Latest news with #Ladder
Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Ladder Capital Corp Reports Results for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2025
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ladder Capital Corp (NYSE: LADR) ('we,' 'our,' 'Ladder,' or the 'Company') today announced operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. GAAP income before taxes for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $20.8 million, and diluted earnings per share ('EPS') was $0.14. Distributable earnings was $30.9 million, or $0.23 of distributable EPS. 'We are very pleased to achieve investment grade status and complete our inaugural unsecured bond offering in the investment grade market,' said Brian Harris, Ladder's Chief Executive Officer. 'As the only investment grade mortgage REIT in the country, we believe our unique position - anchored by a diversified, highly liquid, senior secured asset base and a predominantly unsecured capital structure - sets us apart from both traditional mortgage and property REITs. With this strong foundation and a reduced cost of capital, we are very well-positioned to deploy capital into new investment opportunities, further expand our investor base, and deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns in today's market,' added Mr. Harris. Supplemental The Company issued a supplemental presentation detailing its second quarter 2025 operating results, which can be viewed at Conference Call and Webcast We will host a conference call on Thursday, July 24, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss second quarter 2025 results. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (877) 407-4018 domestic or (201) 689-8471 international. Individuals who dial in will be asked to identify themselves and their affiliations. For those unable to participate, an audio replay will be available until midnight on Thursday, August 7, 2025. To access the replay, please call (844) 512-2921 domestic or (412) 317-6671 international, access code 13754705. The conference call will also be webcast through a link on Ladder's Investor Relations website at A web-based archive of the conference call will also be available at the above website. About Ladder Ladder is a publicly listed, investment grade-rated commercial real estate finance company with a diversified, nationwide platform. We deliver tailored capital solutions across the commercial real estate landscape, with a focus on the middle market. Our investment objective is to preserve and protect shareholder capital while generating attractive, risk-adjusted returns. Since our founding in 2008, Ladder has deployed more than $48 billion of capital across the real estate capital stack, serving both institutional and middle-market clients. Our primary business is originating fixed and floating rate first mortgage loans collateralized by all major commercial property types. As the only permanently capitalized commercial mortgage REIT with true autonomy from third-party secured financing, Ladder delivers certainty of execution. In addition, we own and operate predominantly net leased, income-producing real estate and invest in investment grade securities secured by first mortgage loans on commercial real estate. Ladder is internally managed and led by a seasoned management team with deep industry expertise. With over 11% insider ownership, Ladder's management and board of directors are collectively the Company's largest shareholder, ensuring strong alignment with the interests of all stakeholders. Since inception, Ladder has maintained a conservative and durable capital structure - a strategy reflected in its investment grade credit ratings of Baa3 from Moody's Ratings and BBB- from Fitch Ratings, both with stable outlooks. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with a regional office in Miami, Florida. All data is as of June 30, 2025. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release may constitute 'forward-looking' statements. These statements are based on management's current opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, not historical fact, and involve certain risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions. Actual results, levels of activity, performance, achievements and events could differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. While Ladder believes that its assumptions are reasonable, it is very difficult to predict the impact of known factors, and, of course, it is impossible to anticipate all factors that could affect actual results on the Company's business. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made herein including, most prominently, the risks discussed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as well as its consolidated financial statements, related notes, and other financial information appearing therein, and its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release. Ladder expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or changes in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based. _________________________ (1) Includes amounts relating to consolidated variable interest entities. Expand Ladder Capital Corp Consolidated Statements of Income (Dollars in Thousands, Except Per Share and Dividend Data) Three Months Ended June 30, March 31, 2025 2025 (Unaudited) Net interest income Interest income $ 62,735 $ 64,326 Interest expense 41,205 43,997 Net interest income (expense) 21,530 20,329 Provision for (release of) loan loss reserves, net (42 ) (81 ) Net interest income (expense) after provision for (release of) loan loss reserves 21,572 20,410 Other income (loss) Real estate operating income 25,775 21,773 Net result from mortgage loan receivables held for sale 4,914 162 Gain (loss) on real