Shows
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 73 - Can Gamification Make You Healthier? The Surprising Power of Play | FIBO 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Host Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness attended FIBO in Cologne, Germany, joined by guest co-host Grace McNamara, Partnerships Director EMEA at Elfie. In part 2 of this episode, Matthew and Grace are joined by: Igor Krezić, Founder & CEO of Rolla. Riccardo Turri, CEO of Starpool. Marco Stefano Guiducci, VP International Sales at EGym. This episode covers: Redefining longevity as quality of life rather than just extended lifespan. Democratizing the term "athlet...2025-05-1851 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 72 - AI in Fitness: Industry Leaders Discuss Practical Applications Beyond the Hype | FIBO 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mohammed Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended FIBO in Cologne, Germany. (correct location?) In part 1 of this episode, Matthew and Mohammed are joined by: Gregory Gird, Marketing Manager of Octiv Grace McNamara, Partnerships Direcetor EMEA at Elfie Klaus Mueller, CEO at Wictory.ai This episode covers: Importance of data quality for effective AI implementation. Evidence-based AI development and...2025-05-1152 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 71 - Beyond the Hype: Tim Gray on Biohacking’s Real Impact on Health | PerformX LIVE 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended PerformX 2025. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Tim Gray, Founder & CEO of The Health Optimisation Summit. This episode covers: Biohacking industry growth. Balancing extreme practices with health fundamentals. Tim's personal biohacking journey. Limitations of traditional healthcare. Importance of data-driven health decisions. Potential for gyms to leverage health data. Navigating health supplements and...2025-05-0442 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 70 - The Rise of Budget Boutique Fitness in Europe – What’s Driving the Boom? | EHFF "Live" at FIBO 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended EHFF 2025 in Cologne, Germany. In part 2 of this episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by: Michelle Dand, Head of Fitness Product and Programming of David Lloyd. Benjamin Roth, Co-Founder and CEO of Urban Sports Club. Jim Pisani, CEO and Board Member of Life Fitness Hammer Strength. David Stalker, Ambassador for EuropeActive. Th...2025-04-271h 02
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 69 - Future Fitness: Tech Meets Wellness at EHFF 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended EHFF 2025 in Cologne, Germany. In part 1 of this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by: Herman Rutgers, Ambassador at EuropeActive Stefan Ludwig, Partner, Leiter Sport Business Gruppe at Deloitte Deutschland Elaine Jobson, CEO and MD of Jetts Australia Conor O'Loughlin, Chief Revenue Officer of ABC Fitness Mike Escobedo, Chief Customer Officer, ABC Fitn...2025-04-2055 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 68 - Personal Training is Shifting Toward Holistic Health Coaching | Richard Boyd at PerformX 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended PerformX 2025. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Richard Boyd, Director or Global Wellness Designs. This episode covers: COVID-19's impact on personal training industry. Shift in trainer authority due to increased consumer knowledge. Balancing technology and human connection in PT. AI integration in program design and PT's evolving role. Expanding PT role...2025-04-1344 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 67 - Beachbody’s Secret to 25 Years of Fitness Success with Carl Daikeler | Connected Health & FitnessWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended Connected Health & Fitness Summit event in Los Angeles. Thank you to our sponsor, Flex (withflex.com) of these LIFTS episodes. Flex is the holistic solution for accepting HSA/FSA. They work with their partners to navigate the regulatory and compliance landscape. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Carl Daikeler, CEO of The Beac...2025-04-0656 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 66 - The Rise of Recovery, Retention Strategies, and Fitness Tech | HFA 2025Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks, CSO of ABC Fitness attended HFA 2025 in Las Vegas. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by: ● Kathleen Ferguson, founder and CEO of Coach 360. ● Jarrod Saracco, President/Owner of Health Club Doctor. ● Nicole Dunn, CEO of Dunn Pellier Media, Inc. ● Debra Strougo, Fitness Founder. ● Natalia Karbasova, Founder & CEO of FitTech Club. ● Julian Barnes, Co-Founder and CEO of BFS. ● Jarron Aizen, CEO & Founder of Hapana. ● Ross Ca...2025-03-301h 20
