Major news stories across the fitness industry, corporate acquisitions, technology debuts, and consumer trends:

1. Franchise Equity Partners Acquires Planet Fitness Franchisee Bravo Fit

Private investment firm Franchise Equity Partners (FEP) has acquired Bravo Fit, Planet Fitness’s primary franchisee in Australia. As part of the transaction, Planet Fitness exited its minority ownership stake in Bravo Fit, while Bravo Fit’s existing management team remains in place to oversee expansion. Bravo Fit currently operates 32 locations and holds exclusive development rights to scale up to 100 locations across Australia.

• Read the full story: [PR Newswire – Franchise Equity Partners Acquires Bravo Fit](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/franchise-equity-partners-acquires-bravo-fit-planet-fitness-australian-franchisee-302827778.html)

2. Keep Debuts ‘Keepace.ai’ Specialized Fitness AI Model at WAIC

Fitness platform Keep officially launched Keepace.ai, a proprietary vertical AI model built specifically for fitness and sports, at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC). Trained on over 14 billion exercise records, the model prioritizes strict safety boundaries and pseudoscience filtering over general capability—addressing key safety concerns where incorrect workout guidance or hallucinations from general AI models could lead to physical injury.

• Read the full story: [Pandaily – Keep Launches Keepace.ai Vertical Sports AI Model](https://pandaily.com/keep-keepace-ai-vertical-sports-model-jul2026)

3. Legal and Valuation Focus on Planet Fitness (NYSE: PLNT) Ahead of Q2 Earnings

Ahead of upcoming Q2 financial results, Planet Fitness faced renewed market analysis and shareholder headlines. Securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announced an ongoing investigation regarding disclosures around past marketing campaign shifts, while Wall Street analysts at Wells Fargo reiterated an Overweight rating on PLNT. Analysts pointed to potential growth catalysts, including affordable oral weight-loss (GLP-1) medications driving lower-income demographics toward low-cost gym memberships.

• Read the full story: GlobeNewswire – PLNT Class Action Investigation Notification / GuruFocus – Planet Fitness Valuation Analysis

4. Home Fitness Market Pivot: Strength Equipment and Squat Racks Outpace Cardio Gear

Industry market analyses highlight a structural shift in consumer home-gym spending. While cardio equipment (such as treadmills) previously dominated home workouts, strength equipment—specifically squat cages, power racks, and barbell setups—is taking center stage in post-pandemic hybrid fitness habits. Retailers in the region report surging demand for modular, space-efficient strength rigs as consumers maintain dual home-and-club training routines.

• Read the full story: [Times News Group – From Cardio to Cages: Home Gym Trends](https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/geelongtimes/news/gym-plus-home-gym-equipment/)