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Ryan Lutke (Fortified Training): the master plan

Josh-CC, 2026-10-16. For Josh + Ryan (ours) before Saturday's kickoff with Lutke (Sat Oct 17, 1:00pm). This is the whole thing: the plan AND every why, built only from the research we already did. Picks are ours to recommend; Lutke decides with us Saturday.

Names in this doc: "Lutke" = the client (Ryan Lutke). "Ryan (ours)" = Josh's partner. "Us" = Josh + Ryan (ours). Tags: CLIENT-DIRECT = Lutke's own words, pages, numbers. AUDIENCE = first-person words of people like his buyers. COMPETITOR = their pages. HYPOTHESIS = our guess, not proven. Counts mean "seen in N items we read", never a share of a population.

Source files (all under /Users/joshliu/ryan-lutke/):

Contents

1. The one-paragraph plan
2. The numbers today, and what they mean
3. Who he's for
4. Positioning, story, voice
5. The full objection table
6. The funnel, step by step
7. Offer, price, packaging, enrollment
8. Competitors
9. Proof plan
10. Fix list (his broken stuff)
11. Retention plan
12. Risks: what could make this wrong
13. Unknowns + questions for Saturday
14. Roadmap with dates and owners

1. The one-paragraph plan

Lutke's reels already work: six "Comment PRACTICE" reels drew about 2,900 comments in May to July. Almost everything after the comment is broken: three PRACTICE DM flows sent only ~437 DMs all-time, the current one (live since Jun 11) has sent 73, and it ends with no link to The Practice; 40 people sit in his email list; 0 email clicks; 17 people ever bought The Practice and 7 left (DP). Sales were best in April-May (3 and 6) when the DM linked straight to the buy page, and dropped to 0-3 a month after the June flow removed that link (DP, correlation only). So we fix the leak first, then rebuild the path. The new path: a reel ends with "Comment PRACTICE and I'll send you a free 20-minute session for former athletes with cranky knees, hips, backs or shoulders" -> ManyChat DM: tap, give email (81.6% of people asked already answer), tap "what's cranky?" -> one link to a page where the free session plays instantly (a real Practice session with on-screen swaps per body part, a "how much is enough" dose rule and a stop rule) with a short Practice pitch right under the video -> 8 short emails over ~12 days, each answering one real objection in his calm-teacher voice, ending at the next monthly start day -> The Practice at $19.99/mo, always open (join any day, everyone starts the new block together on the start day), with a 7-day free trial (EverFit already supports trials; he has a draft built) and a longer-term plan -> a week-1 onboarding built on his own ideas (day-1 retest, first form video, weekly check-in thread, "dimmer, not a switch" minimum week) because the first 4 weeks decide who stays. Proof comes from his own members in the next 30 days. Everything is live by Fri Nov 6, built in Systeme + ManyChat + EverFit, with Lutke filming on Thursdays Oct 22, Oct 29, Nov 5 (4-6pm).

Why this shape, in one line each:

• Free sample of the paid thing -> email -> low-price subscription is the engine that fits him (GMB, Theory of Motion, JTM run it; FA 3a). Quizzes need many programs; he has one.
• The #1 question everywhere is "how much is too much, and which swap is safe for me?" (SYN 0.4, survived the audit, AU 6). The freebie answers it on screen.
• 0 of 12 successful brands use a free challenge as the freebie (FA), and 0 of 17 walked (FRB). Not recommended.
• 12 of 12 successful brands sell their core offer any day (FA 3b). Monthly-only windows: 0 of 12.

2. The numbers today, and what they mean

2a. His real funnel (CLIENT-DIRECT)

2b. What it means

1. Interest is not the problem. The path after the comment is. The flow live during the big July reels (~2,100 comments on 3 reels) shows only 74 runs all-time. All 3 flows together: ~437 DMs vs ~2,900 May-July comments. ManyChat's own widget says 1,160 contacts came in through PRACTICE comments, so the true DM count is somewhere between 437 and 1,160. Either way, most commenters got nothing. Caveat: the 2,900 counts every comment, not only "PRACTICE" (FRB 1a). Possible causes (HYPOTHESIS): flow switched off between May and Jun 11, stats reset when the flow was edited on Sep 15, or comments not matching. Unknown until checked. 1b. When the DM linked straight to the buy page, people bought. Mar flow: 88 tapped the EverFit link. May flow: 29 tapped it. Purchases: Apr 3, May 6. The June flow swapped the buy link for a free workout + YouTube; purchases since: Jun 0, Jul 3, Aug 2, Sep 1, Oct 1 (DP). Correlation only (reach and reels changed too). Lesson: keep a free thing, but never again send people off with no path to buy. 1c. The biggest DM he sends points away from The Practice. "Say hi to new followers" ran 15,475 times and got 1,234 taps, all to YouTube (DP). YouTube has 371 subs. That's ~1,200 warm people a year sent to a dead end.
2. Those May-July commenters are mostly gone. Meta only lets a business send the comment DM "within 7 days of the creation time of the comment", and "Only one message can be sent to the commenter" (MK 5). So we can't go back and DM them. The fix only helps from now on.
3. The DM step itself is not bad. 81.6% of people asked for an email gave one; 36% of everyone who got the DM did. The problem is what came next: the flow sends an image + YouTube link and stops, with no link to The Practice (DP).
4. People read his emails. They just have nothing to click. 48.9% average open (waitlist email 80%). But 0 clicks on the newsletters, because only 1 of 4 had a buy link, and the waitlist email had none (DP). Nobody bought from email. There are 0 email sequences.
5. People who do buy, leave quietly and fast. 7 of 17 cancelled after 1 to 4 payments, no reasons stored, all cancelled by Lutke by hand. Rough churn ~13% a month. 4 overdue invoices. Only 5 of 18 clients had workouts assigned in the last 30 days, and member posts stopped after July (DP). We can't see why yet. HYPOTHESIS: some members may not be getting the new month's program at all (the package only holds the April program). That makes retention a P0, not a later problem.
6. Reach is falling. Sept was about half of August. Daily views fell from ~9K to ~3K. Cause unknown. HYPOTHESIS: it lines up with moving away from the May-July PRACTICE wording and with boosting stopping (ANS "what changed" 2). Two of the top reels were boosted (paid), so their numbers overstate organic pull.
7. His #1 reel may be selling the thing he doesn't want. The 283K reel says "Comment FORTIFIED"; the public FORTIFIED caption we found is "Comment FORTIFIED below for more information on 1-on-1 personal training!" (DVKcvNhEQFB, FRB 1a). Lutke: "I don't want more in-person training clients" (VN2). HYPOTHESIS: the 283K reel's own caption is unseen (not on the public grid). Two ManyChat automations also share the FORTIFIED keyword (TP).
8. YouTube is not an engine. 303 views in 28 days. Instagram is where his buyers are. His best YouTube videos were the 2025 follow-along "10 minute mobility" sessions (377 to 571 views), not the 2026 soccer series (26 to 340) (HC 6).

