Fitness Industry Intelligence
The Career Network for Health, Fitness & Performance
Fitness talent retention is the operating problem that separates studios gaining ground from studios replacing the same role every quarter. Operators are posting jobs. Coaches and trainers are looking. The two sides keep missing each other. The gap between what today’s fitness professionals want from their careers and what most studios currently offer is widening, and the cost lands on both sides of the transaction.
Coach360’s latest report, The Talent Shift, examines why that disconnect persists and what the operators closing it share in common. The report features interviews with executives at Crunch Fitness, MADabolic, and Life Time, each running a different model at a different scale, each arriving at a similar conclusion about what holds a coaching team together. What follows are the operational lessons drawn directly from those conversations.
Trainer turnover in boutique and franchise studios runs between 30% and 80% annually, depending on market and model. Every departure triggers a sequence operators know too well: vacant class slots, client attrition during the gap, recruiting time, onboarding costs, and brand erosion that members feel weeks before it shows up in the numbers. The financial damage runs $15,000 to $30,000 per studio per year when you combine lost revenue, administrative hours, and the invisible drag of a weaker member experience.
The Talent Shift report found that the reasons coaches leave have shifted. Compensation still matters, but it is no longer the primary exit driver for most departures. Today’s coaches, particularly younger professionals entering the field, are evaluating career growth, daily culture, scheduling flexibility, and whether anyone in leadership notices their work. Studios that treat coaching roles as interchangeable positions lose their best people to studios that do not.
Pamela J. Brown, Executive Vice President and Head of People & Culture at Crunch Fitness, describes a retention philosophy built on a deceptively simple principle: every interaction between staff and leadership is a moment of truth. That phrase carries weight inside Crunch because it shapes who gets hired, not just how they are managed after.
Hospitality is a core hiring criterion at Crunch. Not just for front-desk staff. For trainers and coaches. The logic runs deeper than customer service language: if you hire people who care instinctively about the experience they create for others, retention follows because those people feel aligned with the brand rather than just employed by it. They stay because the work matches how they operate. The ones who leave were never going to stay regardless of the pay structure.
Kristi Wass, VP of Marketing at MADabolic, outlines a talent pipeline that most boutique operators overlook completely: their own client base. MADabolic’s strongest group fitness coaches started as members first. They already understand the programming, the energy, and the culture before they ever lead a class. That is not an accident. It is a system.
The brand’s two-day Training Camp filters for coaching skill and brand alignment at the same time. It costs more time and coordination upfront than a standard audition. It also produces coaches who stay longer because the fit was tested before the offer, not after. For boutique operators running tight margins, the cost of one bad hire measured in vacant classes and client churn makes the upfront investment in a real screening process look cheap.
Efonda Sproles, Sr. Vice President of Scouting and Talent Strategy Acquisition at Life Time, describes a hiring philosophy borrowed from Steve Jobs: lead the consumer rather than waiting for them to tell you what they want. Applied to talent strategy, this means Life Time actively constructs the roles and career paths that high-caliber fitness professionals need before those professionals start shopping for them.
The result is a pipeline that attracts coaches who think in terms of career trajectory, not next-quarter scheduling. Coaches who see a clear progression from floor trainer to lead to department head to district leadership do not spend time browsing other opportunities. The retention isn’t built on compensation alone. It is built on the visible architecture of a career.
“We stopped guessing why people left and started asking what made them stay. The answers were never about money first. It was career path, daily respect, and whether leadership paid attention to their work. Once we built those into operations, our turnover numbers moved.”
— Multi-location studio operator, 6 years in fitness management
The Talent Shift report identifies patterns shared by operators with the strongest retention numbers. These are not culture-committee projects that take a year to implement. They are operational changes that shift how coaches experience working for you.
Restructure onboarding beyond the first week. Most studios spend three to five days showing a new coach the software, the class schedule, and the locker code. Then they expect that coach to perform at the level of someone who has been on the team for a year. A structured 30-day onboarding plan with clear benchmarks (week one: shadow two classes, week two: lead one assisted, week three: solo with feedback session, week four: full schedule review) gives new coaches evidence that the role is real.
Ask coaches what they actually want. Not in a group meeting. In a one-on-one conversation where the answer matters and someone writes it down. Scheduling flexibility, continuing education support, performance-based pay tiers, and visible career progression are the four areas that come up most often across The Talent Shift interviews. If you are guessing what your coaches need, you are already behind the operators who asked.
Use tools that reduce operational friction. The report profiles platforms solving specific pieces of the retention puzzle: Walla for studio management, SoundHound AI for front-desk automation, FitHire by Coach360 for connecting operators with qualified coaching talent at zero acquisition cost. Studios that invest in operational infrastructure free up leadership bandwidth for the retention work that actually moves numbers. The operator who spends five hours a week on scheduling is the operator who never gets to the one-on-one conversation with the coach who is about to leave.
AI is reshaping what studio staff spend their time on. The longevity movement has raised client expectations for what a coach should know about metabolic health, sleep architecture, and recovery science. Social media has blurred the line between influence and actual coaching competence, making hiring decisions harder for operators who cannot tell the difference between a following and a skill set. And a new generation of certified fitness professionals is choosing where to work with greater intention, weighing daily appreciation, career visibility, and stability over brand recognition.
Operators who adjust their hiring, onboarding, and retention systems to match those shifts will hold onto the coaches who hold onto their members. That is the math. And the math does not change based on studio size. A 200-member boutique and a 5,000-member club lose revenue through the same mechanism: the coach that members trusted is gone, and nobody told the members why.
Download The Talent Shift report from Coach360 for full interviews with Crunch, MADabolic, and Life Time executives, plus profiles of the platforms helping operators of every size build teams that last.
The strongest operators focus on four areas: structured onboarding that extends past the first week, regular one-on-one conversations about career goals, scheduling flexibility, and visible pay progression. The Talent Shift report from Coach360 found that coaches who see a defined career path stay significantly longer than those who view the role as temporary.
Trainer turnover in boutique and franchise studios typically falls between 30% and 80% annually, depending on market and operating model. Each departure costs an estimated $15,000 to $30,000 per studio per year when factoring lost class revenue, recruiting costs, onboarding time, and member attrition during the vacancy. The compounding effect is what makes it an operating crisis rather than a staffing inconvenience.
