Issue No. 282: Gym-as-Clinic
The future of proactive, personalized care has arrived.
For gym-goers, health requires more than fitness.
New Flex
Beyond bulking up or slimming down, consumers aspire to feel good and live longer.
- 64% of gym-goers are prioritizing well-being routines to maximize healthspan.
- 51% exercise to prepare their body for everyday life.
Upping their investment, US exercisers plan to increase spending on IRL fitness classes and personal training, with 60% saying gym visits are essential.
At the same time, as the healthcare system buckles under the weight of preventable chronic diseases, experts foresee a $5.1T shift toward preventative well-being.
Hard Sell
Despite attracting devout wellness consumers, gyms are leaving income—and impact—on the table.
Pillars of a $32B industry, big-box chains bank on unused memberships and struggle to retain newcomers, while high-end boutiques sit idle during off-hours.
Missing the mark, 42% of Americans are obese, 25% are sedentary, and <25% belong to a gym.
Movement is Medicine
With incentives misaligned, fitness and healthcare are siloed, to the detriment of all.
Exercise is a widely accessible miracle drug, shown to prevent heart disease, treat depression, increase quality of life, and boost longevity by nearly every measurable marker.
But, with the current model, members are forced to pursue weight loss, holistic health, and preventative care in separate places.
Filling a void, gyms could become lifestyle medicine hubs.
Gym-as-clinic. A gym-as-clinic operates like value-based care, personalizing paths based on medical history and health goals while measuring outcomes for both members and insurers.
Consolidating under one roof, operators create concierge experiences, triaging and tracking through consults, scans, and labs while upselling inputs for movement, mental health, nutrition, and recovery.
Seeing the potential, some players are putting the pieces together.
Tag team. Partnering with InsideTracker, Bay Area chain FITNESS SF is making healthspan diagnostics a membership option. Elsewhere, Equinox is enlisting Function Health for biomarker-based training programs.
In-house. Extending its services, Life Time launched longevity clinic MIORA for weight loss, HRT, and peptide therapies. Enlisting clinicians, Austin’s Kollective Labs, LA’s Monarch Athletic Club, and SportsRehabLA pursue high performance through continuous care.
Exercise Rx. Bringing health screenings to gyms, Italy’s Technogym and Germany’s EGYM quantify workouts with connected hardware. Uniting trainers and doctors, their platforms remove barriers to better outcomes.
Exercising Compliance
Health and healthcare are still two different worlds, and blending them requires safeguards.
To ensure safety and efficacy, more gyms will need health and medical advisors. Upping responsibility, a hybrid PA/PT role could allow trainers to navigate both charts and chin-ups.
Punchline: With the tools to make a difference and diagnostics to prove they work, operators won’t need to convince the public to join the gym — only to take their medicine.
🎙 On the Podcast
The WELL co-founder and CEO Rebecca Parekh discusses healthy third spaces.
Burned out by a career on Wall Street, Rebecca had a personal wellness epiphany. Now, she’s helping others relieve stress at The WELL, a health-focused members club and lifestyle brand.
We also cover: wellness real estate, demand for preventative wellness, and unmet consumer needs across the industry.
Listen to today’s episode here.
🔮 Barry’s weighs its future
The HIIT studio brand is working with advisors to explore strategic options, including a possible sale.
Pumped up. Known for cardio + strength interval workouts, the Red Room operator is seeing green; a Barry’s spokesperson told Bloomberg it’s seeking a valuation north of $700M.
Growth mode. After tabling expansion plans during the pandemic—conducting layoffs and adding funding to weather closures—Barry’s is making up for lost time.
- It plans to open three studios in the LA area through H1’24.
- The company opened its second RIDE x LIFT cycling studio in February.
- Internationally, it entered Spain and Israel, with Bahrain and Egypt in development.
Counting 84 studios in 14 countries, the company plans to double locations in five years.
Cashing in. Brick-and-mortar fitness is bulking up. Last month, Equinox added $1.8B in financing to open 25 new clubs, and Orangetheory Fitness merged with Self Esteem Brands.
TBD: While Barry’s expects to command a premium for its high-end operation, the pool of potential buyers is limited, and the market will dictate its upside.
Presented by Lifeforce
💪 The Future of Proactive Care
It’s no secret: sick care is failing us.
But you don’t have to settle for average; Lifeforce offers an upgrade.
A first-of-its-kind proactive performance plan, Lifeforce combines at-home diagnostics, clinical-grade nutraceuticals, hormone therapy, and functional medical support in one convenient membership.
The goal? Optimize the aging process — improving energy levels, body composition, and overall health for a long, fulfilling life.
Level up: Measure your baseline to get started.
💸 Brands bank on women’s sports
Riding record viewership, women’s pro leagues will generate >$1B in 2024.
Big deal. Looking to capitalize, Nike signed WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark, and 83% of brands are upping investments this year.
Doubling down, Reddit co-founder and Angel City FC co-owner Alexis Ohanian is launching the 776 Invitational, an experiential women’s track event — and his 776 Foundation will fund expansion of women’s sports bar The Sports Bra.
By the numbers. Despite lagging TV coverage, female athletes boast 2x the engagement of male counterparts on social media, driving huge sponsor returns.
- adidas, PUMA, Nike, and Vuori’s women’s campaigns were up to 69% more effective than their average broadcast ads.
- In 2023, OOFOS’ campaign with women’s sports marketing company HypeHer generated a 191% sales increase YoY.
Girl up. Beyond business outcomes, promoting women’s sports can get more girls playing, reducing their risk of depression and anxiety by 1.5–2.5x.
Looking ahead: Drawing eyes and dollars, women’s sports represent a largely untapped opportunity for profit and public health impact — a no-brainer for values-driven brands.
📰 News & Notes
- F45’s Pilates concept goes global.
- InsideTracker, FITNESS SF bundle in-gym health diagnostics.
- Supplement retailer GNC debuts in-store GLP-1 support section.
- Walmart closes all in-store clinics, ends virtual healthcare efforts.
- Specialty grocery chain Foxtrot permanently shutters all locations.
- National Cycling League “NCL” suspends season amid restructuring.
- Simply Good Foods buys plant-based protein drink OWYN for $280M.
- Chris Hemsworth’s Centr launches holistic strength training program.
- Smart hardware maker Stages Cycling sued by Giant, ceases operations.
- Blink Fitness reinvests in top-performing clubs, launches trainer academy.
- On collabs with inclusive nonprofit WalkGood, performing artist FKA twigs.
- Sports nutrition site Bodybuilding.com marks 25 years with community challenge.
- Changing careers? Land your dream health and fitness job or join our free talent network.
💰 Money Moves
- Ketone energy drink brand KEY raised $4M in an oversubscribed seed round led by AgFunder.
- Virtual menopause clinic Midi Health added $60M in a Series B round led by Emerson Collective.
- Friendly’s restaurant owner BRIX Holdings acquired organic cafe chain Clean Juice.
- Tech-enabled soccer training center TOCA Football received an undisclosed investment from World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen.
- Youth sports umbrella company Unrivaled Sports acquired Under Armour-sponsored flag football league Under the Lights.
- Amae Health, operator of patient-centered clinics for severe mental illness, raised $15M in an oversubscribed Series A round.
- Keep Company, an employee wellness program for working parents, raised $1.4M in a funding round.
- Marina Orthopedic & Spine Institute, an LA-based center for minimally invasive spine and joint surgeries, secured $9.75M from MSK care provider Commons Clinic.
Today’s newsletter was brought to you by Anthony Vennare, Joe Vennare, Ryan Deer, and Jasmina Breen.
