From lyrical exercise to home workouts! Some serious star power in Jay-Z and his Marcy Venture Partners firm is getting behind LIT Method training, and the fitness company plans on using the newly found exposure and funding to encourage people to stay fit.
Justin and Taylor Norris, the co-founders and CEOs of LIT, discussed how they went about capturing the attention of the celebrity's venture capital firm.
"It was never about finding capital, we've always had access to capital and things like that, so for us, it was going out and saying 'Who is going to be the perfect partner for us? Who is going to be the people that can partner with us and take our brand to the next level?'" Justin Norris told Cheddar. "We were looking for a group of individuals that really were going to be hands on and help us grow the company in different verticals."
He added that former Major League Baseball player Adrian Gonzalez, currently playing in Mexico, is also an investor who also happens to be working out on the LIT machine in his run-up to playing in the Tokyo Olympics.
LIT, or low-impact training, uses programs designed to boost strength, cardio, and physical therapy without running, jumping, or weight lifting, and its lightweight machine uses resistance bands and 10 to 40 pounds of water resistance. For those seeking some guidance on their fitness journey, the Los Angeles-based company also offers "500 different low-impact exercises" and consumers can even train with experts virtually.
"We offer strength training, bar, pilates, rowing, the machine does it all. In addition to the machine, we also offer mat classes, so if you can't have the machine inside of your house, it's not for you, you can still access our classes anytime, anywhere and our instructors are certified low-impact experts so you're getting guidance, motivation, inspiration, and recovery all in one class," Justin added.
Addressing concerns about the workout machine's size in light of the potential for in-home clutter during the pandemic's various stay-at-home orders, Taylor Norris explained that the LIT Method machine can be easily stored and towed to the perfect workout setting.
"Accessibility is key for us. We don't require any electricity with our machine. You can roll it around anywhere. It can be stored in a nice closet, in your bathroom. We really wanted to make sure that you could travel with the machine," Taylor said.
For the future, the duo is also planning to expand the company with retail operations with the opening of LIT Labs, a take on traditional showroom floors, where instead of consumers viewing a product and leaving, they will be able to go through "a series of exercises and 'tests,'" and an instructor will then create a program for that person.
And, while other at-home fitness brands like Peloton have recently come under scrutiny for the potential risks their products might pose following the death of a child who became stuck underneath a treadmill, the LIT CEOs claimed that their product is unequivocally safe.
"The machine itself is very safe. We don't have to worry about mechanics trying to run at speed 12 and things like that. You really go at your own pace on a machine, which makes it safe and effective," he noted.