MADabolic hires from its own client base. Crunch screens for hospitality instincts alongside coaching skill. Life Time builds career paths proactively so coaches see long-term opportunity from day one. The methods differ, but the common factor across all three brands is treating fitness talent retention as a system built into operations rather than a reaction triggered by turnover.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Three days in Los Angeles covering the conversations reshaping fitness in 2026
The Connected Health and Fitness Summit ran February 18 through 20 in Los Angeles, its seventh year and still one of the few industry gatherings that earns its own momentum. The event brought together coaches, studio operators, investors, and technology founders under a theme that matched where the most pressing industry conversations actually live: uniting fitness, health, and technology for club and community success.
What the Summit does well is create space for both the formal session and the conversation it generates. A Networking Zone, Expo Hall, and Movement Zone ran throughout a packed but paced schedule, so attendees weren’t choosing between a panel and a meaningful introduction. That design is harder to get right than it looks, and it’s a large part of why the people who show up here tend to come back.
Here’s what coaches and studio operators should take from three days in Los Angeles.
The Summit assembled voices from across the operational range of the wellness industry, from boutique operators to enterprise brands to emerging technology. Each brought a perspective shaped by a different set of pressures, which made the programming more useful than a room full of agreement.
Hal Hargrave | The Perfect Step
Adaptive fitness and community-driven programming, relevant for coaches building inclusive client rosters and operators expanding their programming reach.
Charles Rosenblatt | Butter Payments
Payment infrastructure and revenue optimization for fitness businesses, directly applicable to studio operators managing subscription and membership models.
Jeff Zwiefel | Life Time MIORA Longevity and Performance
High-performance longevity programming at scale, relevant for coaches positioned at the premium health optimization end of the market.
Laura Wilson | Natural Pilates
Boutique studio growth and retention philosophy in a competitive urban market.
Ruth Sylvia | VP of Product Management, MyFitnessPal
Consumer behavior data and digital health integration, with implications for coaches managing client tracking and engagement outside the gym.
Steve Padis | CFO and EVP of Strategy, Barry’s
Financial strategy and brand expansion at franchise scale, with lessons applicable to any operator thinking about sustainable growth rather than fast growth.
A virtual keynote featuring Anthony Geisler and Gary Brecka extended the programming to remote attendees and added perspective on where the fitness and wellness industries are converging at the ownership and investment level.
The Summit’s panel programming covered four areas that map directly to decisions coaches and studio operators are making in 2026. Below is each topic with the practical implication that matters for the Coach360 audience.
| Panel | What It Means for Coaches and Operators |
| Designing Desire: The Next Evolution of Prestige in Fitness | Premium experience is being redefined beyond equipment and square footage. Coaches operating in the boutique or high-touch space need to understand what clients are willing to pay for now, and what they are comparing you against. |
| Adapting Your Offerings for the GLP Era | GLP-1 medications are already in your client roster, whether you know it or not. This session addressed how to program, communicate, and structure training for clients whose body composition is changing through pharmaceutical intervention alongside exercise. |
| The Business of Women’s Health: What Will Define 2026 | Women’s health is the fastest-growing programming conversation in fitness. Coaches who understand hormonal periodization, perimenopause programming, and life-stage-specific training are positioned ahead of a market that is actively looking for this expertise. |
| The Community Catalyst: How Connection Drives Retention, Revenue and Reach | The retention data is consistent: clients who feel connected to a community cancel less and refer more. This session examined what building that connection actually requires operationally, not just philosophically. |
GLP-1 medications have moved from a niche topic to a mainstream coaching reality in the past 18 months. The Summit dedicated a full session to it because the clients are already there. Coaches who have not developed a framework for programming alongside GLP-1 use are behind conversations their clients are already having with their doctors.
Coach360 will publish a dedicated GLP-1 programming guide in the coming weeks. If this is a gap in your current practice, it is worth addressing before clients bring it to you.
The Innovation Showcase is one of the most useful segments of Connected each year. Emerging companies pitch directly to a room of decision-makers and investors. For coaches and operators, it is a preview of the tools that will be part of standard conversations within two to three years.
Coach360 won the Innovation Showcase at the 2025 Summit, a recognition that validated FitHire and the Coach360 media platform as a meaningful development in how the fitness industry approaches staffing and talent. Watching the next round of companies step up carries specific weight when you have been in that position.
Related: Career Lab by Coach360 and FitHire by Coach360 built on the foundation that earned that recognition.
Jim Crowell, Eloiza Tecson, Eric Bormel, Nate Kline, and Alex Alimanestianu reviewed the presenting lineup, which brought five distinct approaches to the near future of fitness technology.
| Presenter | Company | Relevance for Coaches and Operators |
| Ivan Tchatchouwo | The Zone | Performance analytics and zone-based training protocols for group fitness environments. |
| Meridith Cass | Nix Biosensors | Real-time sweat biomarker monitoring for hydration and physiological load. Relevant for coaches managing high-output training populations. |
| Raj Sareen | Styku | 3D body composition scanning and data visualization. Directly applicable for coaches doing body recomposition work with GLP-1 and non-GLP-1 clients. |
| Scott Dickens | FORM Swim | Smart swim goggles with real-time performance metrics, expanding data-driven coaching into a significantly undertapped modality. This year’s Showcase winner. |
| Sukemasa Kabayama | Uplift Labs | AI-powered movement analysis for identifying compensation patterns and injury risk, with applications across performance and rehabilitation coaching. |
FORM Swim · Presented by Scott Dickens, VP of Global Sales Channels and Partnerships
FORM Swim’s win is worth examining beyond the recognition. Swim is the most underserved modality in coaching technology. The gap between data tools available for strength, conditioning, and cycling versus what exists for swimming has been significant for years. A wearable that delivers real-time metrics inside the water, without disrupting the session, closes part of that gap and opens the coaching conversation in a pool environment that has largely operated on feel and stopwatch timing.
For coaches who program multi-sport or triathlon clients, and for facilities with pool access, FORM Swim is worth evaluating before wider adoption makes it a standard expectation.
Three themes from Connected 2026 carry enough weight that they will show up in coaching conversations, hiring decisions, and facility programming decisions over the next year. None of them are speculative. Each reflects work already underway in the rooms that were in Los Angeles.
The Summit surfaces conversations that are already happening in the rooms most coaches and operators do not have access to. These three themes were not predictions. They were observations from the people building businesses around them right now.