estate, net — 3,807 Fee and other income 2,803 5,285 Net result from derivative transactions 1,526 323 Earnings (loss) from investment in unconsolidated ventures (288 ) (732 ) Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt 1 256 Total other income (loss) 34,731 30,874 Costs and expenses Compensation and employee benefits 11,561 18,761 Operating expenses 4,767 4,516 Real estate operating expenses 10,266 8,766 Investment related expenses 844 1,188 Depreciation and amortization 8,043 7,336 Total costs and expenses 35,481 40,567 Income (loss) before taxes 20,822 10,717 Income tax expense (benefit) 3,714 (838 ) Net income (loss) 17,108 11,555 Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated ventures 220 220 $ 17,328 $ 11,775 Earnings per share: Basic $ 0.14 $ 0.09 Diluted $ 0.14 $ 0.09 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 125,796,410 125,628,951 Dividends per share of Class A common stock $ 0.23 $ 0.23 Expand Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company utilizes distributable earnings, distributable EPS, and after-tax distributable return on average equity ('ROAE'), non-GAAP financial measures, as supplemental measures of our operating performance. We believe distributable earnings, distributable EPS and after-tax distributable ROAE assist investors in comparing our operating performance and our ability to pay dividends across reporting periods on a more relevant and consistent basis by excluding from GAAP measures certain non-cash expenses and unrealized results as well as eliminating timing differences related to conduit securitization gains or losses and changes in the values of assets and derivatives. In addition, we use distributable earnings, distributable EPS and after-tax distributable ROAE: (i) to evaluate our earnings from operations because management believes that they may be useful performance measures; and (ii) because our board of directors considers distributable earnings in determining the amount of quarterly dividends. Distributable EPS is defined as after-tax distributable earnings divided by the weighted average diluted shares outstanding during the period. In addition, we believe it is useful to present distributable earnings and distributable EPS prior to charge-offs of allowance for credit losses to reflect our direct operating results and help existing and potential future holders of our class A common stock assess the performance of our business excluding such charge-offs. Distributable earnings prior to charge-offs of allowance for credit losses is used as an additional performance metric to consider when declaring our dividends. Distributable EPS prior to charge-offs of allowance for credit losses is defined as after-tax distributable earnings prior to charge-offs of allowance for credit losses divided by the weighted average diluted shares outstanding during the period. We define distributable earnings as income before taxes adjusted for: (i) net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated ventures; (ii) our share of real estate depreciation, amortization and gain adjustments and (earnings) loss from investments in unconsolidated ventures in excess of distributions received; (iii) the impact of derivative gains and losses related to hedging fair value variability of fixed rate assets caused by interest rate fluctuations and overall portfolio market risk as of the end of the specified accounting period; (iv) economic gains or losses on loan sales, certain of which may not be recognized under GAAP accounting in consolidation for which risk has substantially transferred during the period, as well as the exclusion of the related GAAP economics in subsequent periods; (v) unrealized gains or losses related to our investments in securities recorded at fair value in current period earnings; (vi) unrealized and realized provision for loan losses and real estate impairment; (vii) non-cash stock-based compensation; and (viii) certain non-recurring transactional items. We exclude the effects of our share of real estate depreciation and amortization. Given GAAP gains and losses on sales of real estate include the effects of previously-recognized real estate depreciation and amortization, our adjustment eliminates the portion of the GAAP gain or loss that is derived from depreciation and amortization. Our derivative instruments do not qualify for hedge accounting under GAAP and, therefore, any net payments under, or fluctuations in the fair value of derivatives are recognized currently in our income statement. The Company utilizes derivative instruments to hedge exposure to interest rate risk associated with fixed rate mortgage loans, fixed rate securities, and/or overall portfolio market risks. Distributable earnings excludes the GAAP results from derivative activity until the associated mortgage loan or security for which the derivative position is hedging is sold or paid off, or the hedge position for overall portfolio market risk is closed, at which point any gain or loss is recognized in distributable earnings in that period. For derivative activity associated with securities or mortgage loans held for investment, any hedging gain or loss is amortized over the expected life of the underlying asset for distributable earnings. We believe that adjusting for these specifically identified gains and losses associated with hedging positions adjusts for timing differences between when we recognize the gains or losses associated with our assets and the gains and losses associated with derivatives used to hedge such assets. We originate conduit loans, which are first mortgage loans on stabilized, income producing commercial real estate properties that we intend to sell into third-party CMBS securitizations. Mortgage loans receivable held for sale are recorded at