Welcome to The Fitness Retention Report — Cadoo's running, weekly read on how fitness brands, businesses, and professionals grow their audience, cut churn, and build the community and accountability that keep people consistent. We track the news, earnings, studies, and PR across the health, wellness, and fitness world and translate each one into a practical takeaway.
Every fitness brand, gym, studio, and trainer lives or dies by one thing: whether people keep showing up. A membership that goes unused gets cancelled. A tracker that gathers dust gets forgotten. A client who ghosts between sessions stops paying. The antidote is consistency — and the fastest way to consistency is money motivation, social accountability, and AI-verified proof-of-workout. That's what Cadoo turns into branded fitness games: players stake money on a goal, get paid when they finish, and keep each other honest on a shared leaderboard.
Each edition is organized by three audiences — 🏷️ Brands, 🏢 Businesses, 🧑🏫 Professionals — and tagged by the job to be done: [GROW], [RETAIN], or [ACCOUNTABILITY]. Newest week is on top. Bookmark it; it updates weekly.
📅 Week of July 20, 2026
🏷️ Fitness Brands
[GROW] Oura launches Ring 5, its slimmest smart ring, tracking 50+ health metrics
The number: $399 device; 50+ health metrics; $69.99/yr membership
Oura's new Ring 5 launched this spring/summer with a slimmer, gym-friendly design that tracks more than 50 health metrics on a $399 device plus a $5.99/month or $69.99/year membership. It headlines a wave of 2026 wearable launches competing on continuous daily health data.
The Cadoo angle: A tracker brand chasing daily engagement can turn its passive Apple Health / Google Health Connect data into money-staked Cadoo branded games that give members a concrete reason to hit their numbers every day.
Source: Athletech News · 2026-07-01
[GROW] Google launches Fitbit Air, a $100 screen-free wearable, to widen the funnel
The number: $100 price; HRV, SpO2, temperature and sleep tracking; 3 free months of Google Health Premium
Google's Fitbit Air, launched at the end of May, is a screen-free $100 wearable tracking HRV, blood oxygen, temperature and sleep, undercutting Whoop's $199-$359 annual membership. The low price is a bid to pull first-time buyers into the health-tracking market.
The Cadoo angle: Cheap, high-volume trackers get people measuring but not necessarily moving; Cadoo's money-motivated, AI-verified branded challenges convert a device's step and workout data into recurring, stake-backed daily activity.
Source: Athletech News · 2026-07-01
[GROW] Wearable demand is surging, with Oura Ring searches up 58% year over year
The number: Oura Ring searches +58% YoY; Garmin watches +31.3%; tracker market projected $52.3B (2024) to ~$190B (2032)
MediaVision search data shows Oura Ring searches up 58% year over year and Garmin watches up 31.3%, making wearables among the fastest-growing consumer-tech categories, with Gen Z driving demand. The global fitness-tracker market is projected to more than triple to roughly $190 billion by 2032.
The Cadoo angle: Explosive tracker adoption gives Cadoo a growing base of Apple Health / Google Health Connect data to plug into staked branded games, turning devices people already own into daily proof-of-workout.
Source: Athletech News · 2026-04-06
🏢 Fitness Businesses
[GROW] Discover Strength tops 41 studios as strength-training franchising accelerates
The number: 41 locations across 15 states (31 franchised); 7 opened in H1 2026; 7 more in development
Strength-training franchise Discover Strength opened seven studios across six states in the first half of 2026 to reach 41 locations in 15 states, 31 of them franchised, with seven more in development. Founder Luke Carlson credits efficiency, expertise and results for continued franchise growth.
The Cadoo angle: Fast-scaling franchises competing on results can differentiate with Cadoo branded games that keep members staking and consistent between the sessions they've paid a premium to attend.
Source: Athletech News · 2026-07-06
[RETAIN] Zenoti survey flags 'silent churn' as the top gym retention threat in 2026
The number: 46% would feel more loyal if their gym acknowledged their absence; 51% of lapsed members would return with a personalized offer
Zenoti's survey of 1,393 current and lapsed U.S. members identifies 'silent churn' — members who stop attending without formally canceling — as a major retention challenge, with 46% saying they'd feel more loyal if their gym acknowledged their absence. More than half of lapsed members said the right personalized offer at the right time would win them back.
The Cadoo angle: Silent churn is inconsistency before it becomes a cancellation; a staked, socially-accountable Cadoo challenge gives lapsing members a money-motivated reason to show up on the days they'd otherwise quietly drift away.
