Exploring Life & Business with Ryan Lauderdale of Rypen Performance Lab

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Lauderdale.

Ryan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Carson, California, surrounded by sports, community, and this belief that hard work can truly change the trajectory of your life. My professional career started at Velocity Sports Performance — but I was also training people wherever I could: parks, garages, and borrowed spaces. But even in those early years, I was drawn to more than just workouts. I became obsessed with the science of performance—how athletes move, how force is produced, why certain bodies stay resilient under stress, and how data can transform the way we train.

That curiosity eventually opened the door to Nike, where I served as one of the first Nike Master trainers in the world. My time there completely reshaped my understanding of athlete development and brand building. At Nike, you’re immersed in a global performance culture where innovation, storytelling, and science intersect every single day. You see firsthand how the world’s top athletes prepare, recover, and build their careers. Being part of that ecosystem sharpened my attention to detail, expanded my creative approach to coaching, and taught me the power of building something with intention, not just hustle.

When my time with Nike came to an end, I knew exactly what I wanted to build. I wanted to create a space that blended elite sports science with the culture and community that help athletes actually thrive. A place where training wasn’t random—it was measured, tested, and personalized. A place where youth athletes, pros, and everyday people could all access the same level of detail and care.

That vision became Rypen Performance Lab.

I started small—just me, a few pieces of equipment, and a belief that I could build something different. Over time, Rypen grew into a full performance ecosystem: force-plate technology from Kinvent, VO2 Max metabolic analysis, custom programming through the Rypen App, advanced data interpretation, team consulting, and a training environment built on culture, trust, and real human connection.

As the business evolved, so did the opportunities. I’ve worked with athletes from youth to the NCAA, MLB, Premier League, NHL and NFL, partnered with organizations like CAA Hockey, designed weight rooms for schools and teams, and built development systems that help athletes understand their bodies on a deeper level. I’ve expanded into digital content, data-driven performance products, and a long-term vision to grow Rypen into a performance-lifestyle brand that merges training, technology, and community.

But none of this was smooth. Entrepreneurship comes with setbacks, slow months, moments of doubt, and times where you feel like you’re building the plane mid-flight. Yet every challenge forced me to innovate, think bigger, and refine what Rypen stands for: elevating people through world-class coaching, cutting-edge technology, and a culture built on personal growth.

I’m still building. Still learning. Still evolving. But I’m proud of how far it’s come—and even more excited about where it’s going.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The short answer is no—definitely not. And honestly, I’m grateful for that. Smooth roads don’t build strong entrepreneurs. The struggles are the reason Rypen exists the way it does today.

When I first started, I didn’t have investors, a big facility, or a large built-in client roster. I was training athletes in parks, garages, and whatever space I could access. Money was tight, resources were limited, and everything felt like a gamble. There were months where I wasn’t sure how I was going to cover rent, let alone grow a business.

One of the hardest challenges was trying to build something different in an industry that often rewards the status quo. It’s easy to sell people on workouts—they’re familiar. It’s harder to educate people on data-driven training, and long-term athlete development.

Another major challenge was balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with the emotional and mental weight that comes with it. When you’re building something on your own, you carry everything: the vision, the finances, the doubts, the late nights, and the responsibility to the people you train. Running a performance business is not just physical—it’s deeply emotional. You’re constantly navigating the line between being a coach, a mentor, and a founder trying to keep the lights on.

Then came the setbacks: losing clients to circumstances outside my control, moving into and out of facilities, dealing with unexpected costs, opening a brick and mortar during a world pandemic, and trying to scale without sacrificing quality. There were moments where I genuinely questioned if the dream was still worth it.

But every obstacle forced evolution.

The financial pressure pushed me to build smarter systems.
The doubt pushed me to get better as a coach and leader.
The setbacks pushed me to innovate — from digital programming to data analytics to building the Rypen App.
And the adversity taught me that resilience isn’t a trait, it’s a skill you develop through repetition.

Looking back, I can say the road wasn’t smooth—but it was necessary. Those challenges built the foundation for the Rypen Performance Lab people see today. They shaped my philosophy, sharpened my vision, and made me appreciate the community and athletes who believe in what we’re building.

If the road had been smooth, I wouldn’t be the coach, business owner, or person I am today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Rypen Performance Lab is much more than a gym — it’s a high-performance ecosystem built on science, technology, and culture. We specialize in bridging the gap between elite-level sports testing and everyday accessibility, giving athletes of all ages and backgrounds the kind of insights, coaching, and environment that were once reserved for the pros.