the lower of cost or market under GAAP. For purposes of distributable earnings, we exclude the impact of unrealized lower of cost or market adjustments on conduit loans held for sale and include the realized gains or losses in distributable earnings in the period when the loan is sold. Our conduit business includes mortgage loans made to third parties and may also include mortgage loans secured by real estate owned in our real estate segment. Such mortgage loans receivable secured by real estate owned in our real estate segment are eliminated in consolidation within our GAAP financial statements until the loans are sold in a third-party securitization. Upon the sale of a loan to a third-party securitization trust (for cash), the related mortgage note payable is recognized on our GAAP financial statements. For purposes of distributable earnings, we include adjustments for economic gains and losses related to the sale of these inter-segment loans for which risk has substantially transferred during the period and exclude the resultant GAAP recognition of amortization of any related premium/discount on such mortgage loans payable recognized in interest expense during the subsequent periods. This adjustment is reflected in distributable earnings when there is a true risk transfer on the mortgage loan sale and settlement. Conversely, if the economic risk was not substantially transferred, no adjustments to net income would be made relating to those transactions for distributable earnings purposes. Management believes recognizing these amounts for distributable earnings purposes in the period of transfer of economic risk is a useful supplemental measure of our performance. We invest in certain securities that are recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in current period earnings. For purposes of distributable earnings, we exclude the impact of unrealized gains and losses associated with these securities and include realized gains and losses in connection with any disposition of securities. Distributable earnings includes declines in fair value deemed to be an impairment for GAAP purposes if the decline is determined to be non-recoverable and the loss to be nearly certain to be eventually realized. In those cases, an impairment is included in distributable earnings for the period in which such determination was made. We include adjustments for unrealized provision for loan losses and real estate impairment. For purposes of distributable earnings, management recognizes realized losses on loans and real estate in the period in which the asset is sold or when the Company determines such amounts are no longer realizable and deemed non-recoverable. Set forth below is an unaudited reconciliation of income (loss) before taxes to distributable earnings, and an unaudited computation of distributable EPS (in thousands, except per share data): _________________________ (1) The following is an unaudited reconciliation of GAAP depreciation and amortization to our share of real estate depreciation, amortization and gain adjustments and (earnings) loss from investment in unconsolidated ventures in excess of distributions received ($ in thousands): Expand (a) GAAP gains/losses on sales of real estate include the effects of previously recognized real estate depreciation and amortization. For purposes of distributable earnings, our share of real estate depreciation and amortization is eliminated and, accordingly, the resultant gains/losses also must be adjusted. The following is an unaudited reconciliation of the related consolidated GAAP amounts to the amounts reflected in distributable earnings ($ in thousands): Expand Three Months Ended June 30, March 31, 2025 2025 GAAP realized gain/loss on sale of real estate, net $ — $ 3,807 Adjusted (gain)/loss on sale of real estate for purposes of distributable earnings — (871 ) Accumulated depreciation and amortization on real estate sold $ — $ 2,936 Expand (2) The following is an unaudited reconciliation of GAAP net results from derivative transactions to our adjustments for derivative results and loan sale activity within distributable earnings ($ in thousands): Expand (3) Estimated corporate tax benefit (expense) is based on an effective tax rate applied to distributable earnings generated by the activity within our taxable REIT subsidiaries. Expand After-tax distributable ROAE is presented on an annualized basis and is defined as after-tax distributable earnings divided by the average total shareholders' equity during the period. Set forth below is an unaudited computation of after-tax distributable ROAE ($ in thousands): Non-GAAP Measures - Limitations Our non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. Some of these limitations are: distributable earnings, distributable EPS, after-tax distributable ROAE and distributable earnings and distributable EPS prior to charge-off of allowance for credit losses do not reflect the impact of certain cash charges resulting from matters we consider not to be indicative of our ongoing operations and are not necessarily indicative of cash necessary to fund cash needs; distributable EPS, distributable EPS prior to charge-off of allowance for credit losses, and after-tax distributable ROAE are based on a non-GAAP estimate of our effective tax rate, including the impact of Unincorporated Business Tax and the impact of our election to be taxed as a REIT effective January 1, 2015. Our actual tax rate may differ materially from this estimate; and other companies in our industry may calculate non-GAAP financial measures differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. Because of these limitations, our non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income (loss) attributable to shareholders, earnings per share or book value per