Escape Your Limits

LIFTS Episode 30 - The Future of Fitness: Technology and Trends with John Ford

Jun 2, 2024

John Ford, Chief Product Officer at EGYM, shares his insights into the evolving fitness landscape. He discusses Planet Fitness's first membership fee increase in 26 years, emphasizing its industry implications. The conversation highlights the integration of technology to personalize fitness plans and enhance user experiences. Ford also delves into market expansion strategies and the importance of data privacy in fitness tech. Additionally, he explores the growing partnership between fitness and healthcare, predicting a dynamic future driven by innovation.

41:25

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Episode guests

John Ford

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Planet Fitness's membership fee increase reflects a broader shift in the budget gym segment towards mid-market offerings amid rising costs.

The podcast emphasizes the need for gyms to innovate through technology and personalized experiences to enhance member engagement and retention.

Deep dives

Planet Fitness Price Change

Planet Fitness recently announced a change in its long-standing pricing model, increasing the membership fee from $10 to $15 a month for new members. This marks a significant shift for the company, which maintained the same price for 26 years, a testament to its low-cost gym model. The move raises questions about the sustainability of such a pricing structure in light of inflation and rising operational costs, prompting discussions about how other budget gyms may respond. The new pricing strategy suggests that the budget gym segment may be evolving towards more mid-market offerings as operators reassess their business models.

Intro

5min

Adapting to Change in Budget Gyms

13min

Evolving Fitness: Tapping into New Markets and Data Dynamics

3min

Navigating Data Privacy in Fitness Tech

5min

Integrating Fitness and Healthcare: The Future of a Health-Conscious Industry

4min

The Future of Fitness: Tech and Personalization

11min

Welcome back to the latest episode of LIFTS, this week Matthew Januszek, CEO of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks speak with John Ford, Chief Product Officer at EGYM. John has a vast knowledge of the fitness technology industry, he is a board member of the Fitness Industry Technology Council.

Our first topic this week is around the recent announcement from Planet Fitness, who for the first time in 26 years have raised their membership fees. This leads into a wider discussion around personalized fitness plans and assessments, incorporating technology to enhance user and member experience.

Topics discussed include:

The rationale behind Planet Fitness raising its membership fee for the first time in 26 years and its implications for the industry.
How gyms are incorporating technology to enhance user experience and differentiate their services.
The growing importance of personalized fitness plans and assessments in modern fitness regimes.
The role of professional management and executive changes in driving innovation and adaptability in gyms.
The expansion strategies of fitness companies like Whoop into new markets, such as the Middle East, and the impact on their growth.

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0:00 Intro

1:42 Planet Fitness increasing membership fees for the first time in 26 years

12:17 Technology and it’s importance to enhance the user experience