Source: Zenoti 2026 Fitness Consumer Survey · 2026-05-01
[RETAIN] Five global fitness bodies publish study: exercise multiplies the GLP-1 payoff
The number: $120B projected 10-year U.S. value; 496% ROI from pairing structured exercise with GLP-1 therapy
A study from five international trade bodies (HFA, ukactive, AUSactive, Exercise New Zealand and Fitness Industry Council of Canada) found pairing GLP-1 therapy with structured exercise — especially strength training — delivers far better long-term outcomes than medication alone, projecting $120 billion in U.S. value and a 496% ROI over ten years. It calls for embedding exercise and referral pathways into GLP-1 care.
The Cadoo angle: The study says muscle retention depends on consistency during and after weight-loss drugs; Cadoo's money motivation and AI-verified proof-of-workout are built to make that day-to-day consistency stick.
Source: Athletech News / Health & Fitness Association · 2026-06-15
🧑🏫 Fitness Professionals
[ACCOUNTABILITY] NASM report: clients now prize longevity and accountability over aesthetics
The number: 88% of trainers say clients prioritize healthspan over aesthetics; 73% now manage clients on weight-loss drugs
NASM's survey of 1,133 U.S. trainers found 88% report clients now prioritize longevity over aesthetics and 73% manage clients on GLP-1 drugs, pushing trainers toward behavioral support and muscle retention. The report frames accountability and behavioral psychology as the irreplaceable human edge that algorithms can't replicate.
The Cadoo angle: Trainers say accountability is the value AI can't copy; Cadoo gives coaches a branded game where clients stake money and log AI-verified workouts, extending that accountability to the days between sessions.
Source: Fitt Insider / NASM 2026 State of the Personal Trainer Report · 2026-06-26
[GROW] Trainerize report: hybrid coaching is now the default trainer business model
The number: ~50% of trainers run hybrid coaching as their primary model; 64%+ use or explore AI tools
Trainerize's 2026 industry report finds roughly half of trainers now run hybrid (in-person plus online) coaching as their primary model versus 32% online-only and 14% in-person-only, while over 64% use or explore AI tools. Most onboard just one to five new clients a month, so growth hinges on systematized delivery rather than more acquisition.
The Cadoo angle: Hybrid coaches need a way to keep remote clients engaged between check-ins; a Cadoo branded game supplies staked, AI-verified daily accountability that scales past a trainer's fixed session schedule.
Source: Trainerize 2026 State of the Personal Training Industry Report · 2026-02-12
[ACCOUNTABILITY] Analysis: streaks, leaderboards and finite challenges are what keep fitness apps sticky
The number: 70-80% of fitness-app users drop off within three months; gamified apps have been shown to lift adherence ~27%
A 2026 analysis of gamification and Gen Z behavior finds streaks with social visibility drive sustained daily return, leaderboards build long-term community, and time-limited challenges re-engage lapsed users — against a backdrop where 70-80% of fitness-app users churn within three months. It echoes earlier research showing gamified apps can raise exercise adherence by roughly 27%.
The Cadoo angle: Cadoo is built from exactly these mechanics — shared leaderboards, streaks and finite staked challenges — but adds real money and AI-verified proof so the accountability is enforced, not just cosmetic.
Source: Gamification in Fitness Apps analysis (Medium) · 2026-05-01
Grow, retain, or get your community accountable? Try a free Cadoo demo game (steps, situps, pushups or squatups), or launch a branded game for your gym, studio, brand, or client roster — email Tim@cadoo.io or join the Cadoo Upside Hub at cadoo.games/brands.
📅 Week of July 14, 2026
🏷️ Fitness Brands
[GROW] Whoop raises $575M at $10.1B valuation, signals IPO ahead
The number: $575M Series G at a $10.1B valuation (roughly triple its 2021 mark)
Wearable maker Whoop closed a $575M Series G on March 31, 2026, tripling its valuation to $10.1B with backers including sovereign funds, Abbott, Mayo Clinic and pro athletes. The raise positions the recovery-and-strain tracker for an IPO and deeper clinical/health-platform expansion.
The Cadoo angle: A tracker brand chasing daily engagement could turn its passive Apple Health/Google Health data into money-staked Cadoo branded games that give members a concrete reason to hit their numbers every day.
Source: TechCrunch · 2026-03-31
[GROW] Garmin fitness segment revenue jumps 42% in Q1 2026
The number: Fitness segment revenue up 42% year-over-year in Q1 2026
Garmin reported a 42% year-over-year jump in fitness-segment revenue in Q1 2026, led by demand for advanced wearables, after a record 2025 across all five segments. The results underscore continued consumer appetite for devices that quantify workouts and recovery.
The Cadoo angle: Device brands with surging sales still need a reason for users to stay active; Cadoo's AI-verified, money-motivated branded challenges convert a tracker's step and workout data into recurring, stake-backed daily engagement.
