TuffStuff Is Back — BodyKore Reunites the Original Team to Relaunch a Fitness Legend

BodyKore revives the legendary TuffStuff Fitness International brand, relaunching the iconic California strength equipment line with its original leadership team.

BodyKore CEO Leo Chang reunites TuffStuff's original leadership, led by founder's son-in-law Donny Penado, to revive the California strength brand.

GARDEN GROVE, CA, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BodyKore, a leading innovator in commercial strength equipment, proudly announces the strategic revival of the intellectual property, patents, and blueprints of TuffStuff Fitness International. This landmark move unites two powerhouse California fitness brands under a shared vision of premium engineering, biomechanical excellence, and high-caliber innovation.

A California Heritage and a Personal Mission

The revival is deeply personal for BodyKore CEO and founder Leo Chang, who grew up in California. As a young fitness enthusiast, Chang trained on a TuffStuff home gym right in his family garage. This early exposure fostered a lifelong admiration for the unmatched structural integrity, durability, and commercial-grade feel that defined the legendary TuffStuff brand for over half a century.

“Growing up in Southern California, TuffStuff was the gold standard of strength equipment,” said Leo Chang, CEO of BodyKore. “I always held the brand dear because it represented the pinnacle of American fitness engineering. When the opportunity arose to bring TuffStuff back to life, it wasn’t just a strategic business move; it was a mission to rescue and honor a legacy of quality that shaped my own fitness journey.”

Restoring the Vision: Honoring the Original Standard

Founded in 1971 by Sherman P. Grider, TuffStuff spent five decades as an industry pioneer, operating out of its massive manufacturing headquarters in Chino, California. After the passing of its visionary founder and a series of ownership changes in the years that followed, the company eventually ceased operations.

To ensure the brand’s relaunch stays entirely true to its authentic family roots and heritage, BodyKore has successfully recruited key members of TuffStuff’s original leadership team from the founder’s most successful tenure. Leading this revival is Donny Penado, former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TuffStuff Fitness International and the son-in-law of founder Sherman P. Grider.

“Sherman Grider built TuffStuff on raw innovation, family values, and bulletproof engineering,” stated Donny Penado. “Joining forces with BodyKore feels like coming home. Leo and his team possess the exact passion, modern supply chain, and global infrastructure required to bring this iconic brand back to the top tier of the fitness world where it belongs.”

The Launch Lineup: Rebuilding a Legacy

Drawing on TuffStuff’s iconic patents and blueprints, BodyKore is relaunching the brand’s most in-demand, historically celebrated product lines. The initial portfolio pairs legendary space-saving biomechanics with light commercial versatility, featuring:

The Apollo Series Multi-Gym Systems: The premier industry standard for modular, multi-stack structural design, allowing commercial and residential users to customize multi-station setups.

CXT-200 & CXT-225 Corner Functional Trainers: Patented, space-optimized trainers engineered specifically to fit flush into a room’s corner while offering multi-ratio cable travel.

CDP-300 Compact Dual Adjustable Pulley System: A highly efficient, 90-degree V-shaped frame that delivers full dual-cable crossover capabilities on half the traditional footprint.

SPT-6X Six-Pak Functional Trainer: A patented, European-style cable motion system featuring an integrated 360-degree rotating lay-flat bench and a fixed 6-pulley design.

MFT-2700 Dual Stack Multi-Functional Trainer: The flagship of the line, featuring hydraulically supported, gas-assist pivot arms for smooth, multi-planar functional training.

By blending TuffStuff’s precise, time-tested biomechanics with BodyKore’s advanced design capabilities, this revival marks a new era for commercial facilities, trainers, and athletes worldwide who refuse to compromise on quality.

For more information regarding product availability, distribution, or pre-orders, please visit TuffStuff-USA

About BodyKore

Founded in California, BodyKore is a premier provider of commercial-grade fitness equipment. Specializing in custom gym layouts, innovative functional training solutions, and rugged strength lines, BodyKore services health clubs, hospitality centers, universities, and elite home training facilities globally.

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Amorena Scamardella
BodyKore Inc.
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2 Legendary Brands. 70 Years of Legacy. One Engine.