A fitness industry initiative for HFA member facilities will provide Americans heading to basic training with no-cost fitness access and training support.

By Pamela Kufahl, Senior Director of Communications

The US fitness industry is stepping up to assist the United States with its military‑readiness crisis through a program called Service Ready. The program provides verified recruits free gym access and optional coaching in the weeks leading up to basic training. 

The Health & Fitness Association announced the initiative at the 2026 HFA Fly-In and Advocacy Summit last week in Washington, DC, immediately prior to a luncheon keynote by Admiral Brian Christine, MD, assistant secretary for health and head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps at the US Department of Health and Human Services.

“Health is foundational to our national strength,” Christine said in his keynote address. “Health is essential to our readiness. It shapes the vitality of our economy, the resilience of our communities, and ultimately, health shapes the future of our country. But in recent years, our nation—the most powerful, charitable, prosperous, and capable country to ever exist—is failing when it comes to health and wellness.”

The United States’ high rate of chronic diseases such as obesity, type two diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, are the primary drivers of morbidity, mortality, and health care costs, Christine said. Nearly 40% of US children and over 75% of adults suffer from at least one chronic health condition, compared to 50 years ago, when only about 10% of US children and 40% of adults had a chronic condition, he added.

These conditions are affecting military recruitment. In 2018, 71% of young Americans would not be eligible to join the military. One of the top reasons is because they are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Only 41% of Americans ages 17–24 (the age group that accounts for 90% of military applicants, per the CDC) currently meet both the physical activity and weight standards required for military service, while obesity alone disqualifies more than 52,000 applicants annually, according to data highlighted by HFA. Musculoskeletal injuries also continue to create significant readiness and cost burdens across the Armed Forces.

The Service Ready initiative, which will launch in the coming months, provides eight to 12 weeks of no-cost fitness facility access for verified recruits, optional coaching and movement technique sessions led by certified fitness professionals, and optional body composition assessments, where available.

“The announcement you made shows the commitment you have to this country,” Christine said. “Your commitment to the fighting forces and the fighting readiness of the United States of America touches me deeply.”

The initiative is designed to complement—not replace—existing military preparatory programs, including the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, Future Soldier Training System, Recruit Sustainment Program, and Navy Operational Fitness and Fueling System.

“America’s military readiness challenges are increasingly tied to broader declines in physical activity and health outcomes among young adults,” said Mike Goscinski, HFA chief of staff. “As the nation marks America’s 250th anniversary, Service Ready is an opportunity for the fitness industry to step up and support future service members before they arrive at basic training by leveraging the existing facilities, expertise, and community infrastructure already operating across the country. This initiative is about improving preparedness, reducing preventable injuries, and strengthening national resilience through greater access to physical activity.”

HFA is currently identifying member facilities interested in joining the initiative. Interested members may complete this form to be notified as additional information becomes available.

Fitness trade organizations from the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand and Canada collaborated on a study revealing numerous benefits of an integrated care model that combines weight-loss drugs with exercise, especially strength training

Major international health and fitness organizations have joined forces to study the long-term impact exercise can have on GLP-1 users, with the findings showing optimistic results.

The white paper, which emerged from the collaboration of trade organizations including the U.S.-based Health & Fitness Association, U.K.-based ukactive, Australia-based AUSactive, Exercise New Zealand and Fitness Industry Council of Canada, finds that pairing GLP-1 therapy with regular structured exercise has multiple downstream benefits. Those include improved long-term health outcomes, reduced subsequent costs and positive economic returns across multiple countries.

The study dove into whether structured exercise can improve the long-term clinical and economic value of GLP-1 treatment by comparing the impacts of GLP-1 therapy as a standalone obesity treatment versus GLP-1 therapy combined with exercise, utilizing a health-economic model across Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.

The financial component of the study found:

• U.K.: £2.7 billion in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 164% return on investment, rising to 717% and £13 billion over 30 years.
• U.S.: $120 billion in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 496% return on investment, rising to 1,572% and $393 billion over 30 years.
• Australia: AU$182 million in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 59% return on investment, rising to 457% and AU$1.4 billion over 30 years.
• Canada: CA$3.5 billion in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 105% return on investment, rising to 526% and CA $17.9 billion over 30 years.
• New Zealand: NZ$51 million in economic and societal value over 10 years and a 27% return on investment, rising to 306% and NZ$592 million over 30 years.

Meanwhile, the addition of structured exercise to a GLP-1 treatment plan had numerous positive health impacts, including:

• Preserving muscle during weight loss
• Maintaining strength, mobility and bone health
• Keeping more weight off over time
• Reducing weight regain after stopping medication
• Lowering the risk of costly health events later on.

Additionally, the paper highlighted a reduction in acute cardiovascular events and joint replacements; improved patient longevity and quality of life; and reduced spending on medical costs and productivity losses.

Based on those results, the bodies are once again urging for the deeper integration of physical activity and strength training in GLP-1 treatment, after releasing a statement earlier this year calling on governments, health systems and international institutions to ensure that as drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy continue to dominate obesity treatment, they’re supported by lifestyle interventions including physical activity and nutrition.

“GLP-1 medications are rapidly changing obesity treatment, but weight loss alone is not the full measure of success,” said HFA president and interim CEO Greta Wagner. 

From those results, the bodies have come up with a plan for how best to implement fitness-forward practices into a systemic treatment plan for GLP-1 users. They propose the following roadmap for policymakers, payers and healthcare systems:

1. Recognise structured exercise, especially strength training, as an essential part of obesity care
2. Embed exercise support into GLP-1 care models
3. Build referral pathways between healthcare providers and qualified exercise professionals and fitness facilities
4. Support patient access to qualified exercise professionals and fitness facilities
5. Measure outcomes beyond weight loss, including long-term health and economic value.

The organizations also suggested policy shifts such as reimbursement, coverage, tax-preferred treatment or subsidy models that lower financial barriers to structured exercise for GLP-1 users, making exercise more widely recognized as a crucial component of GLP-1 therapy.

“The health and fitness industry has long known that lasting wellness requires more than a number on a scale, it requires strength, function and sustainable healthy life habits,” Wagner added. “This research confirms that exercise, especially strength training, helps patients sustain the benefits of GLP-1 treatment over time. It sends a clear message that exercise belongs at the center of GLP-1 care.”