Welcome 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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Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes.
Contact us at marketing@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published: https://www.youtube.com/user/EscapeFitness
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View our full catalog: https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog (US)
https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue (UK)
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapefitness
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/escapefitness
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapefitness/
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
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