A new agreement between Life Fitness / Hammer Strength and YMCA’s on-demand platform delivers a two-fold benefit: more engaging workouts for members along with insights for operators

Life Fitness / Hammer Strength has signed a digital integration agreement with YMCA360, the on-demand platform serving YMCA communities, to enhance how members interact with the brand’s cardio and strength machines and track their progress.

The rollout is slated for later this year.

“As the digital platform for YMCAs, we are excited to welcome longtime YMCA partner Life Fitness / Hammer Strength to YMCA360,” YMCA360 co-founder and CEO, and Greater Wichita YMCA president, Ronn McMahon said. “Their expanding capabilities represent a game changer for YMCAs looking to deliver a more seamless, connected experience to their members. At YMCA360, we’re committed to collaborating with innovative partners like Life Fitness / Hammer Strength to add value to the digital experience our members expect.”

Once integrated, YMCA members will be able to log in directly to Life Fitness equipment through the YMCA360 app, unlocking a tailored experience across the Discover SE4, SE4 console and Symbio lines. Users can generate goal-based workout plans, track cardio and strength sessions in real-time and receive custom training programs via Trainer Connect, a tool that lets personal trainers deliver workouts directly to their clients’ devices.

“Fitness facilities rely on robust digital ecosystems,” Life Fitness / Hammer Strength senior director of connected fitness Anthony Radek said. “We work closely with our partner gyms to ensure our digital solutions integrate easily with their existing systems and preferred providers, making it effortless for them to harness our industry-leading technology with immediate, impactful results.”

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The two-fold benefit also extends to operators. On the backend, facility teams will gain insight into equipment usage and member workout patterns, enabling them to make proactive decisions regarding equipment rotation and maintenance. The system also enhances personal trainers’ ability to deliver customized programs based on real-time exercise data.

“The integration of Life Fitness Connect System into the YMCA360 app is designed to be effortless for both members and facility operators,” Life Fitness / Hammer Strength’s YMCA national segment manager Forrest Cory said. “With this integration, YMCAs that use YMCA360 will be able to offer their members a truly integrated app and workout tracking experience.”

“Members will have seamless access to their favorite YMCA360 content on the console and can more effectively achieve their fitness goals through the workout builder. And best of all, everything will run directly through the YMCA360 app,” Cory added.

Former University of Colorado football player and Olympic skier Jeremy Bloom is launching groundbreaking artificial intelligence technology in the sports world.

On Wednesday, Bloom announced the launch of The Owl AI, an artificial intelligence platform designed to “bring unprecedented fairness, transparency, and immersion to the global sports ecosystem.” The company will be based in Boulder, where Bloom resides.

Named the CEO of the X Games in December, Bloom teamed with Google to create the first AI judge, and Owl was introduced at the X Games in Aspen in January. Other sports entities took notice, including major professional leagues in the United States, prompting Bloom and his team to go deeper with the Owl AI technology.

“We had other leagues reaching out to us and saying, ‘Hey, you know, we’d love to look at this technology and think about how we could apply it,’” Bloom said in an interview with the Daily Camera. “So it became pretty obvious that this was a bigger use case than just the X Games.”

Owl AI is also in talks with “one of the big conferences” in college sports, Bloom said.

Bloom, who is a seasoned tech entrepreneur, played football at CU in 2002-03 as a receiver and punt returner. He was a sixth-round pick in the NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006.

Bloom was also a World Cup moguls skier who represented the United States in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. A three-time world champion, he was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame in 2013.

When he returned to the sports world in December, he reached out to long-time friend Sergey Brin, the go-founder of Google.

“I said, ‘Let’s go build the world’s first AI judge,’” Bloom said. “I wanted to do that because I experienced firsthand as an athlete competing at the highest level in subjective sports and seeing there’s a panel of judges (in skiing), and in football, there’s referees. And, look, sometimes you get it wrong. Sometimes you just make the wrong call.”