Identify one of these three themes that applies to your current client roster. Spend 30 minutes this week mapping what you already know, what you need to learn, and what you would tell a client if they asked about it tomorrow.
FAQ · CONNECTED HEALTH AND FITNESS SUMMIT 2026
The Connected Health and Fitness Summit is an annual conference bringing together fitness coaches, studio operators, investors, and technology companies. The 2026 event was the seventh annual Summit, held February 18 through 20 in Los Angeles under the theme “Uniting Fitness, Health and Tech for Club and Community Success.”
FORM Swim, presented by Scott Dickens, VP of Global Sales Channels and Partnerships, won the 2026 Innovation Showcase. The selection committee included Jim Crowell, Eloiza Tecson, Eric Bormel, Nate Kline, and Alex Alimanestianu. Coach360 won the Innovation Showcase at the 2025 Summit.
The 2026 Summit covered prestige experience design in fitness, GLP-1 programming adaptation, women’s health as a business category, and community-driven retention strategy. The Innovation Showcase featured five technology companies presenting tools across performance analytics, biomarker monitoring, body composition scanning, swim coaching, and AI movement analysis.
GLP-1 medications are already present in active training populations. Coaches who have not developed a programming framework for clients using these medications are behind a conversation that is accelerating quickly. The Connected Summit dedicated a full panel session to GLP-1 adaptation, reflecting how central it has become to fitness business planning in 2026.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
How Brandon Cullen and Kirk Dewaele built a strength franchise on the quality of who teaches it
MAD = Momentum Anaerobic Durability
Co-Founders: Brandon Cullen and Kirk Dewaele · Former professional hockey players
Headquarters: Charlotte, NC · Website: madabolic.com · LinkedIn: @madabolic
A good coach can hold a room. A great one makes someone move better six months later because of what they taught in a single session. MADabolic has built an entire hiring philosophy around that gap, and it shows in how the brand screens, onboards, and retains its training staff.
MADabolic was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011 by Brandon Cullen and Kirk Dewaele, both former professional hockey players who saw a specific gap in the group fitness market. There were no high-quality training systems built for people who prioritize strength, value structure, and demand results. The brand they built around that observation is now in 35-plus locations with more than 60 in development nationwide.
The approach that drives both the programming and the coaching standard is simple on paper and demanding in practice: structure over chaos, consistency over variety, qualified trainers over cheerleaders.
MADabolic describes itself as the industry’s strength gym, and the programming supports the claim. Every workout interval is built at the Charlotte flagship by Cullen and Dewaele, then distributed to every location through an internal platform that calls out points of performance, common movement flaws, and coaching cues for each exercise. The session a client takes in Denver is the same session running in Philadelphia or Atlanta on the same day.
That centralized program design is a deliberate structural choice. It frees coaches to put full attention on the room rather than the whiteboard, on watching how people move rather than thinking about what comes next. The programming is already solved. The coaching is the job.
Clients have also changed in what they want from training. People want to feel capable and durable, not wrecked. MADabolic’s 50-minute, four-times-per-week model was built around longevity and movement quality over intensity for its own sake, and the coaches the brand develops are expected to understand that distinction and hold it in every session.
MADabolic’s tagline is the training floor’s operating principle: 50 minutes. 4x/week. Unmatched results. The coaching staff is what turns that formula into something a client can actually feel six weeks in.
The brand’s first preference is internal. Most of MADabolic’s coaching staff started as clients. Training inside the system and experiencing the program firsthand builds a level of belief that credentials alone do not produce. A coach who has done the reps inside MADabolic’s own methodology communicates it differently than one who learned it on an intake sheet.
For external candidates, the profile is specific: former athletes who are outgoing, coachable, and drawn to structure. Strength and conditioning credentials carry weight in the evaluation, but coachability ranks above almost everything else on the list.
Every prospective trainer at MADabolic, regardless of experience level or prior credentials, goes through the same process before they coach a single class. There are no shortcuts based on resume.
| Stage | What Happens and Why It Matters |
| Two-Day Training Camp | An in-house intensive covering the MADabolic system, methodology, and coaching expectations. This is where the brand communicates its standard directly, not through a handbook but through the work itself. |
| Movement Test-Outs | Prospective coaches must demonstrate competency in the movement patterns they will teach. This is not a certification audit. It is a practical standard applied specifically to the MADabolic program. |
| 4 to 6 Week On-Ramp | Coaches train inside the system as participants before they lead anything. The goal is internalization, not surface-level performance. MADabolic wants coaches who have earned the cues through their own reps, not coaches reading them off a sheet. |
| Ongoing Training as Clients | After joining staff, coaches continue training as members of the program. This is not standard across boutique gym concepts. MADabolic credits it with both high trainer participation and retention rates that are notably above industry norms. |
The onboarding process is thorough by design. Arriving with strength and conditioning credentials is a starting point, not a pass. Every coach goes through the same evaluation, and the standard being measured is MADabolic’s own system, not a generalized fitness competency.
Compensation varies by location, which is standard across franchise models, but MADabolic’s structure includes several components that move beyond base-rate hourly pay. For coaches evaluating roles in boutique fitness, the full picture matters.
| Compensation Component | Detail |
| Class Attendance Bonus | Bonus pay tied to class attendance thresholds, meaning coaches benefit directly from the strength of the member community they help build. |
| Sales Commission | Commission tied to membership sales goals, connecting coaching performance to broader studio health. |
| Continuing Education | Access to ongoing education opportunities, supporting coaches who treat their development as a long-term investment rather than a one-time credential. |
| Healthcare Stipend | Available to full-time team members at participating locations, a benefit that is uncommon at independent boutique gyms and still rare across franchise models. |
Coaching careers in fitness have a known shelf life. Physical toll, erratic hours, and the kind of fatigue that builds quietly under the surface while chasing something meaningful take out a lot of good people before they want to leave. What MADabolic has figured out, at least in part, is that a program worth studying gives coaches a reason to stay. And a reason to stay has been in short supply across the industry for a long time.
The coaches who build lasting careers at MADabolic share a consistent set of traits. They are coachable. They hold to fundamentals when it would be easier to improvise. They are focused on improving client movement mechanics because they understand that the result of a great coaching session often shows up four weeks later, not that afternoon.
The culture of continuing to train inside the program, as a participant rather than just an instructor, changes how instruction lands. There is a difference between a coach who reads cues off a sheet and one who earned those cues through their own work inside the system. MADabolic structures its coaching environment to produce the second kind.
