Competitor funnels, walked as a buyer
Each funnel walked step by step as "Jake", a 30s ex-soccer player with a cranky knee, from Instagram to the card field (never paid). Click a card to walk it yourself in order. Click any screenshot to enlarge.
Only brands with real scale are shown. Dropped as too small to copy: After Athletics (no Instagram of its own; the 8-follower page was an unrelated account) and Motive Training (about 1K followers, a local studio). Horton Barbell (50K) is kept as reference only.
Note: emails were caught with a throwaway test inbox. Brands showing 0 emails may have filtered that domain, so "0" means "none seen", not "none sent".
Lutke as a buyer
The 13 brands
Offers & prices
Full analysis
Comparison table
Patterns
What this means for Lutke
The 13 brands
Offers & prices
Full analysis
Comparison table
Patterns
What this means for Lutke
Our client: Lutke as a buyer
The 13 brands (biggest audience first)
Squat University (Dr. Aaron Horschig) / Squat U Club
SUCCESSFUL IG 4.8M @squat_university · YT 6.9M
Freebie: None
Price: $29/mo or $290/yr
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 15
4.8M followers and no owned funnel: reach alone does not sell a program.
Movement by David (David Thurin, Stay Flexy)
SUCCESSFUL IG 3.1M @movementbydavid · YT 5.09M
Freebie: Body-part eBooks + 5-question quiz
Price: $29-$79 one-time
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 11
One keyword, one automation, freebies split by body part; bot wall blocked our signup.
ATG / Knees Over Toes Guy (Ben Patrick, Athletic Truth Group)
SUCCESSFUL IG 2.6M @kneesovertoesguy · YT 1.91M
Freebie: 5-question quiz, no email gate
Price: $19 / $49.50 / $149 per mo
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 12
Fastest route to a personal-feeling result with real exercise videos; loses everyone who does not make an account.
The Prehab Guys
SUCCESSFUL IG 1.4M @theprehabguys · YT 464K
Freebie: 22-screen quiz
Price: $199/yr ($16.58/mo) or $49/mo
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 28
Best quiz craft; but the promised plan is only a paywall and no emails came after capture.
Theory of Motion (Jason & Lauren Pak)
SUCCESSFUL IG 1.4M @jasonandlaurenpak · YT 205K
Freebie: 23-page sample-week PDF
Price: $19.99/mo (50% off month 1)
Emails seen: 1 · Steps: 27
Freebie is a real sample week of the $19.99 app, with a 50% code in PDF and email. Closest model for Ryan.
JTM FIT (Jay Maryniak)
SUCCESSFUL IG 1M @jtm_fit · YT 177K
Freebie: 18-page core workout ebook
Price: $24.99/mo or $129/yr
Emails seen: 1 · Steps: 10
Real usable freebie, a one-job welcome email, ebook ends on the app pitch; popup fires too late for IG traffic.
E3 Rehab
SUCCESSFUL IG 498K @e3rehab · YT 1.01M
Freebie: PDFs: FIFA 11+ warm-up, 13 condition guides
Price: $99.99 one-time
Emails seen: 2 · Steps: 10
Huge trust and instant PDFs, but the emails never pitch the matching program.
The Ready State (Dr. Kelly & Juliet Starrett) - Mobility Coach
SUCCESSFUL IG 467K @thereadystate · YT 390K
Freebie: 16-movement mobility test + newsletter
Price: $21.99/mo or $229.99/yr
Emails seen: 4 · Steps: 53
Score-as-hook is powerful (Hip 44%); heavy friction and results with zero free help.
Dr. John Rusin / Unbreakable (Pain-Free Performance)
SUCCESSFUL IG 395K @drjohnrusin · YT ~23K
Freebie: Coach-oriented video masterclass
Price: $69/mo or $599/yr
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 11
"Pain-Free Performance" is perfect positioning, but cold buyers go straight to paid pages across 7 domains.
Jeremy Scott Fitness
SUCCESSFUL IG 360K @jeremyscottfitness · YT 34.5K
Freebie: Fat-loss PDF (in footer)
Price: $19.99/mo; programs $119-$199
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 12
"Old Man Athletic" naming nails the buyer; the freebie is generic fat loss and buried in a footer.
GMB Fitness
SUCCESSFUL IG 216K @gmbfitness · YT 378K
Freebie: 20-min follow-along video (+ 15-min mobility video)
Price: $150 one-time (or 3 x $55)
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 13
Best bridge seen: the free video is a sample of the paid program, and the thank-you page pitches it.
Athlete For Life (Luka Hocevar / Vigor Ground)
SUCCESSFUL IG 147K @lukahocevar · YT 619K
Freebie: Ungated blog "free template"
Price: $39/mo; PDFs $97-$147
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 37
Positioning is almost Ryan's, but there is no funnel: 3 opt-ins, 0 emails, free article with no next step.
Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete (Coach Ryan Horton)
MID IG 50.2K @horton_barbell · YT 4.14K
Freebie: Daily free workout newsletter
Price: $29/mo or $249/yr (ladder $10-$33)
Emails seen: 0 · Steps: 32
Daily free workouts build a 22K list with no friction; zero injury or mobility angle.
Comparison table
Scroll sideways on a phone. "Emails in first hour" = everything in the test inbox at the final check (18:14 UTC), 16 to 40 minutes after each signup. No new emails had arrived since the walks.
| Brand | IG | YT | Tier | Entry | Freebie type | Asks for | Emails in first hour | Paid offer | Price | Trial | Bridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortified Training (Ryan Lutke, CSCS) | 29.1K | 371 | CLIENT | IG > Linktree > waitlist; quiz only on website | Waitlist + 3-question quiz > mobility video | Email (waitlist); first name + email (quiz) | 4 | The Practice (EverFit) | $19.99/mo | None | Weak |
| Squat University (Dr. Aaron Horschig) / Squat U Club | 4.8M | 6.9M | SUCCESSFUL | IG > homepage / YouTube | None | Email (blog follow, errored) | 0 | Squat U Club (TrainHeroic) | $29/mo or $290/yr | None | None |
| Movement by David (David Thurin, Stay Flexy) | 3.1M | 5.09M | SUCCESSFUL | IG > "Comment GET FLEXY" / flexy-links page | Body-part eBooks + 5-question quiz | Email only | 0 | Premium flexibility eBooks | $29-$79 one-time | None | Not observed (opt-in blocked) |
| ATG / Knees Over Toes Guy (Ben Patrick, Athletic Truth Group) | 2.6M | 1.91M | SUCCESSFUL | IG bio > atgonlinecoaching.com quiz | 5-question quiz, no email gate | Nothing (account to save result) | 0 | ATG Online Coaching app | $19 / $49.50 / $149 per mo | None (Coached tier 50% off month 1) | Strong on page, no email follow-up |
| The Prehab Guys | 1.4M | 464K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > Linktree > "2 Min Quiz" | 22-screen quiz | Email only, then card | 0 | [P]rehab app | $199/yr ($16.58/mo) or $49/mo | 7 days (annual only), card | Strong (quiz is the bridge) |
| Theory of Motion (Jason & Lauren Pak) | 1.4M | 205K | SUCCESSFUL | IG bio link #1 > Blueprint page | 23-page sample-week PDF | Email only | 1 | Theory of Motion app | $19.99/mo (50% off month 1) | None | Strong |
| JTM FIT (Jay Maryniak) | 1M | 177K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > jtmfit.com (popup after ~30s) | 18-page core workout ebook | First name + email | 1 | JTM FIT app | $24.99/mo or $129/yr | 7 days, no payment today | Strong |
| E3 Rehab | 498K | 1.01M | SUCCESSFUL | IG > Beacons link page by body part | PDFs: FIFA 11+ warm-up, 13 condition guides | Email only | 2 | Knee Resilience (16 wk) | $99.99 one-time | None | Weak |
| The Ready State (Dr. Kelly & Juliet Starrett) - Mobility Coach | 467K | 390K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > free mobility test | 16-movement mobility test + newsletter | Name, email, password, email code | 4 | Mobility Coach app | $21.99/mo or $229.99/yr | 7 days, card | Strong but bait-like |
| Dr. John Rusin / Unbreakable (Pain-Free Performance) | 395K | ~23K | SUCCESSFUL | IG bio + comment keywords > paid pages | Coach-oriented video masterclass | First name, last name, email | 0 | Unbreakable All-Access | $69/mo or $599/yr | None (30-day refund with conditions) | Skipped (straight to paid) |
| Jeremy Scott Fitness | 360K | 34.5K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > app site / Linktree | Fat-loss PDF (in footer) | First name + email | 0 | App + "Old Man" programs | $19.99/mo; programs $119-$199 | 7 days, no card | Weak |
| GMB Fitness | 216K | 378K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > dedicated landing page | 20-min follow-along video (+ 15-min mobility video) | Email only | 0 | Elements | $150 one-time (or 3 x $55) | None (90-day guarantee) | Strong |
| Athlete For Life (Luka Hocevar / Vigor Ground) | 147K | 619K | SUCCESSFUL | IG > Linktree (mixed with B2B offers) | Ungated blog "free template" | Nothing (footer newsletter: email) | 0 | AFL membership; Compound-V / DILF PDFs | $39/mo; PDFs $97-$147 | None | None |
| Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete (Coach Ryan Horton) | 50.2K | 4.14K | MID | IG > Substack newsletter | Daily free workout newsletter | Email only | 0 | Train Like An Athlete (TrainHeroic) | $29/mo or $249/yr (ladder $10-$33) | 7 days, card | Medium (same workouts, pay for tracking + coach) |
