C-suite leaders from Tonal, Hydrow and iFIT pushed again on doom narratives and spotlighted the place related health is headed subsequent
The related health class might have misplaced its pandemic-era sizzle, however in accordance with trade leaders, it’s removed from out of date.
On the ATN Innovation Summit 2025, CEOs from Tonal, Hydrow and iFIT argued the sector is getting into a extra mature, sustainable section, one targeted on personalization, platform integration and smarter content material supply.
Moderated by Athletech Information founder and CEO Edward Hertzman, the dialogue featured Tonal CEO Darren MacDonald, Hydrow CEO John Stellato and iFIT Business CEO Mark Watterson, who every addressed the state of related health and, extra importantly, its future alternatives.
“It’s very easy to have a look at the growth of COVID, and clearly it’s been powerful post-COVID,” Watterson mentioned. “However related health isn’t going anyplace. We live in a connected world. All the things round us is related: our telephones, our wearables, our watches…every thing is related. There’s no distinction in health.”
Whereas some headlines have fixated on post-COVID declines in {hardware} gross sales, panelists mentioned that slim framing ignores broader shopper traits. MacDonald identified that related health has an anticipated go-forward view of 14% over the following 5 years, outpacing conventional gymnasium progress. He additionally cited rising modalities reminiscent of mobility, energy and Pilates.
“However the largest of these (modalities) is simply going to be on-line,” he mentioned. “Individuals are searching for methods to work out that match their lives, and I feel that’s only a large development that we’re going to be seeing.”
Suggestions Is the New Function
Stellato agreed, including that youthful shoppers now count on a continuing suggestions loop from their health experiences.
“The technology that’s developing now could be extra savvy about this than any earlier than,” he mentioned. “All the things could be very a lot consumed in a suggestions mechanism that related health permits.”
Watterson cited evolving shopper expectations for personalization as a key driver of related health innovation, noting it’s an space the place the class can flex its muscle tissues.
“The times of chasing a inexperienced dot across the tracker are lengthy gone,” he mentioned. “Individuals are demanding hyper-personalization, AI, new types of content material. How we do this with related health — it’s actually thrilling. The longer term is fairly vivid.”
Panelists pointed to rising demand for energy coaching and holistic well being metrics as indicators of the place the market is heading.
“There was all this information round cardio,” MacDonald mentioned. “Now, because the science turns into extra clear about energy, you’re seeing improved mitochondrial well being and stabilization of glucose and all of those well being advantages that basically come about.”
He additionally known as out core opportunity areas, together with girls, the lively ageing and people utilizing GLP-1 drugs.
“The quickest rising modality for ladies final yr was energy,” he mentioned. “Individuals shedding weight on GLP-1s are dropping muscle at a sooner price than fats—that’s an issue, (however) it represents a serious alternative for us.”
AI Implementation
To serve evolving audiences, corporations are rethinking how they ship content material. AI, unsurprisingly, is taking part in a central position. Watterson mentioned developments in AI have enabled iFIT to localize its Emmy-nominated content into multiple languages for global markets.
“The problem now could be how do you serve up the correct content material to the shopper? So I feel AI is taking part in a giant half in that,” he added.
Stellato agreed. “The most important factor we hear from our clients is, ‘Inform me what to do,’” he mentioned. “‘Curate this for me. You understand what I would like, what my targets are, the place the outcomes are going. Inform me what to do and the way do I get higher utilizing it?’ I feel us having the ability to serve it up faster after which extra seamlessly—that’s what you are able to do to generate value.”
Past the 4 Partitions
Whereas content material stays a spotlight, {hardware} and software program nonetheless matter, significantly as corporations work to bridge health and healthcare. MacDonald pointed to Tonal’s movement monitoring system as a device with scientific potential.
“We’re actually correcting kind at Gigabits per second,” he mentioned. “We expect the appliance to that in well being care is important.”
Related health can be transferring past the house. Watterson mentioned 72% of gymnasium goers are searching for hybrid experiences, and roughly half of them already subscribe to digital health companies alongside their gymnasium memberships.
“The outdated guard mentioned let’s hold them contained in the 4 partitions,” he mentioned. “The brand new guard sees the true competitor isn’t one other gymnasium—it’s inactivity. Our job is to fulfill members wherever they wish to work out: at residence, in a membership or on the go.”
What’s Coming Subsequent
Trying forward, every govt teased developments for the second half of 2025.
Watterson mentioned iFIT will proceed leaning into AI and scale its new Pilates-focused acquisition, Reform RX. Stellato mentioned Hydrow is worked up about its technology in the strength area that can come to mild because the yr goes on, and different upcoming improvements. Tonal’s subsequent section might heart on deeper integration of its movement evaluation capabilities and push into well being care, MacDonald indicated.
As related health enters its subsequent chapter, Stellato believes the winners might be those that transfer with function.
“The businesses which might be on this house—the winners within the house—are going to be performing much more rationally, chasing accountable progress,” he mentioned.
This text relies on a dwell dialogue held through the ATN Innovation Summit 2025, a two-day occasion devoted to the way forward for health and wellness. See here for extra Innovation Summit protection.