Coaches interested in exploring opportunities with MADabolic can find current openings through FitHire by Coach360, the marketplace that connects fitness professionals with roles at leading brands nationwide. MADabolic positions are listed directly on the platform, which makes the application process straightforward for coaches who already know the brand and the standard it operates under.
MADabolic coaching roles are listed on FitHire by Coach360. Find current openings at the FitHire marketplace and apply directly. If you are a former athlete, have a strength and conditioning background, and are drawn to working inside a structured program rather than building your own, this is worth exploring.
FAQ · MADABOLIC COACHING STANDARD AND HIRING
MADabolic prioritizes movement knowledge, coachability, and the ability to communicate effectively during a live session. The brand specifically values former athletes who are drawn to structure and have the ability to internalize a system rather than override it with personal preference. Strength and conditioning credentials carry weight, but coachability ranks above most other factors in the evaluation. Many MADabolic coaches started as clients, which gives them a level of program belief that external candidates need to build through the onboarding process.
MADabolic’s Training Camp is a two-day in-house intensive every prospective coach must complete, regardless of prior experience or credentials. It is followed by movement test-outs specific to the MADabolic program and a four to six week on-ramp period in which coaches train inside the system as participants before leading any class. The process is designed to ensure coaches have internalized the methodology, not just learned to perform it on the surface.
Compensation varies by location and franchise ownership. Common components include base pay, bonus tied to class attendance thresholds, commission connected to sales goals, continuing education access, and healthcare stipends for full-time team members at eligible locations. The compensation structure is designed to connect coaching performance to studio health rather than limiting coaches to an hourly rate disconnected from outcomes.
MADabolic was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2011 by Brandon Cullen and Kirk Dewaele, both former professional hockey players. MAD stands for Momentum Anaerobic Durability. The brand’s training philosophy is built on structure over chaos, consistency over variety, and a 50-minute, four-times-per-week model designed for longevity and movement quality rather than intensity for its own sake. Every workout is programmed centrally at the Charlotte headquarters and distributed to all locations, so coaches can focus on the room rather than the design.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Some businesses start with a product. Fitcarma started with a problem — one that Barry and Shay Kostabi had both lived from the inside. Across nearly two decades of combined experience in group fitness, studio leadership, brand consulting, and coaching, they kept encountering the same gap: the knowledge that made global fitness brands operate beautifully was almost entirely inaccessible to the independent studio owners and instructors trying to build something of their own. That gap is what pulled Fitcarma into existence, though the path there was anything but straight.
Barry launched the Fitness Career Mastery podcast in 2017 while living in Beijing, supporting a boutique brand expanding from Taiwan into mainland China. At the time, there were almost no dedicated resources for boutique fitness professionals, and the podcast became one of the first platforms built specifically to share practical, strategic knowledge with instructors and studio owners worldwide. Shay, meanwhile, was carving her own path — from professional acting training in New York to becoming a master trainer and eventually the East Coast Regional Director for Flywheel and FlyBarre, then consulting for studios on team building and experience.
When she and Barry came together, their personal and professional work found a natural home under one roof. Fitcarma took its clearest shape during the pandemic, when studios needed brand clarity, differentiated experiences, and leadership capable of holding a community together through uncertainty. Barry and Shay responded with courses like Secrets of Brand Building and The Art of Coaching and Cueing, helping hundreds of studios adapt without losing what made them worth returning to.
Fitcarma runs across two pillars—brand strategy and experience design. Brand strategy is the work of clarifying what a studio believes, what problem it solves, and what journey a client feels they’re on from the moment they walk in. Experience design is what makes that promise feel real inside the room, from the coaching and cueing, the music selection, the pacing, to the emotional arc of a class working together, so that clients leave feeling something specific.
Most studios struggle with consistency, with one instructor delivering something electric and another delivering something forgettable, and clients end up attached to a person rather than a brand. When that instructor leaves, attendance follows. Fitcarma helps studios codify and systematize the experience so it is consistent across instructors and, eventually, across locations, allowing a business to grow without sacrificing the quality that made it successful in the first place.
They’ve also built the Group X Conservatory, their instructor development arm, where coaches learn to use what Barry and Shay call “invisible levers” — the neuroscience-backed elements of coaching, cueing, music, and intention that help participants enter flow states, feel more capable mid-class, and leave feeling empowered. The belief underneath all of it is that fitness is not the destination. It’s the vehicle. What people are really seeking, often without being able to name it, is a better experience of themselves — more energy, more confidence, a felt sense of belonging that carries into their lives.
To inquire about becoming Fitcarma’s next case study client, book a complimentary 15-minute Fit Call here!
Barry and Shay have spent the better part of two decades watching studios open with incredible energy and quietly struggle to sustain it because the experience was never designed to be consistent, and the brand was never clear enough to build loyalty. That pattern is exactly what Fitcarma was built to interrupt. They’ve seen it from angles as instructors, studio leaders, consultants, and now as the people other fitness professionals turn to when they need someone who has been in the room.
Their methodology comes directly from the problems they’ve watched unfold across hundreds of studios worldwide, and the solutions they’ve tested, refined, and delivered at scale. They understand why studios stall and what it takes to build something people enjoy and will come back to time and time again. That combination of lived experience and strategic clarity is rare, and for studio owners and instructors trying to build something that lasts, it’s exactly the kind of guidance that makes the difference.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Devin Lebrun spent years appearing calm on the outside while chaos internally churned. He’d done the yoga teacher training, practiced meditation, worked his way through twelve years in the medical device industry, but he felt like a duck—seemingly calm above the water, but paddling like hell underneath the surface.
Friends noticed the shift from his college days when they’d literally given him a “short fuse award,” a foam ball with a wick on it, razzing him about his anger. But that gap between how others saw him and how he felt himself pointed to a missing link. Breathing changed that, though it took him a decade to accept the new story of himself, and longer still to understand that this simple, almost too-simple thing was the foundation beneath everything else.
Lebrun came to yoga in the late 90s as the only guy in class, pulled in by the anatomy drawings in Leslie Kaminoff’s Yoga Anatomy. He found a meditation center run by a man from India who’d burned out in tech and wanted to bring the gifts of his childhood to the Western world—heavy on pranayama, light on poses. Lebrun followed along, not totally understanding it, his breathing mechanics still poor. Then his friends started asking what happened to him. The short fuse guy had gone quiet and grounded. It took him ten years to fully believe that the new version of himself was real.
