A few stories from the world of Lifting, Swimming, Running, Cycling and General Fitness Business News. A quick peak at a few stories I read this past week and thought you should also…
SET ONE – [solidcore] I built a $100M fitness business… sold it in one day | Anne Mahlum https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/smallbusiness/i-built-a-100m-fitness-business-sold-it-in-one-day-anne-mahlum/vi-AA1Z7Dsy?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds#details

SET TWO – Tony Horton Returns to Tonal as Company Expands Coaching Roster and Programming Amid Continued Growth https://lasvegassun.com/news/2026/mar/16/tony-horton-returns-to-tonal-as-company-expands-co/ MY HOT TAKE – Tony is a legend, enough said.

SET THREE – The Best Fitness Product Of The Future Might Not Be A Product At All https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2026/03/18/the-best-fitness-product-of-the-future-might-not-be-a-product-at-all/

SET FOUR – iFIT Launches “iFIT Next” Talent Accelerator to Diversify Global Fitness; Names Viral Creator Darryl “Bullyjuice” Williams as Inaugural Athlete” https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260313580821/en/iFIT-Launches-iFIT-Next-Talent-Accelerator-to-Diversify-Global-Fitness-Names-Viral-Creator-Darryl-Bullyjuice-Williams-as-Inaugural-Athlete?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=socialnetwork

SET FIVE – Les Mills and Life Fitness Announce Strategic Partnership to Elevate Fitness Experiences https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/les-mills-and-life-fitness-announce-strategic-partnership-to-elevate-fitness-experiences-302716895.html

SET SIX – 24 Hour Fitness Founder on the $15K bet that created an empire https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/video/24-hour-fitness-founder-15k-120039129.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw&tsrc=twtr

SET SEVEN – The Meathead Politicians Are Here to Lift America Back Into Shape. What do a pro bodybuilder, an Army officer, and a lacrosse bro have in common? Because it’s definitely not their thoughts on foreign policy. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a70738011/political-candidates-fitness-posting-andrew-uz-abdul-el-sayed-cait-conley/

SET EIGHT – Protein taking over food industry: What to know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXClh1_954g MY HOT TAKE – I almost tried the DD Protein Drink the other day but decided to stop and buy a shake at the gym. The DD seems like just another sugar drink. Now I do want to try the Mac & Cheese! A few months ago I bought Ghost Protein Hot Cocoa and it was gross. Most of these added protein products taste like chemicals. Just skip all this and eat a decent lunch and/or dinner.

SET NINE – Planet Fitness Banks On Sports Science To Power Its March Madness Activation https://www.buzzfeed.com/business-news/planet-fitness-march-madness-recovery-jamie-medeiros-black-card-spa-campaign MY HOT TAKE – Like the protein I am beginning to wonder if we are getting too much recovery or maybe just not enough of the right kind of therapy? I know everyone is different and I don’t know everyone who I see on social media but when I see someone using Recovery Boots after walking a 5K I gotta wonder if this is all about the money and not about recovery. Also having a PF Black Card from my insurance program I’ve used it once. Those chairs/bed are okay but don’t think I really got anything out of it.

SET TEN – F45 Training Introduces F45 PEAK500: A New Era of Standardized Athletic Performance Testing https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/f45-training-introduces-f45-peak500-a-new-era-of-standardized-athletic-performance-testing-1035933593 MY HOT TAKE – F45 PEAK500 Didn’t they do this before? I will say I do love a Benchmark Workout so participants can see progress on the floor and not in the mirror. When I wrote programming for a Crossfit-Light-Like program I had a once a month set on the first Friday of the month in which people would do the same workout with a series of lifts to see if they lifted more reps or increased weights. Don’t think anyone cared except for me. On my own I continued doing that workout on my own to track my progress. Until I changed my own training protocol.

SET ELEVEN – Hyrox Is Taking the Fitness World by Storm, and Academy Sports Is Getting in on the Action https://wwd.com/footwear-news/shoe-industry-news/academy-hyrox-havaianas-flip-flop-consumers-world-cup-1238680692/

SET TWELVE – Sarah Robb O’Hagan to Join Peloton as Chief Content and Member Development Officer https://sgbonline.com/sarah-robb-ohagan-to-join-peloton-as-chief-content-and-member-development-officer/ MY HOT TAKE – Is this like rearranging the deck furniture on the Titanic? I do like how they are doing more LIVE events like running clubs that tie into deals they have with races. Just wish they’d do more in more areas except LA, NYC and London.

SET THIRTEEN – Getting Rejected By My Gym Crush Might Have Saved My Life “When you’re disciplined and in shape, the world treats you differently. More importantly, you treat yourself differently.” https://www.menshealth.com/health/a70761728/jesse-ramos-weight-loss-transformation/

SET FOURTEEN – Get ready for fewer sales: Lululemon has a new ‘obsession’ with full price and minimal discounting https://www.businessinsider.com/lululemon-plans-to-cut-markdowns-to-boost-revenue-in-2026-2026-3?utmSource=twitter&utmContent=referral&utmTerm=topbar&referrer=twitter

SET FIFTEEN – The Rise of Luxury Gyms: Opportunities and Risks for Landlords https://natlawreview.com/article/rise-luxury-gyms-opportunities-and-risks-landlords