Bloom referenced some high profile missed calls in NFL playoff games and at the Monaco Grand Prix.

“These things happen a lot and we’re finally to the point where technology can help solve this and bring objectivity to subjective sports,” Bloom said. “I think that’s a huge opportunity across a lot of different sports, so we wanted to test it at X Games.”

Bloom worked with Josh Gwyther, has been at Google for nine years, the last three-and-a-half running the AI teams. Gwyther and Bloom spent six weeks developing Owl AI before the X Games in January.

Gwyther, who is also based in Boulder, has now left Google to lead Owl AI. Bloom said he made three phone calls – to S32, Menlo Ventures and Susa Ventures – to raise $11 million in funds to back Owl AI.

“I think AI will be ubiquitous across every live sport over the next five years,” Bloom said. “Whether they use our technology or somebody else’s, I think you’ll have to. I think we’re well positioned to win some of those market opportunities. Some of those (major pro leagues) we’re in conversations with and building and beta testing, and hopefully in the next couple of months we’ll be able to announce some of those partnerships.

“But I absolutely believe that this technology, AI, will be ubiquitous across every sports league that’s out there, and not just from judging and refereeing.”

Bloom said Owl AI is an “incredible tool” for coaching because it can upload footage of an athlete and provide critique and tips.

The technology can also do AI commentating in various languages. That aspect will be launched this week at the Summer X Games in Salt Lake City, as fans in Japan, Brazil and other countries can now watch the games and hear commentary in their native language.

With Owl AI being based in Boulder, Bloom and Gwyther said they hope to tap into the local talent, hiring recent CU graduates and offering internships to CU students.

“I really want to lean into local talent,” Gwyther said. “I would love to fill this office with engineers local in Boulder, which would be amazing and kind of reignite the startup community here in Boulder, too.

“I fully anticipate to be working with CU on bringing in talent to the organization.”

Owl AI technology at the X Games:

Originally Published: June 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM MDT

I never thought of being a fur mom. It was only last year that I received my first dog, Chia, as a gift. I admit, I was not mentally and emotionally prepared at that time. But the very first day I got her and she slept beside me, everything changed. I fell in love with her right away.   

Chia is celebrating her first birthday today, and she has significantly contributed to my overall well-being. I was very used to my usual routines before having her. Life surely was easier, but I didn’t realize how much more it could be better with Chia in our lives. 

Incorporating Chia’s routines (walks, toilet time, eating, playtime, sleep) into my schedule helped me become more flexible in approaching life. She made my life fuller and happier. My stress levels dropped significantly, and my quality of life has jumped to another level—it has gone beyond my fixed healthy routines.

Here are some fitness and wellness trends you can try with your dogs that I have been applying with Chia to create a well-balanced life.  

READ: Tyrese Haliburton on his Achilles injury: ‘I don’t regret it. I’d do it again’

Health monitoring: GPS and health tracking collars

Aside from your care and the recommended vet visits to ensure your dog’s optimal health, maximizing the use of technology can significantly enhance your dog’s overall quality of life. There are a lot of fitness trackers you can attach to your dog’s collar to choose from. With the inclusion of a GPS tracker, you can also track your dog in real-time. Some can also monitor your dog’s barking patterns, stress levels, and moods.

Earlier this year, I got Chia a Tractive fitness tracker, which also doubles as a GPS tracker (perfect for escape artists like her). However, I needed to pay P12,000 in advance for a two-year subscription to GPS tracking and data access (although some trackers don’t require a subscription). 

Chia’s tracker provides me with information about her daily wellness score, which is an aggregate of her activity level, sleep, heart rate, calorie burn, and respiratory rate. Having a tracker ensures that she consistently gets the right amount of movement (playtime and outdoor walk) and night and day sleep. You can also see the overall rank of your dog in terms of activity level compared to other dogs.

