​​A Colorado-based startup is giving coaches a powerful new tool with its blend of Olympic-level coaching methods and AI-powered programming: WhichWeight.

Born out of Kinesis Integrated in Boulder, Colorado, a well-known training hub for elite athletes, WhichWeight gives coaches and athletes a smarter way to approach strength training.

The startup recently unveiled its new website and several new partnerships, arriving at a time when endurance training is gaining momentum and in-person events from brands like Hyrox and CrossFit are drawing serious fitness competitors. 

“Endurance athletes have long struggled to maximize their performance due to one key missing piece…effective strength training,” WhichWeight co-founder and CEO Chris Lee said. “When I coach Olympians, how well they can move their bodies outside their sport is clearly the ultimate game changer. Our platform guarantees athletes seamlessly integrate the right training at the right time, with their overarching goal in mind…setting a PR!”

The AI-powered platform’s strength programs update in real-time based on athlete data and performance and gives coaches the ability to instantly assign individualized strength phases that align with the entire season. A coaching dashboard also tracks progress and flags potential injury risks.

So far, WhichWeight has been quickly endorsed and adopted by elite endurance coaches and teams. In the last year, the brand has named several partnerships, including ones with Katie Cope Running, Jessica Schnier, Blue Collar Endurance Training, MultiSport, BigMetz and Coach Kallup at Lions Den Fitness.

“Speed usually comes at the cost of precision. Not with us,” WhichWeight CTO Jacob Carlson said. “We’re giving them a scalable, Olympian-backed tool that enhances how they train endurance athletes in a fraction of the time.”

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As health, wellness and longevity become increasingly intertwined, gyms are adding clinical components and wellness tourism hot spots are expanding their treatments and therapies to meet growing consumer interest. It’s a shift that isn’t just changing where and how people seek care—it’s also creating new opportunities in health-centric fields for trainers and health coaches who feel a calling to help others on another level.

However, for many looking to pivot into such roles, cost and lack of time remain major barriers—a challenge Stepful CEO Carl Madi has set out to solve.

“When I looked into it, I realized that most pathways are either trade schools or community colleges,” Madi tells Athletech News. “They can take up to two years and cost up to $20,000. We developed Stepful to challenge the traditional model.”

Madi knows a thing or two about working hard and crafting solutions. A Wharton grad, he’s served at several successful start-ups, including Uber.

“Stepful’s platform is designed for working adults, particularly from historically underserved communities, providing virtual instructor-led courses that include live, cohort-based learning sessions and one-on-one coaching for those looking for entry-level positions in hospitals and healthcare settings,” Madi explains. “The program’s bite-sized, asynchronous, interactive learning modules allow students to manage their studies alongside other commitments, while AI-powered feedback offers personalized support and outreach to ensure students don’t fall behind. No matter our student’s situation, we want them to know that we are there for them every step of the way and will continue to develop our platform to serve them.”

As he notes, the U.S. healthcare system is set to face a shortage of roughly 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026, citing a projection from the American Hospital Association. 

“Medical assistants, pharmacy technicians and surgical technicians are a handful of in-demand roles that are vital to the industry,” Madi adds. “Our goal is to not only address the healthcare worker shortage but to empower people with the skills and opportunities for better lives.”

Stepful offers flexible payment plans and partners with various hospitals and healthcare employers, workforce development boards, nonprofits, and government programs to help students secure funding. 

“For example, military spouses can take advantage of programs like MyCAA, which covers the full tuition for eligible spouses,” Madi points out. “We’re always working to expand our partnerships and provide as many financial aid options as possible to remove barriers for our students.”

As for its long-term mission, Stepful is setting out to be the number one training provider for all of healthcare, Madi says. Last fall, the startup raised $31.5 million in a Series B.

“The team is constantly iterating on new career pathways for our students,” he adds. “This year alone, we plan to expand our programming to include programs such as Dental Assistant and Patient Care Tech.”

The educational platform has also recently developed areas of specialization, similar to a minor, where students can dive deeper into areas such as pediatrics or dermatology upon completing their certification. 

“If our students aren’t successful, neither are we,” Madi says. “The specializations are another step towards making our students as job-ready as possible no matter what direction they want to go in the healthcare field.”

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The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Mental Wellbeing Association have launched a new 10-module program centered on mental health and self-care practices amid growing interest in mental health and its connection with movement.

The course is designed to prepare fitness and health professionals to fulfill what many wellness-seeking clients are after: a more holistic approach to health, which may not always include six-pack abs.

“Health and fitness professionals are uniquely positioned to guide clients in leveraging the mental health benefits of exercise as part of a comprehensive approach to overall wellness,” ACE president and CEO Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, said.

The program will explore the interconnectedness of physical and mental health, offer coaching techniques on addressing sleep, stress and emotion management, and provide enrollees with a better understanding of common mental health biases and insight on when health and fitness experts should consider referring clients to mental health professionals.

Last month, ACE launched an interactive anti-obesity medication course for coaches.

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The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has launched a new, interactive course in the era of weight loss medications: Leveraging Anti-Obesity Medications for Optimal Client Outcomes.

The new educational offering ($59) gives health and fitness professionals the unique skills needed to support personal training and health coaching clients using popular weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. 

The course also offers personal trainers a competitive edge ahead of New Year’s resolutions, where an influx of motivated consumers are eager for expert guidance to meet their goals.

Co-designed by ACE, Renee J. Rogers, PhD, FACSM and Mike Hansen, a certified personal trainer and industry writer specializing in anti-obesity medications, ACE’s new program features video content and hands-on activities. 

Participants will discover the physiological effects and challenges clients may face while taking the popular drugs and learn the best practices for developing personalized fitness programs for long-term success. Upon completing the program, ACE says participants will be equipped to understand prescription guidelines and explain the effects of weight-loss medications on body composition.

“As anti-obesity medications become more prevalent, the health and fitness industry must adapt to meet the unique needs of clients using these treatments,” ACE CEO and president Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, said. “Health and exercise professionals need to be well-versed not only in the physiological effects of these medications but also in addressing the challenges, biases and stigma that clients may face. This course bridges that gap, empowering professionals to deliver inclusive, informed, and impactful support.” 

Although roughly 12% of Americans have used GLP-1s at some point (and 6% are current users), the numbers are likely to grow. One 2023 survey found that nearly 90% of healthcare providers reported an increase in patients requesting prescription weight loss medications. 

The blockbuster drugs have slimmed consumers down, but experts agree that weight loss medication users should commit to building long-lasting healthy habits and building strength. This year, Noom added an in-app body scan feature for GLP-1 users to monitor body composition metrics, track progress and evaluate any potential muscle mass loss. The new feature follows the digital health platform’s Muscle Defense fitness program, launched in partnership with FitOn.  

Luxury lifestyle and fitness brand Equinox has also focused on developing a specialized program for members who use—or are considering—weight-loss medications.

Equipment maker Echelon recently entered the GLP-1 space with the launch of ActiveMD, a wellness division offering weight-loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Rybelsus to qualified individuals, combined with a fitness program.

“Weight loss has become a significant component to managing a person’s overall wellness,” Echelon CEO Lou Lentine said. “By combining GLP-1s, immune health regimen and metabolism boosts with Echelon Fitness programs that focus on the individual’s goals, ActiveMD will help you lose unwanted weight and stay healthy without losing muscle mass.”

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