Key Takeaways From HFA Show 2025: Advocacy, Strength Training & More
ATN breaks down the top themes that emerged at this year’s Health & Fitness Association trade show and conference
The HFA Show wrapped up last week in Las Vegas to much fanfare, gathering industry leaders from across the world for three days of product showcases, educational sessions, networking and plenty of late-night fun.
The show featured the latest and greatest in fitness equipment, as usual. But the event was also marked by a growing emphasis on professionalizing the fitness industry through political advocacy.
Athletech News breaks down the key takeaways from the 2025 edition of the HFA’s annual conference and trade show.
Advocacy Was the Word of the Week
The Health & Fitness Association (HFA) rebranded from IHRSA last year to draw more immediate attention to its role as the trade association representing the fitness industry.
At the HFA Show 2025, the organization’s first show under its new HFA name, one word was heard more than any other: advocacy.
“We have pivoted this organization to truly focus on advocacy and communications so that we are not left behind ever again,” HFA president and CEO Liz Clark said during a fireside keynote chat with Anytime Fitness co-founder Chuck Runyon, referring to the fitness industry’s status as a non-essential business during COVID-19.
Runyon focused much of his keynote talk on the importance of fitness industry stakeholders coming together to support HFA in its advocacy efforts.
“This industry is going to call upon you to share your stories with policymakers,” Runyon said, urging fitness business owners to become active in advocacy efforts and to consider donating to FitPAC, the HFA’s bipartisan Political Action Committee.
Elsewhere at the show, the topic of advocacy seemed ever-present. During a special educational session held on Wednesday and moderated by ATN founder and CEO Edward Hertzman, HFA executives and political advisors discussed the organization’s efforts to secure the fitness industry a bigger seat at the table in Washington, D.C. and in statehouses around the country.
“You have the best opportunity in decades to make a real difference for your industry,” said HFA political advisor Kelly Knowles, referring to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, which seems to open the door for the fitness industry to position itself as a key player in healthcare reform efforts being prioritized by health and human services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The AI Era Is Just Getting Started
If advocacy was the biggest topic of conversation at this year’s HFA Show, artificial intelligence wasn’t close behind.
During the HFA Show’s kick-off keynote last Wednesday, Shama Hyder, the founder and CEO of B2B marketing and PR agency Zen Media, had a message for the industry: fitness and wellness brands must (thoughtfully) embrace AI, or risk getting left behind.
“The brands that prioritize adaptability and innovation will lead the next era of fitness,” Hyder said.
Hyder challenged fitness brands to leverage AI as a tool to create deeper human connections, personalize their offerings and build community-driven spaces. She urged executives not to buy into fears that AI will replace human intelligence – instead, it should be used as a powerful tool to enhance human capabilities.
“The future isn’t about competing with AI – it’s about competing with AI as your partner, or even your doppelganger,” she said.
On the trade show floor, brands including Technogym and EGYM put the spotlight on their AI innovations.
Technogym highlighted products like Checkup, its AI-powered assessment station that gives users their “wellness age” based on factors including strength, balance, mobility and even cognitive abilities.
EGYM put the spotlight on Genius, an AI-powered system that creates personalized workout routines for users and connects the entire gym floor.
Equipment Makers Show Their Strength
Strength training has been one of the biggest trends in fitness for a few years now, but it truly made itself felt at this year’s HFA Show.
On the trade show floor, equipment makers of all sizes unveiled new strength training equipment, including plenty of plate-loaded equipment and some new takes on familiar favorites.
In a nod to its new name, Life Fitness / Hammer Strength placed much emphasis on its famous Hammer Strength line of plate-loaded machines. The company unveiled new products including the Pendulum X Squat, an impressive take on the popular pendulum squat machine.
Matrix Fitness thought similarly, unveiling ten new additions to its Magnum series of Plate-loaded strength machines. As Matrix pushes deeper into strength training, the brand’s new “Strength That Never Rests” slogan featured prominently at its booth during the show.
Freemotion Fitness might be known for its dual cable machine, but at the HFA Show 2025, the iFIT subsidiary put the spotlight on Epic, its own line of plate-loaded equipment (along with its new Nordic Track Ultra 1 luxury treadmill).
Aktiv Solutions held an exclusive viewing of its new Gym Rax 3D Trainer at ATN’s invite-only party held last Thursday night at the Park MGM. Attendees got an up-close-and-personal look at Aktiv’s standout machine, which mimics the freedom of barbell training while offering the benefits of a traditional smith machine, including the lack of a need for supervision.
Precor highlighted its collaboration with Nike, showcasing Nike-branded bumper plates, barbells and dumbbells at its booth.
Meanwhile, newcomers like Skelcore unveiled innovations including a leg press machine that allows users to switch between single-leg and dual-leg pressing. Founded in 2020, the Miami-based Skelcore is quickly making waves in the industry, establishing a reputation for high-quality, outside-of-the-box equipment that’s accentuated by eye-grabbing chrome plates.
Recovery & Longevity Make Their Way Inside Gyms
If strength training was the biggest trend on the trade show floor, it was followed closely by the rise of various wellness, recovery and longevity tools that you’re sure to see inside your favorite club, gym or studio soon, if you haven’t already.
WellnessSpace Brands unveiled two new advanced recovery products: the PolarWave Dry Plunge, which offers a full-body cold plunge experience without water, and the RedZone sauna, which combines red light therapy with multiple forms of infrared heat to enhance recovery and overall well-being. Both products are expected to start shipping in late Q3 or Q4 of this year, the company told ATN.
Evolt, a fast-growing Australian health tech brand, showcased its flagship Evolt 360, an advanced body-composition scanner that analyzes key metrics including muscle mass, visceral fat, hydration levels and more through advanced bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). The Evolt Active App then delivers personalized recommendations to users, including calorie, macronutrient and supplement recommendations.
Fresh off a $20 million funding round, Evolt scanners are already in use at gyms around the world, including Anytime Fitness and Snap Fitness locations.
InBody, another top body-scanning brand, also showcased its tech at this year’s show, including innovations like the InGrip, a handheld dynamometer that measures handgrip strength. The brand even hosted a grip strength challenge for HFA Show attendees at its booth.