share, or any other performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Our non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered an alternative to cash flows from operations as a measure of our liquidity. In addition, distributable earnings should not be considered to be the equivalent to REIT taxable income calculated to determine the minimum amount of dividends the Company is required to distribute to shareholders to maintain REIT status. In order for the Company to maintain its qualification as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code, we must annually distribute at least 90% of our REIT taxable income. The Company has declared, and intends to continue declaring, regular quarterly distributions to its shareholders in an amount approximating the REIT's net taxable income. In the future, we may incur gains and losses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation. Our presentation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Woman beats fatty liver and prediabetes after discovering musclespan — find out how
Maria Arellano Simpson , 44, has struggled with yo-yo dieting since she was nine. After gaining 100 pounds postpartum and fighting prediabetes and fatty liver , she discovered strength training—and a whole new perspective. She is now reversing health issues, discovering freedom in movement, and advocating for a novel concept: musclespan . Since the age of nine, 44-year-old Maria Arellano Simpson has alternated between restrictive diets. To lose weight, she concentrated on cardio, but this only resulted in a slight reduction in calories. She gained a fatty liver, was diagnosed with prediabetes, gained 100 pounds, and had a body fat percentage in the 50s after giving birth to her daughter 12 years ago. She developed the idea of musclespan because she felt compelled to maintain her health and longevity last year, as per a report by Women's Health. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted. Undo Having recently entered perimenopause, Arellano Simpson was aware of the advantages of strength training and muscle in general because she was researching ways to stay healthy during the transition. She began to receive content from the social media algorithm that emphasized her longevity and muscle. While browsing TikTok one day, she spotted a powerful and athletic trainer from the fitness app Ladder who was promoting strength and muscle. "Caching muscle instead of thinness" was her new goal. Live Events Arellano's quality of life significantly improved after she reversed her fatty liver and prediabetes after nine months of muscle-focused exercise. She climbs stairs with ease, plays with her daughters at the park, and has almost no chronic knee and back pain. "Muscle gives you freedom," she puts it. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon coined the term "musclespan," which means building and preserving muscle to support longevity, metabolic health , and injury resilience. Maria Arellano Simpson regained strength, reversed health issues, and discovered that muscle can save your life. Musclespan's journey, supported by science, demonstrates how strength is important at any age. ALSO READ: After cabinet minister and oil tycoon Badalov, now Putin's former classmate and Russia's top judge dies mysteriously What is "musclespan"? Musclespan is a concept that goes beyond lifespan to highlight the significance of preserving strength and aging in a healthy way. The goal is to live as long as possible with healthy skeletal muscle, not cardiac or smooth muscle, that is connected to bones. This becomes even more important as we age and aids in managing unavoidable illnesses, injuries, or surgeries. Being prepared with both strength and mass is crucial to overcoming life's obstacles when we encounter unforeseen curveballs. Regardless of their fitness objectives, people of all ages can benefit from this method. According to the data, it is never too late or too early to improve muscle health , and having both strength and mass is crucial for overcoming obstacles in life. As a result, musclespan is a useful strategy for extending years of health and vitality. How do you make your own musclespan bigger? Here's a useful plan: Stand, walk, or stretch every 30 minutes to keep moving. Lift weights on a regular basis, at least twice a week. Aim for 3–6 sets with weights that are hard for you to do 8–12 times. Eat protein. Women should try to get at least 100 grams a day, or 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of goal weight. Rest and recover: Give your muscles time to heal and grow by getting good sleep and taking breaks between heavy workouts. How can you keep track of how your muscles are getting bigger? Functional fitness checks: Are you able to do 10 push-ups, 25 bodyweight squats, and one pull-up? Grip strength test: A dynamometer can quickly show how healthy the muscles in your hands are, which is a good sign of how strong you are overall. VO₂ max tracking: Cardio capacity is a measure of muscle function as well—use wearables or labs to find out. Blood tests: Keep an eye on things like fasting insulin and triglycerides to see how your metabolism is doing in relation to your muscles. Building musclespan is more than just getting fit; it's about living longer, being strong, and being able to bounce back. Maria's story shows that everything changed when she stopped focusing on the scale and started focusing on strength. Anyone can build muscle, protect their future, and live a life full of movement and independence if they follow a plan based on science. Muscle is really freedom. FAQs What is "musclespan"? This is the time to maintain strong, healthy skeletal muscle, which promotes health, independence, and resilience throughout life. How do you increase musclespan? Include resistance training (2-4 times per week), adequate protein, regular movement, rest, and recovery.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ladder Launches Nationwide Strength Experience with Diplo's Run Club