After 12 years in the medical device industry, Devin moved on to contribute his talents at Orangetheory when a close friend and co-founder called, needing his help. Lebrun joined and stayed to lead innovation and strategic partnerships. When the merger with Self Esteem Brands changed the mission, he negotiated his exit, used every breathwork tool he had to stay calm through the chaos, and took the runway he’d earned to figure out what came next.
After leaving Self Esteem Brands, Lebrun spent months in a park meditating on an empty copper bowl, turning down job offers and advisory opportunities, waiting for clarity. What kept was a pattern he’d watched play out across every room he’d ever sat in. The people doing the most meaningful work couldn’t get through the door, and the people holding the door open didn’t speak the same language. Breath was the throughline, and nobody was building the infrastructure to protect it, scale it responsibly, or ensure the people practicing it could actually sustain a career doing so. That’s the problem Global Breath Network solves.
Global Breath Network is a platform that connects breathwork facilitators with organizations and communities that need their work, while building the collective credibility the industry needs to sustain its growth. Lebrun structured it around three pillars of stewardship—each one addressing a different layer of what’s currently missing. The first is establishing the research foundation. The second is creating a global moment of unified practice. The third is bringing the right people into the same room.
The State of the Breath Report will aggregate peer-reviewed research, practitioners, products, schools of practice, and market data, giving the industry a shared body of evidence that doesn’t belong to any one school or method. This matters because the breath movement is fracturing right now—schools competing, everyone claiming their method is the only way—and without collective credibility, it risks being co-opted and commercialized, as yoga was when business interests outpaced the people who understood its roots. Lebrun’s position is deliberately neutral. Everybody’s right. The aggregate matters more than any single voice.
The Global Breath Sync on March 20th at 11:11 AM Mountain Time is that collective credibility made tangible through a coordinated three-minute pause across all seven continents on the spring equinox. Groups across five continents have already committed, and Lebrun is working on Antarctic research stations to complete the roundup. If you want to participate, you can join from wherever you are and breathe alongside thousands of people doing the same thing at the same moment.
The third component is a summit in Durango, Colorado, the same weekend. The draft State of the Breath Report circulates among them before its public release in late March, incorporating what emerges from those conversations. Lebrun’s guiding principle comes from studying the psychedelic research movement—independent groups doing meaningful work in isolation until people like Ram Dass brought everyone together and made it credible enough that the government felt threatened. He wants breathwork to hit that tipping point and sail past it before anyone can take it and make it singular.
March 20th is a call to pause, unite, and create something bigger than the hustle of everyday business. Lebrun is building something that doesn’t need him at the center to function—a global pause where no single person owns the moment; rather, it unifies the entire globe around one of the most basic functions of life. It costs nothing but time, attention, and breath.
Devin’s whole arc, from the angry engineering student to the guy meditating on an empty bowl in a park, has been learning that the foundation matters most. The breath, the nervous system, and the ability to sit still inside the storm while everything moves around you. Everything worth building starts from there.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
The decision to leave steady employment and step into entrepreneurship is never easy, and Bernice Delos Reyes knows this intimately. In 2016, she and her now-husband, Rich, opened The Mango Tree Fitness and Muay Thai in Oahu, trading the predictable structure of corporate gym life for the unknown terrain of business ownership. Fresh from completing her degree in Dietetics at the University of Hawaii, Bernice carried both excitement and doubt as she assembled donated equipment—stackable dumbbells, a barbell, a cable machine, and punching bags—into their first space.
What started with borrowed equipment and big faith has grown into three academy locations, a home with a grafted mango tree bearing four varieties of fruit, and two young sons. Bernice’s story reveals how purpose, partnership, and perseverance shape a business that serves people at every level—body, mind, and spirit.
Bernice and Rich stepped into entrepreneurship after proving their success to themselves in other roles—Rich ranked #1 in MMA and martial arts personal coaching sales, while Bernice topped U.S. sales for dotFit nutritional supplements. They carried reputations on the island and had built followings. Rich had already launched The Mango Tree once before in Connecticut back in 2003 at age 23, though that venture ended amid personal tragedy when divorce, his father’s death, and the suicide of his best friend all collided in one devastating year.
When they opened together in Oahu, they were determined to succeed on different terms. Bernice feared leaving behind her $14-per-hour “walk the floor” pay at the corporate gym, modest as it was. That paycheck represented security and a known stability, and leaving it meant accepting full responsibility for her financial future. She had to learn to set boundaries and deadlines for herself, something that didn’t come naturally at first. The right accountant helped her understand what “being her own boss” meant—including setting aside money for taxes, a reality she laughs about now with gratitude.
Rich’s earlier hardships taught them both what not to repeat. They brought giant faith, careful financial planning, and a shared commitment to building something long-lasting. Their why ran deeper than personal ambition. Bernice wanted to help her parents and children live healthier, happier lives. She wanted to show clients their built-in capabilities, to help them climb the ladder toward their own version of success.
The Mango Tree serves with a philosophy that takes the whole person into account. Bernice sees each client through a multidimensional lens, recognizing that someone who walks through the door carries experiences and a lived life. A stressful day spent in back-to-back meetings, hours of sitting still, mounting tension—all of this shapes how she approaches training. She wants clients to know she cares about their whole selves, that the work has meaning that manifests as push-ups, but is really persistence, triumph, showing up, working hard, and all of the good things that come with training.
This perspective stems from how Bernice understands her own life. She describes her brand as the core of the body—each part working together to create strength. Her personal life, professional work, and spiritual practice intertwine. One without the others would leave her incomplete. She carries that same framework into The Mango Tree, creating an environment where physical movement becomes the starting point for larger life shifts.
The gym’s community reflects this holistic approach. Members feel seen and known, recognized as individuals who make up their community. Bernice might not have the best memory for names or details, but she remembers how people made her feel, and she works to create that same warmth for others. In Hawaii, they call it aloha—the spirit of love, compassion, and mutual respect. Bernice hopes that when people think of her, they remember her big smile, the way she brightened their day, and the care she showed.
Running three academy locations while raising two boys under six has taught Bernice what resilience looks like in practice. She’s learned she’s never alone, that mentors appear when you need them, that the right people open doors and want to lift you higher than they climbed themselves. Her journey feels unique because she’s doing things nobody in her immediate circle has done before. That used to frighten her—if nobody’s done it, how could she? But she’s come to understand that a unique journey means she only needs to compare herself to herself, to keep pushing until the day she dies and goes to heaven.
