Issue No. 339 of Fitt Insider named the trend shaping the next decade of fitness: human connection is a hot commodity. Loneliness affects a third of Americans weekly, per data the issue cites, and 75% believe community-based events and shared activities are the solution. Meanwhile fitness event attendance rose 146% last year, per the issue.
The headline example: Life Time is piloting competition-based classes and plans to debut the LT Games this October — a functional-training competition with regional events leading to a national championship, per the issue. Community, framed as competition, is becoming the product. That's the heart of what Cadoo does.
Competition is the new community
The issue laid out how fast the social-fitness playbook is scaling:
- HYROX now runs 80+ events across 30 countries, with 600K participants and $140M projected revenue this year, per the issue — the blueprint Life Time's LT Games is chasing.
- Community-first operators like SweatPals, which raised $3M for its social fitness platform, and racquet social club Ballers, which raised $20M, are forging fitness-based friendships, per Fitt Insider.
- Gold's Gym is building out HYROX training centers, per the issue, wiring competition directly into the membership.
These are industry references, not Cadoo partners. But together they confirm the thesis: people don't stick around for equipment — they stick around for each other.
Why loneliness is a retention problem
The issue's deeper point is that isolation is a genuine health crisis, and 95% of young people want to take their online communities offline. For fitness brands, that's not just a social mission — it's a retention lever. A member with no friends at your gym is a cancellation waiting to happen. A member training alongside three friends in a live competition has a reason to come back that no discount can replicate.
Cadoo turns any workout into shared competition
Cadoo gives every brand the LT Games dynamic without building a national event series. Members bet money with friends on reaching fitness goals, so connection and competition happen every week, not once a year. Recurring challenges fill the space between visits, turning solo effort into a social event.
It's verified, too: Cadoo-verified workouts confirm the effort, with the camera counting reps only. Steps and distance come from Apple Health or Google Health Connect — so the friendly competition stays fair. And every finished challenge can produce a skinned, shareable video, so members recruit their friends and market your brand at the same time. Bet money with friends, verified workouts make it reliable, and shareable videos make it fun.
The community moat, without the overhead
Apple even entered the space this issue, unveiling an AI workout coach, per Fitt Insider — but AI can't replace friends and stakes. That's Cadoo's lane. Whether you're a boutique studio, a big-box operator like Life Time, or a wearable brand, Cadoo layers stakes-backed community onto the activity your members already do, lifting visit frequency and retention while building the chosen-family bonds this issue says people are desperate for. On our roadmap (not live yet), winnings could convert into credit or perks at your brand. See it at cadoo.games/brands or reach the team at Tim@cadoo.io.
Frequently asked questions
How does Cadoo help fitness brands fight member loneliness?
Cadoo turns individual workouts into social competition — members bet money with friends on reaching fitness goals and compete in recurring challenges. That creates the ongoing connection this issue identifies as the top thing members want, which is also what keeps them from cancelling.
Can a smaller studio get the LT Games effect without running events?
Yes. Cadoo gives any brand the community-competition dynamic Life Time is building toward, but without the infrastructure. Members run friendly, stakes-backed challenges among themselves inside the app, so the competitive, social energy happens every week rather than once a season.
How does Cadoo keep the competition fair?
Cadoo-verified workouts confirm the effort. The camera counts reps for supported movements, and steps and distance come from Apple Health or Google Health Connect. That verification keeps money-backed challenges honest and gives operators real engagement data.
Do members earn rewards at the brand for winning?
Redeeming winnings for credit or perks at a partner brand is on our roadmap and not live yet. Today, Cadoo's value is stronger community, higher retention, and shareable branded videos members create as they compete.