2c. Goal math (HYPOTHESIS unless marked)

• Goal (CLIENT-DIRECT): 100 members at ~$20 by 2027-07-01, "the minimum amount of income by that deadline that would make sense for me to continue" (CALL). Then 1,000.
• Today: ~13 paying (DP). Joins so far: 22 purchases across both packages in ~7.5 months, about 3 a month (DP, derived).
• From 13 now, 9 months to go (Nov to Jul), derived:

• So he needs about 5 to 6 times today's join rate, and cutting churn is worth about 4 joins a month on its own.
• Working back from his one real rate (35.6% of DMs give an email), and a guessed email-to-paid rate:

(Table assumes 14 joins/month. A direct buy link in the DM adds a second route that skips email; the Mar/May flows show 18% to 46% of DM'd people tapping a buy link, DP. We have no data on how many of those paid.)

• What it means: at May-July levels (93 to 853 comments per PRACTICE reel), he needs roughly 2 to 4 strong PRACTICE reels a month AND a path that converts. Neither alone gets there. This is why the plan does both: fix the path, and get the CTA reels back to the May-July standard.

3. Who he's for

3a. The pick

1st choice: former athletes, mid-30s to mid-50s, men and women, whose body isn't what it used to be. They played seriously (high school, college, club, or still rec league). Now old injuries flare, one thing follows another, and when they try to train like they used to they pay for it all week.

Why (evidence):

• His real audience matches the age. IG followers: 35-44 = 30%, 45-54 = 26% (56% combined); 25-34 = 19%; 55-64 = 17%; 65+ = 6% (IGI).
• His own members fit it (Welcome Form, 26 answers, DP [37]): ages 20-29: 5, 30-39: 11, 40-49: 2, 50+: 8; median about 38, range 20-66. 22 of 26 already work out weekly, 4 are getting back into it, 0 are new. Reasons: mobility 24, get stronger 22, injury prevention 19, cardio 18, look better 16, lose weight 10. Past blockers: injuries 12, lack of accountability 10, lack of motivation 10, too busy 9, not knowing what to do 7, not seeing results 5. Training: full gym 12, limited gym 8, home gym 3, limited home kit 3, nothing 0. The form does NOT ask what sport they played or how they found him.
  • What it means: his buyers are people who already train and want to keep doing it without breaking. That is exactly the self-starter his method needs ("There's an element of autonomy required", VN2). Age is two clumps (30s and 50+), not one. Women vs men: unknown from the form.
• It's his own definition. "It's perfect for former athletes that don't move as much as they used to" / "somebody who used to move more than they do" (VN2). "I'm trying to be the authority over the demographic of people that is me. I'm a former athlete" (VN2).
• His story is the proof: D2 All-American soccer player, groin injury, came back through strength training (VN1).
• Nobody among the proven brands says it plainly at ~$20 (CO open ground 1; FRB 4: "Injury-prevention-for-ex-soccer-players remained unclaimed").
• The two research groups overlap here: 12 records in the 30-60 nagging-injury lane say they played sports (SYN 2).

Pros: matches his story, his content, his follower ages and his real expertise. Strongest hook against bigger generic brands. Cons: the Reddit ex-athlete voices skew 20s to mid-30s and 2014-2019 (AU 3), younger than his followers. His members skew 30s with a 50+ group (DP); we don't know how many played a sport, because the form never asks. Must also speak to women (46% of followers).

2nd choice: anyone 35-55 with nagging aches who wants to stay active (drop the athlete label).

• Pros: bigger pool; fits his other examples (office worker who plays weekend tennis, dad whose shoulder won't let him throw a football, new parent carrying a baby, VN2).
• Cons: crowded (JTM "after 40", Jeremy Scott "busy adults", Prehab); loses his strongest hook and his authority story.

Also considered: older adults 55+ staying capable (23% of his IG). Thinnest evidence (SYN 2). Best proof he has is in-person women (Claire, Suzanne, Deb), but Lutke says The Practice won't work for someone "not comfortable going to a gym on their own" (VN2). Serve them as a welcome side group, not the headline.

Rule: the copy says "former athletes" but every example list includes the 2nd-choice people too ("used to play", "used to move more"), so nobody who fits feels shut out.

3b. The person, in detail

3c. Their pains, in their words (AUDIENCE)

"Nothing works like it used to" (identity gap)

• "I think my mind still thinks I’m athlete but my body is like slow down." R01
• "I think I have been in denial about how I can no longer train like I used to." YT
• "Felt like an old man hobbling around the court." A70

"One thing after another"

• "it seems to just be one joint issue after another - sore shoulder, then left elbow, then right elbow, then left knee etc." A08
• "At 38 these days I feel like there's always SOMETHING." A49
• "I’m 36 and in pain all the time. I swear it’s injury after injury" YT
• "the thing you did as a teen or young adult will pop up to cause problems." YT
• "my college adductor pain came back. Almost 20 years later, I’m realizing that I have extremely weak adductors" R103

"I try to train like I used to and pay for it all week" (this is Lutke's "tennis on Tuesday, not wrecked Thursday" in their words)

• "I try to do what I used to and end up sore for 4+ days and don't do it again." R68
• "I did skater steps on Tuesday, couldn't walk on Thursday. Feel like I went from phase 3 back to phase 1 like snakes and ladders" YT
• "go hard for three weeks, tweak something, take a week off to recover, never go back." 1pp1ewy

"I don't know how much, or which swap is safe" (the #1 question)