Meeting Rich in 2012—just weeks after deciding she’d never date another Filipino guy again—changed the trajectory of Bernice’s life. He showed her what selfless service looked like: how one person who couldn’t speak the language of a country could teach business and martial arts in Tahiti and Thailand. Their partnership became the foundation for everything that followed: three academies, a grafted mango tree with four types of fruit, two young sons, and an adventure of love and faith that grows daily.
The heart beats over 100,000 times each day. Bernice wants people to pause and thank their hearts for that labor, to recognize that what we do with those beats makes a difference. Be intentional—in mind, body, and spirit—every day. That’s the legacy she’s building at The Mango Tree Hawaii, one training session, one conversation, one moment of aloha at a time.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Heart rate variability is an important metric with substantial implications for training and recovery, yet it remains misunderstood by many who are leading the charge in health and wellness. While wearable technology has made HRV data accessible to nearly everyone, the knowledge gap persists, leaving coaches and their clients uncertain about what these numbers mean and how to accurately train with them.
The metric tells you when someone can push hard and when backing off will yield better results than grinding through another high-intensity session. For coaches who want to prevent overtraining, optimize recovery, and have data-driven conversations with clients, understanding HRV has become essential.
Heart rate variability measures the time variation between two heartbeats. While your heart rate might average 60 beats per minute, those beats don’t occur at exactly one-second intervals. One beat might come 0.9 seconds after the previous one, the next at 1.1 seconds, and so on. These tiny fluctuations reflect the constant dialogue between your sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) and your parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest).
Higher variability typically signals a well-recovered, adaptable system. Your autonomic nervous system shifts smoothly between states, responding to subtle changes in breathing, position, and internal processes. Lower variability often indicates stress—whether from training, work, illness, or insufficient sleep. The body has locked into a more rigid pattern, with the sympathetic system maintaining a stronger grip than usual.
Think of HRV as a window into the nervous system’s bandwidth. A high HRV reading suggests your body has the capacity to handle additional stress, including hard training. A low reading indicates the system is already managing significant demands, and adding more stress might push someone toward overtraining or injury. The measurement provides objective data that coaches can use alongside subjective assessments like mood, energy levels, and sleep quality.
Clients come to sessions in different states every single day. Yesterday’s tough deadline, last night’s poor sleep, or the early stages of a cold all affect their ability to train. Traditional programming follows a predetermined schedule regardless of these fluctuations. HRV offers a way to match training intensity to actual physiological readiness.
Coaches who understand HRV can identify when clients need to push hard and when they need to back off. This prevents the common scenario where an athlete shows up depleted but powers through a high-intensity session anyway, digging themselves deeper into a recovery hole. The data also helps coaches have objective conversations about rest days with clients who resist taking them. Instead of debating based on feel, you can point to concrete physiological markers.
The metric provides early warning signs of overtraining before performance declines become obvious. Many athletes push through fatigue until they hit a wall, such as becoming sick or injured, or experiencing a significant drop in performance. Tracking HRV reveals these patterns weeks in advance, and adjusting training load can prevent the crash. For coaches working with competitive athletes or clients training for specific events, this predictive capability proves invaluable.
Most clients don’t need a physiology lecture. They need a practical context they can apply to their lived experience. Start with a simple analogy: “Your HRV score works like a battery indicator on your phone. High scores mean you’re charged up and can handle a hard workout. Low scores suggest you need to take it easier today to avoid draining your battery completely.”
Address the counterintuitive nature of the metric upfront. Many clients assume that because a higher heart rate means harder work, a higher heart rate variability must be negative. Clarify that variability reflects flexibility and resilience in their nervous system. The body that can shift easily between stressed and relaxed states handles training better than one stuck in chronic stress mode.
Walk clients through their baseline numbers during an initial assessment period. Everyone’s range differs based on age, fitness level, and individual physiology. Some people’s high scores sit at 100 milliseconds, while others rarely break 50. Emphasize that they’re competing against their own baseline, not comparing themselves to others. Establish what “normal,” “high,” and “low” look like specifically for them over several weeks of consistent measurement.
Teach proper measurement technique since consistency matters in these readings. HRV readings taken at different times of day, in different positions, or under different conditions won’t provide reliable data. Morning measurements, taken right after waking while still lying in bed, offer the most consistent readings. Remind clients that single-day readings mean less than weekly trends, as nothing in life is linear, including HRV.
Start by establishing each client’s baseline over two to four weeks of regular measurement. During this period, track their HRV along with notes on training intensity, sleep quality, stress levels, and how they felt during workouts. This baseline period reveals their personal patterns and helps identify which factors most affect their numbers.
Create training zones based on their typical range. Many coaches use a simple traffic light system: green days (HRV within normal range or elevated) proceed with planned training, yellow days (slightly suppressed) reduce intensity by one level, and red days (significantly suppressed) shift to active recovery or rest. The specific thresholds vary by individual but typically range from 10 to 20 percent above baseline.
Adjust programming dynamically based on morning readings. If someone arrives for a planned interval session on a red day, swap it for steady-state aerobic work or technique practice. This requires flexibility in program design and clear communication with clients about why you’re making changes. Some athletes initially resist backing off scheduled hard days, so building trust through education becomes essential.
HRV is a data point coaches can measure and act on. Clients appreciate having concrete reasons for why you’re adjusting their training, and the more knowledge they have, the more empowered they can feel in their programming. HRV can increase recovery, help speed up progress, and help your clients avoid injury and burnout—all incredible benefits for the client and for your business.
Perhaps the deeper value here lies in what HRV teaches us about listening to the body. For years, the industry celebrated pushing through fatigue and “earning” rest days. This metric provides permission to honor recovery as an essential component of progress. That mindset shift might prove to be the most valuable lesson HRV training offers.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Psychedelic retreats have multiplied across legal jurisdictions in recent years, drawing everyone from veterans with PTSD to executives seeking mental clarity. What was once restricted to counterculture movements has entered mainstream conversation, with clinical trials at major universities and therapy centers offering guided psychedelic experiences. As a growing body of people are frustrated with conventional mental health treatments, being gaslit that nothing is wrong, or can’t find the right anecdote to their issues, they’re reaching for an alternative way to address their problems.