In addition to live activations at every Diplo's Run Club event across the U.S, Ladder has launched an exclusive in-app workout, designed and led by the Grammy award-winning artist AUSTIN, Texas, July 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ladder, the #1 iOS app for strength training, announced today a partnership with Diplo's Run Club, bringing the world's best strength training coaches to the second season of the 5K & mini music festival event series. The nationwide tour will fuse music, wellness and elite coaching in a one-of-a-kind event where attendees will train, compete and win exclusive Ladder gear. For more information and to register for an upcoming race, visit Ladder and Diplo's Run Club have partnered to provide a carnival-style strength experience at each stop of the 2025 run club tour. This activation will include a mobile gym featuring live Ladder coach-led workouts, branded strength games to test speed, endurance and power, along with exclusive Ladder swag prizes. Current Ladder members and Diplo's Run Club attendees will also have exclusive access to a workout, guest hosted by Grammy award-winning artist Diplo. "Getting Diplo's Run Club started last year was some of the most fun I've had in a long time," says Diplo. "I'm always stoked to be able to motivate people to get active any way they can, which makes Ladder the perfect partner for Diplo's Run Club. I always enjoy switching up my workouts and Ladder makes strength training as approachable as I hope Diplo's Run Club makes running." The Diplo's Run Club x Ladder Pre-Race Workout is live in the Ladder app, and Diplo's Run Club activations will roll out starting at the end of this month in select cities, including: July 26 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sept. 7 – San Francisco, California Sept. 27 - Seattle, Washington Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, California Oct. 25 – New York, New York Nov. 8 – San Diego, California Jan. 17 – Miami, Florida Jan. 24 – Phoenix, Arizona "Our mission at Ladder is to provide our members with the tools they need to be the strongest version of themselves. Community is a huge part of that and a driving force for Diplo's Run Club as well," said Ladder CEO Greg Stewart. "We're excited to bring that community to life in partnership with Diplo and his team, especially at a time when strength training is becoming a core part of how people move, connect and stay motivated." A cultural moment for running and strength This collaboration follows a surge in run club popularity across major cities led by a generation of athletes seeking connection and community with health and wellness at the forefront of their lives. These same goals have contributed to Ladder's explosive growth with the app on track to reach 400,000 members by the end of 2025. Ladder's partnership with Diplo's Run Club continues to tap directly into this momentum, giving members a reason to move, a plan to get stronger and a community chasing the same goals. Available on iOS as a $29.99/month subscription with a 7-day free trial (no credit card required), Ladder - which was named Women's Health's best overall fitness app for 2025 - has a 4.9 App Store rating with over 100,000 reviews. For more information and to start a free trial, visit About Ladder Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Ladder is the #1 strength training app for people who are serious about fitness. Ladder makes it easy to plan and maintain a consistent strength training routine. With new workouts each week from expert coaches, Ladder members can follow progressive workout plans in a variety of modalities including Pilates, HIIT, bodybuilding, kettlebell training, yoga, prenatal and more. Ladder maintains a 4.9 rating on the App Store across more than 100,000 reviews. Ladder offers a free quiz to find the right training plan for you. Try it completely free for 7 days, no credit card required. Learn more at About Diplo's Run Club Diplo's Run Club is a nationwide 5K and mini music festival series that blends fitness, music, and community in a first-of-its-kind experience. Launched in 2024 by Grammy-winning artist Diplo, the series attracted over 20,000 runners in its debut and expanded to eight U.S. cities in 2025–2026. Each event features a daytime run followed by a live DJ set from Diplo himself, celebrating health, movement, and connection. For more information, please visit View source version on Contacts Media Contact For media inquiries, please contact Monique Beals at mbeals@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Ladder Launches Nationwide Strength Experience with Diplo's Run Club
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ladder, the #1 iOS app for strength training, announced today a partnership with Diplo's Run Club, bringing the world's best strength training coaches to the second season of the 5K & mini music festival event series. The nationwide tour will fuse music, wellness and elite coaching in a one-of-a-kind event where attendees will train, compete and win exclusive Ladder gear. For more information and to register for an upcoming race, visit Ladder and Diplo's Run Club have partnered to provide a carnival-style strength experience at each stop of the 2025 run club tour. This activation will include a mobile gym featuring live Ladder coach-led workouts, branded strength games to test speed, endurance and power, along with exclusive Ladder swag prizes. Current Ladder members and Diplo's Run Club attendees will also have exclusive access to a workout, guest hosted by Grammy award-winning artist Diplo. 