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 65 - Recovery, Tech & Innovation: The Fitness Landscape Transformed | HFA 2025 with ABC FitnessWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks, CSO of ABC Fitness attended HFA 2025 in Las Vegas. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Finn Hegarty, Chief Product Officer, ABC Fitness and Mike Hansen, Chief Growth Officer, SweatWorks. Taking to the floor of the show, they discuss what they have seen at this year’s event and the key messages and themes within...2025-03-2317 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 64 - MIORA by Life Time: The Future of Longevity & Peak Performance | PerformX 2025 with Jeff ZwiefelWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended PerformX 2025. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Jeff Zwiefel, Executive Director of MIORA Longevity & Performance at Life Time. This episode covers: Longevity and healthspan focus. Consumer empowerment in health. Evolution of personal trainer roles. Lifetime's "healthy way of life" concept. MIORA: Lifetime's longevity program. Challenges in implementing longevity services. Dem...2025-03-1642 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 63 - Everlast’s Secret to Staying Ahead in the Fitness Industry | PerformX 2025 with Dan SummersonWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended PerformX 2025. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Dan Summerson, Managing Director of Everlast Gyms at Frasers Group. This episode covers: Dan's career progression to Everlast. Everlast's hybrid fitness model. Focus on younger demographics. Modern environment and social media impact. Innovation and open culture. Wearables and data integration. Boutique experience in big box s...2025-03-0943 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 62 - Gabby Reece’s Holistic Wellness Formula: Sun, Nutrition & SleepWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended Connected Health & Fitness Summit event in Los Angeles. Thank you to our sponsor, Flex (withflex.com) of these LIFTS episodes. Flex is the holistic solution for accepting HSA/FSA. They work with their partners to navigate the regulatory and compliance landscape. In this LIFTS episode, Matthew and Mo are joined by Gabby Reece, Podcast Host and Ke...2025-03-0234 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 60 - Personalized Health & Fitness: The Next Big Trend from the Connected Health & Fitness SummitWelcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks attended Connected Health & Fitness Summit 2025 event in Los Angeles. Thank you to our sponsor, Flex (withflex.com) of these LIFTS episodes. Flex is the holistic solution for accepting HSA/FSA. They work with their partners to navigate the regulatory and compliance landscape. In part 1 of this podcast episode, Matthew and Mo interviewed: Eric Bormel, Director, Consumer He...2025-02-2358 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 53 - Shaping the Industry: Key Themes for 2025 at PerformX Live | Giles DenningWelcome to the last episode of LIFTS in 2024, your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. Today, hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks, are joined by Giles Denning, Head of Marketing, PerformX. Matthew and Mo are on the advisory board of PerformX Live, an event that is the business of fitness, a powerhouse environment and is taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on 26th & 27th February 2025. The conversation in this episode introduces listeners to the themes that will be discussed on the main stage a...2024-12-2944 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 42 - Client Connectivity, Strength Training's Surge in Popularity | Jack Thomas | The Fit GuideOn this LIFTS podcast, Escape Fitness CEO, Matthew Januszek and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks are joined by Jack Thomas, Co-Founder of The Fit Guide, the only global, independent rating system for premium fitness clubs and studios. This episode discusses The Fit Guides comprehensive report on fitness industry standards, evaluating global clubs across various modalities. This episode delves into exploring the importance of client connection, the continued boom in popularity of strength training, driven by consumer demand and research on longevity, and the opportunities that the boutique fitness sector has still to maximize. Matthew...2024-09-2240 min
Just FlexItMatthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Podcast host of Escape Your Limits Podcast, Visits Just FlexIt™Matthew Januszek, a titan in the entrepreneurial realm for nearly three decades, boasts a legacy marked by innovation and foresight. As the Co-Founder of Escape Fitness, a venture he spearheaded 27 years ago, Januszek has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the fitness industry. The company’s approach was to focus on creating equipment and training programs that aligned with the principles of functional fitness, which emphasizes movements that mimic real-life activities and improve overall strength, flexibility, and coordination.His visionary leadership extends beyond the boardroom, as he also hosts the widely acclaimed Escape Your Li...2024-05-1436 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Episode 27 - The Pain of Inevitable Change | Innovating for the Future of Fitness.On this week’s episode of LIFTS. Escape Fitness CEO, Matthew Januszek and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of SweatWorks sit down one on one to discuss their thoughts on the changing landscape of the health and fitness industry. They explore opportunities for partnering brands with the LIFTS podcast and examine challenges faced by companies like Stages. Matthew and Mo also dive into trends in wellness offerings, industry consolidation, and how brands can better serve evolving consumer needs. Tune in to hear their insights on navigating change and pursuing new opportunities for progress in this dynamic sector. 