This renaissance builds on decades of research that came to an abrupt halt in the 1970s. Ancient cultures used these substances in healing ceremonies for thousands of years, and Western medicine showed serious interest in their therapeutic potential during the 1950s and 60s. Then politics intervened, and promising research disappeared for nearly half a century.
Indigenous communities in the Americas have used psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, and peyote in spiritual and healing practices for millennia. When Albert Hofmann first isolated and synthesized compounds like LSD in 1938 and psilocybin in 1958, the psychiatric community saw remarkable potential. Early studies showed promise for treating alcoholism, depression, and end-of-life anxiety. Researchers published over 1,000 clinical papers on psychedelic therapy, and these substances were legal and actively studied in medical settings.
The cultural explosion of psychedelic use in the 1960s changed everything. What began as a therapeutic exploration became intertwined with anti-war protests and social upheaval—you may recall Timothy Leary’s infamous “Tune on, tune in, drop out” statement. Government officials grew concerned about the drugs’ association with countercultural movements. President Nixon declared drug abuse “public enemy number one”, and by 1970, the Controlled Substances Act had classified psychedelics as Schedule I drugs—substances with no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse.
This classification effectively ended legitimate research. Scientists couldn’t get funding or approval to study these compounds. The promising therapeutic work that had helped thousands of patients simply stopped. For decades, psychedelics existed only in underground contexts, their medical potential trapped by political decisions that had little to do with scientific evidence.
Recent clinical trials have produced results that demand attention. A 2021 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that psilocybin-assisted therapy produced rapid and sustained decreases in depression symptoms, with 71 percent of participants showing a clinically significant response after four weeks. Research at Johns Hopkins University demonstrated that two doses of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy produced substantial decreases in depression that persisted for at least a year in many patients.
PTSD research shows similarly compelling outcomes. MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) completed Phase 3 trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, finding that 67 percent of the participants no longer qualified for a PTSD diagnosis after three sessions. These results surpass those of current first-line treatments, which typically achieve response rates of 40 to 60 percent. A study in Nature Medicine documented how MDMA appears to reopen critical periods of social learning, allowing patients to process traumatic memories without the overwhelming fear response that typically prevents healing.
SSRIs work by gradually adjusting neurotransmitter levels over weeks or months. Psychedelics seem to create windows of neuroplasticity—periods when the brain becomes more flexible and able to form new connections. Functional MRI studies show that psilocybin temporarily reduces activity in the default mode network, the brain region associated with rigid thought patterns and self-referential thinking. This disruption may allow people to break free from destructive mental loops.
These substances work best with careful preparation, professional guidance during sessions, and structured integration therapy afterward. The experience itself—often described as deeply meaningful or mystical—appears to contribute to healing. Studies correlate the intensity of mystical-type experiences during psilocybin sessions with better long-term outcomes.
The FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression and to MDMA for PTSD, fast-tracking their path toward approval. Several cities have decriminalized possession of psilocybin mushrooms. Oregon and Colorado have created legal frameworks for supervised therapeutic use. Australia approved MDMA and psilocybin for the treatment of specific conditions in 2023. It will be interesting to watch as people take more responsibility for their wellness and seek alternative ways to heal outside the normal health care system.
The return of psychedelic research shows a willingness to look past decades of stigma and examine what these substances provide those who are willing to engage in alternative medicine. Early results suggest we may have tools that work differently and potentially better than what’s currently available for some of the most difficult-to-treat conditions.
The path forward requires rigorous science, careful regulation, and honest conversation about the benefits and risks associated with psychedelic therapy. Psychedelics will not be universal solutions, and they carry real dangers if misused. But the mounting evidence suggests that dismissing their therapeutic potential was a mistake driven more by politics than by fear of harm. What matters now is building systems that allow people who might benefit to access these treatments safely, while researchers continue to study how and why they work.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Owners face a choice between continuing to operate as isolated businesses competing for market share and embracing a community-driven model that creates lasting client relationships and sustainable growth. Luke Milton, founder and CEO of Training Mate, shared his framework for building authentic connections during his keynote at Career Lab LIVE by Coach360 on January 17th, 2026, in Santa Monica. His message was clear that the studios and clubs thriving today have shifted their focus from simply delivering workouts to creating experiences where people belong.
Milton’s journey started as a professional rugby captain, and turned into building an eight-figure fitness empire, all because he was craving community in a new country. Training Mate’s success—voted the number one celebrity workout and growing to over 20 studios—stems from a deliberate focus on social connection. His approach offers practical strategies for any facility looking to improve retention, deepen client engagement, and build a business that weathers industry storms.
Luke Milton brings an unusual perspective to fitness entrepreneurship. As a former professional rugby captain for Australia, he understood the importance of teamwork before he ever set his sights on opening a gym. Rugby culture taught him that success depends on every player’s commitment to the team goal, and that strength emerges from supporting the weakest link rather than celebrating individual stars. These lessons became the foundation for Training Mate’s business model.
After retiring from rugby and moving to Los Angeles, Milton experienced profound loneliness despite trying to build community through local gyms. That isolation became his catalyst. He recognized that Americans were meeting each other less frequently—bar visits down 60 percent in Los Angeles, remote work replacing office water-cooler conversations—and that fitness facilities could fill this void. Training Mate was built on the premise that people crave human connection, and studios positioned to provide it would win client loyalty.
Milton’s vulnerability about his lowest moment demonstrated his commitment to the community-first model. Rather than closing down, he rallied his team to make the best of the tragedy. That crisis forced Training Mate to double down on relationships, which has led to 11 Training Mate locations across California and Texas today. His philosophy is simple: Training Mate is 51 percent social and 49 percent fitness. The workout gets clients in the door, but the community keeps them coming back.
Milton outlined specific tactics for transforming a transactional gym experience into a community hub. These are executable programs that facilities can implement without much overhead to create the community feel that Milton has executed so flawlessly.
Mate Meetups are held quarterly at all Training Mate locations. Rather than just exercising together during the 45-minute class, members gather to build relationships outside of burpees and planks. Members learn about each other’s professions, interests, and lives. This cross-pollination creates a network where people can build relationships, see their new mates in class, and keep the momentum going strong in and out of the gym.
No Shower Happy Hours follow the 5:30 PM Friday class. Members finish their session and stay for social time—drinking optional, connection mandatory. This tradition acknowledges that fitness facilities can serve as modern community centers where people build friendships naturally. The format is simple, as it creates consistent opportunities for casual interaction after structured programming ends, and allows for more conversation and connection.
