IHRSA 2023 Conference + Tradeshow Highlights 

IHRSA 2023 took place last week in San Diego, CA bringing the fitness industry together to reconnect, inspire and grow. The Active team is feeling reinspired and motivated for what’s to come with the fitness industry.

Here are our top learnings and insights from the IHRSA 2023 Conference + Tradeshow:

• Effort Tracking. Effort tracking was a trending product on the tradeshow floor this year. We liked the effort tracking Aqua Training Bag with a sensor was notable, which provides real-time data as you punch the bag. It can be used in group training programs as well. 
• Brain + Body Training. As fitness experts, we know that training is not only good for the body but also for our brain including cognitive and mental health. At IHRSA this year, we saw companies like SmartFit  and  Dividat who are focused on delivering products that help with cognitive health to improve overall well-being. Other products include A-Champs ROX and BlazePod. Team Active is focused on how to apply these tools to our offerings.
• Connecting with Preferred Partners. Myzone had their biggest product launch in 12 years. They are focused on making classes more efficient for the instructor to really lead and motivate through their station screens. Myzone also launched an integration with maps in their app for all those runners out there as well as their biggest integration, allowing Apple Watch to integrate and upload heart rate data to the Myzone App.
• Recovery is Booming. The recovery market is exploding, and that was apparent at the IHRSA 2023 tradeshow with Hydromassage, cryotherapy, red light therapy, percussion, and more. Cryotherapy featured a whole body chamber as a piece of equipment that could be added to your fitness center offering. We also like the Hyperice tools that were highlighted for users on the move like Hypervolt GO, Venom GO and Normatec GO.
  
• Inspiring Sessions + Keynotes. Our team took the time to learn and listen last week from industry experts as well as IHRSA’s keynote presenters Former U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 member Robert O'Neill and Cassandra Worthy. Our favorite quotes about team leadership and staying calm under pressure from O’Neill included:

• “All stress is self induced stress.” 
• “Panic is contagious but so is calmness.”
• “Are you teaching your team to do their job or are you doing their job for them?”

Keynote Cassandra Worthy delivered an energizing fresh perspective on how to embrace opportunities for change for the better. Worthy said, “I’m a firm believer that resilience is not something we’re born with but something we practice and build over time. You can get bitter or you can get better.” 

A few other session takeaways and themes included:

• Transparency is key  - publish online pricing & facilitate easy cancellations 
• Outcome tracking is critical to building credibility with the medical community
• Consumers are willing to pay fair pricing for fitness and wellness solutions
• As people seek happiness and better mental wellness, industries are capitalizing on this in our post-pandemic world. The fitness industry must offer tangible solutions to become a valuable resource for holistic health.

Active’s President + CEO Bill McBride presented Strategy Implementation & Finance Management to session attendees where he covered the full continuum of taking a strategic thinking framework through implementation and operations to achieve measurable financial success. 

And as always, Team Active’s top highlight was our time reconnecing in person and strengthening our partnerships. To our team, partners and IHRSA, thank you for yet another outstanding Conference and Tradeshow! 

As experts in fitness center management and fitness center design, it was an honor connecting with industry colleagues and vendors to help deliver an exceptional member experience to our partner sites. Learn more about our services here or connect with our team at ourteam@activewellness.com