Club Solutions Magazine

A new study finds that modest, concurrent improvements in sleep, exercise and nutrition can add years to lifespans — without a lifestyle overhaul. In Episode 21 of The Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson break down a newly published study in The Lancet examining how small, combined changes in sleep, physical activity and nutrition affect long-term health and lifespan. This Episo...

Fitness marketing's old seasonal playbook is breaking down and clubs that focus too much on January are leaving money on the table the other 11 months. That's the data-backed case from CEO Eric Goodstadt of UpSwell, the fitness marketing platform that works with more than 4,000 facilities nationwide, ranging from big-box gyms to boutique studios. Goodstadt joined Club Solutions Magazine editor and...

Succession planning isn't a finish line — it's a process that starts years before any leader steps back. Scott Gillespie knows this better than most. A 40-year fitness industry veteran, Gillespie owns Saco Sports and Fitness, a multigenerational outcomes-based health club, and a F45 training studio in Maine, along with many other roles in the industry. Gillespie joined Club Solutions Magazine edit...

Being overweight and being unfit are not the same thing. That's the central finding of a new meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and it carries significant implications for how fitness operators communicate the value of exercise to members. Hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson break down the findings of the meta-analysis examining how cardiorespiratory fitness — not b...

As member acquisition costs continue to rise, one of the biggest growth opportunities for fitness businesses may already exist in your database. In this webinar, discover proven strategies to reconnect with former members and turn past cancellations into renewed relationships. From personalized outreach campaigns and targeted offers to smart use of automation and member data, our panel of industry...

The fitness industry has spent years talking about integrating with health care. David Flench, the president and CEO of the Medical Fitness Association, says the time for talking is over and operators who build the right structure now stand to fundamentally change the role fitness plays in the broader care system. Flench joined Club Solutions Magazine editor and podcast host Taylor Gabhart to disc...

New research challenges the fitness industry assumption that consistency is the only path to results. Episode 19 of The Research Debrief examines a paper in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science and Sports asking a question nearly every club member eventually asks: what happens to my progress if I stop training? The findings carry real implications for how operators and fitness professi...

Most fitness professionals believe they are giving members accurate, up-to-date guidance. The research says otherwise. Episode 18 of The Research Debrief examines two papers that reveal a significant disconnect between what the science says about resistance training and what practitioners and exercisers actually believe — and makes the case for why an evidence-based approach is essential for the f...

Few names carry as much weight in the fitness industry as Mark Mastrov. As the founder of 24 Hour Fitness — which has grown from a single club to now more than 400 locations — Mastrov went on to build Crunch Fitness and UFC Gym. Now, he's returned to where it all started. In this episode of the Club Solutions Magazine podcast, sponsored by ROR, Mastrov joined host Taylor Gabhart to discuss what br...

The number one barrier to exercise is time. And this research is just another piece of evidence showing how club may be able to solve that. Episode 17 of The Research Debrief examines a paper published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism on Reduced Exertion High Intensity Interval Training (REHIT) — a protocol designed to deliver meaningful cardiovascular and metabolic adaptation in as...

One of the most persistent debates in fitness — whether combining cardio and strength training undermines the results of each — just got a thorough scientific review. Episode 16 of The Research Debrief breaks down a newly published meta-analysis examining the effects of concurrent training, defined in scientific literature as combining aerobic and resistance training, on body composition in middle...

Alastair Watson has been in rooms with thousands of people at industry trade shows. And after years of two-minute conversations and badge scans, he started asking a different question: what would it look like to actually get to know someone? In this episode, Watson shares what eight years of attending the Club Solutions Leadership Retreat has taught him about the fitness industry, building real bu...

The long-held belief that more sets means more muscle has been challenged by the largest study ever conducted on resistance training volume and muscle hypertrophy. Episode 15 of The Research Debrief breaks down the newly published paper co-authored by Luke Carlson on a study done by Discover Strength that compared high-volume and low-volume strength training from more than 100 trained participants...

A brand new meta-analysis synthesizes the most comprehensive look at how women respond to resistance training across their entire lifespan and the findings should reshape how fitness operators program, coach and communicate with their female members. Episode 14 breaks down the paper which reviewed 126 studies involving more than 4,000 women ranging from premenopausal to postmenopausal, with a mean...

This expert panel explores what today's youngest professionals truly value in the fitness industry, how to communicate in ways that resonate and how to build career paths that keep them engaged for the long haul. Whether you're managing Gen Z for the first time or looking to strengthen your approach, this is the conversation you don't want to miss.

What does it take to build a thriving boutique fitness franchise? For The Bar Method, the answer is community. Stephanie Schon, the brand president of The Bar Method, has spent the last five and a half years scaling a brand where 99% of studio owners are women, growth is driven from within the client base and community is treated as a core business strategy. Schon joined the Club Solutions Magazin...

The American College of Sports Medicine just published its first updated position stand on resistance training since 2009, and the findings challenge some the most widely held assumptions in the fitness industry. In Episode 13, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson break down the ACSM's new paper which synthesized more than 30,000 studies published over the last 15 years. The conclusions are clarif...

Did you know exercise directly improves academic performance? In Episode 12 of The Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson break down a large-scale randomized controlled trial linking gym exercise to academic outcomes in college students, alongside a supporting meta-analysis covering youth from ages 6 to 18. This Episode Covers: - How students with free gym access outperformed their...

Uncertainty is defining today’s business environment — but for leaders who know what to look for, it also presents opportunity. In this exclusive Q&A, Tara Bayke, economist and senior consultant at ITR Economics, offers a preview of her upcoming keynote at the 2026 Club Solutions Leadership Summit, taking place May 18–20 at The Montage in Park City, Utah. This conversation is just a glimpse into t...

A major paper recently published is challenging one of fitness' most entrenched assumptions and the implications for how clubs communicate the value of exercise are significant. In Episode 11 of The Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson break down new research from Duke University on constrained total energy expenditure and how the body automatically compensates for calories burne...

The perfect candidate, the flawless interview, the confident hire — and then, just a few months in, the sinking realization that something went wrong. Laura Clark, the vice president of Corporate Health Unlimited, joined Club Solutions Magazine editor and podcast host Taylor Gabhart to discuss what she calls "the false positive interview," a hiring phenomenon in which a candidate appears perfect o...

A new study puts hard numbers behind a question fitness operators have long debated and the findings make a compelling case for the value of personal training. In Episode 10 of The Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlso break down a recently published randomized controlled trial comparing the outcomes of exercising alone, with a training partner and a personal trainer — and what tho...

As wearable technology continues to trend in the fitness industry and data overload pushes members to disengage, fitness operators are confronting a harder question: Is more measurement actually driving more motivation — or is it driving people away? Jay Worthy, the CEO of Myzone, joined Club Solutions Magazine editor and podcast host Taylor Gabhart to discuss the company's pivot from fit-tech to...

Millions of Americans are currently taking GLP-1 medications and new research is make the case that resistance training isn't just complementary to the medication. It's essential to it. In Episode 9 of The Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson examine what the latest science says about muscle loss during GLP-1 treatment — and why health clubs are uniquely positioned to serve their...

New research challenges the industry's long-held belief that more volume drives better results, showing shorter, high-effort sessions may deliver better results for trained members. In Episode 8 of the Research Debrief, hosts Rachel Chonko and Luke Carlson look at a controlled study that examines the effect of doing on set of an exercise to failure or close to failure when strength training. The c...