• "But how will I know if it is too much?" A51
• "program says jump squats, my knees say absolutely not." / "I end up spending half my workout time googling exercise substitutions." A19
• "The app gives 'alternate' exercises but I don't know enough to pick whatever is a 'safer' exercise." A38
• "How often should these rehab exercises be performed? Twice daily? More or less? Or as needed? I don't want to overdo it." YT
• "I have no idea what's a good stopping point or when I've done "enough"." R21

"I know how to lift, I can't plan"

• "I have a pretty good knowledge of how to do each exercise, but I don't know how to create a program for myself." R20
• "I have lifted before, but always just did whatever the coach told me to do. I can properly do most lifts, but never understood the why to it all" R28
• "I just want something that tells me "do this today" and I do it. Is that too much to ask?" W5-a, M48

"I lost my sport, and my people"

• "it has been my primary hobby for years and the only time I see my friends." (almost 42, groin pop in rec soccer) A75
• "I found it more difficult to train because I had nothing to train for." R16

Dads and parents

• "I don't want to be a back crippled dad of 2." A53
• "9 months in and my body is already filing for divorce" A54

Women in the evidence

• "years of sports have left me with bad knees and shoulders, so I'd like to find a coach or PT to help me learn proper form and build a routine." (34, former athlete) R82
• "I'm not accepting defeat just yet!" (F46, lifts and runs) A24
• "I never would have imagined that I would be so physically compromised at age 63." A74

3d. What they tried, and why it failed (their reasons)

What they credit when something DID work: a specific person showing them specific moves (A44, A74), short routines (A05, A10), strengthening the weak link (A06, A21, A71), a plan that defines "enough" (R22) (AG 4, EX 3).

Key point: dose failures happen on paid programs too (at least 4 paid examples, BVF 1a). So "free hurts you, paid is safe" is NOT a claim he can make. The honest line is "adapted and watched" (BVF 0.1).

3e. What they want back

• To keep playing their sport or hobby: seen in 14 records (AG 7.1). "I want to be able to compete at full force again!" YT
• To feel athletic: "my primary goal is just to feel athletic (strong, powerful, fast, mobile) and overall confident in my own skin" R34
• To carry and play with their kids: 7 records (AG 7.1). "I can still get up and down from the floor to play with kids without much problem" YT
• To train hard without breaking: 6 records (AG 7.1). They do NOT want "take it easy".
• Clarity, "do this today": 8 records (AG 7.1).
• Company: 9 items (AG 7.1).

3f. Their words (use) and not their words (avoid)

4. Positioning, story, voice

4a. The one-line promise

1st choice (HYPOTHESIS copy, needs Lutke's yes):

Train like an athlete again, in a way your joints can handle now. So you can play on Tuesday without paying for it on Thursday.

Why:

• "Tuesday / Thursday" is Lutke's own outcome: "now you can go and play tennis on a Tuesday, and then you're not as sore as you would be on Thursday or Friday" (VN2). The audience says the same thing: "I did skater steps on Tuesday, couldn't walk on Thursday" (YT); "sore for 4+ days" (R68).
• "Train like an athlete" respects the ego: "You don't have to baby yourself." (YT). It's Lutke's own method: "continue to train the way that you would have if you were an athlete but to do it in ways that help you age more gracefully" (VN2).
• It promises an outcome they want without promising "injury-free".

Pros: concrete, his words, theirs too, no medical claim. Cons: "Tuesday/Thursday" needs a second to land; test it in reels first.

2nd choice: "Strength training for former athletes whose body isn't what it used to be." (plain description, matches his YouTube About "Injury prevention for former athletes" minus the claim). Pros: instantly clear. Cons: no outcome, sounds like everyone else.

Supporting line (product in one breath): "A new 4-week plan every month. 3 workouts a week. A swap for every cranky knee, hip, back or shoulder. And I check your form myself. $19.99 a month."

What can't be his differentiator (already owned by bigger accounts, FRB 4): "3 planes of motion" (JTM 1M: "Life doesn't happen in a straight line"), "athletic after 35/40" (Jeremy Scott, JTM), "$20 monthly program" (Theory of Motion). These can live inside his content, not in the headline. What is still his: the former-athlete-with-an-old-injury lens, soccer/groin, CSCS trainer who answers form questions himself (FA 3e).

4b. His story beats (CLIENT-DIRECT) and where each goes

4c. Voice rules (from 32 of his clips, HC 7)

• Calm teacher who explains the why. Every testimonial praises it: "Ryan explains not just the how but also the why" (Claire, TS).
• Peer, self-deprecating, no hype. "Yes, I just lied to you to get your attention." (HC 5).
• Sign-off: "Your workout is waiting for you." It closes 25 of 32 clips (HC 7). Use it to close the DM, every email and the sales page.
• Short sentences, one idea each. He says "keep it stupid simple" (LOG).
• Talk to both sexes. Examples alternate: "former soccer player, dad of two" / "former volleyball player, mom of two". (Horton's page already uses the header "Former Soccer Player / Mom", FRB 2.3.)
• Never shame. "if you fall off, just get back on. Try not to make a big deal out of it." (HC 5).

4d. Who it is NOT for (say it plainly; it filters out churn)

From his own words (VN2, CS1Gt7pZpBA):

• A fresh or serious injury: "if you're dealing with like a spinal fusion or you have a herniated disc ... that's not the kind of person who's going to excel in the practice."
• Anyone who needs a PT or hands-on care: "Say you need a physical therapist or you're dealing with a very serious injury".
• Anyone who wants someone to chase them: "If they want somebody to meal prep for them, I'm not your guy." The audience says it too: "When left to my own I'll often choose a comfy bed over getting up and being active, so I need that accountability" (W9). These people fit his in-person offer.
• Anyone who wants a custom plan: "your workouts will be the same as Joe's workouts" (CALL).
• Possibly: no gym access, unless a home version is added (open question).

Plain-words version for pages (HYPOTHESIS): "Not for a fresh or serious injury, a herniated disc or spinal fusion. See a PT first, and come back when they clear you. And if you need someone to come knock on your door, my in-person training is a better fit."

4e. Claims he must NOT make

He is a CSCS, not a licensed PT, and says so: "I'm not saying that I'm better than a physical therapist" (VN2). Paid programs injure people too (BVF 1a). No legal source was checked; this is caution, not legal advice (ANS 4).

