world and why purpose-driven training is the ultimate disruptor. Dean Kelly (Extension Health): On physician-led...
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LIFTS Episode 112 – Why 60-Year-Olds Are Stronger Than 30-Year-Olds (Data Shocked Us) | Strength, Longevity & The Future of Fitness | with Troy Taylor
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
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 Troy Taylor from Tonal to explore one of the most important shifts happening in fitness today: strength as the foundation of longevity. Drawing on connected strength data from thousands of members, this conversation examines a surprising insight — in many cases, 60-year-olds are matching or outperforming 30-year-olds in relative strength gains. The difference isn’t age. It’s consistency, progressive...
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LIFTS Episode 111 - Strength, Pilates & Wellness Are Booming, But Something Isn’t Adding Up? | Inside the Les Mills 2026 Global Fitness Report | with Sean Turner
Escape Your Limits & LIFTS
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 Sean Turner, CEO of Les Mills US, to explore one of the most persistent and misunderstood challenges in fitness today: member retention. Drawing on decades of experience as both a club operator and global brand leader, this conversation examines why retention is not a content problem, but a human one. Sean shares how confidence, belonging, and experience design play a far greater role in long-term engagement...
info_outlineIn this episode of LIFTS, Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Will Brereton: longtime group fitness leader, Les Mills presenter, and founder of SH1FT Fitness.
They dive deep into how group fitness has evolved over the decades, why hybrid community is the new frontier, and how instructors, technology, and member expectations have transformed.
Will shares powerful insights from the front lines of group exercise across NZ, the UK, Europe, and the U.S. This episode is essential listening for club operators, instructors, boutique owners, and anyone passionate about the future of fitness.
Key Topics Covered:
• The five historical eras of group fitness and the new hybrid community era.
• Why Gen Z treats the gym like a social hub, even replacing nightlife.
• How meaningful interaction drives 2-3x higher retention.
• Why instructors are harder to find and how tech is filling the gap.
• The changing role of certifications and what members actually want.
• Where Pilates, strength, and boutique programming are heading next.
• Why big ‘rock-star’ classes faded and which events replaced them.
• How digital fits into real‑world class experiences today.
👉 To learn more about Will Brereton click here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-brereton-991a0138/
👉 To learn more about SH1FT, click here:
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00:00 Introduction
00:38 Guest Intro: Will Brereton
02:07 History of Group Fitness
04:43 Pandemic: The Biggest Inflection Point
09:55 Gen Z and the Social Fitness Shift
11:22 Why Group Fitness Drives Retention
15:00 Technology in Group X: Does It Help or Hurt?
20:24 Instructor Pay and Industry Challenges
25:00 Competency vs. Perfection in Teaching
28:44 Belonging vs. Progression in Group Fitness
30:55 Are Big Rock‑Star Classes Coming Back?
34:58 Hybrid, Digital, and Tech Trends
43:25 Where Group Fitness Is Heading Next
47:06 Final Takeaways
48:00 Closing Thoughts