Our focus is simple: help people perform better, move better, and evolve into the most capable version of themselves through a data-driven, holistic approach.

What We Do
At our core, Rypen blends three pillars:
1. High-level sports performance & strength training
We work with athletes from youth levels all the way to the NHL, MLB, Premier League, NFL, and Division I programs. Training isn’t random — it’s individualized, periodized, and grounded in biomechanics, force production, nervous system readiness, and long-term athletic development.

2. Advanced sports technology & data analytics
We’re known for integrating cutting-edge tech into day-to-day training, including:
* Kinvent force plates for jump profiling, asymmetry analysis, and movement signature mapping
* VO2 Max metabolic testing for individualized conditioning prescriptions
* Velocity-based training, force-time curve analysis, gait interpretation, and sport-specific KPIs
We don’t just collect data — we translate it into clear, actionable strategies.

3. Personalized programming through the Rypen App
For teams and individuals, we deliver customized strength and conditioning programs that blend science, practicality, and world-class coaching. It allows athletes around the country (and internationally) to train the Rypen way, even from a distance.

What Sets Rypen Apart
Most gyms train muscles.
We train humans — their physiology, psychology, performance capacity, and long-term development.
A few things that make us different:
* We operate like a hybrid of a performance lab, sports tech company, and community hub.
* We use data to make decisions, not guesswork.
* We’re obsessed with the details — force signatures, asymmetries, mobility restrictions, energy systems, training readiness, and injury risk patterns.
* We integrate recovery (cold plunge, red light, soft-tissue work) into performance instead of treating it as an add-on.
* We build relationships — athletes trust us because we invest in them beyond their sport.

Rypen isn’t intimidating or exclusive. It’s a place where a pro athlete, a middle-school athlete, and an everyday adult can train and feel equally supported.

What I’m Most Proud of
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the culture we’ve built and are continuing to expand upon.
Yes, the data is advanced. Yes, the training is elite.
But the soul of Rypen is the community — the support, mentorship, energy, and belief that shows up in the room every day.
We’re also building Rypen into something bigger:
A performance-lifestyle brand that blends training, tech, media, events, education, and community development. Something that lives both inside the walls of the Lab and far beyond it.

What I Want Readers to Know
Rypen isn’t just a place to work out — it’s a place to grow.
Whether you’re an elite athlete, a beginner, or someone returning after years away from training, our approach meets you exactly where you are. We give you clarity, structure, real data, and coaching that helps you unlock your full potential. And above all, we create a space where you feel seen, supported, and pushed to be better.
Rypen is built for people who want more than a workout — they want a path forward.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I love most about Los Angeles — especially the South Bay — is the energy. There’s a unique blend of creativity, ambition, and lifestyle here that you can’t find anywhere else. People in LA are dreamers and doers. They’re willing to push boundaries, take risks, reinvent themselves, and chase big visions. That mindset is a huge part of who I am and what Rypen represents.

I also love the diversity. You meet people from every background, every industry, every walk of life. One day you’re training a pro athlete, the next you’re helping a young kid find confidence, and the next you’re sitting across from an entrepreneur building the next groundbreaking idea. LA has a way of expanding your world in all directions.

And of course, the South Bay is home. The beach, the culture, the community — it shaped me. It’s the reason I wanted to build Rypen here, so athletes and everyday people don’t have to leave the neighborhood to access world-class training and resources.

As for what I like least, it’s probably the pace — not in the sense of ambition, but the lack of stillness. LA moves fast. Everyone’s juggling ten things at once, always on the go, always in motion. That can make it difficult for people to slow down, take care of themselves, and build the kind of consistency that leads to long-term growth. I see it a lot with clients: high stress, limited balance, burnout disguised as productivity.

If anything, that’s why I’m so motivated to build what I’m building — a place where people can train, recover, reset, and reconnect with their health and performance. LA’s pace can pull you in every direction, but with the right environment, you can channel that energy into something incredibly powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Rypenfitness.com
• Instagram: Rypenfitness
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-lauderdale-88773b43/
• Youtube: Rypenfitness
• Other: https://Instagram.com/rypenperformancelab

Image Credits
Shannon Brooker
@shannonbrooker10