5. The full objection table

Priority: P0 = blocks buying or staying, seen across sources. P1 = real, seen more than once. P2 = minor or one source. Where answered uses the funnel steps in section 6: Reel / DM / Freebie / Thank-you page (TY) / Email E0-E7 / Sales page (SP) / Checkout / Onboarding (OB) / Retention (RET).

5a. Objections from the audience (AUDIENCE)

5b. Objections his own data shows (CLIENT-DIRECT, silent)

5c. Objections Lutke himself raised (CLIENT-DIRECT)

6. The funnel, step by step

Reel (Comment PRACTICE) -> DM: tap -> email -> "what's cranky?" (pushed to Systeme) -> 1 link
   (bio link traffic: Systeme opt-in page with the same 3 asks)
-> Session page: free 20-min session plays + Practice pitch under it
-> Emails E0-E7 over ~12 days (tagged by body part) -> start-day deadline
-> Sales page -> EverFit checkout ($19.99, half off month 1, or annual)
-> Week-1 onboarding -> monthly block, check-ins, retest, live call
-> Non-buyers: weekly email (one free swap or tip + next start day)

Step 0. The bio and the link in bio

What: IG bio says one thing: who, what, the free session. Link goes to ONE page we build in Systeme (not Linktree): free session first, "Join The Practice $19.99/mo" second, nothing else. Example bio (HYPOTHESIS): "Ryan Lutke, CSCS / Former D2 All-American. Training former athletes whose body isn't what it used to be / Free 20-min session ⬇️" Why: GMB's bio, keyword and landing page all promise the same named routine (FRB 4); Lutke's 4 entry points promise 4 different things (workout / waitlist / pain relief video / $25 manual, FRB 1b). GMB uses its own page, not a Linktree (FA, GMB walk). Lutke pays ~$16/mo for Linktree and says "it's not doing what I need it to do" (onboarding call). Off-topic sauna + Legion links are the same "affiliate links in the bio" problem FA 3e says not to copy. Who does it: GMB (go.gmb.io/insta), Theory of Motion ("Free Guide!" is bio link #1). 2nd choice: keep Linktree, cut it to 2 links. Pros: zero build. Cons: still $16/mo, less control, no tracking in Systeme. Highlights: reorder by body part (Knee / Hip & groin / Back / Shoulder / Start here). Why: E3 and Squat U organize highlights by body part; "a knee guy finds 'Knee' in one tap" (FA notes, E3 walk). Organized-by-body-part: 6 of 12 successful brands (FA 3b).

Step 1. The reel + comment CTA

What:

• One keyword everywhere: PRACTICE. One automation to maintain (Movement by David runs one keyword, "GET FLEXY", everywhere, FA notes).
• The caption and the spoken CTA name the thing, the size, and who it's for:

  "Comment PRACTICE and I'll send you a free 20-minute session for former athletes with cranky knees, hips, backs or shoulders."

• Hooks that already worked for him or match their words (HYPOTHESIS picks):
  • "If you used to bounce back in a day, but now it takes a week, you're exactly who I'm talking to." (his, Dd7-ZVfTVdi)
  • "Your workouts shouldn't stop when your playing career ends" (his, DeB_d4pTVHg)
  • "More weight isn't better. Here's the swap." (his myth, VN2)
  • "Played on Tuesday, couldn't walk on Thursday?" (their words + his outcome)
  • "Your knees aren't old. They're under-trained." (his aging reframe, VN1)
• Content mix per month (HYPOTHESIS): 2-4 PRACTICE CTA reels (see goal math 2c), the rest "save this" teaching reels that already earn saves (his "Save this exercise" format, HC 5).
• Pin the best CTA reel. Every new CTA reel gets the automation switched on before posting.

Why: his top reels ARE the PRACTICE reels (155K-212K, IGI); May-July CTAs drew 93-853 comments each, October's vague "a free workout for retired athletes" drew 651-1,689 plays (FRB 1a). Every consumer keyword CTA among competitors names a concrete thing with a size: "Comment REBOOT20 and I'll send you a link to a free 20-minute follow-along strength and mobility routine." (GMB, 1,358 comments, C6J-WN7vGty); "Comment DAILY and I'll send you 7 days of free access to my Daily Workouts and 10+ other programs." (JTM, Dc9crf4zCtJ) (FRB 4). Keyword for a free thing: 5 of 12 successful brands (FA 3b). Pros: free to change; same traffic, clearer promise. Cons: none real. 2nd choice: keep "a free workout" wording, fix only the flow. Cons: vague promise, lower intent. Also: YouTube. 1st: pause new soccer YouTube and spend Thursday filming on IG + funnel assets (303 views/28 days, IGI). 2nd: one follow-along video a month on YouTube (his best format there, HC 6). Lutke decides; soccer YouTube is something he enjoys.

Step 2. The DM

What (ManyChat), 1st choice: keep the email ask in the DM (it already works), add one body-part tap, then one link.

1. Opener (the one message Meta allows): "Here's your free 20-minute session for former athletes. Tap below and I'll send it over. - Ryan" [Button: Send me the session]
2. After the tap (the tap opens a 24h window): "Where should I send it? Drop your email." (Same step as today: 31 of 38 asked answered, 81.6%, DP.)
3. Quick-reply buttons: "What's cranky? Knee / Hip or groin / Low back / Shoulder / Just stiff". Saved as a tag, pushed to Systeme with the email (his ManyChat-to-Systeme push already works: 24 contacts pushed, DP).
4. Delivery: "Here it is. The swap for your [knee] is at minute X. Your workout is waiting for you." [Button: Watch the session] -> the session page (Step 5). The Practice link sits on that page and in the next message.
5. NEW ~23h follow-up (inside the 24h window; his old May flow had one, the current flow has none, DP): "Did you get to try it? If you want the next 11 sessions, The Practice starts [date]: 7 days free." [Button: See The Practice]
6. Keep his existing 30-day "Low pressure on the email" nudge, but point its button to the session page, not YouTube.

