Fitness Industry Roundup: Hitting Goals & A Recovery Boost

There’s nothing better than successfully hitting a goal that you set for yourself. Personal growth is vital to a happy and healthy life, and being physically active can play a large role in this.

This week, we’re going to cover how technology and perseverance can make your goals more attainable. Plus, we highlight research that shows the cardiovascular benefits of exercise—especially for those with mental health issues—and financing options now available specifically for the health, fitness, and wellness industry.

Body Composition Tech Helps Gym-goers Achieve Goals

Thanks to game-changing technology from Evolt 360, an IHRSA Partner, Curves members can track their progress and reach their fitness goals. According to a company press release, the Evolt 360 renders a 60-second body composition scan that provides detailed individual data through more than 40 measurements—including visceral fat area, total body water, protein levels, skeletal muscle mass, and more. Furthermore, Evolt 360 shells out knowledge about how muscle, fat, and bone react to all lifestyle changes and when the risk of developing a disease is reduced. Curves President Krishea Holloway is thrilled to offer Evolt 360 to its members. “With Evolt, we can now provide additional coaching, accountability, and understand what’s happening inside versus just seeing the number on the scale!”

Read more.

Cardiovascular Health Benefits Exponential for Stress-related Conditions

At the American College of Cardiology's 71st Annual Scientific Session, research findings highlight that regular physical activity nearly doubled the cardiovascular benefit in individuals with depression or anxiety, compared to those without, according to ScienceDaily. Researchers analyzed medical records of more than 50,000 patients and found 4,000 had suffered a major adverse cardiovascular event. After assessing exercise rates, they analyzed how a depression or anxiety diagnosis impacted the risk of cardiovascular disease. Those with anxiety or depression had a 22% risk reduction vs. a 10% risk reduction in those without either condition.

Learn more about the study.

Wellness Industry Gains Access to Funding to Boost Recovery

IHRSA Partner Mindbody announced through PRNewswire that health, fitness, and wellness businesses can now take advantage of easy access to funding through Mindbody Capital. Josh McCarter, CEO of Mindbody and ClassPass, said, “Almost a third of Mindbody customers plan to expand their business into more locations in the next 12 months. Supporting these businesses in funding their growth is just one of the many ways Mindbody Capital can help the wellness industry rebuild." Mindbody Capital is accessible to Mindbody customers through the company’s software where businesses can receive non-recourse financing with a one-time capital fee—and no minimum monthly payback.

Find out more about Mindbody Capital.

Woman Rows Across the Atlantic Solo in Record Time

After 40 days and 19 hours of rowing, Victoria Evans set a world record for the fastest female solo row across the Atlantic Ocean, beating the previous record by nine days, reported SkySports. It wasn’t until her mid-20’s that Victoria began to participate in sport as a way to battle depression and an eating disorder. "Now, I've overcome those things. I really want to use that to encourage other people to benefit from what sport has to offer," she said. Victoria notes that her overarching goal of the 2,559 nautical mile row is to prove that women are capable and resilient and to increase the opportunity for women in sport. “The more examples we have of women bucking against the trend of assuming that it's not possible or that we're fragile creatures [the better]. I hope this is helpful for that and this leaves a lasting message.”

Check out the full story.

Has your health or fitness-related business been featured in the news recently? We want to know! Send a link to any news article or video that highlighted your business to pr@ihrsa.org, and we may include it in a future issue of the Fitness Industry Roundup.