'Getting Diplo's Run Club started last year was some of the most fun I've had in a long time,' says Diplo. 'I'm always stoked to be able to motivate people to get active any way they can, which makes Ladder the perfect partner for Diplo's Run Club. I always enjoy switching up my workouts and Ladder makes strength training as approachable as I hope Diplo's Run Club makes running.' The Diplo's Run Club x Ladder Pre-Race Workout is live in the Ladder app, and Diplo's Run Club activations will roll out starting at the end of this month in select cities, including: July 26 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Sept. 7 – San Francisco, California Sept. 27 - Seattle, Washington Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, California Oct. 25 – New York, New York Nov. 8 – San Diego, California Jan. 17 – Miami, Florida Jan. 24 – Phoenix, Arizona 'Our mission at Ladder is to provide our members with the tools they need to be the strongest version of themselves. Community is a huge part of that and a driving force for Diplo's Run Club as well,' said Ladder CEO Greg Stewart. 'We're excited to bring that community to life in partnership with Diplo and his team, especially at a time when strength training is becoming a core part of how people move, connect and stay motivated.' A cultural moment for running and strength This collaboration follows a surge in run club popularity across major cities led by a generation of athletes seeking connection and community with health and wellness at the forefront of their lives. These same goals have contributed to Ladder's explosive growth with the app on track to reach 400,000 members by the end of 2025. Ladder's partnership with Diplo's Run Club continues to tap directly into this momentum, giving members a reason to move, a plan to get stronger and a community chasing the same goals. Available on iOS as a $29.99/month subscription with a 7-day free trial (no credit card required), Ladder - which was named Women's Health's best overall fitness app for 2025 - has a 4.9 App Store rating with over 100,000 reviews. For more information and to start a free trial, visit About Ladder Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Ladder is the #1 strength training app for people who are serious about fitness. Ladder makes it easy to plan and maintain a consistent strength training routine. With new workouts each week from expert coaches, Ladder members can follow progressive workout plans in a variety of modalities including Pilates, HIIT, bodybuilding, kettlebell training, yoga, prenatal and more. Ladder maintains a 4.9 rating on the App Store across more than 100,000 reviews. Ladder offers a free quiz to find the right training plan for you. Try it completely free for 7 days, no credit card required. Learn more at About Diplo's Run Club Diplo's Run Club is a nationwide 5K and mini music festival series that blends fitness, music, and community in a first-of-its-kind experience. Launched in 2024 by Grammy-winning artist Diplo, the series attracted over 20,000 runners in its debut and expanded to eight U.S. cities in 2025–2026. Each event features a daytime run followed by a live DJ set from Diplo himself, celebrating health, movement, and connection. For more information, please visit
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Woman Reversed Her Fatty Liver And Prediabetes After She Learned About 'Musclespan'—Here's What To Know
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Maria Arellano Simpson has been on and off restrictive diets since she was 9 years old. 'As a young adult growing up in the 2000s, cardio was the focus, and I spent hours doing it to try and get smaller,' says Arellano Simpson, now 44. She logged hours on the stair-stepper and miles on the pavement. It worked, to some degree, providing her a small calorie deficit but no additional muscle or strength. Then, when she had her daughter 12 years ago, she quickly put on 100 pounds, was diagnosed as prediabetic, developed a fatty liver, and registered a body fat percentage in the 50s. Fast-forward to last year and her wake-up call, which came in the form of two sick relatives. 'I felt like I owed it to my kids to have the best possible health, and I didn't want them to have to take care of me when I get older,' she says. She began her quest to preserve both her wellness and lifespan. And that, in turn, led her straight to the concept of musclespan—though she didn't realize it. Newly in perimenopause, Arellano Simpson was researching how to stay healthy during the transition, so she was aware of the benefits of strength training and muscle in general. Then the social media algorithm started serving her content highlighting muscle and longevity. One day, while scrolling TikTok, she came across a strong and athletic trainer from the fitness app Ladder who was celebrating muscle and strength. 'I remember thinking, I want to be able to move and lift like that,' she recalls. Another post that caught her attention was from a female bodybuilder in her 80s. 'She was lifting weights, running, just full of life,' Arellano Simpson says. That's when 'chasing muscle instead of thinness' became her new objective. 'All the tools fell into my lap at the right time,' she says. For Arellano Simpson, who runs a photography studio in Houston, focusing on muscle shifted her mentality from 'I need to lose weight' to 'I need to put on as much muscle as possible.' Losing 100 pounds was daunting. Gaining muscle and eating well (and enough)? 'A quest worth pursuing,' she says. After nine months of focusing on muscle, she reversed her fatty liver and prediabetes. Her quality of life drastically improved too: She plays with her daughters at the park and climbs flights of stairs with ease, and her chronic back and knee pain are nearly nonexistent. 