Why:

• Meta allows "Only one message ... to the commenter", and "Follow-up messages can only be sent if the recipient responds" within 24 hours (MK 5). A button tap counts as a response, which is why his email question after the tap works.
• His real numbers: 73 got the opener -> 38 tapped (52%) -> 31 of 38 answered the email question (81.6%) (DP). The leak is the opener (27 never opened it) and the end of the flow (no buy link), not the email ask. So we keep the ask and fix both ends. (Earlier research guessed the email ask was the problem; the full pull shows it isn't.)
• When his DM carried a buy link (Mar and May flows), 88 and 29 people tapped it, and Apr-May were his best sales months (DP, correlation). The current DM dropped the link and sales fell. So the buy link comes back, one step after the free value.
• Who does it: GMB (free session then pitch right under it), Theory of Motion (sample + 50% code in the same delivery), JTM (FRB 2.4-2.10).

Pros: keeps a step that already converts at 81.6%; email + body part captured inside the DM; buy link back in the path. Cons: more DM steps than a single link; needs the Systeme API key rotated first (it's in plain text in the flow, DP). 2nd choice: one DM, one link to a Systeme opt-in page (GMB style, Step 3). Pros: fewer DM steps; the page can show the session's value before the ask. Cons: his waitlist page converts only 17% (70 views, 12 opt-ins, DP); likely loses people vs the 81.6% DM ask. 3rd choice: DM straight to the EverFit buy page (his Mar flow). Pros: simplest; tied to his best sales months. Cons: no email, no nurture for the people not ready today.

Also fix the new-follower DM (15,475 runs, 1,234 taps, DP): new text in his voice, button to the free session, not YouTube. Drop "retired" and "stay injury free". (HYPOTHESIS copy: "Welcome! If you used to play and your body isn't what it used to be, start here: a free 20-minute session. Your workout is waiting for you.")

Step 3. The opt-in page (Systeme)

Used for: bio-link traffic (and the DM if the 2nd choice is picked). The DM route skips it (email is captured in the DM). What: one screen.

• Headline: "Your free 20-minute session for former athletes."
• Sub: "A real session from The Practice. With the swap for your cranky spot, and a simple rule for how much is enough."
• Fields: first name, email, and one tap: "What's cranky? Knee / Hip or groin / Low back / Shoulder / Nothing yet, just stiff".
• Tiny line: "Not for a fresh injury, disc or surgery. See a PT first."
• Photo of Lutke training. No price here.

Why: E3 asks one segmentation question at opt-in (FA 3d) and uses it nowhere; we use it to tag emails. Theory of Motion asks email only, so every email says "Hey there!" (ToM walk "What to avoid"), so we ask first name. GMB and Theory of Motion ask email first but deliver in seconds (FA 3c). 0 of 4 competitor quizzes and Lutke's own quiz offered "groin" (FRB 3), so "Hip or groin" is open ground for him. Pros: segments every email by body part from day 1; tiny friction. Cons: one more tap than email-only. 2nd choice: email only. Pros: fewest fields. Cons: no personalization, no body-part emails.

Step 4. The freebie: "The Former Athlete Session" (name HYPOTHESIS)

What: one real Practice session as a ~20-minute follow-along video, filmed Thu Oct 22. Lutke picks the exercises; the outline below uses moves he already teaches (his videos and VN2), as placeholders.

On-screen swaps (the injury lens, the part that makes it HIS):

(Every cell above is a placeholder for Lutke to replace with his real swaps. HYPOTHESIS.)

• Equipment: one dumbbell or kettlebell + a bench or box. Each move gets a no-equipment option on screen, so people at home aren't shut out.
• Optional add-on: a 1-page PDF with the two rules + swap table (save/print). Lower priority than the video.
• Body-part bonus (reuse, no new filming): his existing 10-minute mobility videos (knee 11:07, back 11:32 from the old quiz; SHIFT knee/back/shoulder on YouTube, 377-571 views) go in email E2 per tag (LW 14-16, HC 6).

Why:

• Answers the #1 question (dose and safe swaps) on screen (SYN 0.4, AU 6; dosing questions seen in at least 15 YouTube items, YT 7).
• A real slice of the paid product is what the closest brands give: GMB's free 20-minute session "uses movements directly from our top-selling Elements program" (GMB walk 6); Theory of Motion's freebie is "A full sample week of workouts" at the same $19.99 (FRB 2.10); JTM's is 10 real workouts (JTM walk).
• His best long YouTube videos were follow-alongs (HC 6); a commenter asked: "could we also have a follow alone video like 15 min-30 min straight, please?" (YT).
• His reels already promise "a free workout" (FRB 1a). This keeps the promise and makes it specific.
• Starting at an easy level answers "impossible to do without pain" (#10) without serving people on his not-for list.

Pros: shows exactly what he sells; cheap (one filming afternoon); answers the top fear. Cons: free workouts are everywhere (AG 6). It must visibly show the injury lens (the swaps) or it blends in.

2nd choice: "Former Athlete Check", a 4-6 move self-test scored at home, result shown before any email, pointing to a matching starter session (ATG shows its result free; Jeremy Scott's "Athletic Combine" is a baseline + retest; Barbell Physio's checklist) (FRB 5.2). Pros: feels personal; matches his "placement test" method (VN1). Cons: The Practice is one program for everyone, so routing promises personalization it doesn't sell; pulls in serious injuries; more to build; Prehab's ~22-screen quiz is the cautionary tale (FA 2b). Better later, once swaps exist (FA Step 4.7). Its tests can live inside onboarding as the day-1 retest now. Not recommended: a free 3-day challenge. 0 of 12 successful brands and 0 of 17 walked use one as the freebie (FA, FRB 3). Robbie's challenge results come from a different audience (MK 3b).

Step 5. The thank-you page

What: the video plays right on the page (no "check your inbox"). Under it:

1. The two rules + "your swap" note for the body part they picked.
2. "Want the next 11?" Short Practice pitch: what's inside (one line each), "$19.99/month, half off your first month", the next start day, button to the sales page.
3. 3-line intro of Lutke with a photo; "It's me who answers your form videos."
4. "Not for" line.

Why: GMB delivers the video "instantly on page, no email needed to access" and the "Bridge is on the thank-you page itself" (GMB walk 6-8). JTM, Jeremy Scott, Theory of Motion and E3 show a line of text or a dead-end thank-you page, "wasting the moment of highest intent" (JTM walk). His current waitlist thank-you page plays a groin video and pushes YouTube, not The Practice (LW 6). Pros: catches people warm; value in seconds. Cons: one more page to build and test. 2nd choice: deliver by email only. Cons: inbox hunting; GMB's emails never even arrived in our tests, so page delivery is the safer bet (GMB walk).