2024-05-1235 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSLIFTS Ep 2 - Nike Strength Equipment, Sports Illustrated & Barre3's Acquisition: Latest Fitness Industry NewsWelcome back to the second episode of L.I.F.T.S. bringing you the latest industry fitness trends and stories hitting the headlines and stirring up some debate. Building on the success of last week’s launch, LIFTS is back to delve into this week’s news and for this episode hosts Matthew Januszek, Co-Founder of Escape Fitness and Mo Iqbal, Founder & CEO of Sweatworks, are joined by special guest Debra Strougo Frohlich, Founder of Row House. Every week, our intrepid hosts will discuss the breaking news, providing their own perspective on the headlines whils...2023-10-2527 min
The Frankie Lee Podcast154 - Matthew Januszek - DO THIS to Scale Your Business in a Competitive NicheIn this episode, I sat down with Matthew Januszek founder of Escape Fitness. Escape is one of the premium UK fitness brands that is now has equipment featured in gyms world wide including Anytime Fitness.We dive into the journey of going from a fabrication company in the early days into a fully fledged manufacturing company. Matthew is a true entrepreneur and his insights come from years of doing global business.Matt breaks down the differences between business in the UK & US market.I hope you get a lot from...2023-08-231h 15
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSEp 285- Discovering the Latest Fitness Trends: IHRSA 2023 TradeshowOn this week’s episode of the Escape Your Limits Podcast, Escape Fitness had the opportunity to attend IHRSA 2023. The convention offered brand new learning experiences with featured speakers from various industries, giving fitness professionals the chance to discover parallels and innovations across a wide spectrum of expertise. There, our co-hosts, Matthew Januszek & Emma Barry, walked the floor to find out what's new at the tradeshow, what the latest fitness trends hitting the market are, and what else is happening in the fitness world! With so much to see, and so many new people to ta...2023-04-021h 20
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSEp 279 - NEW & TRENDING: What's New in Fitness? | LA Connected Health & Fitness SummitOn this week’s episode of the Escape Your Limits Podcast, we were very fortunate to be invited to The Connected Health & Fitness Summit, where our host, Matthew Januszek, had the opportunity to present on a panel. At this event, Emma Barry & Matthew interviewed multiple successful companies who have integrated tech into fitness and have changed the world of fittech. The Connected Health & Fitness Summit highlights the increased desire for a hybrid approach, demand for more holistic health offerings, and a preference for a highly personalized fitness experience. Today, we had the opportunity to connect wi...2023-02-191h 06
Strong Mind, Strong BodyThe State of Fitness with Matthew JanuszekReady to hear the real goods on the state of the fitness industry, from entrepreneurship to the latest trends, and how to create some of the coolest fitness spaces?On this episode of “Strong Mind, Strong Body,” join host Angie Miller, along with her featured guest, Matthew Januszek, Co-founder of Escape Fitness, and Escape Your Limits Podcast Host, for this one of kind discussion on the future of the fitness field.Matthew will share his expertise on how he has carved out a niche in an ever-evolving industry and why innovation, collaboration, and reinvention are the...2023-02-0848 min
Escape Your Limits & LIFTSEp 273 - Most Talked About Clips of 2022|Jerry Brainum|Gabrielle Lyon|Bret Contreras|Danny Torgl|Jon Jon ParkOn this week’s episode of the Escape Your Limits Podcast, we dive into our top guests of 2022. Out of all 52 amazing episodes that we released last year, we were able to narrow down our top six by going through hundreds of thousands of views, comments, and likes. The Escape Your Limits Podcast was created to deliver on-demand, inspirational, valuable content to our audience. Each week, we connect with industry leaders on an ever-widening array of offerings on every topic imaginable. Our host, Matthew Januszek, reflects on the top moments with each of these guests, an...2023-01-081h 37
Spirit Gym with Paul ChekEP 215 — Matt Nichol, Mindy Mylrea and Matthew Januszek: Fitness PhilosophyHow has fitness evolved as a practice and industry so far in the 21st Century? Has it changed for the better or worse? Where is fitness heading and what does that means for your life and health?Paul talks to a legendary trio of fitness veterans — Matt Nichol, Mindy Mylrea and Matthew Januszek — who share their valuable insights about the future of exercise and performance in this very special Living 4D podcast.Find out more about Matt’s work at his website and on Instagram. Learn more about Mindy’s mission on One Day to W...2022-11-152h 22