'Muscle gives you freedom,' she says. 'I know people need to hear about this.' What Musclespan Means You've probably heard the terms lifespan and healthspan. The former signifies how long you live, while the latter refers to how long you're in good health. 'But musclespan is the way in which we support strength and healthy aging,' says physician and Women's Health advisor Gabrielle Lyon, DO, who coined the term and has spent years studying how protein and muscle impact aging, performance, and disease prevention. 'It's about living as long as you can with healthy skeletal muscle.' (Skeletal muscle is the muscle attached to bones, as opposed to cardiac muscle and smooth muscle, located around organs. The more you know!) As a perioperative medicine physician at Stanford Medicine, Sarita Khemani, MD, often sees patients who are admitted to the hospital after a hip fracture or brain bleed due to a fall that may have been caused, in part, by weak muscles. Having muscle 'in reserve' (meaning you built it up earlier in life) that can act as your armor helps you better handle the inevitable injury, surgery, or illness, says Dr. Khemani. That preparation becomes even more important as we age and face unexpected curveballs. 'It's not if, but when, illness strikes, because it happens to all of us,' Dr. Lyon says. 'If you are prepared with both strength and mass, then you are much more likely to be able to overcome life's challenges.' That is musclespan in a nutshell. So, no matter your fitness goals, if you're interested in extending the healthy and vibrant years ahead, this is an approach that can benefit you. 'The data supports that you're never too old—and also never too young—to improve muscle health,' Dr. Lyon says. The Science to Back It Dr. Lyon argues that musclespan not only trumps healthspan but also dictates both healthspan and lifespan. 'Muscle is the key because it is a metabolic and endocrine organ,' she says, citing recent research that links low skeletal muscle mass to an increased risk of all-cause mortality. It's not just an aesthetic or functional enabler; muscle health is also related to insulin sensitivity, metabolic health, and the ability to withstand illness or injury, Dr. Lyon says. In fact, emerging science around myokines—hormone-like compounds released by contracting skeletal muscle fibers—shows they play a powerful role in regulating inflammation, protecting against chronic disease, and promoting longevity. 'Of course, longevity is multifactorial,' Dr. Lyon notes. (Cardiovascular fitness, body composition, and other markers also matter.) 'But muscle health, strength, and mass have emerged as some of the most robust predictors of healthy aging.' While it's common for people to measure everything from their blood pressure and cholesterol to daily steps, very few measure and track their strength or muscle mass. And muscle isn't often thought of as an organ in and of itself that deserves as much care as its higher-profile counterparts. 'We focus on other organs, like the heart and brain, which are very important. But muscle is a critical organ, especially when it comes to longevity,' adds Dr. Khemani. In short, tracking musclespan the way you do other mainstream health markers is a smart move—and easier than you might think (see 'How to Measure Your Musclespan' coming up). Why Muscle Tells You More How is it that muscle is so protective? Those myokines may be the reason exercise decreases the risk of chronic disease, including cancer, cardiovascular illness, and neurodegeneration, according to a review in Endocrine Reviews. 'These powerful messengers allow muscle to 'talk' to other organs, including the brain, adipose tissue, liver, and immune system, helping regulate vital processes like blood sugar control, metabolism, mood, and brain health,' Dr. Khemani explains. 'Because of this, muscle is deeply connected to metabolic health, cognitive function, longevity, and disease resilience.' If peak musclespan is at one end of the spectrum, sarcopenia—a disease characterized by a decline in muscle mass and function—is at the other. It's often thought of as a disease of aging, but it actually affects more than 10 percent of adults in their 20s and 30s, per a recent review in Metabolism. All of this is to say: 'Maintaining muscle isn't optional,' Dr. Khemani says. 'Healthy muscle is one of the most powerful predictors of how long and how well one will live.' How to Apply It to Life A well-known truth: 'The more active you are, the more you prime your body for muscle,' Dr. Lyon says. This means avoiding sedentary stretches outside of your regularly scheduled exercise programming. 'One reason muscle becomes unhealthy is there's no flux,' she explains. 'It's like a pond that becomes a swamp because nothing is moving.' In an ideal world, you'd get up and move at least every 30 minutes or so, says Heather Milton, exercise physiologist supervisor at NYU Langone's Sports Performance Center. Activity may prime the body for muscle, but resistance training builds it. 'There's no replacement for resistance training because [it changes the] muscle fibers,' Dr. Lyon says. As you age, this becomes especially important, since fast-twitch muscle fibers—the ones responsible for strength and explosive movement—naturally shrink. 'They decrease in size and number, so you see people go from being buff to being skinny and sarcopenic,' she says. 