Step 6. The email sequence (Systeme)

Why emails at all: after the 23h DM follow-up, email is the only way to reach a non-buyer (MK 5). His emails get opened (48.9% average) but are duplicated, stale, mostly linkless, and get 0 clicks; there are 0 sequences (DP). Competitor nurture was mostly unseen (8 of 12 sent nothing in our tests), so "a decent 5-email sequence is likely an edge" (FA 3c, guess). One creator's waitlist converted 8% vs 2.2% once she replaced "ONE alert" with a real sequence (MK 2a, one case). Rules: short, plain text, from one sender address, one link per email (his newsletters got 0 clicks, TP), signed "Your workout is waiting for you." Emails in his voice; he approves every one. Who does it: JTM email 1 ("your only job today: pick the workout ... and get one in", no pitch); Theory of Motion email 1 ("just do Day 1", plus THEORY50 50% off month 1 at the bottom) (FA 3d, ToM email).

• Timing to the start day: if someone joins the list right before a start day, E7 waits for the next one (Systeme date-based step). HYPOTHESIS: Systeme supports this; check.
• Existing waitlist (12 opt-ins) + 26 DM emails: send them E3-E7 once, with an honest "we fixed things" note.

Pros: answers every P0/P1 objection once, in his voice; runs without him. Cons: needs writing + Systeme setup + his approval time; must not sound like a marketer. 2nd choice: 3 emails (session, story, offer) + weekly newsletter. Pros: faster to ship. Cons: skips the objections that actually block (#3, #4, #5).

Step 7. The offer (details in section 7)

$19.99/mo, 7 days free (or half off month 1 if EverFit takes codes), plus a longer plan (annual ~$199, or his drafted 6 months for $100). Always open; everyone starts the new block on the monthly start day. Same offer on TY page, E0, E6, E7, sales page. Who does it: Theory of Motion (THEORY50, 50% off month 1, inside the freebie and email 1); ATG Coached (first month $24.75 vs $49.50) (FA 3d).

Step 8. The sales page (Systeme, or upgrade the EverFit page)

Why a new page: the EverFit page is "the strongest sales page of the bunch" (LW 20) but it isn't linked from his bio, has no proof, no "not for", no FAQ, no first-month offer, and claims "the perfect workout for you" (O20 1).

2nd choice: only fix the EverFit page copy. Pros: no new page. Cons: EverFit page layout limits; no tracking in Systeme.

Step 9. Checkout (EverFit)

• Buy button goes straight to EverFit package VD691290 (today: "You'll pay $19.99 monthly on the 16th", "cancel by contacting coach", country defaulted to Canada in our test, LW 21).
• Add: trial; longer plan; "cancel any time" wording; set default country to US if possible.
• Known now (DP): EverFit supports trials (his "The Practice - Copy" package runs a 30-day trial: 5 sold, 3 active; a "7 day free trial" draft exists) and multi-month billing (a "Bi annual $100/6 mo" draft exists). Self-cancel is a setting (currently off).
• Still unknown: coupon codes, annual (12-month) billing, pause, auto-assigning the current month's program on purchase. Check before Nov 6. 2nd choice: if EverFit can't do coupons/annual, take payment in Systeme (Stripe) and give EverFit access by hand or automation. Cons: more moving parts; access must be granted fast ("Program delivered within 24 hours" is what $20 Strength Club promises, O20 2.8).

Step 10. Onboarding, week 1

Why it matters most: "Training consistency during the first 28 days was the strongest predictor of adherence" (Fitbod, 389K users, observational, MK 4b). Gym members who came 3x/week in month one rejoined 78% vs 59% (MK 4b). "The key to keeping people for months and years is what you do in the first seven days" (Stu McLaren, seller, no data, MK 4b). His 7 cancels each paid only 1 to 4 invoices, 13 of 18 clients show no workouts assigned in 30 days, and member posts stopped after July: the early weeks aren't working today (DP).

2nd choice: monthly retest + leaderboard only. Cons: less personal; doesn't fix the silent drop-off (RECOMMENDATIONS 8).

Step 11. Retention (section 11 has the full plan)

7. Offer, price, packaging, enrollment

7a. Price: keep $19.99/mo

1st: keep $19.99.

• Why: $19-25 is where 5 of 9 successful subscription brands sit (FA 3b); "Nobody objected to ~$20. Nobody endorsed it either" (SYN 4); cost was named against trainers/PT ($80/hr, $180/mo Zoom), never against ~$20/mo (BVF 2c). His twin, Theory of Motion, is $19.99 (FRB 2.10). He wants reach, not a higher price (CALL).
• Pros: no change for members; "$250/hr vs $19.99" anchor is honest and strong.
• Cons: $20 is "the most crowded" band (AU 2.6); the edge must be him and the injury lens, not price. 2nd: $24.99 (JTM's price, with DM to Jay). Pros: more per member. Cons: breaks "affordable personal trainer", needs re-pricing current members.

7b. What's in the $19.99 (and what to stop headlining)

The verdict from O20: "He over-offers human time and under-offers the build-once part" (ANS 8). He's the only one of 14 offers at $10-35 promising form review + live call + DMs together (O20 3). ATG keeps its $19 tier "without coaching" and sells form checks at $49.50 (O20 2.1). Yet almost nobody uses his human features today (member posts stopped after July, 2 form videos ever, both in April; DP).

Why add swaps + retest: they answer the top question (#2) and "nothing to train for" (#12), and they're build-once work that "costs the same at 15 or 1,000" (O20 4). Theory of Motion and $20 Strength Club give versions/swaps at the same price (O20 2.8-2.9). Time math (HYPOTHESIS, no usage data, O20 4): human features ~2-5 h/month at 15 members, ~3-14 h at 50, ~4-27 h at 100. He has about one day a week (LOG). Fine now; breaks between 50 and 100 if used. Pros: protects his time; competes on product. Cons: trimming the promise needs careful wording for current members; form checks are what buyers call worth paying for ("It's not free, but it's worth it for the access to all of the resources, weekly personal zoom sessions and form checks alone." W1), so don't cut them, contain them. 2nd: leave features as they are, measure real usage for 1-2 months, then decide (O20 6F). Pros: no risk with current members. Cons: keeps promises he can't scale on public pages.

