The HFA Show 2026, former IHRSA, brought together over 10,000 professionals, about 380 exhibitors, and 150 speakers from March 16 to 18, 2026 at the San Diego Convention Center. At the annual fitness and wellness expo, some products clearly stood out, including motorless treadmills, compact force rigs, high-end recovery zones, and new forms of “clean” energy for members.
For French club leaders, this Californian meeting increasingly resembles a crystal ball for the 2027-2030 market. The innovations seen at HFA 2026 confirm three key trends: dominance of strength, growing emphasis on recovery spaces, and the arrival of concrete AI tools, to be contextualized in a French setting.
HFA Show 2026: strength, recovery, and AI in the spotlight
Upon entering the trade show, the Innovation Alley, New Product Zone, and Recovery Lounge areas set the tone: concrete solutions ready to be implemented. Major manufacturers prominently displayed a “strength-first” logic, with multi-station rigs and cables capable of replacing three or four isolated machines, while freeing up space for small group trainings and dedicated glute zones.
The same quest for efficiency was evident on the wellness front. In the Recovery Lounge, Am-Finn saunas, CryoBuilt cryotherapy booths, red light devices, and contrast therapy (hot/cold) solutions, notably from WellnessSpace Brands, aimed to transform the “cool-down corner”. A few meters away, startups in Innovation Alley demonstrated how AI can be used to deliver personalized coaching.
BodyEnergy, Precor, and Buzz Bomb: standout products
In the cardio segment, the BodyEnergy Ab-Drive treadmill stood out as a star. Completely motorless and powered by the user, it relies on a front abdominal roller and adjustable magnetic resistance to replicate outdoor running biomechanics. According to the manufacturer, each commercial unit could save around 5,400 kWh of electricity consumption per year, while maintaining a price around $6,000, slightly over 5,500 Australian dollars.
In the strength zones, Precor showcased its new Glutebuilder Belt Squat/Step-Up at HFA 2026, designed for glutes, while promoting Stages Cycling bikes. In the energy realm, the 50 mg caffeine sublingual sticks Buzz Bomb, without water and featuring a “clean label” profile, caught the eye of clubs.