Exercise: Going beyond walking

You can play with your dog several times a day (or whenever you’re at home), even for just five minutes, by doing fetch, chase, or tug of war. Just make sure to offer a safe home environment by avoiding toys with sharp edges, blocking unsafe areas, and keeping hazardous items (such as chocolate, garlic, medications, and electrical cords) out of reach. 

Getting some playtime is also a good way to help pet owners pause and take their minds off work or routine activities. Do keep in mind to give your dog portion-controlled, healthy treats to help manage their health and weight. In Chia’s case, I give her real food treats, such as cooked vegetables (kangkong, carrot, pumpkin), small amounts of her chia pancake (made with chia seeds and banana), and natural peanut butter. 

Taking four to five short outdoor walks of 5 to 10 minutes each for your dog’s urination and defecation can easily add up to 20 to 50 minutes of movement and bonding each day. You can also get your much-needed vitamin D from the sun in the morning.

Involve your dog in your weekend physical activities, such as outdoor walks, mini hikes, or a visit to your local park. Since we got Chia, our Sundays have changed a bit. I don’t run together with my husband anymore because while I run, he walks with Chia, and we take turns.

Join dog events such as fun runs, group exercise classes, pet festivals, and competitions. Aside from giving your dog a good workout, occasionally exposing them to these events can help sharpen their mental and socialization skills. So far, Chia has joined two one-kilometer dog races in the past five months, and these running events were truly amazing due to the lively, engaging, and fun environment—you could also see dogs wearing their best costumes, and all the pet owners were proud and excited for their dogs. And here’s the best part: There are so many freebies.

READ: How I won a 10K race at 47 after 20 years of trying

Recovery: Fixing the home environment and creating a sleep routine

When your dog sleeps well, you get enough rest too. Spending time and effort to give your dog their much-needed sleep should always be a priority. It is essential to your quality of life, energy management, and overall well-being. Dogs need an average of 14 hours of sleep (combined night and day sleep), but this also depends on your dog’s age (more for puppies), breed, and activity level.

Involve your dog in your consistent sleep routine. You can both go to bed 30 to 60 minutes before the target sleep time and devote that time to a relaxing moment together. I go to bed with Chia and my husband at 8:30 or 9:00 p.m., and she’s usually asleep 30 minutes after our relaxing bedtime routine. She sleeps soundly and wakes up at 4:45 a.m. with us. 

During the daytime, dogs also need to sleep or nap to maintain a balanced energy level throughout the day. Allot a comfortable nap space for your dog. Ensure that the amount of naps doesn’t interfere with the night sleep (average of 8 to 10 hours for adult dogs). Chia completes her cycles of naps while I work at home (online) during the day, and together with me when I get the chance to nap in the afternoon.

Email the author at [email protected] or follow/message her on Instagram @mitchfelipemendoza

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lottery.com Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRY, LTRYW) (“Lottery.com” or “the Company”), a leading technology company transforming the intersection of gaming, sports and entertainment, today announced it is advancing its global expansion with the planned launch of the Sports.com Super App (the “Super App”)—a first-of-its-kind digital destination for sports fans worldwide. The Super App is designed to combine live streaming, social engagement, e-commerce and gamification into a single immersive ecosystem.

The Super App, which is scheduled to launch in select global markets in Q3 2025, will initially focus on soccer and motorsport—two verticals Sports.com has been aggressively expanding into through a series of high-profile sponsorships and strategic initiatives. The Super App will be built on an existing platform development by Galaxy Racer Holdings Limited (“GXR”), The GXR app has achieved more than one million monthly active subscribers organically, demonstrating significant early traction and category-defining potential.

“We’ve spent the past two years building Sports.com around key pillars like soccer and motorsport,” said Mark Bircham, Director of Sports.com. “This acquisition and the launch of the Sports.com Super App is the culmination of a precise strategy to consolidate fragmented sports experiences. Our partnerships with emerging motorsport stars like Callum Ilott, Louis Foster, and Sebastian Murray, along with this technology acquisition sets the stage for an aggressive media expansion that will redefine how fans watch, play and engage with their favorite leagues, teams, and players.”