Later (not now): versions. 2-day and 4-day versions, and a home version, are what the $20 apps give (11 of 14 have more than one program or versions, O20 3). Add a home version first if Saturday says many followers train at home.

7c. Risk reducer: half off month 1 vs 7-day trial

1st (changed after the data pull): 7-day free trial.

• Why: EverFit already does trials for him. His 30-day trial copy sold 5, 3 still active, 1 cancelled inside the trial (DP; tiny numbers). He already drafted a "7 day free trial" package (DP). It's the most common first step from competitor bios (7 of 17, FRB 3); 5 of 9 successful subscription brands have one (FA 3b): JTM "No payment required today", Jeremy Scott, Ready State.
• Fit with the start day: someone who joins in start week uses the trial on week 1 of the block; someone who joins mid-month uses it on the starter week.
• Pros: biggest drop in risk ("another subscription I'd abandon", #5); buildable today. Cons: only 24.7% of creator memberships offer trials (MK 1b); some trial users never pay; with self-cancel off, cancels still land on Lutke. 2nd: half off the first month ($9.99), by code.
• Why: his twin, Theory of Motion, puts "GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH! USE CODE Theory50" inside the freebie and email 1 (ToM walk 20); ATG Coached does "First month just $24.75" (FA 2a). Keeps money on the line ("If the money is helping you be accountable then it's worth it." p6st3vz).
• Pros: one code everywhere; buyer commits. Cons: EverFit coupon support unknown. Either way: 7 of 9 successful subscription brands use a trial or first-month discount; Lutke has neither (FA 3b).

7d. Annual plan

1st: add annual at ~$199/yr (HYPOTHESIS price, ~17% off $239.88).

• Why: annual on 7 of 9 successful subscription brands (FA 3b); 79.6% of 2,100+ memberships offer one (MK 1b). Comparables: Jeremy Scott $199.99, Bodyweight Warrior $159, Ready State $229.99, Horton $249, JTM $129, Theory of Motion $239.88 (no discount) (FA 2a, O20 2).
• When to show it: on the sales page and again around month 2-3 for members.
• Pros: cash up front; fewer monthly cancel chances. Cons: "~56% of annual subscribers cancelled in Year 1 in 2025, while this worsened to ~72% in 2026" (RevenueCat, vendor blog, MK 4a), so it doesn't fix retention. 2nd: his own draft, 6 months for $100 (DP). Pros: already built in EverFit; ~17% off ($119.94 for 6 months monthly). Cons: shorter lock-in than annual; multi-month plans other than annual are rare (quarterly 15.1% of memberships, MK 1b).

7e. Enrollment: always open + one shared start day a month

1st: always open. Join any day. Everyone starts the new 4-week block together on the start day. New joiners do a starter week until then.

• Why:
  • All 12 successful brands sell their core offer any day; closed doors only appear on high-ticket cohorts (FA 3b). Monthly windows: 0 of 15 competitors (CO).
  • 80.6% of 2,100+ memberships are always open; established open ones report 6.3% vs 7% churn and 2,109 vs 312 new members a year; 61.5% of switchers went closed to open (MK 2b; correlation only, the publisher dislikes closed doors).
  • Monthly windows like his are 11.1% of closed-door memberships; even closed-door fans recommend 2-6 opens a year, not 12 (MK 2a-2b).
  • His own words: windows "pass on people that are interested at a point in time and then may not follow up" (CALL); "No system for nurturing people who skipped a month" (LOG).
  • Keeps what he likes: one shared week 1, one onboarding, a real date to push ("Join by Sunday to start with the group"). Rusin uses "NEW CYCLE STARTS MONDAY" as framing over an open cart (FA 2b).
• Pros: no lost buyers mid-month; still a monthly moment. Cons: less deadline pressure; he likes windows (his call). 2nd: keep monthly windows, add the real email sequence between them. Pros: keeps urgency he likes; Kelsey's waitlist 8% vs 2.2% case (MK 2a). Cons: every window is a mini-launch for a one-man show; ready buyers wait or leave. 3rd: quarterly windows (Stu McLaren's 2-6/year). Cons: 2-3 month waits for a $19.99 product.

7f. Tiers later

When he hits ~50 members, or form checks pass ~5 h/month: add "Practice Coached" at $39-49: form-check reviews with a stated turnaround, priority answers. The base tier keeps program + swaps + community + monthly call.

• Why: ATG (Basic $19 / Coached $49.50 / Concierge $149) is "one app at three prices, and the only difference is human time" (FA notes); Luka is $39 with form checks (O20 2).
• Pros: protects his time; more revenue per serious member. Cons: at 15 members a split leaves few in either tier (O20 6C); usage data says few would buy coaching yet.
• Always: grandfather anyone who joined under "Sign up before Labor Day and I'll never raise the price" (O20 1).

8. Competitors

8a. What the proven ones do (12 SUCCESSFUL by scale + Horton as reference; FA, scale.md, FRB, O20)

8b. What to copy (and from whom)

8c. What NOT to copy

• Countdown timers, a "results" page that's only a paywall, decoy pricing (Prehab).
• Long quizzes or app-matched programs (he has one program).
• AI/template-looking sites (ATG).
• Giant or unsourced claims ("2.6M+", "250k clients", "100,000+", E3's "40%").
• Bonus stacks, stale deadlines, conditional guarantees (Rusin; Squat U's stale "November 14th").
• Scores with no free help (Ready State).
• B2B or affiliate links in the consumer bio (Luka; his own sauna and Legion links).
• Heavy friction: bot checks, forced accounts, a card for a "$0" offer (Jeremy Scott's Busy Dad, Movement by David).
• Mass-market positioning already owned: "athlete in everyone", "after 40", "3 planes of motion" (FA 3e).

8d. The open ground (HYPOTHESIS; open ground can also mean no demand)

1. Former athletes with an old injury, said plainly, at ~$20. Closest: Luka ($39, full gym, aesthetics), After Athletics (recent grads, no IG), Horton (Olympic lifts, no injury angle) (CO).
2. Soccer / groin. 0 of 4 competitor quizzes and Lutke's own quiz offered "groin" (FRB 3). The only soccer monthly program is TMA at $100/mo for current club players (CO).
3. A coach who answers you himself at $20. Most of the $15-22 band is app-only; 0 of 14 bundle form + call + DM (O20 3).
4. A free sample that shows the injury lens (swaps on screen). GMB and ToM give samples; neither is injury-specific (ToM "Injury handling is buried in an FAQ", ToM walk).
5. Honest small proof. "Nobody in the set leads with '15 members, here is each one's story'" (CO 7).
6. Women 40+ former athletes. Most copy is men-leaning (Jeremy Scott, Luka, Horton); 46% of his followers are women.