Patterns (across the 13 competitors)
Freebie type (some brands have two)
| PDF / ebook | 5 | E3 Rehab, Jeremy Scott Fitness, JTM FIT, Movement by David, Theory of Motion |
| Quiz / assessment | 4 | ATG, Movement by David, The Prehab Guys, The Ready State |
| Free content / newsletter | 3 | Athlete For Life, Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, The Ready State |
| None | 1 | Squat University |
| Masterclass / video course | 1 | Dr. John Rusin |
| Free video | 1 | GMB Fitness |
What the opt-in asks for
| Email only | 7 | E3 Rehab, GMB Fitness, Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, Movement by David, The Prehab Guys, Squat University, Theory of Motion |
| Name + email | 3 | Dr. John Rusin, Jeremy Scott Fitness, JTM FIT |
| Nothing to ask (no opt-in) | 2 | ATG, Athlete For Life |
| Account + password | 1 | The Ready State |
Got at least one email
| No (none seen) | 9 | ATG, Athlete For Life, Dr. John Rusin, GMB Fitness, Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, Jeremy Scott Fitness, Movement by David, The Prehab Guys, Squat University |
| Yes | 4 | E3 Rehab, JTM FIT, The Ready State, Theory of Motion |
Free trial
| No trial | 8 | ATG, Athlete For Life, Dr. John Rusin, E3 Rehab, GMB Fitness, Movement by David, Squat University, Theory of Motion |
| Trial, card required | 3 | Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, The Prehab Guys, The Ready State |
| Trial, no card | 2 | Jeremy Scott Fitness, JTM FIT |
Pricing model
| Subscription under $30/mo | 7 | ATG, Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, Jeremy Scott Fitness, JTM FIT, The Ready State, Squat University, Theory of Motion |
| Subscription $30/mo and up | 3 | Athlete For Life, Dr. John Rusin, The Prehab Guys |
| One-time program | 3 | E3 Rehab, GMB Fitness, Movement by David |
Freebie is a real sample of the paid product
| No | 8 | Athlete For Life, Dr. John Rusin, E3 Rehab, Jeremy Scott Fitness, Movement by David, The Prehab Guys, The Ready State, Squat University |
| Yes | 5 | ATG, GMB Fitness, Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete, JTM FIT, Theory of Motion |
Free-to-paid bridge strength
| Strong | 6 | ATG, GMB Fitness, JTM FIT, The Prehab Guys, The Ready State, Theory of Motion |
| Weak / none | 5 | Athlete For Life, Dr. John Rusin, E3 Rehab, Jeremy Scott Fitness, Squat University |
| Medium | 1 | Horton Barbell - Train Like An Athlete |
| Not observed | 1 | Movement by David |
What this means for Lutke
HYPOTHESIS Options to discuss, not decisions. Based on one buyer walk per brand on one day.
- Fix the plumbing first (cheapest win). One waitlist email instead of three, one start date everywhere (IG, Linktree, email), quiz email names the right body part, quiz result button goes to the $19.99 EverFit buy page. No competitor that converts well has these leaks.
- Make the freebie a slice of The Practice. The strongest bridges (GMB, Theory of Motion, JTM FIT) give away a real sample of the paid program, then say "want the rest?". Option: a free "Week 1 of The Practice" or frame the knee video as "from The Practice", ending on the $19.99 link.
- Grow the quiz instead of replacing it. Quiz funnels (ATG, Prehab Guys, Ready State) feel personal because the result echoes your answers. Options: add groin / hamstring / ankle, ask about sport history, show the answers back, and put the price on the result page.
- Add a short follow-up sequence. Almost nobody nurtured inside the first hour; Theory of Motion and JTM FIT at least promise "a few emails over the next days". Option: 3 to 5 emails from Ryan (story, one free drill, one testimonial, offer).
- Own the empty corner. Nobody targets ex-soccer / field-sport players with groin, hamstring and knee issues; Prehab Guys and ATG have no groin option. Option: say it everywhere (IG bio, Linktree, website hero, quiz).
- Comment keyword to DM. E3 Rehab, Movement by David and Dr. John Rusin use one IG keyword that sends the freebie. Option: one keyword, one freebie.
- Price and trial. $19.99/mo sits right with Theory of Motion ($19.99), ATG ($19), Ready State ($21.99), JTM FIT ($24.99). About half run no trial. Options: keep no trial and use a first-month discount (Theory of Motion THEORY50, ATG) or test a no-card 7-day trial (JTM FIT, Jeremy Scott).
Open question: which audience to lead with (ex-athletes vs general 30-50s) changes the wording of every option above.