Milton emphasized that community building requires intentional programming, not just friendly staff. Clubs waiting for an organic community to develop will watch members treat their facility like a vending machine—insert payment, receive workout, leave. Facilities that schedule social wellness events alongside fitness programming create stickiness that impacts lifetime value and referral rates.
He challenged Career Lab attendees to try uncomfortable practices, such as switching tables at conferences to meet new people, reaching out to connections made at events, and asking for help rather than struggling alone. The vulnerability required to admit you need support often unlocks the exact resources necessary for growth.
Milton’s advice to keep a tight inner circle while remaining open to a broader outer circle reframes how fitness professionals approach networking. The executives he trained during his one-on-one coaching days proved that significant achievement requires a team. Whether you’re a sole proprietor building your first client base or managing multiple locations, pretending you can handle everything yourself guarantees burnout and limits your ceiling.
His story of maintaining payroll for 126 employees during COVID shutdowns—despite his accountant warning him one more check would trigger bankruptcy—illustrates the long-term payoff of doing right by your people. When PPP loans became available and studios reopened, that loyalty returned in a big way. Milton’s eight-figure valuation came from understanding that people will pay for belonging, for spaces where they’re known and valued, and for communities that support them when life gets difficult. That’s the framework studios can’t afford to ignore.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Once confined to anti-aging clinics and research labs, compounds such as NAD+ boosters and peptides are now accessible in health stores, online shops, and through gyms nationwide. These supplements promise to work at the cellular level, targeting the biological mechanisms that drive aging. The science behind them is complex, but the goal is to help your body maintain the energy, repair, and function of your younger years.
Understanding what these supplements do requires looking past the marketing hype and enticing claims. Each works through different pathways in your body, and some complement each other, while others work better as solo acts. Whether you’re curious about adding them to your routine or just want to understand what everyone’s talking about, here’s what the science says about these cellular-level approaches to aging.
Longevity supplements target specific biological processes that decline as we age. It’s not like a multivitamin that fills nutritional gaps; these compounds aim to influence how cells produce energy, repair damage, and maintain their function over time. Think of them as tools that help your cells do what they used to do naturally when you were younger.
The category has exploded in popularity as researchers identify the molecular switches that control aging and as the quest to live forever (a tale as old as time) remains strong. While we can’t stop time, scientists have found ways to potentially slow cellular decline. These supplements work by providing precursors to essential molecules, signaling proteins that trigger repair processes, or mimicking compounds your body produces in smaller quantities as you age.
What sets these apart from typical supplements is their focus on the machinery inside your cells. They’re designed to address why aging happens at a fundamental level, not just treat its symptoms. The research is still developing, but early studies suggest these compounds might influence how long cells stay healthy and functional.
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) powers nearly every cell in your body. It helps convert food into energy, repairs DNA, and regulates circadian rhythms. Your NAD+ levels drop by about 50 percent between age 40 and 60. This decline affects everything from your energy levels to how well your cells can repair themselves.
Your body can’t absorb NAD+ directly through supplements—the molecule is too large. That’s where precursors come in. NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) is one such precursor that converts into NAD+ inside your cells. Clinical trials in humans have shown that NMN supplementation can increase blood NAD+ levels, with some studies reporting improvements in walking speed and sleep quality in older adults. The research is promising but still emerging, with most human trials focusing on safety and bioavailability rather than long-term health outcomes.
Another precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR), takes a slightly different course to boost NAD+. Both NMN and NR have their advocates, though the jury’s still out on which works better. Some research suggests NMN might convert more directly to NAD+, while others show NR has advantages in certain tissues. What matters most is that either can help replenish your declining NAD+ stores as you age.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in your body. They tell cells what to do—whether that’s producing growth hormone, repairing tissue, or regulating inflammation. Several peptides have gained attention for their potential anti-aging effects, each working through different mechanisms.
BPC-157, a peptide derived from a protein in stomach acid, has been investigated primarily in animal models for tissue repair and healing. A 2024 systematic review found that preclinical studies show promise for healing musculoskeletal injuries, though human data remains extremely limited. One small retrospective study found that seven of 12 patients with chronic knee pain reported relief lasting more than six months after receiving a BPC-157 injection, but it lacked a control group and used non-rigorous methodology.
While NAD+ provides energy and enables cellular processes, peptides deliver specific instructions to cells. Some practitioners use them together, reasoning that cells need both energy (from NAD+) and signals (from peptides) to function optimally. However, peptides require more caution—they’re typically injectable, regulation varies by country, and long-term safety data in humans remains limited.
The appeal of combining these supplements lies in the hope that they will delay the aging process. NAD+ boosters help cells produce energy and activate repair enzymes called sirtuins. Peptides can signal the same repair processes from a different direction while also supporting specific systems, such as immunity and tissue healing. Used together, they may create a more comprehensive approach to cellular maintenance.
Some research suggests that NAD+ levels must be sufficient for peptides to work effectively. If your cells lack energy, signaling them to repair or grow might not produce much benefit. Conversely, having high NAD+ levels doesn’t guarantee your cells will use that energy for repair unless they receive the right signals. This interdependence explains why some people stack these supplements.
Timing and dosing also play a contributing factor as well. NAD+ precursors like NMN are typically taken in the morning to align with natural circadian rhythms. Peptides often require specific dosing schedules based on their half-lives and intended effects. Some practitioners cycle peptides rather than use them continuously, while NAD+ boosters are usually taken daily. Consultation with a knowledgeable healthcare provider helps navigate these complexities and potential interactions.
The jury’s still out on many aspects of longevity supplementation, particularly regarding peptides and long-term human outcomes. What we do know comes from research compiled so far: NAD+ levels decline with age, precursors can restore them, and certain peptides show tissue-repair properties in animal models. These findings give us something concrete to work with while we wait for more comprehensive human trials.
The knowledge base will continue to change and grow as new studies emerge, and researchers answer questions about optimal dosing, long-term safety, and which combinations deliver promising results. Watching this field develop means staying informed as the data accumulates and being ready to adjust approaches based on what science reveals. The compounds available today are early steps in understanding cellular aging, and how we use them now will likely look different from how we approach them in five or ten years.
About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.
Powering the Business of Health, Fitness, and Wellness Coaching