9. Proof plan

9a. What we have (CLIENT-DIRECT, TS, HC 1)

Gaps: no testimonial names an injury, an ex-athlete, or a number. The Results page is empty (HC 1).

9b. Get Practice-member proof in 30 days (needs Lutke's OK before we pull anything; ANS 5)

Rules: real words only, written OK, no medical claims inside quotes, small honest numbers beat none (ANS 5). 2nd choice: use his own story + best in-person testimonials now, clearly labeled. Pros: available today. Cons: weaker for a $20 online program.

10. Fix list (his broken stuff, prioritized)

Evidence: DP + TP (tools pull), LW (buyer walk), HC 9, FRB 1b. Owner: us = Josh + Ryan (ours); Lutke = the client.

P0: this week (before the Oct 30 window, if he keeps it)

P1: by Nov 6 (with the new funnel)

P2: when there's time

11. Retention plan

Where he is: rough churn ~13% a month (7 cancels over ~54 paid member-months, DP derived; small numbers). Cancelled members paid only 1 to 4 invoices, so people leave in their first months. Only 5 of 18 clients had workouts assigned in the last 30 days; average completion of those 5 ~50%. Member posts stopped after July (DP). The target: get to the 6-8% planning number (MK 4a; Membership Geeks average 7.2%; Peloton app 6.4-8.5%). Going from 13% to 7% is worth about 4 joins a month (2c).

2nd choice: monthly retest + leaderboard only. Cons: less personal; doesn't fix silent drop-off. Who it's for: the buyer this keeps is the self-starter who wants structure (BVF 3d). It won't save someone who needs a daily chaser (BVF 3e). That's why "not for" matters.

12. Risks: what could make this wrong

13. Unknowns + questions for Saturday (Sat Oct 17, 1:00-1:45pm)

Decisions we need from Lutke

1. Who: OK to lead with "former athletes" (not "retired"), with examples for men and women and "anyone who used to move more"?
2. Promise: does "Train like an athlete again, in a way your joints can handle now. Play on Tuesday without paying for it on Thursday." sound like him?
3. Freebie: OK to film a 20-min follow-along session on Thu Oct 22? Which moves and swaps? Gym version only, or also a no-equipment option?
4. Injury line: is he OK with the safety line: "If it hurts to walk on, or it's a fresh injury, a disc or a surgery, see a PT first"? And the dose + stop rule wording?
5. Enrollment: always open with a monthly start day? Or keep windows (and if so, is Oct 30 still on)?
6. Start day: what day does each block start? (If the Oct 30 window feeds a block starting Mon Nov 2, the next start day would be Mon Nov 30: HYPOTHESIS.)
7. Offer: 7-day free trial (his draft) or half off month 1? Annual at ~$199, or publish his drafted 6 months for $100? What happens to the 3 members on the 30-day-trial copy package?
8. Human time: OK to stop headlining DMs, batch form checks into one weekly thread with a reply window (48h?), keep the monthly live call?
9. Swaps: can each Practice workout show a swap for knee, hip/groin, low back, shoulder? (This is what makes the promise true.)
10. FORTIFIED keyword: what should it do: 1:1 inquiries, or point to The Practice? (He said he doesn't want more in-person clients, VN2.)
11. YouTube: pause soccer YouTube for now, or keep one follow-along a month?
12. Linktree: OK to replace with one Systeme page and drop sauna + Legion links?
13. Retire: Mighty Networks, borrowed quiz, Thinkific manual (or sell it properly)?
14. Dad's story: OK to tell the meniscus story publicly?

Facts we need from him (or his OK to pull)

15. Workouts: 13 of 18 connected clients show no workouts assigned in the last 30 days, and the package holds only the April program. How do members get each new month? Is anyone paying and not getting workouts? 15b. Members: 13 paying by EverFit (10 + 3), he said ~15 on the call. Which is right? What sport did they play, what's cranky, how did they find him? (Form never asked.)
16. Who are the 7 who cancelled? OK to message them one question?
17. Last 30 days: how many member DMs, live-call attendees? Minutes spent? (Form videos: 2 ever, DP.) ManyChat shows 1,197 unread; is anything in there from real people?
18. Are Matt and Sean Practice members or in-person? Is "Craig, 45" the 7-year client?
19. Who joined under the "before Labor Day, never raise the price" promise?
20. (Answered by DP: full gym 12, limited gym 8, home gym 3, limited home 3, none 0. No question needed.)
21. EverFit: coupons, 12-month billing, pause, auto-assigning a program on purchase? (Trials, 6-month billing and self-cancel setting are confirmed, DP.) OK to turn self-cancel on?
22. The Mar and May PRACTICE flows linked straight to EverFit; why switch to the free workout in June? Was the June flow on during the July reels (only 74 runs)? What did the 283K "Comment FORTIFIED" reel say?
23. Is he open to a small boost on the best new CTA reel? (2 of his top reels were boosted.)
24. Sources for the Neymar and "2021 study" stats?

Unknowns we can't settle Saturday (we measure)

• Real email-to-paid rate (2c). Real churn. Whether the new wording brings back May-July comment levels. Whether women respond to the same hooks.

14. Roadmap with dates and owners

Fixed points: kickoff Sat Oct 17 1:00-1:45pm (Google Meet). Weekly call Tuesdays. Lutke films Thursdays 4-6pm (Oct 22, Oct 29, Nov 5). Build ~3 weeks. Everything live Fri Nov 6. Our fee: $1K paid, $1K after delivery (LOG).

What Lutke must do, total, in 3 weeks (so he can plan): 3 filming afternoons (Oct 22, 29, Nov 5), ~3 Tuesday reviews, rotate one API key, a few personal messages to members, edit his videos. Everything else is ours.

Every quote above is verbatim from the research files listed at the top, with its link or file. Anything marked HYPOTHESIS is our guess and needs Lutke's yes or real data.