'You have to make sure you're maintaining fast-twitch fibers through strength and power training.' She personally combines strength and power work in one session by integrating moves that require power—like medicine ball slams—into her strength workouts. Strength training twice a week is the recommended minimum, says Deborah Gomez Kwolek, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the founding lead of the Mass General Women's Health and Sex and Gender Medicine Program. You can start small, using dumbbells at home, and work your way up to three or four sessions a week. Arellano Simpson is a good case study: She began with 15-minute strength training workouts on the Ladder app. Now she does two lower-body workouts and two upper-body workouts through the app every week. No matter how often you train, you want to target all major muscle groups—chest, back, legs, shoulders, arms, and core—and lift enough weight to put sufficient stress on the muscles so that they have to adapt. 'Choose a weight that, by the last repetition, you could probably do only about one or two more times before failure, or before your form breaks,' Milton says. She suggests training primarily in a hypertrophy (or muscle growth) rep range, which is three to six sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of an exercise. Perhaps most important: Continually challenge yourself in new ways through progressive stimulus—increasing the intensity, volume, and/or complexity over time. And you can't skip taking a protein-first approach to nutrition. Dr. Lyon recommends that women consume 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of target body weight, but no less than 100 grams per day; the older and more active you are, the more you need. Once protein needs are met, she adds, most metabolically healthy people can then divvy up the rest of their daily calories between carbs and fats as they like. Okay, you may feel as if you have a lot of homework now! But the flip side of allll of these tasks is recovery. It's critical to nail the right work-to-rest ratio so your muscles have enough time to recover, adapt, and become healthier, Milton says. 'If you are doing higher-intensity exercise or lifting for the same muscle groups every day, your system doesn't have a chance to repair that tissue,' she says. Strength training causes microscopic tears to the muscles, which require at least 48 hours to repair and come back stronger. That's why sleep is imperative: 'When we sleep, the hormones that create those adaptations are at their peak,' Milton says. Musclespan isn't built in a day—but with strategic training, enough protein, and real rest, you can create a body with built-in armor. As Dr. Khemani puts it: If you want to stay active, independent, and mentally sharp, 'muscle is necessary.' How to Measure Your Musclespan If you can do more than one of these tests, you'll paint a holistic picture of your muscle health. Train three functional movement patterns. 'I believe everyone should be able to do a push-up, a pull-up, and a good bodyweight squat,' Dr. Lyon says. Push-ups in particular are a barometer of musclespan over time, says Milton. She points to a study that found that men who could do 40 push-ups had a lower risk of morbidity and death than those who could do only 10. (Women would likely see similar benefits with fewer reps, though a comparable study hasn't been done yet, Milton says.) Dr. Lyon recommends performing a self-assessment using these three moves—how many can you do with good form?—aiming for 10 push-ups, 1 unassisted pull-up, and 25-plus squats as a benchmark. Test your grip strength. In addition to being a 'fundamental metric' when it comes to muscle function and overall physical capacity, grip strength was proposed as a 'new vital sign of health' in a recent review in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 'Grip strength is an easy test that can be done on most populations without injury risk, and it has strong correlations to overall function and strength,' Milton says. You can find grip strength testers—called dynamometers—on Amazon. Know your . This metric tells you how much oxygen you use during exercise. 'In the clinical world, we use aerobic capacity to measure your risk for early morbidity and mortality,' says Milton. It's measured while you're engaged in cardio, but muscle mass is one of the main components determining your number. 'Muscle is the tissue with the mitochondria that utilize oxygen to produce ATP—which is the molecule needed for contraction,' she explains. Ensuring your VO2 max falls within a healthy range for your age and gender (look for charts online) can also provide insight into your overall muscle health. You can get a VO2 max test at a lab (give it a Google for locations near you) or use a wearable, like an Apple Watch or Oura Ring, for a general idea. Have blood work done. Remember how muscle helps regulate metabolism? Well, looking at the blood markers related to metabolic syndrome—like triglycerides, insulin, and glucose—can be a clue to your muscular health. 'All of those are indicators of metabolic syndrome, which is [in actuality] unhealthy skeletal muscle,' Dr. Lyon says. She recommends having blood work performed quarterly to check your numbers. While most of the tests can be ordered by a primary care provider during a routine physical, insulin isn't always included, she notes, so ask for a fasting insulin test specifically. Consider a scan. A DEXA scan is a type of X-ray exam that uses a small amount of radiation to look at your bone density. While valuable as an additional resource, it's often expensive and less accessible, making it more like a beneficial bonus if your budget allows. Ready to level up your grip strength—and upper-body power? Check out the WH+ Ultimate Pull-Up Plan PDF, a six-week strength training program that helps you build serious grip strength, one hang, row, and pull-up at a time. Start Lifting Weights With These Editor-Approved PicksHand Weights $15.71 at Dumbbells $189.99 at Bars $55.00 at You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals Solve the daily Crossword