The Super App will integrate six primary features into a single experience: live streaming, community chat hubs, stats-based social media, e-commerce, real-money and fantasy sports gaming, and sports news. The Super App aims to engage fans across the full lifecycle of the sports experience, tapping into the 4–5 hours of average fan interaction beyond match time each week.

Revenue streams will include premium streaming subscriptions, in-app advertising, merchandising and interactive gamified challenges. Plans are underway to extend into additional sports verticals and incorporate immersive streaming experiences later this year.

To accelerate the development timeline for the Super App, Lottery.com has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire a 51% controlling interest in the sports and technology assets of GXR, valuing the transaction at $10 million pre-money. Subject to due diligence and final agreement, the deal allows Lottery.com to fund the $5.1 million initial investment via cash, stock, or a combination at a fixed $3.00 share price. A $15 million financing commitment has also been pledged by Lottery.com to fuel expansion of the Sports.com Super App.

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Northwestern researchers developed an open-source algorithm to make fitness tracking more accurate for people with obesity

For millions of Americans living with obesity, fitness trackers often fail at the very thing they promise: accurately measuring effort. Why? Most are powered by algorithms built for people without obesity. Now, scientists at Northwestern University say they’ve addressed that flaw with a new open-source algorithm designed specifically for people with obesity.

It’s an important finding, considering that almost one in three Americans use a wearable device to track their health and fitness, according to a 2023 Health Information National Trends Survey.

The issue, researchers say, lies in the algorithms powering most popular fitness trackers. Built around data from average-weight users, they often fail to account for differences in gait, speed and energy expenditure in people with obesity. Researchers found that hip-worn trackers often miscalculate energy burn due to gait differences and device tilt in people with obesity. Similarly, wrist-worn devices are typically more comfortable and easier to wear consistently, but until now, they haven’t been rigorously validated for individuals with higher BMIs.

“People with obesity could gain major health insights from activity trackers, but most current devices miss the mark,” said Nabil Alshurafa, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.“Without a validated algorithm for wrist devices, we’re still in the dark about exactly how much activity and energy people with obesity really get each day — slowing our ability to tailor interventions and improve health outcomes.”

His team at Northwestern’s HABits Lab developed and tested the new algorithm, benchmarking it against 11 other models using research-grade devices. They also used wearable cameras to capture every moment when wrist sensors failed to reflect calorie burn accurately.

The study was published June 19 in Nature Scientific Reports. The next step is a planned activity-tracking app, set to launch later this year for both iOS and Android.

The study was personal for Alshurafa, who had attended an exercise class with his mother-in-law, who has obesity.

“She worked harder than anyone else, yet when we glanced at the leaderboard, her numbers barely registered,” Alshurafa said. “That moment hit me: fitness shouldn’t feel like a trap for the people who need it most.”

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For the study, the team recruited two groups of participants. In the first, 27 individuals wore a fitness tracker along with a metabolic cart – a device that calculates energy burn by measuring oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. Participants completed a series of physical activities, allowing researchers to compare calorie burn estimates from the smartwatch against the metabolic cart readings.

In the second group, 25 participants wore a fitness tracker and a body camera while going about their daily routines. The camera footage allowed researchers to visually confirm when the algorithm over- or underestimated calorie burn.

The study also challenged assumptions about what effort looks like. At times, Alshurafa asked participants to do as many pushups as they could in five minutes.

“Many couldn’t drop to the floor, but each one crushed wall pushups, their arms shaking with effort,” he said. “We celebrate ‘standard’ workouts as the ultimate test, but those standards leave out so many people. These experiences showed me we must rethink how gyms, trackers and exercise programs measure success — so no one’s hard work goes unseen.”