Source: Garmin Ltd. (SEC 8-K) · April 2026
[ACCOUNTABILITY] Strava passes 195 million athletes as social kudos hit 14 billion
The number: 195M+ athletes; 14B kudos given in 2025 (up 2B YoY); 4B activities logged
Strava's 2026 figures cite more than 195 million athletes and 14 billion kudos exchanged in 2025, and the company has filed for an IPO on the strength of its social graph. Its growth is driven largely by social connection, with a majority of Gen Z users citing community as their top reason for joining fitness groups.
The Cadoo angle: Strava proves social visibility drives fitness behavior; Cadoo adds the missing financial stakes and AI-verified proof-of-workout so accountability translates into money on the line, not just likes.
Source: SQ Magazine · 2026
[ACCOUNTABILITY] Vuori uses in-store run clubs and community events to fuel athleisure growth
The number: ~$5.5B valuation; targeting 100+ stores by end of 2026, run as community hubs
Vuori has scaled to a roughly $5.5B valuation partly by turning retail stores into community hubs hosting run clubs, yoga and fitness classes, even as Nike's Greater China sales fell about 10% in fiscal Q3 2026. The activewear share shift favors brands built around community and lifestyle belonging.
The Cadoo angle: Brands investing in run clubs for belonging could extend that community online with Cadoo branded games, where members stake money and keep each other consistent between in-person events.
Source: OptiMonk · 2026
🏢 Fitness Businesses
[RETAIN] Industry-average annual gym retention sits at 66.4%, a 33.6% churn rate
The number: 66.4% average annual retention = 33.6% annual churn; cost is cited by 41% of cancellations
The HFA benchmarking data covering 175 companies and 17,000+ facilities pegs average annual gym retention at 66.4%, meaning roughly a third of members churn each year, with cost (41%) and time (23%) the top cancellation reasons. Strong operators hold 75-80% retention with monthly churn under 3%.
The Cadoo angle: Cadoo attacks churn's root cause, inconsistency between visits, by giving members a money-motivated, socially-accountable reason to keep showing up on the days they'd otherwise lapse.
Source: ABC Fitness / HFA 2025 Benchmarking Report · 2026
[RETAIN] Half of new gym members quit within six months; early no-shows predict cancellation
The number: Members who visit fewer than 4 times in month one have an ~80% chance of cancelling
Roughly half of new members quit before the six-month mark, and those attending fewer than four times in their first month carry about an 80% cancellation probability. The first 90 days are the decisive window for building a durable habit.
The Cadoo angle: A staked Cadoo onboarding challenge in a new member's first 30 days directly targets the visit-frequency threshold that predicts churn, using money and social accountability to force early consistency.
Source: Nutripy (Gym Retention Benchmarks 2026) · 2026
[GROW] Boutique studios raise prices and plan aggressive expansion into 2026
The number: 79% of studios plan new locations within 24 months; average class price up 6% to $21.32
Mariana Tek's 2026 report finds 79% of boutique studios planning new locations within two years and average class prices up 6% year-over-year, with Pilates the leading modality at 43% of studios. Growth is anchored in premium, community-driven, small-group experiences.
The Cadoo angle: Expanding studios competing on community can differentiate with Cadoo branded games that keep clients engaged and staking between the classes they've paid a premium to attend.
Source: Athletech News / Mariana Tek 2026 Boutique Fitness Report · 2026
[GROW] GLP-1 drugs projected to expand the fitness market by ~20%, or $6.8B
The number: ~20% projected market lift ($6.8B); 17 fitness clubs and 10 providers active in GLP-1 as of March 2026
As of March 2026, 17 fitness clubs and 10 solution providers have launched GLP-1 initiatives, with the medications projected to grow the gym/studio market by about 20%, or $6.8B. Chains including Planet Fitness, Gold's Gym and UFC Gym now pair medication programs with in-club fitness.
The Cadoo angle: GLP-1 users must exercise to preserve muscle, and Cadoo's money-motivated, AI-verified workout games give clinics and gyms a proven mechanism to keep those patients consistent between appointments.
Source: Inspire360 GLP-1 Health Club Intelligence Report · March 2026
[RETAIN] Weight-loss drugs push gyms toward strength training and muscle retention
The number: Only 13% of current GLP-1 users say they exercise more since starting
GLP-1 medications are reshaping gym demand toward strength and muscle preservation, but only 13% of current users report exercising more since starting the drugs. That gap leaves a large population that intends to be active but lacks a consistency mechanism.
The Cadoo angle: The 13% figure exposes an intention-to-action gap that Cadoo is built to close, using financial stakes and social accountability to convert GLP-1 users' intent into verified, repeated workouts.
