Artificial intelligence has moved quickly from buzzword to business advantage — and fitness businesses are no exception. In the 'Smart Gym, Smarter Growth: AI for Fitness Leaders' webinar, our CRO, Nick Reyes and PushStart Host, Zach Forrest explored how AI is already reshaping gym operations, communication, and decision-making.
Instead of talking about AI in the abstract, the conversation focused on how gym owners can actually use it — where it fits into day-to-day operations, how PushPress is thoughtfully building it into the platform, and what leaders should be prioritizing as they plan for 2026.
What This Webinar Covered
“The goal isn’t to remove people from the process — it’s to help them make better decisions faster.” — Nick Reyes, CRO, PushPress
In this webinar we tackled how AI fits into the real day-to-day work of running a gym. Including:
- Why AI adoption is accelerating across the fitness industry
- How PushPress approaches AI differently than generic tools
- Where AI can immediately reduce operational workload
- How contextual data makes AI more useful for gym owners
- What gym owners should automate — and what should stay human
One thing is clear: AI is meant to support people, not replace them.
Why AI Matters for Gym Owners Right Now
If you own or run a gym, you already know the reality — you’re doing a little bit of everything. Coaching classes, answering leads, following up with members, handling billing issues, checking reports, and trying to think about what’s next. That constant context-switching adds up fast.
At the end of the day, it’s not about doing more — it’s about thinking less about the things that don’t need your attention.
“The whole concept of time compression is just reducing the amount of time it takes to make decisions.” — Nick Reyes, CRO, PushPress
When repetitive tasks are automated and the right information shows up when you need it, gym owners can move faster — without losing the personal touch that makes their gym special.
Automation Gives Time Back to Coaching and Leadership
One of the biggest takeaways from the webinar was how much time small improvements can unlock — especially for owner-operators who feel pulled in every direction. You don’t need to overhaul your entire business to feel the impact. A few minutes saved here and there adds up fast.
“If I can save you five minutes here and five minutes there, that time usually goes right back into coaching.” — Nick Reyes, CRO, PushPress
That’s the real win. AI isn’t about creating distance between you and your members — it does the opposite. With the busywork taken care of in the background, it gives gym owners more space to lead, coach, and show up where they matter most.
AI Inside PushPress: What We’re Building
“This stuff is becoming foundational. Businesses that don’t adapt eventually fall behind.” — Nick Reyes, CRO, PushPress
We introduced the first version of the PushPress AI Assistant and rolled it out in a controlled beta. Early access gyms are already using simple text prompts to manage plans, ask questions about member profiles, and book recurring classes. No menus. No digging around Core. You just type what you want — and it gets done.
AI also started showing up across the platform in practical ways:
- GymHappy now helps write clean, authentic review requests so gyms can build social proof without extra effort
- Plan creation includes AI-written class descriptions to speed up setup
- The new Dashboard supports smarter SMS follow-ups so staff can reach people at the right moment
- The Branded App automatically posts celebration updates, keeping communities active without manual work behind the scenes
These tools are already saving teams hours every week — and this is just the beginning.
The future of fitness belongs to gym owners who use technology to grow smarter, protect their time, and double down on coaching and community.
Missed our webinar? Catch up on the full replay here or book a 1:1 demo to see how your gym can grow smarter in 2026.
