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Here’s your weekly roundup of news, trends, and stories in the health and fitness space. A list of what’s happening, new innovations, interesting finds, and more.

This week we’re covering:

• Outdoor Voices is back.
• Bandit Running’s ‘Unsponsored Project’.
• Backyard races are trending.
• And more...

Hope you enjoy!

Recent Headlines

Outdoor Voices is officially back. The activewear and recreational clothing brand closed all retail stores in 2024, but this week, founder Ty Haney announced the brand's return. Launching its first new recreational collection on August 4th.

• Everyone loves a comeback story. I still remember the day back in the mid 2010’s when my older sister told me about this new, trendy New York activewear brand. That was Outdoor Voices. They’ve had quite the history, which I won’t get into, but you should go read Emily Sundberg’s article about it if you care. My mind went more to what this next chapter of OV might look like. From an interview Ty said her “mission is to inspire people to move,“ and be “fashion-forward and sexy.”. Now it doesn’t appear they’ll have men’s clothing early on (I’ll be patiently waiting Ty), but I like the direction this return is seeming to be going. Big brand activewear these days has gotten pretty bland. Everything is polyester, monotone and kind of uninspiring. Hopefully OV 2.0 really leans into this creative, recreational vibe that they are alluding to.

Bandit Running's "Unsponsored Project" returns for its third year. A program dedicated to supporting track athletes without traditional sponsors. Bandit will outfit 40 athletes at the U.S. Outdoor Championships in unbranded gear, providing each with $1,500 cash, no strings attached, to support and spotlight their efforts.

• Three years in and this continues to be one of the smartest, and most genuinely good campaigns in the game. One of those rare brand moves that actually does good and still makes the brand look great. Support the athletes that get overlooked and at the same time it’s perfect storytelling. They’re showing you who these athletes are, why they matter, and doing it in a way that feels genuine. Helping first, marketing second. That’s why it works. Other brands, take notes.

Tonal launches new “Daily Lift“ feature. Delivering a fresh workout every day that's specifically tailored to your body and performance level. Unlike typical AI-generated workouts, Daily Lift uses Tonal Intelligence, which leverages your unique training history and recovery status to create truly personalized routines.

• I have a love hate relationship with AI in health & fitness. Half of the stuff coming out is truly beneficial, but then the other half feels like a bunch of snake oil (all you AI calorie tracking apps, I’m talking about you here). Health and fitness is about having the foundational knowledge and knowing how to apply it to yourself specifically. Not about listening to an AI chatbot. With that being said, this new Tonal feature falls into the “truly beneficial” category in my opinion. Largely because of the fact that it leverages your specific historical data from the Tonal machine. All I ask for of brands as we head towards this AI filled future - please use it for good and not for a quick buck.

Several unique races were held recently worth highlighting. Take The Bridge hosted its 10-year anniversary race going through the streets of New York. One Dollar Ultra hosted inaugural race consisting of a 4 mile loop every hour on the hour, with runners putting $1 in the pot to start every loop. And Represent 247’s “Rivington” 12-hour endurance race, consisting of 100 athletes across 20 teams alternating 5K runs and SkiErg efforts.

• There’s a growing number of these backyard style races going on. From brands hosting their own races, to underground private races, to community specific races. Everyone is trying to put on uniquely formatted races. Part of it is marketing by brands, but I also think people are just bored of the traditional city marathon format. People want something that is fun, more personal, and feels one of one. I don’t know how sustainable this is, but for now it’s cool and an overall net positive in my opinion.

Kohler Wellness unveils their first ever sauna collection. With a focus on designs that complement both indoor and outdoor wellness spaces. Built with premium materials for performance, insulation, and durability. Adding to their wellness suite that also includes ice baths by Remedy Place, which launched late 2024.

• Not breaking news, but definitely another sign that at-home wellness has gone mainstream. Kohler’s been planning this move since acquiring Klafs in 2023, and now they’re clearly positioning themselves at the high end of the category. Luxury, design forward, and built to last. Most people don’t need a sleek sauna or ice bath at home, but let’s be honest, a lot of people are gonna want one. And Kohler’s setting themselves up to be the go-to brand when they do.

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