Source: Axios · 2025-12-25
[ACCOUNTABILITY] Les Mills 2026 report: group-class members are 26% more loyal, and consumers want humans over AI
The number: Group-class members are 26% more likely to stay loyal; 45% of Gen Z seek out group workouts
Drawing on 10,000+ consumers, Les Mills' 2026 report finds group-class participants 26% more likely to stay loyal and 45% of Gen Z actively seeking group workouts, while flagging a preference for human connection over AI coaching. Community and sociability are framed as the core retention levers for a Gen Z-heavy market.
The Cadoo angle: Cadoo operationalizes the loyalty premium of community by letting members form money-staked groups and leagues that recreate group-class accountability every day, not just in class.
Source: Les Mills 2026 Global Fitness Report · January 2026
[RETAIN] Planet Fitness Q1 2026 revenue up 22% but the chain cuts its outlook on churn
The number: Revenue +22% to $337M and 21.5M members, but outlook cut amid elevated churn and soft net adds
Planet Fitness grew Q1 2026 revenue 22% to $337M and reached about 21.5M members, yet cut its full-year outlook citing softer net member additions and elevated churn. Even the largest value operator is signaling that retention, not acquisition, is the pressure point.
The Cadoo angle: For a high-volume, low-price operator, a branded Cadoo consistency game is a low-cost retention layer that keeps at-risk members engaged before elevated churn shows up in the numbers.
Source: Investing.com (earnings transcript) · May 2026
🧑🏫 Fitness Professionals
[GROW] Online and app-based coaching now captures 45% of the personal-training market
The number: Online/virtual delivery = 45% of the global training market
In 2026, virtual and app-based delivery accounts for about 45% of the personal-training market, and creator platforms let coaches keep roughly 80% of subscription revenue from clients they bring in. Owning a branded app is increasingly a baseline signal of professionalism for solo operators.
The Cadoo angle: Solo coaches building digital businesses can layer Cadoo money-staked, AI-verified challenges onto their programs to grow paid community and stand out beyond a standard workout-plan app.
Source: Specode (Personal Trainer App Development Guide 2026) · 2026
[RETAIN] Coaching goes 'productized' as trainers keep client progress visible between sessions
The number: 65%+ of active users engage with a coach or training app weekly
In 2026, clients expect coaching that adapts to real life and keeps progress visible even when they miss a week, with 65%+ of active users touching a coach or app weekly. AI-assisted tooling lets a single trainer profitably manage a larger client roster.
The Cadoo angle: Cadoo gives trainers a between-session retention tool: money-staked, camera-verified challenges that keep clients visibly accountable on the days they're not being coached, reducing silent drop-off.
Source: 1Fit (Best Personal Trainer Software 2026) · May 2026
[ACCOUNTABILITY] Group accountability and gamification measurably increase physical activity
The number: Randomized BE FIT (2017) and STEP UP (2019) trials show gamified social accountability significantly raises activity
Peer-reviewed trials (BE FIT, STEP UP) found that gamification tied to social accountability significantly increases physical activity, and 2026 coverage frames group accountability as the strongest lever for client consistency. The mechanism is repeated cues that someone is watching and progress is shared.
The Cadoo angle: Cadoo is a direct application of this evidence, combining gamified social accountability with real money stakes and AI-verified reps so a coach's clients stay consistent when willpower fades.
Source: CrossFit Burlingame (citing BE FIT and STEP UP trials) · 2026
Grow, retain, or get your community accountable? Try a free Cadoo demo game (steps, situps, pushups or squatups), or launch a branded game for your gym, studio, brand, or client roster — email Tim@cadoo.io or join the Cadoo Upside Hub at cadoo.games/brands.
🚀 Launch a Cadoo game for your brand, gym, studio, or clients
Every trend in this report points to the same fix: give people a daily, money-motivated, socially-accountable reason to stay consistent. Here's how to put one live under your name.
How do I launch a Cadoo fitness game?
Create one on the web in minutes — pick the activity (steps, situps, pushups, squatups, pullups, dipups, plank), set the goal, add a prize, and share the link. Start at cadoo.games/cyoc, or try a free demo game first at cadoo.games.
Can I add bigger prize pools?
Yes. Brands and enterprises can fund additional prize pools on top of player stakes to supercharge participation and retention — a proven lever for getting members and clients to show up. Ask us to set one up: Tim@cadoo.io.
What's the enterprise / brand offering?
The full package: custom-branded games and skins, funded prize pools, private leagues, AI-verified proof-of-workout, shareable branded UGC, and engagement reporting — so every workout your community does becomes your marketing and your retention. See cadoo.games/brands or email Tim@cadoo.io.
How are workouts verified?
Reps are checked by CadooVision's AI camera; steps and distance sync from Apple Health or Google Health Connect. No honor system — the money only moves on work people actually did.
Get fit. Get paid. Launch a game on the web · Enterprise & brands · Tim@cadoo.io
